Daisy

No don't recall that one. But skippy, hell yeah

The BFG, yeah I remember that. Can't remember now whether I watched the film or just read the book. But I definitely read it! Or of his what about James and the Giant Peach. and the most scary of scary children's films/books. The Witches. OMG, that scared me so much. I couldn't really read it in a room alone.

There really were a lot that we watched all the time. One of them was Jumanji. It used to scare me at first. But it's a great film. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumanji_(film) Another one we watched all the times was Bednobs and Broomsticks. My parents used to have a bed like used in the film that had those nobs on the corners that you could twist off as well . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedknobs_and_Broomsticks Don't know what made me think of Jumanji. Oh, it was the video to the latest Black Eyed Peas song I recommend both! to adults too.

thanks for telling me. Of the friends who were ill, how long after the vaccine did they start getting ill?

hey all Anyone had the swine flu vaccine? Is it being distributed in your area? I'm trying to gauge what the reaction to the vaccine is. whether for example anyone has been ill from it, or even a sore arm, that sort of thing. I'm still in touch with my mum's old surgery whose told me that they've only been given a small batch to give out and has no idea whether they'll be getting more after christmas. The manager doesn't like it as she has no idea how many she can invite to the clinic and is worried too many will turn up as it is, especially as she has to make sure if she doesn't get a 2nd batch she has enough for those that need 2 doses. That and I'm not sure how many medical staff are taking the stuff overall. I think a fair few aren't bothering on safety grounds I think. My gran had it on sunday and then was violently ill sunday night and has been for the week (but there are other complications there, but she is finally getting better), but they don't know whether it was the vaccine, or whether it could have reacted that fast. My family who are all GPs didn't think it was, but were unsure because they don't know enough about the vaccine and how people have been reacting yet. But the manager just told me that in another area that has already done their clinics, even though they are told it is not live, there have been a fair number of people who have been ill. One patient was taken ill immediately and had to have an ambulance. no exactly positive. But am I scaremongering. I just want to get an idea of what is going on with the vaccine and people's experiences. Would you have it, or would you brave the flu? celia

urgh, I would have loved to have been in my old lecturers seminar again once the financial crash happened. he was too bloody sure of himself and his answers. for him there really was only one answer.

In ENGLAND, you can finish school at 16. That's as far as 'highschool' (secondary school) goes. People take GCSE's General Certificate of Secondary Education of any number just before they leave. But to be considered as a 'pass' you really need 5 A-C's preferably with two of them in maths and english. It is shocking how many people leave school without that. They are fairly easy overall. But I don't want to do anyone down who has found them hard. That's I suppose your highschool equivalent. After that it is your choice if you continue or not. The standard next step, and pretty much the only way if you want to go to Uinversity (college) is to take A Levels. Universities usually ask for 3 A levels for entrance. and then it depends on the uni you went to as to what grade they expect. and of course all the other number of things you have to show to beat the other students. My uni nearly killed me asking for 3 A's. And I nearly killed myself taking 4. You usually take 4 in your first year at AS, then drop one for your final year. They are bloody difficult. they are hard! it is really the amount of work you are expected to do. people underestimate them. so yeah they are an entrance requirement. If you don't want to do academic A levels but still remain in education there are a few other options, such as NVQ's which are more vocational. but I don't know enough about them to tell you. In SCOTLAND, it's different. They have Highers. and I again I don't know that much about them, except they are easier than A levels. Then of course there are the International baccalaureate which is the other qualification accepted by Universities if you have studied abroad usually.

True . but .... all women/men ?

good advice. though I would disagree with the last bit. I do think that depends on the person. While I was doing exams I was told this over and over. but it was one of the important factors for the grades I got. I have short term memory and going over stuff lastminute was often the key for some things. For awhile I could have photographic memory of my notes or whatever, but doing it close to the time was essential. nothing beats preparation though. maybe that's why I burnt out though, the intensity of it all in terms of working out what questions they are going to have -- and therefore what to focus on. That's another gamble, but it's what I excelled in during school. You go through the syllabus and the past papers and you work out what has and hasn't been on there. Everything on there Has to be on the exam at least Once in 2 years I think it was. Though this may have changed. But also be prepared to be surprised. But I was lucky, or maybe as I believed, it was an art . I think the outline thing people have been stressing is the key. It's what a map thing is supposed to do, just we've obviously done it different ways. The difficult thing is working out the outline first. but once you've done that you've understood the subject, are more comfortable with it, and therefore should hopefully be able to remember or recall it more easily.

hey now !

you don't have 3 exams for each subject then? strange. I'm sure that's what we did. good luck with it. oh, and make sure you know how the marks are allocated with the essays, so that you are sure you cover all the bits required to get the top marks. even if you excel in one part if you haven't covered another then they can't raise the grade. and be creative, not cardboard -maths we also had to make sure our workings out were shown, could be similar with econ (I'm trying to remember from my uni work, damn can't remember) -oh and I use colour in my notes

They vary a lot. I'm not really sure what your equivalent is. It depends on the subject really and the external exam board that you are with. An A level is made up of 6 modules (if I remember right ), you take 3 in your 1st year (AS) and 3 more in your 2nd year (A2), combined they make an A level for that subject. They generally don't have multiple choice. But for say maths, one I took, it's a paper that has problem questions based on the syllabus for that module getting progressively harder and worth more marks. of course it is timed. each module usually progresses from the last (if they are core), and then in A2 it gets harder. for most subjects there is an essay question (there even was in biology and chemistry that I took) and that wants you to use all your knowledge and more. Other modules may have part of the marks made up in coursework that's marked by your teacher and then sent off to the external markers. for english say, my sister had to remember whole damn books and quotations to use. you weren't allowed the text you were studying in with you, and they had been doing far more than one. A levels are known for the quantity of the work you have to do. They are difficult, no doubt about it. and Lots and lots of hard work.

I didn't know there was an alevel in war literature. It's about how your memory works. you have to try different methods. The best advice I was given once was that I should try using ALL my senses to revise, to provoke my memory. We don't just use reading. How do you recall stuff? I could tell you what works for me but it may not for you. I Do use the repetition method. I say things out loud, I imagine something that goes with that concept, I doodle, I underline Alot. I will even make silly noises while I am repeating outloud for some reason. I condense my notes. I also try and teach someone what I have to learn, if I can't then I haven't learnt it. I had to try and understand the whole to get the bits, where all the pieces fit in the logic of the subject. And the biggest trick? Learn what they are looking for! Exam technique, or coursework technique is so important while you are still in school. not sure it's done me all that well at uni, or I didn't bother to learn it properly. there are code words. look at the syllabus to see how they explain stuff. and practice exam papers! learn how to split your time based on marks etc etc. you'll do well when are your exams? have you got modules in January?

here you go http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/showbiz/xfactor/465263/X-Factor-hunk-Danyl-Johnsons-sex-secret-confession.html there was quite a flutter about that girl going this week instead of the twins. I don't think I am going to bother watching it this weekend though.

exactly right.

Hey all Just tuned into Xfactor. I haven't been watching this series. Didn't watch the last one either. They seemed to have changed the format to get extra viewers, money and votes, as I must admit when I did watch it was usually one a Sunday hungover or tired with the repeat. Anyway, the only two that I like and have stood out to me are 2 guys that Simon Cowell is mentoring. Jamie and Danyl. I like Jamie the most, hope he wins. He reminds me of a kid I know at the moment and who would love to have that hair (or maybe slightly shorter) when he's that age - his dad just made him trim his and told him he would grow out of the phase . (but saying that, I didn't like this last performance. but definitely the one I have seen before). celia

yep, again saying what I think I do too.

I think you're getting at what I meant more than how I said it. I spend time interacting with those that I have taken to or respect or that sort of thing. I generally ignore the rest. I just didn't attribute it to 'fakeness' but things like bullshitters, and the such. The same I would do in real life I suppose.

I don't think that's what they meant by deception. I can definitely understand being nervous about other people reading your work, and commenting god forbid . and yeah there is something about being behind a computer screen. there are some people that I would love to actually meet and be real friends with occasionally, or at least have more of a connection than the internet alone can give. But I do like the name thing, but also find it restricting at times. the way that I phrase things, and how that can be interpreted, mistakenly for me but actually misinterpreted. and mostly my fault for leaving things out or not being able to express enough. but then again, that's in real life too. actually recently I haven't used this site or other online forums like I would have. I feel too much of a connection that some things I am feeling and going through now, confusing as they are, I am reluctant to share because like in real life it feels uncomfortable to reveal them, me. whereas before, i used it at times as a place to unburden and try and shake out my feelings when I would have had less of an opportunity in real life, if at all, because I don't know those online or it's removed from life.

I don't really think about it at all. It's not a concern that I feel. Maybe I should pay attention more. But I don't. I'm fine just chatting with the occasional person. I like to learn about people's lives, to see life from a different perspective, so maybe I should be more wary if I want to hear real experiences not make believe world. I of course know about internet predators, where they do manage very successfully to pass as something else in theory. Just on here and the places that I Do take part in discussions it seems hard to believe how someone could or want to keep up and build such an elaborate deception. Plus, I don't intend on meeting up with anyone, or sharing too much identifying info, that I just let it slip from my mind as not a concern for me. But again maybe I should, at least be a bit more suspicious. I just like to to take people as they are though, that's my natural instinct. so any more tips? I'm thinking I wouldn't pass your test on punctuation and language for my level of education though. I'm careless, and not that good at it anyway - when I have to write formally it's very stressful and forced. celia

hey, happy birthday! Hope things are going well, Celia

the video is yeah . QT, well I turned over after I posted, I'd had enough

Don't know why I'm watching. Brown is not entertaining. His face droops. but then they are talking about a serious topic: Afghanistan. I don't think this was posted here, but this is brown attempting to smile. His PR likely told him he needed to do more of that. It was also him dabbling with youtube.

hey happy anniversary. you're my friend anyway . hope things are going well in real life.