Exams exams exams

It's exam results time again and, while some teenagers will inevitably celebrate results that reach or go beyond their expectations, others will be wondering 'what next'. I received my Open University result a couple of weeks ago, achieveing a very satisfactory grade 2 pass with 77%. This keeps me on track for an upper second class honours degree or... if I can get a distinction in my final year, I might even manage a first class.

When I was a 'proper' student, back in the late nineties, I was miserable. I'm not fond of students in general so I hated being one myself. I didn't enjoy the lifestyle or the atmosphere and, at the time, didn't really 'get' the whole study thing. The great thing about the OU is that I can study whatever I want. I've chosen a named degree that has certain requirements, rather than the Open degree, which can be made up of almost any subjects you want. However, even on a named degree there is still loads of fleixibility, which has allowed me to tailor my study to my own interests. I can also study when I want - I do most of my work at the weekend rather than during the week, while other people have more time in the week while kids are at school etc. Plus I can continue to work full time throughout my degree. I have a greater sense of personal achievement from study with the OU than I ever found at college or uni because I've done it on my own.

And so, to those teenagers wondering what next after getting their results, I say this: Don't forget the OU. Take time, think about what you enjoy, get a job or go travelling, discover yourself and when you're done and you understand more about the world and your place in it, if it's the path you want to walk, the OU will be there waiting for you. 'Bad' exam results are not the end of the world. It's much more important to enjoy and experience life than it is sit in a classroom (or lecture hall) for the next three years.

The Open University celebrates it's 40th anniversary this year. What follows is a poem written by Matt Harvey, to commemorate the occasion. I don't know about anyone else, but this sums up my feelings perfectly.

OU, we owe you
everybody wants to know you
even those who used to doubt you
can’t speak well enough about you
they say: your founders were fearless
your students are tireless
your tutors are peerless
your media wireless

you’re the College of the Air
your reception’s everywhere

a twinkle in J C Stobart’s eye
that Michael Young could not let lie
that Jennie Lee tenaciously
made manifest reality
they’d an inkling lower income
doesn’t lead to slower thinking
so now some of us are inching
by degrees towards degrees

the never-quite-made-it or told-they-were stupid
the started-but-faded or sidetracked-by-cupid
the just-need-encouragement, gluttons-for-nourishment
the people whose talent was far too well-hidden
the told-that-we-couldn’t-or-shouldn’t-so-didn’t
the course-interrupted, the quite-frankly-corrupted
deep knowledge questers, bereft empty-nesters,
bright-eyed early-risers, complete self-surprisers

…who now all have fuller foreheads
a more complex frontal cortex

for nourishing our neurons
OU, we owe you

in time that’s borrowed, bought and stolen
schedules staggered, bent and swollen
time that’s snatched & time that’s smuggled
every minute of it juggled
we give up bingo, daytime telly
computer games and social drinking
to read Bronte Proust and Shelley
stay at home and do binge-thinking
every sacrifice worth making
now we’re swapping sleep for waking
waking up to our potential
to explore worlds once forbidden us
– it’s why on the residential
things can get a bit libidinous –

for being so inspiring
that you get our neurons firing
and spontaneously re-wiring
OU, we owe you

the wide-eyed wonder-graduate
the famished hunger-graduate…
jotting reading and absorbing
finding empty hours and tables
sending subtle signs to strangers
‘don’t disturb me I am dangerous
I have got a little learning…’

…and it’s not just about earning
though yes, we’re more employable
but when we go out on the pull
we talk a better class of bull
and if we’re not successful
we are much more philosophical

for nourishing our neurons
buffing up our self-assurance
and for being so inspiring
that you get our neurons firing
and spontaneously re-wiring
OU, we owe you

and OU here’s hoping
you always stay Open
for your enterprise is noble
and expanded frontal lobal
may your outreach programme snowball
from Chernobyl down to Yeovil
from Shanghai to Sampford Peverell
may your future now be global
and may some of your post-graduates
win prizes that are Nobel
if a university could get an honorary degree
you wouldn’t get one
– you’d get several

OU, BSc, BA Hons, Phd
we raise a half-full glass to you
from every social class to you
say ‘may the gods look after you’
and
OU, we owe you

Caster Semenya - All Woman?

When an 18 year old girl runs to a stunning victory in an athletics competition, one would expect testing for performance enhancing drugs, but it isn't often that you see the individuals sex being called into question.

Last week, Caster Semenya, a South African runner aged just 18 years old, won gold in the women's 800m in Berlin with a time of 1:55.45. Even before she ran in the final, questions were already being raised about her gender due to her broad, muscular physique.

In general, I agree with IAAF spokesman, Nick Davies, who said "There is a need to make sure the rules are followed". However, this gender test seems grossly unfair to me. It is true that she whooped the rest of the finalists in the event, beating the reigning champion, Janeth Jepkosqei Busienei, by nearly two and a half seconds, but the South African is still two seconds off the world record, which has remained unbeaten since 1983. It's not been made clear where the accusation, or suspicion has come from, but it is based entirely on Semenya's appearance. As far as I can see she is a typical female athlete: toned, muscular with very little bust. The only difference between Semenya and her rivals is the fact that she has slightly broader shoulders and short hair.

It's sad that even now, when women have much greatly equality than we have had previously, that women still have to conform to a set of physical expectations and rules. I wonder, if Caster had grown her hair long prior to this competition, would the same accusation have been made? Perhaps next time she runs, she should wear a skirt and high heels just to be on the safe side?

28 Mathematicians Later

I've seen Shaun of the Dead. I've enjoyed Shaun of the Dead. I especially liked the moment when Sky News anchor Jeremy Thompson is seen giving advice on how to deal with the Zombie plague. Little did I realise that surreal experience would come true... sort of.

This afternoon, Sky News reported that a group of Canadian egg-heads has created a mathematical model for surviving a Zombie attack. Yes, you read that right, someone has actually seriously considered the possibility of there being an outbreak of 'Zombieism'! The study was published in a book titled "Infectious Disease Modelling Research Progress" and concludes that eradication is the only strategy that will ensure the survival of civilisation.

It seems that Sky News got this from Wired, where the story can be viewed in full, here. Whatever the source, it seems that even mathematicians let their imaginations get the better of them sometimes. Personally, I'm going to blame a combination of beer and '28 Days Later' while chuckling at the background footage for the report. I assume it was a group of hapless Sky News employees that were roped in to take a star turn in front of the camera.

Sing Live!

Blog posts have been a bit thin on the ground recently. A busy work schedule will do that to you because there's nothing worse than coming home after ten hours at a computer to sit in front of another computer! So, here I am, wondering what to write about. There's a few things in the news right now that interest me - or irriatate me - but nothing seemed to flow right. Then it occurred to me that I've done some pretty cool stuff recently and not mentioned any of it!

Think back seven weeks (has it really been that long?!?!) what were you doing? I was busy making final preparations to perform at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester: hair, make-up, dress, shoes, hair again, organising water bottles and snacks, more hair faffing... The day mostly involved a lot of hanging around and waiting. Mostly due to the fact that half the band got 'lost' on their way to the Hall. Eventually, however, we had enough brass to get started on the technical call - our first rehearsal with the incredible National Festival Orchestra Big Band. I have been to 'The Bridge' a couple of times with my folks. We heard the BBC Phil performing Beethoven's choral symphony in December last year and then Greig's piano concert and Fingal's Cave (one of my most favourite pieces of orchestral music) earlier this year. But I was totally unprepared to step out onto the choir circle for the first time. Looking out over the empty auditorium from the 'other side' was amazing, nevermind when the band struck up and everyone started to sing. That single moment was almost better than the performance itself. Especially since the second time I stepped out on the choir circle I felt my stomach physically lurch as the empty seats were suddenly filled with bums and eager faces were staring back at us all. Not to mention my looney mates in the back row waving like nutters! Fortunately, any nervousness was relatively short lived. In fact most of the show is a bit of a blur. I remember it being very hot - this was right in the middle of the heat wave - and I remember my feet hurting... a lot! But the whole experience was awesome.

So awesome, in fact, that on July 26th I did it all again on the Bandstand in Kensington Gardens!

We did a selection of music from the Bridgewater Hall and this time around it wasn't just people from Greater Manchester, but we were joined by fellow choir members from Merseyside and the North East. It was a long day and we spent most of it on a very uncomfortable coach, interspersed with walking. We had a bit of time in London before the performance so Steve and I went for a wander around Harrods, which is only a 20 minute walk to Kensington Gardens. Needless to say, we didn't buy anything, but if it was possible to get a mortgage on a £135,000 set of speakers we would have! Steinway apear to make some stunning audio systems as well as stunning pianos! If anything, I enjoyed the performance at Kensington Gardens even more than the Bridgewater hall, simply because I was much more relaxed and we could see the enjoyment on the faces of our audience. But this show was special to me as well, because the 26th of July would have been my brother's birthday. He brought music to my life as I was growing up because he had an infectious passion for it. Plus his stereo, TV and keyboard were always turned up full blast so the house constantly shook. When he died our house became oddly silent. This concert on his birthday was a great way for me to celebrate and remember his life.

One other cool thing about the trip to London was seeing the Royal Albert Hall in the 'flesh'. The R.A.H. looks out over Kensington Gardens and it's the venue for my next performance, which will be on September 27th, and will be hosted by Judith Chalmers. The choir will consist of around 800 people from the UK and America and we'll be performing songs from the musicals of the stage and silver screen. I can't wait! Tomorrow we're having a big rehearsal in Halifax, so it will be an early start for me.

So as you can see, I have been bitten by some sort of crazy singing bug. But what makes all this possible is the fantastic group of people behind Sing Live. The company motto is "Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things In Exciting Places". I am just about as ordinary as anyone else and I'll soon be singing at the Royal Albert Hall. If that doesn't fulfill their motto I'm not sure what will... maybe St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican next year!