Things I've been doing when I could have been saving the world from death by Jordan 'novels'. Ooh me-bitch.

• I bought the nestle Cheerios Clusters cereal, partially because of the advert, partially because of their end-stand staging in the supermarket. I used to know all the fidgety details of quality marketing. I've forgotten. Maybe I'll chase down that vocabulary again one day. The cereal was routinely digestible, but obviously didn't live up to the cartoon wonder of its pastel coloured, bouncy balloon characterisations. If I call the consumer hot line..I wonder if I could speak to them directly..(returns to reality) I also bought the new Lasagne sandwich Tesco's are trialling. I am not a fan of Tesco's, but this isn't the time and place. Try one I'd say
  
• I have been waking up to notice random bruising on my body, obtained during working hours and appearing overnight. I am running around like..*avoids cliche* *avoids gossip mag worthy dig at say John Terry* a half brained intern at work. Literally running onto doors and furniture with my hips and my thighs and other gym-resistant bits
  
• I was wanting to cry when it rained on St Swithins Day. 40 days of grey? Please no. Wikipedia offers some interesting information about the proverb and the saint. I thought of all the stories that might indulge in this; a historical background to some good old pathetic fallacy. ( A literary term for weather reflecting mood/nature like people I haven't been an English student for so long I had to look this up) I may jot something, but I recall One Day By David Nicholls, which revolves around July 15th. I recommend a read, and a bit of adoring.

• I read ;

'chick-lit'. It astounds me how formulaic the genre can be, and how addictive.

• I am reading;

I don't want to describe the book, or compare the style or subject to anything else, but if anyone has read it, I'd happily discuss it. ( I will say its Published by Tindal Street Press. If I am deliberating over a book,and it is with a smaller publisher, that clinches it for me. And Tindal are tiny, relatively.)


I have been doing other things; for example I have been brushing my teeth and tutting at text messages. Sporadically 'courting', not sorting out my wardrobe, not returning my library books and buying tea cups. I haven't been writing much, but I've produced a few shorts, I'm writing essay/articles currently for work, but that's not uninspiring. I'm considering volunteering as a reader-helper in primary schools, and I'm dusting off my camera and hoping I'll be whisked away before the 'summer 'ends.

Oh and I'm rambling. Always. I will try to post more regularly, write more often, and tan more easily. I do, like we all do, have a lot on my plate, but it helps that I am usually greedy. Good day!

Buggeration. Missed Bridport deadline.

I am sitting here head hung, hands writhing over each other behind my back, well..no I'm not, because I need to type but rest assured my inner critic has tutted. Loudly. He's good at that, he has a clipboard that he taps I'm sure. Paramount Comedy Pearl? Clicketly clickety..

I missed the deadline for The Bridport Prize! I didn't want to send in any old thing, I didn't prioritise quite right..and a few awkward shifts fell on my lap at work and that was that. I blame work for missing out on many things, like beer gardens and cream teas-I'd like to up my quota of those, but I actually enjoy it. Still. I'm excited for those who have submitted to the Bridport, and will eagerly await tracking down winners so I can sniff out their offerings.

Mslexia's Poetry Competition closes on the 26th July. I have a few poems I'm working on for entry. The 'voice' is there, and the plot, but things aren't sounding right, and I don't want to over-tweak so I'm looking at new styles. Watch this space as I run short of time in a week :)

This year's judge is Vicki Feaver; She's a genius of Juxtaposition, who tackles 'meaty' themes, and humanises legends and perpherial things. A particular favourite of mine is Glow-worm; and this subtextual verse-
('We still haven't touched,
only lain side by side
the half stories of our half lives.')
Look her up. This is from The Book of Blood, but theres a lot on the old interwebz too, as I'm sure you've figured by now.. Poems. 26th July. Take your places, when the whistles sounds. Go.

Everyday I don't.

I would hate to discredit the genius of Elvis Costello- Everyday I write the book;

but I am not finding this to be a personal truth.Almost every day I doodle, look at pretty pictures in glossy magazines, surf the Internet, daydream in the bath,and brew tea; sometimes I even go to work or into the city with friends. I don't seem to be writing the flash, the story, the novella..never mind the bloody book! Still, lets not curse the journey.

Hello. I'm here to make sure I am at least writing. Gobbledygook or not, I'll share. I'm hoping to get back into photography as well, but we'll have to see.

There are quite a few interesting writing competitions about to close, primarily; The Bridport Prize, The Writers Bureau Competition, and Mslexia's annual poetry competition. (NB Only inviting poetry, from women) I will submit this year.Definitely, or I'll have to admit I haven't publicly on here and that would shrink my soul. Demons celebrating time-wasting and poorly organised to-do lists would take my picture maybe, with something wonderful like this.