I'm not ashamed to admit this....

But I was super proud of myself today.

Admitting to being proud of yourself, or opening saying to someone you think you did a good job is sometimes seen as being arrogant - basically an unattractive quality, even though most people say they find confidence attractive, I've yet to see someone actually point at someone who's talking about their superior abilities and say "wow, how sexy are they?"
No. Most of the time you'll just hear someone say "who the hell is that prick?"

You know? Yeah - anyway.

Today I got my uni results back from the last year and I did good! I'm not saying I'm all superior, but compared to my last year self I am - in your face, past Sam, you didn't think I could do it, but I did!

So, I'm obviously not one of those people who minds admitting their achievements (online, in a non face-to-face capacity... I wouldn't do it in real life, because, HELLO! I don't want to be that prick!).

I got my Children's Literature results back, and basically got a 2:1, I think... in Uni terms. I'm not really sure how the scores work. I got a grade 3 pass... maybe that's a 2:2? Who knows. I passed, and that's all I care about because I found that course really difficult. Sure, the reading was easy, but critical writing isn't my bag!

My major achievement and so the one I'm really proud of is from the Advanced Creative Writing course, where I got a distinction. Me. Got a distinction.

Words fail me (but not really... perhaps I should rephrase; words that make sense fail me, because I keep writing things out of sync and my spelling and typing abilities have left me since getting that grade) - I've never done well in the academic world. I do really well in the not paying attention, doodling in the margins of books world. Really good at that (again, tooting my own horn *brushing that dust of my shoulders, man*), but anything that meant doing anything which was to be graded by professional people was my downfall. I could get through classes ok, join in well enough, but presenting work in any way that was deemed well thought out or even in any way intelligent was just a no-go for me. Until today!

As I'm sure you're aware (if you've read this blog before), I have a dream of writing for a living. Novels, screen plays, blogs, hell - I'd write obituaries if people didn't mind me re-imagining their loved ones lives and turning them into fantastically dramatic and enthralling plights of fancy, so getting something back from the university to say I did a good job (I wrote a sci-fi short screenplay) is the icing on top of my laptop.

I'll go to sleep happy tonight and the just dread the moment someone at works asks me what grade I got and what my screen play was about, because even though I don't mind tooting horns on the internet, tooting in real life is something that I just can't do (hehe, I said tooting) so that will be awkward.

Until next time,

Sam

Birthdays!

So, today is my 28th birthday. I'm up earlier than I would normally wake up on a weekend - but it was kind of intentional.

At first I was worried about getting older - 28 is the next step to 30 and 30 seems like the age no one wants to be... but of course everyone gets to! (Doh!) But I realised this morning, as I lay in bed with the curtains open and the sun streaming through my window, that 28 is actually a great age. For me, anyway.
I'm always trying to achieve more, be it physically, mentally or creatively and turning 28, much like when I turned 27, has actually made me feel a little more empowered.

Don't get me wrong - I still don't want to get older, but apparently nothing is stopping the time from moving forwards so... I'm happy to be here, now. I'm in between so many things. My 20's and 30's. The start and end of my degree, my heaviest and lightest weight, my indecisive work life and my eventual career. So right now I'm in a good mood.

I have loads I want to achieve in the next 5-10 years so this feels like a good place to write them down and share them with the world. Even if they never happen, at this point in my life I feel like they could.

I want to find an agent who will help me get published (queries already started so I'm on my way)
I want to film more - even if it's just stupid vlogs or unimportant videos, I just like to play with and edit footage and this year I'm being brave and just sticking it on the internet (www.youtube.com/scumbagsam)
I want to write/film a short film.
I want to make more music -not to sell or be a singer, but just for the creative outlet.
I want to move to Paris and live there for a few months.
I want to travel America again.
I want to progress in finding the balance between body and mind, health and fitness etc.

I feel like saying 'I want' all the time sounds selfish, but I guess if you don't want things for yourself, no one else is going to want them for you.

This turned into a bit of a silly thing - but anyway, I'll be back around here soon talking other stuff I'm sure!

Sam
x

2013, some new things and some OLD things

So this is where I'm at right now. I'm trying to write an essay, so naturally I come here, to a place I've abandoned for a lifetime, to while away those moments where I should be writing educational stuff... about Peter Pan.

I love Peter Pan. The play, the film(s), but somehow trying to write about it makes me want to do anything else. I think it's because I find it so sad that writing about it makes me feel so miserable. Am I the only person that thinks it's heartbreaking? It's just the saddest children's book ever, in my opinion anyway!

So, that was my old thing. New things, because - HELLO! New Year. So, 2013. Hope everyone reading this had a good new year, and Christmas, of course. I had a great Christmas because I'm always spoilt to the point of sickness. I get so many presents I do feel bad, but you know, you give people lists of what you want not only does it make it easier on them and their shopping brains, but it also means you tend to get a lot of what you want/need. I always stop buying myself things in September-October in preperation for Christmas because I'm thoughful like that, and I also really like to wait for things. Not things like computers loading, or phones trying to figure out whether they are going to send/receive text messages, but material items and rewards. I'm a huge fan of rewards and working towards a goal and so Christmas, for me, is like this great goal where, if I'm good and don't spend money for a few months, I get rewarded with hundreds of books and DVD's.

"2013 resolutions" I hear you call. OK, OK. Steady on! I have a few you know and I'm trying to make it exciting. But it won't be because I harp on about the same old things all the time, but this year is actually my year. I don't know if you knew this, but I've had things in the pipeline for a long time and this year is the year I shoot all of this stuff out of the pipe and aim it at some pretty high targets like a gross wet ball of paper out of the end of an empty Bic pen thing.

I'm back working on novel number 1 (which was on the shelf as I was working on novel number 2) and I plan on getting letters out to agents for representation in March. I am making a list of my top 5 agents that I would love to work with and I'll go from there. I expect rejection, I expect hard work and feeling like crap and wondering if I can indeed carve out a career as an author, but I really do think that it's possible. There are so many authors out there, what's one more? Why can't it be me? Exactly. Dream big.

I am also working on music this year. I have been singing this old song for a long time (aahhaaa, pun intended, I know, I'm so witty) but I really am in music mode. I've been working on recordings and what not. Really rough stuff to learn the art of it. I'm using awful microphones and what not at the moment so things are really crud but this year I'm investing in some stuff and the boyfriend is helping as he's into production. I'm not wanting a career in music in any way shape or form, but I love it as a hobby just for myself but I do have some stuff in a secret place online... If you want to check it out please see it HERE.

Don't worry if you don't like it/think I'm crap. I don't really mind, I just wanted to have fun :P

In the meantime, I best be going. I have 2000 words to write and polish off for Thursday morning and I'm a whole 500 words into it. Joy.

Sam

Writing time is here again!

Just when I finish my 2nd essay in 2 weeks and think I'm going to have a nice relaxing month, I remember that tomorrow is November, and if you know me... and read any of my posts from the past year.... you'll know that can only mean one thing. NaNoWriMo is upon us again.

Last year I won and completed a 50000 word novel in a month - a story I love so much I'm still working on in hopes that one day, when I've tweaked it enough I'll somehow be able to convince an agent and publisher to help me get it out there! This year I've decided (literally, just now) that tomorrow I'm going to start working on a sci-fi I'd originally intended to write as a screen play for a short film. I kind of like the idea so much, and it's already played out in my head AND I've kind of planned and plotted most of it (always a bonus when writing), that I have decided I might as well give it a whirl and try it out as a novel.

Now, I did have many ideas to chose from, as I don't really lack in writing material, but I've never fully committed to a sci-fi before, despite my love of them - and this is kind of a sci-fi, young adult, romantic kind of thing, but I think it will be fun. You can see the synopsis here if you wish!

The only problem will be fitting it into my life. I'm still trying to read Little Women, which is my uni work for this week and next week, so hopefully I can get everything done, as I don't want to fall behind in any of my work, so fingers crossed! Wish me luck, and if you are doing it good luck to you!

If you aren't doing it - why not give it a go? Writing a bit every day is actually really great for getting the creative juices flowing and even if you produce utter crap (like I'm sure I do), who cares? You will have at least managed to write a novel length piece of work - 1 to cross off the bucket list!

Sam
x

Nano

NaNoWriMo is currently fast approaching and with it only being my second year I'm both excited to write another novel (still working on the first so this should be... interesting) and scared.

This year I'm working full time, doing 2 modules for Uni in my 'spare' time and trying to work on my first novel all whilst trying to maintain a relationship and friendships... and now I'm going to throw in working on a new novel (which I've not even begun to think about/ plan) just to make things interesting. I hope I don't buckle under the pressure. I like being busy; hate having nothing to do. This should work out, right?

Have you ever written a novel, or ever thought about something you'd like to write but never have? My mum always harps on about a book she came up with when she was 16, she had a title and everything, but she never wrote it (My mum is full of random pointless stories like that, she also will tell you how old anyone who died would be now... as though it's something people care to know...mothers!). I have always wanted to write books but was scared I'd fail, or I wouldn't be able to think of anything to write about. Fast forward to my late twenties and I'm finishing up my first, about to start on a second and have a LOT of ideas for more... Yeah, I'm not published yet, and it may take me a while, but I'm determined to succeed, it's my dream job, and if other people can do it, why can't I?

Just rub my tummy like a genie's lamp

Yes. This blog title seems somewhat rude... I don't know how but it seems rather suggestive. It's not supposed to be, I swear!

As I mentioned in a previous blog, my poorly tummy has been giving me a hard time as of late. The best day was probably last Friday when I didn't get to sleep until... wait for it... 7 in the morning. I then woke up again at 12 and then had to sleep the majority of the day (the only sunny day in the past 10 or so, no less) just to recoup my hours. Not good. It's starting to really irk me. I don't like to be irked. I also don't like having something wrong with me.

I'm one of those people who prides themselves on not ever having been to hospital. I've never broken anything, I've never even had a filling at the dentist. Probably because I don't go enough to be told I need them. Same with the hospital actually... I probably should have gone to hospital many a time in my life; when blood is pouring out of some horror-movie-worthy wound you normally do go to hospital. But not me. I just bandage it up and carry on as normal! So on Friday night I was actually considering going to hospital. That is how bad the pain is.

Not to worry though gentle viewers, I do have a doctors appointment on Thursday, but I'm kind of scared of going. Not because I'm scared of doctors. But... well... I've already been dismissed once about this problem and I'm kind of hesitant about going because I don't want to get dismissed again. I want to explain the symptoms and be told exactly what it is and how to treat it. But I know I'll be trying to explain the pain and I won't be doing a good job, so here is the pickle. Do I dramatise it? When it happens it is the most gut wrenching, life hating pain I've ever experienced (you know life hating pain. When you hurt so bad you hate life and just want to not be a person any more), but it's hard to really tell someone that without sounding dramatic. But I should just be dramatic... shouldn't I? I know I'll get in there and I'll downplay it. I must force myself not to.

Hmmm. If I get told I just need to eat handfuls of Rennie's again I'll scream. I promise I will!

So, I'll keep you posted on my well being and I'll also try to come up with actual topics for these blogs. I'm losing my touch, I know I am! Apologies!

Sam

ps. I feel I should always add a writing update to my blogs because it at least forces me to keep it out in the open and not bottle it away. Chapter one is basically done re-write wise. I'm currently re-working chapter 3... 2 is 'done' but I'm sure I'll be tweaking...

Ahead of schedule

Yes! I've finally finished re-writes on The Novel. Not the final redrafting or anything, but possibly the middle stage. Thank the Heavens! I didn't think I was going to make it before the end of the month!

Well, that's all for now because I now have a million and one things to do before I go to bed now! Always busy!

Sam

Progress for Progress's sake

I set myself a challenge - finish this set of re-writes on The Novel by the end of the month. When I set myself this challenge I had only done re-writes on 2 chapters. I have since made excellent progress. I downloaded a program called Scrivner - I meant to download it last year but put it off. Recently someone I follow on Twitter was raving about it so I decided to give it a go. Well, it's now enabled me to re-write 5 more chapters with such ease I am embarrassed I didn't download it sooner.

If you're a writer I would recommend. It's great for writing novels, any kind of manuscript really, and it has a nifty 'script writing' setting for any budding script writer (which I kind of am and will be studying at some point in the next year of my degree).

I just wanted to share this joyous discovery with you guys because I know a lot of my followers are writing comrades ;)

Also, on a writing note - my local Starbucks is where I like to do some of my writing. The manager, who is also a writer, has informed me of a short story competition run by Costa coffee. Now I know they have their Costa Awards thing, and they pick great books, but this is a really great opportunity for unpublished authors to get their writing into the world. It closes on the 7th september, so not much time to write a 4000 short story, but if you're interested you should check it out HERE.

I don't know if I will have time to enter (plus, short stories are not my forte, I am not that skilled at story telling) but if you write you should definitely check it out!

Sam

Ways to be grown up

Well, I'm not really going to tell you ways to be grown up. There aren't any, are there? But I do feel grown up, having just got home from work, make a loaf of bread from scratch and soup from scratch to boot.

I like trying to be domestic (cooking, I don't clean!) and it makes me feel like I have accomplished something when I manage to not entirely fail at my aims. Cooking is like that for me. Writing will be like that for me if I ever actually manage to sort myself out.

I don't often like blogging on here about writing, feeling it should be put somewhere else, but hey! This is my blog and I think I should talk about it anywhere I so choose :P

I have been implementing re-writes to my manuscript and plan on getting them done by the end of the month... up to chapter 3 so far and only 15 or so more chapters to work through... but I will do it. I like setting myself deadlines because then I actually do stuff, but gosh it's hard to actually fit it all in!

How do you plan things and fit everything in? Suggestions would be appreciated!

Sam
x

Announcements and what not!

Well, not announcements per say, but kind of... I'm tired so I don't really know what words are spilling from my fingertips right now.

Oh yeah, that was it... sorry, just got really distracted by how much the veins in my hands/fingers are sticking out. They don't usually, so I'm taking it as a sign of needing to sleep :P

I passed my 2nd year of uni! Woohoo! actually passed my exam - got about 61% I think, which for me is a freaking miracle because I just don't do well in exams. So I'll take it! In my final creative writing thing I got a 69, which sucks being 1 point off a 70, but oh well. I'll take what I can get at this point.

Feeling quite proud of myself really so thought I'd share. I've not been up to THAT much recently and blogging hasn't seemed nessesary. Which isn't the point of a blog, I know, but sometimes I feel like if I have nothing to report it's pointless and no one will want to read it! I have redecorated my room and it's finally ALL done, apart from my needing to now clean it all up and actually put things away rather than live with boxes of stuff all around me. Which I don't mind, but apparently it's driving other people crazy. Bah. So I'll tidy up soon and post pictures. I'm quite proud, as I did about 90% of the work myself; wallpapering and putting furniture together. I find it quite enjoyable so it's nice.

In other unrelated news I have had a move around at work and I'm now... drum roll.... full time. Again. Urgh. I want the money but I can't tell you how tired I am just from working 3 days in a row. You forget how hard it is using your brain for that long a time without a break, and 2 day weekends are a killer, but it's a nessessary evil I know. It will all pay off as I'll be able to save up enough money to keep me going whilst I try to carve out some sort of writing career. I've finished the rewrites in my novel so I've just got to implement them on my computer, then re-read the whole thing again and then I think I'm heading for a bit of restructuring and more re-writes, but on a whole I think I'm on the right track. I enjoy it, so that's the main thing I suppose!

I would blog about the Olympics but I'm not really that into them. I like the gymnastics but other than that I don't watch The Sports. Sorry! :P Hope everyone is enjoying them though!

I'll be back with random blogs I'm sure. I need to get back into the swing of putting pictures and what not in here to make it more visually exciting...

Laters!

Sam

End of June?

Where did this month go? It feels like only yesterday I was frolicking, rejoicing in my birthday bubble, but now it's almost July! Golly Gosh! (haha, "golly gosh", I am definitely bringing that one back!).

I feel bad for once again falling behind in my blogger subscriptions, because, you know, I actually love reading peoples blogs. It's kind of an addiction. But of late I've been very naughty in just not doing it.

I have been de-stressing after my exam, and then my sister had moved into her own place with her boyfriend, so I've been helping her decorate. Here's a fun fact about me. I love to paint rooms. I'm the only person I know who loves to paint and decorate. Everyone seems to find it boring...? I don't know why - it's physical and you can listen to music and dance and sing whilst you do it. It's probably one of the best things in the world. I think I could do it for a living - except I won't because I have other dreams/aspirations going on at the moment. But maybe if I never make it and never get published I'll do it! Look out world, I'm going to badly paint ALL of your rooms!

So, the excitement of my sisters new house was gazumped by the excitement of her also getting engaged - a very eventful month for her indeed. For me, her moving out means I get my own room. Yes. At 27 I finally get to have my own room. I do miss my younger sisters company (it's only been one night, but she's moved into the room next door), because we literally talk ALL the time. But getting a double bed and finally having the room to put all my things away; get all my books onto big bookshelves and just generally get privacy. With 3 siblings privacy is very hard to come by around here. I know what you're thinking. If you want privacy move out, but alas, life aint that simple kids!

In other news I have just spent a good sum of money paying for my next years Uni courses. I have Children's Literature lined up, as well as Advanced Creative Writing. These will be good things, I can feel it.

I'll keep you posted on the redecoration of my room because I'll no doubt be very excited once all my new furniture arrives and I'll have to tell the world (pst... that means YOU!)

Sam

Summer Holidays!

I did it - the exam is over! Yes!!! I was going to blog about it last week but my brain has literally taken days to recover from the increased usage. It wasn't as bad as I thought, though, I keep telling people I think I did my best etc. Because I did do my best; I wrote everything I knew. I didn't forget anything I don't think. But I am one of those superstitious people and now I think I've kind of jinxed myself because I've been telling people I think I did OK, so I'll probably now fail and look like an ass.

Bah! Oh well. What can I do about it now, eh? Nothing!

So, now that exam is out of the way my 'summer holidays' have officially started. Kind of. Because I still have to go to work and I have had to ask for full time work again so I can get some money together. Humph. Hoping they take their time deciding if they will let me because then I can bask in this thing called 'spare time' and pursue what I think is called 'leisure activities'. I am starting to learn French today (my self-taught lessons will begin in the next hour or so) and I'm looking forward to getting edits and rewrites done of my novel. I'm also really looking forward to practising playing my guitar because I never have time any more so that's a bonus! Also - reading! Reading is back on the menu! And working out! All of these things I haven't had time for in the past few weeks due to revision!

Speaking of working out - I went on my first outdoor run in ages, and my first actual run or exercise of any type in the past 2 weeks (had to stop due to getting a cold, and thus wheezing a lot, and revising my ass off). What can I say? It was tough. 2 miles and I ran perhaps 1 mile of it on and off. But, in my defence it has turned out to be a hot day and I can't run in heat! I was actually praying for rain today!

In other unrelated news - my sister is getting the keys to her new house on Friday, which means I will be getting my own room. It's taken 25 years, but finally, I will have my own damn room in this house. I love sharing as me and my sister are actually best friends so it's fun (most of the time) but the idea of having a double bed, and a whole room to put my things in makes me so happy. I'm one of those 'loves to decorate' people, so I've been working on some room ideas and putting a collection together on Pinterest - redecorating is something I think I was born to do!

Right, best get on with French.

adieu!

Sam

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

Let the edits begin

So, as most of you will probably know, I'm writing a novel. Well, I've written a novel - I started in October (completing just over 50,000 words that month) and finally finished the first draft of my manuscript in January (at just over 71,000 words). This was kind of a big deal for me. I've started countless stories but never finished them because I never really thought I could do it, and I also (even though I kind of fantasised about being one), never thought I could be a writer.

I'm not 'smart', or 'linguistically gifted' - I'm not putting myself down, honestly, I'm just not one of these book learners you so often see writing books. However, when I was writing in October I realised I COULD do it. I could actually finish a book, and then a realised I could actually get it published (still a long way off), because, well - just go into Waterstones. How many books do you see? There. I mean, even if I could only sell 100 copies of a book that would be amazing. Selling 1 would be a step in the right direction.

SO - without further ado, I'd like to announce phase 2 of The Book. Which is: EDITS!

This is probably going to be the hardest part. I've put the book away for a month. I'd like to leave it longer, but I'm getting twitchy and I just want to start looking back into it again (a good sign?). So the 1st of March starts the 2nd draft of the manuscript, which is basically spell checking that bad boy! And checking grammar, kind of. I won't be editing the actual story for another few weeks because spell checking is probably going to take me forever, but the day has finally arrived where I can start working again and I'm excited.

I'm not going to divulged any information about the story or title (which still hasn't been set and probably won't be for a LONG time), if you are super spy like, like me, you'd probably be able to find something on the internet about it... somewhere, but I'm probably going to be taking that down soon. (cryptic!).

Wish me luck and if you have any helpful hints or tips I'd appreciate. I do take writing class at Uni and have a load of information to hand, I also have a couple of writing books but any first hand experience would be fab!

Sam

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

Random updates and tings.

Because you should pronounce the word 'thing' as 'ting' as often as you can. Honestly, it makes you feel better and snazzes up ANY sentence!

So - a thing happened. It isn't a very exciting thing, but it's a thing that's now meaning my whole year is going to be slightly better.

I'm going to America next year. For a month or two.

Now, if you've been here a while, you might know I went for 3 months a few years ago. I plan on doing the same kind of thing but this time with my fella rather than friend, so it will be less drinking and more actually seeing fun things and having amazing fun times with my best friend. We were going to go to comic-con this year, but the money he is expecting through from a house sale probably won't be coming through until the summer maybe, but in any case we won't have enough time to plan a trip, so we've decided 2013 we are doing it. This means we can plan all year. It will be amazing. I know all the places I love in the US - Seattle, San Fran, San Diego, Vegas, Chicago, Boston, to name but a few, but this trip is for him. I want him to chose the places so that should be fun.

I won't be going back to work after this trip, so the plan is to get my ass into gear and write this book, edit and submit to publishing houses ASAP. I'm not really sure how this process works per say, but I'll figure it out. If there's one thing I'm good at it's figuring stuff out... hmm... maybe I don't. Damn. Any advice welcome!

On another slightly related note, but hopefully not related in any way, I've been watching that TV show - American Horror Story.

If you like dark, supernatural, quirky, horror- drama's you should give it a whirl. I'm not far into it, I'm only on ep 5, I think, but I'm already hooked. SO good, such good story telling. So I'm trying to slot that in with my Fringe/True Blood/ Vampire diaries watching schedule. Which sounds easy, but when you watch those things with someone you don't see often enough and you're on mostly different schdules it IS hard... still, I'm trying.

So - have you been to America? Know any cool places? I'm making a list of places to go/ see so american viewers let me know, and UK viewers, you can still let me know. K, thanks, bye!

Sam :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

NaNoWriMo - week 1

Apologies to everyone, but this month will pretty much just consist of me either blogging about the wondrous NaNoWriMo or blogging about working on my new website - The Vortex.

So - lets start! :P

NaNoWriMo started this week and so far.. so good. I think... I have hit the word target each day and I think it's going ok. Today I have to get to 8000 and something words, but I'm going to starbucks with my laptop so I'll get a cheeky eggnogg latte and type away, sans internet access which should hopefully help keep the distractacons away! If you click the link up there you go to my user page, which tells you what I'm writing about and how well I'm doing, word wise.
I'm enjoying writing so far. I've never actually attempted to write a full book before, I've always started writing, to note down story ideas or scenes etc. but never actually thought to myself to expand on the story and, perhaps, try to write it. Partly from fear. So here I am. Over 6000 words in, and really enjoying it. I started up a little playlist to get me in the mood over on YouTube - if anyone is interested in listening to said playlist you can click the link :P

I'll keep you posted on how I get on with the rest of the writing though. To be fair, having the 1st 2 weeks of November off work is helpful so I dread the last 2 weeks when I have to go back to work and I'll have to try to fit writing into my every day trials. Hmmm.... we'll see what happens.

As for the website, its a slow start. Got a few articles, links and videos up so show what kind of direction we want to be heading in. I've been trying to get friends involved in looking at it and stuff, but my friends don't generally have the same internet aspirations as me, so they really couldn't give a tiny rats ass. It's fine with me, I just want to try to get it going though - so anyone who ventures past the site, please let me know what you think - what you like and don't like! I want honesty!

In the meantime - when I've not been working on such things, I've been watching New Girl, the Tv show with Zooey Deschanel. And I love it. I like her anyway, but I was worried it would be a bit too 'quirky' and play too much on the fact that she is cute etc. But it's actually so well done, and so well written it doesn't come across as OTT. In my opinion anywho!

Right I have to get going to 'bucks so I can start writing!

Sam

Setting myself an unattainable goal, yet again!

So! Well... BEDA is going well for me so far. Lots to blog about when I put my mind to it. I'm also being good and saving blog posts a day or two early and then posting them as and when I wish, which is so unlike me. I'm not normally this blogging prepared! I decided I was going to start a new blog. But I decide to start new blogs all the time, and I set them up and then miserably watch them fail, as I don't have the time to tend to other blogs apart from this one. But no. I am going to set this one up for sure. Because I have purpose and practise on my mind. My Boyf got me a couple of books for our anniversary (sorry, I won't talk about it any more after this post! :P), which are to help people write, basically. Fiction, mainly. One of them is a writer coaching book and helps you understand how to write a story, how to get out of the fear of writing, how to create characters, lots of stuff someone needs to know if they fancy giving writing a go. Which I do in the long run. The 2nd book I have is writing exercises, where you read a chapter and write for 5 mins a day. Different themes and challenges that are supposed to help you grow and learn. SO, to conclude, this new blog will be my writing space where I will share my creations to hopefully get feedback, and just get some stuff out there! I am in the thinking that if I make myself blog about it, it will keep me on track. Make me push myself to do it. And this is what I am planning to do. I promise to at least try to set it up!!! Sam

In the midst of procrastination

Bah!

I was supposed to be writing my assignment today. And that's what I did. Kind of. I still have to finish it up but this was one of the toughest ones yet. I was writing, or AM writing, about the tradition of the string quartet for a particular composer. It's tough, but I chose it because... well... with things like the arts you can throw in technical words and build sentences around them and appear smarter than you are. Not that I need to sound smarter, but it helps, doesn't it?! :) hehe.

I still have to finish it off, I basically spent 5 hours trying to write a crappy draft which makes no sense and has no flow to it. So I will be spending Wednesday trying desperately to make it better, and then Thursday will be editing day. Yeay!

Anyway, I was going to write about procrastination. Which is one of my favorite past times. It's true. I am so good at it. I was starting this entry and then remembered I had to look up upcoming films for me and my friend to see. So I started doing that. And then after I had done that I realised I was going to write this. It's not even something I do intentionally, it's just my natural state is to procrastinate. Ooh, poetic.

So my procrastination project today was writing. Sometimes its TV, sometimes music, and sometimes writing. My assignment is supposed to be 1200 words. Not that long, but its hard to hit your points and keep them clear with restrictions like that. In the time it took me to write my intro (which turned into my conclusion and was then moved to the bottom of the page), I managed to throw out around 1270 words of a random story I started writing. Which I think could actually go quite well if I continue it. I don't know what it's about, but I was really getting into writing it. So my procrastination might turn into a short story. Which I'm quite happy about, so IN YOUR FACE procrastination God's. Your intervening failed.

Listening to:

Brooke Waggoner - really helpful to write to because her songs are so pretty and ethereal and calming.

Film I watched this weekend:

From Dusk til Dawn. Something I missed out on because I was too young when it came out (I was 11... I like to point out to my boyfriend that he was 17 at the time to make him feel old!). I finally saw it on TV and it was hilariously good!

Picture of the day:

I just found this quite sweet and romantic.

I have just realised these people could be having sex... I didn't see it that way, but if that's what you like... ;)