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A fun afternoon that reminded me of being at home. i miss home. a lot.
My Canon
During an extremely dull lecture on Bloom's Literary Canon, My dear friend Isobel and I constructed our very own canon. (a canon being a list of literary figures deemed to be superfluous) this list took about an hour to construct, and here it is, (in no particular order-except Shakespeare being the core)
T.S Elliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Anne Frank,McEwan,Hardy,Keats, Dickens, Tolstoy, Angela Carter, Hemingway, Dahl, Carol Anne Duffy (early poetry), D.H. Lawrence, McArthy, Isabel Allende, Vladimir Nabokov.
What a wonderful hour. Love being a geek.
T.S Elliot, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Anne Frank,McEwan,Hardy,Keats, Dickens, Tolstoy, Angela Carter, Hemingway, Dahl, Carol Anne Duffy (early poetry), D.H. Lawrence, McArthy, Isabel Allende, Vladimir Nabokov.
What a wonderful hour. Love being a geek.
1. When I was about 5 or 6, I had a recurring dream in which a tall women dressed head-to-toe in a peach ‘Princess Jasmine’ outfit, with matching peach talons and a peach toy helicopter on her head would chase me relentlessly around the playground. Every week we’d be marched ‘en crocodile’ to the village library for group reading, and my friend and I would discuss this horrible woman and how she had kept us both up at night. I cried when I found out my friend had been lying to impress me, she really had no idea what I’d been talking about, I was so disappointed I don’t think I ever really spoke to her again.
2. I have only recently discovered how wonderful the thesaurus is. This holiday I found my mum’s copy from 1974, it says Sharon Pringle in it, meaning it must be old because she hadn’t even met my dad, and I wasn’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eye. I just love the preface in which it explains ‘How to Use this Book’. ‘It is assumed you have an idea or meaning to express but cannot think of a satisfactory word for it, therefore desiring access to a wider range of vocabulary which may contain or suggest the word you are looking for. You turn to your Thesaurus.’ How very true and very splendid.
3. (re. No2) Splendid, sublime, superb, fine, excellent, grand, noble, rich, gorgeous, florid, bright, resplendent, dazzling, radiating, glossy, polished, magnificent, specious, showy, ornate, wonderful..etc etc..all of these significantly more ‘dazzling’ than a simple, plain ‘nice’.
4. I love to walk. Everywhere. And sometimes measure distance by how many songs I can listen to on my iPod. Although it is really just a way of covering up not knowing how many yards are in a mile etc. It is on average 6 songs from my halls to my uni.
5. I can think reasonably intelligent things in my head, but find it hard to express them by means of paper or discussion, often making them well kept little secrets.
6. I am very sentimental and keep everything. Cinema tickets, letters, photos, doodles on scrap bits of paper. You name it, it will be safely stored in a box somewhere in my room.
7. I hate meanness. The thought of people talking behind my back makes me nervous and frustrated. I try really hard to not bear any grudges and be indifferent. Usually it works quite well I think/hope.
8. I love supermarket shopping. Any excuse. Seriously.
9. I also love comfort foods, the best thing about the winter is soup, fish pie, tea and muffins, tea and toast, hot cross buns. Anything that makes you feel warm.
10. Going for coffee is one of my favourite things to do even if you have to drive 20 minutes to do so, it’s always worth the effort.
11. I have read The Great Gatsby at least 4 times, every time I can find something new that I love to underline and try to remember. It is my ‘in between books’ book, and I love everything about it.
12. Last year I travelled through South-East Asia and South America by myself. When people ask me why I went on my own, I still don’t really know the answer, it seemed like a good idea and it really was, I always recommend travelling alone, but can never really support my reasoning. I guess I just like to be alone. I definitely did not ‘find myself’-worst nightmare=people being caught up in gap year lifestyle, becoming ‘hippies’ before returning home and back to their usual selves. Not cool.
13. I got my first pair of glasses when I was four. I still have them and they still are so big they frame not only my eyes, but also my eyebrows. Mum says they were fashionable, but I think she just always wanted geeky children.
14. I love the post office. I am quite anal about wrapping, writing little letters, buying stamps, and posting things. I genuinely believe it will be a good day when any form of post is waiting for me.
15. I let someone else pick my university, my halls and my course for me. This has led me to only ever want to make decisions for myself, and is definitely something I have learned from.
16. I always sleep during the day. I don’t consider it unproductive, I think of it as decadent. I just love it, with someone or on my own, for 10 minutes or 2 hours, I always wake up satisfied. I believe I am aging before my time.
2. I have only recently discovered how wonderful the thesaurus is. This holiday I found my mum’s copy from 1974, it says Sharon Pringle in it, meaning it must be old because she hadn’t even met my dad, and I wasn’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eye. I just love the preface in which it explains ‘How to Use this Book’. ‘It is assumed you have an idea or meaning to express but cannot think of a satisfactory word for it, therefore desiring access to a wider range of vocabulary which may contain or suggest the word you are looking for. You turn to your Thesaurus.’ How very true and very splendid.
3. (re. No2) Splendid, sublime, superb, fine, excellent, grand, noble, rich, gorgeous, florid, bright, resplendent, dazzling, radiating, glossy, polished, magnificent, specious, showy, ornate, wonderful..etc etc..all of these significantly more ‘dazzling’ than a simple, plain ‘nice’.
4. I love to walk. Everywhere. And sometimes measure distance by how many songs I can listen to on my iPod. Although it is really just a way of covering up not knowing how many yards are in a mile etc. It is on average 6 songs from my halls to my uni.
5. I can think reasonably intelligent things in my head, but find it hard to express them by means of paper or discussion, often making them well kept little secrets.
6. I am very sentimental and keep everything. Cinema tickets, letters, photos, doodles on scrap bits of paper. You name it, it will be safely stored in a box somewhere in my room.
7. I hate meanness. The thought of people talking behind my back makes me nervous and frustrated. I try really hard to not bear any grudges and be indifferent. Usually it works quite well I think/hope.
8. I love supermarket shopping. Any excuse. Seriously.
9. I also love comfort foods, the best thing about the winter is soup, fish pie, tea and muffins, tea and toast, hot cross buns. Anything that makes you feel warm.
10. Going for coffee is one of my favourite things to do even if you have to drive 20 minutes to do so, it’s always worth the effort.
11. I have read The Great Gatsby at least 4 times, every time I can find something new that I love to underline and try to remember. It is my ‘in between books’ book, and I love everything about it.
12. Last year I travelled through South-East Asia and South America by myself. When people ask me why I went on my own, I still don’t really know the answer, it seemed like a good idea and it really was, I always recommend travelling alone, but can never really support my reasoning. I guess I just like to be alone. I definitely did not ‘find myself’-worst nightmare=people being caught up in gap year lifestyle, becoming ‘hippies’ before returning home and back to their usual selves. Not cool.
13. I got my first pair of glasses when I was four. I still have them and they still are so big they frame not only my eyes, but also my eyebrows. Mum says they were fashionable, but I think she just always wanted geeky children.
14. I love the post office. I am quite anal about wrapping, writing little letters, buying stamps, and posting things. I genuinely believe it will be a good day when any form of post is waiting for me.
15. I let someone else pick my university, my halls and my course for me. This has led me to only ever want to make decisions for myself, and is definitely something I have learned from.
16. I always sleep during the day. I don’t consider it unproductive, I think of it as decadent. I just love it, with someone or on my own, for 10 minutes or 2 hours, I always wake up satisfied. I believe I am aging before my time.
today..
I am reading Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure, and listening to She&Him. I have spent approx 2 hours outside, 1 hour roasting vegetables, 30 mins eating houmous, 90 mins reading, 30 mins washing up 20 people's plates, and the rest of the time doing not a lot else. I can't wait for my classes to begin and to start learning new things again... roll on Tuesday
'don't tell me my university days are wasted?!'If I dont get constructive and make lists of things to do..I will just hang out in my room and read books and watch movies, and limit myself to one or two close friends and no other human connections. therefore, I have written a list (also on of the things i will sit in my room and do) of places to go..if i am on a 'short inspirational writing trip' I may as well be a tourist.
Things to do:
- Hadrian's Wall
- Miranda July at the Baltic
- Edinburgh
- Durham
- Laing Gallery
- Life Centre
- Tyneside cinema, Tyneside cinema, Tyneside cinema
- Northern Stage
- Byker (open fires in pubs-novel in the north)
- Southshields Beach
..should keep me busy for a while. luckily my darling sister is coming to stay for a few days. bye boredom.
So it's back to living by myself. (well aside from the other 1049 people in my halls) essentially I am on my own again. feeling a bit down I did, as per usual, turn to Christian for his notorious positive spin, and I quote;
'just pretend youre sylvia plath on a short inspirational writing trip with some newcy brown.'
so that is who I am. I am on an adventure. bye dreary paint and drab curtains. hello something inspirational..just have to find the muse, but seeing as this is an imaginary game it won't be hard.
leaving town.
Getting ready to go.
As I write this, (and for the majority of the time it took me to pack those 2 bags) I am expelling large amounts of air by way of a sigh. happy? sad? god knows. indifferent probably. I'm glad to have people that will visit me.
'I like boring things'
Today we:
and then we:
followed by:
I love these days.
and then we:
followed by:
I love these days.
The Warhol exhibition was definately the best I've been to, I'd say even better than that of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh (although most of the work came from there, and their differences make them non-comparable). To see 19 (i counted) of his short films all playing in the same room at the same time was outstanding, and this with the other films and voice clips really showed the self-removed voyeurism which to me makes Warhol so interesting;to be such an intrinsic part of all that fame and glamour, yet remain a specatator, I find a very romantic idea.
+ Silver Clouds is always my favourite. <3
Rothko will always be someone who's work I greatly admire and love, I wish I was more 'art educated' to say anything worthwhile or valid in which case I would. but for now, I'll just say it has great power to evoke. evoke what? everything and anything. the longer I gaze, the more I'm mesmerised; by the colour, the space, just 'it'.
Rothko will always be someone who's work I greatly admire and love, I wish I was more 'art educated' to say anything worthwhile or valid in which case I would. but for now, I'll just say it has great power to evoke. evoke what? everything and anything. the longer I gaze, the more I'm mesmerised; by the colour, the space, just 'it'.
First sushi experience, luckily for me Christian knows whats what. and I love.
My Ruby Slippers
Move over Judy.
You know when you just have to buy something utterly outrageous for no reason? These are my latest impulse buy. Someone asked me the other day whether or not it would be justifiable to stop buying their children bread and milk and save the money for shoes. I'm beginning to sway. Whether or not these shoes end up as part of a costume, or I wear them out when I'm feeling particularly flamboyant, I can honestly say, I love you.
And yes. I do know theyre diamante, I just do not care, they're fantastic.
quiet and solitude.
Sometimes I believe the best quality within friends is the ability to just be quiet. As much as I love chatting away aimlessly, usually about not very much in particular, (favourite topics include: whatever I currently have my nose stuck into (this probably bores people senseless), places I have recently enjoyed wandering about in with my dog, (also probably quite boring)quotes from things I cant even remember, and usually how cold, or tired I am-perhaps this is the reason I have a small group of people I would call 'friends') I think two people sitting or walking together, yet thinking their own thoughts are sometimes the most wonderful times. I really value any friendships I have in which I can just be quiet. but that's just me. im quiet.
Recent Activities:
Recent Activities:
Beach trips in English winter time are my favourite.
Perfect for the much loved quiet.
And so much better when someone buys you chips after.
poor bear
Bear & Dylan
Today Christian and I's duck Bear went missing, I expect due to all the ice at the moment a very hungry fox (and foxes are opportunists of course) must have taken her home with him. I know 'cycle of life' and all that, and really it's 'just a duck' but to me she was much more sentimental than that, a 'get well'present for Christian post car-crash, and just a 'chin up' investment for us both.. she will be very much missed. poor dylan. he'l be so lonely.
On the plus side..after days of 'solitary thought' and hard work (stress) my creative writing portfolio is somewhere in between here and Newcastle, out of sight, out of mind..I'm so glad...I would post on here, but I blush at even the thought of my teacher reading the tragic spew I managed to put on paper...who writes poems about onions?!
Mid-winter
In an attempt at starting new year's aims already, i took to editing some winter pictures from Newcastle, this is the best i could come up with, for a first try, i'd hope it wasnt too bad, although..you know, bit boring.
I also came across this (really really) old video...probably from about this time 4/5years ago, and chuckled to myself for a very long time. how wonderful.
to add to the list of things to do in 2009:
- films things more.
Things to do in 2009
- learn how to play Backgammon
- visit the boy in new york
- visit edinburgh and durham
- improve my photography skills
- write my blog
- join some societies/mix it up.
its the end of day 4, and so far I have..
- worked
- discovered some wonderful marshes near where i live
- spent two whole days only writing poetry (for school)
- been out for dinner twice
- drunk 5 different kinds of tea
- enjoyed huckleberry finn
- napped with the boy.
not really a lot, but all things i've enjoyed immensly.
i love these two very much.
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