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

No more, cakes, no more.

Nah, I'm not stopping baking, but I am stopping the eating of the cakes.

I am, as of tomorrow, back on my slimming world food eating. Back to healthy eating and what not. I slowly introduced healthy food back into my diet, after a 2 week hiatus, last week. I ate mostly healthy things and was then eating bad snacks in the middle. I don't usually snack on bad things so I should be able to snap out of the habit pretty quickly. But yes, next week I am going to put a stop to this post-holiday madness.

I haven't really put on that much weight since the joyous days in December, probably about 5lbs - so if I work on it I could lose that in a week, 2 tops. Then I'm back in business. I started my new work out regime yesterday too and good god, my legs. MY LEGS! I'm kind of looking forward to the 2nd day burn that usually follows a bitch of a workout. I'm already hobbling so we'll see what happens. Eeks.

I'm also restarting my writing project tomorrow. Over 1000 words a day will be achieved just so I can put a lid on the novel, shelf it for a month (which will be Feb) and start to edit in March, most probably. This should give me enough time to look into how you go about sending into to publishers etc. Because that's the part my brain is foggy on. The correct protocol. Though I'm kind of lucky my course will explain all of this, so all I have to do is skip ahead several chapters and find what I'm looking for. This is the year of Sam, and the year Sam (who's me... keep up!) will finally realise her dream of writing.

And to keep you all posted, I'm on book 3 of 2012, so the challenge is going well. Just need to whack my reviews onto the other blog. I'll get that sorted this week, I swear!

Sam

Who knew?

Who knew there was so much thought that had to go into trying to launch a website? Well, I'll be honest, I kind of had an small idea but this is turning into a project and a half. I guess I don't mind though - I don't have much riding on this, it was just for fun - if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. But I do want it to be a regular stop for some people, on their Internet travels. Ah, we'll see what happens. I'll be sure to keep you guys updated on what's going on.

At the moment, I'm just trying to figure out the layout - the theme is set for now, just a basic template as themes are something you can tweak along the way.

We're also trying to nail down the content - the content for the launch and the future content, and for that I need people to help. But until we go live I can't recruit anyone as it's all hush hush. I think I've only told one of my friends what the site is. She was kind of interested, but, well... she isn't an Internet person so she doesn't really care. I can deal with that though.

This is kind of just a bloggy blog for the time being. I just thought I'd let you know what I've been up to, which is basically panic about Uni. But so far, so good. the 1st week has been a fun one. My English Lit course starts on Saturday (Monday for me, as that's my allotted Uni day) where I will have to start reading Othello. Fun times. My writing course has been going well, just learnt some writing exercises which I have to do every day, but it all makes so much sense. You're supposed to write every day - they say that a musician practises every day, and artist sketches every day, so why wouldn't a writer write, just to practise - find your voice. Yes. I am on this page with them, I love writing - I love typing too, so blogging for me is a way to free up my creative self. I feel like a hippie. I don't know why!

Recently my boyfriend has been introducing me to David Lynch films. I loved the TV show he did, Twin Peaks and have always wanted to watch more of his stuff, and as my boyfriend has a collection of thousands of films (not exaggerated - movies are his life, and hopeful career) and a strong love of the Lynch he has them all on his shelf. So we started. So far I've watched Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart and Lost Highway - my favorite so far being Blue Velvet, but I can't get Lost Highway out of my head. I'm still trying to figure out what it meant. People think he's nuts, but I think he's a genius and we just can't see things on the level he sees them.

I've totally forgotten what else I've been up to - just Zumba'ing around at the gym and trying to keep moving every which way I can, be it a quick stint of yoga, a short run or some weights at home. Although nothing makes me ache more than the wii fit. I don't know why....

This weekends plans are - cinema, of course, to see Drive and The Lion Kind 3D. Well, I saw Jurassic Park at the cinema the other day and feeling all nostalgic for my childhood figured I'd better watch it! I'm also going to TGI Friday's which is my kryptonite. I pray I can keep my cool and resist all the bad food... praying they have a healthy salad on the menu!

I'll be off now - Going to blog again soon though - there's still a cake recipe or 2 to come and a blog about the new TV show Terra Nova, so stay tuned!

Sam

Keratin hair treatments, autumn and the blues

I got the blues. Because it's September. I always have the blues in September. Unfortunately, these blues don't leave me playing my harmonica in a smoky bar, drinking whisky. Oh my god, if they did I probably wouldn't mind! But no. Blues in September are rubbish. The only thing keeping me going is this beautiful autumn that's already started.

I have 2 weeks off work at the moment (which isn't long enough, but I have 5 more weeks of holidays to take this year, so I can't complain too much). So I decided not to let the September Blues get me down. No! I'm going to take this time to beat the funk... I mean the blues. I have set up meetings with friends, set up hair appointments (Getting a Keratin hair treatment on Friday and can't wait) and arranged to bake a lot of goodies with my boyfriend, whilst ticking off lots of films we missed this year. So all will be ok.

I feel bad because I have been so down about nothing in particular, and when I'm with my fella I feel like I'm putting it all on him, and he thinks it's him who's making me feel down and out, but it's not. I really can't wait for this month to be over! Gah! It's messing with my life!

On a better note, I am moving up in the world. My sister is moving into her own house with her boyfriend. How is this good for me, you ask? Well. ever since forever I have shared a room. I know. not only do I depressingly still live at home, but I share a room with one of my sisters. It's not so bad, we get on most of the time, but... well, I'm 26 and need my own space, you know? I have lots of belongings. And I don't mean, furniture, or clothes. Because that's just silly. No. I have a TON of books and DVD's. And I need somewhere to put them. I am almost at breaking point with my stuff because I don't want to throw things out, but I need more room, so this has all happened at rather the best time. She should be in her new place in about 8 weeks. So for 8 weeks I just have to live out of half a room and be ok with it. And then, when those 8 weeks are up, I can ask my dad to  help me pay to decorate my room - get a double bed. Paint the walls. Rip out my wardrobes and get a chest of drawers (I hate wardrobes. I just can't stand them). Set up new book shelves... all that jazz. I'm super excited! This will at least keep me going until me and my boyfriend find our own place and move out. Which we wanted to be this year, but finances are looking worse than we ever imagined, so hopefully next year. But who knows.

See, I'm in such a funk I can't even be optimistic about moving out. Gosh!

Well, I have to go get ready. I'm going to pump myself full of adrenaline and feel good endorphins by hitting my local Zumba class. I hope it is good. I've heard it's fun, but I want a work out, not a dance party! We will see!

Funny blogs up soon, I promise. I'll be baking tomorrow and I promise to take photos.

Also, blog to come about photography stuff.

Peace out!

Sam