The Jitty Residential 2007

The date: Friday October 19th.
The Time: 7.44am
The place: The forum

Hunter: “Everything is packed, folders are ready, sessions booked.... I has resi”

You’d like to think by this point that everyone else is packed and ready to leave Leicester at 5pm wouldn’t you? Heh. Think again.

The current line-up of people still needing to finish packing stands at: myself, George, Libby F, Abz, DJ Charlie, and probably a bunch of other people who didn’t dare own up.

Regardless of when we are or aren’t packed, 5pm still sees a crowd milling around outside County Hall waiting for the coach to arrive.

This year’s winners of the coveted back seat? Ben, Jonny, Andy and Will, who performed a well executed team rush, which left everybody else trailing in their wake. Thankfully, this year’s coach journey passed without the occurrence of everyone’s favourite 80’s hair metal quiz….which Hunter then sprung on us later in the weekend.

All seemed to be going well when we got to Avon Tyrell (“Are we there yet? / Stop the bus I need a wee-wee / He’s picking on me!” “Shuttup shuttup shuttup!”), until everyone got sent upstairs to unpack…and discovered some unexpected guests.

It is at this point I should probably try to coin a name for the sequel to last year’s trip to Aberglaslyn. Maybe “The Jitty: Return of the Residential”, although at this point, “The Jitty: Lord of the Flies” seems more appropriate.

Anyway. After watching the staff run around sorting out the problem for us, we’d settled in to get some sleep for the long weekend ahead of us.

First of all, part of the reason we had the residential at all (yes, there was a reason!): The Work. Both capitalised, just for emphasis.

Journalism sessions.

Otherwise known as the part where Jemma and I got to pretend we knew what we were doing (and did such a good job of it, until I just wrote that…is it too late to erase what I just said?).

The aim was to give people an idea of how to write a film review. So, looking at bad reviews, working out what made them bad and how we could improve. So of course, the obligatory wisecrack answer was to suggest “by including everything they didn’t.” Doh!

By the end of this, even those who might have come into the session wondering where on earth to start writing a review have taken away something useful. Jemma and I were really impressed with everyone’s reviews, and how well everyone contributed.

Photoshop sessions

People were working in groups of eight for this one. The groups were organised to cater for people who’d never used Photoshop before, through to those who had. Everyone got to have a go at one of the tutorials while the rest of the group watched them.

Everyone did really well, and again, hopefully learned something from the two hours.

No laptops were harmed in the course of this session; although Shinra Corporation managed to ninja together a logo behind Craig’s back and set it as wallpaper to the laptop. Most impressive.

Section work

As always, the sections split off to discuss what had been going on, what could be done, who was doing what and when. Those people in each section know what went on here.

The first rule of section work – don’t speak abo….oh damn!

Nothing to see here, move along!

And now, the interesting part. The Fun!

Archery

Thankfully, no one pulled a William Tell on this one.

Aside from people turning around to talk to others while their bow was fully loaded, or hitting targets miles above where they should have, it all went okay. Well, no one mentioned feeling a breeze in their stomach, so I suppose it’s safe to assume so.

High Ropes / Rock Climbing

The trials that took a fair bit of courage for those with no head for heights.

I think everyone managed to have a go at these, and no one feel prey to the ‘oh god I’m going to die’ syndrome that is noticeable by the way its victims cling to tree trunks.

And of course. Once you’re up there, you’re expected to do something entertaining. I think the barrel roll and the YMCA were the most popular moves, judging by the ‘encouragement’ of the people below.

Low Ropes

Or, to some, Phill work.

There wasn’t enough mud this year for a certain individual to get sucked into, and wreck her jeans ;)

Out of all the obstacles, the swinging rope was probably the most interesting. Especially as it ended up evolving into a group huddle by the end as people were holding onto whoever they could to stay on the platforms. The photos probably reflect this though.

Award for best photo: Phill. You’ll know it when you see it!

Balloon Chairs

For one team, not so much a balloon chair, as a balloon lilo (where was the pool guys?). For the other team, not so much a create-your-own chair, more of a ‘use an existing chair as a template and tape some balloons to it in a vaguely chair manner’ kind of chair.

Of course, being small always means that natural selection plays a part in testing. So, obviously, poor Lampard and Aran were unceremoniously volunteered by each group to test their devices.

First off: Aran.

Lowered onto the lilo by his team-mates….it’s working…it’s working!...Bang!…It’s not working.

Nearly guys!

Next up: Lampard.

Lowered into a mass of balloons that overwhelmed him. The chair held. Thankfully.

And then of course, where there are balloons….there’s a lot of noise and balloon debris. It was like being on that kid’s TV programme, Funhouse. If you never saw it, you’re missing out. Really.

Parachute Game

Just to kill a bit of time before the coach journey back to Leicester. Amazingly, it was revealed that a fair amount of people managed to get more than eight hours sleep over the weekend. I can’t help feeling there’s been a point missed somewhere.

Ending, of course, with Lampard being shoved in the middle, as we attempted to be the first group to figure out the secret of flight minus the wings, with Charlie taking the pilot’s seat.

A heroic effort, but nothing. Except for bruises on Charlie’s behalf and a rip in the parachute. Sorry Vicky! O.o

Best of the rest

The pool table and table tennis table (I never knew I could use the word ‘table’ so many times in one go) setting friendships to the test.

People mistaking the caffeinated substances for something weaker: Josh and coffee water and Lampard with ‘apple juice’ tea. Some people just aren’t morning people….

Libby B coming prepared with her piano books (why she had them with her in the first place is beyond me), and along with Abz and DJ Charlie, having a transfixed audience gathered around the piano to watch.

George’s little incident with the football.

Final Fantasy being compared to Neopets. (Just…how?!)

I give you two words: Bill Bailey.

The Unreal Tournament, erm, tournament. Which apparently didn’t go too well for Jonny. There’s always next time.

Abz taking Craig and Vicky on a jolly to Bournemouth Sunday night. Just so you know…we are all still waiting for our sticks of rock! :P

Many thanks for Jim, Craig, Tom, Vicky and Denise, who acted as riot control and fly-dispersal team whilst keeping the peace. You guys rock :)

And finally….you all just lost the game. Thank you, and good night!