Well Hugo appears to be none the worse for his marinading in chilli and yoghurt yesterday and is back to normal today... if you count sleeping on the top of the door and then falling off normal....
It is bitterly cold here (note, I am British, for me bitterly cold is anything below 3 degrees Celsius and it hasn't cracked freezing here today) which means I've spent a great deal of time in front of a heater in one room or other in the house... the warmest room is the study which is doubling as a laundrette as I desperately try to get my work clothes dry for tomorrow...... the coldest room is the downstairs toilet... not a place to linger at present......
At some point early on this morning I picked up an ear worm (repetitive type rather than bloody annoying) and as it's a song that I actually rather like I thought I'd share....
And now alas I must go prepare for Monday and work.....
So last year, for the first time, I decided to try my hand at the whole NaNo thing... I had an idea, a drafted plot and even lots of inspiration I'd bought together.... and then life, or rather work, de-railed everything by throwing at me a couple of cases to do some drafting of legal documents on that involved historical child abuse.... and that was it, the muse shut down, because my mind could not write a fictional story (which on route to a happy ending did have some abuse in it) when I knew it was horribly real for some people.
Now, the time is fast approaching when I have to decide whether to try again.........I possibly should, because I need to get myself back into writing to build my own confidence with it. Then again I possibly shouldn't given that my finals are on 16th November.... and I will have to revise.
I'd just about talked myself out of not bothering when I came across this picture...
which started giving me some thoughts and ideas, at which the dreaded bunny pricked up his ears and joined in.....
Then over the last couple of days the radio has kept playing me this song.... which seems to want to lend itself to the story ....
And when I looked closer at the lyrics gave me even more ideas ..... and now I am not sure whether to just give in (with as little grace as possible) and start plotting much more seriously .... and *gulp* a proper f/f story....
Sirens by Nell Bryden
Last night I dreamt I was floating with you The river so deep and the sky perfect blue If we leave behind the dust in the sky From the sound of Sirens the city will rise Hold your hand in mine, we’ll swim against the tide From the sound of Sirens love will survive
And when your heart is on the run When its chains have come undone I will always be the one to carry you home
Streets lie so empty, the lost avenues The lights of Saint Vincent are too much to lose If we leave behind the dust in the sky From the sound of Sirens the city will rise Hold your hand in mine, we’ll swim against the tide From the sound of Sirens love will survive
And when your heart is on the run When its chains have come undone I will always be the one to carry you home
If we leave behind the tears in our eyes From the sound of Sirens the city will rise Hold your hand in mine, we’ll swim against the tide From the sound of Sirens love will survive
And when your heart is on the run When its chains have come undone I will always be the one to carry you home
Boring, tedious and mind numbing to the point I want to scream. I am so over being ill. Sadly my body (and more importantly my doctor do not agree).
I want the 'lympix back..... daytime TV is a load of drivel.... have resorted to the radio and my cd player, but even that was getting monotonous earlier on.
Work did phone me yesterday with something urgent to do - which is a bit naughty really as I have a sick note and technically shouldn't be doing anything work related......... unfortunately I am now convinced that I've screwed something up and it's making me really really itchy about getting back to work.
I also spent quite a lot of time today sitting on my hands and trying not to respond to a thread on the M/M goodreads group about lesbians writing M/M books....... sheesh, some of the responses and the original posting managed to wind me up quite impressively!
And I've another five days of resting before I can get back to normal......... this does not bode well!
Okay, in the meantime, a nice little tune that got stuck in my head when the band were playing earlier live on the radio........
Because I haven't done this for a while and there is the whole Olympic thing happening at the other end of the Country starting next week.... So I thought I would give you one of my favourite tunes about the venue :)
I don't usually do music classified as pop but I have a soft spot for very clever lyrics and Lily Allen can certainly write them (that and she's quite cute helps!)
Well not really, but it's rather warm here... my house used to be owned by an elderly couple who took their insulating seriously. Which whilst that means it's easy to keep warm in winter it's a bugger as soon as it gets warm out... particularly as I can't have the upstairs windows open properly as the cats will stand on the outside of the window ledges, or attempt death defying leaps towards them......The windows are cracked open a bit... but all that means is that my home appears to have been invaded by spiders, there are eight legged we beasties everywhere..... it's going to be a long night of hunting for the cats I think
Ok, a tune, this is an old one, but I've heard it loads this week on the radio and it's one that amuses me no end....
So today hasn't gone to plan...... took mum into hospital for 7 am as requested, then at lunch she texted to say they were taking her down at 2pm... at 2.50pm she texted again to say she hadn't gone down and then at 5 pm she phoned to tell me that they'd overbooked the theatre and she was being bumped to a later date, currently unknown...... I was not amused.
So I donned my most lawyerly persona and my Court Room voice and headed off to collect her and, erm, possibly have a word or several with the hospital staff........ she's first on the surgery list for next Wednesday, so we get to do it all again.
Aside from that I have mangled myself....... ankle currently in cold compress after tripping over the cat - who says it's my own fault for not going fast enough with the food...... bruising and grazes all over knuckles of my right hand courtesy of misjudging the distance between the car door and the garden gate and getting my hand stuck in between........ sometimes I have to roll my eyes at myself!
So today's tune (as it's Wednesday and all that jazz) would be my "getting in the right frame of mind" song that I played in the car on the way to the hospital....
Ok, so the issue with the job is sorted... I have not been completely buried, but I am officially the department scapegoat... not 100% happy with the outcome of it all, but trying to think positive... it could have been a million times worse.
Also found out today that mother will have her surgery next Wednesday morning... should be in hospital a couple of days but if all goes to plan out for the weekend... I think I shall take her out for lunch on Sunday to keep her (and my) mind of it.
I have been been told I am not allowed to obsess and stress myself over work etc this evening .... and plans are afoot to prevent this...... I have hopes that it will involve a trip to the pub and being forced to drink..... though from the smirk I am getting I am not so sure that is the plan and I am now slightly concerned (and apparently need to get organised and get off this computer....
So I leave you with a couple of tunes from one of my favourite bands .... of which the half daughter approves but her real mother calls music to slit your wrists too.......
*sigh* I have spent the past 3 hours wrestling with a story lodged in my head..... the problem is when I try to get it out the words sound wooden and wrong, the story is there, the characters are speaking to me, but there is some fault in the connection between brain and fingers..... I shall probably end up reverting to the notebook and pen that lives next to the bed at silly o'clock in the morning when the words line up properly and flow..... I wouldn't mind but this has been kicking around in my head for the April YA photo story prompt since the beginning of the month and I'm rapidly running out of time!
Aside from that, I have a serious case of ear worm, and for once it's not the theme tune to The Muppets! I hadn't heard this song for ages till it came on the radio last night as I was driving home from work, and it's been cycling about in my inner ear for over 24 hours so I thought I'd share.....
Okay so I managed to smack myself upside the head to prevent myself from brooding about stuff I can't change so that's for the positive.
I posted a wee snippet of my LiAW story on the Dear Author thread (author... *snerk* me! no sorry still can't take that seriously) anyway, it seems to have gone down okay... still really nervous about it though.
Aside from that, my life plods along in it's quiet and boring way.... though Gina wishes to make it more interesting by trying to help with this post... or it maybe a plea for more interesting food, or the opening of the treat draw....
I have my fingers firmly crossed for my half daughter, who went for a college interview today and should find out in the next couple of week's if she's got a place... okay so yes, not my real daughter, but I am so proud of her and her family for all they've gone through with her Aspergers and autism to get to a place where it's even possible to have a college interview..... they come to visit in a little over 4 weeks and I am so mega excited.... particularly as I've not seen them since last October! (okay yes, I speak on the phone and on line most er, well days kind of, weeks definitely but it's not the same!)
Right must have an early(ish) night as I have a round table meeting with solicitors on the other side of a case I'm working on tomorrow which involves a day in a smart suit haggling over a rather large sum of money and I need to be awake!
Right, finally, music. This artist is a fairly new one, and not only has she an amazing voice but she's a really inspirational person. Eleven months ago she was involved in an accident and fracture her spine, badly. She was told she was never going to walk again but defied all the medical peoples to do exactly that, and to return to the stage....
Yep, I should never have let mums read my LiAW story.... her cleaner came today, who is gay, and she happened to tell him about it... then read bits of it to him... it's not like it's explicit.. okay, I'm told one scene is a bit... but arghhh, how embarrassing! Now I know eventually it will be read by various people who will all have opinions...... but I don't have to face them at social events!!
Aside from that - the story was submitted last night.. I actually felt sick and nearly chickened out before hitting send... thank goodness my beta readers did some serious, well hand holding isn't the right word, standing behind me with a cattle prod might be better. Anyway, it's done, it's gone, it will appear sometime between May and July.... and no I definitely won't know in advance when that will be because if I did I'd have to go into complete internet and technology blackout and pray to what ever passing deity that was listening to put me out my misery!!
I was going to rant a bit about my hate of labels, how I am sick of feeling that the more boxes you can tick to confirm you are disenfranchised from the societal norm then your opinion is more valid than anyone else's (particularly those who can't tick as many boxes) ... but it got far to long and irate so I will save that for another day!!
So in the meantime, have a nice calm relaxing tune... I've liked this band for ages and think she's got an amazing voice....
Day 3 of my holiday has been quiet and relaxed... but did start with good couple of inches of snow .. though thankfully it all cleared by this evening... or at least in town it did, most of the roads round the Peak District are all blocked but that's not unusual.
I have been nagged lots by my visitor and my LiAW story is now sitting just over 12,000 words (with intro bits, tags, a glossary (yes seriously) and my bio all done as well) Another 2,000 - 3,000 words should see it finished and waved off to my beta readers for, erm, well pulling apart and then refangling...
This being my birthday week (arghhh nooo! I am going to be old!! (well older)) I have treated myself to a couple (well 4) albums I've been hankering after for a while... and here are a couple of tracks from them
Yes, that time of the week when I cop out of blogging the mundane trivia that forms my life and throw music at anyone passing by.
Tonight was night 3 of my write 3 hours of this LiAW story a night week..... now, it was going really well, I was typing away, I'd sent what I'd done to a couple of people who kindly volunteered to check I was going in the right direction (one of which is an M/M author whose work I love which made me feel very very nervous at hitting the send button) but I got good feed back and yay, they liked, they want to read the rest... fantastic, I could do this, I had inspiration, I had motivation
I hit a sodding great big brick wall of "Ha! No words!!"..... So I switched off and phoned a friend, we've nattered for an hour or so and hopefully I will now be released from writing purgatory and allowed to crack on with it tomorrow......
not that I am sitting here looking at the calendar thinking Eep! 17 days to go.....
Ok, some music, I love the meaning behind this song (ok,I pretty much love the whole album I am happy to admit to this) but the idea of turning off the TV and waltzing round the lounge to the radio to reconnect is a happy one.....
Ok, so before the music, we have a midweek muppet moment .... yes I was probably due for one... please feel free to commence rolling eyeballs at my stupidity......
Tonight I have learnt (or rather been given reason to remember, cos hells I did actually know this) when draining the vegetables of the boiling water (a) make sure that the colander is on a stable surface and (b) tip away from your body.... standing under a cold shower till the scald down your arm and part of your stomach stops hurting results in being bloody frozen for the rest of the evening and you aren't going to get your dinner cos as soon as the veg that hit the floor were cool enough the dogs ate em!! Oh, I'm fine, nothing other than a bit of redness and a feeling of being very silly (again!)
Right onto the music, for a change I do like to listen to the odd female vocalist, and this is one that I have had shuffling round on the MP3 player rather a lot recently.....
So my days are all completely out of kilter, I did manage about 5 hours sleep last night but still feel there's a bit of catching up to do
However, not sure that's going to happen for, oh about three weeks!. As I sat this evening at the computer staring blankly at the screen and waiting for the voices in my head to tell me what to write I suddenly realised it was awfully quiet considering the back door was open and the dogs weren't sitting on my feet.... so I stuck my head out the kitchen window and discovered there was a complete flooze fest going on .... not just with the dogs but the fox was on the other side of the fence tarting for all he was worth.
Quick investigations followed and I have not one but two of the girls in season..... Ivan's had a couple of Valerian tablets, I've had a stiff drink and seriously considered if I can get the angle right to shoot the fox out the bedroom window (I think not, the windows aren't big enough to get my stance right to balance the bow and I worry the cats will try to help.....)
Anyway, not quite midweek music..... something they've played a fair bit on the radio recently which I rather like....
Despite jokes about the fact that my "work ethic" and "motivation" (which are in my mind real entities that I drag around with me) had gone missing (again) today and were in fact out causing mischief, possibly including alcohol, well out of my control..... today. work wise, was in fact a good day at work.
The reason for this.... I made my annual financial target in this mornings figures! Yay! Go me!! Now the deadline for this is 30th April but alas as those I do my work for haven't met their targets yet I cannot coast alas...... though my team leader's face when I suggested that I gave up proper work and just wrote stories for the next eight weeks was priceless!
So tonight is a very happy night, huge load of stress and worrying off my shoulders till it all starts again on 1st May
And in lieu of the lack of music yesterday... I give you a tune that makes me jump around (in only the way an overweight cripple can) the kitchen smiling a lot!
In a moment of weakness, when the plot bunny begged very hard, I appear to have taken on a LiAW picture prompt.... actually it was more a case of "for goodness sake woman, bite the bullet and stop saying you can't" ... anyway, I now have a nice red haired kilted young Scotsman and a tall muscular blonde haired and blue eyed Viking to play with (well in my imagination)
So, I've been through my cd's and found a couple of Scottish female singers whose music will be going onto the writing sound track (along side the usual suspects of other Scottish groups I listen to).....
Live music has been very thin on the ground for me this year so far, okay, so I got to go see Snow Patrol the other week, but unfortunately they could not live up to the experience I had seeing Elbow the year before.
One of our local pubs has a lot of live bands on and last week I got to go see The Leisure Society, who were rather fine... so for your enjoyment, one of their tunes....
And as a complete aside from music
I am looking at the pictures and prompts on the M/M group and really wishing that I believed enough in myself and my abilities to try and write a story as one of the pics has really grabbed me, but I am too scared of letting people down but either not managing to write it or writing it really badly ... ah well, I may just write it for myself if I can't let the idea go.
I am having one of those days where I feel
that I can’t open my mouth or post something online without having my head
bitten off, or feeling like what I am saying is being totally misunderstood or
taken completely out of context. Where I
have only hoped to help I can’t help but believe that I have only probably hurt
people even more.... and it’s left me feeling really upset, mainly that I
should know better than to get involved, even if I only tried to help in the
first place.
Whilst this may just be me .. I am over
tired, over sensitive and not a little paranoid with it today…I just want to go hide from the world for a bit
until I can go back to being anonymous and unnoticed, but I really don’t think
that is an option in some places…
Oh and if I needed proof that today can in fact get worse, the bag of micro-granule cat litter I've just bought split as I was putting it in the car, going all over the driver and front passenger seats and footwells.... cos that's going to be fun to clean up in the dark tonight!
So, I today’s music is two tracks from a
band that never fails to cheer me up and who are on my “must see” list when
they next come to the UK….
Ah tis Wednesday, the night I skive off actually thinking about what to blog about (no really, I do usually put some thought into it!)
Now you've probably gathered that my usual musical tastes run to Alternative Indie, normally at the heavier end, with a touch of folk type music thrown in for good measure (which roughly translates according to a friend of mine to "music to slit your wrists too")... so for a change, a band/singer at the slightly lighter end of the spectrum and two tunes, one from a while back and the current track, both of which have given me ear worms in recent days...
It's pretty well established that I have music playing when I am awake (and sometimes asleep but that's more accident than design....). One of the things I use music for is to clear my head of thought's I'd rather not be having, or to get me out of a particular mindset, or calm down for that matter. Now as much as I will pretty much listen to anything, sometimes my brain just demands "loud" music... which leads me to one of my favourite bands. Most people will only know of the last album (ok, possibly the one before two) as they've only really hit mainstream in the last 3 - 4 years... The first album of theirs I picked up was the second and I've been a stupidly obsessed fangirl ever since.
The band is Biffy Clyro... and these are a couple of my favourite tracks from more recent (and some would say more friendly) albums....
