I've started a writing course

Firstly a huge thank you to all those who read, comment and follow on my blog. I know I haven't been blogging much but I am still reading and commenting on my faves.


I am getting back to the writing with the aid of this great xmas present from my parents. It's a Learn It Creative Writing package from Gift Republic. It's a great starter tool for me as I haven't been on any creative writing courses before. The course contains 10 short lessons on things from creating plots and characters to writing dialogue and types of punctuation. At the end of the course I can take an exam online and if I pass I will get an OCN Credit4Learning Certificate. It's a great little starter course which I can definately recommend if you're just starting out. No idea on the price as it was a present but if you are interested you can visit: www.giftrepublic.com

As well as my writing I am addicted to my new Nintendo DS. I have been learning to cook on it so it's not just recreational its also stimulation for my brain (and stomach).
I am detoxing also and I am waiting for the break-out that is taking up residence on my face to leave before I can brave the world. It's worth it though and also proves that my boyfriend loves me for more than my looks (that wasn't supposed to sound big headed but I'm not usually this minging). I've been working out to the Vicky Entwistle dvd, I know that may sound amusing (people have laughed, not sure whether its at the thought of me working out or Vicky Entwistle) but it's a great work out and even though I can barely walk I know it's working. No pain no gain and all that cheese.

MeMe to review 2008

I saw this MeMe on Emerging Writer's blog and thought I would give it a go. While I said I wouldn't dwell on my lack of achievements in 2008 it was a nice little exercise to help me see what good things did happen in 2008. On reflection it wasn't all that bad:


1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? ..turned 27, went to an Oasis gig, saw Lee Evans Live.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? ..no as I did not make any. I never stick to them

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes my boss and good friend

4. Did anyone close to you die? No

5. What countries did you visit? Belgium, and visited the Canary Islands twice.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? ...a competition win, a story sold or a finished novel.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? ... I can't really pin point any particular day for any good or bad reason. Xmas day was nice cuz I got to spend time with my family.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? ..Getting my short story published.

9. What was your biggest failure? ..Didn't win any comps or sell any stories which wasn’t helped by the fact that I didn’t really submit much

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? ..only a mild bug over xmas – my body’s way of saying stop eating all the (mince) pies.

11. What was the best thing you bought? ..the book with my short story in it!!

12. Where did most of your money go? ..rent and xmas presents

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about? ..getting published. Ok Im getting boring now but I was really really excited about it.

14. What song will always remind you of 2008? ..Shock of the Lightning as I saw Oasis in 2008. Best gig ever

15. Compared to this time last year, are you richer or poorer? ... Richer, ive been saving like mad and ive nearly paid of my credit card bill

16. What do you wish you’d done more of? ..writing.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of? ..watching tv and stressing out over stupid things

18. How did you spend Christmas? ..with mum, dad and sister, eating drinking and watching tv.

19. What was your favourite TV program? ..Now considering I have an addiction to the box I cannot for the life of me remember what my favourite program was. Just goes to show I only watch rubbish. It was great to see the IT crowd return and I got addicted to Big Brother. I couldn’t tell you who won though.

20. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? ... I wouldn’t say hate but I have no time for them

21. What was the best book you read? ..Russell Brand My Booky Wook.

22. What did you want and get? . Ugg boots, a Nintendo DS and a Lap Top (and I got published, did I mention that yet?). I was spoiled in 2008

23. What did you want and not get? ..Rich

24. What was your favourite film of this year? . Sex and the City and Batman (sorry totally different films which I couldn't choose between.

25. What did you do on your birthday? ..went to work and came home to see my family at my house and my boyf. Then went for a lovely meal at the weekend.

26. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? ..achieving what I set out to do.

27. What kept you sane? ..google and my fella for not letting me rant about things

28. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? .. I fancied my boyfriend awww. You want a celeb answer? I wouldn’t say fancy but I was so pleased at how nice Lee Evans was at his Live show. Very humble fella he was.

25. What political issue stirred you the most? ..Boris becoming Mayor, stirred in a good way. I didnt vote though :S

26. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008..Some people are nasty and will never change... but that’s their problem not mine. Don't watch so much crap telly, it does you no good.

27. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year..'I lost my faith in the Summer time cause it don’t stop rainin'!! Oasis - The importance of being Idle.

New Year in the New Forest

Happy New Year to you all.

I hope you all had a wonderful break (for those of you who got one). I won't regail you with stories of my drunken episodes at New Year because in fact I don’t have any. I had one bottle of Bulmers and cosied up with boyf on the couch and watched Disaster Movie. Juvinile humour which I just love. I hate going out at New Year and I refuse…REFUSE I tell you, to pay to get into my local (not that I ever go there anyway) for a hyped up, charge you double for everything, anti climax of a night which is the same as any other but with a countdown at the end of it. I hope you all had a good night though whatever you did. Sorry for my views but there you have it. Another reason for the cosy night in with only the one bottle was that me and boyf headed off to the New Forest for some chillaxing and fresh air. Something we don't have in London. Oh you don't realise it isn't there until you get some. We went to Lymington with its quaint little shops and cosy pubs. You know the type where a newbie walks in and everyone turns around to look. I really liked this place but unfortunately you can't get anywhere unless you have a car, and the Sat Nav was a godsend. How we ever managed to get around without it I don't know. I annoyed boyf a little I think with my brand new Uggs which I stupidly wore on an unexpectedly muddy ramble in the forest. There were plenty of beautiful sites to see and walks to walk so once i had changed into my trainers back at the hotel we headed back out to take some pics.

Seasons Greetings Everyone

My last post of 2008 me thinks. I was going to do a post about my favourite 10 sss's but I've been lazy again. New Year New Leaf is my motto for 2009. I shall return in the new year and focus on what I aim to do in the year ahead. I've decided not to look back over the past year as apart from getting one story published (which is great in itself I know but I had aimed to do so much more) I did bugger all else really. I won't dwell on it but I will say that I set myself the task of finishing my novel but it didn't happen. So next year who knows whats going to happen but I shall have a long list of things I would like to achieve like one being finishing my novel, oh and something I've been saying I am going to do but haven't - I will at the very least submit a story for sale to a magazine.


So, as I close for the year may I just wish you all a Wonderful Xmas and a Fabulous New Year.



Lots of Love



Lily

x

Another Award!

Paige has awarded me not one but two awards today. I received the Fantastic award once again, giving me an even bigger head! Paige also very generously awarded me with the Superior Scribbler Award:

The Rules

1. Every superior scribbler must name five other super scribblers.

2. Link back to the author and the name of the blog that gave you the award.

3. Display the award and link to this post, which explains the award.

4. Add your name to the Mr Linky List, some way down this page, as a record of who the superest scribblers are.
I give this award to..... Carol and Chris at Only In Thailand, Ken at What Ever I Want, Karen at Get on with it (sorry I know you're running out of space but you deserve it!), Calistro at Writing about Writing and Kerry at Writing at the Window.

The Good Luck Fairy finally made her way to me

HOORAH I’VE FINALLY SCORED!!!!!!!!
I am no longer languishing away at the bottom of the leader board. I don’t expect to win Eurofiction but I was seriously starting to get frustrated with my lack of points. I have just 10 hours left to submit (and start) story 5. Not me being lazy (much) but I just couldn’t think of an idea. I had a brain wave the other day though and stupidly forgot about it. (its not really stupid to forget things though is it???) I remembered yesterday while on the bus (gotta love that Brainwave express). It's going to be set on a coach so I’m going to have to channel a lot of memory here. In my life I have spent a fair amount of time on coach trips. One from Plymouth to London to see Michael Jackson when I was 15. On the way back, about 10pm the coach stopped at the lights in a residential area and there must have been a party of truth of dare going on in this house because a man was getting starkers in his drive way! Me and boyf took a trip over two days from where we stayed in Tunisia to the Sahara Desert. I also spent a lot of time coaching it back to Devon when I first moved here because I was so homesick. So I'm happy writing about the sights and sounds etc ect but it's just the idea of what's going to take place that hasn’t quite hit me yet. I’m just going to make a start on it right after this post - LUCKILY I have the day off as I am waiting for boyf's xmas present to arrive.


In other GREAT news the lovely Carol aka Carol and Chris aka Only In Thailand (a wonderful and moving blog so if you haven't been over yet I urge you to stop missing out) has awarded me this Fantastic award which has left me in even higher spirits. I love this award - its such a classy one don't you think.

OK so now for the rules:

1. Copy and paste the rules and instructions into your post.
2. When you post about receiving this award, make sure you include who gave you the award and link it back to them.
3. Post five winners and link it back to them as well.
4. Post five of your addictions.
5. Add the award image.
6. Let your winners know you gave them an award by leaving them a comment on their blog.

So now to rule 3. I pass this to Paige, Calistro, Karen, Sarah G and Womag Writer for all having Fantastic Blogs!!

I have to post my 5 addictions but as one of them should be talking and I have a story to write still I shall be brief:

In no particular order:

1. Chocolate - this is a serious one. I tried giving it up and lasted 2 whole weeks. It made me miserable though and I made up for the 2 weeks I missed by eating twice the amount I used to eat.
2. Blogging - this is on and off depending on how well things are going in other areas of my life. Right now I'm feeling addicted to it again.
3. Writing - even when I'm not writing I'm thinking ooo I shall write about that. I hope to never lose this addiction
4. T.V - this is a really bad one which stops me from doing 2 and 3 but crap programs are always addictive to me. I should really go to Crap Telly Watchers Anonymous but I haven't seen any adverts on TV for that group yet.
5. Reading - this is only really when I have found a book I cannot put down which is a rarity for me sadly. I was addicted to Russell Brand's autobiography which actually got me away from no. 4!!

Apologies for my different posts on this one (my spelling is rubbish today and I accidently hit publish) All done now though!

Westfield's Shopping Centre (Part One)

Last Sunday I started the ball rolling on my Christmas shopping by heading out to the eagerly anticipated Westfield Centre in Sherpherd's Bush. It took a very long time to be built but it was well worth the wait. It had all my favourite shops under one roof (well all except for Miss Selfridge). It even had a MAC store which had a one person in one person out policy. I went to price up some uGG boots and had to join the very long queue to get in. We gave people hovering in the shop evils while we waited for the door man (yes really) to unhook the rope barrier and let us hover around inside as well. This place is great for parents with small children as we saw plenty of them tootling about in little toy cars (the children that is not the parents) and there is also a Santas Grotto. There are comfy seats galore for bored boyfriends and tired shoppers except of course on the level of the food courts. We went for coffee and found the seating logistics a bit poor but luckily I nabbed a seat just in time to rest our tired feet. I should point out we were two presents and one hour into our shopping at this point. The place is massive and for me it was a little intimidating. I am going again soon just to tackle the top floor. For those of you (like moi) who have absolutely no sense of direction there are machines dotted about the place (I saw at least 2 on each floor) which give you directions to the shop or service you are looking for. There were so many places we didnt go as we were all a bit tired (and hungover) but next time I'll know what to expect. Despite a few teething problems with the place I think it was a million times better than schlepping up and down Oxford Street in the freezing cold.

And to appeal to my loving all things free nature the parking was absolutely FREE! What a result! (only on Sundays)

http://uk.westfield.com/london