Go West (Africa)

As promised, I've reported back to you, immediately after finishing my assignment on Pugin; I just didn't intend for it to take so long. I've been having a tough time this past month, so found it hard to motivate myself to get the reading done; then once I had done the reading, the Job Centre decided to start me on a 'Mandatory Work Placement' which means I've not had time to do the writing. I eventually finished it this afternoon - it's a day late, but fortunately my tutor is on holiday.


I've decided I'm not even going to bother with the chapters about Ireland or Shostakovich. Instead, I'm moving straight on to Book 3 and the two chapters about Benin in West Africa, then TMA05.


Something I did manage to do, last weekend, was to set up my own website where I hope to make money from writing poems and short stories. Please visit my website and let me know what you think... in fact, better still - why not place an order?

Onwards and upwards

I've been a bit hit and miss with my writing over the past couple of weeks. Last weekend being Mother's Day followed by my Mum's birthday on Tuesday meant I wasn't really in the mood, although I did manage to do a few poems (link on the left).


I've also worked on an action plan for my jobseeking, however the biggest drain on my time has been my obsessive checking of the online TMA service, waiting for my assignment to be returned.


It was finally returned last night. I was very pleased with my result - a very respectable 82%. not quite a distinction but definitely good enough. I had some excellent comments from my tutor which actually made it harder to decide what to rework for my second assignment.


The doubt didn't last for too long though - I had my second assignment completed by midnight (I've always found it easier to work at night). I might leave it a week before going back to it, then if everything still looks fine I'll get it submitted.

Road Block

For almost a week now I've not been able to write anything, unless you count the umpteen Facebook statuses and replies to other people's posts. I've also managed to revise my CV, but that was more of a chore than a pleasure. I haven't written any poems, stories, or even this blog!

It isn't just writing either - I've hardly done any reading. I've attempted to start reading several books, but got no further than half a dozen pages in each. I do have one of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels sat on the shelf, which I haven't read yet, so I'll have a go at that tonight and see how it goes.

I have managed to do a lot of 'not very much at all', as well as watching a lot of TV and films. I have managed to get out of the house a few times as well.


I really need to get back into the habit of reading and writing again, so that I can continue with my studies as I haven't managed anything since sending off my first assignment. OK then... here goes... Chapter 5: Stalin, here we come!

Change of Route

Yesterday evening, I was sat watching TV with my 'Stepdad' (he isn't really my Stepdad, but there is no word for 'the fiancé my Mum never got round to marrying before she passed away even though they'd been engaged for fifteen years' so until I finish my degree and submit new words to the OED, this will have to do).


We were watching the 1999 film 'The Mummy' starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hannah. When the Mummy first spoke, my Stepdad said to me, "I preferred it in the old days when the Ancient Egyptian Muumies in films all spoke in English. I can't keep up with all these subtitles!"


After a brief discussion about how EVERYONE should speak English ALL the time, he asked me to find out how many people actually DO speak English, and whether more people speak Mandarin. He also wanted to know when English as WE know it now was first widely spoken. I won't spoil it for you here - if YOU are interested, you'll have to do your own research!


After about an hour of searching and reading, I was hooked. I immediately went to the OU's Qualification Planner and changed my study route.  I am still concentrating on Creative Writing, but now instead of History I will be doing English Language.


I now have my next four years of study planned out: After I finish AA100, I will start A215 Creative Writing and U214 Worlds of English in October of this year. They will both finish in June 2013, giving me the Summer off. In October 2013 I will start my level 3 studies with E301 The Art of English. I will then have an overlap when I start E303 in February 2014. Iwill then finish my degree with A363 Advanced Creative Writing starting in October 2014, hopefully finishing in June 2015.


So, now all I need to do is find a job as a writer, proof reader, editor, librarian or any other job which will complement my studies...

 

My Mum and her log term Fiancé, Kevin - This is the last photo I have of her, taken three days before she passed away

Ee bah gum - it's West Yorkshire

I'm really enjoying the discussions on the AA100 February 2012 and A215 October 2012 Facebook groups. There's always something interesting to talk about whether it is study related (Cleopatra, Faustus, assignments), computer related (open Office vs Microsoft, Evernote vs One Note) or food related (Marmite, Jaffa Cakes, Monster Munch, Coffee, Vodka, Marmite Vodka!).


Today though, one of the conversations was quite civilised and cultural, turning to artists and galleries. This of course allowed me to talk of the many wonderful artists and the fantastic FREE museums and galleries in West Yorkshire, all within about ten miles of my home, and more important to me they are easily accessible by bus.

West Yorkshire has produced some of the greatest artists, writers, actors and broadcasters the World has ever seen. I'd be shocked if you haven't heard MOST (if not all) of these names:

• Henry Moore (Sculptor), Leeds
• Barbara Hepworth (Sculptor), Wakefield
• David Hockney (Artist), Bradford
• Andy Goldsworthy (Artist), raised in Leeds
• Damien Hirst (Artist), raised in Leeds
• The Bronte Sisters (Novelists), Thornton/Haworth/Birstall/Mirfield/Dewsbury
• Barbara Taylor Bradford (Novelist), Leeds 
• Helen Fielding (Novelist), Leeds
• J B Priestley (Novelist/Playwright/Broadcaster), Bradford
• Alan Bennett (Playwright/Broadcaster), Leeds
• Ted Hughes (Novelist/Poet Laureate), Mytholmroyd
• Alan Titchmarsh (Novelist/Broadcaster), Ilkley
• Michael Parkinson (Broadcaster), Cudworth
• John Craven (Broadcaster), Leeds
• Jeremy Paxman (Broadcaster), Leeds
• Chris Moyles (Broadcaster), Leeds
• Patrick Stewart (Actor), Mirfield
• James Mason (Actor), Huddersfield
• Malcolm MacDowell (Actor), Leeds
• Leigh Francis (Actor/Broadcaster), Leeds {Avid Merrion/Bo Selecta/Keith Lemon}
• Thomas Chippendale (Furniture Maker), Otley

 I could go on with a few dozen more names (as well as sports personalities, politicians, scientists, musicians etc) but you're probably bored already, so instead let me tell you about those wonderful museums and galleries that I mentioned.

• National Media Museum, Bradford - Several galleries exploring the history and future of photography, film, television, the Internet and digital media. Two special exhibition galleries
• 1853 Gallery, Salt's Mill, Saltaire - This gallery has a large collection of works by David Hockney. The mill is at the heart of a model workers' village which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site 
•  The Henry Moore Institute, Leeds - Collection of works by Henry Moore
• The Hepworth, Wakefield - Collection of works by Barbara Hepworth
• Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield - Open air gallery of works by Hepworth, Moore and others set in  the grounds of Bretton Hall

Again I could carry on telling you details of dozens more museums (Royal Armouries, National Coal Mining Museum, Eureka Children's Museum...) and art galleries in every town but if you ARE interested then I don't mind helping you to plan a visit to GOD'S OWN COUNTY!

As a treat, and considering today's date, here's a video of former Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes reading one of his poems...

Different Directions

As I have decided to take a short break from studying, I needed something else to keep my brain busy. After conversations on the A215 Creative Writing (October 2012) Facebook Page, I've decided to write the occasional short story. This is in addition to the poetry I'm already writing. To view my efforts, use the links to the left of this post, and please bookmark them so you can pop back later...

Going the wrong way

I need to be really honest with you. This week I seem to be going the wrong way in terms of my studies. I keep attempting to do my 500 word essay about Doctor Faustus, but I always manage to find something more interesting to do.


I've read and re-read his 'last soliloquy' several times but just can't seem to get my head around the use of language, and how this contributes to the characterisation. I understand about 'blank verse' and 'Iambic Pentameter' but just can't quite connect this to what it tells us about Faustus.


I think I'm going to leave it for another couple of days and see what else I can get done...

Pin in the Map

I had a day off studying yesterday, but it didn't stop my creativity. I managed to write two poems, although I needed a bit of inspiration from friends. I also plan on doing a few more over the next week using the ideas that I was given yesterday. You can view all of my poems on my Facebook Poetry Page.

 Another obsession over the past few days has been Pinterest. It gives you the opportunity to collect pictures and videos as you surf the Internet, and 'pin' them to boards. As well as boards for weird, beautiful and interesting things that I find whilst 'Stumbling' using StumbleUpon, I also have boards for films that I've watched and books that I've read (but only since 1st February), and also my favourite places that I've ever visited. What started as 'trying it out' has quickly turned into yet another addiction, adding to my procrastination.


Whilst Stumbling yesterday, I also came across a fantastic Open Source download called Storybook. It's a novel writing tool similar to the expensive Scrivener. When writing a story or novel, it lets you organise your story in scenes, rather than writing it from start to end as you would with a normal word-processor. You can also create separate profiles for every character and setting, and manage multiple plot-lines. I think I'll be playing with this quite a lot...

Far(aday) and Away

After writing last night's blog, I decided to have a go at writing some blank verse in 'Iambic Pentameter' and after a bit of trial and error, I managed to write a poem (click here). I've been a bit hit and miss with my poems since I started looking at the materials for this course, and I'm afraid it's going to stay that way.


Anyway, on to today. I've finally started on Chapter 4 - Fame and Faraday. So far so good. I'm enjoying reading about his life, and how he became a famous name through the 19th Century. However, upon scanning through the rest of the chapter, I've noticed there's quite a lot about his experiments. I realise that these contributed to his fame but I'm surprised to see them in an 'arts' course. Oh well, time to put my science head on...