DD309 – Economics TMA2 Marked :)

DD309 – Economics TMA2 Marked πŸ™‚

Econometrics, Economics Bleh!

Econometrics, Bleh!

My second assignment for DD309 – Doing economics: people, markets and policy came back marked yesterday (11th Jan) and I was pleasantly surprised.

I’d been struggling with this TMA as I left it too late. I did a lot of my research the morning and the night before it was due in! So, I really am surprised to get a 2:1 for it and I’m shocked I did so well in the gretl (statistical component) of the assignment.

I did poorly on the game theory part which was a bit of a worry. I’m considering doing Environmental Economics for my project, and am looking to incorporate some game theory. I really need to brush up on that now πŸ™

I’ve started thinking of my project and just jotting down useful websites and books. I’m excited but also very aware of the challenge but I’m so looking forward to it! Who thought I could enjoy studying eh?? It’s all down to the Open University. I’m not going to say that I’m shocked to have gone this far, because I started this to get a degree in something I love. It’s just amazing how time has passed from late 2011 when I was considering the Open University to the stage I am at now.

Graduating next year! May 2016 πŸ˜€

Anyway, this module still needs to be completed and so does DD313 – International Relations. If you are considering university, especially the Open University. Do it you won’t regret it! I know so much more than when I began my degree. I find at the OU.. I’m treated like an adult then at the brick university I attended from 2008 to 2010. I’m responsable for my study much more, no lecturer whines at me. All my tutors either face to face, or over email (and phone) have been incredible.

To top it off, I do feel intellectually challenged with every chapter of my module materials I read, every external book I read and assignment I complete. I have more and more confidence in myself, the fact that I can have a fulfilling career, and not one that just pays well, but also helps a lot of people! πŸ™‚

Running the level 2 and level 3 Economics modules one after the other was the right decision in my opinion. I was able to keep thinking about Economics over my small break between my Politics module ending and the level 3 Economics starting!

Tomorrow and for the next few weeks, there are lots of library days planned for my third assignment and research project! That’s it for now. Have a great weekend readers :p

*Note: TMA stands for Tutor Marked Assignment for those not familiar with Open University terms.

It’s 2015

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone. I can’t believe I bought the domain mixedmatt.com back in 2007. I never believed I’d still be blogging now.

Hope you all have a happy peaceful new year and all your wishes come true! πŸ™‚

Matthew

It’s my Birthday!

Yep, Time seems to move too fast! I feel old.

At 0:02am a while back… the mixedmatt was born!

I’ll let my readers figure out my age. Comment just below. If nobody does then I won’t spill. Please don’t make me look like a loner! Ha πŸ™‚

FutureLearn – Simply amazing!!

The Futurelearn week schedule!

The Futurelearn week schedule!

It’s all about FutureLearn.com! How many of you have heard of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses)??

Simply put I’m finding them amazing. I’ve only done courses from Futurelearn at the moment. If you love learning about new things you will love MOOCs! I’ve signed up to so many interesting courses on Futurelearn. Not had time to complete them all yet. There are other MOOCs providers such as coursera.com, most courses are provided by US universities.

Futurelearn and their teaching methods!

Futurelearn and their teaching methods! πŸ™‚

I’m a real geek and when I get free time (very rare these days) I like to drink a beer and expand my mind. It’s incredible the depth to which topics are covered.

You can even claim a certificate (non-formal) once a certain percentage of the course is completed!

Khan Academy is another website I find extremely useful, mainly for university help at the moment (with Economics) but it also has many other interesting subjects under constant expansion. The way the instructor Salman Khan explains things is great, you don’t actually see his face he uses an electronic blackboard to explain and draw diagrams.

I have a course that ran a month or two ago on Futurelearn called Developing Your Research Project from the University of Southampton. This will come in very handy for Economics for when I start my research project next year. I’m going to try and start that online course soon so I can be prepared. It’s great for anyone who wants to expand their mind, prepare before they start their university degree, or just kill time! These courses don’t have to be completed by the dates they run but it’s best that way to interact with the other students. I have yet to do one according to schedule. I’m simply too busy!

Au revoir for now readers! πŸ™‚

It’s almost Winter

London in Winter

London in Winter

Winter is just on the horizon and it’s the time of the year I loathe. It get dark early, the temperatures drop, we gain an hour of sleep (next week Sunday not too bad!) and it’s just horrible overall. That’s not even mentioning Christmas πŸ‘Ώ

I’ve kind of stuck to a few pledges I made mid-year. It’s been very difficult though.

As this year winds to a close, I think I should be relatively happy with this year. Although I didn’t compete in a single go-karting race or championship (mainly due to time commitments). I’ve overall done a lot of work towards my degree and actually feel a lot closer to May 2016! The results of my politics exam are due to be released this or next week! Fingers crossed.

I’m fully in to DD309 my second Economics module, it’s level 3 and means I have only one module left to complete my degree! Whoop.

I’ve become more confident in myself. I’ve seen a lot of lives come to and end, some quite unexpectedly and it really makes you reevaluate how you live your life. I really need to just live it. I’ve put in a lot more work to become a more confident person, to achieve the things I really want to achieve. Things are good and life really is what you make it πŸ™‚

I have an upcoming assignment due in next month so I’ll be busy with that. Catching up on the reading I’m behind with too. I’m behind and I don’t know how that quite happened!!

I’m looking forward to 2015 now really and starting everyday confident of myself. Heres to hoping we don’t have a Cold Winter πŸ˜‰

Someone messaged asking who my server provider was and I didn’t get back to them. My provider is VPS.net. I’ve been with them a little over a year now. Mixedmatt.co.uk runs on a server provided by them, the customer support has been amazing so far πŸ™‚

That’s it! Love you all. I will write back soon…

Brussels again, Alone :)

Traditional Romanian dancing outside the EU parliament

Traditional Romanian dancing outside the EU parliament

Yesterday, (Sept 30th) I went to Brussels again. I was a bit nervous the day before as I was going alone. My friend from the Netherlands pulled out because of flu.

It was my first time in Brussels alone and it was a success πŸ˜€ πŸ˜€
I went and ate at my favourite restaurant Chez Leon. Took a trip to Porte de Hal/Hallepoort and went up The Halle Gate. Amazing place, so much history and the views were to die for! I walked around the top and could see the whole city. Only problem was my phone battery died. So I got no snaps of that πŸ™

Went to the EU quarter again. There where lovely stalls selling Romanian goods. There was Romanian cheeses and foods on offer! Lot’s of cheese on sticks.

Outside the parliament complex in the place, there where several placards about what action the EU should take on various topics from Agriculture to Syria (Bombardment of Kobane). All in all I managed to see a lot. Even though I hadn’t planned on going alone.

Waiting for departure on Eurostar:

Video of Romanian Folk dancing near the EU parliament:

I hope to return soon. More prepared to go it alone. Love ya readers πŸ™‚

It’s Summer! Exams over!

My last post here was back in April. Aren’t I terrible? Since then I took an Economics exam and came out the other side. Against expectations passed the module (feel like I could have handled the exam better), went to Brussels (again) and now am deeply engaged in my Politics module. I’m fast approaching exam time for Politics. I have only one assignment left which to be done under exam conditions and handwritten. Ah, I hate exams!!

I took some pictures from Brussels (You can seem them below). I’ve put quite a few up this time. I also went to Bruges for the day. Loved the boat tour on the waterways! I’d love to live there once I complete my degree.

I’ve decided my blog will contain more entries in the way of Politics and Economics in the near future. So look out for new posts. I’ll try to set aside time to post some of my thoughts and ramblings. How Mixedmatt sees things in nationally and internationally πŸ™‚

Aside from this nothing else has really changed. I’m still single πŸ™
Waiting for my level 3 Economics module to start and a bit excited.

I’ll make sure my next post will not be too long now! πŸ™‚

Waiting for the Metro at HΓ΄tel des Monnaies/Munthof.

Waiting for the Metro at HΓ΄tel des Monnaies/Munthof.

Fancy one? :)

Fancy one? πŸ™‚

Sweet tooth!!

Sweet tooth!!

On the way to the grand place in Bruxelles again!

On the way to the grand place in Bruxelles again!

Mussels and Frites! Yum!

Mussels and Frites! Yum!

Frogs legs :)

Frogs legs πŸ™‚

Bruges!

Bruges!

EU Parliament tour!

EU Parliament tour!

Reading material for a nerd like me!

Reading material!

Juplier :)

Juplier πŸ™‚

Buildings in Bruges

Buildings in Bruges


Best way to see Bruges!

Best way to see Bruges!

You been warned! Ha!

You been warned! Ha!

Belgian Street Art :)

Belgian Street Art πŸ™‚

Touching the Berlin Wall.

Touching the Berlin Wall.

At the European Commission.

At the European Commission.