Back to the grind

I'm back at Uni *Shhh don't tell the lecturer I'm blogging through their *cough* Lecture*

I used to sit near people who bought a laptop to Uni and think, WTF do you need that here for? Now that I have one and can access the free internet from this lecture theater. I can see why now :)

Just to keep you all up to-date. (In no particular order, it's just how the info came out of my head!)

1) This lecture is about religion and the state - it's a snore already and I'm thinking why did I take this class? Oh yeah I remember there was FUCK ALL ELSE being offered this semester! *Grumbles to self*

2) I've been out-bid on eBay (probably a good thing as its money I don't really have)

3) I had 24 e-mails waiting for me this morning, 12 of which was spam!!

4) Scoman is officially 'out of the blogisphere' breaking the 'rules' regarding his blog! *Naughty Sco!*

5) I'm about to post this update and head home.

6) I'm off out to dinner tonight with some friends, should be good.

7) I've got a review of the latest season of Doctor Who to post. Although I'll hold off on uploading it until it 'officially' airs in Australia as I fucking hate spoilers!!

8) Hello to follower # 25 :)

That's all I've got.

Happy Birthday to me :)

Followers will know today is my birthday - note this date down loyal readers, you'll be tested on it this time next year :P

I had a great day today, got a sleep in, got gifts (See list below) went to Uni, came home and went out to dinner with family. Gave some serious consideration to my Genre project which I'm planning on running by you in a moment. I'm currently being a total Nanna and drinking a cup of tea, before I head off and watch Doctor Who on ABC2.

So birthday gifts....

What I refer to as 'The Norm' consists of clothing that can be bundled into the following: shirts, shorts, jeans, socks, shoes and undies etc. So I got 'The Norm' Plus some dvd's, some vouchers to buy more stuff and some online vouchers for books. Overall I had a decent haul.

Thanks to anyone and everyone who sent me happy birthday wishes on facebrothel, twitter, here or via text. You know who you are ;)

Alright Uni... *Puts on serious face*

I've got a class this semester called writing genre, which doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it's all about the various genres. The overall picture is we have to choose a genre to write within, we have to look at the conventions of that genre and decided if we will write to them, or against them. Then we have to give a blurb at the beginning of the creative piece as to what we're doing and why.

This consists on two processes. A draft of 2,000 words. Which is work shopped, marked and counted as 20% Then we submit that piece with changes etc as the final creative piece (Still confined to 2,000 words!!!) which is another 40% There is then an essay about the chosen genre, why we chose it, the history behind it (Fill in the blanks here I'm sure you get what I mean) that's another 30% Then 10% is for participation. i.e turning up to a minimum of 13 of the 15 lectures, engaging in the class, offering feedback. As they like to reiterate that 10% could be the difference between a pass and a fail! This statement is correct as in my first year there was a girl who didn't bother to turn up regularly to the lectures and consequently failed the subject!

Anyway I'll get to the point. I'm planning on writing about the process involved for my genre piece in this blog. I'll mark it with something like 'Uni Genre' in the subject line, so if you don't want to read about it you can skip that entry. (I won't be offended I promise!) But I'd like to document the process of selecting the genre I'm going for, writing about it, generally just allowing an insight into how my mind works around this creative writing process. (Now there's a scary thought!)

So to get the ball rolling, I've decided to look at Horror. I want it to be a fast action paced, heart pounding, life threatening moment or 'snippet' (I mean 2,000 words is a sneeze, and not a lot of room to move in) I'm thinking of a zombie theme. I plan to use David Moody's Hater (I've you've not read this book, seriously get into it - it's bloody amazing!!!) as a reference piece. I may even write from the POV of one of his characters? I.e the one on the other side of the 'hater' attack. Again 2,000 words is so bloody restricting. Everything is up in the air right now. However that's the plan at the moment though. If you'd be interested in reading about the process of how I go about doing this piece, please let me know.

Also if you're a new reader who I've managed to leech from Scoman. Please don't be shy and say hello. I promise not to bite... Honestly!

Anyway Doctor Who is about 20min away, time for a shower and press the 'on' button on the air-conditioning.

That's all I've got.

Middle of June

I've just literally walked in the door after returning home from a holiday out with my brother and my nephews. I had a wonderful time hanging out with the boys, playing soccer, watching movies, running races etc. Kids grow up so fast its a little freaky. I worked out I've not been to my brothers house in two years. So I'll try and make sure that it's a smaller gap between visits next time.

Just a quick update to say it's all about to kick off here with semester two of Uni starting on Wednesday. I've read two of the eight books so far, though haven't had a chance to look at anything else. Need to work on the time management side of things. I have become a quicker reader thought, I'd not have been able to get through 500+ pages per book in a week in the past, but I've managed over 1,000 pages in two weeks. So I'm quite happy with that.

Off to sort out stuff for class on Wednesday and start book number three.

Hope life in generally 'good' to all who are reading this.

That's all I've got

Does a happy dance

Soooooooooo there has been a bit of a break between my posts, after the mammoth effort for April. However I have been up to my ears in assignments for Uni and at $700 a subject I'm thinking it gets my priority!!

Anyway as of three minutes ago. I hit the submit button on my final assignment for this semester and I'm so fucking happy right now :) I'll be even happier when I find out I managed to pass this semester.

Anyway I just wanted to share a line from the creative vignette I just submitted.

The knots in the pit of her stomach, attempt to stitch up the hole in her chest.

There's a lovely visual for you.

I'm off to the pub to catch up with some uni mates for a 5:30 celebration thank fuck Uni is over for this semester drink :)

That's all I've got

Shoot the bloody Parrot

I'm on page 25 of this book and it's boring me to death. As I read the words on the page my mind drifts off to the hundred other things I've got to complete. I get to the end of the page stare at it blankly and think - what did I just read!?!

The e-notes site isn't a lot of help thus I'm 'reading' the book. I think the lecturers knew that the majority of students wouldn't read the text as it was so close to the end of semester and time is running out etc. so they deliberately set the questions at level 8.5 out of 10 on a scale of difficulty. One being getting your name right!

So as I type out this entry and procrastinate from reading this dull book. I'm forced to hit the publish post button and get back to reading. I'll give it ten more pages - if it's still shit I'm out.

That's all I've got.

**Update** just found a website that reviewed the book. I'm screwed now - this lady states that the book is beyond shit (My words not hers) and she's in struggle town (again my words) at page 95. I'm cutting my losses. I'll try and wing it and hope for the best.

Assignment overload

It's been head down arse up for me the past few days. I've got assignments coming out my ears and running out of time to write them. I got an e-mail from one of the tutors stating don't forget to read Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes! There is NO chance I'll get that book read by next week. Thankfully I got myself a subscription to a site called e-notes and I'll utilise their brilliant 'summary' to get my head around what the book is about enough to answer the 'short questions' on it!

I'm not a fast reader - so it's a struggle for me to read a book every two weeks and actually 'have a life' so when I offer feedback on this subject anonymously I'll be stating that there's just too many texts to get through with 'other' subjects! Sure if you only did one subject a semester - well you'd have no bloody excuse not to get a book read every two weeks - but when you have two creative writing classes on top of the 'text' class it's a little too much!

Good news is I've completed my Writing from the edge essay with three days to spare :) (That's a record for me!) I've got about 500 words left to write on my Prose essay and then the killer Mrs Dalloway essay to write before two other creative writing pieces and I'm done for this semester! I have to say I'm looking forward to the break. I've struggled this semester to get 'into it' So a month off will hopefully allow me to a) not read any books that I don't *have* too i.e forced too and b) just give me some time to do nothing.

I plan of visiting my brother and his wife and their sons over the month of June - which will be great to just hangout and do nothing the Twelve hour drive out into western Queensland.

That's all I've got

It's MAY

I'm still in the entry a day mode.

I went to the cinema last night and seen Monsters V's Aliens. I really enjoyed it :) I went to the last session running at night, so it was basically me and about four other people in the cinema.

I've nothing to really write about today - I've calmed down from the asshole tutor from hell - decided they aren't worth my time nor my effort.

Got stuck into my second creative piece for Writing from the edge today. I'm not 100% sure where I'm heading with it just yet, but it's a work in progress so there's time to sort it out.

Sorted out what I'm going to get Lucy for her birthday this week. Just need to order it online and get it sent to her address now and all should be sweet!

I'm off to find something to eat for dinner.

That's all I've got.

Post # 30 End of BEDA, and Uncomfortably Numb

When I looked at going to University, I thought that it was the right time in my life to look at ‘further education’ too open up new doors out into the world for a career change or at least a larger pool to choose from in the job market.

So far my experience of Uni has been good, its hard work getting your head around some of the theories involved with writing etc, but overall I’ve enjoyed my experience of University up to this point. That was until today.

To-day I had a lecturer make me feel like a fucking imbecile for asking a question. I’m of the belief that if you don’t know something, then don’t be afraid to ask a question, or state you’re not 100% sure of xyz. However to be blasted back with the question was not appropriate, left me dazed and confused. How the fuck can a question not be appropriate? Unless of course I asked the lecturer if he managed to get a root over the weekend – now that’s not appropriate! But when it’s in relation to the subject at hand… I was just left shaking my head, confused and well embarrassed.

I’m at Uni to LEARN I pay in-excess of $700.00 per subject which well covers the lectures pay packet I’m sure! And whilst as a paying student I have rights etc, shouldn’t expect to get something for nothing (Insert what ever fucking cliché you want in here) Is it too hard for these ‘teachers’ to remember that they were in my position once? That they weren’t born and then at the age of two become a Uni lecturer! That they too, had to learn, had to be a student. Clearly NOT the case with this particular lecturer.

I’m pissed off, annoyed, irate, sad, angry, deflated, kicked in the guts, smacked in the face – all those emotions wrapped up into one, and right now I’m wondering why the fuck do I bother!? I mean this feeling will pass, and I won’t allow one lecturer to fuck up my study plans – but talk about a kick in the teeth. Maybe because it came so far out of left field. I simply posed a question. It wasn’t off topic, it’s not like we were in a lecture about Shakespeare and I bought up Gertrude Stein! We were talking about Woolf and I asked a question about Woolf.

I’m off to write some more of my Writing from the edge essay I have due next week. If I get that sorted I’ll be happier as its one less thing I have due.

As for BEDA – it’s been a great experience to write a blog entry every day and I hope I can continue to do so.

That’s all I’ve got.

Post # 23 MP3 players and Dodgy Pies

My day has been unproductive :( I spent the morning trying to sort out some stuff for my mum only to find out that her MP3 player is quite possibly the ONLY one on the planet not supported by a site that allows you to download relaxation audio books! After 2 hours of fucking about with this site, downloading various software etc. I turned to my trusty Itunes and burnt the file as an audio book onto CD - pulled those audio files back onto my computer before putting them onto her MP3 player. Moral of the story. Check the super super fine print to make sure that your brand of MP3 player is actually supported (By going to the manufactures site!) DO NOT rely on the supported MP3 players blurb the site who wants to take your money for an obscure fucking file!

After this onslaught against technology. I decided to have a pie for lunch - meat pie standard part of any meat eating Australian's diet :) It was nice too. Until it decided to turn my stomach and my insides inside-out about 3pm this afternoon. Then the pie was the devil and I won't be eating a meat pie for some time after this moving event! Forget those liver cleansing diets out there people. Get yourself a dodgy meat pie and sit back and allow it to work it's 'cleansing' goodness!!!

I have however managed to lay about most of the afternoon and read some of Mrs Dalloway. So I guess my day hasn't been a total waste. But I've got no real work done for school, and I just looked at my calendar and time is running out fast to get everything in on time.

Meh what can you do?!

That's all I've got.

Post # 9 Essay Day

Today was filled with research for this essay on Shakespeare's play The Tempest and if it's deemed as a Post-colonial piece. I know riveting stuff! That's pretty much all I did today 1,009 words down, 1,000 or so to go. I'll have it finished by 5pm Tuesday as that's when it's due.

With all my time spent on that one essay, I've obviously not got anything else done for other classes. I have to pick a song and then write a story from the influence of the lyrics. 1,000 words isn't really long for a story. Actually it's bloody short!

So I'll go find a song with lyrics I think I can make a story out of and I might incorporate bits of it into tomorrows post.

That's all I've got.

Post # 7 - Time to get serious re punctuation.

I want to write. I want to be a writer, that's the job I want for my future. I don't mind what genre of writing I do - magazines, newspapers, books etc. However my punctuation skills really are a joke! I don't know the difference between an abstract noun or a simile. When I write I do just that... write! I don't stop and think oh this noun isn't complementing that adverb! Should I put a comma in here? or a semi-colon!?

When I sit in a class of *very* talented writers. I feel like such a fucking dumb arse as I don't know what predicate is!

I've decided that the only person who can fix this issue is me. So I bought a book online today called. 'How to punctuate' by George Davidson. I plan to read it from cover to cover (sounds riveting I know!) this mid semester break, as it will probably take four weeks to arrive here and I've only got five weeks left until mid semester break.

I also need to sit down and put some serious thought i.e actual pen to paper! regarding expanding the idea I have for this years NaNoWriMo I've never written anything as long as 50,000 words. However I'll never know if I'm capable of it unless I try. I figure if I put in the work regarding story, timeline, plot, arcs, research etc then there's no reason this can't be achieved.

In the mean time I'm really struggling with this written text class. To the point I'm worried I might fail it, which would suck as it's a core unit for the writing degree. I find it really difficult to write a paper on something I know very little about and no amount of research and reading is helping me to better understand it.

I guess there's some hope though. My friend Rita said that as long as I argue my point well, then it dosen't matter if I'm 'wrong' as such. It's the quality of the work and the proven research involved that will get me across the line. With that in mind. I'm off to eat lamb shanks in red wine sauce :)

That's all I've got.

Post #5 Daylight Saving

Daylight saving officially ended in Australia today. It was a win win situation. I got an extra hour of sleep, without loosing any time. :)

Been a usual Sunday. Went and got the papers, bread, milk etc. Came home read papers, drank tea and ate doughnuts (I bought them at the bakery!)

I've managed to get through the majority of the readings I needed to to catch up with for Uni. I've also ploughed through Mrs Dalloway up to page 100 - but don't ask me to tell you what the 'in-depth' meaning behind the book is as I 'skimmed' most of it.

I'm cooking a lamb curry for dinner, the smell has filled the entire house, which is great as it smells really good.

Heading out to walk my dog, before it rains again. I don't want to get soaked like I did the other day. Dog didn't seem to care he was wet, just loved being out as always. I thought of some stuff before to write in today's entry whilst I was chopping up onions for my curry - however I didn't write them down, and now can't remember what they were. I'll try again for tomorrows post.

This is quite possibly the most boring entry to date. Sorry :( I have 25 days left to lift my game!

That's all I've got :)

Reading

I'm a slow reader. Super slow. I received the list of books for one of my classes yesterday they are as follows:

Jane Eyre
The Tempest
Mrs Dalloway
Wide Sargasso Sea
Flaubert's Parrot

Five books FIVE and that's just one class, not including weekly readings etc. If I start today I 'might' have the books finished by the end of semester. (20 weeks) Not sure I'll have them read in time to write the 5 essays about them all!

Five books which I've never read before. On the up side. At least I can add them to the list of books I've read in my lifetime which isn't that many considering my age!


Semester one 2009 officially kicks off on Monday the 23rd of Feb the day after my birthday. I'll clearly be spending all my 'free' time reading if I'm to ever get through these books.

That's all I've got.

Life writing results

I surprised myself! I managed to get a distinction on my life writing story about living in Brisbane! I received the mark today and was ‘Holy fuck! a distinction!' (I actually said that out loud to myself!) So to say I’m happy right now is an understatement – However happiness can’t remove the feeling I’m suffering at the hands of a nasty virus, that I’ve got which is making the room spin on me, and feels as though I’ve swallowed fire. (I’ll spare everyone the list of other symptoms I’m suffering!) Unfortunately it takes an age to get an appointment with the Doctor in town, (2 week wait!) so I’ll stick it out, if it’s not improved by next week I’ll see about seeing someone about it. Brilliant grammar there! Though if it is a virus, there's sweet FA I can do about it other than to wait it out.

That’s it from me

Hello and Welcome

Hi,
If you're reading this you either know me or you have simply stumbled across it via some sort of search.

I'm Sal - 1st year uni student about to undertake my second semester - Currently doing my major in writing. As part of my subject auto - biography writing - we have to keep a daily journal to just 'write' so this is my slice of 'writing' on the net.

Will I get to it every day - I highly doubt it - but I'll have a stab at least updating this once a week.