NEWS UPDATE: Laundry crisis

Early reports indicate that the laundry crisis is now resolved. At 16.10 today, I entered the North Quad Laundry Room and cried "They're free!" This is the sight that lay before me:

Note again the prominence of my jeans (foreground) and boxer shorts (top). A dinner shirt is also visible, though sadly no longer identifiable as such.

After extracting those items not suitable for tumble-drying (whatever good that will do after they've been immersed for 18 hours), the remainder of the items were moved to the TD for recovery. One non-tumble-driable item is the brand-new SJC Hoodie, essential wear for the Christmas holidays. The next user of Washing Machine One was said to be "a bit nervous" as she had heard of the dilemma.

Latest Pictures: Laundry Crisis

Clearly visible on the left is Washing Machine #1 of North Quad Basement. Contained within is my washing, still part immersed in water. Just visible at the bottom right of the row of LEDs (just left of the programme dial) is a flashing red light, signifying that there is a problem draining the water.











Here on the left, you can clearly see parts of my jeans, and indeed my boxer shorts, still trapped inside.





In reaction to this news: environmental groups may be pleased to note that I was washing at 40 degrees Celsius, and not 60 as some people do. Domestic Stores have been informed of the situation.

Tuesday, 8th Week: Laundry

BREAKING NEWS
Thirteen hours after my washing cycle began, my laundry is still trapped in the machine in North Quad. If anyone from Domestic Stores is reading this - please help!

It seems to be a drainage problem - water is not draining from the machine, and so it will not allow the door to be opened. More updates as things develop between lectures and tutorials today!

Sunday, 8th Week: Time flies (or, Falling out the end of the Trousers of Time)

A little song to start us off:

"Seventh has come and passed,
The Oxford terms, they never last.
Wake me up, when Friday 8th Week ends,
Wake me up, when Friday 8th Week ends."

It's a wet start to my last Sunday in Oxford before the new year. But never mind - CU Breakfast in but a few short minutes (even here, it's fairly safe to approximate the passage of time in minutes rather than OxMinutes of Oxford Time) will help to wake me up.

Highlights of 7th Week have to include St. Aldate's black-tie Student Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday (see right). The church was transformed into a sea of red, orange and yellow balloons, with around 250 students being extremely well fed with turkey, sweet potato and marshmallow (a strange combination for us Brits, but something I could get used to), and other food-type goodies.

More mundane matters: Tomorrow is the deadline for my Functional Programming practical work. Just as well, then, that it's already finished... I'm not looking forward to (last day of term) Friday - as it gives our tutor a chance to set a marathon of tutorials to catch up on any sheets we've missed. (What do I mean when I say sheets? Take a look for yourself: you can get some of them at http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/~earl - and enjoy the wonder of calculus!)

Yes, it's not the traditional lazy last week of term - this is an Oxford term, and the work keeps going until the bitter end (literally, 6pm of the Friday...) This time next week, I'll be getting ready to go to my home church for Catherine, Katherine, Rachel, Lisa and Anna get baptised. What a service to come home to!

Saturday, 5th Week: The End Of 5th Week!

It is true what they say about 5th Week. It's all true. 5th Week Blues are almost unavoidable... but I have survived!

It's been a very long week. It already seems like I've been here for years - at least three of which have been this past week. I slept until 11.30 this morning - late even for me! Tonnes of work at the beginning of the week, but somehow managed to get it mostly done on time.

An amazing week spiritually, too... We've started 10.30pm prayer meetings in the chapel. It's been challenging, encouraging, and many other adjectives ending in ing. I'm sure I remember telling someone that I'm sure I've learnt more about God in the past five weeks than I have about computers, and it's pretty much true.

For one reason or another, I haven't been to bed before 1am most of this week - and with 9am lectures, that's never a good thing. 6th Week should be easier: our tutor is in Europe, so we only have one tutorial. (We'll regret this come the last day of term, when we have a solid afternoon to catch up...)

Music news: Delirious?'s new album came through the post today. The Mission Bell is almost completely different in sound to World Service. I read somewhere: "Where World Service was about grace, The Mission Bell is about mission... a call to arms". My personal favourite tracks are Solid Rock and Now Is The Time; lyrics from which I will leave you with.

"Now is the time for us to shine,
Shine with the face of Christ divine;
No compromise, for all heaven cries,
Now is the time."

Tuesday, 4th Week: Sacrifice

(Right) I had to say goodbye to a close friend.






(Left) Too late to turn back now... or is it?








(Right) Goodbye, old friend.