last post of 2011.

The last week has absoutely flown by, and I can't believe that now it's the last day of 2011. I always get rather miserable and nostalgic about the New Year and I do hate it, especially the seemingly required expectation to have fun. Which I never do... Anyway. Christmas has absoutely whizzed by, and has been full of ups and downs, but it's over now, as is this year. It's gone by so quickly, as have the last few months have gone. It all feels just like yesterday. Trying to think back on the last year and what I've done and what has happened. I don't want to get all reflective and nostalgic here, but I thought I would post and well, I don't really know what I wanted to say. I suppose it's that want to post something to acknowledge Christmas and the New Year.

The last week as always has whizzed by - it's that strange week in between Christmas and New Year where you eat a lot, hide inside, and in my case start reading all the hundreds of wondeful books I got for Christmas (which also meant I neglected twitter etc, not necessarily a bad thing, it was nice to have a break really). I also was able to enjoy the Doctor Who and Downton Abbey Christmas specials, which I thought were absoutely brilliant and marvellous. Good old Christmas TV. I saw friends which was lovely as wonderful and drank tonnes of tea (also usual). I started work again though a couple of days ago (after a sudden panic that I had an exam in two weeks) and wrote the first draft of the story I need to hand in which made me happy and feel like I have begun to achieved something. I think I can be quite harsh on myself... I can't say that I'm feeling all that refreshed but I have read some books I've been looking forward to reading for a while which made me very happy and excited. I also received a kindle for Christmas, and I am very excited to start using that properly (although there is no way I'm abandoning real books, but it's nice to have both options, and it means less books to carry around all the time... well, maybe....). I'm hoping next year will bring plenty more wonderful books to read and lots and lots of writing, among other things. I also hope to keep this blog going, and I wanted to say a hello to any new readers... I hope you stick with me, as I hope I stick with this!

I feel like there are lots of things I want to and should say but I can't quite at this moment put them into words so before I start babbling on anymore, I think I should say a belated Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. I hope the next year is wonderful for everyone. Goodbye 2011; hello 2012.

Christmas Eve (Eve)

Well it's Christmas Eve tomorrow, and I don't think I've blogged since I got back. The last few days have been a whirlwind of activity - dentist appointments, preparations for Christmas, and seeing friends again. It's been great to see everyone again and catch up, and though it's weird to be home, it's been so busy getting everything ready for Christmas. I have been busy tidying and making mince pies (over 150!!!) and sorting everything out, and it's looking good now. I think we have everything just about ready.

Although, unfortuantely, it means that my work and writing has been abandoned. I haven't even been getting online much!! This afternoon I have the house to myself so I am sitting at the kitchen table and am going to attack it (after I've procrasinated a bit, checking twitter, tumblr, blogs... and you know... they'll probably come back any minute now...). Here we go....

the end of term.

So seminars are all finished, most of my housemates have gone, and I am sort of packed, the house is sort of tidied... it's the end of term.

The last couple of days have been busy with last seminars and watching films and doing Christmassy things and saying goodbye to people, which is always sad. It still doesn't feel like the end of term though. It all feels very strange, and I can't believe Christmas is in just over a week! Crazy. Am currently waiting for my family to arrive, and catching up with some strictly Harry excitment for the final tonight(which I will miss :( ) Have done a little bit of writing the last couple of days, which is good.

Just a short post this, but I also want to say a hello to everyone reading and following... thank you! Means a lot. Keep reading (I hope it's all interesting enough for you!) And do feel free to leave comments! :)

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well, I don't know if it is really, but I only have one more seminar left this term (which is tomorrow) and then I have to pack and everything, and it all feels rather sad. I know it's geeky, but I'm really sad about my seminars ending this term. I have enjoyed them, especially creative writing, and it's sad to be at the end now. It sort of feels like Christmas, and sort of doesn't. We are having a 'house' christmas tonight, which should be good fun, and I have lots of Christmas cards, and have said lots of goodbyes, and been to carol services and all of that. I have wrapped presents, and just about done my Christmas shopping, nearly, and made mince pies and been Christmassy, and watched the Glee Christmas special (which was wonderfull awesome with lots of Blaine and Kurt), watched Christmas films, listened to Christmas music... maybe it will feel more like Christmas when I get home. Although I have so much to do when I get there... I just can't believe how close it is to Christmas!

This term has absoutely disappeared by. But it has been good, as I've already said, so I won't go into that again.

In other news, I have been working on a short story, and started another one, some of which will hopefully become my creative writing portfolio. I hope so anyway. I got my proposal back today too, which made me happy, because it went well! All good things...

reflecting.

Doing this more regularly makes me think abouthow much time I waste doing silly things, like messing around on twitter/tumblr/blogs etc, and how much time it is possible to spend youtubing Darren Criss and Starkid.

There are times when I'm so busy, with so much work to do that I think 'if only I had time to do some writing' and then when I have the time, I sit and mess around, or keep thinking 'I will do some soon... I will...' and then I get distracted by food or the internet or people or coffee or books or Darren Criss... and the list goes on... So many distractions! But that is my fault really I suppose... That's why i enjoy doing NaNoWriMo, because I feel compelled to write something every day and reach my target. And while at the minute, I feel there is writing I should do for creative writing, the deadline still feels a way off yet... Yet I've got to write a 4,000 word short story/words of short story, and edit it, and all that malarky, that I really need to start. I've been playing around with ideas. I've started revising for my other module. I've started thinking about rereading the texts I next to read for my disssertation over Christmas. I know what I have to do. It's getting down to doing it. I don't really know where this is going. Today I haven't done much work. I had a lecture, then a trip (one we had to go on for our creative writing fieldtrip... I'm not complaining, a trip to the beach is always welcome) and I'm aware that it is the end of term, and it's good to spend time with everyone, because the week is already going so quickly and I'll regret it otherwise, but I haven't stopped yet, and its nearly Christmas! I keep swinging from one mood to another, and well, this blog post is all one big excuse to procrasinate. I think I'm just trying to organise myself...

It's been a good term though. Of course it's had its ups and downs, and hasn't always been so cheery, but I have enjoyed my course and have spent some wonderful times with my friends. I've loved doing Creative Writing, more than I hoped, and love our class, and I also love my class for my other module, although I haven't always enjoyed that so much. I have loved getting on with dissertation ideas, and getting all that together, and talking to other people who are excited and enthuastic too, and I can't wait to write it. I have loved this place, as much as I ever do, and I have loved my friends, and everything I've done with them - all the lunches, and coffees and suppers, and times in the pub. It's been a good term really. Although, of course, it's still not over, and there's still much to be done... although, no more deadlines for this term, just a lot to get started with... And of course, the end of term means Christmas and going home, and I have mixed feeligns about all of that, as anyone who knows me would know. It's all crept up on me very quickly...

And now, I'm going to go and do some writing.

Whilst rewatching some Monarch of the Glen. *

*we were watching 'Balmoral' and it made me nostalgic... and it's nearly the end of term.... **

** I've also been doing loads of reading, but more of that later...

How quickly time goes...

I had some vague ideas for short stories a couple of days ago, which made me very happy - and I actually managed to write a 1,000 word short story yesterday which made me VERY happy indeed. *happy dance*. Oddly, revision seems to spark ideas, but I'm not complaining.

Feeling at the same time absoutely organised, but also swamped under and stressed out. What a wonderful feeling... But I have been seeing lots of wonderful friends and have been sociable, enjoying the last couple of weeks of term. I can't believe there's only one week left of this term! In a week I will be on my way home. Wow. Scary. But until then I've got annoying mundane things to do, and those sort of things which I should really sort out, but I don't really want to.

Still loving the title I came up with the other day, although I haven't worked any more on it, which is probably a good thing, to let it all rest the other day.

Anyway, better run now.

Although it will probably change.

TITLE.

I THINK I HAVE A TITLE.

I was looking back over notes and looking at titles I had doodled, and one hit me as the right title, and suddenly fitted when I was writing a summary, trying to figure this out.

I'm so happy. I can go to bed happy now!

Outlining.

So I did what I usually do: started writing, and then realised that actually I need to write a better outline than just 'chapter one' 'chapter two'. So, having got some words down, and a start, which I like, and also a voice which I like, I sat down to write a better outline and really plan this, so I had some idea of how to get everything in and make it go how I want it to go. Harder than it sounds.

Although, I did do this with Love Actually on in the background, so no wonder I was easily distracted. But I needed some Christmas cheer. Anyway, having seemed to have wasted the whole day* - I suppose I've done THINKING, and thinking is good, and an important part in writing I have realised, I dont' always have to be writing, but sometimes I just want to be. And at the minute I want to come up with some short stories for my CW portfolio. PLEASE INSPIRATION GODS.

So, as I say, usually I start writing and then realise I haven't thought enough/planned enough - apart from NaNo of course where I have to wait, and it's probably quite a good thing, having a deadline like that, although I find it hard to set one for myself, because I always think, well no, why don't I just start now? THIS IS WHY. I am learning. Anyway. It gets me the voice and the way I want it to sound. And it definitely helps to start. Otherwise I am a little stuck, vaguely knowing what I want the story to be and not sure how to tell it. But now I know. More anyway. Sort of. I think I'm going to type it up now and then stop staring at my computer screen....


*Although I have been doing general LIVING, which is always good.... I had breakfast with a friend, did some Christmas shopping, some reading, some messing about online, had a friend over for tea, more reading, looked through a file of academic work.... but it still doesn't feel very productive. At that loose stage of having handed in everything for this term, and its the last week and a bit, and I know I have work to start doing and I constantly feel like there is something I should be doing, but I don't know it, because I'm not entirely sure what IT is. I'll be freaking out in a few weeks, about the amount I have to do, I know I will. I also think, ahh I have the whole afternoon/evening to write. But I don't get as much done as I hoped. **

**That was rather long and irelevant. Sorry.

Evy and Violet

So I caved (to what, myself?) and began writing, what shall now be known as 'Evy and Violet' because I don't have the title for it yet and have no ideas - odd in itself as for the last few things I've done I've had the title from the start. Anyway, we'll see.
I already have 800 words. Not bad.
But we'll have to see what happens. I may end up abandoning it for a while. Or I may not. We shall see.... I'm still excited about it, at the minute, which is always a good sign. Although things I have yet to think about are already becoming apparent. It's all helpful though. There's only so much initial planning you can do.
Its a new adventure!
although everything else is looking at me rather mournfully saying 'edit me! edit me!' I'll get round to that... I promise. And the short stories... I will, I will.
Anyway, all very exciting!

Happy December!

So it is now December. I can't believe it really, and with that only a couple of weeks until the end of term - this time in two weeks I will be heading home. Strange.
It has been a busy few days, with Christmas parties, Arthur Christmas, Christingles, Carol Services.. all very festive, and as such I have no done much writing. I have thought about writing. I have been reading loads however. I went to the town library and got very excited in the teenage section and came away with: The Scorpio Races (Maggie Stiefvater), If I stay (Gayle Forman), Lament (also Maggie), Paranormalcy (Kierstein White) and Paper Towns (John Green) - many of which were books that I'd been interested in for a while and never expected the library to have. So a successful trip. I managed to race through them, and went back again yesterday and came away with: Ballad, the sequel to Lament, Shiver, and three Terry Prachett's. How very exciting. I love libraries, especially when you find lots of things you want to read. And clearly I am really getting into YA. Well, so far, I adore it. And why not? It's great fun and it counts as 'research' (ha... yeah). My housemates keep picking up whatever I'm reading and are like 'Faeries?' 'Vampires?' 'Werewolves?' Really? It seems I have swayed over to the paranormal stuff, just for a bit... I love both contemporary and paranormal and other stuff. It's just great writing.
Writing wise, I have been doing a lot of thinking about my next idea, and am very excited to start. I may just start and see what happens, becuase there's only so much initial thinking you can do, and I'm beginning to get restless, it being so long (well it seems it) since NaNo finished. But I am fully concious I need to come up with some good short story ideas soon, for my module and to be handed in in January. Although there's a holiday inbetween, my exam and deadlines aren't actually all that far away, which is oh so very exciting.
I also have a lot of editing to do.
But it's all fun.
Although, what with all the reading I've been doing and everything else, I am beginning to get that feeling that I NEED to write something...