Post xmas update

I have really fallen behind with my blogging so thought that a worthwhile update was in order.

Xmas day was the usual family day of trying to be civil and in the most part it was pretty successful. The other half arrived at 8pm which made the evening bearable.

Yesterday was our 6 month anniversary and all seems to be going very well. There is talk of moving in together and he is not adverse to 12 months in Huddersfield when it comes time for my MSc.

New Job (I know.....again) is going swimmingly and appears to have been a very wise move. I love that someties great things happen when you think that you have screwed something up royally.

DSE212 is in full flow with the first TMA submitted and a staisfying result. TMA02 is due 11th January and I am around 75% through it. Just really need to make English out of the Essay and finish the research questions. I have had a spluge on reading and have almost finished reading and highlighting Book 2 Chapter 3 hich is way ahead of where I really need to be but it is interesting.

Revision topics for DSE212 appear to be a breeze compared to ED209 with only 7 testable chapters and in a real world, you could get away with 4 safely unless I have not read this all properly along with key terms. I have started to plan revision ready for June 11th exam. I get ahead because I know I go through periods of 'can't be naffed'.

For xmas my mother bought me David Canter's text on Investigative Psychology which I strongly suspect to be the first text in the MSc course and therefore at some point very soon I will start reading and highlighting and at £25 a pop, they aren't cheap.

Xmas Presents:

Superdry hoodie, Just Business by Geraint Anderson AKA Cityboy (already finished and pretty good although prefered his first), Binge Trading by Seth Freedman (Started well but got left in the pub the other day so need to go find it), Fountain pen (love this, been thinking for ages about going back to the old skool ways), HDMI cable and a night in a Yat in York.

SD226 starts in February so need to press on.

ED209 TMA05 Submitted

I have just this second pressed the 'submit' button which is very much the most therapeutic thing that you can do. In-text citations are complete, more suprisingly after only a glass of red. TMA05 proved to be a lot more interesting that I actually expected however it was very bitty. You had to draw information from 3 chapters rather than the usual 1 maybe 2 at a push.

Been working on my seen question at work today and think my idea may be a little specific. I was going to concentrate on CBCA and SVA by think I may actually have to widen to child witness in general. I am still drawn to culpability but I really want to incorporate David Canter in to this and he has done a fair chuck on child witness in sexual aduse cases.

Hmmmmmmmm, what to do for the rest of the night??????? Films I think.

Hello again

It's been a long while since my last update and this is total due to new boyfriend. It's been a month now and we are getting on very very well. Very similar people which works perfectly.

Today was a desolate Sunday at work but gave the time for a well needed ED209 catch up. TMA05 is due on Tuesday and it is coming along pretty well. Just need to spend tomorrow night writting the conclusion, editing and adding references which shouldn't take any longer than a few hours.

I got a sign from god (David Canter) today with regards to my seen question. I was going to do it on the culpability section but was honestly finding it hard to find all that many papers on it for the area I wanted. Today after doing what I needed to I picked up David Canter's Mapping Murder and there amongst the section on Jack The Ripper's diary was refernce to child witnesses in sex abuse cases. After a little research it appears that Canter himself has written a fair chunk on the area which means that I can use papers written by him within the Journal Of Investigative psychology within my seen question. Major plus side is that because it's from him, I am unlikely to forget it!!! Yey

Still no final result back from DD101 which is starting to grate a little. I can't write my reflection page until this comes back and it will feel like closing the book on it too.

DSE212 is my new course starting in October however and introductory page will open on August 2nd which is quite exciting and my books are being mailed on September 9th although I need to be focussed on ED209 Exam, TMA06 and Seen Question before I think about DSE212.

Got new Smartphone after loosing my last one on a rather drunken night out. It's not the most advanced phone out there by any means (LG T505) however I am finding it to be pretty user friendly and therefore it has been nicknamed the Dumbphone. Made for the technologically devoid.

Was totally shocked after seeing what OU are going to charge new students from 2012. Totally shocked.......... I love the way I learn with OU and it has proved better than any brick uni that I've been to but £15,000 for a degree............. £2,500 per 60 point module............ How in the name of education can they see fit to charge this. Yes, I know that brick uni's are going to be £21,000 (assuming they charge the max) but this is OU and I really can't see how £15,000 is the right amount to charge and how they actually can justify it. I suppose time will tell and I am so glad that I started when I did else there is no way that I would be paying that amount!!! I'm freaking out about paying £5,000 for my Masters without the costing of living expenses!!!!

Off out with other half tonight....... Has to be an improvement on last night when I got round, he started a film and I was asleep 30 minutes later. Doh

ED209 TMA04 Results

The results are back and............... drum roll............. I'm really happy with them. They are 20% higher than I was actually expecting because I though my report was dreadful. Been given loads of great feedback in preparation for TMA06 so fingers crossed I am on target for my required final grade, just have to sort the exam side of it now.

Haven't done a lot for TMA05 really however I know what I want to put in to it so just a case of sitting through the sections and making proper notes.

The new guy is proving to be a total angel, very chilled and normal. His friends are lovely too which all works well. Met his folks for the first time last night, dad was really nice however wasn't sure how mum was as she wasn't overly friendly but I'm sure I am just being a drama queen over nothing or at least I hope so. Hopefully seeing him tonight for a beer and will spend tomorrow night doing college work.

Had to spend yesterday at a Fayre with 3 cars. Very uninteresting however I did managed to make a major dent in David Canter's book 'Mapping Murder'. It is pretty cool and very well written. I am very taken by his section on Fred West and the 'memoirs' that he paid a fair chunk of money for just to be a bale to read them. Very insightful and thought provoking. From Proffessor Canter's books and anything else that I have managed to read of his, it is very obvious that he doesn't suffer fools gladly and that his work is his top priority................ darn, I really hope that I get the chance of Huddersfield.

ED209 TMA03 nearly there

I currently have 1,400 words not including references, intro and conclusion which I am now finding that if I write after the main body tend to sound better. Have emailed it to myself at work to get on with tomorrow. They are making me stay till Sunday although told old/new that it's till Tuesday so that I get a few days of peace and quiet or sleep and study. I am starting to link in what I am reading for ED209 to my area of interest which is investigative psychology (if I haven't already bored you senseless by now about this) and would possibly like to study attachment theory further with regards to the criminal aspect that seems to appear.

I have purchased my first David Canter book with is extremely well written after the first chapter that I read in the bath earlier.......... I suspect I'll be purchasing more including possibly the Investigative Psychology text book at £95 although maybe I should wait as there will probably be a revised version before October 2015.

Going to take a break from TMA03 and 'current study' and read and highlight the stuff for the seen question. It's interesting and it feels like a study break even though it isn't. Hmmmm, interesting bedtime reading............ my life has been taken over by the OU. darn those slave drivers.

Attachment Theory

Have actually managed to get boy toy to understand importance of study and he's gone home to watch a film.

Am currently R & H Book 2, chapter 1 on attachment which is really interesting (to be fair, everything I have read so far has been), will keep going tonight until I finish chapter 2 on disturbing behaviour which is going to be rather important for my future studies (or at least I hope).

Managed to find a website which has a 3 part documentary on Fred West...... I know, you probably think this is 'wrong' but it actually features Prof. David Canter and he is genius. It plays taped interviews with West which are facinating...... he is so matter of fact and cold when he tells his story.

Work is getting to me a little. Don't get me wrong, this place is far better than the place I left after 2 months but it's very quiet and there are a fair few politics that I am staying well out of. To be honest when I'm at work I feel guilty that I should be doing OU stuff and spend all day with my 'studenthome' page open reading forums.

Need to sort my financial support for DSE212 & SD226 which start in October and Febraury respectively as my homepage says!!!! Blimey it does creep up on you!!!

Waiting for Results

I have no idea how long my first ED209 TMA is going to take to mark so I suspect much like DD101 it will be the end of the 2 weeks. Really need to get on with ED209 TMA02 especially as it appears to be rather straight forward also need to start reading and highlighting Book 2.

Boy toy has made me laugh today............ one of his ears is dry and flakey (nice, I know!!), he called me today to tell me that he thinks he knows what has caused it................ the radiation from his mobile phone!!! He is the conspiracy theory king.

Found a new pass time at work. Found a website which I can read 'Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling' by David Canter, it's really interesting and definitely motivating me to press on with my studies.

Thinking about emailing the proffessor of the MSc in Investigative Psychology that I want to do to ask if there is anything I can do to increase my chances of acceptance on the course......... I know this is REALLY early days but at least it would give me time to do something about it. Apparently over 200 people apply for the 20 places which isn't good odds but I hope there are factors that might go in my favour although speculative: 1) A degree from Open University - this has to show that I am able to motivate myself and study off my own back whilst working full-time, 2) If I get accepted then I will hopefully have my voluntary experience with the police which although will probably be no more than answering the phone...... but you never know. I think the personal statement is going to be rather vital so will start working on that as I go along. I am well aware that I am being rather premature based on the fact that I wouldn't actually start till September 2015 but it is an awesome goal to focus on.