I'm ALIVE!!!!!

Call off the search party, I am alive despite my absence from this blog for the last month.

The weeks from 6 through to my exams just ended have gone into hyperspeed and I did not have a second to sctach myself let alone contemplate updating this blog. I can barely remember what events of any note have taken place during this period as my attention was focused on completing in term assessment and preparing for exams. Apologies to anyone who was offended by my radio silence (phone, email, etc). I can assure you that you would be forced to do the same if you were in my shoes. Now that the course is over for Michelmas term I can honestly state that I have never worked so hard in my life. I am pleased it is over and I am looking forward to relaxing holiday in France with my girlfriend who arrives from Australia on Sunday afternoon.

Rather than try to remember what happened in each week I will summarise Michelmas Term with a series of wrap ups:

Rugby: I volunteered to play in the Oxford University Colleges XV against Cambridge at Cambridge on Sunday 27th November. We had never beaten them away from home and our side beat them comfortably. The coach was pleased to have some old heads in a young team and I provided some go forward and weight in the second row not to mention an impressive red beard. I scored the second try of the game and went out and had a few jars with the boys when we got back to Oxford. (Photos below). The following Wednesday 30th November I backed up as a reserve for the Greyhounds against the Cambridge LX Club. The Doggies shoed the Tabs to use the local lingo quite easily with a 40-15 win. I came on briefly as a blood replacement and made the most of my opportunity but no tries followed. Enjoyed the Oxford-Cambridge banter after the game and went to Vinnies, an Oxford sportsmen's club afterwards for drinks and then onto a dodgy club. It was good to finally have a few drinks with the rugby boys as I have been too busy to join them all of this term.

Social: Not much to report as my rugby commitment has limited my attendance at social events this term. I went to the end of term drinks on Friday 2nd December which was followed by a farewell study group dinner and then more drinks at the Pembroke College MCR (Photo below). On Sunday the 4th of December my housemates in 33 St Margarets Road had meal together at a local pub and exchanged secret santa gifts (Photo below). I gave Yu from Korea some garden gnomes because the only time I ever see him is when he is smoking near the bike rack outside his room. I thought he might enjoy a little comany. I was given a paid of zebra striped underpants, some chocolates and some fancy soap from Lush. I can only assume one of the chicks in the house fancies me and was trying to send me a subtle hint.

Academic: Despite working my absolute guts out this term, I fear I have fallen short of the mark in one or two subjects. As expected I found the conceptual word based subjects (Strategy, HRM, Economics) alot easier than the numerical maths based ones (Finance, Accounting, Statistics). My exam week was from hell and I am really glad it is over. I am going to try to put this term behind me and refocus on next term once I have returned to Oxford on 5 January from my break.

That is about it from me. I wish you all a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year with plenty of swims at the beach on sunny days.

Merry Christmas,
Doug Waller.

Study Group Break Up Dinner: Friday 2 December. (LtoR, Rolf, Nikesh, Hester, Amman and Grizzly Adams) 

Beard Progress Photo 

The first Oxford University Colleges XV to defeat Cambridge University Colleges XV at home. I am second row, third from left. 

In the CURUFC club house after beating their College XV 27-3 (D.Waller scored the secon 5 pointer of the game) Massive bloke next to me is Derek, a St Peter's Colleague and former NFL Offensive Lineman for the Dallas Cowboys. He is he studying philosophy.  

Oxford Colleges XV vs Cambridge Colleges XV