If you haven't experienced the prose of Neil Gaiman, then allow me to introduce you. As part of his journal's 7th birthday celebration, they have put one of his books - American Gods - on the Harper Collins website for perusal for the next month. Here is the link
She makes me laugh so much! She has just tried to turn her DVD player on, but it didn't switch on. She got all upset and began running round whinging:
Last night I was having a look for a pillow that will support my neck while I sleep. I looked on disability websites, as I know that I will get a proper support pillow from them. I also had a nosy for exercise equipment that I could use while sitting. I was made up when I found a specialised cycle for wheelchair users. Then I looked at the price....
Well, at £3200 I thought way out of my price range. So I started looking around to see if I could get it cheaper from anywhere else. I found another site where the same unit was being sold for £2100. I thought better, but still too expensive. Another site later and I'd found it for £1200. Now, how in the hell can one site offer it for just over £1000 and another be selling it for £3000? How can they justify the difference in price? Or is it just a case of because they're disabled they are stupid and we can rip them off? It made me so mad.
Yeah, so last night. The quake was finally measured at 5.3. It originated somewhere in the Midlands, so it was quite far reaching to shake Liverpool that way, and I know it reached the south east too. I'd say it was scary, but it was more exciting as it doesn't happen that often. I know that sounds silly, and that I should have more respect for the wiles of the planet I live on, but wooooo! What a rush!
I can't believe that at first I thought Principessa had gotten out of bed and was shaking the bed (can you tell I was just dropping off to sleep?) because she couldn't get onto the bed. Then I realised that she was moving about in her own bed, and that the stuff on the shelves were clinking together, that it wasn't the wind making the big 'blowy' noise. That's when I shouted to Mum "Are we having an earthquake?" The bed shook with the strong tremor for about 10 seconds, followed straight away by a lesser shake for about 30 seconds. It felt like I was on a massage bed!
The last time I can remember feeling an earthquake was about 17-18 years ago at just after 3pm. I think they measured that one at around 3.2. The last time there was one at over the 5 magnitude mark was 2002, but I didn't feel that one.
But enough of my rock and roll talk. I have managed to get my TMA (assignment) finished and printed out, so I will send that off to the tutor on Saturday. Looking forward to completely concentrating on the Colosseum unit now.
Just been woken up after having the bed shake like a rickety tramcar! Both Nanny and Principessa woke up. But Grandand managed to sleep through it all. Last report was a 4.7 magnitude earthquake. This is VERY rare in the UK.
Your results:
You are Spider-Man
You are intelligent, witty,
a bit geeky and have great
power and responsibility.
|
Well, Principessa is not back at nursery. Nope, she now goes back after Easter. It would have been pointless sending her when the school first suggested she went back because she would have only had a week in before having a two week holiday. Not the way to settle her in, I know that from experience.
She is really choosing words to say now. Yesterday Kirst was here (we were supposed to study, but Principessa put an end to that) and Principessa had gone into the kitchen. The next thing we hear is this almighty crash, so I asked Kirst to investigate for me. Principessa had dropped some pan lids on the floor, so when she came back into the room after Kirsty had chased her back in I asked her what she had done. In her most irritated growly voice Principessa said:
"I dropped the bloody stuff!" (Now, bloody is pronounced blady - that is because Principessa much prefers the southern accent affectations of her Grandand!)
Later on, Principessa and Kirst were playing with one of Principessa's toys (this is why Kirst and I don't get anything done. Principessa doesn't leave us alone for a second!), when Principessa decided to roll to the floor by way of Kirst's legs.
The problem with being a perfectionist is trying to live up to the stupidly high standards I have set for myself. Everything has to be just right, and I can't stand getting something wrong. This is why I am struggling with the last two parts of the assignment I am working on.
I just can't get my head around the music (not good, I know how to read music, but I can't seem to fix myself in the right mindset to analyse a piece of music), and the philosophy is going in slowly. I am in a weird state of mind right now where I can understand it when I read it, but I can't seem to translate that into a piece of written work. Bah!
The struggle I am having now seems so much like a struggle I went through about 13 years ago. I had signed up to a BTEC science course. I enjoyed science, but had never really done biology or chemistry as 'pure' subjects. The biology I managed to get my head around quite quickly. The chemistry was a different matter.
I had never done a chemistry experiment in an academic situation. Okay, I knew what test tubes and pipettes were, how to use a Bunson burner and whatnot, but I didn't know about titrations. The trouble I had understanding what I was doing was overwhelming. Just like now, I began to panic. Unlike now, I managed to calm myself, sit down and work through the problem until I had my eureka moment. So, at 1am, after spending hours working my way through what I thought was going to throw a spanner in the works, I nearly woke the house up shouting 'Eureka!' Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be happening now.
I like the piece of music I have to study for the assignment, but when I listen to it I don't know if what I am hearing is syncopated or if it's a contrapuntal melody. ARGH! I've found that it's no good knowing the terms if you don't know how to put them into action. Ho hum.
The one thing I have discovered is that while my head is dancing dazed and confused with understanding all this new stuff the story side of my brain is starting to unlock and the urge to write is once again starting to ask for attention. Hooray!
Principessa and I were listening to the Shrek soundtrack this morning. I started doing rock hands when one of the rocky-punky songs came on. Principessa found this hilarious and started calling for the Rock Monster when I stopped doing it. So, you are now formally introduced to the Rock Monsters!
(Left: Monster Rock. Right: Red Rock. Sorry, no Kid Rock!)
Okay, I am always looking out for good writing advice so I can put it into practice to help my own writing. Lately I have been taking advice from Holly Lisle and Justine Larbelestier. Today, in my email inbox, I found this piece of advice from the mailing list for Holly Lisle:
Find five books published within the last year or two that youI think that this is fantastic advice. I will be doing this when have sorted out the writing for my OU assignment (the music and philosophy are still foxing me).
have absolutely loved. Buy slaughter copies of them, a pack of
highlighters, and a couple of cheapo spiral-bound notebooks,
and start tearing each book apart. In one color, highlight
every bit of dialogue that you love.
In a second color, highlight every bit of description
that you love.
In a third color, highlight every bit of action that
you love.
In the notebooks, take your favorites of each of those scenes,
and start copying them. Word for word. Copy until the urge
to change things kicks in. When it does, change to your
heart's content.
Do this until the stuff you've changed reads as smoothly
as the original copy---it won't take anywhere near as long
as you think. You'll catch voice and nuance, rhythm, word
choice, and much more, and make them your own. This won't
make you a clone of the person whose work you've modeled.
It will just break down some barriers that have been keeping
you in one place.
We learn to be original by imitating, and then by adapting,
and finally by walking on our own. This copybook technique
simply shortcuts the process.
Earlier today I was listening to the 'Là ci darem la mano' duet from Don Giovanni. Principessa had been watching Tom and Jerry and had left the DVD running, so while I listened I watched Tom and Jerry.
The duet is between Don Giovanni and Zerlina, and the Don is attempting to seduce her by flattery. With this in mind here is the description of the Tom and Jerry cartoon. Spike is asleep, but Jerry wants to be protected from Tom. To get to Jerry Tom has strung a steak to washing line, seducing Spike with the smell of the meat. So, both pieces now have a strange symmetry, but as the music goes on the rhythm of the cartoon followed the rhythm of the music. It was one of those fantastically surreal moments.
I have now written up the 300 words analysis for both the poetry and the painting. Now all I have to do is the analysis for the Mozart duet and the analysis of the philosophy. I have also had the first assignment back, and I did quite well on it. Happy, happy.
Principessa had a funny day yesterday. We were both upstairs and when I went to sit down on the stairlift she ran down the stair ahead of me.
"Mummy monster is coming to get you! ROOOAAARRR!" I said.
*High pitched squeal* from Principessa as she runs from the hall into the front room.
Every now and again she would run from the front room while I was slowly rumbling down the stairs, so I would monster roar again and she would squeal and run back into the front room. Just as I dismounted the stairlift she runs back into the hall.
"ROOOOAAARRR!"
*Squeal* and legs it back into the front room.
I go up the hall and peer in through the crack in the door. I can't see Principessa anywhere. So into the front room I go, look around, still can't see her. Then I notice this little bundle of bath towel on the jigsaw mat.
"Oh no! I can't find Principessa! Where, oh where, has Principessa gone?" I say to the room. Stifled giggles interspersed with high pitched squeals emanate from the towel just before she jumps up and says "Here I am!"
Funny little girl!
Today has been nearly as funny. My Mum was asking me about some stuff in regards to the grant that we are applying for in order to get an extension put on the back of the house. I told her that the info that the peeps were asking for should have been on the photocopies of the documents they has asked for. Principessa heard this.
"I want a photocoffee too!"
How cute? A photocoffee. I love that!
Tonight I have another tutorial. This time we know what we are doing, so maybe more conversation will happen.
Last night, after Kirst had left and Principessa was asleep, I finally got around to putting my thoughts on paper for the art history part of my assignment. I have put down a first draft, but there are other things I need to fit into the 300 words analysis. So I shall type up what I have, clean it up, and see if there is any way I can fit in the extra points. I have also started on the poetry analysis - on Carol Ann Duffy's sonnet 'Prayer'. I think I'm going to have to be quite tight with the sentences for this one, otherwise I wont be able to put half of what I want to say down.
I have now ventured into the music part of Block 1. How my head hurts! Not from not liking the music, most of what I have listened to I have liked. The headaches are coming from having to learn a whole new vocabulary and using it in the correct context. Some things I know already, like pizzicato and tempo, but other things, like double-stopping and neumes, I didn't know. Argh!
I suppose, from having to do art, one of the things I have wanted to do might now come to fruition. Yesterday, and distracted as we get, Kirst and I started looking into a trip to Paris to visit the Musée d'Orsay instead of studying. At first we were thinking of going for a two night stay but finally decided on a day trip. We can get a cheap return flight for about £50, so we are thinking of going over one day in June. I've asked Gaz to come over with us because I will need help with some things, and I've asked Grandand to look after Principessa for the day. It will be the first time I have spent a day away from her. I think Kirst and I will have to go to the flight desk to book the tickets, just in case I need to pay extra for the wheelchair.
I have been talking to Principessa about school over the last few days. The reason for this is that she is going back to nursery next week. I have been telling her that I go to school now, just so she knows that she isn't the only one that has to do it. I told her that I am going to school tonight, and she said that she wants to go to school too. I just hope she settles in this time around.
This is just brilliant. And here is the blog I pinched it from. Read it all, it makes you glad to be British and/or just have an unwashed brain ;)
On sadder news, Roy Scheider died on Sunday. I know he'll probably be remembered most for JAWS, but I will remember him when he played the Russian mob boss Chevchenko in Third Watch. Rest in peace, Mr Scheider.
What has been the big thing today? Answer: the move of Aussie soap ‘Neighbours’ from BBC1 to Channel 5. Neighbours has been with BBC1 for just over 21 years, but after a big bidding war Channel 5 won out. So now we have ‘Neighbours’ with adverts. The adverts I could do without.
Philosophy. Hmph. I am having trouble getting my head around it. I hadn’t realised I was such a rigid thinker. So I’m giving the philosophy a break today and re-reading over the art unit. Kirst is coming round tomorrow, so we are going to go through the assignment for the art section, and hopefully get something down so we can begin writing the 300 words analysis. I don’t understand how some people can think 300 words is a lot. I think that is such a small number! Maybe I’ll have to curb my wordiness! (I only just came in under the 500 words limit for the first TMA, with 497 words.)
Downloaded onto Ipod:
So, electronic cars. Great idea for reducing pollution. That is always a good thing. But I’m not sure what I think of this one. As soon as I saw it I immediately thought of the cars on Demolition Man (probably because I watched it last night. I had forgotten Sandra Bullock was in it). Okay, so cars should look good, but I’m not sure that I like the space-age look of the Alias.
I’ve been posting recently about things I’ve put onto the Ipod (like today). While this is all well and good, I am so not impressed with the Itunes store. I thought I’d have a nosey around to see if I could buy an album by a Japanese band I like called Triceratops. So, after looking through the UK Itunes store and being unable to locate it I noticed that I could browse Itunes stores in other countries. So I pulled up the Japanese Itunes, found the album, clicked ‘Buy now’. But guess what. I was denied! Yep, because you can only buy albums from your own country’s Itunes store. Ridiculous or what? I thought the whole point of the internet was to allow for ease of data transfer, good or bad. No, there are still restrictions. And I am mightily piddled off with that!
Principessa is, on the other hand, mightily happy with her new, working LeapPad. She has already decided that ‘Madagascar’ is her favourite interactive book. She even enjoys lugging the LeapPad, books and cartridges around in the backpack that I bought for it. I am very happy that she likes it all.
I had my first tutorial last night. It was an awkward affair as it was new, and people were very dubious of including themselves in the conversation. This is usual in new social situations though. It'll get easier as we get to know each other. The tutor is good, she is very knowledgeable about the subject, but for the first tentative tutorial I felt she wanted us to know more than we did. And starting the first tutorial with analysis of the sonnet wasn't the best place to start, as the first unit of Block 1 is about analysis of art. Still, I am looking forward to next week.
Principessa was very cute about the whole thing. She came into the school where the tutorial was being held, and while I was getting settled she jumped up on a chair behind me, settled herself in and looked as if she was a miniature mature student! Hehehe, she was gorgeous!
I have started Unit 4 of Block 1, the philosophy unit. I would have started the music one, but I forgot to take the Ipod upstairs with me. Duh! So, my plan until Monday is to run with the philosophy and get some understanding of it, then on Monday read over the art unit again and start planning the analysis assignment for the TMA (tutor marked assignment).
Oohhh, I got my posh books (yes, more books. See picture above.) yesterday. They are lovely. They are quarter bound in leather and come from the Folio Society. There are times I wished I'd never joined, like when they do letterpress books (they are damned expensive!), but every now and again I'll treat myself to a posh book or two. Principessa has been treated with Leapfrog stuff. (Grrr, things that don't work. I bought a Leappad Writing system for her for Christmas. It worked for about five minutes, then stopped. Stupidly, I lost the receipt, so couldn't send it back. Well, it started working again the other day, so I bought a load of books for it so Principessa had other things to do on it. Then it stopped working again two says later. I've had to buy a new one for her. I don't mind, I just wish I hadn't been so sieve-minded with the receipt!)
On writing, here is another interesting post on re-writing. I think that this one gives better constructive advice on things to think about while you re-write.
Music/Stuff uploaded to Ipod:
I’ve been working through Block 1 of the OU course. The first block looks at art history, poetry, listening to music, and philosophy. As I’ve been learning more about poetry over the last few weeks (thank you, Mr Stephen Fry!) I feel pretty okay about the poetry part of my next assignment. All I have to do for that part is write it out in some form of coherent analysis now. I’ve worked through the art history unit, though I think I may have to re-read some of it before I attempt to gather my thoughts about the painting we have to analyse – Picasso’s Girl In A Chemise. I’ve not even ventured into looking at the music and philosophy parts yet.
Principessa woke me this morning by reciting parts of ‘Over The Hedge’ in a loud, screechy voice! It’s strange being woken up to “I’d be much less scared of it if I knew what it was called.” “Let’s call it Steve.” “Steve. Steve’s a nice name. I’m much less scared of Steve.” She is currently watching The Simpsons, the one where Bart falls down the well, and eating Milky Way Stars.
Mum has just come to tell me about further family history. She has traced it back to William Tressider who was born in March 1681. That’s some way back!
It's official. I love the Wii! It is so much more fun that other consoles.
Linds bought 'Link's Crossbow Training' for me the other day, and it comes with a crossbow stylee adaptor. So, easily amused by things I am, this little bit of plastic is just genius. It is much more tactile than just using the Wii-motes, as you now hold the Wii-mote and nunchuck in a rigid frame. It gives the game just that little bit of added depth. I love it!
Sports. Hmmm. Never thought I'd post so much about sport. It looks as if the Ski Jumping World Cup is all but wrapped up. It seems that Thomas Morgenstern has an unassailable lead in the points table, so the cup is all but his. Hmph. I was hoping that Janne Ahonen could try and fight him back for a late steal. But no.
Well, I finally got the first assignment off of Thursday. I think it is okay, but we'll find out soon enough. I'm just glad it isn't being marked and used as a percentage of the final mark for the course. I'm kind of looking forward to getting the feedback so I can see what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. I'll be able to plan the next assignment against that then.
Kirst and I have been having a look at what OU course we will take on after we have finished this one. At the moment we are choosing between 'Art and it's histories' and 'From Enlightenment to Romanticism'. Currently 'Enlightenment' is leading the race.
In the last week a friend of mine has been in a nasty road accident. He is in a pretty banged up way. Thanks go to Deacon for keeping me updated, and get well soon wishes and congratulations ( ;-) ) go to David. I know you can't do anything other than this, but rest up and relax.
Principessa has decided it is time for one of her difficult phases. Kirst and I were trying to do a little bit of study on Thursday afternoon, but Principessa decided it would be much more fun if she bounced on the bed, bounced on us, and play monkey. Monkey, of course, is when she wraps her arms around your neck and dangles and swings at your back. Ooooh, she's a little pest! At the mo she is watching Pingu - the little ASBO penguin whom I blame for all her bad behaviour!
I went to see Sweeney Todd on Tuesday. If you didn't know it was directed by Tim Burton, you would after the first five minutes! It is so Burton! It is like the musical version of 'Edward Sciccorhands', but with added gore. And that in itself makes it fantastic. As a whole, I really enjoyed the film. Johnny Depp as Todd is, as usual, brilliant, sounding like David Bowie on some of the songs. Helena Bonham-Carter as Mrs Lovett is brilliant as usual too, though every now and again she sounds a bit unsure when she sings. The beach scene is truly a work of wonder, where Depp and Bonham-Carter completely complent each other.
Alan Rickman (can do no wrong, in my eyes) once again plays a fantastically slimy heel, but he has always been good at playing guys you love to hate, though in comparison Timothy Spall exudes more slime!
The comedic cameo by Sacha Baron Cohen as a faux-Italian barber injected a much needed blast of colour into the grey-washed setting, but even that dinginess added to the film, giving the impression of grimy, closed in streets.
What I really liked about the film was that Depp sang to the tools of his trade, the silver razors, like they were people. There was a sense that only the razors knew of his pain (if you didn't know, Depp's character, originally called Benjamin Barker, had been sent to prison for 15 years for a crime he didn't commit by Rickman's Judge Turpin. Turpin then took Barker's wife and daughter for himself) and only the razors could hep with gaining some release (i.e. revenge!). This is what made the film for me. It was perfectly executed (no pun intended).
Anyhows, Pingu Principessa is starting to get unruly, so I think I need to find something to calm her down a bit!
