Hi everybody!

It's cold outside now. And it's rainy. And it's windy. I didn't realise the skirt I wore yesterday was quite so flarey until a car honked at me. Not to worry, I was wearing thick tights underneath.

Tomorrow I'm getting my hair cut. Fun times! Not sure if I'll just trim or do a proper style - it's getting quite long and I like it. But I've had the same hair (well, the same sort of non-style) forever now. I'm just such a girl...

Mum&Dad are coming over Friday! Yay! Going to see the UoM String Orchestra, and possibly Tommy Steele in Dr Doolittle - if there are tickets left. Hahaha. Could be fun. Maybe?

I'm thinking of making all my Christmas presents this year. But will I? You'll have to let me know what you want. Although to be fair, I won't be giving out many presents so best not get your hopes up:P

Soooooo...

Been working at the uni for three weeks now, enjoy it so much! It's stressful (esp now the students are back - apparently it'd be a great place to work if it wasn't for the students;)) but fun. Hopefully they'll advertise the position externally soon so I can get it permanently. Getting a bit ahead of myself now but I keep getting told I've pretty much got it... Still looking for other jobs cos I don't like not knowing what will happen job-wise in November. It's not that far away!

Finally gotten my thank you cards for graduation done. And if you're one of my readers (cos I've got so many... Hah!) you probably won't get one. They're reserved for lovely relatives. Going down to Wales this weekend, so have in total 8 hours on the train - think they will be spent either reading or writing letters. Knowing me I'll be reading, and drifting off to look out the window... But I need to get some letters sent out, I'm all rubbish and haven't been keeping in touch with people. Rubbish rubbish rubbish! Have had a lot going on though, in my defense.

Doing a basic IT course at BTH (uni in Sweden) and it's proving to be more difficult than I expected! It's a lot more detailed at any rate, but it's all useful. Tech tech tech!

Back to essaying I go!

I got a job! Full time, two months to start with but with possibility of it becoming permanent. It's with the Music&Drama Centre and Man U, which sounds absolutely perfect for me! So everyone wish me luck for Monday and send me all your positive energy! Well, some of it.

It's started raining now. Well, the other night. Today it's been one of those days when you can barely feel the rain, it's slightly cold but you don't actually feel like you're getting wet, the fine droplets build up though and when you get home you realise you're soaked.

xx

Been a while!

Since we last spoke/I last wrote, I have: Graduated (2.1, not too unexpected), turned 22 (waaah!), went to Sweden with Mike (yay) and moved to Manchester. I would write more about all these, but can't promise I will. Anyhoo.

Living in a studio flat in central Manch at the moment. It's pretty good, a few glitches consisting of a broken stove (cooker? Pah!), cracks in bathroom floor, mould in bathroom etc. Most of it was fixed pretty quickly though, and the room is really nice so I've decided to like it, despite it being absolutely tiny. I mean, cosy. It's all blue, with blue curtains and tiles and notice boards... and we all know I like blue! Well, if you didn't, you do now. We have an orangey bedspread, a red cosy lamp and a green rug, and the general impression is just.. lovely. Haha, interesting, eh? I'll post pictures soon. Maybe.

It was amazingly hot in Sweden. We stayed in Stockholm nay on two weeks, then went down south to my summer house for a week. Went to a safari park (where we saw 2 boars, a bird and some deer. Or similar), lay in the sun and got a tiny bit burnt, went swimming (nearly 20C! Niiiice!). Cibbe and Ellinor came down from Lund for a day, went rowing - and I managed to avoid having to do any physical work, score! - mini golf (would say crazy golf, but it really wasn't that crazy...) which I didn't win... shockingly enough. And we had pizza.

Saw loads of people in Stockholm, had a bit of a BBQ which was fun, catching up and that. Again, might post some pics... Maybe.

I'd like to say I've got a job by now. But nooo... Applied for literally hundreds though, so keep fingers crossed for me, please.

xx

I leave from softball practice every night
It's getting dark, but the "Golden Arches" light up the way
I turn the corner at the traffic light
I count my money and then I rehearse what I'm going to say
"I'd like an order of fries, a quarter-pounder with cheese,
I love the light in your eyes, will you go out with me please?"

I am in love with a McDonald's girl
She has a smile of innocence so tender and warm
I am in love with a McDonald's girl
She is an angel in a polyester uniform

[Can I get you some fries with that?]

She doesn't try to impress anyone
She doesn't act real tough like all the other girls that I know
She don't treat me like a simpleton
She's not ashamed to be the only other virgin I know
And when my hamburger's cold, I get up ready to go,

She's only fifteen years old, and I'm in love with her soul
She's got a gold tooth, you know she's hardcore
She'll show you a good time, then she'll show you the door, boy!

I am in love with a McDonald's girl
She has a smile of innocence so tender and warm
I am in love with a McDonald's girl
She is an angel in a polyester uniform

(Spoken): Paper, not styrofoam. With a little, uh, cardboard grid, mind you.
But the thing is, then they cover it with cellophane. Paper...shrink wrapped.

Well, there she stands behind the register
She's taking orders from the Saddle River Little League
If they knew how much I wanted her
Their home-room teachers would have to send them home for a week
And as I head through the door, the movement catches her eye,
My heart begins to soar she smiles she waves good-bye, good-bye
Good-bye, good byeI am in love with a McDonald's girl
She has a smile of innocence so tender and warm
I am in love with a McDonald's girl
She is an angel in a polyester uniform

Uno, dos, tres, quatro
Big Mac, Filet o Fish, Quarter Pounder, French Fries
Icey Coke, Thick Shakes, Sundaes and Apple Pies
Sing that song of taste [Yeah, sing that song of taste!]
You can only find at one place, McDonalds
I am in love with a McDonald's girl
She has a smile of innocence so tender and warm
I am in love with a McDonald's girl

So... grad ball is on Monday. I've not yet finished my dress, oops! Will do though. Soon...

Cousin is getting married tomorrow, congrats!! It's also Midsummer's eve... which if I was in Sweden would mean meatballs, dancing around an erect penis (don't ask..) and drinking. Fun!

Getting my results in a week, can't wait. I hate waiting! It's just not my thing. Keep your fingers crossed for me anyway.


If your native language isn't English and you feel like doing me a favour, please please let me know. I shall love you forever!

xx

...and one for the Swedes!

Min C-uppsats (eller ja, motsvarande) är nu inlämnad
och betygsatt, och fick så pass bra betyg att jag och min handledare
ska försöka få den publicerad i The International Journal of Speech,
Science and the Law. Jag vet, mkt populär publikation... Hehe.

Uppsatsen, eller artikeln, handlar om forensic phonetics, igenkännande
av höjda röster. Experimentet bestod av ett antal ljudfiler som vi bad
folk para ihop. Det uppstår relativt ofta situationer där polisen bara
har sk. öronvittnen, men tyvärr finns inte så välformulerade rutiner
för att hantera sådana vittnessituationer. Jag vill mäta hur väl folk
kan känna igen en röst som de under brottstillfället bara hörde i höjt
läge, dvs skrikandes.

En av sektionerna vi vill utvidga och utveckla handlar om hur väl folk
som har engelska som andra-(eller tredje, osv) språk klarar detta test
i jämförelse med engelsmän. I flera av dessa situationer är vittnena
första generationens invandrare eller turister, därför är detta en
viktig fråga. Testet är ganska svårt, jag är medveten om att det
består av många röstklipp, men ni kan lyssna så många gånger ni önskar
eller behöver. Bli inte avskräckta av svårighetsgraden - jag är inte
nödvändigtvis ute efter perfekta resultat ;-)

Så, efter denna långa och något omständiga introduktion hoppas jag att
du har tid och lust att hjälpa mig? Länken här nedanför består av fyra
sidor med olika meningar, och tar ca. en halvtimme att gå igenom. Glöm
inte att skriva ert namn på varje sida!

http://www.lancs.ac.uk/ug/forsberj/julia.html

Vore väldans tacksam för all hjälp jag kan få - om ni har vänner och
bekanta ni tror skulle vara intresserade så skicka detta vidare!

Alright then!

So I can't remember when I last wrote. I suppose I could check, but I'm not gonna.

Have now finished uni. Just waiting for my results... Gah! Fingers crossed:) Currently working in a call centre, only for a few weeks. It's money. Not too bad, but long hours.

Actually, I don't get that expressions. I like it, but it doesn't make sense. Or.. I guess it does. Time is all relevant, isn't it? Maybe the world does spin faster for me when I'm having fun and hence it feels like time goes faster. I'd love to be good at relativity. Physics.

It's really nice and warm out. I'm sleeping with my windows open and I'm still boiling. Summer... Tis great, though working 9-18 isn't so great. Ah well! Mike's moving in soon, prob won't take on any jobs after that - though we'll see. I just want a long ass holiday, I've worked hard enough this year!

And on that note I'm bored of writing. TTFN!

I know most (all?) people who read this are people I speak to on a nearly daily basis. So you're allowed to skip ahead a bit! But I just want to brag a bit. Or, brag is wrong. Basque in my own glory? No. Let you all know...? Nah, brag pretty much covers it.

You know that dissertation I was worried about? I got 80%. Am going to work together with my supervisor to get it published in the International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law. I think I have a pretty good chance anyway, but if it does get published I'll def get onto the MSc Forensic Speech Sciences in York for 2008. VERY excited!

Mike and I have now booked tickets to visit Sweden, 26 July-13 Aug. Very cheap tickets, but the 13th is such an annoying date - Joanna's and Mum's birthdays are just after that, but the Silverchair concert in Manch is on the 12th!! I don't know. I've been wanting to see Silverchair since I was 13, they just haven't toured Europe since then. And now they're here and I'm not going! Although they are playing in Nottingham on the 13th... Daz, could we stay at yours?! Pretty please! Lol.

Anyhoo, it'll be Mike's visit to the lovely Sweden. Any suggestions on where I should take him? We are going down to my summer house in Blekinge (or here) for about a week, but apart from that...? Tom Tits is a must - is anything there adult sized by the way? Grona Lund as well. Probably a boat trip in the archipelago... Can you tell I'm very excited? I just want to share all this with him...

Just because: I've been told SOMEONE is going to South Africa to volunteer for a few months, wow!! Just hope I get to see you before you go!

So now, with only one exam left of my university career (well, for now) I'm feeling strangely calm. Probably because I'm pretty confident about Stylistics (knocks wood) but also becuase there's nothing I can do to change my Creative Writing mark. And the 80% didn't exactly upset me either. Haha.

Now I'm bored, so am going to eat bread and watch Crossing Jordan. (It isn't very good, but don't tell anyone!)

xx

Huja!

So I was flying home for the funeral, and to stay a few days. Got a flight, changeover in Copenhagen. Bad idea. My plane was the 3rd or 4th to get cancelled as the strike started. By the time I got to the SAS counter where I could try to get booked on another flight, approx 1000 people were queueing already. Dad checked night trains for me, decided it wasn't worth risking trying to get a morning flight - lucky that, they were all cancelled as well! When I got down to luggage place, about 800 people were already waiting to get their luggage out. So I left it and hopped on the train to Malmö (south of Swe). Lovely city, by the way! Only very boring when you have 2.5 hours to kill on own in the evening. I went to McDonalds! Spoke to Cibbe, who suggested I come to Lund to eat and meet him, though I didn't dare as I was getting another train to Stockholm. Turns out the train I was on stopped in Lund, so wouldn't have been a problem. Banghead! Argh! Anyhoo. Didn't get a sleep carriage thingy, so had to sit up all night. Not overly comfortable, but beats sleeping in the airport which a lot of people had to do.

The funeral was beautiful. It was in Skogskyrkogården, a large cemetary with big hills and a lot of trees and lawns and stuff. It's lovely. A lot of Erik's friends from his hiking club came, which was nice. We'd never met them before. Mum had written a little speech that the priest read during the funeral, it was just a perfect goodbye. Sweet dreams, Erik, rest in peace.


I feel like I've done so much this week, but thinking about it I really haven't. Met up with some friends and some girlfriends of friends. There appears to be an inflation in girlfriends and boyfriends being acquired across my friends. It's great! And they're all lovely as well. Also, the name Moa for my friends' girlfriends is becoming increasingly popular. Well, up to two now. But considering I've only ever met one Moa before in my life (that I can remember) I'm a bit surprised to see two in the space of a few months. Someone who does stats or a related subject may want to ponder that one a bit? :)

Am only blogging now because I need to pack. But my room is cold and I hate packing. I'm just so bad at it! Seem to be getting more and more stuff to take over to the lovely Britain every time. Doesn't make sense... Well, it does. But argh! Ah, as long as Mike can put up with living with me and all my junk it'll all be good.

I really should get on with it. Not sure if my family reads this blog but: I love you. Been great seeing you :)

xx

My mum's uncle passed away the other week. I hope he's getting his rest now - he deserves it. He was old, it was expected and probably for the best (not in a horrible way, at all), but there's still that emptiness.

Am going home for the funeral - so all you lovely people in Stockholm and around, clear your schedules for the 26-29 of April.

The job hunt continues... I don't want to jinx it so won't givve any details. Bah. Stylistics is one of the more uninspiring courses I've done. It's been easy enough so far though, so I should technically be able to finish this essay! Where is my motivation? Ah, the age old question. Who needs motivation when there are deadlines?

It's been so warm and summery lately, I'm loving it! Though I'm currently sat in a cardigan and Homer-slippers. It is, after all, half seven.

Aaand.. back to my essay I go, hey ho, hey ho.

Found this on the lovely Petra's blog...

Instructions
1.Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn't make sense.

Will it be ok?
The Gold Rush
How are you feeling today?
Blue American
How do your friends see you?
Moment of Clarity
Will you get married?
Blackened
What is your best friend's theme song?
Da Hui
What is the story of your life?
From Me to You
What was high school like?
Run Away (hahaha)
How can you get ahead in life?
Backseat Love (hmm... interesting...)
What is the best thing about your friends?
Crawling
What is tonight going to be like?
Centre of the Storm
What is in store for the remainder of this weekend?
No Roots
What song describes you?
Hangin' Tree
To describe your grandparents?
Can You Hear Me
How is your life going?
Complicated (pfft... yes, I'm an Avril fan, get over it XD)
What song will they play at your funeral?
For the Ladies
How does the world see you?
Tuna in the Brine
Will you have a happy life?
The Modern World
What do your friends really think of you?
Slipped Away
Do people secretly lust after you?
Action Satisfaction (heyheyheeyy
How can I make myself happy?
Desert Rose
What should you do with your life?
Bombtrack (haha...)
Will you ever have children?
Vice (guessing that's a yes... hehe)

Just watched this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2fUyJQgRuM&mode=related&search= (7 parts)

It scares me. It's a documentary about the "God hates America" congregation... I don't really have a lot to say about it at this time; I'm a bit to shocked. But I suppose I'll settle for being a fag lover, and maybe hell isn't so bad if that closemindedness and brainwashing is the alternative?


Came back from London the other day, had a really good time! Mainly walked around fairly aimlessly, spent far too much money! Good times. Then my parents came over and we got to spend a few days with them, which was fun:)

xx

"The three first words invented by the Anglosaxons were probably 'dear', 'stove' and 'cunt'." - Comment by my tutor in a discussion on the origin of the word cunt and whether it was used in the 1920's. She often looks at literature and language through a feminist view point, not surprising as she is a woman and I think most women do, consiously or not. It's interesting though, the etymologi of words. I know 'fitta', the swedish word for cunt, means marsh originally. 'Flicka' (girl) is an old word for cunt. Make of that what you want, I'm not going to start talking about patriarchy because I think we all know all we need to know about that!

Woody Allen is a genius. Quotes like "It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens." and "I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying." are just what will make him immortal. Good idea for a birthday present for Julia: Woody Allen books and films.

Spoke to Karin on the phone tonight, for ages. Not sure why, but my friends from home & myself seem to have forgotten the phone is a pretty good means for communication. MSN is handy, sure - and free - but it's not the same. Especially not with this internet connection... I won't say which ISP we're with because they might block me or something, but I will say it's the one with the really rubbish adverts on TV.

Nearly finished the dissertation now. Only need to work on the conclusion a bit, and add a couple of appendices. Still umming and arring about whether to use the extension or not. I guess I could do with reading it through a few times more, but I'm getting to the stage where I just want it handed in. Any suggestions? I could finish it tomorrow, leave it til Tues, read through and do the last, and get it printed and bound on Weds. Urgh, I don't know.

Too tired, hope you've enjoyed!

xx

What a day. I woke up at nine, ran into bathroom, had a shower, brushed my teeth.. and banged my knee into the bath tub. Now I have a massive bruise and it hurts to walk. Boo! I then hurried (I would say 'ran' but technically that would be a lie...) to the bus, walked along the canal. With my hair still wet. Then had to wait more than five minutes for a bus, typical isn't it? The days when you think you're doing good time, you miss the bus. The days when you're stressing, you're actually on time. Is that Sod's law?

Got up to uni and had a lecture, Stylistics. Spent half of it analysing the speech act of apology in A Fish Called Wanda, which also happens to be the lecturer's favourite film. Funny guy. Funny film, I used to love it. We used to watch it all the time. These days I don't watch much film, I guess my attention span isn't good enough. Did go to the cinema the other day though, we saw The Pursuit of Happyness. It was a very good film, I really recommend it! Even if you're not a Will Smith fan you should definately go see it!

After my lecture, I went to the library and prepared for my Creative Writing seminar, took about an hour. I then went to the doctor's for a blood test. Good fun, that! Although... I remember needles hurting a lot more; am I growing up or something? Went back to the library, prepared the presentation we have to do on Monday for Stylistics. The Speech Acts of marriage in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest. Good fun, that. I'm not joking. Well, I am. I then proceeded to write a covering letter for a job application before going to my seminar. Since I came home, I've written about 600 words on my dissertation (more on that later. Don't miss!), read a few articles, done some acoustic analysis, written the acknowledgements for the diss, cleaned the kitchen (well, a little bit) and now I'm sat writing this. I say sat, but I'm actually lying down. Nice nice. It IS half three in the morning, but for some reason I'm not sleepy at all. Anyway, I've had a pretty productive day and I'm very proud!

Urm.. I just managed to drop my laptop on the floor. Looks like it's working though. Eek.

The dissertation... have done about 7300 words now, only 2700 to go! And I can do most of them tomorrow I think! My only problem now is that I don't have enough phonetically trained people who have listened to my voice samples... And by phonetically trained I mean people who have done a PhD in a phonetics-ey subject... If I could get say... ten phoneticey people to do it, that would be the best thing EVER! So if you know someone... let me know:P The problem is that if I don't find enough people I'm going to have to slightly change my research questions, as well as remove a big chunk of what I've already written. It would set me back so far, not happy about that. Anyhoo. 7300!!

Hm, bored of writing now. Sorry:P

xx

I've just been prodded. Apparently I don't blog as much as I used to... Very true.

I'm also very intrigued - not even questioning the use of 'blog' as a verb. Verbalisation (no, not the process of putting a thought into speech) is brilliant. In one circle, we use 'frying pan' as a verb - after an emoticon bashing another over the head with a frying pan. It is very useful. It's also a lot easier to do in Swedish. Verbalising, not frying panning.

So... I've been ill. Like really really ill. Finally a valid excuse as to why I've not been doing work. Can't seem to get my ass into gear - I know exactly what needs to be done and I'm not really struggling with any of it. It's just a case of being sat staring at the monitor, not knowing where to start. I've split it up into small small sections - and will write a list of what needs to be done. But... what now? It's striking me that I have four more things to hand in, and one exam. Then I'm done. Then I have a degree.

Did I tell you we found a flat in manch for next year? Well.. we found a flat in Manch for next year. Can't wait to live with Mike:) And to decorate... I'm such a girl! Ah who cares. I want a spice rack. I want a clean kitchen! And I want people to stop using my spices... That's why we're living on our own;)

I have this story planned out in my head. I try and I try and I try to write it down, but all that comes out is clichés. I read too much in the genre? If only I could make the cliché clichéd enough for it to be good. Post-ironic, or something.

Mum's uncle had another fall, they think a stroke. Am very worried, I hope he is alright and not in pain... Keep him in your thoughts, people, and I'll be very grateful:)

Take care of yourselves, lovelies.
xx

So.. right. I'm sat here in the library, minding my own business and writing up some lecture notes. And what do I see? A comment on my blog. From my sister. Saying we are most definitely related. W00T! is all I have to say to that.

My sister, the apartment hunter. My sister, the we-have-minus-22-and-snow-here. I'm not jealous... I just wish it wouldn't be so cold!! It was so slippery this morning, walking to the bus. I don't know, it's nearly February, should be sprin by now! Durr.

I finished my lit review for my dissertation. Huge weight off my chest, by the way! So.. right. I get another email. From Paul Foulkes. I know, you have no idea who he is. But.. he's kind of a big deal in Forensic Phonetics (ooo.. I hope he reads this. And gets me a job!). Him and Helen Blatchford are publishing a paper on Identification of voice in shouted speech, he sent me a copy of it. Two other forensic phoneticians are also in the process of publishing a paper I could really really use for my diss, and Paul said he'd prod them into sending it to me (see... first name basis already!).

He also suggested.. that if all goes well, my undergrad dissertation could be possibly presented at the IAFPA in Plymouth this year! Now that's... scary. No pressure or anything, but y'kno.. if I do this well I could get a foot in the door, so to speak. Very excited now, can I do this that well? Probably not. But it's something to aim for, right? Although I'm not sure an undergrad paper would be of much interest to anyone? Just the fact that he even brought it up made my day! If he'd have just said 'let me know how you get on' I'd have taken it as mere politeness, a mild interest maybe. Ah I'm babbling now.

This is something I'm becoming more and more sure that I really want to do... Need some more experience though, not confident enough.

I'm so hungry.

Going oop north to the dales tonight, will be ace! Not been in a very long time.

Ohh ohh and also getting my new hard drive and RAM! As if I didn't write that sooner... Very exciting day indeed!

xx

Well so... as usual, I've not written in ages. You've survived! Amazing.

It's very very cold here in Sunny Lancaster. No snow though! Yey. Got lots to do what with a dissertation due fair soon, and creative writing after that. All fun though, be it very hard. Oh, and let's not forget Stylistics. I won't comment further on whether I enjoy that or not until I get my grades back from last term. Haha.

In the process of trying to find a flat in Manchester for next year. Anyone know anything fairly central and very cheap, do let me know! Can't wait to move in with my Mike... :)

Am considering applying for a Masters. Would love to do a PhD but I'm not at all prepared or confident enough of the subject at the moment so will wait and see what happens. Having a full time job would be good though - getting some money would, at any rate... Same there, you have anything good lined up for me, let me know.

This will have to be all from this Julia for tonight, I am a busy bee. Planning on completing my lit review tonight, and my methodology section tomorrow. And maybe even figuring out how on Earth to make that website I need?? God help me. And my computer is starting to lag loads, very frustrating. Needs a restart methinks!

Have a good one!
xx