A Traditional Christmas

Hi readers,


With Christmas just around the corner - 17 days away and counting- I thought I'd write this post, which possibly will be the last one for 2013. Like everyone else, I'll continue to be busy now in the run up to the big day. Most of my presents are ready and I've done a lot of Christmas shopping too.


The major thing on my list right now is getting all the Christmas decorations up. I love doing that as it means that Christmas is truly on its way and I like making my house look really warm and homely. Like many families we have a lot of special and traditional decorations. My favourite decoration happens to go on the Christmas tree and it's a Jiggle Bug. This cardboard, brightly coloured 'bug' came from one of my favourite Christmas story books; The 12 Bugs of Christmas. For me it holds childhood memories of Christmas eve and being read lots of fun books.



Each family member also has certain tasks to do every year. My task is setting up the nativity scene. My mum and I are the religious people in our house. I believe its' important to remember all the different reasons behind Christmas and I do this whilst I'm unwrapping the figures. The scene always goes on the kitchen windowsill in-between the potted plants. When I place the figures down, my thoughts turn to the birth of Christ. Ending the task with a pray, I then quietly move on.

Second on the list is wrapping presents and writing cards. Both things really get me excited and I enjoy giving presents and seeing peoples' reactions. I think even more so this year because all my presents have been handmade. After I've done that, the last task will be getting in all the food and drink. Though, I enjoy eating and drinking it far more then the shopping! Then it'll be time to celebrate Christmas!

I actually started this post because today I visited the Victorian Christmas Market at the Lowry Outlet Shopping Mall in Manchester, UK. The weather just about held up, though it was very cold. There was plenty to see and all the stall holders were really chatty. Most of the stuff was handmade and a few stalls had unique items. I was very drawn to the fudge stall which was selling alcohol fudge in beer and wine glasses. I'd never seen that before! I also liked the wood craft stall, which had lots of different things made out of wood and painted. Most were decorative, but some had uses like stools, instruments, bookends and tables.

The food was also a winner for me, as there were many stalls selling traditional Victorian food stuff. The pies and cakes were awesome and I got myself a massive cupcake too. They also has had the more normal Christmas foods and the foreign foods like German and Meditation. The one thing that actually made this market different and special was the fact they had people dressed in Victorian costume acting out events. It did feel a bit odd at first, seeing women wearing massive dresses and men in suits and police uniforms, once I got use to it though I wonder if I could write some kind of Christmas set story about people from different years coming together.

It also got me thinking about where some of our Christmas traditions and aspects come from. Many were actually Victorian and they did create the Christmas today as we know it. Some parts also have their roots in Europe, especially the countries closest to Britain. I guess that most people don't really think about where certain Christmas things - like Christmas trees, Christmas pudding, mistletoe or Santa- come from and how they developed. Maybe if you have the time you could start to look into it and see what can be discovered about the history of Christmas. I guess it'll be different in every country, but that just makes it more interesting!

I really enjoyed my afternoon and though I didn't need to buy Christmas presents for people, it was still worth going and soaking up some more Christmas spirit. This was actually the second Christmas market I've been to, because at the start of December I went to the Manchester Christmas Market. I go with my family every year and its' become a tradition in a way. We were a bit disappointed with it this year though, because even though it's got bigger, most of it has become food and drink. Also a lot of the stalls seem to be the same and the prices are expensive. Still though it is worth going for the experience, but I warn you it gets really busy fast and going at peak times can sometimes feel like being in a traffic jam after a major accident.

Still though it's part of the madness of Christmas! I really hope that in the future that people will still be interested in going to these markets and buying the items. The internet has really changed the way people do their Christmas shop and I worry that it takes some of the magic out of the holiday. Even though I'm not a fan of crowds or shopping I love the experience I get when visiting these markets. It makes me feel more in the Christmas mood and also you can often see and buy things that you just won't normally find on the internet or even had consider getting.

Hopefully, I shall put up a small post as my official last one of the year though it'll probably be after Christmas. So, even though I know its a bit early; Merry Christmas everyone!   

 

Images from:

http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/victorian-sleigh-ride-richard-de-wolfe.jpg

http://jreneearcher.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/christmas-books-for-kids.html

http://www.hdwallpapersinn.com/nativity-scene-pictures.html

http://visitmanchesterblog.wordpress.com/

http://blog.thistle.com/christmas-shopping-in-manchester/

World Book Night Applications Now Open

Hey readers,

I'm just letting you know that the 2014 World Book Night applications are now open and you can apply to be a book giver for next year on their website: http://www.worldbooknight.org/

World Book Night has been an event since 2011 and I was amongst the first lot of people who give out books at the opening ceremony in London. Since then I've applied and been award as a giver every year and I hope this year is no different! I find it very exciting to give books out to people who don't normally read that's what the Night is all about.

It's run by a charity of book lovers, who's aim is to get more people into reading. Sometimes they also encourage people to get back into reading and/or to discover new books and authors. The event fits in with the more popular and longer running World Book Day. Their website is packing with lots of information and news, which makes visiting and revisiting a fascinating trip every single time.

The reason I got involved was because of my passionate for books and telling stories. My mum told me about it as she was taking part through her office. When I did more research into it, I decided that I too had to take part. Throughout my life I've always found reading as an escapism from the harshness of life. In novels I have found friends, worlds and objects. I've gone on adventures, solved mysteries, battle evil or good, meet supernatural beings and fallen in love.  

The best part of being a book giver for me, is being able to give out a free book to someone who doesn't really read and/or dislikes books. Spreading the word that books are good and not something to be feared from our school days, makes me feel a lot better inside. I know it also gives the joy of reading back to people too and even if I know I've inspired only one person through my giving then that's fine by me.

So, I hope I've now inspired you to get involve this year!

PS. This is the book I've picked to give out. There's 20 titles to choose and they cover the range of fiction and non-fiction.

Images from:
http://creamcracker.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/open-book/
http://www.worldbooknight.org/books/2014-book-list/item/10129-confessions-of-a-gp

Keep Calm and Sew!

It's strange to think that up until ten or twenty years or so ago, most women knew how to sew. They knew how to make clothes, toys and home furnishing by hand and using a machine. Many could also design their own patterns and create something new that fitted their needs. Girls were taught the basic techniques in schools or extra classes or else by family members. They also learned to knit, crotchet, cross stitch and anything else that falls into this category.

Now though, it seems to me that these skills are slowly fading, yet the demand for handmade items is still high. No longer are people being taught how to sew in schools and family members haven't been teaching each other because everyone is just too busy or else it doesn't interested them. Plus, nearly all items can now be made via machines and thus given the 'handmade' look. This means that shops can sell this stuff cheaply and sometimes it can be more cheap then the materials needed and the work being put in! So, people take the easy route and just go with the handmade style look to their clothes or furnishings. Of course there's nothing wrong with this, but to me it shouldn't be allowed to take over.

In a way, this decline of sewing reminds me of all the other skills that people have or are losing. Most of them seem to be hands on skills like carpenters, blacksmiths, farriers, old fashion farming and some engineering jobs. They've mostly fallen into history because of the new technical and peoples ways of looking at things. Don't get me wrong, that's not a bad thing, it just seems a shame to me that these jobs are not popular anymore.

  

I should get back to the actual point of this post now. I recently discovered a hidden talent and love for sewing that maybe had been overshadowed by all my other hobbies. Working with older children at the youth club and teaching them the basics of sewing by hand and creating a whole range of items, was the trigger. I never really thought about where my talent might have come from but on reflection I can so place it!

Crafting seems to have always been in my family one way or another. I have memories of curling by my nana's gas fire in the dim light whilst she crotchet blankets, dollies and dolls' clothes. I have a few she made in my bedroom, but where the rest went to I've no idea. I always remember her crocheting and knitting though and her needles always being close to hand. My grandmother, who I never meet was also into the same hobby, but she was also a fan of cross stitching. My mum can do everything, but crochet as she finds that too tricky, which is a weird thing to say. She has always been into making clothes, toys and cross stitch pictures.

My first memory of my mum making something for me was my school uniforms. I hated wearing them- not because they were handmade- but because they looked slightly different from the brand new uniforms that everyone else wore. My mum said that I was too tall for my age and she couldn't find any uniform that fitted me, so she decided that making one would be easier. I think that memory caused me to be put off handmade clothes for years. Then due to getting into making cards and scrapbooks, I become interested in knitting and so encouraged my mum to get back into knitting. Thus she has made me some nice jumpers, jackets and soft toys over the last few years. She also taught me how to knit, but I still have a lot to learn!

On reflection, the youth factory really did inspire me to start sewing again. I remember that we had a session making squishes. Which are soft flat-ish toys made from white cotton and fabric pens. I knew I could do that on my own and so did create some hearts and stars. Then I moved on from that made myself a cushion to take to Dungeons and Dragons with me. Then it just kicked off and now I seem unable to stop myself from making things out of fabric and felt. I've found that working with both is relaxing and fills the time. It's also helped me with my depression.

It does take awhile to decided what to make, but I just Google for inspiration and the Pinterest it. Thus I have two boards of things to make. Now the actually making part can take forever, but the end results always seem to be worth the time spent. I've actually decided to make Christmas presents for my family and friends as I've the time and though it might not seem cheaper over all, it's good fun. This does mean that I can't show all my creations, but here are a few;

                                                                                                                                                                 
The other thing I've been making are these candle jars. I was inspired by a walk though I saw on Pinterest and so have made my own. The first is made with actual dry leaves and the second is made with skeleton paper leaves. Both look really good though.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Images from;
http://cherryandcinnamon.com/tag/vintage/
http://dict.space.4goo.net/dict?q=forge
Author's own. 

Returning to blogging.

Wow, it feels a bit strange to be writing on here again. It's been two months or so now looking at my last post. Unfortunately, I've been really ill and that's why I've not been writing. I've been depressed for a good few months now. I've been in a bit of denial about it of course and even though I've known for sure for a little while, it can be difficult for a person who is normally happy, positive, creative and very intelligent to come to terms with. I've a pretty good understand of where the depression came from and why it ended up getting me. However, I'm not going to discuss it on here as its not the place.

To add to this, I've also been suffering from bronchitis and asthma for the last six weeks. It started as a bad cold, which I'm really prone to getting and then it become a throat infection before becoming bronchitis. Now I'm over the worse of it, but it seems to have triggered off acute asthma, which is causing me more issues. The cold air, being too active, sleeping and stress are my current triggers. I've started taking two inhalers and tablets for it. I'm hopeful that it'll be under control soon enough and I can get back to being well again.

I'm slowly getting back into doing my normal things as well as a few other things, which I shall be touching on and then writing a post about later. I don't plan to spend the time backtracking to write up about autumn or Halloween or some of the books I've read because I won't have the time. Which to me is a shame because all these subjects are my favorite things to write about. Hopefully I'll get a chance next year.

The two other things that have also effected me in the last few weeks is that I've broken up with my boyfriend and one of my friends from university suddenly died. I had this two piece of news and the one about the bronchitis in the space of a few days from one another. So I've been trying to deal with a few things all at once. It's more stuff that I don't want to go into on here as its too personally and I always said that my blogs wouldn't be come a diary or a space to pour my heart on to.

At least now the picture of why I've not been writing is clear. So, my plan for my blog still stands. I'll be posting about book reviews, writing, crafting, events and anything interesting I find that I want to share. So the normal really as nothing else has really changed for me. I'm still going to posting once or twice week, maybe a little more or less depending on how I feel. But I shall keep trying as writing is good for me. Though it really has been effected by my depression. I've hardly written in my personal diary or stories or poetry for the last few months. It's also been effecting my reading, because I've hardly picked up the books on my to-read-shelf. Being ill hasn't helped that either as I don't tend to read when I'm un-well.  However, that's all slowly changing.

The major thing that has turned things around for me as been my new hobby. Like I said before I shall write about it in another post as that'll be the easiest thing to do. but here's a bit about it anyway. My volunteer job at the youth club -which has also been effected by everything and I've not been in awhile- often has me working with older children doing arts and crafts. Though teaching them how to sew, knit and craft it's awakened a newly found talent and love for me. So for the last three months I've been designing and making my own cushions. This has expending into making toys and other soft items. It's been keeping me busy and creative!





Images from:

http://zednotes.com/landscape
http://www.kerryshamblin.com/sewing

The Reason I Jump Review: 'One Boy's Voice From The Silence Of Autism.'

Hey readers, 

I just finished this book and thought I'd write up a quick review of it before I get into reviewing A Unfortunate Series of Events. My mum told me about this book and she'd heard it was very interesting. I will admit that for, parents, siblings, relatives, carers, friends and anyone else who knows an autistic person or else is doing research, then this book would benefit you. 

For general reading though, its probably not going to be that interesting. However, I would still say to pick it up because it gives a good insight into a world in which we can't see and other books on the subject have struggled to put across. 

I know people who are autistic, so to read a book that allows me to understand why they do what they do was a bit special. This book isn't a straight guide about everything though, but it does want to make you change your behavior towards people. That old saying of fearing what you don't know is still very true today and it's known that once we've actually understood the fear that we don't fear it any longer. For me this book appears to be just that. 

It's written by Naoki Higashida, a Japanese writer and blogger, when he was thirteen. The book is a mixture of non-fiction and fiction, which makes giving examples easier.It also has grey-scale pictures of flowers and patterns. For me though it also shows Higashida as a fiction writer. In the opening, it states that Higashida's autism effects his speech and communication. He has learned to over come some of this by using a cardboard keyboard with letters on it and also a normal computer keyboard. It's through these methods that he's written this book and more. 

The book also includes an introduction by David Mitchell, (Cloud Atlas) in which he discuss his son's autism and how he found the book to be very useful. That really gets you interested to find out more, but as you turn the pages you discover that the narrative is nearly all questions and answers. So, instead of the normal story or non-fiction layout, each 'chapter' starts with a question, which Higashida then answers across one or two pages. 

This format makes it easier to read and understand. It feels like a secretive, quick look into the mind of someone autistic and this context it really works. The questions appear to be the most commonly asked ones, such as; Why do you take ages to answer questions? Do you prefer to be on your own? and Is it true you hate being touched? Higashida gives clear answers to them all and makes the point of stating that not all autistic people have the same dislikes and issues, but that they all want to be respected and loved. 

I've learned a lot from reading this book and I can now see why my autistic friends behave the way they do. It's also helped me to understand that autistic people are just like everyone else; they are creative, intelligent, have a love of learning and nature and just try to get on with things. One of the saddest things I'm taking away from this book is that some autistic people believe that they should be on their own due to how they act because they know it causes upset for others and that is something that they hate about themselves. Many autistic people just want to be around others because they like the rest of us don't want to be alone. 

Higahida says that at first he wanted to be normal like everyone else, but then he decided that if it was possible he wouldn't change. I agree with him and I think that the world needs to see people with special needs and disabilities as being normal people and not judging them because they see things differently. 

'If all of you can grasp this truth about us, we are handed a ray of hope.'

Image from: Goodbooks.com

Urban Exploring

(Hotel del Salto, Bogotá, Colombia)

Hi readers,

I thought today I'd write about a new hobby of mine. I'm not sure why or how I've got into it, but I do understand some of the appeal of it. Hopefully some of you might find this interesting and/or inspiring. So let me tell you about Urban Exploring.

Some of you might know or be some what aware of the term already. For those of you that don't know, Urban Exploring or UE is the exploration of man-made buildings or structures that have been abandoned. These places are interesting because you can learn a lot about decay and nature. As well as the history of the place, the people that were involved and/or lived there and how something works. Mainly photographers and researches class it as their hobby. However, other people like artists, writers, ghost hunters may find these places fascinating and/or useful.

Of course to get access to some of these places means trespassing and running the risk of getting caught. There are also other dangers like falling materials and unsafe flooring, to be aware of. From doing some research into the habits of Urban Explorers, I have learnt that most of the time the explorer will try and find an easy access point, such as an open doorway or broken fence. They will also leave the place as undisturbed as possible, only taking photographs and jotting down useful notes to either accompany these images or to do further research later. This is the difference between UE and mindless vandalism.

I guess I am what would be called an 'armchair urban explorer.' This is because I don't go out and explore these places myself as I use the Internet to look at other peoples explorations and research. This isn't because there are no abandoned places near were I live, its just that I feel that I don't need to experience these places myself- though I've wondered what it would be like! I do like taking photos, but I'm far from being a professional and I enjoy doing research, but I'm no historian, I just like looking at the fascinating images that people have manged to capture and learning something about the places they visited.

As I said at the start I'm not sure what first got me into UE, but I do know that the above photo- Hotel del Salto- was one of the images that drew me in. I remember reading the buzzfeed artical  

The 33 Most Beautiful Abandoned Places In The World (linked at the end) and I believe that's when my arm chair urban exploring begin. Since then it seems I've become hooked and eager to look at more places. 

(Abandoned type writer, unknown)

The main reason why I've gotten into this hobby is because it appeals to the writer inside of me. All of these abandoned places have their own stories to tell about the lives of the people that lived/came there and how they came to be 'forgotten'. Some even seem to be the perfect setting for horror/thriller stories and others are a perfect fit for dystopian/ science fiction stories. I feel the urge to use these places or else to create fictional (with some factual) stories about them. 

For some reason though, I've been having trouble writing and capturing the ideas and images I've had. It seems that as of yet my mind can't find a place for these abandoned places to fit in. I guess that's why I keep returning to look at my favorite photos and to discover more. My imagination is sparked by the images and though I might feel like writing, I seem unable to place what I see into words. I'm hopefully that one day I shall be able to write something though as there are a lot of stories here. 

I've always been a very visual person and this reflects in my writing. I like to go into a lot of detail describing things. Also, I've find that photographs and drawings/printings inspire me. This is because I can see the image and can use it as a starting point for describing. Or else I can take the image and use that to create a story. I guess using the above image of the abandoned type writer would be a good example. For me it rises so many questions; In what kind of building is this? Why was it abandoned? Who owned the type writer and where did they go to? What was the last thing it wrote? What's going to happen to it now?

It's the answering of these questions that leads me into writing. In real life, I might not be able to find the answers, but in the world of fiction I can do and that allows me to give my interpretation of the photograph. It also opens the door to me writing my thoughts, feelings and reflections through my characters. This is a really good way to actually start writing and it can led many places. I'm sure its been used as a writing exercise in many creative writing sessions. I just about remember a poetry session where we had to look at images from the Berlin Wall and describe it in a poem.

I probably could go into a lot more detail about how and why UE gets my creative mind going and its usefulness in writing, but I'm going to move on and look at other aspects. 

(Nara Dreamland, Japan)

Following on from the start of my interested in UE, I became fixated on abandoned theme parks. I'm really not sure why these of all the kinds of abandoned places attracted my attention so much, but they just did. I think that one thing that really gets me is that the rides and mainly the roller coasters have just been left and nature has been allowed to claim them back. Though I know that this is seen inside buildings too, I think that theme parks being outside just get taken over much better. 

There are many abandoned theme parks across the world, but there is one that draw me in more then the others and that's Nara Dreamland. It's really popular with explorers and has a detailed history. For me, it has some of the best photographs too. There is just something about nature taking over wooden and metal roller coasters and creating interesting images. When I see these photographs I see the beauty in the scenery and can imagine how quiet the place has become.

I think that's one of the reason why people do urban exploring. They can see the beauty in these places, that other people can't see. They also like to re-live the memories of the place and experience the calm and quiet that has none taken over. I guess these places are sort of like pockets on the world where people no longer go and Mother Nature can show what the world was once like before we came. Of course the other way to look at it is; what the world will be like if there became no humans. Though, I've never liked to think of it as that. 

Back to the theme parks, There are a few more famous abandoned ones and also water parks. Wikipedia has a long list of them! So, as well as Nara I've also been drawn too; Six Flags New Orleans, Speepark Berlin, Sports World Japan, Gulliver’s Kingdom Japan, Takakanonuma Greenland Japan, and Chippewa Park Thunder Bay Ontario. Each of these places has their own story to tell and as well as the images, I'm drawn to these stories. 

I think it would be interesting to actually walk through one of these places and experience for myself what its actually like there. They must be so different now without all the people wondering around and enjoying the rides. The voices and screams must seem like a distant memory, as well as the mingling of smells. These once over-crowd, loud, happy places have now fallen silent of humans forever.   

(Pripyat City, Ukraine)

One of the most famous abandoned places, that most people are aware of is Pripyat. This whole city was abandoned when a nuclear accident happened at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in April 1986. Due to everyone having to leave suddenly a lot of personal things still remain and in most places it looks like the people could return any minute to continue with there lives. However, other photos show that the city is now laying in ruins and is still uninhabitable. The most iconic images of Pripyat are those of the abandoned fun fair/theme park, which was due to open in May.   

Pripyat isn't the only abandoned city/town though. There are others like Hashima Island and Tomioka Fukushima in Japan, Kolmonskop, Namibia in Africa,Varosha, in northern Cyprus, Pyramiden in Russia and Detroit, Bodie, Seattle Underground,  in the USA. All these places have been abandoned for one reason or another and the haunting images they now create really do have that World's End feel to them. 

I guess it most be pretty surreal and eerie to wonder around such cities and towns. I also think that's its such a shame and a big loss though. Granted some places can never be reclaimed back, but those that could would allow homeless people and those that needed it to start a new life. I think this thought about some of the wonderful houses/manors/castles/hotels that have also been abandoned. The images of them decaying away might be interesting, but to see these buildings back to their form selves would be- for me any- a lot more fascinating.   

(Lee Plaza Hotel, Detroit, USA.)

Another city I've become interested in studying is Detroit in the American State of Michigan. This image from the hotel was amongst the first that caught my attention. I was fascinated by the piano and left in wonder as to why it had been abandoned. I then found out that this seemed to be a thing with most old and large buildings and that lots of pianos had been left to rot. I guess its because they are too heavy and big to move, so they just get left behind. Though I have to admit that pianos do add to the atmosphere, its still a shame that they've been left. 

I should point out that Detroit isn't fully abandoned, more that its a city in decline. There are large areas of abandon buildings mixed in with small pockets of inhabited areas. However, it seems that most of the abandoned public buildings and houses have almost been completely taken over by the decay and nature. This does make for some interesting images and you do really get the sense of an abandoned city. 

There is actually a group of abandoned places that creep me out and these are the hospitals, asylums, orphanages and other such buildings. (Beside from libraries and schools, I'm okay with them.) I think its due to knowing what want on and possible what happened in such places. I think just seeing equipment left laying around and the records of people, just makes my skin crawl. However, I still have some interested in these places and you do have to wondered what secrets they are hiding.   

(Paris apartment time capsule)

One thing I really enjoy about these abandoned buildings is finding places like the above. These time capsule abandoned homes have remind untouched for years with personal effects being left to lay. Most of the time they don't even show that much decay. Once again for me, the interested lays in the questions, answers and stories that come out of these images. I was keen to find out about this apartment when I first saw the photo of the dresser. 

There is actually a lot of information about the apartment out there and its' history. The woman who lived here left just before the outbreak of the Second World War and went to live somewhere safer. She took only what she needed and then just left everything else. For some reason she never returned and no one knew about the apartment until 70 years later when she died. Her relatives going though her things found out about the apartment and went to investigate. Thus they found a time capsule of pre-WWII items, including some rare and expensive paintings.  

(The Royal House, Japan)

Lastly, I want to share with you one of my favorite abandoned time capsule places. This house in Japan is known as the Royal House and they have tried to keep the location quiet so that its' not vandalized. Though I've recently read that this has now happened and the house has fallen into more decay. I was drawn to this place because of the photos of abandoned treasures and personal items, but then I discovered that people had actually done research into the house and the family that it belonged to. 

The house and family have a really interesting history and it was nice to see it being brought back to live. I was sad to learn that the house had been abandoned because all the family members had died and there'd been no one to take on the place. It has become something of a shrine or memorial to the family, I guess. I would so recommended that you read about this house and I've linked the website below. 

Thanks for reading this post, I know its been a long one, but hopefully you can understand why it had to be. I hope also that my passion for these abandoned places has come across and that I've got more people interested in Urban Exploring -even if its only from your chair!

                                                   (The Royal House, Japan)

Images from;

http://underthemountainbunker.com/2012/08/11/abandoned-places-saturday-the-hotel-del-salto-tequendama-falls-columbia-river/
http://bizarrebeyondbelief.com/2012/10/29/andre-govia-photographs-of-abandoned-spaces/
http://iplacesblog.com/2013/06/01/nara-dreamland-japan/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/the-33-most-beautiful-abandoned-places-in-the-world
http://www.roughguides.com/gallery/abandoned-places/#/2
http://homes.yahoo.com/news/art-filled-paris-flat-left-untouched-since-world-201500692.html
http://www.haikyo.org/abandoned/houses/the-royal-house/
http://gakuran.com/the-royal-house-haikyo/


My Pinterest board;

http://pinterest.com/hails9/abandon-places-urban-exploring/

Interesting Websites;

http://www.abandoned-places.com/
http://www.forbidden-places.net/explo1.php#.Uhn-9ZLVAlN
http://www.messynessychic.com/
http://weburbanist.com/category/architecture/abandonments/
http://www.haikyo.org/
http://www.abandonedplaygrounds.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandoned_theme_parks
http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com

Self-Publishing Update

I'm now self-publishing some of my short stories on http://www.readwave.com. You can find them here; http://www.readwave.com/hayley.hardman.7/

Thanks for your support! 

The Remains of The Day Review: 'What Is A Great Butler?'

Hey readers,

I actually came on to do a different book review this afternoon, but then I noticed that this one was still sat in my draft pile and it hadn't been started. I thought that I should get it written before I moved on and actually it's not that bad a novel. It won the Booker Prize and has been turned into a movie. The reason why I wanted to read this book was actually to expand on my Japanese authors. I thought it was funny how the novel was set in 1956 England and has flashbacks to the 1930's, when I first saw it. However, it turns out that Kazuo Ishiguro grew up in England and he still lives here.

So, though the novel isn't set in Japan as I was expecting it to be and it doesn't have the poetic flow of Murakami, it's still interesting. The story is about the life of a butler and its told in first person narrative, by the butler, Stevens. He receives a letter from the former housekeeper and having been encouraged by his current employer to take a holiday, he decides to travel down to see her. On the way he faces many small incidents, but he also starts to recall his past and what his life was like working for Lord Darlington before World War Two.  

In-between the sections of the plot, Stevens reflects on life as a servant. He debates what the role of a 20th century butler is, their attitude and nature towards the job and what makes a great butler. He also reflections on his relationship with his father and the housekeeper, Miss Kenton. This adds to the plot in its own way and allows the reader to understand Stevens' nature, though its mostly done through telling.

The narrative is in present tense and does stay throughout the flashbacks and debates. Being in first person, it does feel like Stevens is telling the reader the story, but in parts it does seem like he is writing in a diary or else a letter. Thus showing the reflective side of the story. In some areas it does feel like the narrative wonders away from the actually plot, because Stevens is getting into a debate and trying to explain his point. However, these debates do fit into the story and are clearly a part of his character. The language used comes across as complexed in parts and also very detailed. This doesn't really distracted much from the story as Ishiguro has written the voice of Stevens really well.

The main characters are of course Stevens, Miss Kenton and Lord Darlington. There's a lot of background characters which make up the other servants in the house during both time settings, the visitors to the house and the people Stevens meets on his journey. There is also a lot of other characters who appear as name only, because Stevens is making reference to them in relation to one of his debates. I found all the characters to be well written and some do show development over time. Though plot isn't about the progress of characters because it's a reflective piece.  

There are a few different themes that appear through out, but the main ones are relationships/friendships and love, servitude, dignity, loyalty, memory and politics. The last is also a sub-plot in the novel as it becomes clear that Lord Darlington is involved heavily in the politics of going to war and he comes across as a powerful figure. Love comes across in many forms and it often appears in-between the lines. The main focus of this novel seems to be about servitude and dignity. This does make for a different story then many might be expecting.

Over all, I did enjoy reading this novel, but I did find myself become lost in the debates that Stevens brought up. However, it is very interesting to hear the servants side of the story and we can see just how hard life sometimes was for them. I think there is also a lot more to this novel under the surface, though it can be difficult to understand, because the narrative doesn't stick to the plot. It has got me interested in reading more of Ishiguro's work.

Images from:

http://oldragdoll.wordpress.com/

http://www.impawards.com/1993/remains_of_the_day.html

Baking Day

Hi readers,

Here's something different for today! I'm letting my cooking side out and spending the day- well most of it- in the kitchen. I guess I felt like doing something different and I've not done baking in awhile. I guess after my last kitchen disaster when my butterfly fairy cakes (cupcakes) didn't turn out right at all, I sort of stopped because I was so disappointed by it. However, I've never been one to let things stop me ad it seems that taking a break and then returning to it does work.

I would say that I'm an good cook. I know my way around a kitchen, I know a number of recipes by heart and I've had enough practise. Sometimes though like most people, I have good days and bad days cooking. Though today seems to be a good one as my jammy fairy cakes have turned out just like the photo above! Actually this photo came from the recipe I followed too, so it worked out.

The reason why I like baking is because it gives me time to think- often story ideas! - be creative, experiment and be a bit artistic. I have found in the past that my baking can sometimes reflect my mood. The best things I've made have often been baked on the spur of the moment, when I've been relaxed and not putting much thought into what I am doing. This means that I use new or else very simple recipes at that moment. I then get the best results out of my baking.

The times when my baking has turned out wrong, have been when I've decided not to follow the recipe-for whatever reason- when I've been in a hurry or when I've been trying to hard because none-family members are going to be eating it. Often this means that I spend too much time thinking about it and wanting it to turn out perfect. That mind set can led to things not turning out right. Getting the balance correct is hard for me to do, but I keep trying!

I guess my baking can be compared to my writing in a way. When I don't think about things and just write, I end up producing something good. My writing has always had something of a natural flow within its structure and this does become clear when I've just got on and typed without stopping. It's odd, but I write when I've stopped thinking about and putting in the effort. I guess this way everything can just come out in a natural way and so it does appear like that on the page.

Like my bad cooking though, there are times when I've tried to hard or been over thinking about my writing. I produce 'bad' writing and end up giving up because I'm not in the writing mode. This can also lead to me doubting and judging what I've written. The typing often feels forced and the even though the flow might still be there, it might be harder to see.

I also made some mini orange and lemon muffins, though the photo and recipe below are slightly different from the one I used as I couldn't find my one. However, it looks like they turned out good too and they smell so tasty! I can't wait to eat them now. I ended up making two different cakes because my brother doesn't like jam and I know he'd feel left out! Though to be honest, I feel like I could eat them all myself!

My parents have gone away for a few days, so I got left in charge of myself and my brothers when they are around. That also means I've had to do all the cooking, tidying and washing -though that doesn't feel un-normal for me now! For tea tonight I thought I'd have one of my favourite dish from university and that's bbq Huntsman chicken. I've just had a quick look for the recipe but I can't see it. The only difference is that you marinate the chicken bbq sauce and then add the bacon and cheese. It's just an awesome burst of flavours and goes with any side dish.




Tomorrow, I am going to try and cook something that I had at one of the restaurants we went to during the canal boat holiday. These sweet potato wedges tasted really good and were different from normal wedges and chips. So, I thought that they might go well with fish, but we shall see tomorrow. And with that I'm going to try one of my jammy cakes!




Photos and recipes:

http://www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/recipes-inspiration/recipes/jammy-fairy-cakes/

http://www.jalna.com.au/cakes-muffins/lemon-and-orange-mini-muffins.html

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/9839/bacon+and+cheese+chicken

http://www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/recipes-inspiration/recipes/sweet-potato-wedges/

Canal Boat Holiday 2013

Hey readers, I got back from my holiday last weekend and I thought since today I'm not feeling so great and just fancy staying curled up in bed that I'd write up what I'd been up to and the adventures I've had. Also prepare for lots of photographs!

We decided that this year would spend another week on a canal boat for our family summer holiday. We set off from Worcester Marina in our boat after a two hour drive down. The boat was bright blue, built for six people and was 67 foot long. The boat was called the Nottingham Castle and would be our home for the week. My dad had planned our route and we would be doing the Stourport Ring anti-clock wise. From Worcester we would go to Birmingham, through Dudley, to Stourbridge and then back to Worcester along the river Severn. It wouldn't be an easy trip as we had 118 locks to get through, a handful of tunnels and a river to travel up!

The holiday got off to a good start with us making it the place my dad wanted to moor at for the night. Outside the The Eagle and Sun pub, which served good food and had a peaceful atmosphere. We had four hours of travelling and we are pretty tried when we got there. Opening the locks slowly came back to us and we were able to get the boat through in good time. It also took everyone away to find their 'sea legs.' This holiday was special for me because I had brought my boyfriend along. This would be the second time we'd be away together (see post on the Lake District) and the first that he'd been away with my family. Of course not everything went to plan, but I am glad to say that we got through it.

Travelling through locks can be difficult and scary. It also some time as on average it takes 15 minutes to do.



Firstly, the level of water inside the lock needs to be the same as the level of water the boat is on. So either the lock will need emptying or filling before the boat goes in.


We got lucky at some locks because people had already come through and so left it ready for us.










The boat goes in, the gates get closed behind it and the paddles get shut to stop the water moving.

The paddles on the other gate are then opened and then you have to wait for the lock to fill or empty.

This can happen quickly though due to the force of the water.







Then you close the paddles and open the gate so the boat can go out. It does take some practise!

It does take team work to achieve this as well and we had enough people to get through the locks at a fast pace and helped other people too so that we weren't slowed down.

Some of the locks were really hard to open!

Also people shouldn't mess around with them as they can be dangerous. But this also has a knock on effect of water being wasted. This can be really bad as it means that boats can't use the locks because there's not enough water to fill them.




There are also different kinds of locks and paddles. We experienced a range last week. Of course the single ones are the easiest to get through, there are ones that have three paddles to fill up the lock faster and ones that are machine driven and controlled by a warden. The best ones for me have to be the stair locks. As the name suggests these are a number locks one after the other, without much space in-between. They are hard work because its none stop, but I just enjoy watching the boat go through them.

These are the Delph Locks which we went through on Wednesday afternoon. We were grateful to get through them and to the pub that day because of what happened in the morning! We had to travel through the Netherton tunnel which is one of the longest canal tunnels. It's almost 2 miles long and takes an hour to get through. I was hoping to spend that time learning how to play a card game, but instead within a few minutes of entering the tunnel we encountered a problem. 

There was a boat in front of us that had an overheated engine and because they forced us to slow down, we hit something and it seemed that the probable had been damaged. This meant that we couldn't steer the boat. There were a lot of things that we could have done, but we decided to pull the boat through the tunnel and try to fix it or else wait for someone to rescue us on the other side. Yes we could have pulled the boat back out of the tunnel as we were only a few minutes in, but that would have caused trouble for other boats and made things dangerous. 

Pulling the boat for so long was hard work and it was just lucky that there was a stable walk way at the side, as most tunnels don't have this. The problem was that the path was covered in deep puddles and also slime. We also had to try and jump over a railing and back on the boat at the other end like something out of an action movie! Doing that wasn't much fun and we then found out the true cause of the problem. 

We had what seemed to be the reminds of a kitchen sink stuck inside the boat! When we had removed it the boat was fine and we were able to get back under way. I would like to say that was the only problem we had, but we encountered a lot of rubbish in the canal; like clothes and plastic bags, shopping trolleys and traffic cones, every day litter and factory rubbish. It all made me feel really mad and I don't get why people believe its okay to dump stuff in these places. It's harmful to the environment and spoils it for other people.

The night before we had stayed in Birmingham and it looked pretty cool light up. We didn't get much sleep as everyone seemed to be out for the night, but it was nice to see how the canal was still being used. There seemed to be something warm and welcoming about the city lights too. We didn't fancy going out as we were still tried from the 40 locks we had done on monday. So we decided to get the table and chairs out beside the side of the boat on the walk away and play some games. It was a rather surreal moment! Everyone was walking past us and we were just sat there talking and playing cards.

The holiday ended with us taking a trip around Worcester after we had dropped the boat off in the morning. We got to see the cathedral and spend sometime exploring the many corridors. The crypt was my favourite part, but I also liked the stain glass windows.

Overall, it was a fun holiday, even if we had so many problems with the boat and there was a bit of crashing and burning between people towards the end. It was hard work though and I think next time I'd like a hotel on beach somewhere with a swimming pool

(All the photos belong to me.)

A Closed Book Review: 'Life is not a novel.'

Hey readers,

I thought I'd read and review another book that as been sat on my shelf for a while. This one was suggested to me by one of my MA tutors during a lecture about very different books which don't fit into main stream reading. I brought it as it sounded interesting and possibly useful for secondary reading. However, I never got a chance to read it and as the last two months have been about reading stuff I've not gotten around to, I thought that this one would fit in.

The author, Gilbert Adair, a Scottish journalist, poet and novelist spent most of his life in Paris and London. He is most famous for his translation of A Void and Love and Death on Long Island. He is also know for his children's stories and his film reviews. A Closed Book was published in 1999 and in 2010 he collaborated on the screenplay for the movie.  He passed away in December 2011.

The novel is about a famous fictional writer, Paul, who has been blinded in an accident. He wants to write his memoirs and so hires someone, John, to help him do so. A first meeting and interview takes place between the two and then they begin the writing process. However, tension starts to build as Paul begins to sense that things aren't right. Objects and clothing appear to move or disappear and he also becomes suspicious that his dictated memoirs aren't actually being typed up. Then it is revealed that John is a figure from Paul's past and he's returned to seek revenge for a crime.    

The title of the book is really interesting and it has a lot of meaning behind it. This becomes revealed in the plot and can also be seen between the lines. Paul's memoirs are given this title as it connects with the writer being blind and living in something of a closed world. The other is to the crime which John is seeking revenge for as it's believed that it was forgotten about and so became a 'closed book' due to the saying. There are other symbolic things connecting to this title and it is very clever.

There is a limited number of characters that appear as the focus is on the friendship between Paul and John. They are well around characters, though because of the narrative structure of the novel we end up with a bias  opinion about them. This just adds to the mystery and tension that is created as we don't get a full picture about either of them.

The other characters feel like they are just there to help move the plot long or else make a statement. The housekeeper that Paul has seems to be nothing more then an obstacle that John must get rid of. This is some what done for him as the housekeeper's husband falls ill and needs looking after. However, this adds to the tension as Paul becomes powerless to stop John in allowing the housekeeper time off. Anther character that sticks in my mind is a representative of a local council party visiting the house. This is because the only role this character plays is to confirm that the book is being written and that the tension is getting to John. This doesn't effect the reading or the plot in general, I just feel that these characters could have been made more useful.

The novel has a very strange and different narrative as it is written only in the conversations or in Paul's diary enters. This means that the narratives lacks description and only overcomes this by Paul getting John to describe things around him as proof that John has a good eye for detail. Being just written as different conversations means that there is a lot to be read in-between the lines and that we don't get close to the characters. It feels like this narrative structure shouldn't work, but it over comes issues to work and it does this very cleverly. Thus it feels like a different and refreshing read as you've not got the massive description and blocks of plot that can appear in other stories and slow things down.

It is stated that the novel is styled on the works of Stephen King and Agatha Christie due to the eerie atmosphere that is created and the twists that take place. This does come across well in the novel and it easily sits on the crime shelf. The language used as its bases in these writers because they are masters of their genres. Adair has been able to add his own influence into the language as well and because of the narrative structure how he has used language to create the the tension and mystery is important.

The Movie came out in 2010 and though I've not seen it I've read enough about it to put me off seeing it. This is because it looks completely different from the book as the characters and plot have been changed to make it more balanced. I feel that this wasn't needed and that the the plot of the book works really well.

Overall, I would recommended this book if you are a fan of the two writers it's in the style of. Also if you are into your crime or if you are interested in looking at different narrative styles. I did enjoy this book, but it wasn't for me because the big twist at the end has become over used now and it didn't pay off for me.
     



Images from:

http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/a-closed-book-by-gilbert-adair/

Memoirs of A Geisha Review- "We become geisha because we have no choice.”

Hey readers,

This is another book that has been sat on my shelf for awhile and now I've finished it, I'm once again wondering why it's taken me so long to read it. I can't remember who recommended this one to me, or if I just found it by myself, but it was so worth the read. I am a fan of Japan in general and it is there their culture and style of writing that I find most fascinating. So, even though this book was written by an American with a rich background in Japanese culture and literature, the actual way it is written makes you believe that you are in the heart of Japan. Just like how Haruki Murakami is able to transport you in his novels.

I was keen to read some more books by Arthur Golden, but it appears that Geisha is his only novel. Which I think is a shame, because he is a great writer and I'd love to read something else by him. I understand that he interviewed Mineko Iwasaki, a famous geisha, who wrote an autobiography about her life, (which contradicted some of the things in Geisha) for the detailed information he used throughout his novel. Thus is why the story has a really realistic feel to it and adding to this is that the novel is styled like a memoir.

The front cover of my copy, which is actually the 2005 reprint as the book was published in 1997, has a striking image of an geisha's face. It seems for a few seconds that this an actual face because it is wonderfully framed by moving black hair. She is wearing the white make up which geisha are well known for and because of this you're draw straight to the bright red lips and piercing blue/grey eyes. It is a cover that works to draw you in, because you want to know more about this person and the reasons behind her sadness that seem to reflect off her eyes.

The novel starts off with a Translator's Note by Arnold Rusoff, who is a friend of Golden and its this that makes the reader start to believe that Geisha maybe an actual autobiography or else based on one. The note    gives some background to Rusoff's interested in Japan and the nature of memoirs. Then it sets out to make the novel's main character, Sayuri, appear real. It does this by stating that she told him about her life and he documented it for her and then turned it in the novel you are holding.

The novel is written in the first person narrative of Sayuri, making it seem more memoir like, and we really do get her whole life contained within the 493 pages. The story opens with Sayuri getting the reader to picture that they are having tea and talking together, when she says something about the best and worst afternoon of her life. On questioning her, she begins the actual story. Thus the life of Sayrui and a geisha unfolds and runs across the pages.

The plot of the story is long and complicated due to the style of the memoirs. However, everything does stay linear and there is a real sense of time and movement. I didn't have a problem with the plot because I was hooked from the first few pages and really got in to it. But I did noticed how in depth it actual was. There's so much detail about Japanese history and culture, also being slowly revealed is the life and nature of geishas. All together though this just brings so much life to the novel and adds to that real feel.

The plot basically goes like this;

As a child, Sayrui, who's actual name is Chiyo, is taken from her fishing village and sold to an geisha boarding house, an okiya. She shares the house with five other woman; a girl close to her own age nicknamed Pumpkin, Granny, Mother, Auntie and Hatsumomo, who being a famous geisha feels that Chiyo is a rival and sets out to get rid of her. Chiyo is made to be a servant and must work her way up to earn her geisha training. After years of being a slave and many mishaps, she finally gets to start her training and joins Pumpkin at the school. She is then taken under the wing of another geisha, Mameha and is given her new name, Sayrui. She progresses through her training and becomes an actual geisha. She has relationships with a number of men, most of which don't work out has she has her sights on one particular man. The Second World War breaks out and she survives it by moving in with a kimono maker and his family. A few years afterwards, she moves to America and the story ends with her reflection on her life.

The characters are really well written and complexed. There are many that appear and disappear due to the time scale and nature of the story. Sayrui herself grows up and develops within the pages, changing from a young naive girl into a worldly, intelligent woman. This is wonderfully written and I started to feel like I was becoming a part of Sayrui's life because I knew so much about her. The other main geisha characters- Pumpkin, Hatsumomo and Mameha- all have great development and it's through the last two that the reader gets to understand the competitive nature of being a geisha. This is due to them being rivals and they use whatever they can to try and put each other down. Pumpkin and Sayrui have friendship develop from their time as servants, this becomes a sub-plot and takes an interesting twist towards the end of the book. As for the other main female characters they have good back stories which appear and they also have their own roles to play in Sayrui's life.

The male characters are also very interesting and it would have been good to have seen some parts of this novel from a man's point of view. Maybe there's a book out there in this style or else someone should write one, because that'd give a different view of geisha life. All the main male characters come across well and some development can be seen. It seems that the competitive attitudes of the women are reflected in the men as they go against each other for a certain geisha attention.

The language used in this book is perfect to the plot, characters and over all nature of the subject and genre. I was swept away by the poetic tone that comes across in most parts and I loved the little Japanese sayings that popped up throughout. This adds that Japan feel to the text and its hard to believe that the writer is American as he seems to have captured everything so perfectly. The description of everything is just great, but I love the details of the kimonos and could never get tried of reading about them. I was just gripped by it and found myself more interested in reading the book just to study the use of the language!

The book was turned into a movie in 2005 and I haven't seen it. I'd be interested to watch it, though I don't think it'll be as good or as complicated as the book. Whilst the movie might be able to capture more of the Japanese landscapes and scenery, the book excellently does this too. Plus you get a great insight into the characters.

Overall, I would so recommend this book to anyone as it's a great story and also has a very fascinating setting. The characters feel so realistic that it's hard to admit it's fiction and it's beautifully written. It has got me more interested in Japanese writing and settings now and I can't wait to get my hands on some more!          




Images from:
http://www.g-pop.net/MemoirsofaGeisha.htm
http://asiabeam.com/v/films/geisha/Geisha_wallpaper_10