Matthew's Journal

20 years ago I was 4 and:

1. Living in my parents' house, in Surrey
   
2. At Hersham House, a private infant school. I narrowly avoided getting chucked out for being too evil to my twin brother, who would wind me up until I beat him up, and hope I'd get caught in the act.
   

I don't remember much from this time.

15 years ago I was 9 and:

1. Living in my parents' house, in Surrey
   
2. At Cleves County Middle School doing quite well. The staff would always say I was bright, but lazy; Daniel worked harder. Beginning to be a bit of a loner, due to taste in Classical music, not watching TV, and being musical.
   
3. Playing recorders, clarinet, piano, and failing to play the flute
   

10 years ago I was 14 and:

1. Living in my parents' house, in Surrey
   
2. attending Tiffin School, a state-run grammer school for boys in Kingston. Tastes in music/lifestyle/attitude meant I was a bit of the odd one out, but not without friends. I was finally beginning to do a bit of work by this point
   
3. playing clarinet, euphonium, piano, 'cello and faffing with the school recorder group.
   
4. had just passed my audition for Junior Guildhall, which I started in the following January, and was to occupy my Saturdays until I went to the University
   
5. fancied other boys in my year, but never did much about it due to the homophobia inherant in the school
   
6. A confirmed Christian, but at least partly by default
   

5 years ago I was 19 and:

1. Attending Selwyn College, and living at my parents' house in Surrey in the vacations
   
2. Had recently passed my LGSM teaching diploma in euphonium, and thought it much better than any of my A-levels
   
3. Had just finished the first term of my veterinary degree.
   
4. Involved in loads of student societies, finding lots of valuable things to do with my time, and not working as hard as I should.
   
5. Friends with Pete, and getting to know a lot of other people.
   
6. Playing euphonium, 'cello and organ
   
7. Suddenly discovering computers
   
8. Fairly sure I was gay
   
9. Beginning to explore my faith more seriously
   

2 years ago I was 22 and:

1. Living at "Empire House", visiting my parents occasionally.
   
2. Seeing practice having started the clinical part of my veterinary degree.
   
3. Fairly happy that I was bi, the previous assumption being disproved by having a girlfriend for a little while in my first year, and several flings with people of both genders.
   
4. Slowly reducing my society commietments, as I realised that the VetMB was going to eat the next three years of my life.
   
5. Too geeky for my own good.
   
6. Playing euphonium and 'cello when I could, and the organ occasionally
   
7. Wanting to get into research and wondering if the VetMB three years were going to be worth it
   
8. Still very ignorant of Christian theology
   

Now I am 24 and:

1. Living at "Foundation" with Jon and Sarah Amery
   
2. Bi, going out with Anke; still unsure how this will last, given she's German and will probably return there at some point. Monogamous
   
3. Trying to get more music in my life
   
4. Still trying hard to be a plausible Christian
   
5. Depressed on and off, mostly by the vet school. Desperately hoping the plan to pay someone to do my remaining "hut" will work.
   
6. Getting close to having a PhD place.
   
7. Looking forward to the party tonight, but not tommorow, since I will be alone at Foundation, and everyone else seems to have cool New-Year lunches/etc. sorted out
   
8. Catching up on a backlog of things that need doing
   

There. I hope that's interesting to someone :)