Well this blog is long overdue, so you have my apologies, but that does also mean this might be a bit of a mammoth read, so again you have further apologies because there is rather a lot to update within a rather busy little month.

Amnesty: Well as some of you may know my term as a youth co-optee twice appointed came to a close on the AMSC, but I then applied to have full membership and was appointed again, so at the end of the last meeting the chair had said farewell to me, so was funny to be re-welcomed again. I don't really think the meeting went that well really, there are a lot of new members on the committee (we have about 12 members in total) which in itself is not a problem, but people haven't really got used to the way a committee such as this works, which means that there is a lot of confusion about when to speak etc which can cause a bit of agro. There was an interesting debate on the local groups review which had me thoroughly lost, and went to a split vote, a first I think for the AMSC, but it was passed 5:2 with 6 abstentions, showing that I wasn't the only one confused. Then we got onto portfolios, where there is a member of the committee who seems to be prone to standing on peoples' feet. I won't go into how because that's irrelevant really and not needed for the blog, but it got incredibly frustrating when someone is trying to argue a point when you're more experienced in that field and are telling them otherwise, yet they'll hold onto their argument to the death. Although I must admit it's very nice being recognised at being good at doing the AGM cycle and Regional Conference programme as the chair of the committee commented on that which was nice :).

The other day was the Amnesty Media Awards, which is a huge award ceremony up in London to celebrate Human Rights Journalism. This was the second year I went and quite frankly it's amazing! Truly truly outstanding. I took Lu to this one, mum went with me last year. It was in a different venue, and I'll be honest I preferred the place last year, but the Royal Horticultural Society Hall was still very elegantly done. And for anyone who knows me I'm a fussy eater, as in very, and they had very nice food!! Moira Stewart was hosting, it was quite funny as she was trying to be quite chummy which I wasn't really expecting. Kate Allen who's the director of Amnesty UK came over and chatted with us, which is very nice of her, I know Kate reasonably well, and in an office scenario I can chat easily with her, but at something so formal it's hard to know what to say really. Think they should do lessons in small talk. Although the venue was huge, there were about 500 people there, so it quickly warmed up and the seats were very small to the point of being intimate with the people next to you, luckily I already knew Colum and Lu or it could have been interesting. We were sitting on the second row, so had an amazing view and it truly was a fantastic evening. Some of the stories are amazingly harrowing. Ian Hislop presented one of the prizes, and said that even he was failing to find any sort of joke in the proceedings. All in all a brilliant night, and it was good to take Lu.

School: Well I suppose I really at this point should do an amendment to the last blog, because the day after I posted it saying about not getting any thanks for the Charity Committee Mr. Hoskins presented me with a Societies Tie (my third) and an almost eulogy in assembly. Does that mean he reads this? *looks worried*. But it's nice to be appreciated, so yes, a correction to the previous blog!

Exams have been ongoing for the last few weeks now, and I think they have gone well. My last one was today and it's sheer relief to have finished them. I hate exams and always muck up in them, I do well in lessons but always slip up in exams sadly. I can't really remember many of them because my brain I think tries to forget them as soon as they're done. After all there is no point in fretting over them because there's nothing I can do about them now is there. So yes it's nice to now feel free to have the summer ahead of me, although odd slightly to think that I'll never have to sit another lesson or exam at the RGS ever again. Time seems to have really flown. But I'm looking forward to university.

Mrs. Piwowar (Peeves) also left at half term, so it's not quite the same going in now anyway. What with the little woman now up in the library ugh. But we'll still stay in touch I'm sure which is good :).

Ringing: Really not very much to report here as I haven't been going to any practices during the exam period and there isn't much to say on Sunday ringing, so yes a quiet bit on ringing you'll be glad to know.

Birthday: Well I'm now 18! And have been for a month tomorrow. It hasn't really changed much I must admit haha, although it does mean I can now get my share of rounds in etc, although I'm not sure that is something I should be shouting too loudly. But haven't been out or anything since, people keep asking me to the local gay nights, so might go to one of those I suppose, even if just to see what it's like once, make sure I'm with mates I know and trust haha. My actual birthday was fantastic though (well the actual day was, I'm forgetting it was partly staged - don't ask!). I had a chemistry practical exam in them morning. Then got home and Jude was staying with us. Grandpa and Pat then came over in the evening, as did D and Lu. We then went to the Rumwong restaurant and had a really nice meal. Grandpa made a nice toast, and having told mum about a hundred times that I didn't want a cake in the restaurant or anything, what did she go and do? This massive cake, the whole restaurant singing etc, I was mortified. Very nice cake though that Jude had kindly organised and repaired as well. It really was a nice time and great to share it with those I love the most and thought loved me the most.

Katherine Jenkins: As part of my birthday present mum had organised for her and I to go and see Katherine Jenkins at Hampton Court Palace. We got there very/ridiculously early and had a nice picnic in the grounds. Then we had about an hour of people watching which at an event like that is incredibly funny. Then we made our way into the main courtyard where the event was taking place. We were on the third row in front of the stage and luckily the people in front hadn't turned up, so we had a direct view of her, she was only 20m away, it was amazing! She first came on stage in this tight white satin dress, she really is stunning. She was backed up by a male quartet called Blake, who were equally stunning. It was a fantastic evening!

Triathlon: D had organised to run in the Blenheim Triathlon the day after Katherine Jenkins. So up we got and drove over to his and Lu's. A little door trouble later and we were off to Oxford. We spent Saturday afternoon wandering around Oxford, which really is a picturesque city. Then for dinner we went to Jamie Oliver's new restaurant, and had (I'm running out of synonyms for great) a great meal, it was really good!! Nice atmosphere, friendly staff and the company was alright too haha.

The next day we set off for the triathlon. Blenheim Palace is breathtaking, I'm not sure which I preferred there or Hampton Court. D took his bike into the transition area which was in the main quad, and then we headed to the start of the swim where Lu's dad and brother joined us. D looking like a large condom with blue rubber swimming cap and wetsuit made his way into the water where they all looked like lemmings. It's quite impressive when the hooter goes and all these blue caps just turn into white horses of waves. We quickly made our way up to the next point and watched him cycle past three times, then run past twice. Rather him than me that's for sure. Yet again a really great time.

So that's the end of the blog! As you can see the majority has been really great bar exams and a few family problems in the last week, but I've ranted enough about that as it is.