sumus Bristolienses!

One more exam to go! My Legal Practice Course is nearly finished! And then the real world is, once again, my oyster. This is quite terrifying. Although my previous foray into the real world turned out fairly successful, that was in another country. My track record in Blighty on the other hand leaves something to be desired. I hope this will change, but in the current climate, I have my concerns... Oh well, just need to keep my options open.

I have had 2 of my elective exams already - Employment Law to begin with and Advanced Commercial Property last Monday. Just Commercial Law to go, hence I took my IP statute book out for coffee earlier, as a first date, to butter it up, in preparation for the beginning of what I hope will be a short-lived yet passionate love affair lasting hopefully until 12.15pm on Friday 8th June. I've just dropped some custard cream crumbs into its spine. Surely that will win it over.

Coffee was an iced espresso frappé thingy at Coffee #1 on Gloucester Road. Yes, I have abandoned Beestonia for Bristolia for the week! Mark is away in Munich for a conference and with a lengthy revision period, I had a grave concern that a week of unstructured time in isolation might send me loony. Always a worry. I have a genuine fear of retirement. Or any period where I might be at home for a long period without any role more pressing than doing the washing up. No joke. For the same reason, finishing the LPC with no work lined up is giving me the fear. Financial fear, yes, but bigger than that is the fear of the endless ocean of free time I am about to be dunked into. I can't enjoy a dip in the ocean of free time if I can't see the shores of purpose, the island of responsibility, the dinghy of gainful employment.

So anyway, I am in Bristol, revising, enjoying the weather, enjoying a bit of TV and the company of Lep and Père. And not enjoying the public transport (Firstbus? FAILBus. Why can't the drivers just CHEER UP? I used to be able to u-turn the mood of the grumpiest of Post Office customers*, but the bus drivers of Bristol just DO NOT respond to my mega-cheeriness. They need some serious...I don't know...intravenous seratonin? provision of bouncy castles on their lunch breaks? Srsly bus drivers, stop bringing me down!) But the weather is pleasant enough for walking everywhere, so I can avoid the grumpy-poos and retain my joyful state. Tomorrow I may venture to Stoke's Croft for some srs revision and flat-white consumption. And I MUST go to St Nicholas Market and eat falafel....I dream of the St Nick's falafel stall...om nom nom nom nom nom nom.


*Case in point: A very grumpy man came into the Post Office, early one morning. He ranted, he raged, he had a parcel problem. Within about 15 minutes, he was ready to leave, a smile on his face, "Thank you so much, you are an ANGEL!" he cried. My colleagues stared in amazement. "What did you do??" they gasped in disbelief. "I gave him some of my good mood, there's enough for everyone!!" I cried, and undertook a flourishing dance to illustrate.