By the time this is published, you will have just 24 hours left to cast your vote in the UPSU elections. Which means you have just 24 hours to find a polling station, pick up a pen, and do your bit to make your Union better.
I’ve been working the polling boxes this week, and some of what I have seen has shocked me. People have walked past and told me to my face they ‘didn’t give a damn’ who ran their Union next year. Why not? You have to attend this uni for the duration of the rest of your course, and I’m going to bet that at some point during that time you are going to, say, go to Freshers’ Fayre , pick up a Pugwash, join a sport or society or have a problem that you’re going to want help with. The Union does all these things for you, and the people who are campaigning this week are the ones who will be doing it in the future. You should care about the elections, and be taking part, even just by voting, to ensure that the people you believe are best for the jobs are the ones that get them. (more…)
When I said back at the beginning of March that nothing else mattered this month but Crufts, I was exaggerating a bit in my excitement. Because this week, something is happening which is very important if you are a University of Portsmouth student, and if you haven’t noticed it you’re clearly not getting out enough or not paying enough attention when you do.
I am talking, of course, about the Students’ Union Elections. This is the time of year when you, the students, can have a real say in the way your Union (and yes, it is so much more than a venue) is run next year, and who you want to run it on your behalf. If you have a student card (and we know you all have a student card), you can vote. And it’s as simple as numbering a few boxes and dropping some paper through a slot – you even get a lollipop and a coupon worth £5 off a University of Portsmouth hoodie when you’re done! So, if you haven’t voted, why not? You still have four days to make your voice heard, so drop along to one of the Ballot boxes (which are almost everywhere on campus, including the Library) and take five minutes of your time to make a difference. (more…)
This time twelve months ago, I could never understand why my Third Year friends cringed and expounded “No, no, don’t mention the diss!” whenever I asked them how their final year projects were going. I thought it was silly and immature – the thought that somehow not talking about it would mean it didn’t have to be done eventually. But now, being in that situation of a fast approaching ‘D-Day’ myself, I get it. I admit that I myself am struggling with my dissertation, and I would just rather people didn’t bring it up.
In my musings on the topic of dissertations, I came to formulate a theory, which I hope to share with you here. Every person who has ever completed a degree in the past has had to produce a dissertation of some sort; every person currently in or about to enter a degree will eventually have to produce one in the future. My theory proposes that when it comes to their dissertation work, all students can be broken down into three categories: the Good, the Bad, and the Bluffing. (more…)
Hey all, I hope this missive finds you well. I have had a manic week recovering from Crufts – so many exciting things are going on that it’s hard to keep up! Between the radio show, coursework, meetings, the dissertation, and attempting to maintain some semblance of a personal life, I’ve been running around like a crazy headless chicken!
The first big piece of news is that Pugwash News Issue 39 hit the shelves this week. It was a 24 page bumper elections issue, and had very little to do with me; as I was away I left it in the capable hands of my team, and they did fabulously with it. My ego was a little bruised, but I was very glad to see the work they produced and to know that when I go at the end of this year it will be left with people who will look after it well. Pick up a copy if you’re around Portsmouth, and if not you can check out all the articles on our website (link’s on the right). Issue 2 of the magazine is also coming out soon, so keep an eye out for that. My article ideas for the third and final issue are progressing – watch this space. (more…)
Well, it’s over for another year; we have our new Best in Show, the Hungarian Vizsla Sh Ch/Aust Ch Hungargunn Bear It’n Mind, known as Yogi. They’ve crowned the agility champions, obedience stars and flyball winners: awards have been presented, displays have been put on, Mary Ray has danced again. And I was lucky enough to be there for the final two days to see it all in person.
So what did I think, then, about Crufts 2010? Well, overall, of course, I had a wonderful weekend; the things that were always good about the show were the same as ever, and a few new touches were added bonuses to enhance the experience. The BIS winner wasn’t my personal choice (or even in my shortlist for the Gundog group, if I’m honest), but then they always say you can’t tell just by looking, and the short coated Vizsla does lack in the glamour that some other gundog breeds possess. I do think he was a deserving winner, though, and he looks stunning in his photo. (more…)
Well, Crufts has finally begun, and I cannot even begin to say how excited I am about that. Let’s just say, I am usually a night owl and stay in my duvet as long as I can in the morning because of it – today I was up at 8:00 and the laptop was on streaming Crufts FM within the half hour. I only get four days to get my fix, so I am trying not to miss a minute!
Today, as I’m sure most of you know, is Working & Pastoral day, which means that the dog breeds from the Working and Pastoral groups will be strutting their stuff around the rings, and by the end of today we will have two contenders out of the seven for Best in Show on Sunday. Both groups have had winners in recent years (a Giant Schnauzer in 2008, and the absolutely stunning Australian Shepherd back in 2006), so our winner could well be found among one of the many dogs that will be showing tomorrow. (more…)
Anyone who knows me knows that Crufts, whether I am going to the NEC in person or just following the coverage on the TV and radio, literally is the highlight of my year. Why is this exactly, I hear you say? Or rather, not – I have tried to explain this wonder to people year after year, and no one quite yet has quite gotten it, probably because they tune out as soon as I get going. But it really is a wonderful long weekend, so I am going to try one more time to explain the love.
Firstly, the obvious reason. I am a huge dog nerd. After watching ‘101 Dalamatians’ and ‘Homeward Bound’ and so on as a kid and nagging incessantly for a dog thereafter, my mother bought me a Dogs In Canada Annual to keep me entertained after a minor operation, which kept me in bed for a few days when I was eight. I think she thought I’d enjoy flipping through it and looking at the pictures – but I read that thing cover to cover. Therein were details of over 200 different breeds of dog, articles on caring for a puppy, behaviour and training in the adult dog, and a myriad of other doggie delights; therein lay the sparks of a lifelong passion. (more…)
Hey again. We’re exactly one week away from Crufts now, and I have some exciting news: I am actually going after all!! My wonderful parents kindly offered to pay for my accommodation and transport, so I will be treading the boards of the NEC on Saturday and Sunday and hopefully getting to watch the Toy, Utility, Gundog and Best in Show judging live in the big arena. I have been three times before – once with poor old Dad (2005), once with poor old Ross (2007) and once with Claire (last year) – but this will be the first time I am going all by my lonesome. Still, I cannot wait; I have a list of things I want to do and see, and am off tomorrow to buy the dog papers for their supplements so I don’t miss out on any big events or whatever. I know, I’m a dork, but I don’t care.
I have written an article about why exactly I love Crufts and which are my favourite bits, which you can read here.
There are plenty of other exciting things happening in Laura Land at the moment. (more…)
Well, it’s March, and that only means one thing to me. Not the beginning of Spring, not my Mother’s Birthday, not Mother’s Day (though, yikes, actually, now that you mention it…), not St David’s or St Paddy’s Day, not even the UPSU Elections. Those, while important, are all by-products of March, as far as I am concerned. March, for me, is all about CRUFTS!
It’s the world’s biggest dog show, in case you are typically ignorant, and it starts up in just ten days now. Four solid days of doggie goodness; six hours of TV coverage on More4, DFS TV live streaming on the web, and 12 hours a day of my dear dear friend, Crufts FM radio. Dog nerd heaven? You bet. (more…)
It is the highlight of my sad little year; the one weekend where I get to indulge in my ultimate nerdiness, sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for the winners to be announced.
No, I’m not talking about the X-Factor final; I’m talking about Crufts, the world’s biggest and most prestigious dog show. But before you yawn at the mention of the words “dog show” and head off to read the reviews page, stop a while and I will try to explain this marvel to you.
Firstly, to clarify, while the very heart of Crufts lies in the Best in Show final on Sunday night, and all the pedigree showing leading up to that, there is a lot more to the show than snobs running around with blue blood poodles. There are many other events and competitions going on at the same time which are fun and sometimes even heart warming. And mutts and crossbreeds are more than welcome! (more…)
