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Long time, no see. A long, long time, which is something of a shame because I do love talking with you guys. I have been reading your posts though, as best I could! Turns out that your final year at uni is somewhat intense. I've barely had time to breathe, let alone do something worthy of a post of my own. It's all been worth it though. I got my results back for my dissertation this week and I got a first. A FIRST, people!! And the only one in the class to boot. Crazy. I thought I'd flunked it, what with writing up to the last possible second and all, but apprently I produce good stuff when I work through the night fuelled only by chocolate and Ribena. This is a tactic I must remember for the future. (Hopefully not necessary for the close future because I still have two major deadlines coming up and I'd rather not spend the next two months twitching.) Here's hoping I can keep it up and get similar results for my two upcoming deadlines! Wish me luck!
Hopefully, I'll be back on LJ before I graduate in July but I hold no promises as I'm also organising my sister's hen party and trying to find the time to bind her wedding books in between deadlines.
Hope you are all doing well!
- Location:London
- Mood:
crazy
Hey guys!
I just read my last post and wow. 1) It was last month! and 2) All that spare time I was gleefully bitching about? It doesn't exist. We have 2 days in the studio because the rest is spent researching and sourcing objects and writing reports about said objects and then reflecting upon it all in this poncey journal they are making us keep. I think normally the sourcing thing isn't all that bad because my uni has some pretty mean connections out there but I'm an awkward bitch and want to specialise in something they don't technically teach. So, I'm teaching myself the theory as I email all and sundry begging for material. Huge time suck, I'm telling you. I've been promised that I will be in tears by the time I graduate. I promised them back that they will be too and they gave me that scared look that means they know I can reduce them to tears if I try hard enough because I really am that awkward and demanding. Score.
In writing news, I'm one chapter closer to writing The End on BM. Of course, I am going back a chapter and adding zombies next time I open the document. Because everything is better with zombies. I'll probably finish it sometime before Christmas thanks to some heavy procrastination thanks to the looming dissertation and serious NEED to finsih the damn thing. Uni totally gets in the way of writing in the worst way and my brain isn't healed enough that it will let me do both yet.
My next project (scheduled for sometime between now and forever) is going to involve werewolves. When I start dreaming snapshots of my imaginary worlds, then I know it's getting close to needing to be written. It promises to be dark and bloody and primal on levels I've never written before but I'm really looking forward to it. I've already got the worldbuilding down and my MC is pretty solid. I've just been waiting for the right plot to percolate in the back of my mind. I think good old fashioned treachery and betrayal is going to be involved. I'm always a sucker for the classics. :-)
How about you guys? What are you working on during this NaNo season?
- Location:London
- Mood:
busy - Music:Jessie J - Do It Like A Dude
Turns out I have a lot more time than I thought I would. Or rather, a lot less. Not quite sure how to think of it yet. More time to myself and my writing. Less time to work in the studios as we now have timeshare with the other classes. Nobody is quite sure how we're going to manage our final projects without a dedicated studio and access 8am-8pm five days a week but I guess we can worry about that later.
At least there's hope for some writing! Normally my policy is to stop the writing during the term time and pick it up again during the holidays at which point I promptly drop the uni stuff. It keeps me focussed and stops my brain from frying. With a dissertation to write though, I'll probably do a lot of procrastination writing. It's inevitable really. With our shiny new timeshare policy (can you hear the disgust?) I'll have plenty of time to write books and a 7,000 word dissertation (7K. Can you hear me crying? How can I fit a dissertation into 7K?!). After all, there's bugger all else to do when you're only allowed to be in the studio 2 days a week. (More sobbing. Surely you can hear it?) Sometimes writing novel length fiction for fun can really fuck with your perceptions. Class mates are wailing about how can they write so many words on one measley thing and I'm frantically cutting out sections of my dissertaion proposal and hysterically demanding whether there's a limit on the number of footnotes I can add and wheter I can just bulletpoint the rest? My supervisor is seriously baffled. Damn arts uni!
One another note, The Long Weekend by Salvita Kalhan is turning out to be a good read. It's quite short and fast paced but thoroughly engrossing. I'm using it to fill waiting times between classes and meetings at the moment and it's a wrench to close the book and get going to where I need to be. Next, I think I'll try The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter or maybe finish Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus. I read the first chapter ages ago and got distracted by something and never picked it up again. We'll see. Knowing me I'll choose neither and pick something completely different.
Well, it's photography 101 (again) tomorrow morning so I'd best enforce this whole bedtime thing and get going.
- Location:London
- Mood:
sleepy
( Latest Book Haul )
Okay, arrangement behind the cut is not my best work I have to admit, but LJ is screwing me around so that's as good as it's going to get. Lol.
- Location:London
- Mood:
satisfied
USMC Ball: Jewellery sorted! Just the wrap to go and I'm ready to go. I'm going to be getting my hair done professionally I think. My sister has a guy that does hers and it always looks good so I'm going to be paying him a visit sometime soon. See what he can do with hair that's almost half as long as I am tall.
Writing: Just passed 90K on the WIP! Longest single piece of fiction I've ever written and still going. I'm thinking it'll end somewhere near 97K. Then I can go back and add in all the cool stuff I thought of that will spice things up a little. Things have gone far too nicely for my MC and I have decided she needs to suffer a little more. Maybe a lot more. We'll see.
Uni: *headdesk*
Reading: The Hunger Games trilogy. Again. On the Kindle this time, despite owning the real deal. I couldn't resist! I have so many books in my TBR pile and I'm doing re-reads. *rolls eyes* Don't know what I'll pick up next. I know what it should be *cough*dissertationresearch*coughcough* but I never read what I should. Lord knows how I got A's in English class when I blatantly never cracked open the book half the time. York notes and common sense are my guess. The next book will probably be another re-read. I'm thinking Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. Do they class as comfort reads or just easy reads? I don't know. Either way, I'm after something fun and familiar. Something that doesn't take all my brain power to enjoy.
Hope you're all healthy and happy out there!
- Location:London
- Mood: cheerful
- Music:The Pierces - Kill! Kill! Kill!
After going out on an exploratory mission on Saturday, I came home with the most perfect dress ever! Seriously. Nobody was more surprised than me. I fully expected to end up moping about no longer being a size 8 and that everything sucked and made me look as big as the broad side of a barn. It was the first dress I tried on and normally it's a big no-no to buy the first one you try but it just looked so good on me! It's a great colour and it has just a little glitz to it. It's everything I was hoping for and never expected to get. So, minor miracle number one, right there.
Then yesterday I went on another exploratory mission but this time for shoes. I came home not only with shoes, but with a bag and the necessary undergarments to go under a strapless gown. Miracle number two.
I know who I'm going to for my hair on the night and my make-up is already in hand. All I need to do now is sort out the jewellery and find a wrap because November is not the best season for strapless gowns. At this rate they'll be sorted by the end of the month.
Me, excited? Whatever gave you that idea?
- Mood: giddy
Well, I've added another candle to the birthday cake of life since I last blogged. I'm a ripe old maid of 24 now, which doesn't feel as odd as it should because I spent the whole year of being 23 thinking I was 24. I'm debating confusing everyone and claiming I'm 23 until I reach 25 just to make up for it.
My summer was pretty much cancelled this year which is why I've been absent. My new course started pretty much 2 weeks after the last one ended. I've been working away on bridging unit assignments and dissertation research, up to my eyeballs in books. Normally this is a good thing but funnily enough, it's not so much the case when they're work books. Despite how interesting my dissertaiton research is. I've reached the point where I'm allowed to pause for air. My dissertation adviser pretty much banned me from working for a week which is nice. I think she's just scared I'll turn on her and bite her if I get too wound up. It's nothing personal. It's a conservation student thing. We live in a constant state of panic and hysteria thanks to the somewhat...lax organisation of our courses. She jokingly pointed out you can spot us from a mile off by the wild look in our eyes and the nervous twitching. Nice.
The most painful part of the summer has not (surprisingly) been the full on battle between the students and the library. Which, all things considered, would have degenerated into something far messier and nastier than the London riots if the bloody place had closed for a single day more. It was in fact, having to shut down the writing side of life. Yeah, all the fun got sucked out of summer holidays that's for damn sure. I was planning to finish off BM between degree courses and start approaching agents. Yes, well. That plan went to hell in a hand basket. I have a kind of agreement going on with myself, you see. A deal of sorts. During term time I'm a good student. I spend all the time I can in the studio and read all the right books and reports. I focus on getting the best degree I can with this pain in the arse illness in my way. The holidays though, are my time. I read all the fun books I can get my hands on and I write until my fingers ache. Uni doesn't get a look in. Until recently that is. Since I've had to bridge from one course to another I've had to catch up on all the prep work they were given at the end of last year. It's a serious pain in the butt, let me tell you. I can't wait until Easter holidays when I ought to be able to have at least half the allotted time off to myself and my imagination. Christmas hols are already a write off (haha) because I'll be working on the dissertation. Excuse me a moment whilst I exhibit my conservation student tendancies and cry hysterically at the mere prospect.
Ugh.
Well, that's what's past and what is coming is me going to go see The Pierces when they come to London in October! I'm so excited! My sister bought me tickets as a birthday present thinking I'd love it and she could probably stomache them for an evening. Since then I have corrupted her to the point that she's as excited to be going as I am. Universal Brownie Points to me.
I've also somehow managed to get myself included with my sister's friendship group thanks to a few bottles of red wine at her engagement party and got an invite to the US Marine Corps Birthday Ball this year. I get to wear a long pretty dress, killer heels, and an up-do whilst mingling with folk from the embassy and the Marines. All the while, doing my best not to crack jokes about the USA or their military. Jarhead/Marine jokes are frowned upon in particular. Even when they roll out the birthday cake. Especially when they roll out the birthday cake. I hear they're kind of sensitive about that sort of thing. If I have to sing happy birthday though, all bets are off.
Seriously though, I'm really looking forward to going. I used to watch my Mum get ready and go to balls when I was a little girl and in recent years I've watched my sister do the same. It's nice that it's (finally!) my turn. :-D I'll make sure to share all when the inevitable hangover has cleared enough for me to peer at a computer screen. There may even be pictures. You never know. It's not until November though so you'll have to wait a while. (No, I'm not counting down the days. Really, I'm not.)
And I think that's enough to throw at you for now. Really, summer has been incredibly dull so far and I wouldn't want to put you all to sleep with the minutiae of my self inflicted studying hell. I'm not that sadistic.
- Location:London
- Mood: chipper
- Music:The Pierces - Three Wishes
I got all dolled up and trecked all the way back to London for this:
( Picture cut to save you F-list )
- Location:Dorset
- Mood: ecstatic
To the (not-so) lovely lady in purle latex, please note that waving my hands about and grunting at you is not a weird new way the cool kids say 'hey dentist lady, I like your mask; it makes you sound like Darth Vader'. It means get your hands out my fucking mouth before my jaw goes into spasm and I take your damn finger off. I cannot be held accountable for the biting thing. Besides, I think it hurt me more than it hurt you and it's totally a recognised occupational hazard when in the torture business.
Also, never tell people you want to rip their wisdom teeth out whilst you still have your hand in their mouth. Not smart.
Dentist's survival instinct = zero.
- Location:Dorset
- Mood:Snarky
And I have this on the way:
- Location:Dorset
- Mood: satisfied
