Basically Stonewall has rated each University on it’s level of gay friendlyness. They’ve done this by checking if the universities have the following:

•A Stonewall Diversity Champion
• A policy that protects lesbian, gay and bisexual students from bullying
• Compulsory staff training on lesbian, gay and bisexual issues
• Lesbian, gay and bisexual staff network
• Student lesbian, gay and bisexual society
• Info for students on lesbian, gay and bisexual issues
• Events for lesbian, gay and bisexual students
• Explicit Welfare Provision for lesbian, gay and bisexual students
• Consultation with lesbian, gay and bisexual students
• Specific Career Advice for lesbian, gay and bisexual students
(From: http://www.gaybydegree.org.uk/introduction-to-the-guide, Last Accessed: 18 August 2010)

I am proud to say that the University were I study (see Back to University) the University of Central Lancashire got 9 out of 10.

What do you think of this guide? Useful? Post a comment.

Blog soon,

Antony

Boyfriend-W and I split up, things just didn’t work out and I returned to the UK. We have remained good friends. I learn’t so much being in Benidorm and being with him, more than I could write here (see A new design and a new beginning). So since I’ve been back what’s new?

New Car
I have got a Citroen C1 Splash in electra blue, which I’ve named Sam. I need a car for work and will be paying for Sam for the next five years. See:

New Work Image
In these difficult times in the public sector I decided to smarten up. Image is very important, not to me but to other people. Gone are the days of baggy jeans and t-shirts, come the shirts, waist coats, skinny jeans and shoes. A smarter look.

Cooking
I bought a cook book and have cooked a few meals from it. They haven’t tasted half bad, if I do say so myself. I have got great satisfaction from actually cooking something myself rather than popping frozen boxed food in the freezer. It’s called The Classic 1000 Beginners’ Recipes by Carolyn Humphries and I highly recommend it if like me you can’t cook a thing. It’s simple step recipes are so easy to follow.

Work
I’ve gone back to work with a renewed enthusiasm and some life experience.

So…What’s next?
I am moving back in to my apartment (see The Move) at the end of the month and will be glad to be home. I would like to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to my family and friends, who have been a huge support to me. Especially to my mum and Simon who continue to house me until I move back to my apartment.

Once I’ve moved back in to my apartment I intend to get a housemate to pay off some of my debts as well as continuing to try and live frugally (see Living Frugally).

In the end of September I am going back to University (see Back to University, Six NOT Four, ———–Transcript————– and Promoting and Influencing Health module results) to do a further two modules, one on leadership and the second a dissertation module.

October I am going seeing John Barrowman and have Samhain (see Pagan Festivals).

The last month or so I have been having a quiet reflective time which has mean’t a lack of blog posts. Rest assured normal blogging will now resume, whatever normal is.

Write soon,

Antony

Now I´ve just discovered on The Young Bond Dossier that the much awaited sequal entitled The Dead is to be realised in October 2010. And look here´s the cover:

I´m so excited, I´ve found it on Amazon: The Dead by Charlie Higson. The plot from Amazon:

Product Description
A terrible disease is striking everyone over the age of fourteen. Death walks the streets. Nowhere is safe. Maxie, Blue and the rest of the Holloway crew aren’t the only kids trying to escape the ferocious adults who prey on them. Jack and Ed are best friends, but their battle to stay alive tests their friendship to the limit as they go on the run with a mismatched group of other kids – nerds, fighters, misfits. And one adult. Greg, a butcher, who claims he’s immune to the disease. They must work together if they want to make it in this terrifying new world. But as a fresh disaster threatens to overwhelm London, they realize they won’t all survive
(From: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0141384654?ie=UTF8&tag=theyoungbondd-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0141384654, Last Accessed: 16 June 2010)

It goes a year before the first book when adults start getting ill and sounds like it promises to be another gripping book. You can be assured when it´s in my hands and has been read it will be reviewed.

Looking forward to the release,

Antony

I ask this open question with the recently aquired knowledge that epetitions at No. 10 Downing Street online has been suspended. From their website:

With a new Government in place a review is taking place of online services, including e-petitions. We are committed to improving the e-petitions process and are looking at ways of ensuring that it functions as part of a cohesive approach to public debate and transparent government. A full announcement on how we plan to use these and other services across Government will be made as soon as this important work is completed.

Existing e-petitions, submitted to the previous administration, will not be carried forward to the new administration as part of this process. E-petitions that were live at the time of the election announcement on 6 April, when the e-petitions system was suspended, will therefore not be reopened for signatures. We will respond to e-petitions that had exceeded the 500 signature threshold as of 6 April 2010.
(From: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/, Last Accessed: 16 June 2010)

I think it´s a real shame this service has been suspended and is being reviewed – with the possibility of being discontinued. It was a way for any UK citizen to tell their goverment what was important to them in a way that was quick, easily and convenient to all.

Despite being poorly promoted and marketed unlike some other of the governments ideas to get people involvement in politics, it was used by thousands who logged on and signed the hundreds of petitions on every area of government policy. Most importantly though petitions were created by your ordinary every day peerson and anyone could set one up.

Labour had set up epetitions, so is it simply that the coalition government didn´t like that fact that it was Labour´s idea? And does this mean that it´s going to be harder to tell the coalition government how we feel about their policies?

Or is it that they are going to come up with more innovative ways for us to express our views on government policy?

What do you think? Leave a comment.

Antony

In it you meet Jo Morgan who puts all her energy in to minimising the risk in her life. Accident prevention is part of her job as is planning for catastrophes that might happen. But it is not just a job to her, it´s a way of life. Her long term boyfriend Dennis her senior at work also shares this way of life and it seems to be their bond.

Then Jo is the victim of a hit and run accident and everything starts to change as Jo realises that she can´t avoid all risks in life. Jo goes on a inner journey to explore why she has a deep desire to prevent accidents and plan for catastrophes. With guideance from new found friends Jo starts to take risks and begins her outter transformation. Jo´s life with Dennis starts to fall apart as a new one is created through her inner soul searching and outter risk taking. The conclusion of the book is the transformation of Jo to a much happier well rounded individual.

Jo Morgans character feels some what false at times because Jo´s views on risk minimisation in life are too extreme, especially at the beginning of the book. The plot is far too predictable and I would find myself reading other books rather than finishing this one.

You can buy The Self-Preservation Society by Kate Harrison on Amazon.

First Night Work by Sissor Sisters. See their first single off the album Fire With Fire:

Release date: 28th June 2010

Second Aphrodite by Kylie Minogue. Here first single from the album is All the lovers. You can hear it here:

Release date: 5th July 2010

So it looks like the summer anthems are going to be cheesy pop all the way – love it.

Blog soon,

Antony

As I´ve been living in Benidorm with Boyfriend-W for a few weeks now I thought I´d show you some basic Spanish phases I´ve picked up so far. The english will be in bold, how it´s written in Spanish will be in blue and how it´s said phonetically will be in italics. So here goes:

Hello, Hola, Ola
Goodbye, Adios, Adios

Good Morning, Buenas Dias, Buenas Dias
Godd Afternoon, Buenas Tardes, Buenas Tardes
Good Evening, Buenas Noches, Buenas Noches

What´s your name?, ¿Cómo te llamas?, Como tay yammo?
My name is Antony, Me llamo Antony, Me yammo Antony
Pleased to meet you, Mucho gusto, Mucho gusto

Excuse me, ¡Perdone!, Pardona
Mr, Senor, Senor
Mrs, Senoria, Senoria

Please, Por favor, Por Va Vour
Thank you, Gracias, Grassy ass

That´s just some of the phases I´ve learn´t so far. What is interesting is that it has masculine and femine words which English doesn´t have.

If you want to learn more Spanish I like these websites:
http://spanish.about.com/
http://wikitravel.org/en/Spanish_phrasebook
http://www.musicalspanish.com/tutorial/numbers.htm
http://www.smartphrase.com/Spanish/sp_general_words_phr.shtml

That´s all for now,

Antony

Parsifal was a great magician and Sabine his loyal assistant. Parsifal had been in love with Phan who died from AIDS recently. Parsifal knowing that he was HIV positive and had no family decided to marry his life long friend Sabine. This was so that she would be entitled to his inheritance and because on a deep level he truly loved her.

After Parsifal’s death the lawyer explains to Sabine that Parsifal has family in Alliance, Nebraska. This is a great shock for Sabine who thought Parsifal had no family. Why didn´t she know about them? Why did he never talk about them and deny all knowledge of having a family?

You joint Sabine on an emotional journey as she meets this family and discovers more about Parsifal´s childhood. During the days Sabine learns more about Parsifal and in the nights she dreams meeting first Phan and eventually Parsifal. Along the way Sabine learns more about herself and realises that Parsifal has given her a most precious gift, more precious than money and security she thought he´d left her.

This book becomes an absoluate page turner as the reader connects with Sabine and needs to know what will happen next. The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett is available to purchase on Amazon.

Upcoming book reviews: The Self-Preservation Society by Kate Harrison & The Rapture by Liz Jensen. I´m also currently reading: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebond & Astral Travel for Beginners by Richard Webster. So expect more book reviews soon.

Take care,

Antony x

Boyfriend-W phoned and I explained about the assignment I was working on and stated
“I just want to do enough to pass.”
“What do you mean? I thought you had more aspiration than that?”
“You don´t understand. I´m regurgitating the same stuff I did at college, when I went to Uni the first time, in my VRQ in youth work I did and that I wrote in my NVQ in substance misuse I just did.” I answered.
“Well I´m dissapointed.” He replied.

Perhaps I care what he thinks because I worked harder and it´s paid off. I got a massive 81%. This means at degree level (level 3) it´s a First 1st, see below for the grading system:

40 – 49.99% Third 3rd
50 – 59.99% Lower Second 2:2
60 – 69.99% Upper Second 2:1
70%+ First 1st
(From: http://antonysimpson.com/index.php/2010/transcript/, Last accessed: 04 June 2010)

I never thought I could be grade A student, but with the support and love of Boyfriend-W I managed to achieve top grading. So pehaps I can achieve more with him than I can on my own?

If I get the next three modules at this grade I´d get a First 1st Degree, so that´s my aim when I start back at uni in September.

Write soon,

Antony x

With the language I´ve started watching YouTube videos such as:

As for my new job table waiting I´ve been shaddowing my colleagues watching and more importantly getting my hands dirty and pitching in. My first night I was quite fustrated with myself – feeling like I wasn´t picking things up quick enough. I´ve never done this sort of work before and learned that I´m actually quite hard on myself. I had to remind myself of the stages of competence:

The Four Stages

Unconscious Incompetence
The individual neither understands nor knows how to do something, nor recognizes the deficit, nor has a desire to address it.

Conscious Incompetence
Though the individual does not understand or know how to do something, he or she does recognize the deficit, without yet addressing it.

Conscious Competence
The individual understands or knows how to do something. However, demonstrating the skill or knowledge requires a great deal of consciousness or concentration.

Unconscious Competence
The individual has had so much practice with a skill that it becomes “second nature” and can be performed easily (often without concentrating too deeply). He or she may or may not be able teach it to others, depending upon how and when it was learned.
Natural language is an example of unconscious competence. Not every native speaker who can understand and be understood in a language is competent to teach it. Distinguishing between unconscious competence for performance-only, versus unconscious competence with the ability to teach, the term “kinesthetic competence” is sometimes used for the ability to perform but not to teach, while “theoretic competence” refers to the ability to do both.

Certain brain personality types favor certain skills (see the Benziger theory), and each individual possesses different natural strengths and preferences. Therefore, advancing from, say, stage 3 to 4 in one skill might be easier for one person than for another. Certain individuals will even resist progression to stage 2, because they refuse to acknowledge or accept the relevance and benefit of a particular skill or ability. Individuals develop competence only after they recognize the relevance of their own incompetence in the skill concerned.

Possible Fifth Stage
Many attempts have been made to add to this competence model. This addition would be a fifth stage, and there have been many different suggestions for what this fifth stage would be called. One suggestion is that it be called “Conscious competence of unconscious competence”. This would describe a person’s ability to recognize and develop unconscious competence in others.

Another suggestion by consultant David Baume:

As a fifth level, I like what I call ‘reflective competence’. As a teacher, I thought “If unconscious competence is the top level, then how on earth can I teach things I’m unconsciously competent at?” I didn’t want to regress to conscious competence – and I’m not sure if I could even I wanted to! So, reflective competence – a step beyond unconscious competence. Conscious of my own unconscious competence, yes, as you suggest. But additionally looking at my unconscious competence from the outside, digging to find and understand the theories and models and beliefs that clearly, based on looking at what I do, now inform what I do and how I do it. These won’t be the exact same theories and models and beliefs that I learned consciously and then became unconscious of. They’ll include new ones, the ones that comprise my particular expertise. And when I’ve surfaced them, I can talk about them and test them. Nonaka is good on this
—Nonaka, I. (1994). “A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation.” Organization Science 5: 14-37. (David Baume, May 2004)
(From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_competence, Last Accessed: 29 May 2010)

I´m currently conscious incompetent but getting better all the time.

As for my new life style, I´m loving it. Loving being with Boyfriend-W, going to bed with him and waking up with him. I´m adjusting my body clock to the evenings and most importantly looking forward to learning more.

Write soon,

Antony