What a year it’s been.

2012-2013

• Stayed single almost the whole year? I haven’t been single at all in 2012.
• Were involved in something you’ll never forget? Absolutely. The Great Birmingham Run was just a phenomenal experience.
• Tripped over a coffee table? No but I have fallen over a couple of sofas.
• Came close to losing your life? Nearly got hit by a bus, if that counts!
• Saw one of your favorite bands/artists live? I saw Idina Menzel live. Amazing moment!
• Did something you regret? I don’t think so. I’ve been trying to live without regrets and so far I think I’m doing pretty well.

2012: Friends and Enemies

• Did you meet any new friends this year? Yes! Going to uni has just been the most amazing experience because of all the people I’ve met here!
• Did you hate anyone? Nope, I’ve realized hate is just pointless. Kill ’em with kindness.
• Did you lose any friends? Again, I think this is the first year where I don’t think I’ve lost any friends, which is awesome!

2012: Your BIRTHDAY!

• Did you have a cake? Yes I did 🙂
• Did you get any presents? I did indeed.
• Did you get what you wished for last year? I don’t think I made a wish last year, but something amazing happened that day 🙂

2012: All about YOU

• Did you change at all this year? Quite a lot. I’ve become more comfortable with being myself, not putting up a front, and I’m quite proud to say that since I started uni, I’ve been very much “what you see is what you get”, and if people don’t like that, it’s not my problem. My confidence has also grown.
• Did you change your style? I wasn’t aware of ever really having a style, let alone changing it. I think this one goes hand in hand with the self-confidence thing in that I now actually own three dresses, something I didn’t own last year – and I’ve worn all three of them!
• Were you in school? Finished college and started university.
• Did you get good grades? I got an A and two Bs, I was pretty damn ecstatic!
• Did you drive? Once or twice 😛
• Did you own a car? Nope.
• Did anyone close to you give birth? Don’t think so.
• Did you go on any vacations? I went to Trecco Bay in Porthcawl and it was great 🙂
• Would you change anything about yourself now? Nope. I’m happy.
• Did you dye your hair? A fair few times, I think I’m closer to my natural colour now than I have been for a while, although it is a bit pink/purple at the moment.

2012: Wrap UP:

• Was 2012 a good year? It had it’s ups and downs, really.
• Do you think 2013 will top 2012? I think it will 🙂
• Best thing that happened in 2012? I have three top moments, and I can’t even arrange these three into an order of first, second and third. That feeling of success after getting into university, the complete overwhelming emotion I felt after crossing the finish line at the Great Birmingham Run, and getting engaged – all three were just perfect moments in 2012.

IN THE YEAR 2012 I CONFESS THAT I….

• Kissed in the snow? Don’t think so. .
• in the parking lot? at the beach ? in secret ? Yes to the car park, yes to the beach but I don’t think in secret 😛
• Had your heart broken? Nope.
• Painted a picture? No.
• Wrote a poem? Can’t remember if I’ve written any poetry this year.
• Ran a mile? I did a half marathon actually 😉
• Visited a foreign country? Not this year.
• Cut in a line of waiting people? Ooh no, I hate people who do that!
• Told someone you were busy when you weren’t? Probably at some point.
• Cooked a disastrous meal? Don’t think so! Survived three months at uni without burning the place down!
• Lied about how old you were? Maybe once or twice!
• Cried yourself to sleep? Nope.

IN 2012 I….

• Broke a promise? No.
• Lied? No major lies I don’t think. Little white ones don’t count.
• Disappointed someone close? Probably! I have a habit of doing that…
• Hid a secret? Don’t think so.
• Pretended to be happy? Doesn’t everyone occasionally?
• Slept under the stars? No! I really want to!
• Met someone who changed your life? I’ve met a lot of awesome people this year, whether they’ll change my life remains to be seen 😉
• Changed your outlook on life? I’ve met some people who make you realize that there are truly good people in the world, and that crap happens to good people. I’ve met others who make me loathe humanity and fear for the future.
• Sat home all day doing nothing? Spent a few months stuck at home doing nothing with a kidney infection. It was horrible.
• Lost something expensive? Nope!
• Learned something new about yourself? I learned that I may not be fast, or a particularly good runner, but by god it doesn’t matter if my feet are about to fall off and I have tendonitis, I will keep walking if it’s for a good cause!
• Tried something you normally wouldn’t try and liked it? Jaegerbombs 😉 hah I’m kidding, I’m not a huge fan of them. Drunk karaoke.
• Made a change in your life? I’m bettering myself by going to uni 🙂
• Found out who your true friends were? Haven’t had one of those moments this year I don’t think.
• Met great people? YES!!!
• Stayed up til sunrise? Are you kidding? I love sleep too much!
• Cried over the silliest thing? The Snowman and the Snowdog the other night. Oh the feels 😥
• Had friends who were drifting away from you? Don’t think so.
• Spent most of your money on food? Nope, majority goes on accommodation.
• Gotten sick? Oh yes 😦
• Liked more than 5 people at the same time? No, because I’m not a whoo-er.
• Became closer with a lot of people? Yes 🙂

 

You Reap What You Sow…

Now, before anyone reads this and the title and thinks “Oh, she condones sending death threats and cancer wishes”, I don’t – I strongly oppose any type of bullying and threats, even those made over the internet, because they are damn scary. However, when you read this story, I’m pretty sure you’ll feel as angry as I do.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9349353/Gay-marriage-newlywed-couple-bombarded-with-internet-hate-mail.html

For those of you who don’t have time to read the article, a newlywed couple are moaning because after they dressed up in wedding clothes, declared gay marriage to be an abomination and delivered a gift-wrapped package of a petition against gay marriage to 10 Downing Street – basically a wedding-themed smack in the face to gay people everywhere – people, amazingly, aren’t too pleased with them and have been expressing this over the internet – some of the vitriol justified, some of it inexcusably abusive, but it seems that they thought their openly provocative actions would just rouse a lively debate.

If they’d gone and respectfully delivered their petition, fine. Why gift-wrap it? Why dress up in wedding clothes? Where was the need for them to flaunt it in the faces of homosexual people, and those who, like me, are straight but respect that gay people should have just as much of a right to marry as everyone else, “We can get married but you can’t and should never be able to”? There was no need, and thus I think some of the vitriol they’ve received has been justified.

Obviously death threats and “I hope you get cancer” aren’t acceptable, whoever it is coming from and aimed at. I’m on the fence regarding “I hope you burn in hell” – I mean, they are religious, so they believe in Hell, right? And it’s not exactly hoping that they die, it’s just hoping that when they die, they’ll suffer for having such backwards, offensive ways of getting their views across, so I suppose that one’s alright. However, the article also mentions that there has been a Facebook campaign set up describing the couple as “homophobic”, and it is mentioned in a way that suggests the Facebook campaign is just as offensive as the hate mail. Sorry, but I believe that it’s merely stating a fact – the couple ARE homophobic, there is no doubting that, and so is anyone else who signed that petition. And as for the ones saying that they need to be punched in the face… well, as little as I like to condone violence, from seeing the pictures of them grinning like idiots in front of 10 Downing Street as though they’re somehow doing society a favour with their small-minded, intolerant petition, I’d be inclined to agree.

If they wanted a debate, all they needed to do was deliver the petition to Downing Street. Nothing fancy, no big spiteful shows – just a simple hand over – and they could have had their debate, and chances are that with a few exceptions it would have been amicable and well-reasoned. However, when they made this massive show of it – imagine how they’d feel if gay people presented a petition FOR gay marriage in the form of a march filled with same-sex couples wearing wedding outfits, bearing a crucifix with a model of Jesus on it holding the petition – they opened theirselves up to a certain level of hatred, and I personally have no sympathy with them – you reap what you sow.

Too Many Revision Notes!!

On the bright side, I’m actually doing some revision.

However, I now feel like I have too many revision notes, and I like things to be short and concise and easy to remember (so why the hell did I pick three essay subjects, particularly Psychology????).

I’ve used flashcards to condense essays and I still can’t remember them. Here is just a few of the flashcards I’ve done (there’s a LOT there).

Yep. The only things getting me through revision are Facebook, tea and BBMing my boyfriend when I should be writing notes about the Multi-Store Model of Memory.

 

I am writing notes though! Check me out with my smarty pants self 😉 Or not…

Anyway, seeing as I usually end up posting a load of gifs or pictures I’ve found elsewhere on the internet, I thought maybe it’s time to post some real pictures of how the revision is going. It’s not actually too bad – at least I’m getting stuff done! Sorry you all had to see my ugly mush 😛

Last-Minute Nerves!

The memorial to Harold Lowe will be unveiled on Sunday, and I’m getting quite nervous. I don’t know why – it’s not as if I even have to do anything, I’m just going to stand there and watch them unveil it – but it’s like, this is the product of almost two years of campaigning and work on and off, and it’s taken off in a way I never could have imagined. When I started it, I hoped that a letter to the newspaper and a facebook group might warrant, at best, a letter from the council saying they’d erect a memorial, which was all I really wanted – that’s the whole reason why I started the campaign. It was hard at times, especially when people used to ask me why I wasn’t campaigning for something “a little more worthwhile” (kind of ignoring the fact that I’ve been too busy with this for two years but once it’s done I’m going to work on fundraising for charities that are close to my heart if I can squish it in around university and stuff), but I stuck with it because I think that it is a worthwhile cause – it will be worth it for his family, who have waited for generations to see him remembered, and for people who will go to Barmouth and learn about him.

But back to the reason why I’m nervous. It seems to have grown into a big thing – people are travelling a fair distance to come and see it unveiled, including members of his family, and there’s going to be a samba band, the air cadets doing a guard, the lifeboat crew and a choir there. There’s nothing really for me to be nervous about – I know what I’m wearing, how I’m going to have my hair and everything, so there’s nothing about me that I’m worried about – I just really hope it goes well! I want the weather to be great, I want people to be there, I want people to be happy that it’s there and I want it to be something that Barmouth can be proud of.

My Titanic Connection.

It hit me today that I haven’t fully explained my connection to the Titanic, even though I’ve told you all I’ve been on television and radio about it (more on that later). So, with the centenary of the ship setting sail today, and the centenary of the sinking on Sunday, I think it’s time I explained my personal connection to the Titanic.

For most people, their connection begins a hundred years ago, when their ancestors set sail on the Titanic on its fated maiden voyage. For me, it’s slightly different. I don’t have a familial connection to the ship – my story starts over ten years ago at my Nan’s house. She had the James Cameron film “Titanic” on video, and whenever we went to stay at her house, I’d sit and watch it, sometimes twice, at night. The story itself was rather lost on me – I was only six years old and didn’t really understand the romance between Jack and Rose, but the historical side interested me. I’d already decided, by this point, that I wanted to be a historian (of course, that isn’t my aspiration anymore, but I was fairly set on it at the time), so I devoured any information about the Titanic that I could find. I remember badgering my Mom for a book at a school book fair one year, called “My Story: Voyage on the Great Titanic”. She was convinced that I only wanted it for the little blue necklace that came with it, but in all honesty, I wanted to read the book. I absolutely loved it, and I think I only took it off my bookshelf last year, having read it many times.

I noticed, even that first time when I watched the film, that there was a character who did something very brave, and he had a Welsh accent, although I didn’t think much of it at the time. As time progressed, I kept watching it at my Nan’s house, and eventually my curiosity got the better of me, and I went on the internet and looked up the Welshman whom I’d seen rescuing another character in the film. I had no idea of his connection to my local area of Wales, but I was interested nonetheless. Still,  I found that he was Fifth Officer Harold Godfrey Lowe, and although he had been born in Eglwys Rhos, he spent some of his childhood in Barmouth, the nearest town to my village, just down the coast. I was only eleven, and although I was very interested, I still didn’t think much of it.

Two years ago, I was in a local cafe when I heard a man talking about the Titanic, and a man from Barmouth who had been on it, with my dad. I joined in the conversation, and we got talking about how it was surprising that there was nothing in Barmouth to commemorate Harold Lowe – so, when I went home, I wrote a letter to a local newspaper and started a facebook campaign, and it all started from there. Two years later, a plaque to him has been unveiled today in Deganwy, the town to which he eventually retired and where his grandson now lives, and a plaque will be unveiled this Sunday, the product of two years of this campaign, at the harbour in Barmouth. I feel immensely proud to have been a part of the campaign, but more than that, I am pleased that he’ll finally be commemorated in Barmouth and people will learn about him for years to come.

So, that’s basically what this campaign has all been about. The newspaper articles, the radio, the television – it’s all been leading up to this Sunday, but it doesn’t end on Sunday – the plaque will mean that, for decades to come, there will be a lasting memorial to the local hero many people didn’t know about until recently. You can find the television programme I filmed for last year, “Titanic With Len Goodman”, on BBC iPlayer, and I am on Episode Two.

Just your friendly neighbourhood self-titled publicist! ;)

So, congratulations to Christopher Maine who, I am told, sold his 20th book yesterday! He’s very happy, having sold 20 in just under three weeks. I’d like to take the chance, as well as announcing it, to remind you of the link where you, if you have a Kindle or any device (Smartphone, ipad, laptop, computer etc) where you can download the Kindle Reading App for free, can buy the book!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragon-Flight-Renegade-Tales-ebook/dp/B007B3CZF2/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329694430&sr=1-7

If you can’t buy it, it’d be great if you could reblog it, or post it on any other social networking sites you’re on – blogster, facebook, twitter, etc – so that it will reach as wide an audience as possible!

Thank you!

Just a friendly reminder ;)

Christopher Maine’s book, “Dragon Flight: Renegade” is doing quite well but he still needs your support and I’d be really grateful if you could, if you have a Kindle or any device with the Kindle Reading App, buy the book! It really is very good. Alternatively, if you don’t have a Kindle or any device with the Kindle Reading App, or sci-fi isn’t really your thing, please share the link everywhere you can – internet forums which allow advertising, Facebook, Twitter, your own blogs. He deserves to do really well 🙂

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragon-Flight-Renegade-Tales-ebook/dp/B007B3CZF2/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329694430&sr=1-7

Also, check out his blog 🙂 he posts about the writing process and some of the challenges he’s found 🙂

www.christophermaine.wordpress.com

Thank you 🙂

Writing when ill…

Normally, when I’m ill, I get my best writing done. I mean, when you’re stuck in bed all day with a bad cold, or coughing your lungs up, there’s not really much more you can do than watch television, grab the old laptop and amuse yourself by writing. Today, however, I’m off college because I’m ill – but this isn’t the sort of illness where you can actually make use of the fact that you feel like crap by churning out a couple of thousand words in between eating copious amounts of chicken soup and watching Jeremy Kyle/other equally amusing-yet-horrifying “let’s deal with your relationship problems live on air” TV shows – or am I the only one who does that when I have a cold?

Nope, today I’ve encountered the horrible problem of BRAIN FOG. *horror chords*. Yep, as well as the fatigue, joint pains, muscle pains, headache and sore throat, my head feels like it’s been stuck in a blender and I could very well pass for a zombie out of Shaun Of The Dead (or one of the Romero “_____ of the Dead” movies if you’ve never seen the brilliant Simon Pegg parody) this morning, and I’m FED UP! I want to write, because I know what I want to write – but thanks to this brain fog, I don’t think the messages will actually reach my hands before my hands have gone “I can’t be bothered waiting for these words, let’s play on Bejewelled Blitz/stalk people on Facebook instead”.

I can’t even write my coursework! I’d actually like to get my coursework done and dusted, but it’s proving impossible because I’m looking at these words I’ve written down in my plan (it’s a comparison of the presentation of the theme of marriage in Much Ado About Nothing, and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof) and I don’t think I even remember writing them. Plus my teacher has made notes that are nearly impossible to decipher when my head’s like this. Even as I’m writing this, it’s going slowly and I can feel my fingers edging nearer and nearer to the mousepad to click on the tab with Facebook on it. Must – resist – must – keep – writing – curses, foiled again. Oh well. Facebook it is!

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