An Award for Everyone on my Blog Roll

This week has been a busy one. First of all I have joined the Twitter masses. Check out my updates on the top right hand corner. I don't always get the time to blog in between work, being a fab girlfriend/daughter/sister/friend, and just generally being a right lazy moo. I am giving that up for lent I promise (not the being a good girlfriend etc etc bit just being lazy). I had previously given up smoking but that was 5 years ago so don't think I can count that anymore. Anways getting slightly off track there - the updates will be there in between blogs so you can see I am still here. Not going anywhere I promise. Thanks to all those who stick with me.

On Monday the lovely Carol over at Not Only in Thailand awarded me this lovely 'Best Blog Thinker' award. To quote the person who created it "This award acknowledges the values that every Blogger displays in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values with each message they write. Awards like this have been created with the intention of promoting community among Bloggers. It’s a way to show appreciation and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web.”

I must now pass this onto 5 others but in the words of Carol 'I think you're all fab!!! so I am going to pass this onto everyone on my entire blog roll. I have learnt so much from every single one of you. Well done!!

I have also been keeping Leigh company over at 100 words a day. I am keeping to my targets, well not including yesterday where I spent the evening with boyf and was too tired.

Finally this week I was granted trial contact lenses..yay. I am mildly short sighted so have had to wear glasses for driving, watching telly (so pretty much all the time then) and they are seriously irritating me. I don't know whether I am allergic to them or not but they constantly leave a gi-huge red mark at the bridge of my nose. I went into specsavers for my 2 yearly appointment and they told me my eyes had gotten slightly worse (I already knew this as I had recently mistook a parking meter for what I thought was my sister!). I wore my first trial pair yesterday for 4 hours and while they felt a little irritating at times they were definately an improvement to the glasses. I now go back on Monday for my final test and to buy a months worth. I may even get coloured ones. So exciting.

Starting again slowly

I managed to get back to work on the novel today. It took me a while after procrastinating with the housework and my Jordan work out. I only got 328 words written before I decided I had had enough and realised that it is actually Saturday night and I don't have a drink in my hand. I had started reading it for the first time in forever and rearranged quite a few chapters. I was a bit worried about reading it but I am pleased to say that I still like it. It's so long ago since I have seen it that it feels like I'm reading someone else's work which makes it easier to see what needs changing or taking out completely. I spent a while rewriting some of it as half of it is in first person and the other half in third. I had started out wanting it written in 1st because I had been reading Sophie Kinsella when I started it but the book I am reading now is in third so it could end up changing again if I'm not careful. I have set myself a realistic date to finish the first draft by which WILL be 4th August 2009. This is the day before my family, boyf and I head out to Cyprus for my brother's wedding. This way I'll really feel like I deserve the break and having the first draft finished will give me something other than my brother getting wed to celebrate. If I end up finishing earlier than this date then it will be a huge bonus. I think it's a realistic target. I only need to write 352 a day if I am to finish by this date which I know I can do if I don't get distracted. The telly is off and I quite like it!

Losing files and seeing Blueman Group

Ok so I switched on, chose the documents I needed to get to work and had about 10 minutes wasted because dumb ass here set passwords (why oh why) on things. No one would ever crack my amazing codes seeings as I couldn’t for the life of me remember what they were. That just goes to show how long it’s been since I dusted off my novel files. Luckily I only set passwords on the notes folders and not the actual novel. Anyways after a 10 minute frantic attempt at trying to remember the passwords not to mention the lecture I gave myself I decided to delete the files. Fresh start and no more time wasted. I don’t know what amazing notes I have just waved off to my recycle bin but I’ve gone through a long list of possible passwords and I can’t think what else it could be. Anyways, I might not get much writing done just yet as it still needs organising (please see previous posts on what a mess I have made of my work). As soon as I’m done with that I’ll be posting comments back on 100 words a day and finishing it in no time.

In other none writing related news since my last post I went to see Blueman Group on Sunday night. My dad took some pics so I’ll post them soon. Unfortunately I was in a crappy mood when me and boyf met my mum, dad and sis. It took us TWO hours to get to the O2. That is longer than it should and longer than the actual performance. Good thing it just about managed to be worth it. It was funny, not pee my pants funny but funny. They were very talented. One of them created an amazing spinning painting with his mouth, the other crammed about 20 Marshmallows (that could be an exaggeration there – but it was a lot) into his mouth. They were caught in his mouth as well, he wasn’t just stuffing his face. Their timings were impeccable and they involved the audience in their act. They rummaged in handbags, mouths and even ran out to the people in the cheap seats. They sound a bit like hoodlums yes, especially as it cost £40 to see all this but it was a great night out even if it did cause me a minor break down on the oh so lame public transport system we pay so well to keep going (or stay still – it's entirely your call). Would I pay £40 again? It depends on the venue. I would have preferred a much smaller, warmer, more intimate venue. I could have done without the male and female singers – still it gave quite a few people time for toilet breaks as there was no interval. I recommend seeing this at least once but avoid the nightmare venues and if you're in the front row don't have anything embarrasing in your handbag!

Dare I say it yet again.... yes I will finish the novel, just as soon as I finish watching this mind numbing load of rubbish

I'm lying on the couch with next door's answer to Ringo Starr drumming away in my right ear and My Name is Earl in the left (yes I could turn it off but then the left ear would feel left out now wouldn't it). While my ears are taking all this in I'm still trying to convince myself that I am still a writer. The novel has been left feeling very neglected and I haven't managed to finish a short story in ages. Not to mention my recent lack of posts here. I miss it I really do. I have blamed everything from the weather to 'life just getting in the way' and I'm starting to piss myself off with my excuses. I'm now getting my priorities right. I decided that yesterday's piano lesson would be the last one for a while so I can put my time and money into my writing. I won't make any promises but I really want to do this and hope it doesn't become something I fear/despise/become bored of.

Tomorrow we have people coming to see the house. I so hope they like it so we can be freed of paying other peoples mortgages and be let out of our rental agreement early. As soon as they leave the house, the novel as I now so laughingly call it, won't know what hit it. (I really really hope I don't get sucked in by the remote control yet again). I still think I would make a great TV critic. It's like a 2nd job which I actually like.

Snowed In and Under

Its cold, I'm almost out of milk for my coffee and the shoe hiding blanket of snow has me under house arrest. Buses are cancelled, trains are in chaos and there is no way I am driving in this weather. I'm attempting to work from home, even though I only have access to my work email. It would be nice to enjoy the day off if I didn't have a ton of work to catch up on. However, I won't look a gifthorse in the mouth. I am going to catch up on my writing and attempt to finish my story for Eurofiction. I may even go out and build a little snowman!