Been off from work a whole week. A mixture of delight at not being at work, and then a bit of depression. I decided to use some my savings money (i was given a couple of small bonus payments by my client a few years ago, which i have hardly touched) to buy a cheap ex-display dvd recorder. So i started putting all my old videos onto DVD. It's going to take me a few more weeks, but it will mean more room and i want to declutter as far as possible. I'm still keeping my dvd player, and if the discs work on it (my player is 6 years old!), i will just swop it out, and then only archive things to disc once a month if need be.

I didn't spend my week off writing my tma. I rather knew i wouldn't. Although that said, I have made a start on it. I'm nearly done with the short answer, only another 100 words to go, but i'm floundering on the essay. Still, i will do my best. TMA05 looks much more to my taste. It's about bathing and social issues. Thinking about the exam, Rome city and people will have to be a sure fire revision block for me. Also 5th century athens, i would be an idiot not to after studying it in depth for last years course. Some parts of block 3 are interesting. Still, i haven't actually done block 4 yet, so you never know!

If i am strict and do 100 words a night, i can just about do it. I have two days off this week, so i am aiming to use those days for typing up what i have done so far, which should be the entire short question and maybe 1/3 of the essay. Still working under pressure is good. The exam only gives an hour to write an essay. I only have one day off, the 30th which is when i'm going to a wedding, but i hope that those two days off and weekends will mean i can make up for it.

Going to the British Museum the day after the cut-off date for the TMA will be a really good way to finish it off! I'm hoping that whilst i am writing the tma, i can continue to study. Thank goodness the blocks are now on-line and i don't have to wait for deliveries.

I've had a good couple of weeks with SW - just one pound off losing half a stone. Unfortunately this week i have been very lax. I had a carvery meal Friday afternoon, With a night out at Castle Balti on Friday, and then left-overs from that on Saturday. And another meal out on Sunday. So i have to be extra good now i'm back at work. i want to get that half stone award this Thursday.

Speaking of things like that, i did the 2km walk around Brookvale Res, this time i did it in 32 minutes and 08 seconds! SO i am improving. According to the Walk 2000 literature from the council, i should be doing this in 18 minutes. I'm not up to that yet, but i'm going to try and improve.