Dwi di ddarllen blogiau gan bobl oedd arfer byw yn Aberystwyth yn ddiweddar sy’n edrych nôl ar yr amseroedd da tra bod nhw’n byw yno. Gan fy mod i’n straffaglu cael digon i ysgrifennu amdano ar hwn, ddaru fi feddwl, pam lai?
Bu mi symud i Aberystwyth nol yn fis medi 2001, ac aros yno tan Basg 2007. 5 blwyddyn a 7 mis. Yn edrych yn ôl, dwi’n eithaf sicr mai’r 7 mis diwethaf na oedd yr amser mwyaf cas i mi gael erioed yn fy mywyd. Gweithio dwy swydd i’r brif ysgol (un fel Warden, a’r llall yn yr adran technoleg gwybodaeth). Doedd fawr ddim o amser rhydd gen i, a’r fymryn bach oedd gen i, gwnes i fawr ddim o fydd gyda fe. Felly, yn y diwedd, roedd hi’n reit haws i mi adael.
Wedi dweud ‘ny, doedd yr amser yno ddim yn hollol wael. Dwi wedi gwneud ffrindiau ardderchog yna, ac mae rhai ohonynt yn agosach i mi na rhai aelodau o’n nheulu (di hynna’ peth gwael i’w ddweud?).
Dwi ddim yn methu Aberystwyth. Dim o gwbl. Roedd y siopau yn wael, a do ni ddim yn hoff iawn o’r myfyrwyr yn y diwedd. Dwi’n methu’r bobl, a’r peth gwych nawr yw bod y perthnasau ‘na yn ymestyn mewn i’r byd “go-iawn”, a dwi’n cael chwarae rhan mewn rhywbeth sy’n ymestyn ymhellach na’r tamaid bach na o dir ar arfordir gorllewinol Cymru.
Yn wir, mae rhan gorau Aberystwyth gyda fi o hyd, a dyna pam dwi ddim yn methu’r lle.
I’ve read a few ex-aberite posts lately about departing Aberystwyth and looking back on all the fun times. I thought, yeah… why not chip in?
So I first moved to Aberystwyth in September of 2001, and was there until Easter of 2007. 5 years and 7 months. Looking back on it, I’m relatively certain that the last 7 of those months were the most miserable I’ve ever been. I was working two jobs for the University (as a Warden in one of the halls and in the IT department’s Operations Team). I had very little free time, and what little there was seemed to be spent doing nothing of any real value. So in the end, it was quite easy for me to leave.
That’s not to say that Aberystwyth wasn’t good. In many respects, the friendships I’ve developed there are exceptional. A group of people who I consider in some cases to be closer than family (is that a terrible thing to say?).
I don’t miss living in Aberystwyth. Not even slightly. The shops were naff, and I wasn’t overly keen on the students by the time I left. I miss the people, and the great thing now is that those friendships have been extended into the “real” world, and I get to play a part in something that extends beyond that small bit of life clinging to the west coast of Wales.
Ultimately, the best bit of Aberystwyth is always with me, which is why I don’t miss it.
B
Unwaith eto, er gwaethaf fy mwriadau gorau, dwi ‘di methu cadw lan gyda hwn gydag unrhyw fath o gysondeb. Wedi dweud ‘ny, mae’r faith fy mod i’n hysgrifennu hwn ychydig dros fis ar ôl i mi wneud yr un diwethaf yn rheswm dathlu dwi’n siŵr.
Ers i mi fod ar fy ngwyliau, mae pethau wedi tewi. Does fawr ddim o deithio, gyda Leeds a Southampton yn ddiwedd reit ddiflas ar 7 fis prysur o deithio personol ag ar gyfer gwaith (rhaid pwysleisio mai’r dinasoedd sy’n ddiflas, yn hytrach na’r rhesymau i fi fynd ‘na).
Felly, beth oedd y pethau fwyaf diddorol yn y mis diwethaf? Wel, falch boch chi di gofyn…
Priodas Faye ag Andy
Ie! O’r diwedd, siawns i mi gyflawni ar fy addewid i fod yn ddyn gorau i Andy, a gwneud yn siŵr fod o’n troi lan yn y capel ar gyfer y briodas. Roedd y briodas a’r parti wedyn yn dipyn o hwyl (blaw am y “jôcs” Cymraeg diddiwedd). Aeth yr araith yn well na’r disgwyl, gyda phobl yn chwerthin yn y llefydd cywir (mwy na sydd gallu cael ei ddweud am araith Andy…).
Yet again, despite my good intentions, I’ve failed to post with any degree of regularity. That having been said, the fact that I’m writing this just slightly over a month after my previous effort is surely cause for celebration.
Since the holiday, things have largely been quite settled. The ammount of travel I’ve had to undertake has decreased considerably, with a few trips to Leeds and a brief trip to Southampton being a rather lacklustre end to 7 months of work/personal trips (specifically in regards to Southampton, the destination is what I regard as lacklustre, rather than the event that took me there).
So what have been the highlights? I’m glad you asked…
Faye & Andy’s wedding
So yes, I was able to discharge my duties as Andy’s best man and see him married off to Faye. The wedding was lovely, and the reception was jolly good fun (apart from the endless Welsh jokes). The speech seemed to go down well, with people laughing at the right places (which is more than can be said for Andy’s effort).
Ymwelwyr
Un o’r pethau reit foddhaol am y lle newydd (a’r ffaith fy mod i nawr yn cael penwythnosau adref, yn lle gorfod teithio i rywle) yw fy mod i’n gallu rhoi rhywle i ffrindiau aros. Dwi di gael sawl un yn gwneud dros y penwythnosau diwethaf, a di cael amser da dros ben yn dal lan da nhw.
But I digress, the Bride & Groom looked very happy together, and a good time was had by all.
Playing the host
One of the nice things about having the new place (along with the free weekends that come with not having to travel places) is the ability to play host to friends who visit. I’ve had a few do so lately, and it’s been an absolute pleasure to see them. It’s not something I’ve been able to do in quite some time (having been in a flat-share before that for pushing on 2 years).
Cadw Tŷ
Un peth ddaru mi ddim ystyried cyn cael y tŷ oedd faint o waith sydd ‘na yn cadw’r peth. Dwi’n deall digon am beth i’w gwneud (rhedeg y hoover a phallu o gwmpas), ond dwi dal ‘di synnu gyda faint o waith sydd i’w gwneud, a pa mor aml mae angen gwneud y peth (er engrafit, do ni heb ystyried bod angen glanhau’r llwch oddi ar y fframiau yn y lolfa. Yn sicr, dwi’n deall yn well nawr pan fod Mam wedi rhoi cymaint o strach i ni fel plant am faint o waith oedd yn mynd i gadw’r tŷ yn lan.
Teledu
Ag i gloi, gan fy mod i adref, dwi’n cael amser dal lan gyda rhywfaint o deledu, ac wedi bod yn mwynhau “Mad Men” a “How I met your Mother”.
Wel, dyna ni… tan tro nesaf!
Keeping house
Something I’m having to come to grips with of late is actually keeping a house. I have a vague understanding of how such things work (surfaces need going over with the vacuum cleaner, dusters over shelves and alike), but I’m constantly surprised about how much work is involved, and how often it needs doing (it hadn’t occurred to me for instance that I needed to dust above the photo frames in the hallway…). Needless to say, I now have a better understanding of why Mum kept having a go at us when we were younger about how much work she put into keeping the house clean.
TV
Finally, being at home a bit more means I have time to catch up on TV, and have been rather enjoying “Mad Men” and “How I met your Mother”..
So, that’s your lot. Until next time…
B