The writer and the philosopher.

Lately, I've been feeling like I should be doing homework and work which I haven't actually got any that I can do properly and it's causing me to put more unneeded pressure on myself. Does anyone else feel like this sometimes? 

Today I used my free to do some extra research work for my most recent English Lit and Classics lessons which was quite fun, I got to research about The Knight's Tale by Chaucer and then researched Friedrich Nietzsche for Classics! 

We're studying War in English which is covering Ancient Greece (a modern re-working of the Iliad) to World War 2 (The Ghost Road) so it's a really interesting module! I've always meant to look into the works of Chaucer as he is widely known as the Father of English Literature and the best poet of Medieval times so it's quite exciting getting to learn about him and his works! So far he seems pretty interesting and once I get time, I fully intend to read The Knight's tale in full as the story seems to be really interesting! 

We're reading the Iliad and the Aeneid in Classics so to introduce us to the topic, my teacher is doing some lessons that introduce the Greek and Roman concepts of Heroism which is also really interesting as it's quite different from modern times and they actually greatly differ from each other! It's quite philosophy based at the moment so it can be slightly hard to understand sometimes as I don't study it, but once it's all explained, I'm finding it all amazing! I was considering philosophy for AS level but I didn't want another essay subject, I regret that decision quite a bit sometimes! My teacher mentioned Nietzsche and as I'd heard of him before from when I studied The History Boys at GCSE (also another fantastic piece of work, I highly recommend the written play and the production) so I decided to research him which has been super interesting but sometimes a bit complicated as I've been clicking on links trying to understand concepts left, right and centre! 

I love this sort of researching work as I feel more like I'm becoming independent and closer to University work, I'm honestly so excited for September now, I just hope I get in! 

Jess xx

TED talks

My Ancient History teacher shows my class a TED talk about the Cyrus cylinder about a month ago and ever since I've been meaning to search for more on YouTube as I found it really interesting and entertaining. I'd also heard other bloggers mention them before so I thought it would be good to have a look at some when I had the chance. 

I finally got some spare time to search for them today and boy, was it a good decision. 

I was completely overwhelmed with the amount of videos that I came across just on the main TEDtalks channel an I finally came across one that peaked my curiosity enough to click on the link. 

The first video I watched was called 'Peter Attia: What if we're wrong about diabetes?'. 

As someone who has diabetes, naturally, this was going to grab my attention and it was a really interesting talk about the link between diabetes and obesity. This led me to search through the suggested videos bar at the side of my current video to find the next talk that peaked my interest. 

I ended up watching 9 other TED talks, including these: 

• Cameron Russell: Looks aren't everything, believe me, I'm a model
• Amanda Palmer: The art of asking
• Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are
• Julian Treasure: 5 ways to listen better
• Joshua Walters: On being just crazy enough
• Daniel Tammet: Different ways of knowing

It's evident just from the 7 talks I've suggested here that there is a huge variety of different talks that will interest most people. Just take some time to scroll through the videos on the channel and click on the first one that catches your eye, you might be surprised!

Jess xx

I'm moving to new york 'cause I've got problems with my sleep.

I've been ill and off college again today! I hate it so much, I got 2 hours solid sleep last night then teeny bits of sleep for 8 hours after. Not fun. I really don't like missing college because it's so hard catching up with work. Luckily I only have 2 lessons tomorrow and then I get to go home and hopefully get better quicker!
I also got a few emails today telling me the date for my UCL taster course has changed and the programme for the classics open day at Oxford in march! It looks really interesting and there's an opportunity to go to 2 different lectures which will be really awesome! I'm so excited!
Anyway, I need an early night to get better for tomorrow!
Jess xx

P.S. I have a slight obsession with 'Moving to New York' by The Wombats, it's such a good song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD92J4W9n04

San Fransisco video

My friend sent me this video of a tram going down a road in San Francisco in 1905 and I found it so interesting! It's so amazing because you can see everything going on around with their everyday lives and it's really quite interesting to see what people were like and how everything has changed!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NINOxRxze9k

Just watch, it's so awesome going down that street like that! It's like a time machine!
Jess xx

Piano

Piano - D. H. Lawrence
Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me;
Taking me back down the vista of years, till I see
A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the tingling strings
And pressing the small, poised feet of a mother who smiles as she sings.

In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song
Betrays me back, till the heart of me weeps to belong
To the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside
And hymns in the cosy parlour, the tinkling piano our guide.

So now it is vain for the singer to burst into clamour
With the great black piano appassionato. The glamour
Of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast
Down in the flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for the past.

We had to look at this poem in English yesterday and I found it so beautiful and interesting. Our teacher played Clair de Lune to us while she read it and honestly, our class had never been so quiet. It's such a beautiful piece and it fits perfectly with the poem, I love them both.
I love poetry so much and I find it such a beautiful way of expressing words; if I find a poem I like I will make a note of it somewhere because then I can go back to it if I want some inspiration or want something to calm me or make me happy, there's a poem to create any emotion really!
I think Piano is such a nice and sweet but sad poem, it makes me think which is always a sign of something good. If something provokes thought then it's pretty awesome!
As a pianist myself, I find piano pieces beautiful, but this one actually gives me goosebumps. If you haven't had the chance to, listen to the link below, it's so peaceful and calm. Just sit somewhere with headphones in and shut your eyes, it's so worth it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvFH_6DNRCY

If you want, tell me your favourite poems in the comments!
Jess xx

Looong

Sorry I haven't managed to blog for ages; I've had so much work to do, it's mental!
Nothing interesting has happened for a while...
I'm ill again though, I hate being sick :( tummy hurts SO much, I didn't go to college today because I feel like rubbish :(
Ooh! My blog has reached venezuela! I've officially hit South America ;D
Hopefully soon something vaguely exciting happens so I can blog again! Sorry I've been so inactive recently!
Jess xx