As far as my job goes, it’s hard work, but very rewarding, so I don’t think I could ask for anything more! Uni is going very well (even though I did panic for a while and didn’t think I’d be able to manage my extra courses which are due to star next week). My last assignment for my current course came back with good marks, so I’m happy about that.

That’s about It for now, I’ll update as soon as I can.

This was a hard one to answer. I’ve been contemplating it for some time now and it’s really hard for me to narrow it down to just one accomplishment! So many things have happened in my life, and so many seemingly ‘normal’ events have actually turned out to be a really big deal for me, as we never thought I’d be well enough to manage them.

I think for me though learning to drive would have to be my proudest life accomplishment. I applied for my provisional when I turned 16, which was exciting, for sure! I applied for lessons later that year but didn’t start my lessons until I nearly turned 17. (I could learn to drive at 16 due to a benefit I’m receiving).

My dad took me out in the car most nights in the early days of me learning. (We didn’t learn the brakes until the second lesson!). By the time I started learning with my instructor, I had already mastered most of the basics.

The lessons where intense, definitely. It really took it out of me, physically, and financially! I took and passed my theory with flying colours, and passed my test on the second attempt (due to a minor fault on the first which was unavoidable).

Learning to drive is something that I’m really proud I managed to accomplish. Many people assumed I’d be too ill to do it, and I loved proving those people wrong!

There’s other things I’m proud of as well, one of them being when I got my first tattoo. I’d planned to have it for years, and the tattoo itself had a lot of deeper meanings, so for me, going through the pain of getting it was 100% worth it! People say to me when they see it ‘Wow, that must of hurt’, and I get a kick out of that, for sure!

I’m also proud of gaining the courage to apply to the Open University. I’d put of studying in the IT field most of my life, as it was just something I was good at, I didn’t plan to take it on as my career. Eventually though a close friend encouraged me to apply, and here I am, studying for my Computing degree!

I’m proud of the setting up home with my Dad, it was a big thing for both of us, we had very little but managed to thrive for many years. Along those same lines, I’m proud of moving in with Richard in Coventry, they both where big accomplishments for me!

I think that’s about it. There has been so many things that I’m proud of, that it was hard to whittle it down to just one!

I struggled slightly when I reached the beginning of the second unit, (the Representations unit). I worked through the harder parts of that unit though and started to enjoy the work towards the end. I’m now working on the 3rd unit (Crossing the boundary: Analogue universe, digital world). I’ve definitely enjoyed it much much more than the previous two units. (The first was just an introduction and was slightly boring, the 2nd a little harder to get my head around as it didn’t appear at first to have much relation to computers, and the 3rd unit I’ve enjoyed much more, especially the binary section).

After some reflection, I don’t think I’m going to enjoy every aspect of the course. For example I’m looking forward to the practical work in the programming section more than the theory work, but people at the tutorial are really enjoying the written aspects and not looking forward to the practical work, so I guess it depends what your personal interests are.

I found out that there are two units at the end of the programming sections that are fully optional, (you can skip them if your struggling with the programming and don’t intend to take it any further). I think I’m going togive them a go. I didn’t plan on taking the programming any further after this course, but now that I’ve actually started the work, I think it might be something I’d like to delve into a little deeper.

My first tutorial was last Wednesday, and I was seriously worried before I went. I already new that I’d probably be the youngest person there, but didn’t think I’d be the only under 25. I didn’t really get on with the person I was sitting next to either, but she said afterwards that she had not been feeling very well, so hopefully the convocation will flow a little easier next time. I didn’t get a chance to talk to anyone else, so I really shouldn’t judge I guess.

The tutor is very very lovely, her interests lay in programming, and she’s tutored the same course for many years. She’s also a student with the Open University (working at the moment for the Certificate in Web Applications), so has experience from both aspects.

I applied a few days ago for my next two courses (which is a ‘ARRR’ moment, as I took two extra courses on that will start in February, so will have 3 courses running in total at that time). The first one is ‘Networked living: exploring information and communication technologies’, I’m not quite sure yet whether it’s my kind of thing, but It was definitely the better option over the other 3 courses which all involved maths, and I definitely wouldn’t have been able to manage that, especially at university level! The second course I registered for is ‘Web applications: design, development and management’ (which will count towards my Certificate in Web Applications). It’s only a 12 week course, but is a level higher than the other courses I’m studying at the moment and will be a lot more intense, so I have mixed feelings about it at the moment.

I’m really trying to push myself and aim to achieve my degree in 4 years, but as of yet, I’m not sure if it will be that way in reality. It’s a lot of work, and I’d definitley say I’m slightly worried that my health won’t hold out.

Bring on February I say.

The two posts I’d uploaded to the start my blog, I’d written for my personal space on the Open Universities website. I’d not decided whether I wanted to make the entires public, or private, and to start with they were private, but I finally decided I was ready to fully publish my previous entries (and any in the future) to a public blog.

I have used LiveJournal in the past, and several other public online blogging services, but none of them ever gave me the flexibility I really needed/wanted. With web designing by trade, I new I could build one, so decided to work with the WordPress platform, and build my own blog. The themes that are available with WordPress are in a whole different league from the ones you can use with the free blogging services that are around at the moment, and there are no adverts. (Plus it’s using my hosting service which I pay for every month, so puts that to good use).

Anyway, I digress.

I started my course (with the open university, as mentioned in previous posts) on the 3rd of October (it’s now the 7th), and honestly, I think finding the courage to register for the course is one of the best things I could ever have done. I think it’s only just dawned on me that I’m actually studying at the University level. I didn’t think I’d ever do anything other than ‘be’ ill.

It definitely was a daunting prospect. After I got home and saw the box from the Open University, and after I discovered how much course material there actually was, I definitely panicked!

It’s hard work. What more can I say than that? It really is hard work. At the start of the week, the first day I sat down with my books in front of me, I spent a full 6 hours studying, which was probably too much looking back on it. Since then, I’ve studied roughly 2 hours a day (which doesn’t sound like a lot, but I’ve managed to get a lot of work done. I’m already a unit ahead, which means I can relax a little, for the time being anyway!

I’m heading off to Richards house tonight (picking him up from work at 10pm, and an early night probably, we’re both shattered!). He starts work tomorrow at 2pm, so will spend the morning with him, then study after he’s gone. (I missed him terribly whilst at home).

I’m hoping I’m actually going to be able to get more work done at his house, it’s been mental here, what with my dad having the TV blaring, and the dog, and my sister, it’s been quite crazy.

So I think for now, I will just have too keep plodding through the course materials, and look forward to the first tutorial on the 14th!