Super Sam Land

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED

2015-12-29T07:54:00.002-08:00

Hi All,

This blog fell into disrepair a while ago and I started a new blog over on Wordpress - if you want to follow my recent exploits please go to:

https://prettythoughtful.wordpress.com/

See you soon!

Sam

I'm not ashamed to admit this....

2013-07-28T14:41:00.001-07:00

But I was super proud of myself today.

Admitting to being proud of yourself, or opening saying to someone you think you did a good job is sometimes seen as being arrogant - basically an unattractive quality, even though most people say they find confidence attractive, I've yet to see someone actually point at someone who's talking about their superior abilities and say "wow, how sexy are they?"
No. Most of the time you'll just hear someone say "who the hell is that prick?"

You know? Yeah - anyway.

Today I got my uni results back from the last year and I did good! I'm not saying I'm all superior, but compared to my last year self I am - in your face, past Sam, you didn't think I could do it, but I did!

So, I'm obviously not one of those people who minds admitting their achievements (online, in a non face-to-face capacity... I wouldn't do it in real life, because, HELLO! I don't want to be that prick!).

I got my Children's Literature results back, and basically got a 2:1, I think... in Uni terms. I'm not really sure how the scores work. I got a grade 3 pass... maybe that's a 2:2? Who knows. I passed, and that's all I care about because I found that course really difficult. Sure, the reading was easy, but critical writing isn't my bag!

My major achievement and so the one I'm really proud of is from the Advanced Creative Writing course, where I got a distinction. Me. Got a distinction.

Words fail me (but not really... perhaps I should rephrase; words that make sense fail me, because I keep writing things out of sync and my spelling and typing abilities have left me since getting that grade) - I've never done well in the academic world. I do really well in the not paying attention, doodling in the margins of books world. Really good at that (again, tooting my own horn *brushing that dust of my shoulders, man*), but anything that meant doing anything which was to be graded by professional people was my downfall. I could get through classes ok, join in well enough, but presenting work in any way that was deemed well thought out or even in any way intelligent was just a no-go for me. Until today!

As I'm sure you're aware (if you've read this blog before), I have a dream of writing for a living. Novels, screen plays, blogs, hell - I'd write obituaries if people didn't mind me re-imagining their loved ones lives and turning them into fantastically dramatic and enthralling plights of fancy, so getting something back from the university to say I did a good job (I wrote a sci-fi short screenplay) is the icing on top of my laptop.

I'll go to sleep happy tonight and the just dread the moment someone at works asks me what grade I got and what my screen play was about, because even though I don't mind tooting horns on the internet, tooting in real life is something that I just can't do (hehe, I said tooting) so that will be awkward.

Until next time,

Sam

It's not abandonment...

2013-07-26T11:32:00.001-07:00

I swear I haven't abandoned this place, it's just taken a back seat. You know, with everything else life throws at you, things have to... yeah, yeah - I've just been lazy and let this fall by the wayside.

Not to make you feel bad, but these past 2 days I've actually been cheating on you with a WordPress... I wanted a new blog, and a new blogging platform and WordPress looked pretty cool.

I've basically done what I never wanted to do, but always knew I would do... started blogging about food. Well, I've done 1 food post. But there will be more. You see. Food is my life - like everyone else's. But I like to collect and make up recipes so I figured I would document and share. It's a vegetarian blog, which will also have some health posts and nutritional posts on stuff I like, and recommend - so go and have a look if you want.

http://notyouraverageveg.wordpress.com/

Jeez, what with me Youtubing and doing this, you'd think I was an internet addict.... oh, and also someone who starts new projects all the time. Which is true. And probably not very good.

Sam

Birthdays!

2013-06-01T01:52:00.002-07:00

So, today is my 28th birthday. I'm up earlier than I would normally wake up on a weekend - but it was kind of intentional.

At first I was worried about getting older - 28 is the next step to 30 and 30 seems like the age no one wants to be... but of course everyone gets to! (Doh!) But I realised this morning, as I lay in bed with the curtains open and the sun streaming through my window, that 28 is actually a great age. For me, anyway.
I'm always trying to achieve more, be it physically, mentally or creatively and turning 28, much like when I turned 27, has actually made me feel a little more empowered.

Don't get me wrong - I still don't want to get older, but apparently nothing is stopping the time from moving forwards so... I'm happy to be here, now. I'm in between so many things. My 20's and 30's. The start and end of my degree, my heaviest and lightest weight, my indecisive work life and my eventual career. So right now I'm in a good mood.

I have loads I want to achieve in the next 5-10 years so this feels like a good place to write them down and share them with the world. Even if they never happen, at this point in my life I feel like they could.

I want to find an agent who will help me get published (queries already started so I'm on my way)
I want to film more - even if it's just stupid vlogs or unimportant videos, I just like to play with and edit footage and this year I'm being brave and just sticking it on the internet (www.youtube.com/scumbagsam)
I want to write/film a short film.
I want to make more music -not to sell or be a singer, but just for the creative outlet.
I want to move to Paris and live there for a few months.
I want to travel America again.
I want to progress in finding the balance between body and mind, health and fitness etc.

I feel like saying 'I want' all the time sounds selfish, but I guess if you don't want things for yourself, no one else is going to want them for you.

This turned into a bit of a silly thing - but anyway, I'll be back around here soon talking other stuff I'm sure!

Sam
x

Uh-oh!!

2013-05-06T04:49:00.001-07:00

What is this? I've been absent... again? Oh dear. I'm honestly not doing it on purpose, except I am because I have been rather a busy bee.

I just wanted to drop a quick update on here because I'm trying to write an assignment and my favourite thing to do when writing assignments is to not do it!

So of late I've been working on my novel - still. I know. I know what you're thinking. How long does it take. A WHILE. That's all I can say. I'm almost at last draft. My first three chapters are definitely done and ready for submitting to agents, but I'm working on a pesky synopsis which is probably the hardest part in my opinion. Seriously!

My other distractions have been many. Coming up to the end of this year of uni which means I have a screenplay to finish by the 16th and then an essay on children's literature to finish by the 23rd. All whilst trying to do other stuff, like just writing in general and making YouTube videos. Which I've been doing since Jan... I really enjoy editing them, and that's mostly why I make them. Editing is relaxing for me, I don't know why.

I'm sorry for not posting, I'm currently trying to clear my mental space so from June onwards I'm hoping to have more time to write over here. I am currently on a journey of self awareness. That sounds stupid when you put it like that, but I have been having problems with stress and anxiety. Not huge problems where I've had a breakdown or needed medical attention, just internal problems. I'm normally quite a 'chill' person, but I've been feeling wound up because of all the pressure I'm putting on myself to do certain things and I'm just trying to find ways to deal with that.

At the moment I'm on a positivity binge. I'm hoping to be more 'zen' in my day to day life and trying to incorporate positive thinking and whatnot into my brain. I might blog about that soon actually because I'm really finding some good things on the internet about being more aware and whatnot so... yeah.

I don't really think I have much more to say. I'm about to finish act 2 of my screenplay and then write my intro to the other thing I'm doing and then I'm going on a mammoth walk because the weather is sublime and I need to get out there!

Hope everyone is ok! Say Hi and tell me what you've been up to. I haven't managed to keep up with reading blogs either. I'll punish myself, don't worry!

Sam
x

Fashion in 2013

2013-01-12T07:35:00.001-08:00

I have this uber crush on the 'preppy' look when it comes to clothes. This year I decided I was going to try to prep my wardrobe out. So, without further ado, here are some pictures I'm loving at the moment - style wise - these are the clothes I'm drooling over:

(all images from my Pinterest account - so, stolen from all the potholes in the internet)

I've already spent a pretty packet buying clothes for my new addiction, but luckily I needed to buy a whole new wardrobe of clothes anyway....

Sam
x

Change of scenery

2013-01-12T02:28:00.001-08:00

I have to comment on the name of the blog changing - you see, my blog was Life of Scum, and I think it might have put people off reading this. It was a play on my first and last name, people call me scumbag as a joke so naturally this was my blog name - thing is, it's hard to explain that without getting into telling the story in every blog post, every time, SO - I'm trying to find a new name for my blog.

In the meantime it's 'Super Sam Land', but I'm pretty sure I'll be changing it again at some point if I'm inspired enough to do so! :P

New look to the blog as well, at the moment I'm loving it!

Stick around - New Year, New Fun on the Super Sam train ride to Random Blogville.

Sam
x

All I wanted was my two front teeth!

2013-01-11T11:49:00.003-08:00

Good evening my blogging beauties!

I have decided that in order to keep up my blogging duties I am going to set myself an easy thing to blog about! You might not have guessed it from the title, you might have done but either way I'm about to lay it on the line for you!

I got... shall we say, 'enough' presents for Christmas to enable me to write... shall we say 'enough' blog posts to keep me going until June! Books, DVD's more books, random items and products - all to be blogged about! I hear your cries, even from my bed where I'm reclining like a lady of leisure.

So, in the next day or so I'll start my blogging project, which is to tell you about the stuff I have which will hopefully lead to more blogs about other random stuff I'm buying and doing with my life. I'm actually quite excited about this because I got lots of cool little things so it should be fun to show pictures and what not!

If you're reading this, even if you're just passing, please feel free to say hello in the comments, I don't bite and getting comments really actually kind of makes my day!

Sam
x

2013, some new things and some OLD things

2013-01-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

So this is where I'm at right now. I'm trying to write an essay, so naturally I come here, to a place I've abandoned for a lifetime, to while away those moments where I should be writing educational stuff... about Peter Pan.

I love Peter Pan. The play, the film(s), but somehow trying to write about it makes me want to do anything else. I think it's because I find it so sad that writing about it makes me feel so miserable. Am I the only person that thinks it's heartbreaking? It's just the saddest children's book ever, in my opinion anyway!

So, that was my old thing. New things, because - HELLO! New Year. So, 2013. Hope everyone reading this had a good new year, and Christmas, of course. I had a great Christmas because I'm always spoilt to the point of sickness. I get so many presents I do feel bad, but you know, you give people lists of what you want not only does it make it easier on them and their shopping brains, but it also means you tend to get a lot of what you want/need. I always stop buying myself things in September-October in preperation for Christmas because I'm thoughful like that, and I also really like to wait for things. Not things like computers loading, or phones trying to figure out whether they are going to send/receive text messages, but material items and rewards. I'm a huge fan of rewards and working towards a goal and so Christmas, for me, is like this great goal where, if I'm good and don't spend money for a few months, I get rewarded with hundreds of books and DVD's.

"2013 resolutions" I hear you call. OK, OK. Steady on! I have a few you know and I'm trying to make it exciting. But it won't be because I harp on about the same old things all the time, but this year is actually my year. I don't know if you knew this, but I've had things in the pipeline for a long time and this year is the year I shoot all of this stuff out of the pipe and aim it at some pretty high targets like a gross wet ball of paper out of the end of an empty Bic pen thing.

I'm back working on novel number 1 (which was on the shelf as I was working on novel number 2) and I plan on getting letters out to agents for representation in March. I am making a list of my top 5 agents that I would love to work with and I'll go from there. I expect rejection, I expect hard work and feeling like crap and wondering if I can indeed carve out a career as an author, but I really do think that it's possible. There are so many authors out there, what's one more? Why can't it be me? Exactly. Dream big.

I am also working on music this year. I have been singing this old song for a long time (aahhaaa, pun intended, I know, I'm so witty) but I really am in music mode. I've been working on recordings and what not. Really rough stuff to learn the art of it. I'm using awful microphones and what not at the moment so things are really crud but this year I'm investing in some stuff and the boyfriend is helping as he's into production. I'm not wanting a career in music in any way shape or form, but I love it as a hobby just for myself but I do have some stuff in a secret place online... If you want to check it out please see it HERE.

Don't worry if you don't like it/think I'm crap. I don't really mind, I just wanted to have fun :P

In the meantime, I best be going. I have 2000 words to write and polish off for Thursday morning and I'm a whole 500 words into it. Joy.

Sam

Busy Bee!

2012-11-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have been busy the past few months (and not busty, as I just typed by mistake... sadly). Writing a novel in 30 days is tough when one is also working full time and trying to write essays for her uni course. It's actually really tough, and I probably would have thought twice if I had known how much work I was getting myself in for when I started this whole shebang. I'm glad I'm doing it because I've wanted to have a crack at this story for a while now - in a few more days the 50000 will be written. And then I'll try to blitz the next 20k as that's how many I'll expect to write to finish this one. And then I'm taking a break.

I'm really keen to start working on music with a friend. We've always wanted to write and play together for fun and I think we're finally going to try to make it happen. We'll see. Trying not to get bogged down with stuff, you know? I feel really bad that I'm neglecting blogging and even just reading blogs. I haven't read a blog in about 3 weeks, which is terrible for me, but what can you do?

I'll post more things on here soon because I do actually have posts all lined up to go. One of them will be called 'things YouTube taught me' and I think it will actually be a pretty good post - so watch this space!

I hope everyone is well!

Sam
x

Writing time is here again!

2012-10-31T16:35:00.001-07:00

Just when I finish my 2nd essay in 2 weeks and think I'm going to have a nice relaxing month, I remember that tomorrow is November, and if you know me... and read any of my posts from the past year.... you'll know that can only mean one thing. NaNoWriMo is upon us again.

Last year I won and completed a 50000 word novel in a month - a story I love so much I'm still working on in hopes that one day, when I've tweaked it enough I'll somehow be able to convince an agent and publisher to help me get it out there! This year I've decided (literally, just now) that tomorrow I'm going to start working on a sci-fi I'd originally intended to write as a screen play for a short film. I kind of like the idea so much, and it's already played out in my head AND I've kind of planned and plotted most of it (always a bonus when writing), that I have decided I might as well give it a whirl and try it out as a novel.

Now, I did have many ideas to chose from, as I don't really lack in writing material, but I've never fully committed to a sci-fi before, despite my love of them - and this is kind of a sci-fi, young adult, romantic kind of thing, but I think it will be fun. You can see the synopsis here if you wish!

The only problem will be fitting it into my life. I'm still trying to read Little Women, which is my uni work for this week and next week, so hopefully I can get everything done, as I don't want to fall behind in any of my work, so fingers crossed! Wish me luck, and if you are doing it good luck to you!

If you aren't doing it - why not give it a go? Writing a bit every day is actually really great for getting the creative juices flowing and even if you produce utter crap (like I'm sure I do), who cares? You will have at least managed to write a novel length piece of work - 1 to cross off the bucket list!

Sam
x

New years resolutions

2012-10-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

So I re-read an old post from the start of last year which included some new years resolutions. I just thought it would be fun to see how I was getting on with them... here are the results

Start writing something. A book... anything.

CHECK - Book written, being edited and 2nd book getting started next week.

Write letters to friends. With a pen. And post them!

Not done, but there is always the intention to do it...

*Read more!

Um, done - read almost 50 books this year!

*Watch more films!

Probably could watch MORE films, but it's been a book year this year. Maybe film year NEXT year?

*Lose about 2 stone in weight and generally start exercising again!

DONE, and some. Lost 3 stone and keeping it off. Exercises kind of regularly and I'm kind of running now.

*Try to make people happier

Not sure if I managed this... still trying.

*Stop stressing, and chill out more.

Definitely failing in this. But I'm working on it still!

*Blog less, but with better content.

Definitely failing at THIS, but oh well :P

*Get a new job.

Not done, BUT... well, see below!

*Figure out what I'm doing with my life... as per usual.

DONE. I decided to bite the bullet and just attempt to be a writer. It's kind of all I wanted to do for a long time and now it's a reality. I write. I'm not published, but that's the next stage.

*Bake more.

I would like to bake more, but then I eat all the cakes!

*Draw more.

My doodles are coming along well! haha, but I'm not drawing anything of importance. I'd like to do this more but things like this have gone on the backburner. I'll post about why at some point in the near future!

*Do more make up artist work.

I don't do this... I do spend more time on MY OWN makeup, but this is also on the backburner right now. Again, all will be explained in future posts!

Well, future ramblings will ensure shortly, after this commercial break.....

The obligatory procrastination blog

2012-10-24T09:52:00.001-07:00

I am writing my first essay of the year. It's only 2000 words and I'm... struggling. To say the least. The subject is children's literature and the question is Is there a clear divide between books for children and books for adults and I have no problem answering this question, and yet, when I'm trying to write it down it makes little to no sense. I've been working on it all day and all of yesterday and it's due in tomorrow and I'm just not getting anywhere.
So what do you do when you can't write an essay? You write a blog post.

At the moment my house is a mess. I live at home with my ma and pa and they are on holiday and I hate that when this happens I realise how much my mum actually does around here. I also hate that it really emphasises my undeniable usage of pretty much every plate, bowl and cup in the house. The kitchen is like a bomb site... I really need to get in there and clean but I just can't bring myself to do it. I've also not been feeling great this week because someone at work gave me a cold - I don't often get colds and I've been kind of OK but my tonsils always take a beating when I'm run down so I'm trying to NOT get tonsillitis... it's going ok but there are some suspect ulcer looking things at the back of my throat which I'm choosing to believe are NOT infected with anything other than regular cold germs. Sorry for that gross image!

So, my essay... I'll get back to it in a second. I'm just trying to figure out how to segway into my next paragraph. I always find that difficult, does anyone else? Just me? Humph.

Sam
x

TV or not TV... a post dedicated to the art of TV shows.

2012-10-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

As an avid TV show watcher, I find it really hard these days to actually watch shows on TV. I am so impatient - I hate waiting for episodes week after week and so I've become addicted to 'the box set' and 'the downloads'. I don't like illegally downloading TV shows, but if I've missed an episode of something that's just been on TV, or else only been shown in the States and not yet available for the UK, then I'm downloading. I can do this without feeling like I'm stealing because... well... I know I'll be buying the box set as soon as it comes out over here. I'm a box set addict and I'm not afraid to say it. I have so many TV shows on my shelf and YES, I do rewatch them. I love rewatching!

At the moment I'm working my way through Roswell, with my boyfriend (as he'd never seen it before) - if you've not seen it, it's a teen drama from 1999 (originally called Roswell High) set in Roswell, New Mexico and it's about... aliens. Teen aliens, to be exact. There's teen romance, drama and many awkward and tense moments involving humans and aliens alike. It's a classic, and was only 3 season's but it was one of those ones where they knew they only had 3 seasons so it ended really well. I would highly recommend if you like things like Buffy and anything set in highschool!

I'm also watching the following:
New Girl! I'm sure you've heard of it. I downloaded it when it started in the US (couldn't wait for the UK to pick it up) and now I'm truly hooked I am downloading each episode as it airs. Probably one of the only things I would wait a week for because I love sitcoms and this is a fantastic mix of humour and cute people! It's so clever in it's comedy and I actually laugh out loud at every episode. I can't wait for the box sets to be available as it will make it easier to re-watch the episodes... over... and over again.

Teen Wolf. Yes. As in, based on the 80's movie(s). And... yes, it's kind of crap, but that's what keeps me coming back to it. This is another one I download (but WILL be buying the boxsets of) and I love getting a few episodes at once and having a little marathon of teen angst mixed with supernatural drama. It's actually very well done, once you get past the cheesiness of it. Some of the actors are fantastic and once you get to season 2 you will well and truly not care that the main guy isn't really the best actor in the world.

The Vampire Diaries. I watched the first season before I picked up the books. I blitzed the books because they are amazing and now I'm so hooked on the show it's insane. It's just started on season 3 in the UK and this is another where I've actually been suckered into waiting a week for each episode. Previously I would NOT watch it on TV and get the boxsets so I could watch 3 or 4 episodes in one sitting. It's great. The plot twists are always captivating and the cast are so ridiculously good looking that I've actually had to admit that I'm in love with the main girl in it. She is so stupidly beautiful that I kind of hate her at the same time. GAH. But I am all over vampire Tv shows and anything supernatural so this really hits the spot for me.

Nashville. I only just downloaded the first episode last night and watched it with a constant smile on my face. It's a TV show about country music stars which is right up my alley. I love music, musicals and especially country music. I know when this comes out in the UK they will advertise it as 'The New Glee', but it's not, so don't worry. I loved Glee at first but it got irritating. I can't see going the same way. It's about an older country singer whose career is kind of dwindling and family life is getting difficult and she's pit against this new little country singer with a bad attitude and very loose morals and it is so far (all 1 episode in) very promising. Also, the main character has 2 kids who are 2 singers I watch on Youtube, which is pretty amazing. They are something like 8 and 13 years old and they are amazing singers. Check them out as well HERE.

And here is what I'm really looking forward to getting into:

Game of Thrones. I waited a long time to watch this, because I hate it when everyone is going on about a TV show, it means I can't enjoy it as much because of all the hype (yes, I'm one of those people.. I just can't help it). So I left it a long time, but my Dad loves it so I said I'd watch it with him. I watched 2 episodes and loved it so this week I'm going to blitz season 1 (as I have a week off so going to catch up on TV shows and computer games!).

American Horror Story; Asylum. Season 1 of this series was so good that I'm deadly excited about watching the new series. I'll have to download it as I don't have the channel it's being shown on (FX, for this interested) and I'm utterly just... I don't know how to explain my joy that it's back for a second series, with a new venue (last year it was a haunted house, this year it's an insane asylum) and a new cast mixed in with some of the old cast apparently playing different characters. I think it's such a clever concept! If you like horror and swearing and, well, sex stuff, then this is for you because it's got it all!

There are some other Tv shows I'm kind of in the middle of watching (Big Love, Boardwalk Empire) but I'm not totally hooked like I am with the others. I kind of just watch them when I have nothing else to keep me entertained!

Do you have anything to recommend watching? I love TV shows so much so finding new ones that can keep me interested is high on my list of things to do!

Sam

Trust me, it's cheaper on the Internet.

2012-10-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

I am one of those people who shops on the internet a lot. I have talked about this before. I LOVE the Internet, but I feel bad that I could possibly be doing damage to shops by not going to buy products from them.

However, today I realised that maybe they don't want me to shop in them. I bought a laptop a few years ago and was happy to find the price in the shop was cheaper than on the website... apparently this isn't something that most shops do!

My parents went to buy a tumble dryer this weekend. They saw a price on a website and went in store to buy the product. The dryer was more expensive in the shop and when they asked if the shop would match the internet price they said no. No they wouldn't match the price of their own product. I find this insane.

Later that weekend my mum went to the post office to change some money. She'd looked at the exchange rate on their website but it was more expensive to change the money in the actual post office. They wouldn't match their internet price.

Again, when my parents went to actually book their holiday the website price was cheaper, and the agents they used said they couldn't match their internet price.

What is this mentality? The internet is cheaper, yes, we know... but WHY would a shop NOT match their very own internet price? It seems like backwards business to me!

The mind boggles!

Nano

2012-10-07T04:47:00.000-07:00

NaNoWriMo is currently fast approaching and with it only being my second year I'm both excited to write another novel (still working on the first so this should be... interesting) and scared.

This year I'm working full time, doing 2 modules for Uni in my 'spare' time and trying to work on my first novel all whilst trying to maintain a relationship and friendships... and now I'm going to throw in working on a new novel (which I've not even begun to think about/ plan) just to make things interesting. I hope I don't buckle under the pressure. I like being busy; hate having nothing to do. This should work out, right?

Have you ever written a novel, or ever thought about something you'd like to write but never have? My mum always harps on about a book she came up with when she was 16, she had a title and everything, but she never wrote it (My mum is full of random pointless stories like that, she also will tell you how old anyone who died would be now... as though it's something people care to know...mothers!). I have always wanted to write books but was scared I'd fail, or I wouldn't be able to think of anything to write about. Fast forward to my late twenties and I'm finishing up my first, about to start on a second and have a LOT of ideas for more... Yeah, I'm not published yet, and it may take me a while, but I'm determined to succeed, it's my dream job, and if other people can do it, why can't I?

Va-Va-Voom

2012-10-06T04:36:00.001-07:00

Another post for girls... kind of.

Sometimes you just need to give yourself a boost of Va-Va-Voom... am I right?

Today I woke up and thought You know what? I'm going to make an effort!
I'm not doing anything other than going shopping and then going out for a coffee, but I spent probably an hour doing my hair and makeup just for such a non-important day. I'm not going out at night, I'm just watching a movie with my family and boyfriend, but I just thought... Why shouldn't I try to be glamorous, just for myself.

I am so lazy when it comes to fashion, looking good and generally making an effort. In my head I am a glamourpuss. I love fashion, I even have a fashion related blog on Tumblr, and I love makeup... hello... makeup artist! But, I never use these feel-good things in my day to day life. I go to work in my regular clothes as we don't have office wear. I just throw on jeans and a top and trainers and sometimes I put on a bit more makeup than usual but my hair is always thrown into a boring pony tail. I hate that I look so casual all the time. I want to make more of an effort just for me, because I do feel more attractive and confident when I've thought of how I want to look in the day and I've achieved said look. It's a state of mind, isn't it? Putting your face on, well in my case anyway, is a direct show to the world of what mood I'm in.
If I wake up in a grumpy down mood and feel like a destroyer of things (I often feel like a destroyer of things, like I could just walk into work and rip all the computers off the desks... pent up rage?) I wear a lot of black eyeliner and probably some sort of dark top. When I'm feeling girly and cute I will do a flick of eyeliner and try to wear something a little bit lighter and whatnot. I don't think anyone notices these outward expressions of my emotions but I do, so I think trying to make an effort to feel good might actually work in a backwards way.

If instead of letting my mood influence what I wear and look like, I let what I wear and look like influence my mood, surely I'm onto a good thing?

Right? Does anyone else do this or just me? Do guys do this?!

Buying Jeans and other girly things...

2012-10-06T04:27:00.003-07:00

I'm taking a trip into the shops today to reluctantly buy some jeans. I know which jeans I want, because I'm a dedicated Oasis Jeans fan but jeans are really an age old women's problem. Everyone goes on about it and I'm so thankful I have 'my' brand, which I know normally does me proud. Until recently that is, when they changed the style of my most favourite ones ever (scarlett jeans) and they added a SECOND button, meaning they take a nanosecond longer to do up (but that's a nanosecond too long when you desperately need to take them off.....) but it also makes them a slightly different fit and I just hate them.

I switched to Tesco jeans a while ago because they do coloured denims for such low prices that it would be a crime not to buy them. They fit great (except their black 'skinnies' which just hang off me, and I'm not a 'skinny' gal!) and they are such good colours that don't fade too much when washed (on the odd occasion I wash them. What? Jeans are not supposed to be washed if you can help it!).

Here comes the massive BUT... (not my butt, although...), you just can't compare cheap jeans to more expensive jeans. There is a difference. And I hate that there is, but there is. So here I go, off to spend around £50 on a pair of good dark blue denim jeans. I know it will be a good investment but I hate parting with that much money on a pair of trousers. I'm opting for Oasis Cherry these days as they only have ONE button and they are a slimmer fit that Scarlett so I'll let you know how I get on.

Do you have any jeans you swear by?

Just rub my tummy like a genie's lamp

2012-09-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

Yes. This blog title seems somewhat rude... I don't know how but it seems rather suggestive. It's not supposed to be, I swear!

As I mentioned in a previous blog, my poorly tummy has been giving me a hard time as of late. The best day was probably last Friday when I didn't get to sleep until... wait for it... 7 in the morning. I then woke up again at 12 and then had to sleep the majority of the day (the only sunny day in the past 10 or so, no less) just to recoup my hours. Not good. It's starting to really irk me. I don't like to be irked. I also don't like having something wrong with me.

I'm one of those people who prides themselves on not ever having been to hospital. I've never broken anything, I've never even had a filling at the dentist. Probably because I don't go enough to be told I need them. Same with the hospital actually... I probably should have gone to hospital many a time in my life; when blood is pouring out of some horror-movie-worthy wound you normally do go to hospital. But not me. I just bandage it up and carry on as normal! So on Friday night I was actually considering going to hospital. That is how bad the pain is.

Not to worry though gentle viewers, I do have a doctors appointment on Thursday, but I'm kind of scared of going. Not because I'm scared of doctors. But... well... I've already been dismissed once about this problem and I'm kind of hesitant about going because I don't want to get dismissed again. I want to explain the symptoms and be told exactly what it is and how to treat it. But I know I'll be trying to explain the pain and I won't be doing a good job, so here is the pickle. Do I dramatise it? When it happens it is the most gut wrenching, life hating pain I've ever experienced (you know life hating pain. When you hurt so bad you hate life and just want to not be a person any more), but it's hard to really tell someone that without sounding dramatic. But I should just be dramatic... shouldn't I? I know I'll get in there and I'll downplay it. I must force myself not to.

Hmmm. If I get told I just need to eat handfuls of Rennie's again I'll scream. I promise I will!

So, I'll keep you posted on my well being and I'll also try to come up with actual topics for these blogs. I'm losing my touch, I know I am! Apologies!

Sam

ps. I feel I should always add a writing update to my blogs because it at least forces me to keep it out in the open and not bottle it away. Chapter one is basically done re-write wise. I'm currently re-working chapter 3... 2 is 'done' but I'm sure I'll be tweaking...

Books and biceps and Brrrr....

2012-09-17T14:31:00.000-07:00

How fast has the temperature dropped of late? I'm not complaining. Those who have been around this blog for over a year will probably be well acquainted with my love for autumn and that little known event that follows after the leaves fall and everything is all eerie at night and spooky... Yep. Halloween. But, it's FAR too early to blog about my most favourite time of the year so let's move on past that for now and I'll revisit in a few weeks!

Back to the weather. I love it. Sunny mornings (mostly) and brisk air. I love the random rainstorms one minute and the glorious evenings the next minute. Is anyone else as in love with UK weather as me?! I love the randomness of it all!

Speaking of it being September I must bring up the hot topic of the month. School. Ah, back to school! This year I'm doing my 3rd year (but not final, it's a long story) - 2 courses towards my degree. One is Children's Literature, the other is Advanced Creative Writing. I'm looking forward to them both but I'm also nervous. Not of the work itself, but the fact that I'm working FULL TIME as well as doing them. I'm sure I'll be fine, but I worry for my (already almost none existent) social life. Bah. I'll figure it out. I have almost all my books now I think after a hefty spend on Amazon (well, I had vouchers, and I did get most of them from independent sellers to offset my book killing ways) - so far the stack looks like this:

Some good books in there - note, the actual children's picture books. I look at them and think they will be easy peasy, but then... I highly doubt it. Writing for children is notoriously hard so we'll see how it goes!

Moving onto other things, I recently purchased the Davina McCall work out DVD. Jeez, it's tough. I heard it was tough, but I didn't believe it would be too hard. I can honestly say that when putting my all into it I come out aching, but that's a good thing! It is... Soon I will be buff as anything. But not really. I'll try though!

I don't have much else to report. Recently been suffering for mild to severe stomach pains and think I might have some sort of ulcer or something so I'll be going to the doctors for some forced testing. I went last year and they told me I just needed to take those chalky tablets for indigestion. I told them then it wasn't indigestion and a year later I'm going back to tell them again. Ah, the joys of GP's offices!

Sam

ps. On a fun note I'm on something like book 37 or 38 of the year! Follow my progress on Goodreads if you're interested in learning the names of teen fiction books! :P

Ahead of schedule

2012-08-29T13:16:00.002-07:00

Yes! I've finally finished re-writes on The Novel. Not the final redrafting or anything, but possibly the middle stage. Thank the Heavens! I didn't think I was going to make it before the end of the month!

Well, that's all for now because I now have a million and one things to do before I go to bed now! Always busy!

Sam

Progress for Progress's sake

2012-08-25T13:17:00.002-07:00

I set myself a challenge - finish this set of re-writes on The Novel by the end of the month. When I set myself this challenge I had only done re-writes on 2 chapters. I have since made excellent progress. I downloaded a program called Scrivner - I meant to download it last year but put it off. Recently someone I follow on Twitter was raving about it so I decided to give it a go. Well, it's now enabled me to re-write 5 more chapters with such ease I am embarrassed I didn't download it sooner.

If you're a writer I would recommend. It's great for writing novels, any kind of manuscript really, and it has a nifty 'script writing' setting for any budding script writer (which I kind of am and will be studying at some point in the next year of my degree).

I just wanted to share this joyous discovery with you guys because I know a lot of my followers are writing comrades ;)

Also, on a writing note - my local Starbucks is where I like to do some of my writing. The manager, who is also a writer, has informed me of a short story competition run by Costa coffee. Now I know they have their Costa Awards thing, and they pick great books, but this is a really great opportunity for unpublished authors to get their writing into the world. It closes on the 7th september, so not much time to write a 4000 short story, but if you're interested you should check it out HERE.

I don't know if I will have time to enter (plus, short stories are not my forte, I am not that skilled at story telling) but if you write you should definitely check it out!

Sam

loving/hating Amazon

2012-08-21T15:30:00.004-07:00

Because it's so cheap and easy, but sometimes I feel like I'm stealing. Like I'm putting people out of business because this mega internet company undercuts everyone else and it's like school yard bullying.

I mean, I still buy from Amazon, but I wish I could stop...

That is all! :)

Sam

Ways to be grown up

2012-08-20T11:56:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm not really going to tell you ways to be grown up. There aren't any, are there? But I do feel grown up, having just got home from work, make a loaf of bread from scratch and soup from scratch to boot.

I like trying to be domestic (cooking, I don't clean!) and it makes me feel like I have accomplished something when I manage to not entirely fail at my aims. Cooking is like that for me. Writing will be like that for me if I ever actually manage to sort myself out.

I don't often like blogging on here about writing, feeling it should be put somewhere else, but hey! This is my blog and I think I should talk about it anywhere I so choose :P

I have been implementing re-writes to my manuscript and plan on getting them done by the end of the month... up to chapter 3 so far and only 15 or so more chapters to work through... but I will do it. I like setting myself deadlines because then I actually do stuff, but gosh it's hard to actually fit it all in!

How do you plan things and fit everything in? Suggestions would be appreciated!

Sam
x

Reason's why I'm NOT a Scientologist.

2012-08-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I suppose I don't need a reason... but anyway. I really wanted to blog about Scientology because I have been reading up on it and, although I don't like to bash 'religions', I just can't get on board with it in the slightest.

I don't like preachy rants (although sometimes I just can't help myself) and everyone is allowed to believe in whatever they want. I honestly do think that. But... I mean... have you ever read about what Scientology really is? Apart from the fact that it was created by a guy who used to write science fiction and was quoted to have said you'd make more money by setting up your own religion it's just plain bananas!

Scientology teaches that all people are immortal.. no, that's the wrong choice of words. I suppose you could say we have immortal souls which drift from body to body as we die - you know, like reincarnation. And it's the scientologists job to learn their true nature. They go through this kind of therapy once they reach a certain stage in the religion called 'auditing' where they are hooked up to a machine and encouraged to remember and relive past experiences which were traumatic or particularly painful - this is supposed to have the effect of freeing themselves of the effects of the past trauma. A purge of the soul, if you will.

Due to this believing all of their followers are old souls constantly being recycled in order to ascertain their true nature, to gain enlightenment, they believe that children should be treated as adults because they are spiritually experienced in mind if not in body (yet)...

I guess it's kind of poetic and spiritual in a way, like most religions are -when you look at the core elements of any religion the main purpose is to offer security and give people faith that there is a greater power etc. And I like the fact that they are trying to understand their purpose. We all are... why they think they can actually achieve it is beyond me. I mean, isn't the not knowing why we're here part of the fun? Once you know, what do you have left? Just life? Bo-ring. I want some mystery, I want to strive to not understand anything because I have a feeling if anyone did understand the universe they'd realise it's just a load of atoms and quarks making whoopie and they'd die of dissapointment.

Wait... I lost my train of thought... oh right. People say it's a cult. And yes. It does seem that way - if you read up on it (I have read quite a bit, but I'm not going to regurgitate it on here) there are some troubling facts that just don't sit right with me. Not only where the religion stemmed from, but the extremes to which people take it. Like many things in this world extremists ruin what should be good in the world and it really makes me sad.

I don't follow any one religion; people always frown at me when I talk about religion because of this; but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate it and it doesn't mean I don't find it really interesting. I love religion and what it does for people but can you really call Scientology a religion just because it has millions of 'followers'... Kim Kardashian has millions of followers on Twitter, but she's not a religious icon. She probably could be, then she could claim tax exemption and never have to pay for anything again... wait a second. Maybe this guy had it right all along... start your own religion... now there's an idea....

Peace out, homies!