From James Loney

Thanks to Peterson for directing me to this link of James Loney speaking to the press having been freed in Iraq

What a reminder that we must not forget those who do not have freedom as we do.

A link to Amnesty's website's campaign against torture in the war on terror seems shallow in comparison to what James Loney, Norman Kember and Harmeet Sooden have been through in the last few months. Not to mention the tragedy of Tom Fox's death.

Out done

I thought I had big news this weekend - but no, my own mother completely and utterly outdid me by getting engaged :O! I'm very happy for her actually - although very surprised. She's not been seeing the lucky man for very long (only a few months) so this is all very quick. I've not even met him yet (should be fixing that in May).

Does anyone know what normal etiquette is for informing the ex-husband (i.e. my dad)? I'm trying to decide if I should tell him or wait for the extended family grapevine to do its work?

I think I'll tell him. No idea how he'll react (he is married tho - has been for nearly 10 years).

Oh my....

Another doctorate degree...

I have yet to finish the first. But no matter. I've been offered a place on a clinical psychology training course (fully funded) to start in September :)

Thanks to everyone who wished me luck!

Sad sad news

From Peterson's site - Tom Fox, one of the hostages from Christian Peacemaker teams, was found dead in Iraq on Friday



Repel evil with what is best. Then the one between whom and you there was hatred will become as it were your friend and intimate! (Qu'ran)

Facing the Truth - Desmond Tutu goes to Norn Iron

Desmond Tutu has been bringing together victims and perpetrators of Northern Ireland's conflict.

I managed to catch the program tonight on BBC2 - it was incredibly touching and challenging to see people, on both sides of the table, display such honesty and courage. It wasn't twee, it wasn't sensationalised. It was very calm, very dignified and very real. It wasn't comfortable viewing, not to hear someone say they had no remorse for their involvement in terrorism, not to hear a young man in his early teens whose brother had been shot dead by the UDA to ask a former UDA member why he had chosen that path - no it wasn't comfortable at all. But it was necessary to witness. Maybe it can help us all a little further down the road to understanding.

The last of the three part series is on BBC2 at 8pm tomorrow (Monday). I hope they are repeated. They should be compulsory viewing for anyone with any contact with Northern Ireland whatsoever. More info about the series & an interview with Desmond Tutu here.

Oh heck....

Yesterday morning at the God-forsaken hour at 8.30am the postman rang the doorbell really loudly! It was a rather large letter from my first choice university offering me an interview for their clinical training course - giving me all of 2 weeks notice. I'm meant to give them a five minute (what's with that - can't I have 20, how do you say anything in 5 minutes....huh?) presentation on research I'd like to carry out as a clinical trainee.

I am knackered now - I missed my Saturday morning lie in reading the letter and having kittens about my presentation. I also spent Friday night on the phone to my mum til the small hours - she just introduced a man she has been seeing a lot of recently to my grandparents and wanted to tell me how it went. (It went very well it seems, apparently. My grandad wants to show him his keyboard - this is a mark of great honour in my grandad's scheme of things. He has a room for his keyboards where they live underneath very neat dust protectors, amongst countless discs and manuals, all neatly kept, untouched by anyone other than the man himself!) Then my gran called me on Sunday morning to say, at last my mum has found someone who seems normal. This is high praise from my grandmother!

Wish me luck - and my mum too, I guess!

Spring is here...or not

I have managed to link my ipod to the stereo system in my car - which is muchly appreciated when I spend about 1-2 hours a day driving.

I was listening to Norah Jones' "Feels like home" which always reminds me of a couple of summers ago when it was really hot and me and my office mates would skive off work to go to Bournemouth beach a lot.

So today I was driving along, singing to myself in the sunshine thinking, 'Ah, spring is here, its getting warmer' I even had the car window open.

Then, two hours later, I'm sitting in my office pretending to write up some notes and there's a snow storm outside.

Brrrr.....