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A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-03-27 14:27:19

OK, tomorrow I have to give a 20ish minute presentation on the British Education System. So, as research, I’ve been looking through old school prospectuses, pictures, old school diaries, timetables, comments mates made by mates in my planner (homework diary) etc. etc. etc. I even have notes written by Kid from 6 years ago!! It’s really weird, just seeing before my very eyes how much we’ve changed, matured, “come of age” since those days. And how we’ve stayed friends, whereas pretty much ALL the other friends of that age have disappeared into obscurity. I have to say, not that I was ever a huge fan of school, it has brought back some fun memories.

What’s even more weird is that its now me, back at school, but on the other side of the Channel, and the teacher’s desk, and, its fair to say, enjoying school more than I ever did as a kid!

All I have to say to you, Kid, is that I’m sure that you and I could spend an entire evening with my old planners laughing and reminiscing, cursing Tebb. And Jeans, with a few Sol beers, and spend an unforgettable night. I actually feel like we owe it to ourselves to do that!

So there you go! What, in Kids case could have been an entry on his online diary, I’ve chosen to share with my fellow Taterers.

We might all think at the time that school sucks ass, but looking back, they are days nobody will ever forget, for good or for bad, or for a mixture of the two:
Carpe Diem!
Wash!

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Comments:

Re: A blast from the past! by Kid on 2003-03-27 15:47:48  |  Reply to this

Jeepers creepers! How many people have said Carpe Diem of late? All I can do is add the wittiest reposte. Seize the carp. Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-04-09 16:30:26  |  Reply to this   PS: Jeans never called me back. I hate Jeans. The uncomfortableb itch. Seize the crap. Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Kid on 2003-04-09 16:59:12  |  Reply to this   He's in Ireland now, dumbass. I think. Its certainly around now. I knew this time last week. (Its nothing personal, Jeans, man. I don't even know what day it is. Boredom, kids. Don't mess). Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-04-10 02:09:34  |  Reply to this   I know hes going for his birthday, and going for pretty much the same dates that i'll be home. He invited me to go. At least for a few days. I laughed. Laughed in his face!

Re: A blast from the past! by Amelia on 2003-04-01 02:00:20  |  Reply to this
	Wash! Here I am in France, where are you? And how do you ever type on these upside down keyboards? They are just enough like ours to lull one into a sense of false confidence, then, Bam! you mix up the a and the q and the z and the w. Sheesh. You have my admiration for sticking it out.

Re: A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-04-01 04:14:26  |  Reply to this

I KNOW!!!! I'm sure if you look back to some of my first ever replies when in France, you'll see a fair bit of a and q mix-upage. Their bloody ridiculous, but ive just about got used to them though now. Its not easy as sometimes i write from my English laptop, and sometimes on the school French computers. So its quite confusing! I'm in a town called Gueret near Limoges. Where are you? And if you pass through, which you probably won't, you have to pop in for a pain au chocolat and a cuppa Yorkshire Tea. Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Kid on 2003-04-01 04:22:55  |  Reply to this   Pain au chocolat? Is that the friendly version of death by chocolate? Nah, I'm just kidding you1! I miss fresh pains, I really do. I ought to leave the house once in a while. Or make my own. Or something. 1. It came from Bender of Futurama fame...I think, but I do overuse it. Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-04-01 13:24:20  |  Reply to this   Loved it! Depending in what frame of mind i'm in, i often make mistakes with that word. It works both ways, eng-fre and fre-eng. Like, i would read Derek Pain and read Pain with the accent of a good french bread. And another day i would easily read Pain fraiche, like a newly produced beating round the skull. Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Amelia on 2003-04-02 04:15:53  |  Reply to this   I am in Paris right now, but leaving tonight on the Eurostar to London. I had a ymmy pain au chocolat this morning at McDonald's, of all places. Mostly, though, we just like saying "Croque McDo". Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Kid on 2003-04-02 04:49:24  |  Reply to this   It'll be too late by the time you read this, I 'spect, but I love the entry to London (Waterloo) you do on the Eurostar. You get Battersea Power Station - looks like an upside down snooker table. Is on a Pink Floyd album, I believe - then the river, so murky, so deep and with so much hidden. (Generally eels, but other stuff too). Then the station itself. Obviously Wash & I both love the clock, but there's something about Waterloo. I don't know. And I didn't mention the song once! Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-04-02 07:21:55  |  Reply to this   Congrats, Kid. Amelia: May utter shame rain down on you!! Whatever happened to the typical french boulangerie, producing their gorgous Derek Pain au Chocolat? When in Rome... don't go "Chez McDo"! I can see why ordering a Croque McDo is amusing though. I havent tried it yet, i'm informed that you can get a classy "ham n cheese McToasty" or something in England though.. Can't wait. Really looking forward to it! (Excuse the sarcasm.) By the way, Amelia, watch out for the millions of people swarming like flies on Waterloo underground. And enjoy the clock. If you can't find it just look, its "UP THERE, MATE! Tarrah!

Re: A blast from the past! by Amelia on 2003-04-03 13:53:56  |  Reply to this

Eurostar was lovely, Waterloo ditto. Today I toured St. Paul's and the V and A, along with Dr. Johnson's house. Dr. Johnson says, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life." I say, "When a man is tired of the V and A, he is less than third done." Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Kath on 2003-04-03 23:30:51  |  Reply to this   You have 2/3rds to go Amelia. Now we all would like to see you write some humorous observations of England. Please continue your wonderful reporting. Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Amelia on 2003-04-05 10:37:42  |  Reply to this   I have abandoned the V&A and run off to Bath for the day. However, we did take time to formulate the next corollary to Dr. Johnson's epigram: "When a woman is tired of London, she should go sit on a pink velvet chair on the top floor of Harrod's and take tea." Wash, I lived in Rome from 1983-1987, and I agree it is my favorite European city. Of course, I live in New York now, so you may guess my fondness for the urban lifestyle. I do have one other English-Italian cross-cultural question, though: What is the difference between clotted cream and mascarpone? They seem the same to me (both heavenly!). Re: Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-04-05 13:13:24  |  Reply to this   I LOVE Bath! Went for a weekend with my housemates 2 years ago, as i was telling Kid only today on the phone! Stayed in the YMCA, took a guided tour, and got lost in some wooded area in the thick, pourring rain by ASDA supermarket. The next day was really sunny though. To sum it up in 2 words: "Beautifuly Overpriced." I'll look at the clotted cream and mascarpone for you. All i know is that clotted cream is likely to give you cholesterol related heart problems later in life if you go at it like a bull who regularly frequents the proverbial china shop. And nice work on the living in Italia! Parli italiano, o hai dimenticato come parlarlo dopo questi 15 anni? Ciao! Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Amelia on 2003-04-07 09:39:51  |  Reply to this   Ah, la bella lingua non si puo dimenticare. Poi, vedo il telegiornale della RAI qui a New York per rimanere al corrente. (I think the Italian peace movement looks like it was all designed by Benetton.) Bath was gorgeous, and made a nice bookend to our visit to La Defense near Paris. I am fascinated by planned cities, and those are the two ends of the spectrum. Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-04-07 10:13:10  |  Reply to this   Possiamo guardare RAI alla universita! Argh, i wanna write more, but i can't... get... words... out. Listening to french TV, just revised Spanish, so the Italian aint going anywhere today! So when y'all back "stateside"? (see, i even speak USAian) Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Amelia on 2003-04-07 12:22:26  |  Reply to this   I got back yesterday. After ten days in London and Paris without once opening an umbrella, I return to a blizzard in New York. My office closed at 3 pm because of the snow. At least I can ease myself back into things. Must go shopping now, as I cannot live indefinitely on duty-free shortbread and Flake bars. Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-04-08 00:55:36  |  Reply to this   Who says you can't!! I once lived of Toffee Crisps and chocolate brownies during a stressful week at uni - no time to cook, convenient vending machines, you know the drill!

Re: A blast from the past! by Wash! on 2003-04-04 01:59:04  |  Reply to this

London is great. But i have to say, with my girlfriend living there last year, i was there an aweful lot, and, like any big city, it has its downers: Crowded underground, dirty streets, many a beggar, lack of fresh air. But that's my view having been there about 30 times. I prefer Paris, but Rome tops the lot. As for the capital of Luxembourg, "Luxembourg," it has little more to offer than a crêperie and a post office. Don't go there! PS: GO MURIELS WEDDING!!! We're thinking of you! Full match report please!!!!