End of an Era

"I'm going back to a time when we owned this town
Down Powdermill lane and the Battle grounds
We were friends and lovers and clueless clowns

I didn't know I was finding out how I'd be torn from you
When we talked about things we were gonna do
We were wide-eyed dreamers and wiser too"

Sovereign Light Cafe - Keane
 
And so, my last few days living in Exeter are coming to an end (for now). I'm leaving soon, heading back to the countryside after five years, and I can't wait. I'm ready to leave this city, although I love it here and have so many happy memories. I'm ready to get back to the country and enjoy the summer (while writing my disseration...).

Over the last few days however, of course I've grown nostalgic, and there are going to be many things I'll miss.

Of course I'll miss the wonderful people, and my wonderful friends.

I'll miss being able to walk to the Boston Tea Party and hanging out there and writing, and being able to walk to the library and Waterstones when I fancy it.

I'll miss walking down to the river and the quay, and up to campus.

I'll miss only being two hours from Fowey.

But it's been a wonderful five years, with it's ups and downs, and it'll be tough to leave. I've got my dissertation still to write, and then it'll be the end of my university career (for now anyway). I can't believe it's been a whole five years - so nearly there now. I'll be glad to finish, but I'm so glad I've done it. I wouldn't change anything in the world.

In the last few days, I've said lots of goodbyes and gone over lots of happy memories, many of which seem to have happened a long time ago! But they're good memories to have. It's hard to leave, but it's the right thing to do.

So, in the slightly changed words of Darren Criss/Harry Potter/Starkid:

"take it easy Exeter... it's been totally awesome." 

See you soon Exeter! It's not goodbye, just.... see you soon*.

*That's totally a quote from something, but I'm not sure what. Anyone know?

And here's some bonus nostalgic Starkid lyrics:

"You can't hold on to what's gone
Don't try to fix it, just move on
Only then you'll see the world
All brand new"

Everything Ends 

2I don't wanna see you go
But it's not forever, not forever!
Even it was, you know that
I would never let it get me down

'Cause you're the part of me
That makes me better, wherever I go!
So I will try, not to cry
But no one needs to say goodbye... "

Days of Summer 

Create, Shine, Blossom

This is going to be a bit of a long winded post, but I'll try to say what I mean. Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about creativity and something that one of the glow girls talked about in a glow blog post, about creating something every day. Here is what she said: 

‘Create for the sake of getting your hands dirty, create cause it makes YOU smile.

Put a poem, or a drawing, or a story on a piece of paper... if only to fill in the empty blank space.

Create a [SOMETHING] everyday... No matter how big or small.’

(Jaime Lyn Beatty) I really like this. The idea of creating just BECAUSE. So many things that these girls say are wondeful and inspirational. I really need to save them all in the same place because I always lose those quotes I love. Anyway, I try to create every day. I try to write every day, because I need to and it just makes me feel so much better.

But I find myself experimenting with other ways of creating too. Like over the summer I told you all that I got into bracelet making - both friendship bracelets and beads and I LOVE doing that. I also like drawing, and baking, and recently I've started to get back into little sewing projects because I used to do that a lot when I was little, and also photography because I have a groovy amazing new camera. And I have learnt to knit! I have also, very very recently started something that I've wanted to play around with for ages and finally because of an amazing blog I found (Daisy Yellow) have started. And that is art journalling. The idea of creating a notebook/sketchbook full of just paint and sticking things on and words and all that sort of stuff has always fascinated me, but I have been too scared to 'do' art. Having read a few things, plucked up the courage to join art soc, and started helping with this kids art group I have finally got round to doing it. And so far it is so much fun. I think in a way it is freeing to know that NO ONE has to see this. I know it's the same with other stuff, but I don't know, sometimes you just have to do something for you, and it's nice to do something really new. Especially when it's raining so much and I daren't take my camera out :( And doing other stuff like that gives me new writing inspiration, and especially as I am doing a creative writing MA I think it is important.  It kind of extends the whole drawing thing too.

Do some of you find that? You have to experiment with other creative stuff, which influences/recharges your writing?

Anyway I'm really excited about this new 'venture' of sorts.

So I said this was going to be longwinded. The other thing I wanted to write about, connects up with all this creating and creativity and glow.  I think a while ago I wrote about Glow* and how awesome and inspirational it was? (Glow) and of course I started this post with them. Well anyway, a post on the site inspired a group of us to get together and create a forum space that allowed one another to create and support one another, and help one another grow in confidence with their work, and in sharing it. We chose to name this project shine, because creating should make you shine and blossom. The website is now live here, with a link there for the forum so do check it out, and as many of you are writers it may appeal. It is all still being tested and worked out, so this is still a work in progress! At the moment the community is built around those who have come from glow*, a very safe sharing community, but we would love to welcome more people who love to create ANYTHING!

Phew.

Thanks if you read that far.

Drawing and Writing

Although I'm not very good at it, I like drawing. I started a few summers ago, just teaching myself and enjoyed drawing cartoony versions of, for example, the tenth doctor, Jack and Ianto (basically whateevr I was really into at the time). I got very praticed at drawing people in suits and ties... haha.

Anyway, I kept it up for a while, but then things got busy and I stopped. You know how things can work in phases sometimes? Over the last year or so anyway I've been busy, and making time for writing has sometimes been hard enough! I think also I associate it with the summer, so it becomes something I do whent he weather begins to get nicer... anyway. I know I'm not great and it's just a little hobby, but I've recently begun again. I can only draw for one thing people facing front, standing up, in a very cartoony way, but I enjoy it. It's fun. To get myself out of the rut of drawing the tenth doctor over and over (not that i mind.. really), I decided to set myself a little challenge. I decided to draw a Starkid a day. There's quite a lot of them so it could go on a while, which is good, and I've started by drawing each one in a few of their different character appearances each day. It's good fun, and allows me to draw the same person over and over, but in slightly different guises. It's good pratice too. So far so good - I've done that three days running. We'll see how it goes!

In other news, I've decided to do Camp NaNoWriMo, the June one, at least to begin with. I love NaNo as it just gets me writing so I'm looking forward to doing this. I decided to take an idea I had a while ago, vaguely started and then abandoned. I'm reworking the idea a bit and I'm looking forwad to seeing what happens there. It should be fun! It'll be good to get into some sort of writing routine before the summer, which will hopefully stick. Although I've got lots of projects I'm vaguely rewriting and editing at the moment, I do feel a bit lost, and so it will be good to just have something to get on with. I alwyas like that. It means I know what I'm going to be writing every day, and I like that. Bring it on!

I've also got a stack of books from the library I'm looking forward to reading. Yay!

Waiting to hear if I got on the masters course next year as well *fingers crossed*

It's weird, but although I'm trying to do lots of writing, and I'm doing drawing and lots od readfing, my stock reply, when people ask me what I'm doing now I've finished, is 'ah, not much really. but of reading and stuff'. Why can't I be more honest?! I'm not ashamed but I act like I am... I just don't want to explain it all I guess. Oh well. Dual lives and all that.

Happy Weekend!

I just wrote a short something that has nothing to do with any of my WIPs. This is strangely freeing and I love it <3 Sometimes you just need to do some free writing. It's been a while since I did really. AT least something that flowed so much anyway.

In other news, the sun is shining and this makes me happy <3

Tom  and Gi got married today and I'm so fangirly happy and emotional.

Starkid have started their Apocolytour.

And I'm going to a cocktail party today. Happy days. Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.

deadlines and freedom.

It's strange not having any academic deadlines coming up. I don't think I've adjusted yet to having no academic work to do, and having all this 'free' time ahead of me is very strange. It's always the way that when you have loads of other stuff you have to be doing, you dream of a time when you can have the free time to do what you want - in my case read loads of books, write, and drink lots of coffee. And I have been doing that. But once you're able to, the feeling is never quite the same.

Anyway, so that is what I've been doing. Lots of writing and reading, and catching up with freidns, and drinking coffee. And a wonderful new cafe from home opened down here this week, which made me very excited! While I don't have any academic deadlines coming up, as I mentioned, I still feel like I have loads to do. In a way I do, partly becasue I impose so many deadlines on myself and things to do - like, I must write this, or do that.... and I guess that's why I feel like I haven't really stopped yet. I have so many different things I want to do doing though, that I can't really settle to one... which is kinda annoying. So many projects I want to finish, ones I want to carry on, or start, and editing... eurgh. So I find myself darting from one to the other, not being quite happy with what I've doing. It's always going to be the way isn't it? And now I have all this time, I seem to waste so much doing.... I don't really know. I've got stuff done this morning - I made some research notes on something for one of my stories (very exciting, I don't often have something I need to research so much!) and so I'm feeling productive. This is one reason why I'm considering doing camp nano, nano always gets me writing loads without worrying, but then I have loads I should finish first.... hmmm. tricky. 

I suppose I just have to get into a new routine which I will, because without writing where would I be? I need it. And I got a huge stack of books out the library and its like, I can read these without feeling guilty. Oh yes!  Like I said, I'm still getting used to all this time ahead of me, and wondering how to make the most of it....

Right now, I'm waiting for the rain to stop a little so I can go out and get coffee as I've run out, and if I don't have any in the morning I won't be happy! Also a chance to go outside and clear my head is always welcome. Best thinking and idea time! And I'm rewatching lots of Starkid videos, which is great becasue I know the musicals so well, I can have them in the background and still be productive, because they tend to inspire me. Yay, go Starkid. Although the end of AVPS did make me really emotional. Oh well....

And tomorrow I'm off to see some friends in Bristol. Yay! It will be nice to go and do something a bit different as I always appreciate coming back so much! Anyway, just a quick hi for now.

Just by writing this blog has inspired me to go do creative things and be happy and write. Yay. Sorry for this ramble!

p.s. its a week since I handed everything in.... and it still hasn't sunk in?!

Exciting Things

Woah. I haven't blogged in over a week. I apologise.

I have been busy trying to finish my dissertation and essay, and getting ready to head back to Exeter next week (yay!). Just over two weeks until it's all handed in. That's a little bit scary... Writing wise things have slowed down a bit, although I have been doing a little bit of editing when I can and when I'm not too tired to look at the screen, another reason for not blogging. I have been getting horrible headaches with all this staring at the screen. Which is why I was not going to work on my computer this morning, but print things out instead... well, anyway.....

Things I have been excited about this week:

1. Holy Musical B@tman. I was very excited about the fact there was going to be a new Starkid musical. Of course, not knowing ANYTHING about Batman (I do now) I was a little unsure, and I didn't know if I would get it. But I did. Most of it. I think. And I now know stuff about Batman that well, I never thought I would. It was a very slick performance and you can tell they've become more professional which was really great. The costumes, set, script, actors and everything were wonderful. I was a little unsure about the music to begin with. On the first watch it wasn't particuarly catchy, and it lacked that Disney quality that Daren always brings to the songs he writes, and as this musical only had Starkid's who lived in Chicago Darren was not involved. Yet, the music has grown on me, and it is now catchy. They did a great job, as always. And there were a couple of new members of the team who were awesome. Most notably Jeff Blim who played Sweet Tooth. He was AMAZING. His perfomance was so slick, the way he was able to do what he did was quite spectacular (I won't be specific). While it was very different from their other musicals, it reminded me just why I love these guys so much. They're TOTALLY AWESOME.

That was not meant to turn into a musical review - I apologise.

2. Secondly, something that I meant to mention ages ago but have been reminded of, as I'm so excited about it again is GLOW. Set up by four of the girls from Starkid, who are all wonderful in their own right, this is a website and blog set up to help girls 'glow'. It's a really inspiring community and I love it. It really makes me think, its encouraging and it gives me a place to belong. Girls, check it out. Its at www.knowyourglow.com Its awesome.

3. This website: www.ukyabooks.wordpress.com I want to write a post about YA books, which I've half started, anyway part of my point is that there is nothing about UK YA out there, but well, now there is. Awesome!

4. Heading back to Exeter next week!

And now I really need to get on with this essay. Apologies for the post that turned into a promotional post... I didn't mean to do that. But they're exciting things! :)

Editing and Update

Apologies for my radio silence as it were. I always seem to be apologising at the moment don't I? It's been a busy few weeks and I just spent a beautiful and amazing weekend away, in this beautiful place:




Yes, that is Cornwall. In March. It was amazing <3 And so inspiring for my disseration (the place where Daphne du Maurier lived, and inspired her writing).Not the best representation as those aren't pictures of the town, but the estuary (the view out my hotel window) and the little beach at the edge of the town.

This week I have had to get properly back into work, but that has been okay, despite the gloomy weather, and the last few exciting weeks. But it's not all doom and gloom. I'm still excited about my dissertation, which is still going well. I can't believe how quickly this term is going though!

Some things I am excited about at the moment, because I felt like making a list:

1. the Starkid Space Tour album, which I have been listening to on repeat
2. The Hunger Games film coming out soon!
3. the Mcfly tour
4. the Mcfly book coming out later this year
5. my redrafting and editing
Among other things. Anyway, back to the EDITING!

p.s. when I started writing this, i.e. this morning, I could have sworn there were things I wanted to write about, and now... I can't remember. Apologies!