On 16 Trafalgar Place

The house in all its glory

During our search for houses we came across this beauty, with its four floors, five bedrooms, and a balcony overlooking Swansea Bay (albeit typically a view with appalling weather). We speedily signed the contract, and for several months we awaited, with glee, the time when we would be able to live there.

The 'we' involved in this move are as follows:

Me!
Sanjay,
Matteo ('Teo')
Tom ('Tomothoi')
and Tim

We have now lived in this wonderful house since the end of September, and we have certainly made our mark on the house with severe mess making an appearance through the entire house. In Teo's bedroom, there were mousey residents for a little while, which have now been set free in Singleton Park, probably to be eaten by owls... In our living room we have a shrine to Sabine, a lovely lady inside a very interesting read of a magazine. Here, Sanjay displays her Sabineship:

[The one-eyed Jar Jar Binks is not a part of the shrine]

Our house has seen much, experienced much, and we hope to involve her in many more great adventures.

Now, that's enough of the house; let's hear a little bit about those who inhabit her:

• Of course, there's me (but as I'm the one who writes this blog I doubt you want to hear an awful lot more about me)

• Teo, he who lived with me last year in the crappy student village flat. I haven't managed to shake him off yet, the curly-haired Italian stallion. He's still doing Classical Civilization, but nowadays we're never in the same lectures! Which is a disappointment. Teo was born on 08/01/1992 to a family of entirely Italian heritage, he went to St Ignatius College for boys (hence his blatant homosexuality) and he was indoctrinated to support Chelsea from an early age (I gave him a Chelsea pint glass for his birthday!). Teo is an inspiring individual, dabbling in philosophy from time to time. He is also a grinning fool, with his recent obsession over the Chad Vader series being a prime example, and a successful pimp with the likes of Charlotte, Charli and Zoe employed in his agency. And although I don't approve of his music taste, I certainly couldn't live in silence without his harmonious renditions of 'Bluku Bluku' and 'Too Many Man'.

[Teo appears as the lone male in this photo]

• Timothy Charlie Sheaff is an interesting comrade in the house of 16 Trafalgar Plc. During all last year, I and Teo enjoyed the company of Tim's flat many a time, as Teo had known of Tim during earlier school years. A happy side note - Tim also just happens to do exactly the same course as me: Ancient and Medieval History. Over last year we made our acquaintance with Tim's flat, but of all of them only Tim and Siân lasted. Timothy is our local Tottenham supporter (yeah, commiserations for the weekend...) and he is also our local oracle. It's otherworldly how well he can predict events to happen, but he still hasn't made his fortunes down at Coral! And it also he who brings best the banter into our house; and when he does you may be blessed to hear his hilarious giggling :3 Tim is also the one that promotes and advertises all of my best quotes (which I feel is done in order to distract from the rarely updated Tim Sheaff Appreciation Society, but that's just a conspiracy theory of mine*). Tim is a beautiful man, a shiny coin to be prized, and if he were to fall down the stai-SHOTGUN!!!

* This society also seems to have absented itself from Facebook....hmm...

[A most beautiful portrait of a well appreciated Tim Sheaff]

• Sanjay is perhaps our most lad-like housemate, here at 16 Trafalgar Place (Actually not really - that position totally belongs to me!). We knew of each other last year, as he and Timothy went to the same college, and preceded to end up in the same uni. He is the only one out of all the housemates not doing a course relating to history; he's doing the fabulously female-orientated English Lit as a degree. Not that you'd ever be aware of this though. I don't think I've ever seen him do an honest hour's work! Sanjay is an accomplished gamer though, spending a great deal of time on Skyrim and Fifa (I have beaten him, just to let you know!). He is also known for his tendency to get inappropriately naked, inappropriately fart and make homosexual comments (which he then goes on to blame on me). Nevertheless, I love Sanjay and his misadventures, and I would never make nasty remarks about him even when he does irritate me beyond belief.

[Sanjinho, my fellow Movemberer]

• Tomothoi is our pet ginger, a lovely, cute and twinkly-eyed individual who has various obsessive compulsions, which I shall later go on to explain. But firstly, Tomothoi initially came into my life at one of the beginning lectures during the Freshers' Month in 2010. And although it takes an awfully long time to crack down his defences I always thoroughly enjoy hearing his valuable opinions and/or ramblings. But I do miss how beautiful his hair was when dyed darkward. Anyway, these days Tomothoi is a tall, curly-haired ginger living on the ground floor of our house, nearest to the front door (if, say, you wanted to seek him out). And he is the reason for the lack of milk in our house; his obsession for tea is disgusting, yet he refused point blank to give up his dirty habit for 40 days this Lent. I suffered greatly for my innocent question as depicted here: 

In other news, he is also obsessed with surfing, his guitar, Oxfam and currently Star Wars: The Old Republic. But maybe I should write some nice things about the good old Tomothoi. For example, he is our house cook; only yesterday, he rustled up some toad-in-the-hole with some amazing onion gravy for our consumption. I think I most definitely would have starved by now if it wasn't for Tomothoi. Our Tom is a joy to live with, and I couldn't ask for a more annoying Man United fan to live with. 

[Tomothoi as a member of One Direction]

And that would appear to make this the end of the post, although never fear; I do intend to keep updating. The idea for a future blog is to write a few small biographies for others I have met and known over the course of my uni experience. If you want your name on this blog, covered in shining lights, then don't hesitate to ask :)

And so, good afternoon; I bid you all adieu.

xx

Just a much-needed update

Well all of that's changed a bit...


Wrote a blog at the start of the uni year (when I had a working laptop) and then things happened; I suppose I enjoyed myself didn't I... blogs were of no interest to me or apparently anyone else. Blogger has dried up into ancient history now... But now I am back in Caerphilly, I felt a sudden urge to give the site a little gander. Not much to look at, I don't particularly expect many viewers on this but that's no worry. I'll link it to Tumblr anyway, so....yay.


I wish to update my blog on what uni was like at the end of the Freshers' Year in Swansea :)


The flat's inhabitants changed. We lost Pete after a few weeks; he wasn't a very enthusiastic member of 180... He spent his nights out at different flats - no problem in that - although whenever he came back to our flat he never made an effort to talk to us. He was the local Swansea boy; he had better people to talk to than us clearly. He moved out in the, let's say, 5th/6th week of term.


His bedroom remained empty for decent amount of time until a few weeks before the Christmas holidays when we gained the lovely & scary Christiern into our midst

He had been living in a flat where the people were strange, horrid. They liked to sacrifice children and eat eyeballs and things like that, so he was quite right to come and live with us in 180. We celebrated our flat Christmas Party at the time he arrived into the flat. Which was extremely delicious I must say. Also, I and Matteo were particularly talented at the washing-up...


Note on Christiern:


Name - Christiern Francis
Nationality - From Cornwall
Height - Taller than Me
Drink - Everything (especially Cornish Rattler)
Food - Cornish pasty
Attitude - Angry
Sport - Banter


First term over with, we all went home and sulked from lack of fun uni drinking. For WEEKS. And then we returned back to the land of Swansea for exams and whatnot. They weren't really important, they were meh.


It was during this term that Amy became less and less seen in our flat (always at her boyfriend's), which was perfectly opposite to amount of moths seen in the flat. Every day we had pet moths sitting on the cupboards, the oven, the plates, our food. They are prone to suicidal tendencies by way of drowning themselves in the sink. Odd little buggers. We also gained a pet potato, named Manuel. So all was not lost at the general disappearance of Amy!


Life moved on as it always did in the flat of 180. And at some point Hannah gained her present boyfriend Toby. Ah, we all loved Toby! She met him in a flat party, and they became inseparable ever after.

We moved on to the Easter holidays, another long separation. The third term made up for it though. It was fraught with excitement and tales, more drinking and sleeping than ever before. This term was where Toby became the regular inhabitant of 180 (a much better replacement for Amy than a potato...!)


The May/June exams over, many of us Jacks stayed in Swansea until the 18th of June. I ended up visiting hospital once for overindulging on Jägerbombs; I then proceeded to walk home in the rain from the hospital, a distance of 8 and a half miles. It was a bloody long & shameful walk. 


And then yeah, it was over. I haven't really done the village justice with this blog. But this is just a brief story of some of the events; I should have kept regularly updating but never mind. Just know that I will miss the village bitterly. The house next year will be superb I am sure, with its balcony, sea view, double bed bedrooms and a living room WITH A TV! :o But it won't have the student community feel of the village or the exclusivity that you can't have when living in an area with the normal public next-door. I am sorely envious of the next load of freshers to turn up in Hendrefoelan. 
I love you Village <3


Au revoir.


xx

My flat.

There's a few things in my flat, so here now I have decided to blog about these things.

I've been meaning to this blog for ages but I kept forgetting to take my camera out to do the pictures. But never the mind! I have done it now :D

Well yes I have a kitchen:

As you can see, its surprisingly clean here :D

Not anymore.... =/ the bowels just love to pile up, and nobody ever dries their dishes and whatnot. It gets impossible to cook because of the great pile of dirty washing. Yay.

And here you see Matteo posing in the sitting down area of the kitchen:

Its not his usual pose, which is where he stares wistfully into the distance, even in his room where there is no distance to the wall. Behind Matteo, you can see our makeshift sofa, The Times upon it; you can see the mop I danced with in an earlier night next to the blue chair (which they STOLE out of my bedroom! -.-); you can also see me taking the photo in the very reflective window. 

So that's enough of the kitchen. If you walk towards Matt and then turn right you won't go anywhere...you'll look through the window that stares into the forest. If you turn left however you'll be able to walk down the corridor that goes past my bedroom!

There's Jess in the corridor. There's not an awful lot to comment on in the corridor. Urm - don't break the fire extinguisher! It costs a lot of money apparently.

So now I turn leftways once more.

And oh! look, I've found my room! :D Ben did not approve of my putting up of the Welsh flag, but muhahahaha!

I hope that gives you an idea of the conditions I'm living in. :) I do like it! And now I shall end this blog, as it is late...

Night, all you strangers of Swansea, and Sarah

xxx

I'm in Swansea too!

So now under the curious glances of my flat-mates, I dare to write a blog about my comings and goings throughout Swansea.

I think I've come across as the freak of corridor 180* (not cupboard 180). There's 7 of us living here, and I've definitely been the one who's kept himself to himself so far. They must also think I'm quite geeky, as I've spent a lot of time on my laptop (which has internet for the first time ever! :D so I am excusing myself).

I don't worry about it though because this is just the way I act when I'm at home; I like time to myself. They'll just have to learn to live with me, and it can't be that hard because I'm pretty quiet, I don't demand much kitchen time and I'm pretty determined to get a good cleaning schedule going!

Anyway - them:

• Matteo Giliotti

He's a cool curly haired guy from London; and he's doing Classical Civilization, the closest course to mine of people on my corridor. I spent time with him yesterday discussing various things as we were attempting to fix my laptop. I feel that he's the most like me as well, not just because he likes history (he likes the Greek stories, and he's done a course in Latin before! :o but he didn't learn anything =/) but because he seems a bit more apprehensive about everything. Although nothing compared to me, really.

• Amy Marshall

Amy reminds me of Bethan Lintern (in my Geography class of this year, and my French class of the year before). She has the same kind of personality and attitude and whatnot. I haven't really made much conversation with her so far. She seems pretty nice though. And ooh, she's from Worcestershire...

• Ben Granville

Ben definitely thinks I'm weird... He seems a lot more outgoing than me, and whenever I do strike up a conversation myself I think I bore him. Then again I don't strike up them conversations an awful lot... Never the mind. I hope to make more of an impact on all my corridor-mates in the next few months. I'd like to be the geek, but more of a talkative geek. Yes :) 

Anyway, Ben is going to be going to the zoology lectures (I just remembered that Amy is also doing that!), which sounds interesting. I haven't heard him talking about it though...

• Jessica Milsom

She was the first person I met yesterday. She was the last person to get here as well, and I had an amazing conversation with her dad. She's seems cool, quite a bit girly - she brought pink cutlery! Although that is practical because no one can mistake it for someone else's. She also seems pretty smart, actually amazingly smart. Similar to Karan, although I haven't felt irritated by her conversation. She lets me speak too :) And she's doing Economics, I believe...

And she's from Llantwit Major.

• Pete Edwards

Pete seems to definitely be the most outgoing of the corridor... He went gallivanting on both Friday and Saturday, and I've barely seen him properly. And at the present time, I have no idea what course he's doing. 

I'll have to make updates on his life later...

• And last but not least, Hannah Marriot

Hannah I've learnt a lot about - well I've learnt a lot about her boyfriend anyway - she's a rather talkative girl. But there's nothing bad in that, she makes conversation well. Yeah, her boyfriend's in Cardiff at the moment, I believe visiting some of his mates and he was supposed to come down yesterday, but :O he did not! 

She's going to be doing law, she broke her phone a few weeks ago... and yeah she's talked about a lot of things I'll not be listing down. 

So yeah, there's my fellows... but last night - my first freshers' night I didn't spend much time with them. We were playing card games in the kitchen, and Ben had invited like all the neighbours. There was 15 of crammed around a table! And yeah, then I had a text of Sarah, so off I went at about 10 to the Student Union, the queue was horrific. I had a few fleeting conversations with this huge guy from Port Talbot, with an amazing Welsh accent, and this American girl who was from Maryland - she explained how the weather was different in Maryland compared to Arizona :) ... Eventually, I managed to get in (just after seeing Adam come out of the club :o which was shocking!)

I got into the Union at about 12... And danced a bit, met this guy called Chris who will also be doing Ancient History :D and then by 1 I was walking back home. I didn't find it very interesting to be honest.

Next time my corridor-mates go to town, I shall be joining them. I've heard off of them and Swaran that the frivolities of actual Swansea are amazing. So yes, that is my plan.

Now I must make myself known because I've spent the last hour writing this, and they've probably forgotten my name.

I've been nicknamed Glen, Ewan, Gwyneth and Three-Beer James (:s) already!

Gwyn says Bye! :D

At least I'm not going to Glamorgan ;D

So this is it! Well, there's, what, three weeks left until I bugger off to Swansea, but really all of 'it' has happened and now I feel like everything's moved away.

I've been having these sad moments in bursts for quite a while, I keep thinking 'well that'll be the last time I see them then/last time I walk around here'.

I'm losing people and I'm losing Caerphilly... I mean I hope you all know how much I will miss you. But Caerphilly doesn't know because it has no ears =[

I shall miss the walks around, the mountain, the shops that always suited my simple needs, the pubs, the chavvy bits and the posh bits. I'll miss sitting outside the castle to read books, eating Greggs or Subway.

I mean I can do all the typical things I've done for years when I'm older, but it won't be the same... I'm not sure I can really have the same thing in Swansea. Swansea is so much bigger than Caerphilly!


Anyway, I'm positive - I'm happy and well, I'm shocked I didn't write a blog about my results :o

Well yeah, I had Cs in History and Geography and the Welsh Bacc... could've done better in History if I'd applied myself in the coursework, but nay... it was irritating coursework. Swansea liked me anyway so Yay! :D

I'm going to be living in cupboard 180 in the student village in Swansea....although apparently it's a particularly  rough area (in a place called Sketty - I thought it sounded quite rough..). This will be fun! Then again, do chavs usually associate themselves with students? I would say they're two different ways of life... I mean, for example, one time when I was wandering around Caerphilly on my lonesome I was accosted by four of these chav-types. They wanted to know my sexuality due to my extremely long hair. I informed them that my hair had no bearing on my preferred sexuality, although I assured them I would get my hair cut soon (I didn't). After going through that they asked me whether I was in college. I said, 'Not at all! I am hopefully going to be attending the University at Swansea, to do History'. (I thought if I used my entire course name, I would be punched sooner than later)
I went into some detail about universities and general education, and it kept them quiet for a while. They must have been thoroughly interested and therefore I can conclude that chavs are so astounded by student conversation that they are unable to talk. Therefore, they don't mix sadly =/

Anyway, yes cupboard 180! What I can't wait for is squishing the crap I own into a tiny room, and after a week deciding to throw it out. Who needs a bed? The ground's comfortable enough =]

Also, there's cooking to learn...

And lectures about Ancient History! :D

I hope I can get some internet on my laptop! It hasn't been working since I got it on my birthday..

And I can't wait to vandalise Sarah's house! =] Unless of course its far away from the village, in which case, ugh!
The village is two miles away from the university which is alright; I always walked from my dad's which is two miles away from the school, but its 5 miles away from actual Swansea, which just takes the piss to be honest  -.-

And I've got a few other thoughts about university, but I've run out of typing energy. Soz

BYEEEE :D

Probably the last blog I'll write as a seventeen year old :o

This here is my half century blog. I should have realised this earlier, and there wouldn't have been two weeks of absolutely nothing being blogged :P
You all fail, also.

Anyway, do I want to update you on my day today? Of course I do; my days are amazing, each with excitement that goes beyond normality! =]

Well, today I've started driving again... after months of not doing anything. It was mixed, as I spent half the time acting like a sensible qualified driver, and the other half was just horrible, with stupid little mistakes. -.- Never mind though, it will be easy to fix. I can see the end in sight, and maybe sometime by the end of these holidays I'll be able to drive mine own car! Bill has told me to tell John off because appears to have given up on driving...

Anyway, today I had my first rejection for employment. I shall blame the government - its their fault I am drain on the nation.
So Lidl does not want me. Ugh! What could they possibly be looking for in workers... Surely it can't be that difficult to catch on.. Never mind.

And then today I watched Bitch Slap which I thought was immense! The story was amazing, the action was astounding, the ending so surprising. Yes, a film worthy of watching :P

Today, I was supposed to go to the cinema with Phil to watch Inception; however, due to my lack of phone I could not contact him. Now I have found my old Sony Ericsson, which I intend to use until I get birthday money, to buy a new phone, but he will not reply -.- Irritated. I may be better off just going to watch it next Wednesday - if that is what we are still all doing? I am excited about a film for once; I haven't been to the cinema in a long time...
Hmmm..... no I can't remember the last cinema film I watched.



How much time do you put towards a blog before you just get bored of yourself? I haven't lasted very long today at all. I have no inspiration. Ugh!





Ok , that's just a fail. Ignore all the previous parts of the blog. On Monday, I shall be eighteen. I shall be grown up. I will suddenly have manly thoughts - I'm sure you'll all notice it. I will be doing all them man things, talking about dirt and engines and lingerie constantly =]
I'm quite happy with my birthday already to be honest. Its been the best run-up to the 26th of July in my memory. My parties always tended to fail abysmally, generally just being paltry family affairs, or if I was lucky I'd get John to come and go bowling with me. Not this year! :D I am impressed with myself for getting a camping trip together, and tomorrow we have Rob's birthday barbecue party to go to. And then to top it all, Angharad's taking me to the comedy festival in Cardiff on my actual birthday. I am so excited xD
Ohh, and there is always the Big Cheese to enjoy, but I have that around my birthday every year, so its not all that impressive. Maybe someone will go on Vertigo with me this year? The only person that ever has was one of lewis' cadet friends, two years ago. That was random! People are all wusses though; Vertigo is not scary at all. It goes up high; it is exciting.

Anyway, I feel that I should do a country-specific blog again in the future. I cannot talk about myself very well at all. I can talk about myself in my own head, but not on here. Although actually, it may be because the music is too loud. In any case I feel like rounding this blog off. It is awfully small and unimpressive, so I apologise profusely.


I love you, all those who reside on Blogger! =] xxx


And now I shall be off to sort and clean, and dabble a bit in reading perhaps. The internet's been particularly quiet this evening.

Byeee

Your qalking up a steep steep hill, like a tower steep and oh dear your ahoe lace comes undone :O whaf would you do?

:o I would throw away the shoes and manage the rest of the steep steep hill without them. I'm pretty sure I'd be happy enough with my achievement to ignore my bleeding feet xD

Ask me something interesting and philosophical, please? =]