Express LD Launch Workshop

I've mentioned it before here and here but just in case you missed it, one of the things I do with my time is act as Project Manager for a volunteer-run charity project called Express LD. We are devoted to helping young people with dyslexia and other learning difficulties achieve their full potential by providing support and practical study tools. We do this by running workshops for students that involve revision and study activities that make learning not only more interesting but effective.
I say this with complete confidence as we finally ran our first ever workshop in December at Telford College and it was awesome. It was incredible to see all the ideas we'd been working on for months and months finally come together and the learning techniques we used worked better than I could possibly of imagined. One of our volunteers Alex was demonstrating Spiral Learning by using a smoothie menu (just a fake one I made for this purpose) and despite literally never having seen it before he learnt the specs for 3 smoothies in under 5 minutes right in front of the whole group. I bet he could even tell me them now. It was incredible! I'd read about it obviously and knew that it must work to some extent but having not actually seen it done before it was amazing. The students, teachers, myself and even the volunteers themselves were all so impressed and on my part at least; relieved - how awful would it of been if after months of designing the workshops the techniques we taught didn't actually work!?


We also did a mass group activity of World Mapping which was really effective. So much in fact I will 100% be using it myself in my upcoming final exams. I say 'we', I should probably point out that I sat at the back snapping pictures and frantically attempting to make notes the whole time grinning like a Cheshire cat!

Before going to Telford College I did explain to them that the workshop was a trial for us and we'd appreciate any feedback they could give us, it was lovely of Sam and Julie over at Telford to let us do this and they were so helpful before, during and after. The nicest part of it was actually we were helping each other out, they were just as keen to learn and improve their learning support techniques as much as we were, and after such a successful workshop they have kindly invited us back this year to do a series of workshops! Now that's a successful trial run! 

Well This is Awkward...

So, remember my emotional post from  just yesterday? Yes? Well this is awkward, but scratch that.
I'm sorting of touching wood as I say this but Mia has basically decided she doesn't want to go back after all. Hurrah!
Although I should point out it's not just for me, and it's not just for a boy or her many wonderful friends, when we went through it with a fine tooth comb it didn't add up as a good career decision. The new job was in a restaurant, nicely paid but no experience that goes towards a legal career like her current job as a court runner and receptionist at a law firm. So it's win win, although, eek her mum is going to be maaad. The thing that was most striking I guess is that as soon as she decided to stay she said she felt relief. Not happiness like she'd gone from neutral to 'yey good decision', but relief like going was something she was actively unhappy about and now she's calm again. That must be a good sign, surely? 
In terms of where that leaves me, obviously ecstatic, I'm not an idiot I know we're going to have to say goodbye eventually in just a few short months, but a few months with your best friend are of huge value I'd say. 
In my eyes she can't leave now anyway, we just ordered a mammoth food shop. The kitchen is literally going to overflow. 

'Like Stars'

Ok deep breath. This is going to be a tough one.

On New Years Eve my best friend Mia got offered a new job, since she currently lives with me I heard the girlish squeals of excitement from a mile off. Before I go any further let me say I am so proud and happy for her and I will only ever want the best for her. She deserves absolutely nothing less. But like I said it's a tough one, the new job means she's leaving the UK and returning to her home in Denmark. It was always going to happen, I knew that, and even if she wasn't the first to go I know I'll soon be leaving Edinburgh too. I was expecting that. But I wasn't ready for it to be so soon, I thought I had several months to deal with it, that it was still a while off and I'd be fine. She leaves in one month. Just one lousy month. I wasn't expecting that.

How do you say good bye to your best friend?

It's not good bye forever, but it is still good bye for I don't know how long. How do I even attempt to explain why this hurts as much as it does? She is my voice of reason whilst simultaneously saying exactly what I need or sometimes want to hear, she is beautiful, funny, caring and one of a kind. It's rare I go a day without seeing her, rarer still that we go a day without speaking. I've told myself all the sensible and comforting things I'd tell anyone else in the same situation, it's not the end of your friendship, don't be silly, don't overreact, the world's a much smaller place now, you'll see each other still. It doesn't work though. How lonely will life be without her? I'm wallowing, I'm scared and I know I'll have to go 'chin up and carry on' soon but whilst my adult head is saying all the right things my heart is begging please don't leave me, I still need you.

If I was forcing myself to play the Glad Game, which I'm going to have to because I can't carry on like this much longer welling up every two minutes, then I'd say how insanely lucky am I to have met someone like her? I have countless happy memories with her that aren't going anywhere. And I guess the world isn't so big after all. She'll be there for me and I'll be there for her.

'True friends are like stars, you might not always see them but you know they are always there'.

There I did it, played the Glad Game, meh. I don't know what else to say. I'll miss you Mims. So much more than I'll be able to explain without breaking down in a heap on your shoulder, and I'm sorry if I can't deal with it well or with dry eyes. You are a wonderful friend and amazing things are going to happen to you, I hope and have faith that I'll be there for all of them, even if only at the end of the phone.

Some Changes

With the new year I've made some pretty big changes to the blog, firstly the name! It also looks different but not only that, I'm going to change the way I use it. Not drastically as I've always written about things important to me, or that I like and posted photos that made me smile. That won't change. I'm just going to aim it more at, well, aim it more at me. It's hard to explain but I like the fact its a mish-mash of things, and in the last few weeks before Christmas I found myself avoiding certain topics that people might not find interesting or get as many views. But no more! This is for me, and for my friends and family who bafflingly care what I waffle on about of course, so it might not always be pretty but there'll be a little more uni, job searching, charity and not so airy-fairy thoughts.  On the other hand there's also going to be more weddings, Pinterest finds and interior design (sorry Mum & Dad you might not enjoy those so much!). Like I said, me me me.

About the new name: 'Half Way There' is a line from one of my favourite songs Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi that reminds me of my best friends from home, but there is actually more sentiment behind it. That song lifts my spirits even when everything feels far too overwhelming like I can't possibly do it all, which given that I'm taking on the last few months of my final year at Edinburgh now is particularly relevant. I hear it and I feel on top of the world, like I'm not as far away from my dreams as it seems, my friends and loved ones are there to hold onto anyway and somehow we'll make it (I swear).

That's all really!

2012 - Bring It

I've been completely absent over the Christmas period which wasn't really intentional but hey-ho. I trust you all had one as lovely as mine was! I happily rang in the New Year after a luxurious meal at Amicus Apple standing on Princes St watching the fireworks with the one I love, followed by sipping on bubbles with some of my best friends, it could not of been better! Also how wonderfully happy is the photo above from HeyGorg!?

So in returning to the blog world I took a bit of time trying to round up what 2011 consisted of for me but it turned out to be virtually impossible to summarise. So much happens in such a relatively short space of time; I was honestly a different sort of person back in January. I won't go through everything that happened, I don't think it's necessary, I know how blessed I was and I know what I learnt and that's all that matters. Instead lets look to the future!

My new years goals are simply to graduate university and continue to nurture relationships with the people closest to me. That will do just fine and dandy, everything and anything else I'll count as bonus points. Bonus points will come from keeping to any of the following...

Happy New Year everyone, I hope it's filled with love and happiness wherever you may find it! 

x