Books and biceps and Brrrr....

How fast has the temperature dropped of late? I'm not complaining. Those who have been around this blog for over a year will probably be well acquainted with my love for autumn and that little known event that follows after the leaves fall and everything is all eerie at night and spooky... Yep. Halloween. But, it's FAR too early to blog about my most favourite time of the year so let's move on past that for now and I'll revisit in a few weeks!

Back to the weather. I love it. Sunny mornings (mostly) and brisk air. I love the random rainstorms one minute and the glorious evenings the next minute. Is anyone else as in love with UK weather as me?! I love the randomness of it all!

Speaking of it being September I must bring up the hot topic of the month. School. Ah, back to school! This year I'm doing my 3rd year (but not final, it's a long story) - 2 courses towards my degree. One is Children's Literature, the other is Advanced Creative Writing. I'm looking forward to them both but I'm also nervous. Not of the work itself, but the fact that I'm working FULL TIME as well as doing them. I'm sure I'll be fine, but I worry for my (already almost none existent) social life. Bah. I'll figure it out. I have almost all my books now I think after a hefty spend on Amazon (well, I had vouchers, and I did get most of them from independent sellers to offset my book killing ways) - so far the stack looks like this:

Some good books in there - note, the actual children's picture books. I look at them and think they will be easy peasy, but then... I highly doubt it. Writing for children is notoriously hard so we'll see how it goes!

Moving onto other things, I recently purchased the Davina McCall work out DVD. Jeez, it's tough. I heard it was tough, but I didn't believe it would be too hard. I can honestly say that when putting my all into it I come out aching, but that's a good thing! It is... Soon I will be buff as anything. But not really. I'll try though!

I don't have much else to report. Recently been suffering for mild to severe stomach pains and think I might have some sort of ulcer or something so I'll be going to the doctors for some forced testing. I went last year and they told me I just needed to take those chalky tablets for indigestion. I told them then it wasn't indigestion and a year later I'm going back to tell them again. Ah, the joys of GP's offices!

Sam

ps. On a fun note I'm on something like book 37 or 38 of the year! Follow my progress on Goodreads if  you're interested in learning the names of teen fiction books! :P

It looks like I'm working... but I'm not

I just like to click click click on my keyboard so it looks like I'm working. In a second I'll stop typing and look out of my window thoughtfully, like I'm pondering something really important, because I should be writing an essay but I just can't get my head in the game.

This is my life. There isn't even anyone around to bust me on not doing this essay, just my Dad who is reading in the living room and not giving a damn about what I'm actually doing - which means I am just trying to fool myself. Jeez, I'm sad!

SO! Hello world! I haven't blogged for a while just because I've been busy and writing blogs is the last thing I should be doing at the moment. I am still doing uni work, which is getting really difficult, but mostly because my brain doesn't seem to be picking things up very well... oh well. I have decided next year I'm doing 2 courses which don't include exams at the end, which leads me to Children's Literature and Advanced Creative Writing. I'm not even joking when I say those courses are SO far up my street I might as well squat in their living rooms for the rest of forever.

Recently I've also been editing my novel - which is now printed and in an A4 folder with post-it's all over it saying which chapters start where, and soon it will be covered in red pen with edits and then I'll be back to the laptop implementing those edits. I am halfway (by which I mean 1%) into finding an agent I want to represent me when I get to the stage of wanting it published. It's not even a dream anymore. It's a reality. I know, it's hard work getting published etc, but I'm pretty set on doing it and I'm going to put in the hours and the work and I think having a positive attitude is a good thing here. I know I won't get the agent/publishing house of my choice, but that's just fine right now. I am going to go out there with a smile on my face and everything will work out.

What else have I been doing? Hmmm... spending too many hours and too much money on my Tumblr. So, I said I had set a new Tumblr up. It was for funsies because I was doing it anyway but it's kind of gotten going quite well. I was just making replica outfits of Zooey Deschanels ones in New Girl (her TV show), because I started watching in ages ago (I couldn't wait for it to come to UK TV, so I watch it another way...), and her style is one a lot of people, including me, love. So I started hunting around for things she was wearing. Then I posted them on my Tumblr (www.likezooey.tumblr.com) and now I have a largish following for me (nearing the 200 mark) and I spent about £30 buying a new layout to make it look all cute for people. It takes a looong time to get the outfits together, because I try to make them affordable and I, in no way, ever saw myself doing what I supposed is a 'fashion blog', but hey ho!

Recently I've noticed someone else started one...She calls hers 'dress like zooey'... I have been rather miffed lately, because it's almost identical to my own. I know this happens, but still...

OK, I've started ranting. Let's wrap this up so I can eat lunch and then attempt to start this essay properly.
So far this year I have read 20 books. I'm onto number 21 (well, almost finished).
I've been to the cinema 3 times in the past 7 days.
And none of my blogs about such things have been updated. So.... joy!

I am sorry I haven't been actively on here, reading your blogs and posting my own - it's just been the last thing on my mind - but I miss all my regular reads and I will catch up soon!

Sam
x

Madness.

I'm in kind of one of those moods where I don't know what I'm feeling, but it has something to do with wanting to be creative but not being able to. I can't really describe it very well.

I should be writing, as I set myself the challenge to finish the 1st draft of The Novel by the end of January, so I could start to chip away at it in March. February is going to be a month of forgetting about it and focusing on other things, like photography and trying to make cute aprons. Oh, and reading. Let's not forget that I have LOADS of reading to do.

This week I'm supposed to be reading Wuthering Heights.

Heathcliff, it's Cathy, I've come hoooomme, oooooowoooah!

I was going to start it today but I woke up all BLAH, so I'm forgoing the reading, I also didn't hit the gym this morning, despite my previously half heartedly made plans to do so. Well, what? I spent all day walking around Manchester yesterday, that's kind of like exercise, despite the long times spent stood still or else prancing around Waterstones like an idiot. Which is what I do, by the way. I also dance in HMV... well, they shouldn't play music if they don't want me to dance.

No, I should really get back to writing. Because I only have about 6000 more words to write and then I think I'll be home-free... except I don't know how to end the story. Ok, you guys can help me.

Should I end it on a happy note, on a sad note, on an open note? How would you end the book you don't know the story line of?

This could actually be an amusing topic for discussion...

Sam

Google... you both confuse and excite me...

So, I know I'm probably the last one to have switched to the new blogger that Google has offered us, but, well, I had a look at it a while ago, decided I didn't like change and switched back to the old viewing window.
Recently I decided that no, Sam, you will change. You won't get left behind, you'll move on with the rest of them and rejoice in the new world of Google. And that's just what I did... still not sure about it. It's nice, and neat and sure, I can see a lot of hard work has gone into making it the best it can be... but it's SO different. Still, I'm here now and there's no going back.

Talking of no going back. When I did upload the new blogger, I was prompted that my IE didn't properly support the new script, so I was prompted (very conveniently) to use Google Chrome as a browser instead. I ummed and ahhed, because I'd been contemplating changing browsers for a long time, but nothing felt right. Well, I switched and now everything feels right. Google Chrome is me. It's smart, fast, smooth looking... just like me! haha. I jest. But once I started updating I couldn't stop. I updated my Google Mail accounts and even signed up for Google Analytics for my website... there's no stopping me this week. Literally.

And talking of not stopping - I'm still fully invested in NaNoWriMo, despite my initial fears I wouldn't be able to do it. I'm currently at a word count of about 19201, and will be hitting and exceeding the 20k mark of my novel tomorrow, right on schedule. I'm loving the writing, and I think it will help me with my creative writing. It's helping me get out of myself, and learn to just write, and explore different techniques, voices, POV's and what not. I actually got my first assignment mark back for creative writing and got a 61, which to me is great! Over 50 for the 1st assignment is good in my eyes, because I will only be aiming higher and higher from now on. Got some really good constructive criticism and I'm taking it all in and rolling with it!

Speaking of rolling with it - my sister passed me the Vampire Diaries books to read the other day. This is the first time she has given ME a book to read, usually it's the other way around, but since she exhausted my book collection this year she's had to pass me something she's stolen from a friend. I always avoided VD because I watched the TV show before I read the book, and I don't like doing that, so if it happens I try not to get into the books because it usually ruins the TV show, with the book being better, but I can honestly say I prefer it this way around. VD the book is good, but I don't like the way it's written, and the verbal exchanged between the characters unbelievable. The TV show took all the good things about the show, added their own spin on it and made it 80 times better. So there you have it, the TV show CAN be better than the book!

And speaking of Tv shows - I've recently written an article on MY WEBSITE about cancelled Tv shows. Check it out - I'm looking for viewers and feedback - also contributors. So if you're interested in doing an article, or have any links you want to share to fun sites just email them to;
theswirlingvortex@gmail.com

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call progressional flow. I'm good at it - I even have a t-shirt with I <3 Progressional Flow on it. Yes, I'm that cool!


Bye now!

Sam
x

I think...

Therefore I am...

Such a philosophical Q and A. I know... What's gotten into me? I have no idea.

What I was meant to write, was 'I think I've figured out why this damn blogger stopped letting me edit my blogs to make them all happy and shiny and colourful and stuff'. But my hands got in the way!

So, yessh. I only just discovered, when setting up a new blog (I'll talk about that later), that I was on 'old' settings of blogger. Heaven forbid I be told they have changed the editor software. No! Don't tell me you have to manually change which ever one you want to use. *HUFF* Technology, eh?

So, on a lighter note. I set up another new blog. But.. no... wait... don't tell me I'm being silly - just listen! I read a lot of books and thought it would be fun to write about them. So I started this to have fun with. I know I don't usually keep up with new blogs, but hey ho! When you have an idea, you should go with it until you don't want to go with it anymore. And THAT'S why I've done it.

I'm bored now and my dinner is getting cold - toodles!

Sam

Amazon, why do you tease me?

Humph! I love amazon. I've said it before and I'll say it again, because I buy absoluetly everything from there. Everything! (OK, maybe not EVERYTHING, but about 90% of my purchases are Amazonian). I tend to trust everyone on Amazon, who have a rating of anything over 90% as you would, wouldn't you? well, I'm totally dissapointed with a recent purchase and am SENDING it BACK. I never send things back. I'm so useless at sending things back I still have shoes that don't fit me because I love them and I am too lazy to send them back. But this book is going back. 'near perfect' condition, they said. 'Like new'. What they failed to mention was that it is a book from a library. And its WELL read. Worn and pages torn. With the crappy plastic cover and... dare I say.. Yellow pages. I'm a book lover and demand all NEW books I buy be in mint condition to a certain extent. It was nly about £4 but that's not the point. If I went to a used book store I would buy a book as I have just described it. But from an Amazon seller, who said it was 'like new'. No. No sir, I won't stand for it. Back you go, and I'll be without a book for the next week. Grrr. Sorry - book ranting, and Amazon ranting. Whatever next?! Cold pizza from Dominoes? Sigh! sam

I don't know what I'm doing!

Meh!

I just got back from my slimming world group (late, may I add, as I was talked into weighing everyone!), and only lost 1lb this week. Or last week even. Which has bummed me out totally! I know any kind of loss is good, but I was really hoping for 2lbs at the least, as that would have taken me over the half a stone mark in 2 weeks. But I guess I should learn to take a victory no matter how small, even though I hardly ate at all last week because I didn't really have an appetite... humph. Pissed off, but I'll get over it! At least I didn't put weight on!

I am not just going to talk about that though. For today... today I start a new book. And I'm quite excited about that. I have been mourning the end of the last book I read for about a week. I was really gutted it ended (it wasn't just one book, it was the last of a series), so I was all sad about not reading about the characters anymore. But after some self reflection, I have come out of the other end of the depression with a new lease of life and a new book in my hand from the pile of books I got for Christmas.

This weeks book is The Strain, by Guillermo del Toro (writer and director of films such as Pan's labyrinth and Hellboy II). I was really looking forward to getting this book when it first came out and am really peeved I didn't make the effort to get it from waterstones in Manchester, as he was doing a signing, but oh well. At least I have it now, and can get on with reading it. I don't know much about it, but it seems like it will be a thriller, mystery with vampires? I didn't want to Google it and ruin it for myself, so I am going in blind. I can't wait.

I have recently been to the cinema and also watched a couple of DVD's! (me? watch films...? well that almost never happens... not!).

I saw The Dilemma - which was ok and kind of funny, but not as hilarious as I would have liked.

I saw Black Swan - which was great. Sad, depressing, a little scary and rude. But pure brilliance and so clever and captivating.

I also watched Dog Soldiers on DVD, as it was £3 and my dad said it was quite good so I bought it. It was ok. Werewolves were scary as hell but the film was hilarious as it was so... strange. You'd think werewolves would make people scream... lots of screaming in the film... people being scared and confused.... but there was none of that. Which was odd, but made it even more amusing! And for such a small budget film it was pretty incredible!

I think that's all from me. I don't have anything to say that's slightly entertaining etc. So live long and prosper, and if I see you in a dark alleyway any time soon, I'll be sure to drain your blood and leave you for dead... wait... did I say that out loud? Too many vampire stories for me!

Sam

Picture of the day

GOT to try this makeup! Natalie Portman = girl crush. There, I said it.