I've now been back nearly a week and I don't really know where it has gone. Having done my exam and handed everything in (finally!) I turned to sorting everything out which I had abandoned over the last few weeks, whilst I did everything else. As soon as my exam was over however, I felt like there were tonnes of other things that I needed to be doing. Luckily handing everything in yesterday (my story and my essay) relived some of that tension, but I still feel like there's lots to be done, although I've done all my reading for next week, it's catching up on other reading which I didn't do for my dissertation over Christmas, and getting back into the swing of that again. I now feel like it's time for a nice Christmas break.. oh wait...
It feels strange to think that the new term is around the corner, it doesn't really feel like we've stopped, yet at the same time, seeing everyone again and everything, it all seems rather far away... It's also odd to think that when the next holiday comes round I will have done this term, and my dissertation will be getting near ready to hand in. I feel like there should be another break in the middle of all of that. This term is certainly going to be busy - what with my dissertation (looking forward to getting going again!), my children's literature module (which I am SO excited to do, really would like to get going now, but I think that's what's odd about the last few days, it feels so... uncertain and like we're waiting for something. Anyway), the infamous MethAng Musical (again, EXCITED) and my birthday, and all the other stuff that generally happens in a term. Oh, and the usual family crisis just round the corner...
Having finished this short story I had to hand in this week, today I finally turned back to some of the longer pieces I have been working on which I neglected. Of course this short story wasn't the only reason I neglected these projects - I was beginning to work on other things and I wanted to get some time and space from them, so that when I went back it was with fresh eyes and I wasn't so attached, which I think definitely helps. One project, which I wrote a very rough first draft for last summer, is one which I'm looking at again and trying to be a lot more brutal and vicious with. I love the story so much, but it needs so much work and I'm determined to do that. However, it's always a bit of a surprise to be reading through and get to a chapter that just reads: 'chapter (number): to write'. Oh so encouraging... It's the same with something else I did a lot of work on over the summer. It still needs lots of work. I also opened up my NaNo novel from this year. I was uncertain what I was going to do with this. I actually quite liked what I wrote this year and it came easy-ish, unlike some years, so there's hope. I wanted to leave it for a while thought, and I reckon a month and a bit is an alright time. I've been so caught up with other stuff I've forgotten it really, and I suppose it won't hurt to just have a look at it - even if I put it away again for a few months!! I'm looking forward to getting back on track with all of them. Though of course that doesn't eliminate the itch to just write something... anything...
One last thing I want to mention, because it's been on my mind, before I end this rather long and rambling post, is a book I read last night. Or rather I want to RAVE about it. The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green. This book came out on Tuesday, with an impressive amount of online hype which I got sucked up into, despite only having read one of his novels before (Paper Towns and I really enjoyed it. Been wanting to read others for months!). I didn't order it however and when I was finally released back into the world on Thursday (seriously, I've been so trapped inside the last few weeks, partly because Christmas makes everyone hibernate away anyway, but also because of all this work. I'm not complaining, but I did start to get restless being back here and trapped inside. It's different at home, in the middle of nowhere) I made a trip to Waterstones and got myself a copy. It was lovely; they had a whole little table display with them on. Anyway, I'd read a bit of the first chapter on an online preview but that still didn't prepare me for it. I don't want to spoil it, but this book was beautiful and heart wrenching and oh so wonderful. I adore it. It made me cry. It made me laugh. It made me stay up late last night just to finish it. I couldn't put it down. It is such a wonderful book; I really couldn't recommend it enough. Such a powerful book. And on that note, over and out.
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