We had a pre-Christmas dinner here last night because everyone is starting to depart for the holidays. It was fantastic - just the four of us: me, Smoker, Media Nurse and Third Year Psychology, who cooked it all. We put on some Xmas music, pulled a few crackers and drank NO alcohol - yet still managed to act as drunk as anything. Great fun.
My revision for the exam tomorrow stalled yesterday - I did some, it's just I spent the majority of the time reading the Christmas Radio Times and making a list of what I wanted to tape. I will definitely do some today - though I will break for the snooker. Mind you, I could do my revision during the snooker - ah, see what I'm doing there?
Laters.
Thursday, 14 December 2006
Wednesday, 13 December 2006
More Christmas Stuff
Yesterday the Christmas edition of the Radio Times fell into my hands. I drooled over it. I love television, and Christmas television is the peak of the iceberg in my opinion. I shall watch as much as I possibly can - though not on Christmas Day. We never watch television on Christmas Day in my house - it's a rule. There's too much to do, what with the presents, food, seeing people, and stuff.
I can't wait!
Writing going well, but I need to really start revising for an exam I have on Friday, so I think that it may have to take a back seat earlier than I expected! Damn!
Laters.
I can't wait!
Writing going well, but I need to really start revising for an exam I have on Friday, so I think that it may have to take a back seat earlier than I expected! Damn!
Laters.
Tuesday, 12 December 2006
"And What Did Santa Give You For Christmas This Year?" "Des Lynam"
Yes, it's that time of year again - the Christmas lights are up, the large tree is placed in the middle of Winchester Town Centre. Shops are stocked with Christmas goodies. And still, still, most people will leave their Christmas shopping to the last minute.
So what is the ideal solution for the quick-thinking shopper? Something that they know their loved ones will enjoy, something that will keep them mildly entertained, something that will be easy to wrap. A DVD Game.
Now, there's a limit, I feel, to what you can do a DVD game of. Countdown is fine - who doesn't want Des Lynam on their television screens with his busy moustache telling us quiet joke while Carol Vorderman - the most attractive geek ever - gives us another consonant. Other examples include Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Deal Or No Deal, even Bullseye, though if you do get this make sure you dissuade your loved ones from throwing real darts at the television screen.
But now everyone is jumping on the band wagon of DVD games. Frankie Detorri has a racing game out - wonderful, something to promote gambling! And then there's the string of "family games", like quizzes, music quizzes, TV quizzes, movie quizzes.
So, at this Christmas time, feel pity for the lonely board games, locked away in the attic or a cupboard upstairs, gradually gathering dust. Monopoly will never have a hotel put on it again, Cluedo will remain unsolved. Why? because there are DVD games of them! Please, don't buy those, buy the proper version - made of wood, paper and still bags of fun. Plus, you'll save a bit more energy than you would with a DVD game.
So what is the ideal solution for the quick-thinking shopper? Something that they know their loved ones will enjoy, something that will keep them mildly entertained, something that will be easy to wrap. A DVD Game.
Now, there's a limit, I feel, to what you can do a DVD game of. Countdown is fine - who doesn't want Des Lynam on their television screens with his busy moustache telling us quiet joke while Carol Vorderman - the most attractive geek ever - gives us another consonant. Other examples include Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Deal Or No Deal, even Bullseye, though if you do get this make sure you dissuade your loved ones from throwing real darts at the television screen.
But now everyone is jumping on the band wagon of DVD games. Frankie Detorri has a racing game out - wonderful, something to promote gambling! And then there's the string of "family games", like quizzes, music quizzes, TV quizzes, movie quizzes.
So, at this Christmas time, feel pity for the lonely board games, locked away in the attic or a cupboard upstairs, gradually gathering dust. Monopoly will never have a hotel put on it again, Cluedo will remain unsolved. Why? because there are DVD games of them! Please, don't buy those, buy the proper version - made of wood, paper and still bags of fun. Plus, you'll save a bit more energy than you would with a DVD game.
*******
In other news, I noticed that The English Cricket team, currently in Australia battling to save The Ashes in a futile manner, have ordered a curry. No problem there, I hear you cry. But this curry is being flown over all the way from England! According to Saturday's Times, the Bombay Nights restaurant has been paid by a brother of one of the players (It doesn't say who, but I'm betting it's Freddie) £1, 500 for the takeaway curry. This involves a 23-hour flight both there and back again, plus accommodation for the chefs, resulting in the total cost of the curry coming up to £150 a head.
Now, this brings two thoughts to my mind. Firstly, it's that old adage of a meal taking so long to prepare - in this case, 23 hours minimum - and been eaten in five minutes flat. What a waste of time and money. Secondly, what does that say about the Australian cuisine that the English Cricket team are so desperate for the home comforts? Too many barbeque's, guys?
******
Finally, I have started to write again. After an absence of more than two months due to incredibly writers "can't-be-bothered-at-the-moment" a major rewrite has started on The Witch Sister. There will, unfortunately, be another break after this Friday as I will be making my way home for the holidays and am not sure when I will be back. But I've started, so I'm going to do my best to finish. The paragraph I'm writing at the moment, not the book.
Laters.
Sunday, 10 December 2006
The Weekend Is Here. Woo. (That Was A Sarcastic "Woo" In Case You Didn't Realise.)
Don't get me wrong, I love the weekend. No lectures to go to, the football, a chance to relax, plus the large Samurai Su Doku at the back of the Books section of the Saturday Times.
But there is a limit to how much "excitement" you can get during these weekends. What have I done? Chores - shopping, washing - and then, when I should have been writing or reading or doing something that had even a smidgen of productivity about it, what do I do? Watch the snooker. I love snooker. But really shouldn't be watching it. But can't help myself.
So i didn't do any writing yesterday. But now I have no excuse. For a start I'm in the mood. For seconds I am at my computer and I have music playing through the speakers of my stereo. For thirds - the snooker isn't on until later, and I reckon I'll probably just try to catch the highlights later tonight.
So, on with the writing, though I've realised just how much of a re-write some of it needs now. Ah, well. Here goes.
Laters.
But there is a limit to how much "excitement" you can get during these weekends. What have I done? Chores - shopping, washing - and then, when I should have been writing or reading or doing something that had even a smidgen of productivity about it, what do I do? Watch the snooker. I love snooker. But really shouldn't be watching it. But can't help myself.
So i didn't do any writing yesterday. But now I have no excuse. For a start I'm in the mood. For seconds I am at my computer and I have music playing through the speakers of my stereo. For thirds - the snooker isn't on until later, and I reckon I'll probably just try to catch the highlights later tonight.
So, on with the writing, though I've realised just how much of a re-write some of it needs now. Ah, well. Here goes.
Laters.
Friday, 8 December 2006
Odd Requests and (Nearly) Tears of Happiness
Moments after I had finished writing yesterday's entry, there was a knock at my bedroom door. In burst Smoker and one of her friends, who for the benefit of you guys, I shall name Stoner, because he was. Extremely.
"Champagne!" they yelled at the top of their voices, shoving a shot glass of cold bubbly champagne into my hands.
"Have you guys had any sleep at all?" I asked.
"Nope!" replied Smoker, shaking her head. "Did we keep you up?"
"Of course not," I lied through gritted teeth. "I was suffering from a bout of insomnia again."
This isn't always a lie. I do suffer from insomnia - have done for the last four years or so. Whenever I'm stressed out about something is usually the time when it strikes. I was not, however, stressed out last night.
Meanwhile Stoner, who I had met before at another party, was inspecting my room.
"Mate," he said in drunken disgust, "please don't tell me that you like Doctor Who!" And he pointed to my Doctor Who Calender.
"No," I lied again. "I just watch it for Billie Piper."
"Anyway," said Smoker changing the subject. "Come downstairs! Come join us!"
After a few more minutes of pleading I relented and agreed to go downstairs shortly. Once they had left, I had a wash and got dressed before following them down the stairs into the lounge.
I swear to you now that the next worse place to the state of our lounge would have been Iraq. I thought the stench of stale cigarette smoke was bad as it casually drifted upstairs, but the lounge stank of the stuff.
Smoker and her boyfriend were seated at the kitchen table, behind the sleeping/unconscious bodies of their friends. Stoner was working his way through a bottle of Jack Daniels. I shook my head and made my way carefully over the snoring, drooling bodies to the kitchen area so that I could get something into my stomach - though the smell was quickly killing off my hunger.
"Hey, mate" said Stoner. "Get your (thingie) out,"
I spluttered Honey Nut Corn Flakes back into the bowl. "What?" I asked, hoping that I hadn't heard him right (Like Third Year Psychology hadn't when I told her this story later on).
"Get your (thingie) out. Get it free and easy mate! How often do you work one off? Once, twice a day? It's twice isn't it?"
"I'm not going to bloody tell you that!" I said, while Smoker and her boyfriend, Spanish Dude, started laughing out loud.
This continued for about half an hour, while I finished my breakfast - don't ask me how, but I did - and then washed up some pots and pans in a futile attempt to convince myself that I was making the mess a little bit better. He kept ordering me to get my privates out for everyone to see, I kept politely telling him to bugger off. In the end I got sick of it and made my way back over the no mans land of bodies to the lounge door and back to the relative safety of my room, where I remained for most of the day watching Family Guy and listening to old Radio shows.
Eventually they left, though the lounge was not in a state to hide the fact that lots of drunken people had spent the night in there. Smoker attempted to tidy it, but only the floor is clear at the moment - yes, she still hasn't finished it. In fact, I haven't seen her all day and I have an uneasy feeling that I, Media Nurse and Third Year Psychology will have to finish it, something which the latter will not be happy about.
Talking of happy, I went to Alpha Course last night - it's a Christian thing if you don't know - and on the way back, walking in the bitter cold of a December night, I realised that I had actually made a few friends there. I don't make friends easy, so this really cheered me up; so much so that I almost cried. Almost. That's the operative word.
Today has been relatively boring, to say the least. Edward II in English, Buffy on television. Not much of a weekend planned to tell the truth. My Xmas presents for my family did arrive, I suppose, so I was a little excited about that. I love Christmas - I'm just a big kid when it comes to the 25th December.
Didn't do any writing yesterday - going to do some right now. Just as soon as I publish this blog.
Laters.
"Champagne!" they yelled at the top of their voices, shoving a shot glass of cold bubbly champagne into my hands.
"Have you guys had any sleep at all?" I asked.
"Nope!" replied Smoker, shaking her head. "Did we keep you up?"
"Of course not," I lied through gritted teeth. "I was suffering from a bout of insomnia again."
This isn't always a lie. I do suffer from insomnia - have done for the last four years or so. Whenever I'm stressed out about something is usually the time when it strikes. I was not, however, stressed out last night.
Meanwhile Stoner, who I had met before at another party, was inspecting my room.
"Mate," he said in drunken disgust, "please don't tell me that you like Doctor Who!" And he pointed to my Doctor Who Calender.
"No," I lied again. "I just watch it for Billie Piper."
"Anyway," said Smoker changing the subject. "Come downstairs! Come join us!"
After a few more minutes of pleading I relented and agreed to go downstairs shortly. Once they had left, I had a wash and got dressed before following them down the stairs into the lounge.
I swear to you now that the next worse place to the state of our lounge would have been Iraq. I thought the stench of stale cigarette smoke was bad as it casually drifted upstairs, but the lounge stank of the stuff.
Smoker and her boyfriend were seated at the kitchen table, behind the sleeping/unconscious bodies of their friends. Stoner was working his way through a bottle of Jack Daniels. I shook my head and made my way carefully over the snoring, drooling bodies to the kitchen area so that I could get something into my stomach - though the smell was quickly killing off my hunger.
"Hey, mate" said Stoner. "Get your (thingie) out,"
I spluttered Honey Nut Corn Flakes back into the bowl. "What?" I asked, hoping that I hadn't heard him right (Like Third Year Psychology hadn't when I told her this story later on).
"Get your (thingie) out. Get it free and easy mate! How often do you work one off? Once, twice a day? It's twice isn't it?"
"I'm not going to bloody tell you that!" I said, while Smoker and her boyfriend, Spanish Dude, started laughing out loud.
This continued for about half an hour, while I finished my breakfast - don't ask me how, but I did - and then washed up some pots and pans in a futile attempt to convince myself that I was making the mess a little bit better. He kept ordering me to get my privates out for everyone to see, I kept politely telling him to bugger off. In the end I got sick of it and made my way back over the no mans land of bodies to the lounge door and back to the relative safety of my room, where I remained for most of the day watching Family Guy and listening to old Radio shows.
Eventually they left, though the lounge was not in a state to hide the fact that lots of drunken people had spent the night in there. Smoker attempted to tidy it, but only the floor is clear at the moment - yes, she still hasn't finished it. In fact, I haven't seen her all day and I have an uneasy feeling that I, Media Nurse and Third Year Psychology will have to finish it, something which the latter will not be happy about.
Talking of happy, I went to Alpha Course last night - it's a Christian thing if you don't know - and on the way back, walking in the bitter cold of a December night, I realised that I had actually made a few friends there. I don't make friends easy, so this really cheered me up; so much so that I almost cried. Almost. That's the operative word.
Today has been relatively boring, to say the least. Edward II in English, Buffy on television. Not much of a weekend planned to tell the truth. My Xmas presents for my family did arrive, I suppose, so I was a little excited about that. I love Christmas - I'm just a big kid when it comes to the 25th December.
Didn't do any writing yesterday - going to do some right now. Just as soon as I publish this blog.
Laters.
Thursday, 7 December 2006
I Wake To the Smell Of Cigarette Smoke Wafting Through the House
I'm not a smoker. I don't mind people smoking - what they do to their bodies is no concern of mine - but to wake up after a pretty rubbish night of broken sleep to the stench of cigarette smoke is not the most plesant sensation in the world.
I should explain. Yesterday was the twenty-first birthday of one of my housemates, the smoker in our house, and she had some friends over for the night. They went out last night to one or two of Winchester's finest bars and clubs - there aren't that many, to be fair - then got back at some ungodly hour in the morning and I don't think they've even considered having even a few moments of sleep. All they've done is talk, listen to loud music and smoke. From the smell of it, the latter has taken place non-stop.
I shouldn't complain too much I suppose. This is a rare occurance. Smoker usually keeps it to herself in her room, as this is technically a non-smoking house and I know that my other housemates, Media Nurse and Third Year Psychology, aren't too keen on the smell either. Plus it was Smoker's birthday yesterday. We all bought her a present - one present from the three of us, we're students and poor, plus Christmas is coming and we do have shopping to do at some point - we got her some hair straighteners. Well, I got the straighteners from Argos - the others just gave me money for them.
Yesterday was, apart from the brief excitement carried over from the 21st celebrations, pretty boring to be fair. I should have done some work - I have an essay on Shakespeare coming up, plus a timed exam - or at least done some writing. But I was facing a dead end with the book I am currently writing - working title of The Witch Sister - so I just stayed in and watched three episodes of Buffy and watched two films by my favourite director, Tim Burton - Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride.
But as I was getting ready for bed after watching the third episode of Lost Series Three last night it hit me what I had to do. Thing is, I'm extremley enthusiastic when writing, but I've realised that I've been too enthusiastic with this particular story. I've revealed too much too soon. Where's the mystery? I'll have to do some major revisions I feel. That's after I get dressed and do some research in the University Library. Oh, and I have to read Edward II for tomorrow's lecture/seminar. And I have Alpha Course tonight. Plus Grey's Anatomy is on.
Maybe I'll wait until tomorrow. I don't think I've got a lot to do tomorrow.
Laters.
I should explain. Yesterday was the twenty-first birthday of one of my housemates, the smoker in our house, and she had some friends over for the night. They went out last night to one or two of Winchester's finest bars and clubs - there aren't that many, to be fair - then got back at some ungodly hour in the morning and I don't think they've even considered having even a few moments of sleep. All they've done is talk, listen to loud music and smoke. From the smell of it, the latter has taken place non-stop.
I shouldn't complain too much I suppose. This is a rare occurance. Smoker usually keeps it to herself in her room, as this is technically a non-smoking house and I know that my other housemates, Media Nurse and Third Year Psychology, aren't too keen on the smell either. Plus it was Smoker's birthday yesterday. We all bought her a present - one present from the three of us, we're students and poor, plus Christmas is coming and we do have shopping to do at some point - we got her some hair straighteners. Well, I got the straighteners from Argos - the others just gave me money for them.
Yesterday was, apart from the brief excitement carried over from the 21st celebrations, pretty boring to be fair. I should have done some work - I have an essay on Shakespeare coming up, plus a timed exam - or at least done some writing. But I was facing a dead end with the book I am currently writing - working title of The Witch Sister - so I just stayed in and watched three episodes of Buffy and watched two films by my favourite director, Tim Burton - Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride.
But as I was getting ready for bed after watching the third episode of Lost Series Three last night it hit me what I had to do. Thing is, I'm extremley enthusiastic when writing, but I've realised that I've been too enthusiastic with this particular story. I've revealed too much too soon. Where's the mystery? I'll have to do some major revisions I feel. That's after I get dressed and do some research in the University Library. Oh, and I have to read Edward II for tomorrow's lecture/seminar. And I have Alpha Course tonight. Plus Grey's Anatomy is on.
Maybe I'll wait until tomorrow. I don't think I've got a lot to do tomorrow.
Laters.
Wednesday, 6 December 2006
Greetings
Hello. My name is Mark Nurdin, but you can call me Struggling Writer. Why? Simple. I am a struggling writer.
Not all the time, you understand. At the time of writing I am also a second-year English student at Winchester University in England, United Kingdom, Europe, The Planet Earth, The Solar System, The Milky Way, The Universe. In case anyone wants any directions, ask TomTom.
I say at the time of writing because I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay a student. Anything could happen - I could get hit by a bus tomorrow - or even today! - or decide that University isan't for me. I just can't be bothered to make a decision right at the present moment.
I am a struggling writer, though it's not the writing with which I am struggling with (though this depends I suppose on how good my grammar is). I've written two books already, and am currently working on the third. I just haven't got round to getting them published yet. Why? I could give you lots of answers but the simplest one I guess is laziness.
If you are interested - and I hope to God that you are otherwise this is just a huge waste of television watching time - then you will wnat to know that the books are a series set in my very own fictional town called Green Ash - hence the upl address for this blog. (Is that right? Upl? I suck at technological babble.) Green Ash is a place full of weird people where weird things happen and nobody bats an eyelid except the smartest and most normal individuals there - the teenagers.
So, that's my premise. Now what shall we talk about? Perhaps I'd better let you know a little about myself. I am a big fan of the four great cultural activities - reading, listeing to music, watching theatre, watching films - and am a television addict, especially when it comes to programmes like Lost, Family Guy, The Simpsons, Friends, etc. With music I don't have a favourite artist as such - I just like good songs. I tried to create a podcast about a month ago but got bored with that. I get bored easily, though I'm hoping I can keep myself mildly interested in this blog. I'm a James Bond Film fanatic - ask me anything about the films and I can probably answer you with annoying smugness that will make you hate me even more - though I haven't seen the latest one, Casino Royale, as yet.
I guess that's all really that I want to share at the moment. Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you a bit about Winchester. Then again maybe I'll just tell you about the really fat pigeon I saw a few moments ago. Whatever, Buffy is on and that's mildly entertaining. Laters.
Not all the time, you understand. At the time of writing I am also a second-year English student at Winchester University in England, United Kingdom, Europe, The Planet Earth, The Solar System, The Milky Way, The Universe. In case anyone wants any directions, ask TomTom.
I say at the time of writing because I'm not sure how long I'm going to stay a student. Anything could happen - I could get hit by a bus tomorrow - or even today! - or decide that University isan't for me. I just can't be bothered to make a decision right at the present moment.
I am a struggling writer, though it's not the writing with which I am struggling with (though this depends I suppose on how good my grammar is). I've written two books already, and am currently working on the third. I just haven't got round to getting them published yet. Why? I could give you lots of answers but the simplest one I guess is laziness.
If you are interested - and I hope to God that you are otherwise this is just a huge waste of television watching time - then you will wnat to know that the books are a series set in my very own fictional town called Green Ash - hence the upl address for this blog. (Is that right? Upl? I suck at technological babble.) Green Ash is a place full of weird people where weird things happen and nobody bats an eyelid except the smartest and most normal individuals there - the teenagers.
So, that's my premise. Now what shall we talk about? Perhaps I'd better let you know a little about myself. I am a big fan of the four great cultural activities - reading, listeing to music, watching theatre, watching films - and am a television addict, especially when it comes to programmes like Lost, Family Guy, The Simpsons, Friends, etc. With music I don't have a favourite artist as such - I just like good songs. I tried to create a podcast about a month ago but got bored with that. I get bored easily, though I'm hoping I can keep myself mildly interested in this blog. I'm a James Bond Film fanatic - ask me anything about the films and I can probably answer you with annoying smugness that will make you hate me even more - though I haven't seen the latest one, Casino Royale, as yet.
I guess that's all really that I want to share at the moment. Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you a bit about Winchester. Then again maybe I'll just tell you about the really fat pigeon I saw a few moments ago. Whatever, Buffy is on and that's mildly entertaining. Laters.
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