done and dusted. oh, and wasted

17 june 2010

i had my first year presentation today. it went fine, afterall. the one-day event was a nerve wrecking situation for all of us first year students. i was at first scheduled to present my research in the afternoon but there was a chance and it happened in the morning slot instead, which was better for me. i had asked andrea to be the first one to present because i always feel too nervous and cannot concentrate on anything before i speak. well, she put me last. i was the 8th student to present today. of course i was still anxious about the presentation, but feeling very much preprared to do it. i worked hard on every detail and was fortunate to have precious help from a number of friends and from both my advisor and my supervisor. it is incredible how a presentation involves so many details that one single person is never capable of covering them all alone. 

each student had between 12 to 15 minutes to speak, followed by more or less seven minutes for questions and answers. well, maybe the fact that i was last ended up being very good for me. i was told later on that i spoke for 23 minutes, but no one stopped / interrupted me. i had agreed with my friend ken for him to give me signs when i had five minutes left and then again when i had three minutes left to help me control my presentation. i totally forgot to look at him. when i finally remember to do so he was not giving me any sign. he was not even actually looking at me, i think.. okon was touching his watch in a sign to pressure me to finish up. the audience seemed engaged and not bothered by my long talk and everything was satisfactory in the end. i had three questions from the audience and responded to them accordingly. the minute the session was officially finished i went to Ros. she said she was happy, that i seemed calm, in control and that everything was very clear. i felt so good. this was the reward of hard work. i like to respect the responsibility that the event has. i now feel much better about my research and more reassured of my research plans.

after the morning presentations we had lunch together at the canteen. in the afternoon i went back into the room for my friend ken. after his presentation i left to the office to work. before that i agreed with diana to celebrate the success of my presentation at the crown inn, at 8pm, because we were, no doubt, very busy. well, i was quietly working when diana came by and invited me to leave earlier, way before 6pm. fine. we went to the pub and i drank water at first. check out for the bracelet i am wearing. it is a necklace my mother gave to me but since it wouldn't go too well in the neck with the outfit i decided to have it on my arm :-) for best of luck. well, we both had 'a pint of cider' each. i got sooo drunk. this was my best 'wasted' moment in the last few months. we laughed a lot and chatted chatted chatted like we always do, about whatever in life. diana is a great chat. i love the cider, which i had never really had before. i felt so light, so relieved. done and dusted. i drank a total of one and a half pint of cider. goooooood!

after a while i had to put on the jacket as it got chilly. we stayed at the pub until about 9pm. it was nice and i felt great and relaxed. i really needed to get wasted after so much hard work and tension. we all need a scape, don't we? where have all my nails gone? *cheers*