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Stuff and Nonsense
Mar. 23rd, 2009 03:03 pmHmmm. I have been slacking on the updates. I think I've been busy, or something, but I have very little to show for it if I have been. Oh, I remember, I existed within a cloud of rage for a week and a half, dealing with bullshit drama of other people's making in my life :P
It's all good though- every negative experience exists as a lesson, or at the very least an example of contrast so that I know what not to focus my energy on. Yay! (Speaking of the drama, I told the ex we shouldn't be friends. I didn't really expect a response [though I probably should have], but I got one... not sure if I'm going to reply yet.)
I've been having a lot of fun lately, despite the anger issue. Which is mostly gone. I had two nights in a row of really nice and sincere one-on-one conversations, first with Heather, then with Becky. Both at pubs, lol, but they were nice pubs. I went to London this weekend to check out the Portobello Road market with Heather and the girls (I reference Heather specifically because she lives in London on the weekends with her boyfriend Scott, so it was like we were visiting her). Since it was sunny out we headed to Battersea Park and drank wine all afternoon, playing frisbee, and occasionally petting a dog that wanted to sniff our food. When the sun went down we headed back to Scott's friend's apartment, watched some crappy English TV, and headed out to an awesome pub with my new flask in hand (It was the only thing I bought at the market, except for a bunch of huge grapes- seriously, HUGE). We were up/out till about 3 in the morning when we stumbled back to Scott's apartment. That was probably one of the most hedonistic days of my life. Good way to celebrate Spring? I think so.
I don't know, not much going on really... I'm having a lot of introspective moments, but they're all too nebulous to go into really. I love the UK. I miss people (and animals) back home, but I know when I come home I'm going to miss the people and places here, too, and when school starts in the Fall I'm going to hate it. Buffalo has great potential, and I didn't really think I'd ever want to get away from there, but having been away, lived away, even for a little while, I've come to realize just how important it IS to get away from home for a chunk of your life. I think I need to be away longer, to be honest... or just elsewhere. I think I've started something I won't easily be able to turn off. I need to spend more time out in the world, on my own little adventure. Or big adventure. I have a feeling I might end up in Buffalo, ultimately, but there is a long time between now and then.
I'm considering grad school again/still. There's a school in BC that looks decent, but I actually want to look at grad schools over here, too. In what? Well, in BC they have a Creative Studies program that would let me combine creative writing and video. But I might just go somewhere for creative writing. I don't know. The more I work in video, the more I like it, but when I'm away from it for even a little while I begin to wonder if I'm settling. Writing is my first love- my true love. I dream of a life where writing is my very first priority, because it is my career, my income, my art and religion, and my stories are my children. Maybe I'll have a husband, but he'd have to understand... ;) Think of all the time I'd have for research... there are a lot of stories I've let die because I couldn't confront the research necessary to make them happen :(
Anyway, grad school sounds like a good excuse to keep traveling too. Shameless? Yes. But hey, I'd get an MFA out of it, and credit for spending all my time being creative.
Oh, I forgot to add that I found out the quarantine for cats coming to the UK is only 3 weeks, plus you can visit them during the day. So, yeah. Now all I need to make my life perfect is for my friends and family to move to the UK with me...
So... there's some of the inner-workings of my mind lately. Aside from huge things like where I'll be living this time next year, the only other stuff on my mind (that I let stay there) is trying to get a job when I come home, and how best to dress for four days in Morocco at the beginning of April... plus I'm toying with the idea of seeing how hard it is to write and publish a romance novel... I'd like some more spending money ;D
It's all good though- every negative experience exists as a lesson, or at the very least an example of contrast so that I know what not to focus my energy on. Yay! (Speaking of the drama, I told the ex we shouldn't be friends. I didn't really expect a response [though I probably should have], but I got one... not sure if I'm going to reply yet.)
I've been having a lot of fun lately, despite the anger issue. Which is mostly gone. I had two nights in a row of really nice and sincere one-on-one conversations, first with Heather, then with Becky. Both at pubs, lol, but they were nice pubs. I went to London this weekend to check out the Portobello Road market with Heather and the girls (I reference Heather specifically because she lives in London on the weekends with her boyfriend Scott, so it was like we were visiting her). Since it was sunny out we headed to Battersea Park and drank wine all afternoon, playing frisbee, and occasionally petting a dog that wanted to sniff our food. When the sun went down we headed back to Scott's friend's apartment, watched some crappy English TV, and headed out to an awesome pub with my new flask in hand (It was the only thing I bought at the market, except for a bunch of huge grapes- seriously, HUGE). We were up/out till about 3 in the morning when we stumbled back to Scott's apartment. That was probably one of the most hedonistic days of my life. Good way to celebrate Spring? I think so.
I don't know, not much going on really... I'm having a lot of introspective moments, but they're all too nebulous to go into really. I love the UK. I miss people (and animals) back home, but I know when I come home I'm going to miss the people and places here, too, and when school starts in the Fall I'm going to hate it. Buffalo has great potential, and I didn't really think I'd ever want to get away from there, but having been away, lived away, even for a little while, I've come to realize just how important it IS to get away from home for a chunk of your life. I think I need to be away longer, to be honest... or just elsewhere. I think I've started something I won't easily be able to turn off. I need to spend more time out in the world, on my own little adventure. Or big adventure. I have a feeling I might end up in Buffalo, ultimately, but there is a long time between now and then.
I'm considering grad school again/still. There's a school in BC that looks decent, but I actually want to look at grad schools over here, too. In what? Well, in BC they have a Creative Studies program that would let me combine creative writing and video. But I might just go somewhere for creative writing. I don't know. The more I work in video, the more I like it, but when I'm away from it for even a little while I begin to wonder if I'm settling. Writing is my first love- my true love. I dream of a life where writing is my very first priority, because it is my career, my income, my art and religion, and my stories are my children. Maybe I'll have a husband, but he'd have to understand... ;) Think of all the time I'd have for research... there are a lot of stories I've let die because I couldn't confront the research necessary to make them happen :(
Anyway, grad school sounds like a good excuse to keep traveling too. Shameless? Yes. But hey, I'd get an MFA out of it, and credit for spending all my time being creative.
Oh, I forgot to add that I found out the quarantine for cats coming to the UK is only 3 weeks, plus you can visit them during the day. So, yeah. Now all I need to make my life perfect is for my friends and family to move to the UK with me...
So... there's some of the inner-workings of my mind lately. Aside from huge things like where I'll be living this time next year, the only other stuff on my mind (that I let stay there) is trying to get a job when I come home, and how best to dress for four days in Morocco at the beginning of April... plus I'm toying with the idea of seeing how hard it is to write and publish a romance novel... I'd like some more spending money ;D
First impressions
Feb. 12th, 2009 12:16 pm I finally got to go to my Authorship and Creative Writing "module" as they call it here in England. I was apprehensive to sign up for any kind of creative writing course at a college level because my experience with all creative writing courses has been underwhelming, and courses portrayed in films and literature have always looked pretentious and soul crushing.
This course is not like that. It is geared toward the business end of writing, because it is a module in a Publishing degree program. We aren't being taught to "write what sells," but we are being taught to write for a specific audience in mind, which I can get behind for the most part. The course is divided into seminars on the relationship between publisher and author, researching publishers, writing synopses and cover letters, etc. and workshops, in which the class is divided in two and the students work with a creative writing tutor. I'm hesitant about this only because I have been writing for some time now- I have a very naturalistic approach to my process of composition- and I don't want some other writer to come in and tell me to do it her way. I'll try, as an experiment, but it will irk me.
Here's the best part. We only have two assignments: 1) To write the synopsis, first chapter, and cover letter of an original historical fiction novel; 2) To write up a market analysis for our proposed novel. The real question is, should I actually come up with something new or just use something I already have? What if I use something I came up with last week? Decisions, decisions.
This seems like not very much work at all for someone who writes novels in her spare time ;p I'm excited to learn about the market analysis stuff though because I know it's good to mention your target audience in cover letters. Anyway, I have positive expectations for the course, if not high hopes.
I wonder what my Design for Online Communication class is going to be like- hopefully I'll be learning something of value. ;p
This course is not like that. It is geared toward the business end of writing, because it is a module in a Publishing degree program. We aren't being taught to "write what sells," but we are being taught to write for a specific audience in mind, which I can get behind for the most part. The course is divided into seminars on the relationship between publisher and author, researching publishers, writing synopses and cover letters, etc. and workshops, in which the class is divided in two and the students work with a creative writing tutor. I'm hesitant about this only because I have been writing for some time now- I have a very naturalistic approach to my process of composition- and I don't want some other writer to come in and tell me to do it her way. I'll try, as an experiment, but it will irk me.
Here's the best part. We only have two assignments: 1) To write the synopsis, first chapter, and cover letter of an original historical fiction novel; 2) To write up a market analysis for our proposed novel. The real question is, should I actually come up with something new or just use something I already have? What if I use something I came up with last week? Decisions, decisions.
This seems like not very much work at all for someone who writes novels in her spare time ;p I'm excited to learn about the market analysis stuff though because I know it's good to mention your target audience in cover letters. Anyway, I have positive expectations for the course, if not high hopes.
I wonder what my Design for Online Communication class is going to be like- hopefully I'll be learning something of value. ;p
People and stuff
Jan. 31st, 2009 06:25 pmSo, I finally have internet in my room. Yaaay!
I am uploading photos to my flickr account as we speak.
So, ok, I've made some nice friends here at Brookes. My British flatmates are very friendly- the international students are very friendly. The girl in the room next to me is from Canada so we're both loving the weather here. But, man, Brits DRINK. All the time. I can't do that. But apparently, college kids also drink a lot in general and I totally missed that memo. All the girls I've made friends with are big into clubbing- they all listen to R&B- we keep the conversation pretty much on the surface, for the most part. Not to mention I'm definitely one of the oldest exchange students in the undergrad program, which makes me feel hella old to also be saying "nah I don't want to go clubbing."
Anyway, I'm fine with that for now because they are all really friendly, fun girls. I'm hoping that when class starts on Monday I'll meet people more of my ilk, though. I have Advanced Video on a campus that's 30 minutes away from my dorm, at 9 in the morning, until 10. Then nothing. Then the same class from 1-3 in a different room. We'll see how that works out. I'm off on Tuesdays, potentially off on Wednesdays if I drop Communicating Images, and have Authorship and Creative Writing 9-12 on Thursdays (kind of like keeping sacred Thursdays alive? maybe?) at the campus a few blocks away, and Design for Online Communication from 5-8 on a different campus, even farther away. They do classes very strangely here.
I'm also hoping to meet people in my belly dance class! I'm so nervous/excited about that. Kadri was a wonderful teacher/person so it will be hard to not be disappointed, but I've got high hopes. Plus, I might get involved with the dance society here, and learn some latin dance, or swing if they have it. And my last resort for meeting people who aren't 21 or younger (no offense to my young friends at home, but you are far more mature than most people your age anyway): I've asked the chaplain at Brookes to email me info on the Unitarian Universalist church here. I've been meaning to go in Buffalo, so why not start here? Then at least I'm guaranteed to meet people who have a little depth to them.
Meanwhile, between all kinds of crazy stuff, I'm trying to re-write my query letter for The Hierophant. Yeah. I'm not waiting around on that. Plus, I finished the first installment of The Poppet and the Lune and I'm pretty excited about it. I think. I'm also excited to go to the city alone this week, so I'm not being dragged into stores, or worrying about losing people, or forgetting them. I think I'm going to try to find a cafe and write there. Although, the pubs all have free wi-fi...
I'm also very tired because I have spent more time on my feet this past week than in the past four months combined. So I'm going to go make some tea. Cause I'm in England. ;D
These entries will be more thorough soon. I'm still settling in Xp
I am uploading photos to my flickr account as we speak.
So, ok, I've made some nice friends here at Brookes. My British flatmates are very friendly- the international students are very friendly. The girl in the room next to me is from Canada so we're both loving the weather here. But, man, Brits DRINK. All the time. I can't do that. But apparently, college kids also drink a lot in general and I totally missed that memo. All the girls I've made friends with are big into clubbing- they all listen to R&B- we keep the conversation pretty much on the surface, for the most part. Not to mention I'm definitely one of the oldest exchange students in the undergrad program, which makes me feel hella old to also be saying "nah I don't want to go clubbing."
Anyway, I'm fine with that for now because they are all really friendly, fun girls. I'm hoping that when class starts on Monday I'll meet people more of my ilk, though. I have Advanced Video on a campus that's 30 minutes away from my dorm, at 9 in the morning, until 10. Then nothing. Then the same class from 1-3 in a different room. We'll see how that works out. I'm off on Tuesdays, potentially off on Wednesdays if I drop Communicating Images, and have Authorship and Creative Writing 9-12 on Thursdays (kind of like keeping sacred Thursdays alive? maybe?) at the campus a few blocks away, and Design for Online Communication from 5-8 on a different campus, even farther away. They do classes very strangely here.
I'm also hoping to meet people in my belly dance class! I'm so nervous/excited about that. Kadri was a wonderful teacher/person so it will be hard to not be disappointed, but I've got high hopes. Plus, I might get involved with the dance society here, and learn some latin dance, or swing if they have it. And my last resort for meeting people who aren't 21 or younger (no offense to my young friends at home, but you are far more mature than most people your age anyway): I've asked the chaplain at Brookes to email me info on the Unitarian Universalist church here. I've been meaning to go in Buffalo, so why not start here? Then at least I'm guaranteed to meet people who have a little depth to them.
Meanwhile, between all kinds of crazy stuff, I'm trying to re-write my query letter for The Hierophant. Yeah. I'm not waiting around on that. Plus, I finished the first installment of The Poppet and the Lune and I'm pretty excited about it. I think. I'm also excited to go to the city alone this week, so I'm not being dragged into stores, or worrying about losing people, or forgetting them. I think I'm going to try to find a cafe and write there. Although, the pubs all have free wi-fi...
I'm also very tired because I have spent more time on my feet this past week than in the past four months combined. So I'm going to go make some tea. Cause I'm in England. ;D
These entries will be more thorough soon. I'm still settling in Xp
Residence!
Dec. 17th, 2008 07:30 pmI got my residence assignment for Oxford Brookes today! (Making the whole thing THAT MUCH MORE REAL XD) I'll be staying at Clive Booth Hall which is en-suite, meaning I get my own bathroom (!), and also self-catering, which is probably a good thing since I'm sure I would have gained a bunch of weight on a meal plan. Self-catering gives me the freedom to save money by skipping meals, too (which sounds bad, but given that I don't really eat 3 full meals a day anyway makes sense because mealplans are a rip off unless you eat 3 meals a day religiously). Yeah... I'll save that money and put it into my backpacking fund! :D Anyway, I'm sharing a suite with 5 other people (co-ed!)- we all get our own rooms and bathrooms, but we share a common area and kitchen. It's good- it will force me to meet people. Maybe even make a friend or two? Shocking.
Anyway... just wanted to update that.
Ps: I'm so grateful for this opportunity... ;-;
Anyway... just wanted to update that.
Ps: I'm so grateful for this opportunity... ;-;
-I finished reading my first draft of The Hierophant last night. ;-; I'm so freakin' excited about this book/series! The ending needs some work, and I still need to figure out where to have Kyla "come out," but other than that it's actually a lot better than I'd anticipated, considering I went into each chapter not knowing what was going to happen next. Ok, actually, no, it's just a really effin' good draft of a really effin' good novel. XD
-I got another mind-blowing CD from my parents about life the universe and everything (essentially) and it's got me high on bliss :D
-I have an exam today at 3:30, then I'm done with UB until summer!
-my mother had a reading with Gretchen (her friend who is a 3rd generation spirit medium/clairvoyant) and, being my mother, she asked about me, and, among several other awesome things, Gretchen said "Maddie does best when she listens to herself. Tell her to do that more." It's weird, because I've done that more and more the last few months, and I don't know if I needed the instruction to keep doing it, but OK! Feed my arrogance ;D
-Life is good!
-I got another mind-blowing CD from my parents about life the universe and everything (essentially) and it's got me high on bliss :D
-I have an exam today at 3:30, then I'm done with UB until summer!
-my mother had a reading with Gretchen (her friend who is a 3rd generation spirit medium/clairvoyant) and, being my mother, she asked about me, and, among several other awesome things, Gretchen said "Maddie does best when she listens to herself. Tell her to do that more." It's weird, because I've done that more and more the last few months, and I don't know if I needed the instruction to keep doing it, but OK! Feed my arrogance ;D
-Life is good!
OH HOT DAMN
Nov. 11th, 2008 11:47 amI just got an email from Oxford Brookes!
I AM IN!
I AM GOING TO OXFORD FOR THE SPRING 2009 SEMESTER!!!!
XD XD XD
!!!
I AM IN!
I AM GOING TO OXFORD FOR THE SPRING 2009 SEMESTER!!!!
XD XD XD
!!!
Dust from the wings of angels
Oct. 8th, 2008 03:22 pmYesterday began on less sleep than I care to think about, since I tossed and turned all night with waaay too much on my mind. In the morning, I made a list- a long list- of all the details and items that needed to be done before the day was out. And by golly I did it all. I managed to get absolutely everything done and in the mail in order to apply for the study abroad program at Oxford Brookes (which, to dispel confusion, is not actually part of Oxford University, but is a university in Oxford), and I got everything ready for my object animation.
I made one crucial mistake though: I did not remember to get the key to the animation suite before I left school. D'oh! But, it all worked out because I came home from class around 10 and was passed out by 11:30 (the earliest I've gone to bed in God knows when). Tonight I have obligations, but I'm in the suite right now until 6ish doing all the cut away shots, then back again tonight for an overnight for the master shot. Thank god UB gets off for Yom Kippur.
I've encountered a semi-block in my young adult novel (that I have re-named [not renamed] "The Hierophant" because I think the tarot card titles work best), mostly because I haven't had time to work on it, and if I have had time I've been tired. Also, it's building towards a climax and I have only a vague idea of where I'm going. Usually, or at least as has been the norm so far in this novel, that's fine- the Universe delivers. But I'm having trouble receiving because I've gotten critical of the whole draft.
That's ok though. I know it's just a first draft. It will need a lot of work, but in the end it will be awesome. I can't get to the awesome unless I go through the lesser degrees of awesome, can I? Not likely. I should get used to revisions and stop being afraid of them (unconsciously or not), especially if I want my career to be writing novels. I have entered a phase of doubt in regards to the value of the entire story, but I'm trying to dismiss it based on the logic of previous enthusiasm.
XD
Back to animating angels and fairies!
I made one crucial mistake though: I did not remember to get the key to the animation suite before I left school. D'oh! But, it all worked out because I came home from class around 10 and was passed out by 11:30 (the earliest I've gone to bed in God knows when). Tonight I have obligations, but I'm in the suite right now until 6ish doing all the cut away shots, then back again tonight for an overnight for the master shot. Thank god UB gets off for Yom Kippur.
I've encountered a semi-block in my young adult novel (that I have re-named [not renamed] "The Hierophant" because I think the tarot card titles work best), mostly because I haven't had time to work on it, and if I have had time I've been tired. Also, it's building towards a climax and I have only a vague idea of where I'm going. Usually, or at least as has been the norm so far in this novel, that's fine- the Universe delivers. But I'm having trouble receiving because I've gotten critical of the whole draft.
That's ok though. I know it's just a first draft. It will need a lot of work, but in the end it will be awesome. I can't get to the awesome unless I go through the lesser degrees of awesome, can I? Not likely. I should get used to revisions and stop being afraid of them (unconsciously or not), especially if I want my career to be writing novels. I have entered a phase of doubt in regards to the value of the entire story, but I'm trying to dismiss it based on the logic of previous enthusiasm.
XD
Back to animating angels and fairies!
Oxford Brookes University.
They have media production courses- writing courses- it's at effin' OXFORD- it's $2000 cheaper than other programs- and... and...
The deadline for the Spring semester application is October 15th.
:O
I could be going to Oxford in January.
:O :O :O
They have media production courses- writing courses- it's at effin' OXFORD- it's $2000 cheaper than other programs- and... and...
The deadline for the Spring semester application is October 15th.
:O
I could be going to Oxford in January.
:O :O :O
