Cider

In the last couple of weeks I've made the unconscious decision to improve my knowledge of cider.  For years my primary experience of the stuff has been Strongbow-based, although during a summer of total indecency I did dabble with a bit of White Lightning, and along the way I've had one bottle of Magners which was remarkably vile.  I've always considered myself to be very 'into' cider, but my ignorance of the world of cider out there made me question this claim.  So, in order to become more learned and wise, I'm on a cider journey.

My first bottle was Weston's vintage cider, at 7.3%.  It had a hint of Magners about it (although that incident happened years ago, it's still to leave my taste-memory), but was really quite refreshing and mellow.  I didn't realise it was so strong until I drank two pints of it at the pub the next evening, the morning after which I felt like a sack of shit.  

While I was at the pub having those two pints, I also tried a bit of my friend's rum-cider (also Weston's, I think).  Maybe I was breathing out at the time, but on that first sip I didn't realise the absolutely revolting odour permeating from the glass.  It was, and this was confirmed by everyone in the group, unearthly, although if it's got to be earthly it's got to be a smell that's come out of a place directly related to a very poorly-maintained pig's toilet facility.  D.i.s.g.u.s.t.i.n.g.  But yeah, I didn't smell that at first so my initial reaction was based purely on taste.  That wasn't great either.

So next on the list were Sheppy's Goldfinch Dry and Aspall's Premier Cru.  I didn't get a chance to try either before my next visit to the pub but it was offering the latter, albeit at £4 a pop.  Knowing the barman allowed me to have a few of these, and they were absolutely cracking.  Light, refreshing, pretty strong (7%).  Yum.  I had a reasonably intense headache the next morning.  I've just opened the Sheppy's (10/10 for bottle presentation) and it's got that same Magners twang as the Weston's, but once you get past that it's also quite light and tasty.

So yeah.  I like cider (and discounts at the bar).

Would

Apparently 'would' is a past-tense form.  When I was comparing answers for my coursework with my friend this morning my ignorance of this fact was laid bare.  I don't even understand why it's past tense.  I absolutely love grammar but I get the feeling now I've opened the grammatical pandorian box I'll never be able to go back to the days when verbs were doing words.  The more I learn, the more I realise there is I don't know, and it makes me wonder whether I should do syntax next semester rather than psycholinguistics which is bound to be absolutely amazing, or linguistic analysis in which I'll do my own research project.  Syntax looks solid but amazing.  

Today was the last day of term and I didn't even realise; I wrote down today's date but my head didn't do the festive math and compute that when I write 19th Dec, I'm 6 days from Christmas.  I'm not feeling even remotely festive; I am trying to remember whether I have bought the people who are going to get presents their presents, I'm calculating how much time I can reasonably spend working on Christmas and Boxing day and I'm intensely bummed at the absence of two of my favourite people on the planet.  

I am, however, pumped about the following festive components:

Getting the Paramore CD

The White Horse, Christmas eve

Inventive christmassy mushrooms

International phone calls on Christmas morning

Seeing how pumped my family are about the Christmas presents they expressly requested for (without lists I'm not sure what they'd end up with)

The last week

Has been dominated by this bitch.  Clauses are going to redefine difficult.

Current

Reading:

The Inimitable Jeeves

K-PAX

Some 19th Century American junk

Excited about:

Thursday evening

Christmas

Weddings

30th December

Studying American Psycho next semester

Finishing coursework

Getting coursework grades

Enjoying:

Recipe experimentation

Lentils

Linda McCartney sausages

Muesli

Fuck Shell.

I last posted on 4 November.  Crimany.

The last month has been utterly absorbed by assignments, moments of sheer panic, disappointment, concern for the future and intensely excellent breaks from reality in Cardiff.  I've also used the time to make a few applications to get an internship next summer, but in both instances I haven't gotten past the gatekeeper.  What made me particularly mad, however, was an email I got back from Shell, outlining the things they were looks for in candidates.  It's these standards that they reckon I didn't meet.

Capacity: The intellectual, analytical and creative ability to learn quickly, identify issues, make judgements and propose solutions

Achievement: Enthusiasm, resilience and confidence - someone who can always get things done

Relationship skills: The character and ability to work effectively with others in a diverse team.

Technical candidates are also assessed on their Technical skills:  Understanding and approaching technical issues coupled with an enthusiasm for technical challenge.

I just don't understand how I don't meet those standards, especially when I'm compared with what will probably be the majority of applicants whose life experience is limited to a summer of temping between finishing sixth form with three A-levels and starting a degree.  I spent over three years working and perfecting exactly those skills that Shell seeks so desperately in their interns.  Where would people who went from sixth from straight to university get those attributes?  I know I'm generalising but I can't help but feel Shell have overgeneralised also: they're looking for people who fit into this totally archaic box that only fits students who followed everything their head of sixth form ever said about going into higher education to the very word.  So I did three years at sixth form - who cares?  These recruiters should be looking for people who make serious changes and personal sacrifices when they aren't completely satisfied with things.  All it means is that as well as knowing about English and photography, I have an AS-level standard knowledge of chemistry, biology, French and media too.  How can that ever be a bad thing?  Further, I will never apologise for realising how much of a financial investment university is, and therefore not going straight into a degree I wasn't certain I wanted to do.  So many people do this and realise what a mistake they've made when they come out with a worthless degree.  Instead, I moved away from home, stood on my own two feet and worked really hard for three years.  The feedback I got from my employers during this time was always positive, so positive that it made me think I should apply for these internships.  But because I don't fit into a model of conformity I don't even get an invite to an assessment centre.

FUCK SHELL.