Flying visits, group work and ill advised presentation techniques

So last weekend I packed my bags and boarded a flight to an exotic land far, far away. Wales. A little visit home for a few days to see friends and a certain person. Now before you reach for the sick bucket (or tissues) in anticipation of a filthy, sordid recounting of events, or the polar opposite - an outburst of soppy unmannliness, never fear - I wont go into any more detail than that, this being a family friendly account of events and all. Also because there is a high chance I would end up losing my head faster than a journalist in North Korea.

Now i'm back it's just another 5-6 weeks of hard graft and i'll be returning for the big C word that doesn't rhyme with punt.

This week I have been forced unwillingly to engage in group work as part of a new module on Climate Change. The biggest issue being those faced when certain members are louder and less able to control their outbursts of complete bollocks than a member of the US Republican Party.

It's not that I do not like working as a team. Far from it. But when said team is given 2 hours to put together a presentation on something and everyone thinks they're right, arguments ensue.

Somehow, probably due to my slightly ill thought out criticism of certain members intelligence during one of the more heated discussions, I was nominated to not only do my section of the presentation but also the conclusion. When asked if I wished to prepare a conclusion I declined, an off the cuff version seeming far more appealing.

A word of advice to any would be followers of this techinique. Winging in-depth scientific knowledge of individual greenhouse gases such as Perfluormethane (CF4), and it's influences on global warming to a panel of industry leading experts in this field is about as easy as a white woman trying to convince her white husband the black baby they just had is a miracle and not the consequence of her adulterous adventures.

Needless to say after an uncomfortable few minutes for all involved some effort was made for the second presentation scheduled for the following day. This one I did...

In other news, this week I have been back on the bike on my daily commute and started a new intense gym routine with my housemate after a two week pathetic illness excused hiatus. Subsequently my legs now feel as sore as a navy officers wife after he has been home for a few days after 6 months spent at sea. Sore but surprisingly satisfied.

So that's it. This weekend I am having to miss a weekend of kayaking party heaven, aka Tyne Tour, due to heavy workload. Two exams this week and coursework I am determined to break the back of in time for a weekend away with the Guys and Gals of Cardiff, kayaking in North Wales in a few weekends time. Ill be damned if im going to let work make me miss that as well as this weekend, I have the bottles of port purchased already in eager anticipation of an incredible rowdy weekend of whitewater kayaking and drinking.

Until then, time to knuckle down.