It's finally almost over. Having sat Public Affairs today, I may never have to revise for another exam again in my life ever. That would be wonderful.
I think the exam went OK - a lot of questions were very specifically worded when I had more of a broad view, and some so poorly worded that I wasn't entirely sure what they were asking for and just put down everything. I was definitely making things up about directly elected mayors. But I knew things and I wrote them down! Oh well, I'll know in a few weeks.
The best thing about today was having the huge weight that's been dragging us all down over the last few weeks lifted. As Video Journalism is a practical exam, there isn't really any learning we can do for it. At last, therefore, we have free time! (For a bit, anyway, until our portfolios start breathing down our necks...)
I have had a bit of a splurge day to celebrate, but I don't feel too bad, as I've been being so good I was getting to the stage of forgetting my cashpoint procedure. After the exam, Ostrich and I went on a short walk to find the nearest McDonalds (given that the exam ran from 12 to 2:30, I think we were entitled to give in to our junk food cravings) despite nearly gale-force winds and persistent drizzle. It was worth it.
I spent the afternoon in Journalism School, helping plug and unplug things while people worked on their videos and generally not learning anything. In the evening, Lady Zorro, Normandy, Bob and I set off to find a cinema that was showing Black Swan. We went to Leicester Square-ish area, and nipped into a cafe/bar with exciting flaming heaters outside it for a quick drink (I can't remember what it was called, but it was opposite Ruby Blue, which is apparently some sort of famous expensive club).
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| Lady Zorro (startled) and Normandy (amused) |
Bob was going to go up to the bar on behalf of all of us poor exam-ridden flowers, but he was too embarrassed to order a liqueur coffee. There were lots of straw-carafed bottles hanging up around the bar, though, which suggested an establishment slow to judge.
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| Bob (with beer) |
Having located the nearest cinema, we decided to have a quick bite to eat in a little dumpling place Lady Zorro knows well. I had some very delicious steamed vegetable dumplings, while the others had unspecified 'meat' ones, deep-fried (except for Normandy, who was being healthy too). The dipping sauce was a mix-your-own affair, with vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and some sort of chilli (very much like Lazy Chilli, actually) and little saucers provided. I think I'll be going back!
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| Dumpling! (I forgot to get the camera out until after I'd finished eating, as usual, but thankfully other people are more restrained) |
The only downside was that we were sat on stools facing ourselves in a mirror. I don't think my reflection bears close scrutiny at the best of times, but especially not while chewing. I kept looking up and surprising myself (although thankfully the food was good enough to keep me mostly distracted).
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| Lady Zorro with dumplings! (Demonstrating proper chopstick etiquette) |
When we went to get tickets for Black Swan, however, they were sold out. In fact, they were sold out everywhere. We had a slightly farcical trek around Leicester Square trying to find anywhere we could see it, but to no avail. Finally, we decided to go for the 9:30 screening at the vue we'd originally tried, but Lady Zorro sadly had to leave us to meet up with her other half.
The cinema tickets were pretty extortionately expensive, but thankfully Normandy was able to come to our aid with an Orange Wednesdays voucher, so we ended up paying a roughly normal price each. The screening was sold out, as a man announced after we'd sat down in it. I don't think I've ever seen a film so packed.
Thankfully, Black Swan lived up to expectations. It was really good, building up plenty of tension and providing plenty of scary moments. Normandy and I were clinging together, unable to watch, on more than one occasion. It was also a really pretty film, even if quite a lot of what initially seemed beautiful was twisted by the end. It was the little things, like the contrast of the dancers' black and white practice clothes and the way Nina was constantly washing blood off her hands, that made it, for me. I know, I'm coming over all film-critic!
I feel much better, having written more of what I'd consider a 'proper post'. I was getting very bored of writing about revision!
No picture of me today, I'm afraid. I never got round to it while we were junketing about, and now I am much too tired and lazy.
Not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow, but as it's a 'self-study day', I know I won't be getting up early!
Goodnight!
