MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I'm at Michael's parent's house for the holidays. It's my first time away from home for Christmas and it's kind of sad, but it's good that I'm getting to spend it with Michael and his family.
He got my beautiful blue and gold glass earrings and I got him old fashioned mustache wax and a beard comb (which unfortunately is still in transit). His parents got me a really warm bright colored scarf and matching magenta and purple and black suede gloves. They look so like high fashion! And got Michael a really nice robe, which was hilarious because he just recently bought himself a new robe. That's why he's impossible to shop for! He buys his own stuff when he wants it! His Nan got me reaaaaally beautiful acrylic yarn, that's all fluffy and stuff, I'm so excited to play with it (after my paper and dissertation proposal are in). Ash and Daniel got Michael a fancy metal ballscratcher, I jest not and a bottle of Belvedere vodka and me a beautiful silk scarf with an impressionistic iris print, it's sooo pretty! Oh and they got Michael's mom and dad this HUGE christmas cracker. Like the size of my head! And it was full of fancy chocolates and like really nice silver crowns and stuff. The coolest christmas cracker I've ever seen!
Oooh, and we're super looking forward to seeing Ash (Michael's brother's fiance) and her little girl, Eva's reaction to her present. We got Eva butterfly wings and a headband with antennae on it, because she's OBSESSED with things that fly, and for her belated birthday present I made her a little hat with a butterfly made of buttons on it. We haven't got to see her yet this trip, but Eva's the cutest little thing, I can't wait!

Besides the holidays, I've got quite a large amount of work to do. A paper that is 100% of my grade, which has basically gone wrong at every turn, I swear I'm cursed. And my dissertation proposal which isn't graded, but once submitted you're not allowed to stray far from that concept because you get assigned an adviser based on that idea, so I need that to be pretty well thought out.
I worked all day yesterday on going to yet another museum to try to find an exhibit I could do my paper on. I sort of found one, but I don't have enough time to find yet ANOTHER one, so I'm just going to do my best. And the rest of the night I wrote and found more info. Going to pretty much do the same as much as I can, without being totally antisocial during the holidays.

But, besides the work, everything is going well! It's VERY cold inside, but not snowing or anything outside. In fact, most of the time, it's colder in the house than outside, but usually it's raining outside, so opening all the windows isn't a good option. It's a bit strange, I guess I've gotten used to how christmas goes at home, but it's good here. I miss my family so much, but I'm hoping that the phones will be sorted out so that I can call everyone today. I'm so looking forward to talking to my family!

Anyway, I'd better get started on my stuffing for christmas lunch. Merry Christmas! Lots of love!
Audrey <3

Ok, so I really want to keep this thing up. I know I've dropped it for a while, but I think keeping a regular blog is something I should learn to do. I've got to do a daily log for my work-placement, and a lot of museums now do blogs/facebook/twitter etc. I'm going to try to keep a separate blog as well, just for museum visits and analysis and new skills I learn, like in practicals or during my placement. My tutor said that that's a skill I could put on my resume, if I can keep up a regular blog but I need to start asap, so that I have a good history of remembering to update. It seems strange to me that that would be a marketable skill, but I just did an assignment on social media for museums (I followed Fernbank on three different sites. Their facebook is really cute) and I kind of get it now. I was so frustrated that they didn't update their blog for months at a time, or their other accounts, like pinterest, youtube, etc. Social media really makes a difference in visibility to people, and it's free, so that should be used to its full potential. I think that'd be a pretty interesting thing to do. And it's a free way to attract more visitors, so if I can prove I'm good at it, or if my reference says I am, that might be a point in my favor looking for jobs.
Anyway, so yes, keeping this blog! Maybe not every day, but frequently. That's the goal. It's not new years yet, but it's close enough, so I guess that's one of my resolutions.
Y'all can remind me to post, if you have the inclination! Make me practice technology skills. Maybe I can even learn how to embed video and sound and that cool stuff when I'm not too busy.

Speaking of, I'm working on two big papers, they're both due Dec 12, but I've got writers block. Writing this should help me get through it. :) I'm pretty stressed. I feel like my brain's been trampled, and every time I think about my paper, I feel like it's still not up to a high enough standard. I really want to get a "distinction" like an A+, but those standard seem REALLY high on the rubric, but they're also all subjective terms like "excellent"- but excellent for who? What -is- excellent for a masters program in England? I have no idea.
Maybe I'm just getting really paranoid, but I'm so worried that my work won't be good enough, and since it's 100% of my grade for both of those classes, I wouldn't even know that my work was below standard until I've already gotten a poor mark on the course. I know I won't fail, barring some horrible catastrophe (*knock on wood*) but 100% of the grade, on one assignment after changing degrees, programs and countries; I'm really worried.
But, if I do get a lower grade, my tutor told me that they take "exit velocity" into account in grading, so if I can really dramatically improve with my next courses next semester, that could help me raise my grade a bit more.

Oh yeah! It snowed Sunday and again Wednesday! On Wednesday it snowed on and off all day and it was probably a couple inches deep in our back patio. I was so excited, but really freaked out. I took literally one step into the back, slipped immediately and was on my back before I could even shout. I missed the step by like 5 inches. But it was pretty funny, I wasn't hurt, but it was proof that I'm terrible at walking on ice, even in my snow boots. Can't do anything against smooth ice. And there's sheets of ice everywhere, especially around where we live, because the university and downtown have to salt the commonest walkways.
I'm actually humorously bad at walking on ice, to the great amusement of my colleagues.

Besides the cold and the school work not much is going on. I'm going to do some seriously intense housework after my papers are in, although I've still got another big paper and my dissertation proposal due after the christmas break. I still haven't finished decorating my room, or organizing it, or even completely unpacked. I'm still sort of semi-camping, and it's really terribly messy because there's not enough space or storage. But, I've been planning what I'm going to do with the room for ages now, and I think I know how to rearrange it and I'm getting more storage for christmas. It'll be really nice to have a fully functioning room, with all my pictures up and everything organized. It'll be relaxing to finally get to do all that organizing and cleaning and everything that I've had to put off for school stuff.


 So, that was long. Sorry! I'll be here more often, to at least say something. Next time it snows I'll take a picture, it can't be far off!

<3
Audrey