Exams is dead.

AS was a lot friendlier than GCSE, I think, or at least in terms of exams. No matter how much harder they might be, five exams is a lot easier to cope with than twenty one. Apart from the 3 hour killers. Hell is a three hour combined Religious Ethics/ Jewish Scriptures (don't ask. We were told it was Black, Liberation and Feminist Theology) paper, involving eight essays.

But it's done now. And onto A2. Yup, apparently this next month where neither pupils nor staff can be arsed is vital to our success. Or something. Especially the huge amount of work to be done in History. You know, the subject I'm dropping in September.

I probably need the time for English Lit, however, given we're starting the comparative coursework. I've picked Hamlet and Gormenghast, which should just about kill me. Haven't decided on a theme yet; maybe insanity, or isolation. Or I might focus on the Gertrudes. Shakespeare's is misrepresented, Peake's is awesome in a bodice and wig.

More sleep now. I really should not be still feeling this drained.

I've decide to drastically cut back on the amount I'm writing for jonowrimo . I really can't cope making myself write 1000 words a night. I don't want my writing to become a chore. I also think I need to spend some time over half-term sorting out world-building notes, character lists (I've lost count of several name and people), and a few plot issues, which I don't have time too right now.

On a happier note, English Lit has drastically improved since one kid dropped it.  I was surprised to find I'm doing better in the class on Romantic Poetry and use of Narrative, than I am in the Death of A Salesman class. (A* to A I think). Which is odd, as I'm already bored with the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and Keats' rampant misogyny is really stating to irritate me. Though trying to argue that La Belle Dame Sans Merci is a feminist poem is fun.
History remains, at least in one class, dull and full of idiots (the idiots are in the other class but they just sit there in stupefied silence in that one. Why, hello there intellectual elitism!) But still 3 and a half out of 4 subjects being enjoyable is good.

Oh, oh. I have found (well, been recommended), a Victorian cello-rock band! And they are mighty!

Rereading Bernard Cornwell's The Winter King at the minute, and rather enjoying it, despite not really knowing much about the Arthurian legends beyond the very basic stories. The fact it's reasonably accurate for the historical period, and the Byzantine/ Dark Ages is probably my favourite period in history, is a huge plus.

Schoolwise- 6th Form's very meh. Classics and RE are what I'd imagined it to be like, actually intelligent debate, we're treated like adults, everyone can cope with the subject, interesting, difficult but so much better than GCSE. History and English Lit, the subject I want to do for degree for fuck's sake? Terrible. And the teachers are all good, the subject matter interesting, though I'm not overly-enthusiastic about history. The problem? The people in my classes are morons. Why are you doing English fucking Literature, if you don't read for pleasure? And why do you whine about a subject you chose to take, and treat the teachers with no respect? And you're paying for this? Jesus fuck. I am seriously pissed off at the amount of time wasted on having to explain simple concepts that we've either already gone through/ or are so fucking basic, it's unbelievable. Like, and I shit you not, the fact that Glasgow is NOT in Ireland, the Cabinet is NOT a piece of furniture, and Ireland? Is not actually attached to England.

I've complained to about 5 different teachers today. I'm fucking paying for this. I could've just gone to a proper college, but decided to stay on, and this is what I get? I don't fucking think so. And while I appreciate the advice, you know, I don't really want to drop History to do Drama so I can get moved to the other English group. I don't think I should have to do that, somehow.

Apologies for the little rant, but I am very pissed off. Also, does anyone know how to get the Rich Text formatting option when posting? It seems to have disappeared for me, so I can't use italics, or bold or anything anymore. Thanks :)

Loving it so far, Classics is, of course wonderful. The Odyssey is so much more interesting when read in depth. and the Greek Tragedies? Oedipus The King,  Agamemnon, Medea and Bacchae. I am in love. (although we're not doing Antigone, sadly).

The English Lit class isn't great. Really, if you don't like reading, and don't read for pleasure, why the fuck are you taking English fucking Literature? But the teachers are awesome, and neither seem to be the type to take much shit. I was amused to hear Ms Connolly say "Sex seems to crop up a lot in Mr Phillips' lessons." And it does. We've already had 'Sexy lesbo vampire zombie women'. Also, the Rime of the Ancient Mariner is wonderful.

RE is fascinating. We're doing Ethics, and the Hebrew bible, which are both a hell of a lot more interesting than I'd expected. Looking at the bible like any other text is just fascinating.

History's a bit meh. I might even drop it for Drama next week (which would switch me to the much better English class, with the same teachers). I'm not remotely interested in the Domestic Policies of British governments 1918-1951. And, the Nazis? Again? Ugh.

Sarah's Party last night was a lot of fun. Even more so being one of the few non-drinkers. I can enjoy myself without throwing up )which someone did. I think I stood in it. YAY!)

Pissed off that I've managed to lose my 4 Gig  Pen drive. I'm sure it'll turn up. Probably in my locker. But still.

Finished Sleep, Pale Sister. Wonderful in every sense of the word. I'd highly recommend it to pretty much anyone. I'd say it was Harris' best TBH, some of her later stuff seems to recycle a few themes and characters (thoguh not to the detriment of the plot). I'll post something more detailed on it later, I need time to actually go over it in my head. I was very interested by Harris only having 4 characters, and giving them all a viewpoint. It's nop something I think I could manage. Not in 1st person at any rate.

Also, I think I'm going to really like 6th Form. Though, sadly, it looks as if a lot of last year's little cliques are still in place, despite the year being drastically reduced in number (60, I think). Dissapointed to see that two of my crushes have gone to other colleges, but for the best really. My relationship with one was cold to say the least, and the other was most definitely straight. Glad to see some other people had stayed on, and most of the people I dislike have gone. And i have an awesome form tutor. And I will now be in form with Tom for the 6th year running, which is bizarre really.

Finally got my results on Thursday. I was surprised how well I did 9( A*s WTF? and a B)  considering I compared to Browning poems I'd never studied with 2 set Heaney (hate) and Clarke poems, and completely invented my own meaning for the last 2, for the sheer hell of it. And English Language? Mainly consisted of a long rant against conservatism in general and the Daily Mail in particular.

Of course, yes, I was pissed off with the B, simple because it was in Maths, a subject I actually really revised for and worked for throughout 2 years, whereas my 2nd science GCSE, I'd done no work, no revision (unless 5 minutes on GCSE Bitesize counts) and got an A*.

Still, now I can finally, Christ, finally start my A levels. English Lit looks awesome, especially the A2 course (The Gothic? And our own choice of two novels to compare? Fuck, yes.) Classics looks also wonderful (there'll be 2 of us taking it. And a trip to Greece. Remind me why I even looked at other 6th forms). RE looks fascinating, because it seems more based on Philosophy than Theology. not so sure about History (love the teachers, but the course is a little dull. I'd rather have done Early Modern frankly), but is much more worthwhile than Drama, or at least it is to me.

Not really looking forward to having to deal with some passive-aggressive shit from someone when I get back. Especially as this person has the nasty habit of carrying grudges way past the point I've stopped caring. Or talking to him.