The Woody Project Blog

The Sheltered Life of University?

When you’re in school you’re aware that things are done differently in the real world. Accounting policy decisions are never as clear-cut as they are in textbooks… most people take this for granted and don’t think about it much.

I’ve been thinking about it lately.

I’ve been corresponding with a lot of non-university people through email lately, and I’m struck by the lack of spelling and grammar skills. I don’t profess to be perfect in this regard (there are probably a number of obvious mistakes within this blog) but these are really terrible.

An example: “Hello, my name IS James Berry I am riting today because have a interesting offer too propose too you. I saw that you bided on a Apple computer system, I am riting too make you a offer on that Item this deal will be fyprw secure and legit. So if you are interesting please read info.”

First of all, what the hell is “fyprw”?

Second, why do I have to be interesting to read further?

Third, would anyone in their right mind buy something from this retard?

Anyways, I started wondering if this is normal, general-population-level spelling and grammar skills. My first reaction is “no”, but then I think to myself that all the friends I correspond with via email are university graduates/attendees. Am I living in a sheltered, good-grammar university cocoon? Does it matter? Does anyone else care?

Deep, deep questions.

I’m finished!

See previous entry. The final paper is printed and ready to hand in.

I got new golf clubs! A set of mine own =) It’s all I can do to keep from swinging them around in my apartment… my damn ceiling is too low. I wonder if Elizabeth would mind a bunch of golf ball-sized holes in the walls =P

Shazaaaaam!

why can’t I finish?

My university career is over… almost. The only requirement left to fulfill is a project paper for my management class. The problem is that I’m having the hardest time finishing it. I’ve never had any trouble finishing things like this… what’s wrong with me?

I’ve been thinking a lot about the future lately – it seems to be the topic of choice for impending graduates. I’ve got a job lined up, I can start anytime I want, but I’m scared. When I go back I’ll be a Chartered Accountant (or fairly close to it) and I’ll have real responsibility – I’ll be in charge of big jobs, I’ll be expected to know what i’m doing.

I’m 24, have been living on my own for 5 years, have bank loans, etc. but I still feel like I’m a kid playing grown-up. When you’re young you figure that once you’re an adult (physically at least) you know what to do but it’s not like that. I’m just a kid who has done all the stupid things and doesn’t feel like doing them again.

I wonder if everyone out there is just faking this grown-up thing like me or do they actually know what they’re doing. I could try asking someone…

“Hello, are you really grown-up or are you faking?”

“What?!?”

“Are you big or little?”

“Excuse me?!?”

“Nevermind”

Somehow I don’t think I’d get very far =P

My Week (or so) in Pembroke

I picked my baby up from the dealership on Friday and she’s all better. I can’t even tell where the hole is, although nobody else seems to have any problems picking out the spot ?!? Oh well. =)

I am proud to report that my golfing abilities appear to be natural. After nearly a year without swinging a club, my game is back in action after only 9 holes. I went golfing with the boys and shot a horrible 71 (9 holes) and then went out the next day and shot a 53 (same 9 holes). I also have to say that a 53 is my best score yet, and I also shot my very first par of my life.

This makes me think about whether I should consider turning pro… but that’s an entry for another day.

On Wednesday night I played on the WSS softball team and we managed to win the first game of the championships. Perhaps I do have a career as a pro athlete after all.

Enough tooting my horn for now, it’s late and I’m tired.

toodles

jesus and q-tips

for some reason i tend to read a lot more during the summer months than i do any other time of year. strange. you’d think that i would read more during the winter and spend my summer doing things outdoors. oh well, i’ve been a summer reader for as long as i can remember so it’s probaly just part of who i am, no sense fighting it now. =)

my latest book was: Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. the premise is that the bible has nothing to say about the life of jesus until he turns 30 and this is what happened until then. you can probably tell from the title that it’s not a serious book, in fact i giggled myself to sleep most nights after putting the book down. the book is well researched (as far as i can tell) and tells a very engaging story: jesus and biff set out to find the 3 wise men so that jesus can learn from them how to become the messiah and they have lots of adventures along the way.

did you know that the habit of putting milk in coffee was jesus’ idea? that biff invented sarcasm around 10 a.d.?, and that the original name of the great wall of china was the ostentatious and unpleasant wall of china? neither did i. this book is a great summer read that will be sure to put a smile on your face (except, of course, if you’re easily offended by people poking fun at religion).

on my way home from lunch today i stopped in at the grocery store to get some things I needed. i found myself in the checkout line with 1) q-tips 2) oatmeal cookies 3) a can of frozen juice and 4) ian fleming’s thunderball. i always feel as though the checkout clerks are going to judge me by what i put on the conveyor belt. perhaps some future therapy will unlock the origin of this particular fear, but for now we’ll just accept it for the mystery it is.

what must the clerks think when they see this particular assortment of items? these items aren’t remarkable when they’re part of a large order of groceries (like the 2 carts my mom used to fill when i was young) but when they form the entire order things change. what kind of activity could i possibly be planning? does this guy’s entire diet consist of juice and cookies? does this guy ever do anything except read novels and clean his ears? maybe he doesn’t use the q-tips to clean his ears, maybe he uses them for something else (don’t ask, i don’t know).

damn dirty apes!

the life of a student

now that the summer is creeping towards fall i find myself thinking more and more about my future. by the time my next birthday arrives i’ll be part of the “real world.” i won’t have the leisure of running my errands during the day when it’s not so busy. i won’t be able to watch my soaps (7th heaven, news radio) while i get ready for the day. there are a number of other little freedoms that i currently enjoy that are soon to pass.

what can i do about this? my first reaction is to fill my days by doing anything but the norm. for example, i went to see a movie in the middle of the day (on a tuesday) and there were only 2 other people in the theatre – this is likely something i’ll only be able to do when i retire. another one of my strategies is to do as many different things during the day as i can – make a big breakfast, read a couple of chapters in my latest book, cut the grass, wash the car, write a page or so of an essay, meet someone for ice cream (we’re in the middle of a 2 week heatwave) – this way the day seems longer. i know, i know, i’m just fooling myself…. but don’t we all?

enough for now, have a good night.

banh

i’m back!

it’s been a long time since i posted (almost 1 year) but now that i have some free time on my hands i’d like to continue the blog. if anyone notices that i’m shirking in my posting please send me a nasty email.