Human sign post for a day

Hi! This is my uni, Edge Hill in Ormskirk and we had an open day today. It was my second time on the job and last month I was in Hale Hall registering people and this time I was a sign post, so I had to stand around and direct people to the places they needed to be at. Doesn't sound like a very fun job does it? I was slightly worried this morning, but now I'm glad I did it. I meet lots of new people and was mega helpful to all of them. I had fun and I was able to discuss courses and the campus, I also got asked questions about the accommodation, why I came to Edge Hill and where the nearest hot drinks were!

I really like my job, it gives me the chance to represent my uni and shows my love for the place. I just feel the need to let everyone know how good EHU is and how it changed my life. Even if that means I've to spend the whole day outside, freezing and smiling all the time. I'm glad I could happy those people and I hope the make the right choice! Next open day, I'd like to take people on campus tours and show them around, I think I'd be good at that now, I've more confidence in talking to people. Today I learnt that by me starting the conversations it got people talking and so asking if they were going the right way, which I think they might not have done if I hadn't said hi. Sure building my communication skills there. :)

The other thing that happened this week is that I got to meet Adam Marek, writer of the book above. I know it looks a little strange, but its a collection of short stories and each of them have two running story-plots, so they are pretty interesting. He did a reading at the Rose Theater and then a two hour workshop with my class, where he give us tips and had us thing about story openings and what readers expect from stories. That was amazing, I learnt a lot and it reminded me how many different writers come to EHU to talk about their work.

I think I'll wonder off and have something to eat now, but I'll try to come back soon to write some more. :)

Remembrance Sunday

Hi readers!

I thought today, I'd write about yesterday and Remembrance Sunday. It's a special day were people gather together to remember those lost in the wars and also pray for them. Many people wear poppies to show their support and it really units everyone together. It's a thoughtful time and on Thursday which was 11/11/10, everyone stopped for a two minute silence at 11am, which was when the first world war stopped.

I don't know any of my family who died in the war. I know my grandad was a desert rat in WW2, but he never spoke or wrote down anything about his time there, I guess it was just too painful. He did collect newspaper cuttings and cigarette cards which we have in the attic. I would have liked to speak to him about his experience but he died before I was born. I'm sure that there is someone connected to my family out there, but finding them could be tough, still though I'd like to find out one day.

This time of year I do go slightly weird and began writing poetry. I don't know why, but I get inspired by things and just have to let all this stuff out. I've written four poems about Remembrance Day now, many about Halloween and a few about Autumn. I need to start writing again really, but so much has been distracting me and now Xmas and three 12st birthdays' around the corner, so I doubt I'll find the time soon.

I think I'll close with a poem, but first I'm going to write about a talk I've to give on Tuesday. It's about something that's happened in my life which could be turned into a script and I decided to talk about what happened to me when I was 12. My family decided to move to New Zealand and we went out there for a 3 weeks holiday to see what it was like. I remember a few things; the first is that we built a toy railway line on the plane and had trains going under our seats, the second was playing with Kori cap at Singapore airport.
Then there is meeting with some cousins who were out there already and staying at their house. Next are the  places I remember; hot springs beach, volcanic area, kiwi land, sheep world, a restaurant, a cafe and a hotel.

My mum give me her diary, but there's not a lot in there, so I'm going to have to remember it. Hope it goes okay. :) Here's my poem anyway,

Silent remembrance

(An Amnesty day poem)

When the world is silent

The wind blows through the trees

Scattering leaves on the white stones

These trees saw the end

Shook as the guns fired

And the deaths ended for the first time

Silence filled the rocking branches

The leaves tumbled to the wet grass

The fog cleared from that autumn day

Revealing the destruction of nature

The black, burnt trunks, lined with cracks

The holes were great trees stood

The fields covered by the late yellow harvest,

Turned to mud

The trees stand almost the red flower, today

Each petal representing a snuffled out life

Minimus Nos Obliveisci

Exploring Anime

(BLEACH)

Hi! I decided that though it wasn't time to update my blog I'd do it anyway, because though I've not been doing a lot over the past week, I thought I'd talk about anime for once. Firstly though since Halloween and the Tunnels, I've been working hard on two essays. Number 1. my first short story complete with self-assessment and an annotated bibliography is now complete and my second is a critical commentary about an Victorian article on writers which I wrote a 3rd of today. I think also the fact that the weather has been so bad I've not want to go out. Really it feels like winter has arrived a month early, because its been so cold, rainy, windy and dark, the only thing I've been wanting to do is go back to bed and hibernate!

So I've decided to spend the very dark evenings which anime online. I think that though I've been interested in anime for a while thanks to my little bro, it was only through joining the anime society at uni that I got into it further. Now I've two new shows to watch; Samurai Champloo and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. So I'm expanding out. Some of the other stuff they show isn't so good and not really my thing. I tend to go for the action and stay away from the scfi, girly and dramas.

Of course it all stayed with Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, which I still love and recommend everyone go and see. Also I'm a big fan of Dragonball/z and Bleach, though I've yet to see them all or any films.

So that's my de-stressing for now really, though it involves more staying at a computer!

Ps can anyone recommend any more which I might like?

Halloween trick or treats?

(My pumpkin this year)

Yeah! It's Halloween! Though I've been celebrating since Wednesday, that was the night of our party-due to the issues with the other nights. Anyway, a lot seems to have happened since I last typed and its only been 10 days. I've lots of photos as well, so I'll be posting them as I go along. 

So the set up for my party went on for 3 days before hand, because we had to turn the house into a giant spiders den with lots of black cobwebs and candles for light. We carved the pumpkins on Tuesday, which took an age- as you can see. Then on Wednesday I made pumpkin pie and a sponge cake.

 Then it was party time! We made a rule that everyone had to come as a movie, TV, anime character and anyone who didn't turn up as such had to take off an item of clothing and run down the road screaming little green men are chasing me! Luckily, everyone turned up in a good costume and we had a good time.

 

Then on Thursday I had booked my ticket to go and see the Poet Laureate- Carol Ann Duffy and Billy Collins who's sort of the USA PL. I'm not really into poetry but this seemed like a once in a life time thing and it was free as well! So I went along and saw them both read out some of their poems and then I brought some books and got them signed! I seem to be building up a collection of signed books now.  That was a good experience.

 On Friday I went on a field trip with creative writing fiction. We went to the Williamson Tunnels in Liverpool for the afternoon. It is meant to be the inspiration for our next short story, but the small area of tunnel we were shown didn't hold much inspiration, though the information the guide give us did. I heard that many people were disappointed in the trip, having no doubt built up the same expectations I did and then had then crushed on arrival. Thing was it would have been nice to spend more time down there and to explore other sections, though I know how dangerous it could be, also the fact that the tunnels were built for nothing and had no real sense of history was a down side. I think what made the tunnels most interesting to me was the fact that they were setting up for Halloween and that added a whole different face to the tunnels. I'm not sure about ideas either, because I already had one, but it seems like it's been done a billion times already. Still shall have to see how it goes.

Lastly, I'm waiting for the trick or treaters now, its almost time for them to start showing up at the door. Some how though I think my dog has given up on them already! Still I shall light my pumpkin and see if anything decides to visit me. Happy Halloween!

Halloween plans

(Me and my housemates)

Hi, not wrote again in awhile but I've been mega busy with uni stuff and friends and there's no slowing down in sight of these things. I went to a 21st on Monday, which was okay, but didn't like the restaurant, they made us wait for food too long and I had a killer headache, so no drinking for me! The after party didn't work out much better and though I had a good time it was difficult because I felt so ill.

I'm better now, though I'm running short of money, which doesn't help with Halloween just around the corner and my party next Wednesday. Its' set to be good though and today I'm going to practise making my sponge cake in the oven and I've already tidied my room and vacuumed the house. Still have some homework for tomorrow to do and so need some more sleep. I'm home alone right now so I'm doing some clothes washing and listening to loud music.

(The 21st meal)

Not a lot of interesting stuff has been going on really, just been ill- this cold is still within me-and been doing boring uni work and having no time to work on my own novel, which is slowly killing me inside. There really is not enough time to get everything done and I'd love a 25 hour day, that added hour could be mega useful for me. I do have to be thankful that my housemates are getting on and that there has been no issues, beside from the fact one believes he can live on takeout food for the rest of the year!

Anyway with the house tidied, the Halloween decs can start going up on Monday and I've been planning my pumpkin pie- already got a pumpkin and some spices-need to get the recipe from my mum and then I can make that on Wednesday morning. Good job I've no essays due in till 10th November and I'm off wed and Thursday. Excited about that now! Better go do my homework before I get the Halloween box out again!

(Me and in some of my Halloween costume)

Scriptwriting

The fresher's flu caught up with me on Sunday, so now I'm in bed sniffing loudly and wishing for hugs. I seem to be coughing a little too and my head is so fuzzy. Luckily, I've no classes today or yesterday, so I've had time to recover, but I've had to do some uni work as well. I can't drop everything because I'd be two days behind the rest of the world and catching up at this stage is tough. So to sort this out I've been doing the easy work; watching short films online for my scriptwriting class and also doing research into trucks.

Sounds a bit strange that, but I'm thinking about writing a short film which involves trucks; like the one above. I think this happened because I had a strange dream about it, but then as if by fate channel 5 decided to show a documentary about ES trucks; Demand.five.tv/series.aspx?/seasonbasename=eddiestobarttruckstrailersseries1

It's not my normal thing, but I become fascinated by the facts and the stories of the truckers' lives. I've seen the first two now and I'm looking forward to seeing the 3rd tomorrow. I'm also hoping the information I'm gaining will help me with my script. So watch this space!

Oh, my training for student guide went okay, I'm working on Saturday now in Hale Hall. Have to be there at 8am and I'm hoping my cold will be gone by then, though the fact I'm in all day tomorrow won't help. At least I've done my reading for my classes, though N/S is still giving me the run around...The never ending tale of struggles for sure! Time is running on again now, so its time to get moving and do some more work.

You got to be fast to get on this band wagon!

Hi, :) Guess what I'm mega happy! I just made student guide! So pleased, because it was mega harder to get though. In the interview they said that they had like 90 students already and that they weren't too keen on taking 3rd years on, because well its their last year and they are so busy. Also there was like four other people there who had so much experience working with people and they had done so much in their lives and here was me and abi, just in our twenties and not a lot to show for it. Well, I did put in about how I already worked for edge hill and the fact that my blog had got some great comments and how people were thinking about coming to edge because of my posts. Also said that my tutor, yesterday told me I was to become student leader in a new project where some students go into primary and secondary schools and do workshops with the kids. So I'm mega looking forward to doing that, get some experience and see if I'm any good at that.

I'm still applying for my teaching, but going to do my MA too, busy busy. Nothing on my LRC post yet, still not really sure I need to do that now. but still, hopefully that'll be okay. What else....I like scriptwriting, well sort of, got some books out to do that and have made a list of script writer people to study for my first essay. Reading north and South right now, because its the first novel I'm studying. Read like 5 chapters now and I think its pretty good. Though like Jane Eyre its going to go on forever!

Celebrating coming back to uni on the first pub quiz night!

Got one of my ordered books today as well- Instruction manual for swallowing, still waiting on The Ice people though. More are due tomorrow. I'm going to Anime Society tonight in the hopes of broadening my horizons a bit more. Oh and I have to stay this weekend for the training session for student guide- so no going home which will mean that I've done three weeks at uni, cause normally I just do two and then I really want to go home. But I need to start learning that its okay not to go home all the time.

Now I'm rambling a bit, but so much is happening, like someone opened a massive door and all this stuff is coming out and I'm like I want to be on that band wagon and that one and that one cause that sounds mega good....shocking really! I just hope I've not taking on too much really. We'll have to see...juggling stuff is a big part of life too, so hopefully I'll get more experience with that now.

Tea's in the oven and I'm just waiting to hear if Abi will be spending the day training with me or not. She's had no emails yet. Fingers crossed for her. :)

Another happy photo