and so Dear Reader...

End is Nigh...

2011-05-25T13:56:00.002Z

...in a good way. I have just about finished a year long Drama Foundation course at City Lit. Dress rehearsal this week and final presentation next. Then finally the farce is over.

Yes, it's all been a bit of a disappointment. I signed on to the foundation after a supremely inspiring and exciting 2 week summer school at City Lit called Total Actor - which I loved! I came of that solid 2 weeks positively electric. I knew I'd found what I wanted to do when I grew up. I knew it was thing thing I wanted to do all day everyday for as long as my body would let me do it. And if you've ever known that feeling, you'll know just how good that feeling is. So off the back of that feeling I signed up for a year long course of what I expected to be the same.

Half way through the second term, it seemed we were still covering the same ground covered in Total Actor. Which seemed a monumental waste of my time and money. When we finally started to mine a seam of new knowledge it was so badly explained that no-one knew what we were supposed to be doing and 1 person even left the course because of it.

Me: "Is this [example] an endowment?"
Tutor: "No."
Me: "Then I don't understand endowments."
Tutor: "Imagine you have a cold cup of water and you pretend it's a hot cup of tea..."
Me: "So is this [example] an endowment?" *confused*
Tutor: "No."
Me: "So what is an endowment?"
Tutor: "I think maybe you should go back and read the book." *Dismissed*
Book: "Imagine you have a cold cup of water and you pretend it's a hot cup of tea..."

We then spent an entire term, literally, watching the rest of the group cry. I understand the value of using memory and emotional recall, but did every single one of us have to go through the exercise in front of the whole class one at a time every week, twice, for a whole term. I can't help feeling we could have better spent the time by being, Oh, I don't know, TAUGHT SOMETHING.
The tutor declared that he could guess what we were thinking just by looking/watching us go through our memory recall. He suggested that I had been surrounded by flowers and trees during mine, I had actually be remembering being on a boat out at sea. So as you can imagine, it was a Very Long Term. And we went through it all twice. Surely our time could have been better spent...

A: Splint group into 2, 1 half does the unvoiced memory recall, the other half does it voiced.
B: Split into smaller groups and all go through the exercises together.
C: A couple of people do it voiced a couple of people do it unvoiced, we all get the idea and move on.

...Surely, there must have been another way. But what do I know. What I do know is that we've had 2 terms of being taught to "act", none of which has involved basic stage craft, working with costume, props, or scripts. Then to pass the final presentation we had to go find a script, produce it with costumes, props and stage it to pass the course. Improvisation is great and all, but not that helpful when you have to stick rigidly to the scripted word and it's prescriptive staging.

Thankfully, I only have 3 more weeks to go and I AM FREE. What has been wonderful is the group that I have worked with for the last year, committed, interested and enthusiastic. A Lovely crowd, I'm looking forward to working with them in the future, but it won't be on the Access Course at City Lit next year.

The eternal never ending joy of Writers Block

2010-05-13T11:39:00.005Z

Hello all.

Yes I am still alive and I am still here. Doesn't that just over excite you, I know it does.

I could tell you of all things that i have been doing whilst not writing this blog, but as I haven't been writing (and this is a writing blog) there would be little point - unless you count a regular 140 characters on twitter, which I don't, because I am almost sure it's lost me more followers than its gained (most of whom are spammers - how dare they be so picky!)

Why is this so? Because I've had a sticky bout of WRITERS BLOCK. Such fun!

It has been a trying...while. My head sort of imploded and as a result I haven't been able to write a darned thing. All my ideas dried up and white hot panic set in as I settled in front of the dreaded keyboard; so there were a good few months when I even stopped sitting in front of the computer. Then I started sitting in front of the computer but pretended that Word didn't exist. Now I am able to sit at the computer, open word and sit staring at a blank screen before I turn it all off again and go have another cup of tea. As you can see this is a remarkable leap forward in productivity (Hey, I'm writing a blog post, ain't I)

I have found that the wealth of writing books sat on the shelf, still waiting to be read have been no help; but you'd be amazed at the amount of Vampire fiction I've got through.

Ideas are flowing again and i have begun the tentative experiment of beginning a rewrite. I am also tinkering with some ideas for sketches, so hopefully I'll be able to post some Kumquat Whatnot stuff sooner than soon-ish.

Keep patient with me, lovely lovely peoples (yeah you, you're the ONLY one) I'll get back to updating regular as a first step to getting back to writing proper. Stick with it, it might even get better. You never know.

Raw & Tasty @ Etcetera,Camden

2009-07-21T13:08:00.007Z

Essential Skills

2009-06-11T10:57:00.007Z

As a writer - see I said it again, I'm getting good at this - there are few things that I desperately need,other than bags of talent (still looking). I spend a great deal of time by myself so interpersonal skills, managing office politics and health and safety rarely come up. Except for the occasional realisation that my back REALLY isn't supposed to feel like that & moving now would be a good thing. But one thing that will almost certainly come up for any writer sooner or later, whether you have a computer, typewriter or other keyboard interface device or not, is the ability to type.

Touch typing ideally. This is not a skill I posses; but it is something I can learn. Don't misunderstand me - I'm not a one fingered dunce who spends 10 minutes trying to find the S (not all the time anyway) but I can't touch type. My typing skill is more along the lines of keep hitting the keys and go back and splel chack latre. I am fine with that; it gets me where I want to be and I end up with some delightfully creative phrases at the end of the day - I could be some sort of existential poet - but I am haunted by that nagging doubt of "I could do better."

I have attended a Pitman course and if there is ever a more soul sucking and depressing way to spend your time I've yet to find it:

Everything my pitman experience wasn't.

I then went on to 'acquire' a copy of the world infamous Mavis Beacon:

She's just a bit too Stepford.

Which I have no great criticism of - but it's not terribly inspiring. Frankly there is something a bit housewife-ish about it. It does everything it's supposed to but you are very aware that you are learning, and that takes the edge off it.

Now I have been introduced to Typing of the Dead - which very much appeals to the Britswitch sense of humour.

I am looking forward to giving this a go and improving may ability to type no end.
This is in NO way procrastination.
_

Index Cards are next to Godliness

2009-06-10T11:58:00.008Z

After a good few weeks being stuck (I refuse to use the word blocked)I realised that i need a new approach, so after reading this article in the Guardian . I have noticed that a few people enlist this method:

Sophie's Wall (I'm afraid I don't know who Sophie is)

Graham Linehan's Floor

So I have started afresh full of idea's and new approaches to my writing.

My Old System

My New system

Writer's Room Q&A with Armando Ianucci

2009-05-20T13:37:00.004Z

Soho Theatre London 16-04-09
Notes from Writer's Room Q&A with Armando Ianucci

Has also written Time Trumpet, In the Thick of it, On the Hour, The Day today. He looks at his comedy as having a different approach – he was doing what he wanted to do. Influenced in early life by The Burkiss Way which he used to listen to as a child,
he has always been a radio fan.

He was part of the BBC producer traineeship which is where he came up with the idea for On The Hour, using all the serious skills that he'd learnt as a producer he put together the serious sounding news satire The Day Today. Something funny said seriously.

He described the experience of getting where he is now; we all think we're crap and we're going to be found out and then we realise that everyone is like that.

He described the writing process [and I agree] is boring and painful, to have written something is great, but to write is hard.

Collaboration = displacement. It's fun to hang about with other people. Three people make it easier because as long as two people agree, the third will come around and if one person is busy there are still two people to write.

Revealed Exclusive to the audience: Alan Partridge, if he killed himself, would throw himself off the top of a double decker bus in Norwich after ending up as a tour guide.

In the Thick Of It was about spin culture. The characters are trying to manage a system and that makes it worse. he wanted to include elements of farce, and childishness and see it taking place at the heart of government. He wanted to write a political sitcom because there hadn't been anything really since Yes Minister which went on to become Yes Prime minister. He wanted to write about the government now, and write about the SPADS.

His advice to new writers was 'Don't right down to lowest common denominator. Write what makes you laugh. It will show.'

In The Thick Of It was for BBC4. There was no money which defined the look of it and how it was made. He wanted it to look experimental or raw. Almost as if it was the edited highlights of what had happened that day.

West Wing was influential by its style of honest and accurate dialogue. Don't know what the characters are talking about, just that they are annoyed etc.

In the Loop from blank sheet to final print = 1 year. The script was partly improvised, actors were given a line that they had to include and a general idea of how to react. The production didn't take American money so it didn't have to cow tow to American whims and editorial demands.

A US Blogger who A. Ianucci got in contact with got him meetings with ex-White house staffers and aides, and journalists. In doing research he went to the state department; to get in he was told to go to reception and say “I'm BBC, I'm here for the 12.30.” And they let him in! He described this 'infiltration by deception' taking photographs and wandering around the state department as “Fun, but international espionage.”

A piece of internal tittle-tattle he discovered in the us was that emails are state property but not post-it notes, so that in government 'all the juicy stuff is on post-it notes.”

He liked the indulgence of film making because it meant he could sew seeds in the background and let them brew over 90 min. In a 30 min episode, in first 5min you have to get the action up and running get your audience hooked and let it play out. In The Thick shows at approx 28 min but probably shoot more like 50 min.

He liked to keep the shots not perfect because he said the flaws make it believable – shots with a ladder leaning against a wall or with cabling hanging down was more like real life.

He decided to make the conscious decision not to include the President or the PM as it was too big a story, In The Loop is about the little people. They don't represent the bigger figures. The Thick Of It even goes so far as to never mention which party the characters work for.

He chose to do In the Loop because he had always wanted to do a movie. The film was cast early so the writers knew the character and could find the voices and idiosyncrasy's. In The Loop is surreptitiously a screw ball comedy. He wanted the movie to have a timeless and universal.

He has always liked [and I agree] the experience of sitting in the dark with lots of people all laughing. When it previewed it was in a 1200 seat theatre at Sundance which was the first time the US cast saw it. Ianucci returned at 9am the next day for the second showing expecting it to be an anticlimax, but it was full and the audience was laughing. The US audience was just as interested and laughing at it equally. The audience was engaged. The film has been criticised as too English but as he pointed out We don't look at American films thinking that it's too American.

When talking about advice to new writers:
One of the universal questions of the commissioning process: Why Now? Think about why your project should be commisioned now, and why you.

He suggested that maybe the future training ground for new comedy writers is less and less likely to be radio or TV sketch show. Go out to establish your voice - via a blog – Parody is a strong way of making you writing obvious, Podcasts, Record your material, Look at the material out there. Make DVD's,Cd's, online links, upload video's online.

Who is the target of the comedy? If your a comic your bound to offend someone.

Writer's Room Q&A with Toby Whithouse

2009-05-20T12:03:00.006Z

Soho Theatre London 04-03-09
Notes from Writer's Room Q&A with Toby Whithouse

His writing career really started because as actor (he was in House of Elliot) he had a lot of time to write and saw a lot of scripts and thought he 'could do this.'He won the Verity Bargate Award at the Soho Theatre with Martin Freeman (of HHGTTG) in the lead.

His original aim was to write sitcoms, but he began by writing to a brief – the ease of this all depends on how well they are written 1st. He found that the discipline of Drama teaches the richness of comedy.A Sitcom requires 5 or 6 gags a page, whereas drama only needs less jokes and not as often. The jokes stand out.

If you only had three or four jokes in a comedy no-one will laugh, if you have two or three jokes in a drama people think 'hey, this is a FUNNY guy!'

He now works project to project. Background as an actor and finds himself sympathetic to writing small parts - he always gives the small parts a full name so that the credit sounds better.

The TV drama works to the three act structure but you go through it quicker in TV.

He described himself as lazy about research. It [research] is fantastic. It gives you stories. It gives you the confidence that you have a wealth of knowledge and facts at your disposal.

Before he starts he writes pages of biogs and a Series Bible = Arc's for all the characters, heros and villians, bio's etc, end point (The world they live in), Treatment and scene breakdowns. The details may never be used but it can all ignite a story.

Being Human originally started out as a Rom-Com called 'Wild Thing' about a Jewish werewolf, but he was offered a commission to write a script about a flat share described as a new 'This Life' concerning three characters - out of this came the idea for Being Human.

Being Human was over 1 year in pre-production. The budget set the style – a low budget american indie film.

He described himself as writing about life and life doesn't have a genre, it changes gear effortlessly - Laughing one minute and crying the next.

He liked the idea of making Being Huiman High concept, highlights in ep2 echo through to ep 6. Dr Who opened the door for that sort of show.British sci-fi has always relied on imagination and characters

He did have other writters for BH (also for series 2 - already commissioned) due to time constraints, also so he could write as well as he could. He has chosen those writers himself and still has much of the control over the story process.

Asked if he would write in any other medium. He said: A play offers you the freedom of the stage, but TV pays better – but there are more people involved. There is always the issue about control over your writing. Money controls the setting of the piece and its length.

The 'first' episode of Being Human was difficult and frustrating as it was part of a pilot season on BBC. In that episode he had to write a story in one episode and hint at future events, introduce characters via action not exposition.

He described his writing process and control over the characters as “ruling over them like an angry god”

His writing process involves writing out 5 pages a day and revising them into three good pages by the end of the day.

Advice to new writers: Your writing is 'just yours' Write it, get it out.

And hes done stand up

Influences:
Alan Moore, Joe Ahern's Ultraviolet, PJ Hammond, Sapphire and Steel, Smoking Room.

Written for:
No Angels, Sarah Jane's return to Dr Who, Being Human, Hotel Babylon.

I blog therefore I have no time for anything else.

2009-04-24T08:28:00.003Z

All new Blogging fun for all your Britswitch needs:

Britswitch's Witches Which is Just for Fun

Britswitch's Brutally Honest Review Show Which is me taking a stab at seriously silly journalism. - Under construction.

____

Officially a Twitter Poet

2009-04-23T14:52:00.004Z

Despite the unexpected boom in twitter's popularity since opening my own account (I might take credit for it but I couldn't substantiate that claim in court) I find I am still loving the twitterverse. Especially the exciting puns that tweople pull out by putting a 'tw' in front of a word - it's special.
Now approaching my 1000 tweet (busting my 500th by accidentally mashing away at the enter key instead of delete like a psychotic loon in reply to a famous twits tweet- twumiliation!) I found a doo-hickey that twanalyses your twittering and classifies it. As a (aspiring) writer I liked the tiny ego nudge of

'Your tweeting is already tip-top! No improvements needed'

Get me: I am Twanfastic!

I WAS Acting, I had a hat!

2009-04-22T17:35:00.002Z

In a bid to fund my writing habit I have taken up 'acting'. I say acting - I was an extra and I re-acted rather than acted. My motivation was I had a hat (later in the day my 'character' also acquired a husband) and I had to look surprised. It was freezing in that Theatre.

Also when people asked me what I did I said it, I said I was a writer.
___

Books are great, I love books me.

2009-04-06T12:28:00.002Z

Saw this exhibition in the west end and I thought i'd share it having now finally got the pictures off of my phone - no easy task. It is the windows of Central St Martin's.

I Think Stewie is my Inner Critic

2009-03-28T22:56:00.002Z

500th tweet

2009-03-26T23:48:00.000Z

How I messed up this mile stone = Someone put the enter and the delete button too close together. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

@RealDMitchell Will you be really really f
3:14 PM Mar 26th from TweetDeck

@RealDMitchell Will you be really really funn
3:14 PM Mar 26th from TweetDeck

@RealDMitchell Will you be really really f
3:14 PM Mar 26th from TweetDeck

Smashed my 500th post by being incapable of working a keyboard. New phrase 'a keyboard mashing monkey' may stick tho http://farm1.static.flickr.com/211/511780778_cbcbd70dfb_m.jpg
3:20 PM Mar 26th from TweetDeck

Embarrassingly I have NO idea what I was trying to ask either. I know I was going to a recording of The Unbelievable Truth and I was no doubt pretending to connect with the shows presenter in some non-meaningful way.

It was a good show but someone should point out to Will Self that just talking isn't what makes you funny. I should know...

My Words Were Good

2009-03-21T11:43:00.004Z

My writing Skills just won me a competition. It was one of those 25-words-or-less kinda things so maybe not soo great, but won it I did.

The sycophantic yet lauded phrase was:

"My favourite Dermalogica product is the Daily Microfoliant because the gentle cleaning of the product leaves skin soft and smooth with out aggravating sensitive skin."

This morning I received this:

See that: 'We just loved your entry!' with an exclamation mark it made them so happy!

Not sure this truly makes me a WRITER yet but it's an ego boost (and a mother's day present)

x

Internet Haul Pt 2

2009-03-20T11:02:00.008Z

PROCRASTINATION - Because it can't all be about work

*Sita Sings the Blues - One of the Most Beautiful Animations I have seen in an age finally available online.

*Ridiculous cuteness

*Play Auditorium
*Listen with Spotify
*Challenge your Friends with Broken Picture Telephone
*Wabi-Sabi is something which has captured my fascination this month.
*Along with the Sen No Rikyu Tea Ceremony

Internet Haul Pt 1

2009-03-20T10:29:00.011Z

There is just tooo much internet out there.

This is the latest haul of stuff that has made it on to my 'Read it Later' button. As this blog is supposed to serve as a writer's (my) resource of all things writer-ish I will endeavour to start sharing it with the public at large. It is an eclectic mix of stuff on ways to write, ways to submit and shameless self promotion in the ether-sphere (mostly Twitter because - get used to it - it is the future)

WRITING
*Writer's Roundtable Pt 1 (Psst Justin Villier's taught me A-Level Theatre Studies at school - Small world)

*Writer's Roundtable Pt 2
*Sanjeev Kohli Interview
*Clarion USA
*Script Factory
*Writing for BBC Sketch Shows
*Inkie Publishing
*Show Your Workspace
*Writing a BBC TV Sitcom
*Danny Stack's Scriptwriting in the UK

GUILELESS SELF/PROMOTION
*If it's good enough for Mr Fry...
*Applications for Freelance Self Promotion
*Make Twitter work for you
*Twitter Guide

The Day I got into Vogue

2009-03-18T10:36:00.004Z

On my birthday in December, having turned thirty and feeling like something rotten, old and wrong I was stopped on the street by someone pronouncing themselves from Vogue and that they wanted to take my picture for street chic. Well after I picked myself up off the street from laughing I tried to pose and this is what they put up. I finally got round to finding it online. Personally as a fashion mag I would have thought that they would have had more discernment than to use this image but what do I know. Or Care. I was in Vogue!

In case your wondering what this has to do with a writer's blog - other than the shamless boasting of the author - it is because I am listed on the website as
Occupation: Writer
I did it, I said it out loud to people other than my mother, "I am a Writer."

Hotties Word a Day: Pt 7

2009-03-15T13:00:00.000Z

Spin

spin
–verb (used with object)
1. to make (yarn) by drawing out, twisting, and winding fibers: Pioneer women spun yarn on spinning wheels.
–verb (used without object)
1. to revolve or rotate rapidly, as the earth or a top.
–noun
1. the act of causing a spinning or whirling motion.
2. Slang. a particular viewpoint or bias, esp. in the media; slant: They tried to put a favourable spin on the news coverage of the controversial speech.

Am I as Tall or
as Small, as Fat or as Thin?
I lied on that form.

Hotties Word a Day: Pt 6

2009-03-14T12:30:00.001Z

Carnival

kahr-nuh-vuhl
–noun
1. a traveling amusement show, having sideshows, rides, etc.
2. any merrymaking, revelry, or festival, as a program of sports or entertainment: a winter carnival.
3. the season immediately preceding Lent, often observed with merrymaking; Shrovetide.

Listening to 'I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again'. Subdued in idle whimsy, drinking tea. The sun finally is shining and summer is finally discernible - like I can reach out and touch it. The laughter and gaiety is a jolly, silly, lively soundtrack to a sedate, long, warm day. Thank you Radio Prune.

Hottie's Word a Day: Pt 5

2009-03-14T10:45:00.003Z

Brainstorm

breyn-stawrm
–noun
1.
a. a sudden impulse, idea, etc.
b. a fit of mental confusion or excitement.

The drums clashed and banged in time with the singer as she swayed at the front of the stage. the guitarist sighed and returned to plucking out the cords expected of him.
There came an inconsequential cheer from the crowd as they suddenly recognised the tune. They were drunk and easily pleased, thought the guitarist. If only.... if only, he thought. But he'd lost his place in the music. If only...

Hotties Word a Day: Pt 4

2009-03-12T09:59:00.003Z

Gallic

gal-ik
–adjective
1. pertaining to the Gauls or Gaul.
2. pertaining to the French or France.

The foam still clung to the glass in dirty rings, telling the tale of the last hours drinking. he lit another cigarette and exhaled the smoke into the lazy afternoon sunlight. glancing at the packet he could see it was empty. calling to the waiter to ask for another packet he ordered more beer.
The breeze ruffled the umbrellas that lined the ports old town harbour. Cafes that where a few hundred years old in some parts of the wall town still did a roaring trade in the summer, but that was still a few months off.
The old port was empty but for a few foreign students but still the brightly coloured umbrella's came out, and still they sat, and still they smoked. he drained his beer, timing it jut right so that the fresh one arrived with barely a pause. the foam tickled his nose, and he opened the new packet of cigarettes.

Hotties Word a Day: Pt 3

2009-03-11T09:21:00.004Z

Pastiche

pa-steesh
–noun
1. a literary, musical, or artistic piece consisting wholly or chiefly of motifs or techniques borrowed from one or more sources.
2. an incongruous combination of materials, forms, motifs, etc., taken from different sources; hodgepodge.

She wore shoes that were too big and knickers that were to small. Under her thick tights you could see the pinch of a pair socks. The cheap shoes had obviously been brought to match the bag, but it didn't work. The hand bag was swollen and disfigured from having carried too much junk over the years and the zip was broken. It was made of plastic.
Her coat was a cheap copy of a design that had been on it's way out the year before.
I was trying really hard not to dislike her on first sight but I was struggling not to find a reason.

Hottie's Word a Day: Pt 2

2009-03-10T18:33:00.008Z

Gallimauphfry (My most favouritest word ever!)

gal-uh-maw-free
–noun, plural -fries. Chiefly Literary.
1. a hodgepodge; jumble; confused medley.
2. a ragout or hash.

Escaping the rain,
I duck inside
A theatre of God
resounding with the
playing of an organ

The walls are alive with
its thunderous noise.
A bellowing triumph
of man over music.

I'm here because
the cafes are closed
and the shops are expensive.

I wonder at the lazy dead
who tolerate patiently,

While waiting for the rain to stop.

Hotties Word a Day: Pt 1

2009-03-09T18:00:00.002Z

Mawkish

maw-kish
–adjective
1. characterized by sickly sentimentality; weakly emotional; maudlin.
2. having a mildly sickening flavour; slightly nauseating.

The little child, blonde haired and blue-eyed, ran down the path to the rose covered cottage. As he pushed open the door he could smell the fresh baking in the warm kitchen and the lavender of his mother's perfume.
His Mother emerged from the kitchen wiping her hands on the crisp white pristine apron. A single lock had fallen loose from the other wise perfect coil at the back of her head.
'Oh Mother, I do love you so.' Cried the little boy as he threw his chubby arms around his mother's waist.
'Oh my dear Child. I love you too.' said mother patting his head.
'Mother, when is Daddy coming home?'
Mother wiped away a single tear from her eye, and pushed the boy away. 'Go outside and play now, there's a good boy' So he ran outside to play.

Hottie's Word a Day Challenge

2009-03-09T17:00:00.002Z

Hottie has got round to me, for her word a day challenge for her 365 photo blog. This has been a chance to fish about for all my favourite and obscure/rarely used or odd words. I have them all ready pre-selected for her, so much was my excitement.

Then I was struck with the inspiration that I could leap on board this creative Bandwagon and challenge myself to write something to match her word over the following 7 day challenge. So i shall be publishing (which is mighty step forward in my creativity) over the next 7 days some flash fiction, rough poetry (VERY rough), and other examples of embarrassment.

Who knows, maybe it will get the old creative effluent splashing about the place.

Be kind.

The synopsis writing process via medium of Twitter

2009-02-25T15:27:00.006Z

The two competitions that I have been trying to get the submissions sorted for both required a synopsis (something I have never tried to write before). The Connections 2009 competition is for unpublished Romance writers, and the Novel Pitch competition for first time Novelists, which is me. So I had to start from scratch and write 2 before the end of this week. So this is the summing up of the process using the tweets I burbled in to the ether as I went along. Feel my pain, rejoice in my glory!

Full of hope and enthusiasm we begin:

Has plans: Once i find it - i'm going to sit in Nat Gal with a copy of Layland's, drink tea and finish a synopsis. Oooh Ha!12:14 PM Feb 16th from TweetDeck

A lovely writer lady became my friend on twitter:

@toniandrews Page of wands: guess i should get writing again!12:23 PM Feb 16th from TweetDeck in reply to toniandrews

@toniandrews I will do my best, i'm pretty sure it involves cake today. i'm not sure i can do much with out cake.12:25 PM Feb 16th from TweetDeck in reply to toniandrews

@toniandrews Think i'm the page today - I go for the cake & do all that mucky stuff (synopsis draft & character pages) but it will get done.12:30 PM Feb 16th from TweetDeck in reply to toniandrews

Work avoidance set in, so I wrote a blog about work avoidance:

Blogged! http://bit.ly/mbFYJ1:18 PM Feb 17th from TweetDeck

Tarot cards for today:7 pentacles and 4 cups. Basically: pull your finger out and get on with it. I know, i know.1:19 PM Feb 17th from TweetDeck

Tarot of day: Page of Wands. Alright, I get it!11:21 AM Feb 18th from TweetDeck

Here I began justifying twitter to others (Yeah, that was more work avoidance):

@CollingsA It is all about writer's block/ work avoidance. So many buttons to play with & ways to accidentally forget about working.12:02 PM Feb 18th from web in reply to CollingsA

Must, absolutely must shut down twitter, it's distracting me from important things like.. almost anything else.5:21 PM Feb 18th from TweetDeck

About this time I resorted to EVERYTHING avoidance, in hopes that I would get it done:

Misty's Big Adventure: TV People (with forays into The Story of Love) is dong it's best to keep me sane. What IS my character's motivation?5:56 PM Feb 18th from TweetDeck

Dinner: Mushy peas, tofu, anti-pasti peppers and pickled cabage. Boy, do i need to go do some shopping,10:05 PM Feb 18th from TweetDeck

That didn't work:

Has ideas. So, so many idea. Which will all get lost in a friday pint.2:53 PM Feb 20th from txt

Come Monday, I started again:

i will wrestle with this synopsis & i will win. i will! After lunch. & the news quiz. Then i'll bitch-slap it into submission.1:37 PM Feb 21st from TweetDeck

it's not rocket surgery, but i can't seem to get going on my synopsis. I want to understand this, Help me!2:33 PM Feb 21st from TweetDeck

might have won the battle, but on with the media influenced outbursts of sub-urban violence.5:11 PM Feb 21st from TweetDeck

I am shaking my fist at the flighty nothingness of inspiration. You tease me so, and leave me ravaged and torn. Poetical, yeah!5:07 PM Feb 22nd from web

I am sure, I am sure, I am sure. Definitely.11:21 AM Feb 23rd from TweetDeck

Still in synopsis territory, it's a thick prickly vine sort of place, with little sunlight & spooky eyes peeking out. Occasionally hooting.10:31 AM yesterday from TweetDeck

Synopsis, Synopsis, Synopsis..... Here I go. Alley Oop!11:38 AM yesterday from TweetDeck

And then I gave up for a bit:

Pretty sure, i'm going to have a drink.... yeah, i am. I'm a lush!about 19 hours ago from TweetDeck

And then it was done!:

Briefly considered dunking ryvita in my tea, in celebration - no clearer signal, i think, that i have no life.about 3 hours ago from TweetDeck

Done it! I have emerged from Synopsis Territory the sun is shining, small leverets bounce & frolic. Even Birdsong. I like it better here.about 3 hours ago from TweetDeck

Synopses & Submissions are done! I smacked them down and came up marginally less bloody.about 1 hour ago from TweetDeck

I hope that gives others going through the same process some small degree of hope and warmth. If I can do it so can you. And twitter sort of helps.

A writer, I be.

2009-02-17T12:50:00.002Z

I have worked hard massaging the old procrastination processes. Those keen to spot them will see I have added links and sections to the Blog. I am pleased with the new additions but annoyed with myself as it of course means that I have not been doing all the things I promised myself that I would be doing.
Having finished the first draft of the M&B novel, I now can't bare to look at it at present. The B&B ongoing project is winding up for the Novel Pitch competition, which has mostly involved me pushing bits of paper around my desk as I convince myself that this is working on it (it is not).
All that remains is for me to find some sort of paying occupation and my fingers do nothing but hover over the mouse selecting pages to 'read later' pretending that this is a constructive use of my time.
I must therefore, re-apply myself as it is already half way through Febuary. So here goes; as the quote (paraphrased) says:

The only way to write is the studious application of the seat of one's trousers to the seat of one's chair.

Bad Movie Club review

2009-02-17T12:32:00.004Z

Bad Movie Club was rather an interesting social experiment. I hesitate to call The Happening a movie, as it was somewhat...not happening. The tweeting experience was all that made it bearable, I think. That and the Gin and French. And Chocolate cake.

I was fortunate enough to have My tweeting acknowledged in the aftermath. So, yey me. There are murmurings across the twitterverse that it may happen again and that Uncle Glinner will be involved as well.

Nice to find a couple of new twitter 'friends' through the process, it was great fun. I look forward to the next.

Twitterverse

2009-02-12T11:33:00.005Z

It shames me to admit it but I have become hung up on yet another social networking site. Britswitch has a twitter page. Even more shamefully, I am loving it. I think it must be the virtual equivalent of staring in through peoples front windows and turning your nose up at their choice of curtains or envying them their spiffy table lamp.

I saw it initially as a marketing tool, thought I could build a following (as in interested parties and less 'a cult of me') and when I am finally acknowledged for my brilliance I will have an established web presence - does this smack of ego much? - As it is, I am well aware that there is a limited following on this blog and even less so on twitter, but it does wonders for my own ego.I have followers! - the inflated sense of power could go to my head.
I have mastered technology, I can now get my phone to talk to the internet and I can up load pictures on the go, I can 'tweet'(get me, using the lingo) via text, mobile web, web and tweetdeck - even twhirl, but I prefer the layout of tweetdeck. I also have personalised my profile page so that britswitch has a witch on it.
A bit famous people have answered me when I have tweeted them with questions. I have found a writing competition to enter, a new band to check out and am taking part in Uncle Glinner's BadMovieNight
I shall on Friday night, promptly at 9pm be sitting down with a copy of The Happening ready to go and tweet deck open, so a bunch of people, who've never met and aren't there can watch a movie together and talk about it. How could I not love it.

Memes from Lexx

2009-02-09T12:52:00.002Z

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Monday, a combination of pent up anger at the Laundrette and PMT.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Occasionally.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LUNCH MEAT? Tofu.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? No, one day maybe.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Probably through a Social Networking site, so I could check on what I was doing and tut!
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Surely not.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I suspect not... I'm not that mental.
10. WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL? I like that American sugary stuff like Fruit Loops and Lucky Charms. But maybe that's more of a dessert than a breakfast.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No, I'm not allowed laces.
12. Lexx:Please note there was no Number 12 when it was sent to me..... Britswitch: Ditto.
13. WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM? Ben and Jerry's. Hokey Pokey, and Pinoli.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Eyes, hands, smile - in that order.
15. RED OR PINK? Red, I'm that Kinda Gal.
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Living too much inside my own head.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Grandma.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? I think they will feel obliged, as is proper.
19. WHAT COLOUR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Grey.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE? All of them.
23. FAVOURITE SMELLS? Fresh baking and Hot Tarmac.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Ma.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I do, I like you Lexx. But not in THAT way. xxx
26. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH? All Blacks playing Rugby. No I don't understand the rules, but that's not why I watch it.
27. HAIR COLOUR? Brown.
28. EYE COLOUR? Brown.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, the thought is icky.
30. FAVOURITE FOOD? Dim Sum.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Enigma, I stayed up late and everything.
33. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Grey.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer (but not in this county).
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs.
36. FAVOURITE DESSERT? Mochi.
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Roses is a mean Meme-er.
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Stephen Fry.
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? 'Circlework', 'Face the Music and Win', 'Wordsmithery' and excitedly about to start 'The End of Mr Y'.
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? My mouse.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Being Human - all my favourite things in one show: Vampires, werewolves and Russell Tovey's bum.
42. FAVOURITE SOUNDS? Lexx:Voicemail when you didn't want to make the call in the first place Britswitch: I would have to agree.
43. ROLLING STONES OT THE BEATLES? The Beatles.
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU’VE BEEN FROM HOME? China, I think.
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can pick up on TV plots very quickly having missed most of the show, same with movies.
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Cyprus.
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GET BACK? Anyone's.
48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER? N/A

Oh Damn, It's that time of year again.

2009-02-09T11:05:00.000Z

Stealth Advertising

2009-01-22T09:14:00.002Z

I have just deleted about half a dozen comments posted through out my blog advertising the likes of "Buy cheap Luis Vitton bags."

Not happy!

If any one thinks of doing it again i will... be disappointed!

I was all excited when I logged in to my email to see all these messages telling me that all these different people had commented on my blog. There was a momentary fleeting thought of "this is it, I've made it!" The thought that somehow someone had stumbled upon my blog and I had somehow gathered a cult following (It might happen you never know). Instead it was several posts all of which were just links to crappy advertising.

Why must these people ruining the internet for the rest of us?

Wha... tha... chuff...!

2009-01-13T15:08:00.000Z

Let me check the date... Yes I'm right, it's January 13th. People haven't yet taken down Christmas decorations and at the supermarket they already have EASTER EGGS !!!!

Memes From Roses

2009-01-06T09:38:00.002Z

1. Do you believe in seeing a rainbow after the rain?
Sometimes, but mostly that's the oil on puddles.
2. If you have a dream come true, what would it be?
Being happy, doing what I love and being in love.
3. Do you believe in eternity love?
In books.
4. What feeling do you love most?
Not being afraid, most of the time.
5. What feeling do you hate the most?
Being afraid.
6. Do you cherish every single friendship of yours?
I cherish many people in many ways, for many different reasons.
7. Do you believe in God?
God, no. god, yes - amongst others.
8. Who cares for you most?
Ma
9. What do you think is the most important thing in your life?
Health
10. What emotion do you like to show?
I like to be be likable, fun and kooky - who knows if I pull it off
11. If you have something troubling you, what do you do?
Brood
12. Who do you admire most?
Strong and interesting woman, who inspire me.
13. Who did you last chat with in a chat room?
A chat what?
14. What kind of person do you think the one I stole this meme from is?
Good people, she's my guru in many things.
15. What colour did you use to dye your hair?
Not recently but i used to be goth black.
16. Why are you doing this meme?
Roses: I haven't done one for awhile and they're fun. Britswitch: Ditto
17. What do you do when you’re moody?
Brood
18. At which age do you wish to or did you, get married?
I thought it would be 25, still waiting for someone who I don't immediately envision the divorce battle.
19. If today is the last day of your life, what will you do?
Head somewhere hot.
20. Who is the person you trust the most?
Ma
21. Last time you smiled?
48 hours ago.
22. What are you listening to right now?
Secret Agent X-9 (Not loving it)
23. Who was the last person you saw in your dream?
Beast from the X-Men - don't read too much into it.
24. Are you talking to someone while doing this?
Only my imaginary friend. Their answers are wrong!
25. Do you walk with your eyes open or closed?
Probably open, but i do still bump into stuff, and spill stuff down my front.
26. Is there a quote you live by?
Dance like it hurts,/ Love like you need money,/ Work when people are watching -- Scott Adams
27. Do you want someone you cannot have?
It's a standard requirement.
28. Who always makes you laugh?
Hottie, Roses, Mark Tavener - but I don't know him personally.
29. What was the worst idea you’ve had this week?
Hmm, it's only Tuesday... Probably finishing the packet of gingernuts.
30. Do you speak another language other than English?
I speak a little bit of several languages, but I don't think I could make myself understood in any of them.

Twelfth Night

2009-01-05T09:03:00.000Z

I am not really sure what Twelfth Night celebrates but I'm not so worried as the roots of the celebration are good and old, and English. And that's enough for me. There are yummy pagan roots with the green man and wassailing - all of which I approve of.
I celebrated by heading over to Bankside on Sunday (which was actually 11th night, but never mind) and would have enjoyed myself with ye olde englishe songs and the shouting, but it was bitterly cold and I lost all feeling in my feet and movability in my hands. In an effort to stave off the cold, I bought coffee (any excuse), but as I was also trying to take photos for this here blog, I managed to pour it down myself. It was soo cold that the coffee only managed to stay hot for about 10 min.

I am as Cool as I alwys Thought I was. Aiight!

2008-08-26T13:32:00.002Z

I am an Indie Scenster

keffiyeh Kerfuffle

2008-06-09T21:42:00.006Z

I found this story in my new role as foxy new peon of multiculturalism and I think I can now finally declare that the Americans have in fact gone banbonikers![new word I am now patenting. Take it, growth with it, use it well]

Now you will have heard of Dunkin Donuts. You know the ones: sugarary frosting, carbs and calories that make the world just a little bit better. You may have heard of TV chef Rachael Ray. but frankly you have been surfing some funky websites if you've heard of American hack ignoramuses Pam Geller or Michelle Malkin. The last of these are the Genesis for this madcap nonsensical never-believe-it-if-it-wasn't-true story.

The crux of the story is that Dunkin Donuts where forced to pull an online advert featuring Rachael Ray because it was perceived to be too pro-Islamic. Complaints along the line of [the advert ]"offers symbolic support for terrorism." and threats to the company of boycot.
Now glance at the advert posted above... can you tell what it is that was deemed and I quote "hate couture choice".

Yes, of course it is... her natty little scarf!

Pam Geller started it all off by spouting... well we shan't get into what i felt when i stumbled across pointless bigoted idiotic, no stop now, website. and was accelerated by Malkin
After that it snowballed like Blimey! and as a result the Conservative, invisible masses of the ether had managed to pressure the Corporate Giant to remove an online advert for iced coffee and turn it into an issue of anti-American pro-terrorism propaganda.

Now this is a keffiyeh:

and this is the out of proportion point - a keffiyeh is traditional Islamic garb, and white conservative people didn't like that Rachael Ray's scarf looked a BIT like a keffiyeh.
Looking, not even that closely at the advert, Rachael Ray is quiet obviously wearing a floral print scarf. but in true American bigger-is-better style it has taken on new proportions.
Beware leaving the house in anything floaty this season.
On the whole though hugely disappointed once again with human nature I find this story hugely entertaining. as much as i am against globalized corporation I was on Dunkin Donuts side. or at least I would have been had they not been such wusses about the whole thing and bowed to pointless, invisible, ridiculous pressure.i pref ere krispy Kreme anyway.

E17...big up possie massive. Which is me.

2008-05-27T09:47:00.008Z

I have been in the East End for a whole week now and seem to be settled. I have found my local supermarket (which is independant not a chain) I have a local wholefoods shop to buy all that healthy flavourless vegetarian food from. I have already joined the library and put a stack of books on order; as Nancy has pointed out I have made myself right at home. Years of private education and a nomadic lifestyle has made me very good at that skill.
The new flat is pleasant,

there is a constant ream of visitors and carers so there is always someone to see and Nancy is a sweetheart.
We have similar levels of OCD about the important things in life such as the formating of emails and the having of stuff in the right place. I get to talk about art, we are going to see some exhibitions and I have already seen her short film.
"Elegy for the Elswick Envoy"

Life is rather good at the moment.

2008-05-04T14:26:00.003Z

I am very Slowly dismantaling britswitchsays and pulling together my Myspace, Not sure what to do with it yet other than link some other projects to it. Other that getting some writing done I am lucky enough to have a sprinkling of social engagements on the horizon, one which heavily features sock monkeys and tell me how can that not be fun. I have read about half a dozen books none of which have disappointed and I am forever inching closer to my goal of moving to London and actually being employed with work and everything.
and if you've not heard of this before now (I am late on the scene, again) enjoy:

What the Chuff...!?

2008-05-03T13:46:00.001Z

I have just finished Dave Gorman's new adventure America Unchained where in I read about the laudable attempt to avoid corporate hegemony in the US. But much more interestingly I learnt about the weird and wacky world of Mormonism - and I paraphrase "What the chuff..."?!
I have come to accept that there are some right nutcases out there who believe some utter tosh (I count myself among these oddballs, naturally)Scientology - bonkers, but obviously so. Kabbalah - extreme Judaism, like wakeboarding or free climbing only much more semitic. But Mormonism really makes NO sense. There is something about Israelis appearing in American and Jesus coming back just to see them, some gold plates, and magical thingies with some delightfully Norse sounding names - Hummin and Thummin or some such. Something about underwear and no tea and then it all goes gooey and beyond comprehension.
I highly encourage you to read the Gormanised chapter on the subject, the whole book is worth it for that alone. Also if you Can explain that whole Mormon thing I am open to explanations.

Monday

2008-04-28T20:00:00.002Z

Job Interview over and by the skin of my teeth I caught my Bus to get back to the Fine City of N. The job interview was a farce but I also know with certainty that I don't want the job. I am out of yachting. Many pertinent factors I think have made me aware that it's not for me, least of which was the sea sickness.

It was a pleasant weekend in London, but the chances to catch up with people had a 50% failure rate. Everyone who lives in London has this annoying habit of getting out of there when ever they can. 1 party was in Cambridge for the weekend and the other had gone to Oxford. Which left me sitting alone in a hotel room by myself on a Saturday night with naught but Dr Who and a half bottle of red to keep me company. I wanted to go see the Camden Crawl but I got all small-town-girl about it and didn't want to go by myself. Will have to get over that when I move... Did I say? I'm moving to London.
On the Bus on the way back I caught up on the latest goings on in the world via the Guardian and the London free paper - Metro.
Questions:
*What the hell is going on with Mugabe? (which I like to pronounce Mug-a-Bee)
*Boris? What are you thinking London?
*How does no-one notice a girl in a cellar for 25 years?
I admit I am a pleb and when I am finally invited on to the News Quiz or to be the token female on Big Fat Quiz Of The Year I will truly suck and be a huge handicap to my team members but all the same, how did I miss such madness of human strangeness?

Home again, Home again

2008-04-26T19:00:00.000Z

Back in the UK and the weather is amazingly better than anything I have seen in La Rochelle. We had a few nice days but it didn't really get warm.

I grant you that the French Port was delightful, and for a weekend with a hotel room and someone to share it with, it would no doubt be a fine break away from it all. But!... indeed but.
I spent altogether too long there and I never want to go back. Though I would recommend it to others, but I stress for a weekend. You can remain enchanted with it when you don't notice the drunken American students, the prices, and the realisation that you are in the middle of no-where. It was quicker to fly into London than it was to get to the next big town.
I am spending a comfortable couple of days in our country's smoggy great capitol as I have a job interview on Monday and I want to chill out and see friends. I am sleeping in something described as a Cabin Room. Having just left an actual cabin it is Luxurious but as a hotel room it's laughable. I can sit on the bed with my bag on the floor OR I can have my bag on the bed and stand (no room to walk) on the floor.

Advice to an acolyte

2007-11-15T13:52:00.004Z

I received an email via the work avoidance scheme that is facebook the other day, quite randomly from a total stranger asking me to put them on the right road of the ancient 'magickal' path.
Here is a summery of my advice:
First off I am never sure how I feel about the use of the 'K' in magick, if anyone can tell me why this is I would be interested to hear. It always struck me as an unnecessary pretension, but then it does look good on the page.
Those new to the path AVOID anything by Silver Ravenwolf no matter how pretty the covers, Fiona Horne and all those other equally novel approaches to magic(k?)If they aren't going to take it seriously why are you, the first two are just badly written. Same goes for the peculiar array of cross over books that are out there, runic palmistry, reiki tarot and Buddhist Norse mythology, just leave it alone.
If you are starting out get to grips with the basics - you need to know about the sabbats, elements, and grounding etc
2 books I would heartily recommend Starhawk's Spiral Dance and Phylis Curott's Witchcrafting, they will teach you everything you need to know.
Later on, look for listing's board in your local alternative shops, meeting other people is the best way to learn anything. Go to events, moots and groups, meet people. Avoid working groups if you are starting out, you need to be confident with the basics when starting out and you need to have experience. If a working group is going to take you and you have only just started out I would be weary - are they experienced enough to lead a working group?

The most important lesson I learnt when starting out is to trust your instincts, all the books will tell you different things and it is confusing, listen to what speaks to you, if it doesn't ring true, move past it, if a group doesn't feel right leave it.
Most importantly keep a note book of it all, write it all down.
Blessed Be

Latest

2007-11-11T15:16:00.000Z

Have a trawl through the last few days of posts. There are lots of posts back dated that I have now put up. Its extreamly inconvienient not having a dedicated internet connection. So I haven't got as much as I would like. I also can't get my computer online so I am typing bits up on the run. All a bit frustrating.

As to NaNoWriMo. There are altogether too many distractions at the moment. A dog, the desire for coffee,knitting, someone elses DVD cllection, sleep. Am very exhausted. So I am a good few days behind at the moment and I hope to catch up at the begining of next week as I don't have to go to work.

Another day in the life of me

2007-11-08T14:19:00.001Z

So the last couple of days have involved endless photocopying, and the creation of press packs. This has been a long and tedious process and the press packs contain over 30 articles and I have had to make 30 of them. As you can imagine it has been a hell of a lot of photocopying, but my toil over the great faximilating beast was a very good chance to catch up with my mother on thephone and to realise that the photocopier is in dire need of a service.
On the plus side the last of our corporate events are now over and we are allowed to eat the giveaway cakes. (picture to follow) So my morning has been fueled by sugar and marzipan.
On a slightly more sour note a Small rip in my skirt extended itself into a Large rip and I had to spend my lunch hour hunting out a new one. My dignity was saved, though my credit card is a little worse for wear. Not that it was expensive mind, just something I really don't want to have to find the cash for at the moment.

On the NaNoWriMo front I am about on target despite not having done any writing yesterday. The commute from woking to Waterloo is a bit of a drain,and thus my creative juices; but I more than made up for my lack yesterday by finding myself in the fortunate position of being delayed for 30mins just outside Waterloo due to a fatality on the line. It was a slow train and a long wait but got me 5 pages further along.

NaNoWriMo 2007

2007-11-02T17:30:00.000Z

Yesterday was the first day of this years NaNoWriMo challenge. The challenge to write 50,000 words in 30 days.
And I have agreed (with myself obviously, it's only a virtual challenge) to complete this years challenge. Last year I managed a measly 2500 words so I have already managed better this year.
I have taken on the strategy of hand writing my 50,000 words. This way I can write whereever I want, whenever I want. The computer has an annoying tendency to run out of juice when I need it most. This way I stop trying to edit as I go, I just get on and write. December will be edit month. I am quite sure it will mean I end up with almost nothing worth keeping but I will be a lot further on with the writing. I am continuing the story I started as part of the AdDip course and I am finally getting to all the bits that I was really looking forward to writing but wasn't able to. So, so far its going well.
Wish me luck!

Michael Clark Press Call

2007-10-29T19:45:00.000Z

This is something I have never been to before. When I did work experience for the Norwich Theatre Royal Panto all those years ago, I missed it. This was quite an exciting opportunity, especially as this was also the first time I had seen any of Les Noces, which is still very much under wraps at the moment.
Kick off was around 6.30 and there was still a lot of waiting about. This I know is a major part of the arts there is always a lot of waiting about. When I arrived in the theatre two burly stagehands where busily sweeping the stage with squeegees. This was such a non sequitur to what I was expecting to see that I was hugely entertained.The New London Chamber Choir where the first to arrive and there was a lot of walking backwards and forwards across the stage.They arranged themselves tidily in their given positions and then where told that the photo's would be done with out their manuscripts so they all walked off again. About then they lost a little patience and interest, they stood up, they sat down, and then they milled about in general. Michael trudged across the stage, sucking a lollipop, on his way to get where he was going and the cameras went mad, excitedly clicking away like paparazzi after a diva. He does indeed have visible presence on the stage but I thought this was a little much. The dancers arrived shortly after him offering tantalising glimpses of the costumes, and I started to get a bit excited about it all.
The eventual set up was the dancers danced extracts to playback while the Choir mimed behind them, and the photographers had small epileptic fits behind their cameras. Michael padded about between the dancers during the breaks in thick socks and the effect was very paternal and lovable.
Having seen the full musical set up at maida vale the recorded play back was an inevitable let down, but seeing the beginnings of the show come together I thinks its going to be absolutely fabulous, and all other gushingly appropriate descriptive.

Artist to keep an Eye out for

2007-10-20T19:34:00.000Z

I know the website tells you nothing at present but I think Sebastian Willan is going to be big.
Personal opinion obviously, but that's what a blog is for.

Man Cold

2007-10-20T18:52:00.000Z

I know many of you will appreciate this.
I wanna watch Cbbies!

Catch up

2007-10-19T19:46:00.000Z

Friday was my day to go in search of South dock and frankly the day did not go beautifully.
To begin with I was awoken at literally GODKNOWSWHAT o'clock. I was in that lovely marshmallowy warm asleep place when someone started hammering on the door. After stumbling confused and panicked towards the front door, I finally managed to open in it when some blonde in Ugg boots burst through the door declaring "I'm Here" then she looked at me and felling foolish backed out the kitchen - yup she got that far. She apologised profusely in that way that becomes so annoying that you want to smack them for just being polite. She finally went away and I went back to bed, only to be startled awake some few minutes later by her hammering on upstair's windows possibly attempting to subdue a domestic amongst the neighbours, all I do know is that they are OK, because she asked a lot.
When I finally awoke the next day, I had slept in past my intended departure time. I arrived in southwark with tourists at Lunch time. I wandered amongst the confusing back alleys of southwark, lost, foot sore and very sorry for myself. As a result I ended up wending my way towards Fortnum and Mason in need of refined surroundings and cake.
On my way I found out about Eid in the Square on Saturday. I might go.

Shen Wei Dance Arts

2007-10-16T19:00:00.000Z

I got complementary tickets in the Barbican for Shen Wei Dance Arts.
It was beautiful, delightful, inspiring, athletic and tried my patience. Don't get me wrong it was indeed amazing but...
The premise of the piece was that the dancers painted the space that they danced. Sounds pretty artistic and terribly modern and indeed it was. Terribly. I could gleam in my Art school education way references to Chinese calligraphy with the sweeping gestures and the brush stroke effect, but overall the dancers seemed to be rolling about on the floor with socks on their hands. Some of the socks were covered in paint, and some of them not - ahh keeps you guessing you see. Then they rolled about actually covered in paint.
The show was around 70 mins long and in my opinion - my plebeian, uncouth opinion no doubt - it was about 20 mins too long. The movements needed to create the brush strokes and painted space required many contrived moves that began to grate after a short while. The show had been on for 10 mins before anyone actually started dancing. I do appreciate that my tastes are revoltingly traditional, purist and boringly completist; I know this of my self, I own it and I am at one with it.
I feel this way about most art. To my dull senses stripy lines and smudges of colour on a canvas do not constintute substantial art because they do not demonstrate any skill that I, if I put my mind to it could not re-create my self. Therefore with dance, I want choreography, movement and a demonstration of Dance! Yoga bending and an artistic game of statues, I do not.
Again - I am ranting in my characteristically uncultured sort of way. I must assure you that the event was spectacular and the dancers where amazingly disciplined and talented, but I just wanted... something else

Not as innocent as you think

2007-10-15T21:42:00.001Z

In London

2007-10-15T20:56:00.000Z

After much appreciated badgering from Roses I have pulled my finger out and put finger to keyboard - excuse the imagery there. After many weeks of a slowly sinking into nasty unhappy place I am now in London and wallying about on the streets of the capitol with all the other nutters who live here.
So far what has London taught me...
1 Just because you can build it really doesn't mean you should
2 Shoes are the evil punishment for sins of my previous life
3 It requires shades of death-wish to leave the house, every one here is Maad!
4 I cannot afford to live here
All in all I am comfortable in thanks to my lovely cousin who has been kind enough to house me and partially feed me, who's off on holiday. So woohoo, swanky flat to self for a couple of weeks. My duties for being allowed to stay is to keep things very clean and tidy as the flat is on the market which is not too much trouble. I have also, since staying here discovered the way to cook brown rice! Now I hear many voices raised in a murmur of "Why would you want to?" Well I didn't, but brown rice was 80p for a great big bag vs £1.20 for minimal offering of bismati, I ignored the brown for a few days until I watch Saturday cooks - yes I know, but the hairy bikers where on so I had to. They made rice noodle and used vinegar so they wouldn't stick, I took the tip and added rice vinegar - the sort of thing my cousin has knocking about his swanky London pad - and hey presto brown rice that didn't taste like packing filler and was totally edible, I pass on this tip on with love.

Also chai = boil tea, cinnamon, cardamon, ginger and cloves, milk and sugar to taste, how easy is that! Saved myself some money at Starbucks already.

PS I finished ECDL and passed!

Ephemera

2007-08-30T13:03:00.000Z

If ever there was a clear indication that I spend toooooo much time online, this must be it. As every one always asks me - How do I find this stuff. Answer: Eydunno!
Enjoy

I give you A pointless waste of time!

Shiney new blog

2007-08-29T18:58:00.000Z

Well not that shiny no, but I have tidied it up over the last few days and tinkered with some colours and reorganised some links and edited out others. I was sat pretending to do more ECDL - like I am now, and realised that the Blog page was a mess. There were a load of links I hadn't used in an age and some which were utterly irrelevant so they had to go. Its not a startling difference I grant you but it does feel like it has taken forever to achieve. All the same I am pleased with the indifferent results. Check out Ramblers new updated highly improved Blog too.

On the job front the only positive response I've had is from an agency in the capitol, which was not an offer of work but was an offer to interview me to put me on their books, so still no paid wadge. On the other hand a got a successive 5 emails telling me that they couldn't help me. Granted two of them were from an Admin office telling me that they didn't accept applications after the closing date, something not made clear on the Guardian application system - Which rather begs the question "Why were they still on the website!?"

In slightly less exciting news, I learn't a new stich, and you can't see the mistakes I made in my first attempt at knitting it. Woo!

Reality TV... Not!

2007-08-28T17:24:00.000Z

The Two Coreys Show
My 80's teen heart throb still can't act! But my happpy inner 80's teen is glad to see someone still paying them for something!

I am so Wired!

2007-08-27T14:09:00.000Z

I am sat here searching for jobs with one hand and feeding my face with peanut M&Ms with the other, paying half a mind to ECDL databases whilst also listening to trashing music.
I am on my third cup of coffee and the combination of sugar, colourings, caffeine and sleep deprivation mean the world is look really funny right now.

CV mania

2007-08-26T20:03:00.000Z

I have been a very good britswitch for the nice people at the Jobseeker department o' work and pensions. This weekend I applied for [drum roll]... 28 jobs. Now Please, please someone acknowledge me and GIVE ME A JOB!!!!
I will admit that this process has been fuel by a lot of caffeine, sugar and Bollywood. So hopefully all those applications do actually make sense otherwise I am going to look a little mad... OK as mad as I really am.

Links

2007-08-25T13:32:00.001Z

I know I said This stuff would go on to Britswitch says but it co-ordinated so nicely with my blog I left it here.

A Day Off?

2007-08-24T19:56:00.000Z

Its amazing how you promise yourself a day of absolute mooching and it doesn't happen. You get all those nasty little jobs out the way: cleaning, laundry, bake bread, washing up - so you can sit back and enjoy your unadulterated mooch, guilt free (Ye Gods, sometimes i am so very catholic) and half the day has gone. As a result my unadulterated mooch became popcorn for dinner and a crappy movie, a movie so dross-like i have already forgotten what it was.
So off to bed with a so-so book.
Too Rock and rolle, Nah!

Bridesmaidism

2007-08-20T20:35:00.000Z

My eyes have been opened to the seriously nasty selection of overpriced dresses in the world of wedding fluff. I admit that the presence of "House of Couture" in Norwich and the tradition of standing outside the cinema laughing (those who helped established this ritual, know what I mean) mean't that my eyes were fairly wide open to the hideousness of taffeta trolls, but this was the first time I got up close and personal to tulle, lace and satin in all it offensiveness. Bride-to-be does of course look fab and the bridesmaid dresses came from another shop entirely (I can't say where or show the picture in case Groom-to-be should some how find his way to this blog and it would give the game away - could happen you never know)which mean we all look like the sexy what-nots that we already know we are.

The moral of this adventure: it puts in to perspective what I am willing to go through should I find a fool willing enough to marry me - and I warn you now its not much.

Britswitch?.... Here!

2007-08-16T12:44:00.000Z

So I have been absent for a few days. I realise that is a huge understament as looking back I was eagerly anticipating the beginging of Hero's and now we are a good few weeks in and I am hooked.
I have been continuing with the tedium of ECD"Well Done!" which if I am honest once I have escaped the patronising torture of the learn direct centre I have almost no wish to sit down at a computer again for a full 24 hours. On the upside I survived Excel and am well on my way to enduring Access, then all I have to do is subject myself to Powerpoint and it is all over!!!!
Rambler then went onto distract me further by offering me the chance to go and relive the old days. I have been scrubbing the water line, washing down and sanding the foredeck. If none of those phrases mean much to you, Rambler and I have been working on her and her tame engineer's boat. Unfortunatly the weather beat us to any serious work so I was of no real use. In the middle of this trip down memory lane I had to absent myself to go play at being a brides maid for a weekend. Which of course has dragged me away from the internet once more.

Finally watching TV

2007-07-25T16:34:00.000Z

Woke up this Morning after having a really strange dream about the Gryffindor Sword - I am not Obsessed I am Immersed it's not the same thing.

Dentist - everything "lovely" - his words not mine.
More ECDL, yawn.

Hero's is on tonight. I really like the concept of it, it was one of the reasons I liked Mystery Men so much and The Authority comics, but I just hope that American TV execs haven't screwed up, as it is such a rich folkloric notion and it is all to easily crushed by people who have absolutely no connection or perception of people. Fingers crossed, I want to enjoy it.

HP: Ron V not Awww

Yey courses

2007-07-24T18:27:00.000Z

Or rather the end of them!
I have finagled my way through Pitman's Touch typing. I have finished all my units and all that remains is for me to return just once to their stinky mildewy nasty little teaching rooms to take my test and I never have to set foot in there again. An I actively dissuade any of you from indulging the idea of studying with them, this is obviously just a personal opinion not based on fact thereby giving Pitman's International absolutely no reason to sue me.
Also I got my haircut this afternoon and feel like a shiney new me, nothing drastic just a trim but it does make me feel all neat and tidy and I like that.

HP: Aww Ron is soo sweet.

Frigging Courses

2007-07-23T19:21:00.000Z

I arrived sans Elder for my first stint at EC-bloody-L happy in the knowledge that I must at least be half way there.... NO!
One of the dizzy bintages who work there sits down and tries to tell me off that THEY havn't given me a review every three weeks -For the last year, and that I havn't finished Part 1 - like they told me I had, I had another two units to do.
Another two units of how to turn on a computer, how to save a file and I swear if I have covered print preview once I have covered it a dozen times and I am begining to really resent cut and paste.

I start Harry Potter tonight, I am going to bed early.

Radio Bunny

2007-07-21T16:12:00.000Z

I was on the radio again today with Raj and Pablo on the BBC Asian Network's Love Bollywood programme.
I was out buying Harry Potter V11 when they called, it was a mighty culture clash inside my head.
Then when all was calm and I was no longer media luvvie I found I couldn't pick up HPVI to read because I am quite sad that its all going to end. So I have decided it is my treat for next week
I have booked Britswitch Elder and myself in for a punishing marathon session of "How to turn on a computer.." and we are going to go tackle the Pitman stinkers too. So after all that my reward will be to settle in my billowy duvet with a cuppa and HP before I drop off to sleep.
Those of you who have done the record sprint to the final page.. DON'T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS!!!
Off to Ruthie's Wedding tonight to shake my socks in the country.

I think I may Suffer from an Addiction...

2007-07-18T08:37:00.000Z

other than Internet addiction obviously.
I just had a tidy up of my bookshelf and realised just how many books I have bought in the last 3 weeks. Allow me to explain by way of confrontation and self intervention:

*The Tower Menagerie by Danial Hahn - the one one book I restrained myself to, during New Writing Worlds which had nothing to do with the event.

*Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh
*The Lighthouse Stevensons by Bella Bathhurst
*The Naked Civil Servant by Quentin Crisp - £ for £10 at tesco and it seemed a shame not to take then up on the offer.

The curse the Oxfam bookshop manifested when I wandered in and bought 6 murder mystery novels. All GACF and all pretty green classic penguin covers. A Maigret, A Poirot, An Inspector Alleyn, A John LeCarre, A father Brown and another one that has just fallen behind the desk.

Then I went to Bournemouth to see Rambler. Now some women to make themselves feel better buy lipsticks or new shoes, I buy Books. As I had left Norwich post funeral I arrived in Bournemouth feeling tired and sorry to myself. Rambler being understanding and considerate let me out the house by myself but foolishly told me where there was a book sale. I returned with:
*Doctor in Clover and Doctor on Toast by Richard Gordon
*Literary Heritage series - The English Tradition: Poetry (I have been thinking about exploring my Inner Poet, but don't worry I wont make you read any)
*The Theory of Criticism. Ed Raman Selden (Something I feel I should know more about)
*The English Novel by Walter Allen (A classic I believe)
*Reading a Novel by Walter Allen (See previous comment)
*Usage and Abusage by Eric Partridge (No-one has ever taught me Grammar, so I am teaching myself)
*The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris - Um...it was 3 for £1
*The Frank Muir Book by Frank Muir
And finally
*Angels and Archetypes by Carmen Boulter (it's about goddess myths and stuff)

Then to kill time the other day I once again walked into the Oxfam bookshop and walked out with
*Fantasia of the Unconscious by DH Lawrence
*Bestseller by Claude Cockburn
*Aspects of the Novel by EM Forster
Its like some vicious striking creature.

Now perusing this list I am happy to see that I haven't bought anything that has greatly ashamed me and found its way on to my guilty pleasure shelf but I have, alarmingly I realise, justified almost every purchase - which smacks of dependency to me.
The overly sad thing is none of this is going to get read until after Harry Potter. which of course, I have also bought.

I am not sure I can apply the twelve step programme here though.

Apologies for a gross over use of wikipedia!

Grown Up

2007-07-17T18:37:00.000Z

Without really trying I seem to have made all these adult decision about what to do when I grow up and how to do it.
Yey me!

Harry Potter

2007-07-15T19:05:00.000Z

Whilst having a little scout about online for Gossip about Harry Potter and shipper friendly fan fiction (I am wierd like that) I stumbled across some frankly strange and some pretty funky fan art and this Discussion. Never has biscuits and popular culture smashed together in such a strange and delightful way.
I am racing my way through Order of the Phoenix and Half Blood Prince - cos I can't remember what's going on before the new release. I will admit I am a little bit excited. Unfortunately my two Midnight release pals have dropped out, so I think I will just get up early instead of waiting about til midnight. Especially as I have a wedding Saturday night and won't be able to discuss plot bunnies with anyone until the following week.

PS moved quiz entires to Britswitch says, because thats what I said I'd be doing. really need to keep on top of this.

Gryffindor Scarf

2007-07-12T14:23:00.000Z

Thanks to Rambler's infectious enthusiasm, I found myself awake at an ungodly hour on my return journey to the city of N to go and see the new Harry Potter movie
Two thumbs up and dandy bucket of pop corn with all the trimming.
I Really enjoyed it and am becoming convinced that the perky little trio are beginning to act not just squeak in front of a camera. As a side effect of Rambler's giddy anticipation I found myself late Monday afternoon in a wool shop in Christchurch seeking an appropriate red and gold with which to knit a school scarf to wear to the cinema, and spent all day yesterday furiously knitting it. I now have tennis elbow and a knitting blister. It hurts to type in fact, but I now have dress up materials for the book launch.

Jurassic Coast and Durdle door

2007-07-08T20:49:00.000Z

Look what I found. Rambler tried very hard to educate me with her handbook on fossils but I was enjoying smashing rocks to much to take it over seriously.
Finally I was taken uphill and down dale or whatever they are called in this part of the country, but it was worth it for the view.

The day was nicely rounded of by the sight of a woman trying to climb the route to the beach in pin heeled sandals, and a cream tea. I now hurt from top to toe so I'm off to bed.

Back! Again.

2007-07-08T19:28:00.000Z

After a long silence and so desperately missed by all my fans (hahaha) I have returned. Sorry about that but I like doing this so you'll just have to put up with it.
I have I feel a valid excuse for my absence as I have had a death in the family and frankly that sort of think takes a lot out of you and is very time consuming, leaving you little time for fripperies like blogging.
I have missed you all. Even if it is just the great deafening silence of anonymity in cyber space - I have missed you.
I have returned with many a fond resolution about how to continue with this blog and it will certainly be an experiment to see if I keep to them.
Resolution 1 : The silly scrap booking effect of my last few entries (memes, lists most vids and other nonsense) will remain in the hedonistic sphere of Britswitch says, this is after all supposed to be a serious thing here - you can stop laughing now.
Resolution 2 : Keep on the subject of this blog the everyday experiences of a dizzy reader and a hopeful writer. A confused and lost soul buffeted between literature and pulp fiction.
So that is me, here I am. Please help me.

Bollywood Facebook

2007-07-07T20:44:00.000Z

I was on the radio becasue A: i was on facebook and B: joined the facebook family.
its cringeworthy but there you go, thats me all over.
Also here in Bournemouth to see Rambler so the whole interview was done on the bus.

Coffee, Hot Air Balloons and Noddy is Gay

2007-07-06T19:47:00.000Z

I arrived at coffee haunt, book in hand and ordered coffee. I had purposefully arrived early so as to read the Dumas club (very useful notes here though spoilers) A book I am enjoying like well-mad and recommending to all and sundry. I sat for about half an hour when Roses arrived and I ordered a coffee. We enjoyed brunch and caught up on all relevant information (funeral, Degree show, Dublin, books, boys etc)Ma and her tame blacksmith arrived and I ordered coffee. We all ummed and ahh over cake and then further members of visiting family arrived. I ordered coffee.
By this time as you can imagine I was beginning to twitch. Roses dashed of to do important Roses type things and I found myself blockaded into the corner by elderly aunt and elderly aunt's shopping bags. It was very much like being 13 again; when all the adults are talking and the kids sit petulant and bored at the end of the table. And there where two of us - pilot and I have known each other since we could crawl and have on many occasion sat bored and petulant on the end of the table.
Anyhoo conversation progressed and A relative expressed an interest in hot air ballooning. Pilot, one for horse power and engines, preferred planes and told about his recent experience in a helicopter. He seems to think it a very good thing that you can see the thousands of ft below your own and recommended the experience. I disagreed especially when he added that the experience was "a bit bumpy". Discussion then progressed to gliders "are great fun" - again I found it hard to agree. Nailing ones-self inside a box and hurtling gracefully towards the ground - doesn't work for me, but then a wicker basket suspended beneath a 12 ft flame does, which of us is sicker?
Whilst having this little chat the elderly aunt had been talking with the members present at the other end of the table. I tuned in in time to hear the mortifying phrase "PC has just gone too far now". I tried my best to pretend not to be one of the party (very hard when you are pinned into the corner) as we traversed gollywogs, who was really offended,and finally gay! Someone had got the notion from somewhere that Noddy had been declared officially gay. The tame blacksmith at this point in an attempt to lighten the mood piped up "Noddy's gay is he? I thought there was something funny about him" and I piped in "It's something in the way he walks."
Now you know when you hear something in your head and it sounds COMPLETELY different. I had, in my head been thinking of the fatuous comments that people make along the lines of 'you can tell he's shifty look at his eyes' or 'he's a foreigner, you can tell by the way he dresses'. Once this comment had left my mouth I realised i had proceeded to crack what was actually a filthy joke.
Sigh I wonder if the family will ever look at me the same again.

Pre Funeral, Funeral and Post Funeral

2007-07-05T20:26:00.000Z

I survived the funeral and the close proximity of people I am related to.
Wednesday through Thursday to quickly sum up/gloss over went thus-
Weds eve : a quiet dinner of around 20 people, me drinking gin and red wine hiding on the porch in the rain
Thursday morning : went to play at the jobcentre which is enough to make you thoroughly consider the application of throat to razor. In a flurry of new make up (not something I usually go in for) a gallopingly shrinking time frame and ridiculously high heels (pictures to follow) I was hurried out the door to arrive at the grandparental unit's house to wait for cars and leave for crem. I nearly tripped over in silly shoes in front of everyone at crem on the way to lighting a candle. Came back to gramps house and swallowed as much fizzy wine as I could stick my glass in front of. Another quiet dinner with 20 odd people.

I must thank Roses for her continued support and the surprised tone in her compliments when I saw her briefly Thurs night.

Happy Inner Geek

2007-05-06T15:22:00.000Z

One mvie I really want to see. I am so Buying the Hype.

My favourite Post on YouTube:
that movie is gonna be so bad. and i'm gonna see it with such focus. probably won't even sneak in. that's right. i'll pay. money! to see it.

PS Roses, Boy: I looked and I looked the Pussy Cats Doll Vid is GONE!!! Sob!

Photo Joke

2007-04-02T15:24:00.000Z

I laughed. Out loud and everything. (tho I will be honest, I'm not 100% sure why)
Many thanks b3ta

Right I must go do something useful.

But then I found out how to be a better Feminist. Equal Rights and a Good Education just weren't enough. I was wrong all along.... [humbled] Not!

(Dear Goddess I am getting so American, a symptom of spending too much time in the blogosphere)

More Memes...

2007-04-01T11:31:00.000Z

1. Where is your Mobile phone?: Dining Table
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend?:Hahahahahah[wipes tear from eye]
3. Your hair?: Getting over a mistaken haircut.
4. Your mother?: alive
5. Your father?: alive
6. Your favorite item?: DAB Radio
7. Your dream last nite?: I remember some one with glasses, that's it.
8. Your favorite drink?: Chai
9. Your dream car?: MG midget in red.
10. The room you are in?: Roses' lounge
11. Your ex? about the place
12. Your fear?: Hypodermics
13. What do you want to be in 10 years?: Happy
14. Who did you hang out with last night?: Roses' cat
15. What you're not?: Employed and a Grown Up
16. Muffins?:Feta and Black olive
17. One of your wish list items?: A publishing deal.
18: Time?: is that AM or PM
19. The last thing you did?: Watched Dr Who and Drank cider
20. What are you wearing?: PJ's
22. Your favorite book?: Cold Comfort Farm
23. The last thing you ate?: Cake
24. Your life?: Desperate
25. Your mood?: Denial
26. Your friends?: Too good for me.
27. What are you thinking about right now?: If someone is going to email me back.
28. Your car?: no, I walk
29. What are you doing at the moment? drinking coffee, blogging
30. Your summer?: We shall see
31. Your relationship status?: see No2
32. What is on your TV?: BBC Asian Network (and its not my TV)
33. Yesterday?: Ate Cake and read.
34. Last time you cried?: watching Happy Feet (its the Hormones)
35. School?: Third time lucky.

Memes... 'parently.

2007-04-01T10:53:00.000Z

MEME
noun, a cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one generation to another by non-genetic means (as by imitation); "memes are the cultural counterpart of genes"
From WordNet

Meme-philosophy
/meem/ [By analogy with "gene"] Richard Dawkins's term for an idea considered as a replicator, especially with the connotation that memes parasitise people into propagating them much as viruses do.
Memes can be considered the unit of cultural evolution. Ideas can evolve in a way analogous to biological evolution. Some ideas survive better than others; ideas can mutate through, for example, misunderstandings; and two ideas can recombine to produce a new idea involving elements of each parent idea.
The term is used especially in the phrase "meme complex" denoting a group of mutually supporting memes that form an organised belief system, such as a religion. However, "meme" is often misused to mean "meme complex".
Use of the term connotes acceptance of the idea that in humans (and presumably other tool- and language-using sophonts) cultural evolution by selection of adaptive ideas has become more important than biological evolution by selection of hereditary traits. Hackers find this idea congenial for tolerably obvious reasons.
From On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Now having Officially demonstrated that I have no life (some more) I'll Just get on with this one here. Many thanks to Roses and Amethyst for facilitating these demonstrations. I love you both.

Place an X by all the things you've done, or remove the X from the ones you have not.
Smoked a cigarette X
Drank so much you threw up X
Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back X
Been arrested
Gone on a blind date
Skipped school
Seen someone die
Been to Canada X
Been to Florida X
Been to Mexico
Been on a plane X
Been lost X
Been on the opposite side of the country
Gone to Chicago
Swam in the ocean X
Felt like dying X
Cried yourself to sleep X
Played cops and robbers
Recently colored with crayons X(Well, oil pastels, grown up crayons.)
Sang karaoke X
Paid for a meal with only coins X
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't X
Made prank phone calls
Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose X
Caught a snowflake on your tongue X
Danced in the rain X
Written a letter to Santa Claus X
Been kissed under the mistletoe
Watched the sun rise with someone you care about X (see no. 3)
Blown bubbles X
Made a bonfire on the beach
Crashed a party
Gone roller skating X
Ice-skating X
Any nicknames?
Ever steal any traffic signs?A temporary Bus stop
Ever been in a car accident? Whilst on a Test Drive
Was it your fault? I think so.
2 Doors or 4 Doors? 2
Salad dressing? Balsamic Vinaigrette
Favorite pie? Humble
Favorite number? 9
Favorite movie? Funny Bones
Favorite holiday? Any in the sun.
Favorite dessert? Pinoli Gelatto, in Italy Very important ingredient.
Favorite food? Poppadoms
Favorite day of the week? Saturday
Favorite brand of body soap? Niel's Yard
Favorite TV show? House
Favorite Toothpaste? American Cinnamon flavoured stuff
Favorite smell? Cinnamon
What do you do to relax? Hide
Do you have a message to your friends reading this now? Help
How do you see yourself in 10 years? Better dressed and employed hopefully.
What do you do when you are bored? Fill in things like this online.

H'internet

2007-03-23T18:56:00.000Z

Many of the reason I love the internet. And the Daily Show.
Peace out Yo!

BookMarked

2007-03-18T17:24:00.000Z

So i can find this again later and share with others.

Stompy Feet

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Online world

2007-03-17T13:05:00.000Z

Made my first online chat buddy. I say buddy, it was my first anonymous conversation with another person somewhere in the world. It was a discussion about books too so I was happy. So BeB where ever you be, enjoy Amanda Quick novels.
Potted Amanda Quick Plot:
Feisty young blue stocking, catches attention of mysterious society Rake, she has murky past which makes her not trust him, he has murky past which makes him trust no one. There is a mystery and a murder and they trot off to solve it, usually using some kind of psychical phenomena. They fall in love along the way, with all that usually entails. Then final chapter summarises the whole book for the peripheral characters who weren't there at the climax.

Favourite activity:
Getting songs stuck in peoples head - its like a mild form of terrorism.

Dreams

2007-03-11T11:44:00.000Z

Sometimes my inner world is a dark and mysterious place, frightening even. Its one of the reason I have never felt the need to take psychotropic drugs. My dreams are usually weird twisted and peculiar,
but then sometimes...

My brain gives me something a little more pretty to look at. (Unfortunately that's all i got to do)

My Inner Goddess

2007-03-07T15:09:00.000Z

A Boost to your Moral

2007-03-05T13:42:00.000Z

Pictures

Words
I think it was Donald Mainstock, the great amateur squash player who pointed out how lovely I was. Until that time I think it was safe to say that I had never really been aware of my own timeless brand of loveliness. But his words smote me, because of course you see, I am lovely in a fluffy moist kind of way and who would have it otherwise?
I walk, and let’s be splendid about this, in a highly accented cloud of gorgeousness that isn’t far short of being, quite simply terrific.
The secret of smooth almost shiny loveliness, of the order of which we are discussing, in this simple, frank, creamy sort of way, doesn’t reside in oils, unguents, balms, ointments, creams, astringents, milks, moisturisers, liniments, lubricants, embrocations or balsams, to be rather divine for just one noble moment, it resides, and I mean this in a pink slightly special way, in ones attitude of mind.
To be gorgeous, and high and true and fine and fluffy and moist and sticky and lovely, all you have to do is believe that one is gorgeous and high and true and fine and fluffy and moist and sticky and lovely.
And I believe it of myself, tremulously at first and then with rousing heat and passion, because, stopping off for a second to be super again, I’m so often told it.
That’s the secret really.

Say that in front of the Mirror and you will feel - Lovely.

Religion

2007-03-05T11:38:00.000Z

Fan Art

2007-03-03T23:08:00.000Z

Well it amused me.

Sunday

2007-02-25T12:02:00.000Z

Coffee, with cream and sugar.
Sunday soundtrack.
Satisfaction/distraction of cleaning Bathroom.
Cold Comfort Farm on Listen again.
Hired Bollywood on Video (even if it did have ad breaks - BUY TILDA RICE!)
Finished 1 book and started another.
Comfy Clothes and Warm socks

Small Things make all the difference. Make life a little more bearable.

Being Alone

2007-02-22T11:47:00.000Z

Had a very interesting conversation with the Elder yesterday about the difference between being alone and being lonely. It turns out my mothers has great depths of wisdom sometimes. Goddess Bless her. Also we are both going through some mess stuff. It is amazing liberating to sit down and chat with her, and take for granted sometimes what a fantastic parent she is. I don't laud her praises enough.

I have the house to my self as Elder runs off to Ramsgate for the weekend to re-group (we all do it in our own way, I suppose) and I am re-grouping at home with lashings of Fresh coffee with cream and sugar and a stack of Bollywwod from the Library.
You may have noticed I have an obsession.

In Jokes Explained

2007-02-22T11:46:00.000Z

See yesterdays post about DON.

SRK and In Jokes

2007-02-21T20:30:00.000Z

Here I sit, finally listening to the Sunday Soundtrack only 3 days late, which is more prompt than last week where I missed it altogether. Sundays just arn't quiet the same with out it, much like Hottie and her need for the Archers omnibus. But what made me happy was the discovery that ShahRukh Kahn (run ShahRukh, run)
won Best Villian in Film cafe awards. I discovered this late Saturday night when the radio played some nasty remix which was about five mins of dance beat and a sample of "Don, Don, Don." every few seconds. Now those of you upon whom I have inflicted pretty little SRK will have realised that he doesn't make a great villian, or some might argue - Actor; but someone has lauded him for it. Now I totally have to see (Knock, Knock. "Who is it?) Don.

Art through Pain

2007-02-19T10:20:00.000Z

Feeling a bit hollow after the anniversary weekend. Emotionally drained and mostly confused. Rather than remembering Grandma in any particular way (or at all) we had a really bad meal out and then the northern side of the family spent most of sunday obsessing about the fire alarm - replacing the battery 3 times and clusters of them fretting about underneath it rather than looking up the instructions and fixing it.

Thanks to Hottie and Roses for their support, I was feeling pretty lonely out there.
But as a result I have identified my Genre that I am writing in and written 1700 words of prologue. This is mostly out of just keeping my head down and getting on with it.

Ode to Organisation

2007-02-13T15:57:00.000Z

How is it possible for one person to collect so many BITS of paper in one life time. I have started the uphill struggle of organising my life and have perpetually encountered this barrier to a serene and peaceful existance. the thing is they all look important too.
Great Goddess, Please declutter my life!

Script Writing

2007-02-07T21:33:00.000Z

After surviving the Madness of turning stir crazy, I had a scriptwriting class, we concentrated on opening scenes and work shopped someones writing. I feel essentially a geek as I found myself making all sorts of obscure references and possibly some really good points, I couldn't be sure of course it wasn't my script.
But after a long chat with Bride to Be on the phone on the way home, I feel much more human. My couple of weeks in charge a Roses' has been a good healing space for me before Grandads Cremation on Friday and I have got more done than I thought. I didn't get the things done that I set out to do but I have managed to achieve a lot towards getting that stuff done later. Have some ideas to work on before college kicks off again and am getting CV sorted out.
so Mood: Smug,
and possibly hungry.

Embolden the Enemy

2007-02-06T19:36:00.000Z

This entertained me greatly when I saw it on the TV and I was very happy to discover that I could find it online and watch it again. and again if so desired.

Allso my bugbear of the moment, why are all the toys for little girls only teaching little girls to put on make up and be obbsessed with fashion or boys. Can't we teach them something more substantial and useful. Anything, really. How to survuve in the wilderness in comfort? What that wierd curly pointy thing is on a penknife? Self defense? Something, anything must be better.

I'm Not fond of Mondays

2007-02-05T10:05:00.000Z

Allow me to introduce -

Britswitch says:

In a gross attempt at work avoidance and mighty procrastination I have set up a livejournal blog as well. Just to see what happens and to experiment with the different blogging models. I am now going to procrastinate some more by making a large pot of coffee and listening to the end of sunday soundtrack.

Also you'll noticed I figured out the nice neat linking button on my posts. Its a Nice Shiney Button that had been there all along. Silly me.

Hungover

2007-02-04T20:59:00.000Z

Had a really nice day being introduced to a a genre of fiction that I feel I maybe able able to embrace. Steam Punk, and it turns out that I have already been reading some examples of this genre all along. Yey!
This has further sorted out the problem I have been having with my current piece as I was trying to figure out what it was the hell it was I was trying to write.
So good day all in all.
Now if only I could find the paracetamol.

What will we Learn..?

2007-02-03T11:44:00.000Z

Credit where credit is due I copied this from this site. (I can't do that pretty thing that makes it look like nice text - anyone one who knows how feel free to send me the instructions).

The premise was "Things Blogging has taught me."I thought it was quite inspiring:

*The world is both bigger and smaller than I’d ever imagined.
*There is great power in words.
*Blogging can very easily be considered work. Lots of it.
*24 hours in a day isn’t enough.
*Making a mistake and being called on it can be one the best learning experiences you can have.
*You really can meet cool people online. And many of them are not so bad in person either!
*It’s easy to mix up “it’s” and “its”. Same goes for “your” and “you’re”. Oh and “too” and “to”.
*Don’t trust spellcheck.
*Blogs are great for marketing and PR if done the right way.
*I’ve got friends in low places.
*The world is full of passionate people.
*Storytelling is one of the best ways to convey a message.
*People love gadgets. And porn.
*Defensiveness makes you look bad.
*People I’ve never met care about me, and I care about people I’ve never met.
*Links are a new form of currency.
*Blogging is a great way to express yourself.
*Blogging is a great way to manage knowledge and lessons learned.
*Geek is the new pink.
*Smaller is better.
*Writing is hard!
*Most people are more positive than negative.
*Some people actually can make a living blogging. Imagine that.
*A well-placed f-bomb can go along way.
*Mainstream media is full of shit.
*Everyone has a bad day.
*Crankiness comes in waves and affects many at once.
*Popular doesn’t always mean good.
*The best way to become better at something is to keep doing it.
*Comments make great content.
*Conversations are a great way to communicate.
*You’ve got to love what you do to do it really well.
*People actually do read Web content.
*Making an ass out of yourself will get you lots of attention.
*Censorship is lame.
*Perfect is the enemy of the good.
*Clever writing can be frustrating.
*Sub-headers are priceless. As are lists.
*The future is text-based.
*Content management is a process, not a technology.
*If you step away from it, the blogosphere will still be there when you get back.
*Asking a question is a great way to get a response. (Obvious I know…)

What do you feel Blogging has taught you? That's your homework.

Ritual and Creativity

2007-02-03T11:32:00.000Z

This is quoted from the 2007 Sacred Journey Journal by Cheryl Thiele

About Creativity
Everyone is creative, even those who deny that they possess any talents in the arts. Every choice we make, every decision, every new activity is creative. Although creativity is often associated with the muse and the spirit of art making, most aspects of our daily choices involve creativity. The foods we prepare, the style in which we dress, the way we organise our closets and pantries, how we clean our homes and plant our gardens - all involve creativity.

Each of us can increase our awareness and cultivate a more conscious creative life. Practise stretching your creative muscles by doodling, drawing, pasting, writing and even thinkling about activities you take for granted that indicate how creative your life already is.

Creativity opens us to the wonders of spontaneous change and helps us to break habits and depart from our mundane routines. Creativity gives us a way to "unstick" ourselves from patterns we default to. When we follow through with our creative ideas, we open to the powers of serendipity and synchronicity. It is from this place that some of our most meaningful and unexpected life experiences occur.

This quote was inspired after reading a post on Amethyst's Blog and the fact that yesterday was Imbolc. I really like the idea that ritual and creativity are pretty much inseparable. Imbolc was as lovely as it usually is. I am looking forward to a year that is going to be far more successful, positive and interesting than last.

Blue Blood

2007-02-02T12:35:00.000Z

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Entirely Miss Reverend Lady Esther the Defenestrated of Bow under Bumpstead
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Finally I am Titled.