'Life's been good to me so far..'

KD is absolutely loving life. I truly believe I am one of the luckiest little bastards in the UK atm. Officially a Royal Naval Reservist, an Aim higher Associate (one of the last), and of course doing this ridiculously amazing topic for my FUNDED! Phd. I have heard quite a few times 'that sounds like an awesome topic' or 'I wish I had done something like that'. Love it!! Also having the best family in the world is a real fucking bonus. As is irreplaceable friends, to say I love you guys would be an understatement. Of course the 'Monday Crew' has departed, but upon graduation my Dad told me to talk to people as if it was the last time I would see them, as people always seem to go their own ways. In fact, I have met and spoke to all of them subsequently and this kid like jubilation runs through my body when I see them. You made University for me people, and I adore you for it.

I am also currently somewhat of a media darling. Having featured in the Liverpool Echo, Daily Post, Daily Star and been on Granada Reports, BBC North West Tonight and now the One Show! we are getting noticed for leading the way against this evil lib-con coalition. They make me sick! Anyway, not to put a dampener on things, I also received some lovely and kind words from various students and lecturers calling me the expert and soon to be authority on my topic. Music is also going very well, my writers spark has come back. To reaffirm I love life.

Only wish the Everton boys would pull their sock up :?

Progress..

Another 40 minute run achieved and 22 more pages read; slowly but surely I am making progress. I am combating the stress of having things to do, by (ow yes) actually doing them. Sort of endorsing the dreaded target system (but self imposed realistic, yet demanding targets) which are ensuring progress. I have many things which I want to achieve and much to do in order to achieve them. A sufferer of Dylexia and Dyspraxia reading is by no means fun but I am trying to make it so. I am currently reading a book that makes the study of Philosophy seem a recreational hobby. The hardest thing is starting and if I get the most difficult stuff out of the way first everything else will be like a walk in the park... that is what I am telling myself whilst I struggle on a daily basis to get through the monotonous debris that is "Democracy & Sectarianism a political and social history of Liverpool 1868-1939". I shall however muddle through. The bullet has been bitten and I am committed to spending yet another 3 years of my life to academia.. not only that I am also considering studying an MA in Philosophy too.. I may be mad.

To add to stress, work experience is taking too long to come through (you offer your time and technicalities get in the way), I too have become Student Rep for Politics Research Students and have a Senate election to prepare for. Add to the equation demands of the RNR, Labour stuff, Juditsu, 5-a side, Duke of Edinburgh Gold, Guitar, family commitments and soon, work as a youth mentor I am a very busy bunny. So much so that my one true recreational pass time facebook has become a chore. Alas, I am even finding it difficult to make time for friends and for FF7!!. Yet, I am committed and will struggle through. I am making progress and all this hard work will pay off, and indeed, it will all be worth it :D

"It's all Good!"

Iv'e just came in and made myself a lovely cup of tea after my first 42 minute run :D ... I intend to do one 40 minute run now every week for the majority of the rest of my life. I had two 3 minute breaks today so the total time was 48 minutes. Surprisingly, I still have energy left to sort my room (after food and shower), and to write this blog.

Soooo What has been going on in the world of KD over the last Month and and 10 days? Well much stress followed by much stress relief. A Lack of finance and job sucked ass especially when I reached my lowest point and had to sell my Leeds ticket (although V Festival Rocked! and thank you Claire for providing resources to go if you are reading). Now however things are really starting to shape up :P

Having been awarded the prestigious John Lennon Memorial Scholarship (one of 3 people granted the honour), not even being denied credit to buy a new guitar can get me down too much as by the end of November I shall hopefully never be skint again (giving Nan my cash card to insure this lol). It gives me faith that Karma works. I now do not have to worry about my tuition fees, nor too much about living expenses. I can concentrate on my extra curricular activities that will give me much more experience than working part time so yey!

With an awesome family and some of the best mates in the world.. as well as the fact I'm going to meet Phsyco-pat and watch Everton kick Newcastle's ass tomorrow, what is there not to be happy about please? In the words of the McCaine's advert; "It's all Good!"

Keep it D!

In eager anticipation..

I am sitting in Sunny-less Carmarthenshire, watching Cardiff getting beat my Sheffield UTD. I am missing my lovely, but I am anticipating her return and indeed my return to Liverpool. My obsession with my City is growing as the literature is helping expand my mind. Merseyside is the centre of the Universe and Scousers are, (as my Nan put's it) the 'salt of the earth!'.

Although somewhat dissapointed at my absence from Sonisphere, I am in eager anticipation at seeing Blink, Limp Bizkit, Paramore, You me at Six etc at Leeds Fest. I am also looking forward to starting my PhD, my lil date, away matches, and even finding a decent Job. (No Mrs Jobcentre plus lady, I will not accept the shitty jobs you find for me and will forward half assed applications highlighting my worse qualities, thus will find a job I will enjoy). I am also looking forward to gaining teaching experience in KGV. Yes everything remains to be rosey. I g2g Food has arrived :D

Keep it D!!

The next few years of the rest of my life - plan!

So a new chapter is to be wrote. I am currently a blank canvass or an open book or whatever. Having discovered myself in the Echo for the second time I am all smiley as it has finally sank in that I have completed my lovely Degree :D

Awesome friends, amazing nights out, Everton, and a Family that I would not swap for the world!

Can times get any better? Well yes they can and indeed they have. :P All the pieces seem to be slotting into place and life just keeps improving - Everton too keep getting better.

So I am left with a scenario, and ambitions to fill. I obviously would love to live 7 times and be a Rockstar, a Blue Legend, a full time Hippy/ Environmentalist, an RAF Pilot (eventually an Astronaut), an MD, a Gamer/ Actor/ Dolite Bum, and of course my current project in Academia. But Buddhism aside the scenario of 7 life's for KD is unlikely to emerge.

So what of my current Path what do I want to achieve, what do I want to Conquer? Well Blogger friends and followers here is rough indication of what I would be content in achieving in the next few splendid years of the rest of my life ^_^

- Get the rest of my planned Tattoos

- Get Married and have beautiful yet destructive Children

- Be a Best Man

- Get my PhD/ write my proposed work

- Become a University Lecturer (hopefully in UOL)

- Watch Everton win the League

- Visit New Zealand

- See Antarctica

- Bungee jump

- Sky Dive
- Get a Mortgage.. have a music and games room!

- Watch both my Brother and Sister graduate then allow them to bum of me until they get a job

- I suppose I should really get a Job and get off the Dole :l

- Own a bar or have a crack at managing one in 'retirement'!!.. maybe

- Go to Alton Towers for two days

- Go to Download with a Camper Van and many Friends

- Go to Download, Leeds, Sonisphere and V Festival all in the same year!! (this maybe the most difficult of challenges)

- Save the planet from it's stupidity and paint it Green and Royal Blue

- Have an ice pop and then a Lion bar

- Do some serious voluntary/ charity work

- Learn to Drive

- Learn to Cook

- Watch Everton win the Champions League, Penguins get their revenge and England win something.. the latter maybe dependent upon having Everton players cement places in the England squad.

- Buy my Mummy and Nanny a Bungalow.. they can both share it :P

If I can achieve 70% of this list I have had a successful and colourful little life

Keep it D!!

It's all over..

Having planned to clean up and sort out over a room and half's worth of shit that is inevitably acquired over a spell of 5 years independent living, I have reached the 'that'll fucking do' stage. Evidently I am still to sort out my pictures, fill in many forms, and phone many people. I commented a few days ago on the facebook that 'I am doing more now than during my finals'; this is a situation that has not changed, but I have finally found time to write my blog :)

It is indeed all over: a chapter of my life draws to a close. I have completed my BA Honours Politics Degree and am now, for the first time in a long while predicting that all will run smoothly.. (this prediction is aimed at my last undergraduate task: my graduation ceremony) Of course, life is a roller-coaster, it is one of the things that makes it exciting. Inevitably, this roller-coaster will continue and present both anguish and ecstasy throughout the rest of Mr D's short but colourful life. However, having undergone such extreme high's and low's over the last few years, I hope that I am not prematurely hypothesising a smoother ride from now on. Here's hoping I haven't jinxed it and I become Prime Minister only to be gang-raped and locked up by Tories.

Anyway's, I have so much I want to do - Sonisphere, V Festival, Preston, Norwich, Wolfburg, Alton Towers, my first foreign holiday in 7 years, driving lessons: grr I'll be raking it in soon, but momentarily I'm on my ass. I wish the Money Fairy would just come and give me a 'Having Fun' Loan: It's O.K. though, after feeling out of my depth in first year, I got a higher Dissertation mark than all of those Posh Students! ^_^

Btw got a Blackberry and onto a PhD Course at a Russell Group University. Good Ximes :P

I've done it!!

I've done it!! I have got my 2.1!

All day I had been thinking I would only get a 2.2. I had prepared myself for the worst so much so that I was convinced I would get a score of 57. but I didn't I got over 60 and got a 2.1 thus I got onto my MA and do not have to change or amend my plans. It was all going too well and I was expecting this to be the thing that dragged me back down.. it did not. My feelings of apprehension however are diluting as I am believing perhaps naively that is may just be uphill (in the main) from now on. Maybe I have learned the major lessons I had to and can now get on with constructing my future. I don't know but whatever happens it will be hard to top that feeling I had today when I looked at that noticeboard.

I fell back in jubilation laughing and grinning to such a large extent. My hands covering my face and a PHD student thought I was crying. I was not. I stood up and gave two thumbs up to Kevin Hickson (my personal tutor) continuing to grin and leap around in excitement I could not hold in my joy. After hearing 'has he calmed down yet, bring him in', a long talk with KH ensued in which we discussed my Dissertation score which was a 78!! a 1st the highest in the year and the highest the Head of Politics Jon Tonge had ever given. In fact the external markers had brought my mark up two points.

After a terrible first year in which I failed to achieve a single 2.1 in any module and after achieving only three 2.1's in my second year, the difference has been unreal. Exams have always been my downfall. I know what I ought do to pass them, but often I do not undertake the necessary revision methods hence suck at exams. Luckily, there are few exams in my MA so I can only build upon what I have. Is it naive at this point to be aiming for a Distinction in my Masters?

Whatever the weather, I have spent 3 years doing this I have got what I needed... and made many awesome friends in the process. Although tbh would I have swapped my life experiences for a higer grade? Would I shite! ... Love you Guys :D