did you miss me?

It has been rather a long time since I wrote a blog. I don't think anyone noticed. Mostly because I don't believe anyone reads this except me, but thats ok, I like talking to myself you see.

Christmas was snowy. And I got spotty green wellies, and perfume (so I can smell good again), and beautiful jewellery, and lots of other lovely things.

I got a whole year older, it was anti climactic, but quite nice. (I went shopping, and I was actually allowed to buy books!)

New Year was spent asleep, and before that at the cinema, because I think its just a bit of a lame excuse to get drunk. So what, its a whole new year, its just another day.

I painted a week or so ago, it was quite nice so I might not be broken after all in that way. I have been dreaming about buying new fancy paper and drawing and designing prints and things, so creativity has not been beaten out by all that reading and intellectual type things I have been doing.

Horatio is still the weirdest fish in the world. I bought him new plants because the old ones were getting shabby, but I don't think he appreciates it.

I'm supposed to be doing alot of things right now, but as per usual, I'm not. Don't worry, there is still time, and everything will get done, just probably at the last minute.

My days are currently planned around watching Everwood, which I'm sure is not the greatest TV programme ever, but it is my current addiction.

Oh, and I got multi coloured pens for my birthday, so everything I write is a different colour, it makes making notes so much more fun. I would definitely recommend it.

Thats it for now, I do hope you have enjoyed this update on whats going on with me. Isn't it just the most exciting thing ever? :)

Stay tuned for my next blog, which shall be a step by step explanation of how I made a cat from wet felting. Its going to be epic.

I am the queen of procrastinationising

See?

This is me, writing a blog, when I should be writing my assignments.

I have less than 2 weeks to go, one is almost done, one is not even properly started. The one not started is the scariest, and I am scared.

I am scared that I am not nearly intellectual enough to write such things. Fire bad, tree pretty, is all my brain can handle, as Buffy would say. (I could totally write an essay about Buffy, do you think they would accept that at my University? I don't think so)

I am also scared that unless this silly snow stops I won't be able to go to the library and get more books, to help me sound more intellectual. (I shall brave the snow tomorrow, with my wellies and multiple layers of clothing and gloves)

So instead of addressing these problems, today I have watched Veronica Mars, and DIY SOS, made breakfast, and lunch, tidied up a bit, and now I am writing a blog. Yesterday I watched alot of episodes of the Vampire Diaries and improved my Oven Break game playing skills on my phone. No essay was written yesterday. This is not good. Please can someone write my essay for me? No, I can't do that, I will write it, I will, I will.

Today I am trying, I really am. I have written, but I am still avoiding the troublesome sections, I even read some more things, and this almost finished assignment is starting to look okay. If only I could finish it. Perhaps I should listen to Beyonce, that helped with my dissertation writing this time two years ago. But I am listening to my self made Vampire Diaries playlist, its nice with lots of nice angsty depressing songs.

Ack.

Right then, must return. No more procrastinationising for me.

(PS I do realise that procrastinationising is not a real word, don't worry)

Snow Day

Today I am having a self imposed snow day.

I woke up to discover the train I had intended to get had been cancelled. As I continued to update live departure information for my train station every train got more and more delayed. If the trains can't run the buses won't be any better.

So today I shall hibernate in my nice warm house, with Gilmore Girls and my two assignments.

I don't really like snow.

I mean, its quite pretty, and when the sun shines on it it makes everything look alot brighter and happy. It reminds me of Christmas, and all the lovely things associated with it.

However, I hate snow driving. Its exhausting. You have to concentrate properly, and go slowly but in high gears, and the car doesn't like it, and every time you need to break I panic because I am terrified of skidding.

Also, it ruins all other transport options. Snow on train tracks and main roads means messed up bus and train services. Which is just quite inconvenient.

Plus, I don't have any good snow footwear. I refuse to wear my newest boots because they are nice and leather and will get destroyed. I have wellies but they aren't very warm. I need some good snow boots, that can get destroyed if necessary. But I can't buy snow boots if I can't get anywhere can I? Stupid snow.

Mostly I just don't like the cold. Snow makes everything extra cold.

On the plus side the tree in my front garden looks exceptionally pretty.

Oh look its snowing again. Wonderful. I shall now close the blinds, and hide from it all.

Another day, another crazy.

I'm sorry, I lied. I didn't knit a snowman. I got distracted, I don't even remember by what. I apologise.

However, I have crocheted some more. Crocheting with garden twine can be painful though, so I wouldn't recommend it. Also one must be careful when dying garden twine not to also dye your fingers blue. It looks a little odd.

I have recently begun re-watching Ally McBeal again from the beginning. I'm not sure how much of a good idea this is. It makes me a little crazy, because Ally is so crazy. And yet at the same time it is quite lovely. It makes me think what my theme song might be. Usually I would say "Broken" by Lifehouse but I think theme songs are supposed to be more up tempo (and possibly a little happier). So I don't have a theme song, but I do find daily life easier with a soundtrack. That's why I am so thankful for the invention of mp3 type devices, and little little headphones. They help me be more anti-social, and at the same time allow me to walk around without being terrified.

I have also been making progress on my making of Christmas presents. I have finished quite a few, and I think I have all the materials to make the rest. (Yes, I know, its too early, but I must be prepared, or I shall panic)

I am also enjoying the latest Taylor Swift album. I like country music, it has lots of emotion. Maybe "Haunted" can be my theme song.

Also I would like to marry John Cage possibly. And I am scared to watch Season 3 because that is when the bad things happen. But Season 4 has Robert Downey Jr, which is just lovely (sidebar - Due Date is an hilarious film, everyone should watch it).

I had to read my happy ending book the other day. I can't figure out why I needed to. Also I have stopped going to my diet sessions, because I am sick of being disappointed. I don't need to pay £5 to have someone make me feel rubbish. I can still be on a diet (although this week I didn't, because I wanted chocolate caramel shortbread, and chips, and ice cream), I just can't be so stressed about it.

Tonight is the Big Bang Theory. I LOVE that show. Sheldon is the funniest person ever to have lived ever.

Knitting & Crochet

Tonight I think I might knit a Snowman.

I taught myself to crochet yesterday. I can only do 1 type of stitch (a surprisingly complicated one, which is a little odd), but I have been practicing that stitch and I only mess up every 3 rows now, instead of every 3 stitches.

This is a development from my recent knitting phase. I am learning to crochet with the intention of crocheting some form of basket for a christmas present for someone. First I must find blue garden string. Or dye normal garden string blue. It will be an adventure.

I haven't read a book in a week, and its making me feel weird. But I don't know what to read. I am in the middle of a book, but I'm just not terribly inspired to finish it.

What I really want is Heaven's Spite by Lilith Saintcrow, or Side Jobs by Jim Butcher. But alas I am broke. If I wish to get the bus for the next few weeks there can be no book buying. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to carry on with the hundreds of books I already own.

Maybe its time to re-read some things again.

This weekend I will sort through my recent collagraph prints in preparation for an upcoming workshop. I also need to discover what happens when I put polystyrene through the printing press. Wonderful, wonderful printing press. I also intend to have a good diet week, so fingers crossed for that.

It's bonfire night tomorrow. Which isn't really all that exciting. I anticipate a lack of sleep due to extremely noisy and probably unnecessary fireworks, and sounds of fire engines rushing around dealing with all the unruly bonfires being monitored by drunk people. Do you get the impression I don't like bonfire night? Its not that I don't like it, I just don't see the point (although I do like fire, its pretty).

Now, time to knit a Snowman. (photographic evidence will be forthcoming)

5am makes me sleepy

Over the past few days I have had to wake up at 5am (or thereabouts) twice. I am not a morning person. I hate waking up in the dark. I especially dislike 5am.

Mostly because no matter how hard I try I can't sleep early the night before, so I end up with not enough sleep. So now I am contemplating bed at 7:20pm, which is just silly.

Thankfully tomorrow I get a lie in. Then I have a little mini expedition planned. Then I must get to work on my University assignments.

I have just been looking at random things (because I am avoiding doing any real work), and found my way inadvertently to some exciting things.

Firstly I have discovered that I am quite obsessed with contemporary art in heritage locations. Or at least I really quite like it, and think it is a wonderful idea. I was first introduced to this idea in the form of public art, and more recently the lovely exhibition "Extraordinary Measures" at Belsay Hall. Now I desperately want to see "Not Forgotten" at Townley Hall. It sounds awesome, and thought provoking and quite lovely. I'm not sure why this whole concept interests me. The juxtaposition and contrast is fascinating. So hopefully I can talk my mum into a road trip to see this latest incarnation (and its research for university too!)

Heres the place where you can find out about "Not Forgotten" http://www.midpenninearts.org.uk/visualarts

They are planning more such things in the future, which is terribly exciting (or at least it is to me).

I'm also going through a knitting phase at the moment. I spent 6 hours of coach journey knitting yesterday. And the whole day Saturday. Even my bus journey this morning. It's quite addictive.

Some of the things I am knitting are presents. Mostly I just like knitting I think. Its quite therapeutic. I think I might knit snowmen, and Christmas tree decorations, and other random things.

I want more yarn though, so I can knit more things, but I am trying not to spend money in November, because I am quite poor right now. Why do things always have to cost money? Damn it.

Saturday Morning

Today it is raining, and my diet is not going well. I should learn that a whole tub of ben & jerry's cookie dough ice cream is not proper diet food. But I was ill so it doesn't count?

To celebrate my crappy diet skills I shall go to the cinema and eat popcorn. Then from Sunday onwards I shall only eat good food, like fruit and vegetables, and maybe next week will be a better week.

In other news, I was ill this week. A horrible, horrible cold. The kind of cold that makes your whole body ache. I still have a sore throat/croaky voice thing going on. So I still can't sleep properly. You would think that being sick means you need to sleep to recover, but you can't sleep when you're sick, so you just get worse. Its stupid.

But better news, I get to see Lifehouse again in February! Woo! Very excited for that. I was going to count the days, but its alot of days, and there is alot to do before then. Like write an essay, and a report, and a presentation, and have christmas, and become 24.

I spent a large part of this week puzzling out Gantt Charts and Critical Path Analysis. These are supposed to make project management easier. They frustrate me. But I suppose they do help eventually, once you figure them out. Plus if you colour code them they can look awfully pretty.

I also watched alot of episodes of Jamie Oliver's 30-minute meals. Everything always looks so darn tasty, and is apparently quite easy to do. I don't know if I believe this but I shall try. I'm going to make pasta and sauce tomorrow inspired by Jamie Oliver, I hope it is as tasty as it looked on tv.

And the best news of all? I got new thermal socks. Oh yes, I said thermal socks. You see when you spend a good portion of your day, at the coldest part of the day, standing at a bus stop, having warm feet is such a wonderful thing.