What’s all this about?

Subscribers of old (pre-August 2008) would be aware that I have an embarrassing secret. I used to be heavily, and I mean fully immersed in the preservation of old cars, buses, fire engines and other noisy, smoky, filthy things. I used to spend countless weekends in Cork (1), Wicklow (1) (2) and anywhere else where there was an old relic in hibernation; tinkering around with them, learning how to drive them, repair them, restore them etc. — Yes it’s a weird hobby, but it was my hobby nonetheless, and one that I shared with close friends and family. Inevitably, the group dynamics broke down as I thought it would be best to take some time off to focus on more important things — the Leaving Cert.

Well since my Leaving Cert is over, my abstinence from noisy stuff is over, and now I’m looking to further my horizons and cast my net further afield into the depths of obtaining a category ‘C’ driving license, which would entitle me to drive Rigid Lorries. However, unlike the acquisition of my category ‘B’ driving license, there is a lot more to becoming a dirty trucker.

1. I need to book & pass a theory test for HGVs.
2. I need to book & pass a number of CPC tests (Competency Tests).
3. I need to get a medical and be signed off by my doctor to ensure that I’m fit enough to drive a HGV.
4. I need to obtain an eyesight report.
5. Following the above are in order, I then need to apply for a Learners Permit for the ‘C’ & ‘C1′ categories.
6. I need to book lessons from a certified and credible instructor on driving a truck, protocols etc.
7. I need to book & pass a driving test for the category ‘C’ license.

The above is a mean feat, if I thought obtaining the car license was a challenge, I am sure obtaining a truck license will be 10 times as hard! But I think I’m up for it, and my graceful youth and enthusiasm should help my drive and driving! Basically, since I was a kid, I have always been fascinated by HGVs, for some strange reason. Yes, I am still a petrol head, but I prefer the simplicity and presence of a larger vehicle. So now I’ve come of age, and qualify to take the HGV theory test (you need to have a full category ‘B’ license before you can take it), I thought that now is as good a time as ever! My motivational flame has been fuelled with my excessive playing of Euro Truck Simulator in my spare time

Wish me luck. I’m sure I’ll keep you all updated — whether you want to be kept updated or not

Despite my over enthusiasm following my liberation from the formal Irish Educational System, I am now at a point in my life when I question myself with Now What Do I Do?

I am very much undecided and open to anything thrown at me, college, jobs, courses, apprenticeships, etc. I am presently doing feck all, aside from interviews for jobs, and trying to earn some money by dipping my hand into the web design font – which unfortunately when compared to last year has well and truly dried up.

So, as a result I have applied for countless amounts of jobs, spanning many different niches. I’ve been offered one job selling Sky Digital – however when I learned that it was a commission role with my first 3 weeks unpaid I not-so-nicely declined. I’ve been shortlisted for a few other jobs following interviews, and it’s now just a case of playing the waiting game. I’m eager to get working as I haven’t a fucking penny to my name!

Whether I get offered a place in college is another story. As CAO applications are at an all time high, with limited places and education cuts, going to college could be off the cards, but I’m hopeful. I won’t be making any decisions regarding my future until August at least.

So with the jobs being scarce, and my place in college being uncertain, it could be the dole queue for me.

Excuse my blog tardiness. If it weren’t for Steos gentle persuasion I wouldn’t have bothered. So here’s my exams to date:

English Paper One: Went quite well. Interesting theme of Decisions, but the questions could have been better laid out as they were a bit vague in places. Text 1 was two arguments for or against the closure of zoos, Text 2 was an extract about , and Text 3 was of course photos – which I duly ignored. Did Text 1 Question A (Question B was a script for two animated zoo animals having a conversation wtf?), Text 2 Question B (Speech to a group of parents stating that Older Teenagers should be given the freedom to make their own decisions). Creative writing was a bit all over the place, I didn’t particularly like any of the titles so I just wrote about the first one – my experience in the past few years of Education. Overall I feel it went okay. Paper Two will be a royal cunt though.

English Paper Two: Massive fuck up. Was postponed until Saturday because some 30 English Paper Two’s were handed out instead of Paper One. Today was officially everybody hate Louth day – even though it wasn’t the students fault they spared no delay in dishing out what was coming up . So alternative papers have been arranged for Saturday morning – there goes some Maths Paper Two & Irish Paper One study. A lot of students have been going mental, but myself I see it as an opportunity to cram some more and re-assess my poetry choices and Macbeth themes. Discussion over on boards.ie. Update: The dopey superintendent has been named and shamed. He is now in hiding to avoid media attention.

Okay, had it on Saturday, despite my reservations about it, and my Que Sera, Sera attitude towards it going in, I feel I did okay on it overall – despite having to cut my prescribed poetry section short. Did approximately 15 pages, which includes 3 pages for unseen poetry (overkill!), 5 pages on the Comparative, 4 pages on Macbeth and 2 1/2 pages on Walcott (had to cut it short).

Maths Paper One: Surprisingly went quite well, answered 7 out of 8 (only supposed to answer 6 – but was unsure about one of them), left exam centre around 11ish after going over my answers with a fine tooth comb for about 10 minutes. Had to wait until 11:30 to get the exam papers back, so pissed off the attendant for 20 minutes! Was a nice exam, not too difficult but no overly easy. Paper Two will be a challenge!

Maths Paper Two: Went okay for the most part. Some bits I was a bit stumped on, but forged through them nonetheless. There was no avoiding Trigonometry though – did Q1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9 in case you were wondering. Q6 & Q7 were lovely questions, however the last part of Q1 was a bit iffy and anyone I’ve talked to left that one out too.

Irish Paper One: Was a decent enough exam, even if it did include a comprehension about Des Bishop. If I ever have to read another Irish comprehension about him again I will go insane. In the Name of the Fada…FUCK OFF! Personal writing section was easy enough, apparently I was in Australia having a fine old time with the fine looking Austrailian girls who attatched themselves to me

Aural went well, even if we had a massive gap between it and the written section. Spent some time relaxing in the sun out in the massive courtyard smack bang in the middle of the school. It wasn’t a great thing to do as I couldn’t focus for the Aural!

Irish Paper Two: I was more pessimistic than optimistic about this one, considering it’s only worth 18.3% overall. I gave it my all, and did well in the poetry section – Gealt & Jack, and got through a bit about An Bhean Óg, but as far as Lig Sinn i gCathú is concerned…no comment.

Business: My hand is still aching me. I just couldn’t stop writing. That’s a good thing right? Go through 16 pages, answered all questions on Section 1, 2 on Section 2 and 2 on Section 3. Was writing right up until 4:30 when I said enough was enough and called it a day – mainly because I was dying for a piss and was falling asleep.

French: As predicted, it was a fairly straight forward easy exam. Four comprehensions, CV & Filling in Blanks, Postcard, Diary Entry, Message & Letter buttoned up in under an hour. All those years of slogging through HL French before moving to OL paid off. The Aural was a little tricky, but I’m confident that I did really well in it. Had a massive gap between the written and aural so chilled out outside in the courtyard and caught some rays.

History: I was dreading this exam, the only exam I was worried about – aside from English Paper 2. I prepared well enough in my opinion for it, and last night focused on the GAA, Anti-Semitism in Germany, Killing Home Rule with Kindness and Bus Boycott, unfortunately the only one that came up was the Bus Boycott for the Document question which was a safe bet to be honest. I adapted what I studied for the European course with the “How Dictators used propaganda/terror to maintain power” – there was a lot about anti-Semitism in there! The de Valera question was nice as it was quite broad, make what you want of it with regards to his management of the economy & Anglo-Irish relations between 1932 & 1945! The 1913 Lockout wasn’t great for me as I hadn’t prepared it in great detail so I left it until last and got most way through it when my pen ran out of ink – so I called it a day as my hand had taken on a claw like status. Overall, I don’t feel I excelled really well in it, but I did better than I thought

Accounting: My final exam, and one I wasn’t particularly looking forward to, but I thought it went surprisingly well – Section 2: Interpretation of Accounts was a lovely question, couldn’t see much wrong with it, checked ratios when I got home so I’m sure it’s near to full marks for that question. Cash Flow Statement was another nice question, considering I only got to learning how to complete a full Cash Flow Statement on the morning of the exam I felt it went very well, got hung-up on the final section of the statement, but got through it. Absorption Costing came up on Section 3, was a nice question, costing is a fail safe question which doesn’t need much to get it right. And finally, Section 1, I was hoping and praying for a Departmental or Manufacturing account, as I hadn’t prepared Sole Trader. What came up? A Sole Trader! Got through it, did my workings fine, my Trading & Profit & Loss Account was okay, and my Balance sheet for the most part was grand…even it if didn’t balance!

Friday 5th: Maths Paper One

Saturday 6th: English Paper Two

Monday 8th: Maths Paper Two, Irish Paper One & Aural

Tuesday 9th: Irish Paper Two, Business

Wednesday 10th: French, History

Monday 15th: Accounting

LIBERATION!

Well I’ve broken my voluntary silence, but another milestone has just been accomplished. I’ve graduated from secondary school – I am no longer a Leaving Cert student per se – although the Leaving Cert is truly upon me, breathing down my neck like a pervert with bad sinus problems.

I’ve truly enjoyed my 6 years at The Donahies. It’s been six years of mixed emotions: mostly happiness, nostalgia, & craic! At times I loved my time there, and other times I just had enough of the place. I’d be lying if I said I won’t miss the place. I will miss it’s corridors, where your shoes would squeak on the polished flooring, I will miss the banter between everyone at the lunch table, I will miss the teachers and how most would go above and beyond to bail you out, I will miss counting the minutes for the bell to null the final class on a Friday to a close, I will miss the craic we would get out of the simplest things, I will miss meeting and greeting everyone in the mornings, & I will miss the cozyness of the school enviroment – as now I’m out on my own

It would be true to say, that this years Leaving Cert year were the laziest in the schools 32 year history, although I would tend to say laid back and relaxed more so than lazy! Although when it comes to the crunch we get things done, we seldom disappoint. The writing will be on the wall in August when we’re opening our results! That moment when I open that gummed envelope will be one of anticipation, anxiety, worry, & relief! Whatever the outcome I’ll know that I’ve done my best. Even though I haven’t prepared as much as I’d liked, I have a feeling that I’ve a fair grasp on things. I react well under pressure, so I should be able to pull some half decent results out of the bag in August and ensure my six years at The Donahies have not gone by in vain.

The six years have flown. First to Third year was filled with getting my bearings, keeping my head down and having a massive culture shock – coming from a Catholic National School into a diverse Secondary School of all Nationalities & Religions, having to manage my own timetable and change classes multiple times per day! Third year seen the Junior Cert – and when I first started blogging on my own domain (!), Transition & Fifth Year seen my lazy streak become apparent, and Sixth year was filled full of worry, nostalgia, work, craic, drinking, driving, exams, maturity & relief!

Suscipere et Finire.