Pickle Jar Chronicles

Trains are stupid because...

2010-04-17T18:07:00.000+01:00

If I've said it before, I'll say it again. I hate trains! - ok, only most of the time, but this happens to be one of those times.

I'll give trains this much, the ride home was pretty good. I was in a quiet carrage, sat right near the luggage rack, and I even had a little table to put my mac on so I could get some work done. Going back to Cardiff however, has proven to be far different.

As I write this, I am sat in a very crowded 'quiet' carrage with my rather large and heavy suitcase filling the seat next to me. I would rather not have it there, but being the week woman that I am I- *looks out window* Mary Poppins appears to be sat on a bench at Bristol Temple Meads O.o anyway, I couldn't get it to the packed luggage rack. Too much time in the kitchen I guess :P

And someone has just got on, stinking of garlic. Nice.

Could be worse I suppose, I could be on here for more than two hours, and I could have to change trains. That would be rather interesting with this hefty excuse for a suitcase.

(note to self, never come home with more stuff than you originally arived with.)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod :D

Location:On a freakin' train >:(

It's April 1st!? dons protective head gear

2010-04-01T13:11:00.001+01:00

It seems to me that the internet and TV are the only places where the tradition of April Fools still runs rampant once a year. In case you've been hiding under a rather large and mossy rock that blocks your wifi signals for the last 12 hous, here's some of the 'lol-worthy' things popping up on this day of foolishness...

YouTube

In a 'cost-saving' move, YouTube has 'released' TEXTp, a way of resorting the viseows back to their most basic elements.

I quite like it actually, and am expecting a music video or two, looking like this, to appear within the next few months.
For more info, go to the YouTube Blog.

Deviant Art
The profile pictures and signatures of users have been hijacked by the jokers at DA, changing our avatars to a host of random things from sickening declarations of allegiance to various twilight 'teams', to Lady Ga Ga. I was a victim of the latter...

Cheers for this DA :p

'Pineberry'

News sites have joined forces to spread the news of the 'Pineberry', a white with red seeds strawberry that tastes like a pineapple. At least I think it's an April Fools, they all uploaded before midnight last night...

They're supposedly going on sale in selected Waitrose stores for £3.99. If they were/are real, I would actually like to try them - they look yummy :)

Tech Crunch has the rest of the goings on CLICK!

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PW, over and out!

Tea + Steampunk Chap-Hop = AWESOME!

2010-03-30T15:29:00.000+01:00

two months on...

2010-03-28T23:45:00.000+01:00

I have learnt a fair few things in the last two months:

1. Blood tests, hurt! For some random reason I've had one tonsil larger that the other for years, and the second I decide to mention it to a Nurse, she decides I need a blood test some time. I knew I didn't like needles all that much, but I didn't know I was going to freak out as much as I did, criky! Freaking out doesn't really cover it :/

2. Don't trust anyone to adjust your glasses, even the 'professionals'. I decided I was sick of my specs slipping down my nose all the time so I went to Specsavers to have my glasses adjusted and the woman completly resets them! Straightens out the arms, moves the nose pads, everything! now I have to annoy the people back in Cardiff who seem to actually know what they're doing with getting them comfortable again. Sorry guys.

3. Pokemon is still AWESOME! I know I'm like 20, but I still love pokemon more than any other gaming franchise. Yeah I know, I'm sad ^ ^' but if you've played either Heart Gold or Soul Silver, you know what I mean. Super sexy pokemon graphicsness :)

All done.

Updaaaaaate update manamanana

2010-01-22T17:15:00.000Z

It's been a while, so i think updates are in order!

Unless you follow me on DeviantArt (if not wny not?? www.deviantart.com/pickled-witch ) I am now officially a wearer of glasses! I thought I'd dodged the bullett by avoiding needing them this long, but my sucky geans seem to have caught up with me. If you're interested, I'm ever so slightly short sighted in my right eye. The imbalance is just enough to give me headaches, so I have to wear my specks prettymuch all the time :/. Oh well, vghu b. Hworse things happen at sea.

Apart from that, not much else has happened. I'm now a gym goer (there's no way I'm getting a refund on my membership, so I might as well do something with it. I ache from the waist down! Damn stepp machone, lol. I've also had some of the worst headaches I've ever had (like ever, ya know) this week, stupid time of the month messing with my body :( I need to go to the gym just to balance out all the comfort eating I've needed to do this week, cycling alone is so not going to balance it.

I actually fancy pizza and chips right now... anyone got a menue for Balti Master (Cardiff)??

Gotta stop now. I'm on the bus and I don't fancy spewing over the seat infront :p

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod :D PW, over and out

Guilt-trip shoping

2009-12-29T20:45:00.000Z

Watch out people, majour bitch-rant coming...

If you anything like me -or built like me- you know how stressful cloth shopping can be. Especially if you're purchasing something of a more personal nature.

Now, I'm not saying all female sales assistants are evil, I know quite a few nice ones, I just want to say that clothe shops should probably think a bit more carefully about certain femail emploiees. You know the ones I'm talking about, the snotty 'holier than thou' madams that look down their nose at you if happen to wear over a size 14.

Scientific studies have shown that females are exceptionally competitive. We are highly intimidated by women that we percieve as more attractive than ourselves, and will even refuse to shop where the sales staff have this effect, e.g. Newlook, Next. -this is fo serious, I'm not bullshitting you guys! Ok, I'll see if I can find a link to the article some time -.-'

Anyway, I hate having that horrible feeling of guilt when you're looking at clothes and there's a size zero creature glaring at you, seemingly just for existing. The fight or flight instinct kicks in something rotten and I just want to get the he'll out of there, no matter how badly I want/need something.

I just hate being made to feel like an inadequate human being, just because I'm bigger than the stuck-up tramp working the shop-floor.

Yeah, I'm grumpy, lol.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod :D

Worrysome

2009-12-26T03:06:00.001Z

You know when something happens that shakes you a hell of a lot more than you ever thought it would, and you're on edge for days after?

That's me right now.

I'm not going to go into details as it's not really my place, but I don't like this feeling at all, or how it makes me act. I'm quite fond of sleep and food, and worrying makes me go off both of these, hence the 3am post.

I guess I should at least try. Night all Xx

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod.

Fail day

2009-12-15T15:15:00.000Z

Typical of my planning, organisation and luck in general, the dentist appointment I came home early for was cancled. Apparently my dentist is ill, which means she's either caught pork flu or she's up the duff.

Besides that it's been a pretty good day. Really tired though. I didn't sleep so well last night, it's just not the same when my rich-a-roo's so far away :( I do miss him.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod :D

uber update of the year!

2009-12-15T01:38:00.001Z

Well I'm home -but not quite- for the holidays so I though I best catch you lot up on what's been going down the past few months.

First things first, I've been to a few gigs this term WOOHOO! I was lucky enough to persuade some people to come and see 3OH!3 with me at the new Tourborg arena in Cardiff -that's the gig that sold out at Ifor Bach so quickly they had to move it to a bigger arena. All I'm going to say is that it. was. AWESOME! fo serious, it was one of the best gigs I've ever been to! Apart from maybe the sucky warm up band who made the major fail of saying 'Hello England!', in Cardiff... yeah, that didn't get a great reception xD. Also, the two hour gap between the warm up and the actual proper band we had paid to see was, frankly, a piss take! It didn't help that the gap was filled by a lonesome mac that had apparently been stocked full of the worst dance 'music' I've ever heard -though I don't particularly like dance 'music' so I guess I'm a wee bit on the bias side. When 3OH!3 did eventually get their Colorado asses on stage the energy in the club was A-MAY-ZING! I've never danced so much -and possibly so provocatively- in my life! I'm so chuffed I got to see them before they go huge. Trust me they will go huge, they're doing a track for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland! Which it out next year btw.

I also got to see White Lies in Cardiff Uni's SU -which is sadly a lot better than UWICs sorry excuse for a student bar. They put on a hell of a show, and it was obvious it was run by professionals just by looking at the awesome set-up and the warmups -who didn't screw up the location- The Violens in particular were epic! I kinda liked them more than the headliners, but it's more my style of music. You can get The Violens Winter Mixtape here, 53 minutes of random music that really shows their range. It's a wee bit prog-rock though. Anyway, yeah! Though I find their music to be rather depressing -I prefer The Editors tbh- I still enjoyed their set. The only thing that spoiled it for me was the security guy -who looked shockingly like Kevin Spacey with a mustache- very rudely telling me that I couldn't film. What venue doesn't let you film!?!? I just think he could have been nicer about it instead of waving his fist at me like a violent version of charades, the cheeky git.

Moving onto significantly less awesome things, some dirty filthy stinking rotten scumbag excuse for a human being took it upon themselves to relive me of both my cameras which were in my room, MY ROOM! I swear if I ever catch the thieving -'scuse my french- bastard who stole my cameras, I will take it upon my self to remove them of their testicles! Or respective reproductive organs and/or body parts. My bedroom is no officially fort nox. I have two exceptionally loud -think 110+ decabels- motion alarms that with literally screw you up if you dare to enter my room without first disabling them, which only I can do btw :p

On the plus side, I now have insurance money to get replacement, so any and all recomendations are welcome :)

Finally -yes, there is an end to this epic post of galactic proportions- uni has been driving me nuts this term. The first two week were wasted repeating basically what we'd spent the first year learning, also costing us £7.50 on second-rate A2 prints of posters we only had a few days to work on. I swear they only did that to get some money into the print shop at the start of the year. We were then told that, this term, we would be working on a live project. Two weeks later we found out that there was no 'client' and therefor no live project! I wasn't happy, I can tell you.

Anyway, we were divided up into groups, which I wasn't initially very happy about as I either end up being ignored or having to do the work of the lazier members of the group. But, my groups turned out to not be all that bad. Because of this last project, I can now say that I am sick of hearing about being a 'sustainable designer'. I'll use recycled or FSC paper, I'll use less ink, I'll recycle more, but would you just shut the hell up and stop putting restraints on my design!!!

On top of that, the last two weeks of term were mental! Initially we had the two presentations for our sustainable design project, two competition book covers to do, and a 2500-3000 word essay -which we'd had ll term but naturlly most of us left it until the last two weeks to do it- all in the same week! The stress died down a bit after the presentations, but I know a fair few of my class mates put in more than one all-nighter in a row to get the book covers finished. Imagine how pissed off we all were when we found out that we weren't being marked on them. Yeah, pretty damn pissed off...

</rant>

I got it all done though and I'm now at home, sat in front of a lovely electric fire, and I'm the warmest I've been all term :)

Also, I had a rather bad White Chocolate Mocha from the Starbucks near the Beer 1/4 in Cardiff today. The lady obviously didn't mix it properly because I got to the bottom only to receive a mouth full of white chocolate syrup. Trust me, it's no where near as nice as it sounds. Might give that particular Starbucks a miss from now on.

If you've got to the end of this you so deserve an extra large e-cookie! And my tea's gone cold, lame.

Ciao peeps Xx

actually kinda wet, dry spell...

2009-12-10T12:59:00.001Z

I'm getting so bad at updating these days, I haven't posted since October. OCTOBER!!! I do appolagise to those of you who have made up the majority of my 11000 hits -though I'm not quite sure where you're hiding :/ a comment or two would be appreciated ;P

Anyway, I'm over that stupid bout of freshers flue but stress has been particulary high in the past two weeks. You should try organising an essay, two presentations and two book covers - covers that I now know AREN'T EVEN BEING BLOODY MARKED!!! - it's not easy, I can tell you. On the plus side, it's all over now ^ ^ and I can settle down for crimbo and a very long sleep with a nice cuppa.

Speaking of cuppas, I may have taken a step towards the dark side as I'm now a coffee drinker. I know, I know, sacrilege! :p But with 3x the caffeen in a cup, I've really needed the boost. And Starbucks do a really nice white chocolate mocha, yum. My georgus man also treated me to a Starbucks (RED) mug for Christmas, so I get 25p off everything I buy :D

I'm not going there again until Monday, when I'm going to smuggle it onto the train home to help me unwind as I leave my man for the holidays. Many a tear will be shed and I'll be all puffy all the way home. I'm welling up just thinking about it :'( On the plus side, I've got some headphones with a mic for my ipod touch. Combine that with Skype and I've got me free phone calls in wifi areas! Very good times. Means I can video E-pester him over the holls now :D

I will have to do a major update some time soon, but my essay should be finished in the print studio. Hopefully my bloody card will work COZ I CAN'T AFFORD TO TRANSFER ANY MORE OVER UNTILL MONDAY AND IT'S IN TOMORROW!!!

I think I'm having a bit of a FML day today :p

Ciaos peeps

my mind, she is meeeeltiiing XP

2009-10-14T00:27:00.003+01:00

Haven't posted in a while, though if you're following my reflective journal -or the, rather tame, blog I'm going for university- you'll be enjoying more regular updates. Yes, I am trying to get my priorities straight right now :p

Speaking of uni, this term is possibly one of the most frustrating and confusing of my educational career. We've been given something that vaguely resembles something like a brief, but it's so damn open there's just a void of 'wooh, what shall we do-ness'. We're expected to do two group projects, and a solo project, all at the same time. Surely in the real world you would organise your calender so you wouldn't be in a situation like this! It also doesn't really help that we have to write a 2500-3000 word essay to boot!

Sometime I do wonder if I'm on the right course. The first year was awesome! Layouts, hierarchy, typography, etc. Now it seems that our course has become a half-baked version of product design!

Yes, I'm bitching! Yes, I'm more than dissatisfied with my course right now! Yes, I just want to do all the work myself because I secretly know that group work will never be as good as the stuff I do by my self! I don't think I've got a big head -well I hope not- I just hate having to make compromises for other people. I know what I want to design, and I know how I want it done DAMN IT!

phew -.-'

Apart from all that crap flying around, life is goooooood :) Though I have been roped into going to carnage at the end of the month, I'm not sure it's a great place for a non-drinker xD

gooooooodmorning madam shot

2009-10-02T09:26:00.002+01:00

I'm ill, I'm grumpy, and I'm awake. Why? Because no one told me our land lord was going to turn up at our house at 8 freakin 30 and wake me up! THAT'S WHY! Yeah, I'm not really as angry as I'm making out. I've actually got time to sit down and chill before uni, which makes a nice change from the perpetual rush I've been in lately.

Anyway, it seems that we're getting or fence painted this morning -sods law I'll be the only one to forget and I'll lean/rest my bag on it at some point today- I wonder what colour it's going to be...

I've hot another presentation today -.-' but after last weeks, I'm not all that nervous -I'll probably be a quivering wreck just before we have to stand up though- they're group presentation and we're using PowerPoint stuff, so I've got a nice little safety net for my nerves :) One problem. I've been ill with possibly the worst cold I've had in ages -thankyouverymuchfreshersinfectingmewithyourfilthygerms- and I seem to be at the smokers cough stage, which is going to be ever so helpful while I'm trying to present and not spread my germs over the audience. Though it might be a wee bit too late for that ^ ^'

and I've just finished my box of tissues... bugger.

immune system fail

2009-09-30T14:14:00.002+01:00

It seems that I have Freshers Flue. Don't worry, I checked the NHS site and I'm missing symptoms for Swine Flu, yay! :p

I avoided all this last year with my initial hermit lifestyle, but now that I'm willing to have close quarter contact with other human beings -other INFECTIOUS human beings- I've caught this bloody bug, no problem.

So, I'm currently bundled up in the living room -because my room is too freakin' cold, and I haven't made my bed yet ^ ^'- with a wheat heat back, underneath one of my numerous blankets, coughing and spluttering to myself. But I have the Internet to keep me company, good times :)

Right! I best be off and make me a strong tasting sandwich, I think my taste-buds have curled up and died -.-' oh well, salami, gherkin and mango chutney sarnie it is then, lol. It's not as gross as it sounds, honest...

pequliar...

2009-09-27T13:20:00.002+01:00

I'm feeling a bit off today. My throat has decided to rebel against me and I'm gagging whenever I cough. Which is lovely. Feel a bit queasy too...

Oh well, more tea and hot rice to the rescue! :D

The stress of moving is stressful...

2009-09-12T22:46:00.001+01:00

I'm finally moving back up to the diff tomorrow and I can't believe how much stuff I have! I blame the coat hangers, they are the bane of my existence and must be destroyed! Because I get my self so stupidly worked up about this stuff, I've decided not to take my NGC -Nintendo Game Cube to you non gamers- I probably wouldn't have any time to play it anyway :/

Even though it means I'm that much closer to being with my lovely lovely chappy -less than a week to go, YAY! :D- I've still got the panics on... Big time. I know, I know; I'm moving into a house with 6 other people I like very much to be around, but I still feel like the extra piece on the board -on yeah, this calls for chess metaphors- BUT! I'm determined to do my best to interact more. I have to say I was a bit of a hermit up until Halloween last year. If my now housemates hadn't asked me to go to walkabout with them, I probably would have spent the rest of the term in there. And probably never worked up the courage to make my amateur moves on the man type :p I really owe these people a lot...

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On a completely different note; I've stopped wearing The pentagram I've been wearing, everyday, for over five years. No, I haven't 'seen the light and found Jesus.' I still bat for the, religious, other side :p I just come to a place where I don't think I have to have a big 'LOOK AT ME, I'M A PAGAN' sign hanging 'round my neck. I know who I am, who gives a shit whether other people know or not? I'm still wearing a pagan pendant round my neck mind. It just means a lot more to me :)

I'm also not taking any of my alter stuff, mostly because I have no damn room! Also, if I need candles, I can find candles. I don't need a load of shin-- ok, something just flew into my window...-- yeah, I don't need a load of shiny paraphernalia to do what I have to do. I just have to work on remembering when the holidays are >< I so fail at following the year. Besides, I think I'm going to freak my housemates out enough when I leave food and drink outside the front door for the spirits on Halloween. That and attract rats :p

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Oh! If anyone knows of any remotely decent films that are coming out this autumn/winter please let me know! Preferably none that include hyper active, excessively healthy, American teenagers bouncing around the screen. I just can't be doing with that right now. no wait... EVER!! I really want to go see a good old horror film -or two- in October, and Sorority Row just doesn't appeal to me all that much.

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Uber long postage... end.
Peace out chicklets :p

Petrol Puzzle

2009-09-11T00:22:00.001+01:00

Please explain to me how you can have 0.9 of a penny...

I've always thought petrol prices were silly having that on the end. WHY DON'T THEY JUST ROUND IT UP AND BE DONE WITH IT!?!?!? I'm tempted to go in with a 1 liter can, filled it up, go to the counter and demand my 0.1 of a penny.

I'd probably get arrested to be honest.

new look

2009-08-18T18:47:00.001+01:00

What do you think of the chronicles new look?? Ok, I knwo I could have gone in and messed with the HTML to make it all sexy and shiny, but I'm just not brave enough to do that. Besides, I'm a designer, not a coder :p The new header's all a bit Abram Games, don't you think?

I've finally got off my ass and made my Reflective Journal into a blog. Don't get me wrong, I've been keeping up with it, but I think it'll be much more enjoyable, and easier for me to update - and bitch on - if I produce it by digital means. I think this year I'll make it more like a digital sketch-book so I can have a blow by blow account of my ongoing projcts. I think probably I'll try and include some personal projects I'm hoping to get into this year. I really want to find a way to start to get paied for this design stuff. Right now I'm finding it hard to see exactly how I'm going to manage it in the long run :/

Oh well, here's the link to my online reflective journal. There's nothing on it right now, but I'll hopefully be updating it witin the next few weeks.

---
PW, over and out.

updates and lurgy

2009-08-10T08:11:00.004+01:00

ARGH!! It's been far, far, far too long since I last posted! I'm getting stupidly slack with this and I'm afraid it's just. not. on! So, it's time for the uber updates :D
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Unless you've been living under a rather sterile rock, without any TV or Internet connection, that you've heard about this swine flu thing that's going around?

Sounds pretty serious doesn't it? I just have a sneaking suspicion that the mass media is blowing this thing totally out of proportion. Weren't we all supposed to be eliminated by Sars a few years ago?? - What happened to that anyway? - and then bird flu. OK, so that was a wee bit more 'real', seeing as it actually got to the British isles. I'm no way going to say a big 'suck it up' to those who have/have had/could possibly get swine flue - so that's about everyone really - I'm just saying that the current scare tactics being used by the media are not helping the situation. You never know, it could always have been released by the world's 'powers that be' in an attempt to distract us from the credit crunch...
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Speaking of illness; My lovely man is currently laied up in bed with a nasty migraine :/ I'm just not sure what I can do for him, short of numbing the nerves in his head.

Poor thing.
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I don't think I want to go back to uni. I'm going to go back! I just don't want to...

It's similar to that weird feeling you used to get before you went back to school after the summer. If you were anything like me, your primary worry was due to knowing that school meant a, seemingly endless, number of rather lonely weeks sat alone in the playground because you're the fat kid and no one wants to play with the likes of you.

OK, I have far, far, far more friends now than I ever have done - probably because they were forced to live/work with me - but I still have that ingrained fear thing going on.

I guess I'll just have to throw myself into my work, like I always do. Looks like I'll be living off a healthy diet of barley any food, 4 or 5 cups of tea a day, and plenty or Bourbon biscuits.

It's all fun and games until I have to do a presentation. Urgh!
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Well, I best go check that some one's still alive upstairs...

---
PW, over and out.

year one - end

2009-06-18T01:04:00.003+01:00

Blimey this year's gone quickly gone quickly! And yes, I know I haven't posted much, if at all, in the past few months, but it's been a rather hectic term!

This last and shortest term's been packed with working on my final project of the year. You know, the big scary one you have to pass or you're not allowed to come back for the second year...
yeah, that's the one.

I've also been spending as much time as I can with my new man :D Outside of uni, we live like 2 hours away form each other, so can you blame me for trying to get all the hours I can with him!?

And there goes my motivation -.-' I always set out to type something large and meaningful but fail at the first hurdle...

OH! I've been getting back into pokemon too! Those of you who know me will understand how stoked I am about the new Gold and Silver remakes ;P
YAY!
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PW, over and out!

sleepy time

2009-02-07T12:16:00.004Z

I've been so tired reciently, it's ridiculous. I'm fine till about 3pm, when I start getting a bit 'mrr' -if you know what I mean- and as soon as I get back from uni all I want to do is sleep. I must have had naps 3/5 days this week... I even fell asleep in the taxi yesterday ><
It's not just me though, a lot of people have been saying that sleep just doesn't work anymore. I think some thing's just going round. Well, I hope so...

Apart from that, I've been pretty good, except that stomach thing's kinda lurking round again. I know I said I would go to the Doctors if I still had it by 2009, but I was fine over Christmas and for the first two weeks of uni. I've decided that it's either down to stress, or Cardiff's soft water. Water can do that to you, right?

On a lighter note, WE HAVE A HOUSE!! Yeah, I'm not as excited about it as everyone else, but I guess it just hasn't sunk in yet. Give me a week or two and I'll probably be a bundle of happiness. Or bricking it, lol.

I realised last night that my auntie-in-law type person is dropping her sprog next month. Good luck love ^ ^
---
PW, over and out!

No longer a snail

2009-01-28T01:01:00.004Z

A week and a half into uni and, despite the amount of work that's already being dumped onto us, I have to say that I'm happier than I have been in a long time.

Though I may bitch about how much work we have, I secretly like the pressure. Now that I'm back to the hardcore discipline of typography, I'm being challenged a lot more than I was during image, and the timetable makes me appreciate the weekends more -though I do have tomorrow 'off' ^ ^.

If you're wondering about the snail thing, it basically means that I've sorted out who I'm living with, WHOOP WHOOP! After several sleepless nights, I finally plucked up the courage to ask them and it totally paid off! All I have to do now is sign something -which probably means they get my soul at some point- and I will officially be living with some of the grooviest people I've ever known =D Seriously, I'm so freakin' stoked about this I could a'splode! - that's explode to the sane ones amongst you, lol. I'm just a wee bit concerned that because I'm so cheery right now, they won't be able to handle my unbridled hyperactivity -which can get pretty out of hand if left unsupervised.

Anyhow, I should probably sleep soon. I still haven't shaken my bad holiday sleeping habits...and I kinda haven't cooked an actual meal since coming back ^ ^'

I'm gonna cook chicken tomorrow/today, if I get up early enough to defrost it...I swear!
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PW, over and out!

Death of 'the list'

2009-01-23T20:38:00.002Z

The list is gone! For lack of a better turn of phrase, it was pissing me off! Just seemed like a really emo thing for me to do, so it had to go.

Goodbye evil emo list ^ ^

Another short post, but you'll have to deal. I'm not exactly motivated to blog right now.

Here's a link anyway ^ ^
http://pickled-witch.deviantart.com/

LUV LUV LUV!
---
PW, over and out!

The Return

2009-01-18T12:20:00.002Z

I'm back at uni FINALLY!
OK, it's not that I don't like being at home, I just prefer it here where the people are on the same insanity level as me...which is +25 if you have to know. I'm in a screwy sitch with my sleeping pattern right now. It's become so messed up by the holidays I wake up with an uber headache if I'm up before 2pm; and I have to get up for 9:30 lesions tomorrow!
please kill me now.

So, the great military movements I'm calling 'Operation Unpack' is still incomplete. I took so much crap home it's unbelievable, so some of that's still lurking away in bags, and I'm yet to move my pans from their protective custody in my wardrobe. I really hate being paranoid about pan thieves.

Yar, that's all I've got for now so ciao ciao
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PW, over and out!

frustration

2008-12-27T14:45:00.003Z

Now that Christmas is over, all I have to do is sit back, get through new years, and wait to get back to the sanity of university ^ ^

Is it bad that I'd rather be there than at home right now?

I realised last night that I'm so damn disorganised it's unbelievable! I actually have no idea where the hell I'm gonna be living next year, and I've got until the 29th of Jan to sort it all out D:

From what I gather, everyone else has already sorted out who they're living with, leaving me to doss under a bridge in a cardboard box for the next 2 years.

Thing is, I know who I'd like to live with, I just haven't plucked up the courage to ask any of them if there's any room left. And, judging by how much I've missed people over the holidays, I'm gonna b a nervous wreck if I'm gonna have to say an almost permanent goodbye to them in the summer. I have this weird feeling that, if we weren't basically forced together by university living arrangements, we probably wouldn't talk at all...

Oh well. Hopefully everything will work its self out, or I'll be stuck struggling solo in a studio flat for the next two years...

OK, I officially have the post-crimbo blues :( *needs a hug*
--
PW, over and out!

holiday alternative groovyness

2008-12-19T15:20:00.005Z

Well I'm back home in the shire after 86 days of university, and things are weird. It's like I've never left, 'cept I'm 3 dress sizes smaller -thankyouVERYmuch student diet ^ ^- and my bedroom has become a storage/makeshift music room. My cramped conditions are only set to get worse because of the 5ft amp that's lurking downstairs...I'm so not gonna get much sleep this month -.-'

Anyway. While it's nice being back here, I can't help but painfully miss all my uni friends. I just think our good buys were somewhat hurried and half hearted. Well even if you guys didn't, I had a little cry...WHAT!? I'm an emotional being now thanks to you lot, so don't be surprised if you get random boredom induced texts from me, and an uber glomp*1 when we get back to PG!
==========================================
RIGHT! now that's outa the way I can babble about other stuff =3

Yule, WHOOP WHOOP!
Though I don't appreciate having to get up at 6am to catch the 8:15 sunrise, it was still as awesome as always! I even got to meet up with my coveners -OK, not all of them, but sometimes we have to go out separate ways to do a bit of soul searching, ya dig?- I think we may be lurking about on the Internet in all our garb, so don't panic if you see a chunky 5ft5 blond witch wrapped in purple an black -with red fingerless gloves ^ ^'- lurking around on the interwebs, lol.

With Child
No, I'm not referring to me -still no way no how- I mean my future auntie in law type person! She's like 6 months gone now and she's getting rather big. The bambino's been dubed 'Bob' as in Bob from Blackadder. They think it's a boy, but you never can be sure XD

Reiki Reiki
OK, not so holiday related, but meh. I've been doing a lot more Reiki recently, but I'm still rusty. Any and all body volunteers are muchly appreciated =3

Funny story...
I was staying over a friends house a while ago and she started to feel a bit peaky, so I naturally offered to 'have a go' at it. So we're sat in the living room, me with my arms around her zapping away, and her step-mum walks in. It didn't sink in until after she left, what it must have looked like. I was sat rather close to her step-daughter with my arms around her middle...yeah

Oh how we laughed XD
No matter what ye may say old-school college peeps, I'm still not a lezzer...yet, lol
==========================================
I guess that's my lot. OK, I suppose I should say Happy Birthday to my little brother, who is 15 today. God, it's like an episode of playdays, lol.

Have a good crimbo, and don't drink too much =3

PW, over and out!

*1 Glomp: a random hug that is traditionally executed by anime/manga addicts

Uber update of the week!

2008-12-14T02:21:00.003Z

Haven't updated in a while, but you know what uni life is like. You work and work and work until you realise you've forgotten something pretty damn important and you end up working on that so much you have to blog at ungodly times if the morning when you have to get up to go to the library on a Sunday... exactly!
=====================================
Metros
I'm gonna get the ball rolling pretty quickly and start with last Wednesday night -not the one just gone, the one before that. Despite having a critique session at 10am on Thursday, I decided to go out to Metros with my pallies as I'd spent far too much time working, and I would have probably gone barmy if I hadn't had some form of human contact. Anyway, we set off into town in the freezing cold to party it up in a random underground club. Though I'm not normally one for clubbing -I'm getting a taste for it now ^ ^- or enclosed spaces -thankyouverymuch mild claustrophobia- I really liked Metros. 1) it actually played music I liked and knew the words to, unlike Revolution which plays chavy crap that I'll dance to under protest. 2) I went out with 4 of the grooviest people I've ever known -I don't feel like a fool dancing with/in front of them- and 3) I got chatted up...by three people.

THREE!!!!

OK, so it may not seem like a big deal to some of you lucky people who can pull who ever, when ever, but I've NEVER been anywhere where people have actually wanted me for me. Though I enjoyed actually feeling like a female woman -unlike the boyish girl I usually am- I have never been so scared in my life! Seriously, when you're not used to being approached by random people It's more terrifying than you can imagine. The one guy on the dance floor, trying to put his arm around my waist, really invaded my personal space...

I was told off -several times- for not 'getting in there' but again I'm NOT THAT KINDA GIRL!! I just don't see the attraction of snogging a random stranger in a bar at 1am -nor do I know what the hell to do if that situation actually came up- but being sober when the fella's off his face kinda takes some of the enjoyment out of it. Yes they're chatting me up, but if they had full control of their senses they wouldn't touch me with a barge pole. Despite the neck scarf...
=====================================
Advanced Screenings
As for the Wednesday just gone, well, we had a little flat outing to Cardiff's VUE cinema to see an advanced screening of The Day The World Stood Still, whoop whoop! I'm not gonna say too much, for fear of spoiling the film and making this post longer than it has to be, but...

it
was
AWESOME!

What can I say? I'm a sucker for Keanu Reeves ^ ^'
=====================================
General Grumblings
I has a cold :( and for those amongst you who know me from college and secondary school, you know how susceptible I am to the damn things. Well I plan on kicking this one's ass by Tuesday! I refuse to be ill for another set of exams. Seriously, I must have some kinda bad joo-joo around tests 'cus I always seem to be ill for them. Meh, I probably work myself up too much and make my situation worse for myself. Oh well =P

On an up note, my random stomach thingy has decided to go into hibernation only to appear at inappropriate times. I think I've nearly got this monster beat, but I'm really not appreciating the random occurrences. I can be fine for a few days and then WHABAM! Stomach cramps, hot flushes and nausea for one! I still don't wanna go to the doctor about this, but if it's not completely gone by January I will...promise *hides crossed fingers* -but seriously, I will if I still has it by 2009.

My flatmates seem to have noticed that I'm a work-a-holic. All I can say to that is, get used to it peoples! I have a really bad habit of surrounding my self with work. I drink excessive amounts of tea whilst doing it and I tend not to eat.

If you see me, please remind/force me to eat something. Cheers =3
--
PW, over and out!

potential

2008-12-03T00:31:00.003Z

Reading my blog back -I probably make up half my hit count- I've realised that my writing style's changes an awful lot since starting university. I would like to think it's because I've grown up a little, though having been born old* makes this kinda difficult. The most likely case, is that I'm opening up a hell of a lot more to people than I ever have done.

There's a lot of emotional stuff going on around here, and though I'm reacting/responding to it all the best I can, there's only so much I can say. My sheer lack of experience stunts me something rotten, and there's nothing more frustrating than trying to empathise with someone when you've never even come close to being in the situation they're in. I think I've still got a load of internal barriers that need to be broken down before I can even begin to comprehend their situations, but I do have some sort of advantage over them...I can see everything with innocent eyes. I'm not saying that I'm the golden child! It's just that my naivety allows me to have a view point completely unique to theirs, with all the trappings of the past clogging their vision.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should never, for any reason, take for granted where you've been, what you have, and what is potentially to come.

No matter how painful it may be to remember everything that you've been through, it's what has made you, you! Even if your current situation seems chaotic, and the path ahead uncertain, the very fact that you have paths is something to be happy about. And as for the potential...

Somethings are worth risking everything for, while somethings are worth all the waiting and turmoil...

I can't make your decisions for you, but only give you my perspective.

Just remember that while you stress over all that is troubling you, some people trouble them selves over all they've never had.

and probably never will have...

==========================================
I think I need to lie down now...
--
PW, over and out!

*I've been told that I have a 'very wise old head on my shoulders' and therefore I was 'born old'

work-a-holic weekend

2008-11-30T23:18:00.002Z

Dude! I've done so much freakin work this weekend I've only just finished -ok, semi finished- enough of it so that I can have a breather and update stuff.

OK, to be totally honest with you, I've spent more time trying to get some much needed sleep this weekend than I have working, but I'm not gonna split hairs...OK so I also went to Tesco with a flat mate yesterday, but the collecting of food does not count as procrastination! Does it?

I seem to be getting back into my cooking programs -while working, obviously- I managed to catch Come Dine With Me, Jamie At Home AND River Cottage, possibly three of my favorite cooking based TV shows of all time! Apart from Ready Steady Cook and The F Word ^ ^

Makes me wish I could cook like that. You can only eat so much packet pasta before you begin to fear it. Luckily I went shopping, so I'm totally gonna bust out the utensils tomorrow and cook my spaghetti bolognese for the week! It's OK to use chicken, right? Mince was just too damn expensive. Let's hope I'm better at cutting chicken brest than I am onions...don't ask, lol.

Blimey! This has got to be one of my more random posting sessions. I guess I'm a bit desperate to say stuff, so the proverbial straws are being clutched at.

I think I need to get some more Ben and Jerrie's...
--
PW, over and out!

It's beginning to look a lot like the non-specific, potentially religious, gift giving holiday time of year!

2008-11-29T22:44:00.004Z

So it's nearly December, and apart from the accumulation of a whole bunch of deadlines and such, it' also the holiday season. WOO HOO!

I love love love this time of year! Everything becomes a whole lot more sparkly, everyone is automatically in a better mood -unless they're fighting the crowds in the shops- and it's nice and cold ^ ^

Am I weird for liking the cold, even though I complain about it?

But above everything else, I'm looking forward to Yule *does a little (fully clothed) yule dance* whoop whoop! As I've done for the past 3 years, I'll be off to stone henge for the winter solstice ceremonies in the freezing cold and at an ungodly hour in the morning. Despite the usual number of 'taggers along', who seem to think that Yule is just another excuse to get drunk and high, it's always a good holiday and hopefully my coven will be able to get together this year. Due to a random set of circumstances, it was just little old me last year -and my dad who had given me a much appreciated lift- watching the sun rise. Which was kind of a shame, as it was the first visible sunrise for...7 years. Yeah, English weather's not so great, lol.

For those of you out of the pagan loop, I hope y'all have a good Christmas, Hanukkah, etc. and check this for a little bit of basic, lite hearted, info on Yule. Unless you don't agree with the whole pagan thing, then screw you for being so close minded ;p
==============================================

I've been ill for over a week now, and I think I may have infected one of my flatmates with what ever the hell I've got! Being the paranoid nut-job that I am, I looked up my symptoms on www.wrongdiagnosis.com, but the only thing that came up was opiate withdrawal! Unless I've had a crack addiction I haven't noticed, I'm still stumped, lol.

Sorry if I'm going on about this, I just though you guys would like to know, seeing as y'all love me oh so much =3

team spirit, let's hear it...or not

2008-11-28T15:31:00.002Z

Y'all right peeps? Had to finish/hand in that evil 6ft 'thing' this morning, and I'm not a happy buneary about it...

I'm not gonna go into details -mainly because I've just started writing this and I can already feel myself running out of steam- but it really pisses me off when someone you're meant to be working with waltzes in and mangles the design. My graphics folks are yet to experience my fiery wrath, but I think I can tell who I'll have the first 'creative dispute' with. Especially if she messes with my work again! GRRR!

Great, now I'm all angsty ><
--
*a pissed off* PW, over and out!

post x2

2008-11-28T00:01:00.004Z

I know this'll be my second post in 12 hours, but I don't care! Blogging seems to have become my little out-let when I have nothing else to do.

To be honest, I really should be trying to sleep right now, but I don't wanna *stamps foot*
I know my sleeping's been screwed up recently, but I love this time of night. It's sort of the zen-time where it's too late to actually 'do' anything, but too early to settle down and go to bed -well in my opinion anyway.
=================================================

I guess I should give this post some sort of purpose, so!

I'm planning on creating a new design blog, but I want it to be a colab. I've got a few fellow designers in mind who I would like to pitch in. But I can't, FOR THE LIFE OF ME, come up with a good design based, relatively witty, name for it.

Ideas on a stamped addressed envelope, or you could just comment ;P

As soon as I get the name sorted, and fix my photoshop so that I can make titles, backgrounds, etc. -and learn how to use HTML- there'll be a whole new load of design awesome on the internets.
--
PW, over and out!

sorry s-s-say wuh?

2008-11-27T17:11:00.007Z

I knew this week would be murder, I JUST KNEW IT!!

OK, so I mentioned this 6ft high monster of a project we have to do by Friday, yeah? Well after spending several hours doing some base work yesterday, we came in nice and early this morning only for our tutor to tell us we were 'doing it wrong'!

I was like, WTF MATE!?!?!?

So anyways, my little group have spent all of today working our cotton socks off to try and rectify our monster-piece. I'm not sure if it's gonna work out or not, but hopefully we'll be able to band together and talk down our tutor into believing that it's actually a good piece of work.

That's the main problem with education today. You're always working to please whoever's dishing out the marks and not to what actually works in the real world! Freakin education!
=================================================
Updates -I'm thinking this bit might become a regular thing, after my rantings that is =P
I seem to have developed a stammer reciently. OK, I've never really spoken in congruent sentences, and I've alwayse had those moments of mental failure when I foreget either what I'm saying or the word I'm looking for, but this is getting ridiculous! I can be chatting away to someone, and then get stuck on a word I can normally pronounce perfectly fine. I had particular trouble with 'opasity' today, partially because I don't actuially know how to pronounce it in the first place >< I'm blaming stress for this little inconvenience...
--
I just though I'd add this little snippet of information. A certain someone was thinking that my recent ickyness was due to pregnancy -you know who you are- well I'm not, so HA!

No way, no how baby! and immaculate conception is sooooo out of the picture...I'm not a turkey ;P

*still suffering, but dealing with it*

endurance week

2008-11-25T11:22:00.007Z

Hoy there peeps! After my mammoth post the other day I'm gonna try and keep this one short and sweet, but you know what I'm like...
=============================================
New Additions
First up I've added a new blog to 'Where it's at' -formerly 'My Blog List'.

The design based 'Like Black and White' is run by my pally Steffan. He's a product designer and a fledgling blogger, so don't expect too much from it, lol. Just Kidding lovey! All areas of design are awesome and you know it!

It's only been going for a few days so the posts are a bit sparse, but trust me on this one peoples and stick with it! He's got a lot of awesome ideas he just needs to learn how to get down. He also blogs later at night than I do, so it's defiantly one for all you insomniacs out there, lol.
=============================================
WotW
As 'Blargle' steps down, 'Fontography' takes it's place! I really have no idea what I'm trying to do with this word...it just sounds cool, in a mish-mash English rehash kinda way.
=============================================
Update
I spoke about a lot of stuff in my last post, and I kinda want to apologise if I sounded like a whiny school child ^ ^' I'd had 'one of those weeks' you know.

Anyway, things are better this week. I'm not panicking so much about getting my portfolio together, as I've asked other people what they're doing and copied them XD it means if I've done it wrong, I can blame them, HA! But I also have to produce a 6ft high 'representational image' using 27 A4 pieces of paper, by Friday...yeah.

Health wise...I'm still on shaky ground. I was trying to put my ickyness and such down to 'feminine trouble', but the pains are from about 5inches north of where it would be if it was that, and now my sleeping pattern's screwed up, so I don't know anymore. I'm just gonna hope it's nothing serious -as there's no way I'm going to the Doctor- try to get more sleep and keep drinking loads of water, until I can get some orange juice. Luckily I have enough self control to shield my pain-based-spasms from everyone, but I'm finding it really hard to sit still because of them.

At least my hot flushes are saving the environment, I don't need to have my heating on ^ ^
--
PW over and out!

land of confusion

2008-11-23T19:49:00.003Z

Ever had one of those weeks that feeles like it's gone in the blink of an eye, yet seemes to last an age, all at the same time? That basically sums up my past week, and I'm glad that it's over, but next week is gonna be twice as tough to get through..

OK, so I'm not all sparkles and sweetness right now, and I have my reasons.

On either monday/tuesday -I can't remember which ><- myself, and three of my friends decided to try and catch a late film in town but, being the masters of planning that we are, by the time we got there they were no longer selling tickets. Admittedly, this was at like 10pm. So one person gets the next bus home while the rest of us choose to mill around until the next one in 20 minutes. This is where we discover the corner shop selling discount Ben&Jerrie's, and you know what large tubs of ice-cream lead to...that's right, random emotional conversations.

I'm deliberately avoiding using names here, and there's no way in hell I'm gonna betray my friends trust by blabbing a load of stuff here. What's said is said between us STAYS between us, but I need somewhere to semi-vent.

Anyway, conversations were had, and things were said. Now, I'm the kind of person that can listen to others to no end, and I know I can carry a lot of other peoples emotional baggage around with me -Thanks to Peer Mentoring back in secondary school- but I think I'm taking on too much. Personally, I am emotionally inept. I rarely know what to do in most emotion based social situations, but lately things seem to want to claw their way out.

Coming back to the week...

On Thursday, due to some form of planning, myself and two friends actually caught a film, and it was great! The bus ride home however, not so much. I started to feel a bit peculiar but, knowing that I don't travel well and that it was only a matter of time before I'd feel lousy on a Cardiff bus, I tried to ignore it. It so didn't work. After getting off the bus I just started to feel worse and worse, nausea, hot flushes, the works! And apparently it showed as I was asked several times if I was OK. But because of my social-dyslexia -as I shall here by dub it- I found it difficult to explain what was going on, whilst trying not to concern them too much.

I just want to say thank you to those that tried to help me over the 2 days I wasn't 100%. Though I'm doubting many of them will read this, I think it needs to be said somewhere, as I'm unlikely to be able to say it to their faces. Before now, I've only had family members and old friends who would ask me if I was feeling OK, and to know that people who I've only known for 2 months care about me enough to ask means a hell of a lot to me.

thank you

I have no idea what was wrong with me, but I have a feeling it might have come from all the emotional output in the few days before. It's not gonna stop me from listening to whoever wants to talk. I'm kinda hoping it'll encourage me to say more...I'm just not sure either of us are ready for it. 19 years of shielding emotions = a whole mess of crap just waiting to come out, and probably a load of tears as well...

I'm starting to think they put something in that ice-cream...

White and fury creature feature!

2008-11-18T14:48:00.000Z

I've been featured ^ ^ WHOOP WHOOP! Well, at least I think I have :S

I uploaded my 'Hello Vector Kitty' way back in 2007, when I was teaching myself the fine art of Illustrator. Over a year later and it's only had a meesly 1,540 views and 45 faves, but apparently the alure of that little white kitty is stronger than I realised, as I've been featured in Deviant Art's Happenings!

Check it out here

It's the first one on the page ^ ^

I'm still not quite sure what makes it so popular. It's only a vector over a photograph...

oh well

I'm not complaining =3

Derwyddon Dr Gonzo!

2008-11-16T16:18:00.002Z

Please don't ask me how to pronounce the first word...My mouth doesn't seem to want to make those sounds >< BUT I WILL LEARN DAMMIT!

You know how awesome it is to personally know someone in the band on stage, while the rest of the crowd are just gawping groupies...

IT'S FREAKIN' AWESOME!!

Well, 'twas Ronny's birthday yesterday, so we all trundled into Cardiff to Clwb Ifor Bach -AKA The Welsh Club- to see my flat mate Siôn's band Derwyddon Dr Gonzo!

In short...they were AMAZING!! seriously! If I didn't have some serous social issues going on with dancing in public -and actually knew how to dance- I would have been grooving with the best of them! Check 'em out HERE or else!!

They're kinda hard to define, but apparently they're 'afro gypsy ska funk (or skunk)'...see what I mean?

Well that's all I'm gonna say right now. We did hang around to hear an electronic band -called Paris Cats or something- who's chord combinations made my collar bone vibrate, seriously! But I like them all the same ^ ^
--
PW over and out!

night owl

2008-11-14T01:24:00.000Z

Is it bad that I do my best work this time of night?

big bangs & bond

2008-11-13T17:17:00.002Z

Ahoy peoples! Yeah, I've been out and about again, this time to see the 'turning on of the lights' in Cardiff.

Due to my severe lack of planning and organisation in general, the evening started out pretty shaky. I was late meeting the people I was ment to go with, and I was frantically trying to track down my flatmate who was supposed to be coming with us. When I do finally meet up with my pallies, I get a text from my MIA flat mate, asking me to wait for him. Being a generally nice person -and still not 100% ready to leve myself- I agreed. There was this whole fiasco with rush hour traffic and holding up the buss, but I've rambled on enough already =3

Anyway, we finally get there and spend 20minutes trying to find the other half of our mob while fighting our way thorugh the masses of people. When we did eventually all get together 'Only Men Allowed' had finished singin on stage -i did mention there was a satge, right? lol- and we were cursed by the presence of a CBBees presenter and The Tweenies ><

Once the torture was over, the main attraction took to the stage, Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon -as their Gavin and Stacy characters. They chatted away, we laughed, etc. etc....

When they eventually pressed the big red button-o-fun Cardiff was illuminated and a freakin' awesome fireworks display exploded over the crowds. Seriously, even though it was a fraction of the length of the bonfire night display, it was 10x better!

As for bond...well, not being an uber fan of Daniel Craig or the new bond films, I didn't think I was gonna enjoy this film. And I didn't really. I'll try not to spoil it for you guys, but I found it really hard to follow -not having seen the last one- and I could not, for the life of me, follow the story. and I was kinda pissed off st the absence of bond's usually gadgets.

PW over and out!

Design heads

2008-11-10T19:26:00.003Z

Those of you in the design business will know exactly what I'm talking about when I say 'studio atmosphere'. Have a bad one and you'll be reluctant to work, constantly bored and just generally begin to hate your line of work. Have the right one however, and you can become more productive than you could ever imagine, and actually enjoy the long hours you're expected to put in!

OK, semi rant coming up... *takes deep breath*

Secondary School. That's right, I said Secondary School -not 'high school' because I'm not American DAMNIT! The place where you make your first major descision into what you'll do for the rest of your life. I was lucky and was able to ditch the language option and settle myself into Art, Graphics, ICT and History (under protest). Now-a-days these upstarts are forced to do a language and have their choices manipulated by a complex 'box system' -which I don't really agree with. ANYWAY! My point is...erm...YEAH!

In school we're forced to be quiet and pay attention. What we should be encouraged to do is chat our fluffy little heads off to the point of exhaustion -trust me on this one. Espeshally in design fields, communication with your peers is one of the most important things you can do. It bring up ideas and consepts that one head probably wouldn't have come up with, and you get to make a few friends along the way. They should also bunch the arts together. Obviously give them their own space to work in, but a communal area where all areas of design, from fine art to 3D can work together would help students to produce some really good stuff!

Take myself for example. I was semi-stumped as to what I was gonna do with my stupid clamp to show it's 'function', untill I gelped my product design buddy with a layout. As these things go, f you help someone out, they natrally want to help you. So I hand over my calmp and end up with a page full of 'alternative uses' for the damn thing! Seriously, I was just gonna show it holding stuff, but now I could use it as a hair brish holder, a loo-roll dispenser, a thumb screw, and loads more!

Can you tell I'm a little psyked about this breif now ^ ^

Yrgh, but now I have lots of photographs to take ><

PW over and out!

Word of the week -Blargle

2008-11-09T19:05:00.003Z

Yeah, I know it's been over a week, but I did say that I was inconsistent with his kinda stuff. And it's taken me a while to find/makeup a decent word that can be used in daily conversation. Hm, apparently the WotW has rules now...
OK GO!

1. The WotW does not have to be understandable, in English, or make any sense in particular.

2. The WotW can include symbols but must not be one of these 'symbol pronunciation' fiascoes. e.g. 'The Artist Formerly Known as Prince' and 'La-a', pronounced ladasha...seriously!

3. The WotW must be usable in everyday conversation.

4. The WotW should be used as much as possible, e.g. in Facebook posts, blogs, text messages, general conversation, etc.

So I would like to see screens of YOUR use of the Word of the Week -woot for audience participation! I'm also open to suggestions for the next WotW, so send 'em in on a stamped, addressed envelope...or just comment, whatever.

I used WotW far too much in this post...

blargle ;P

Easy Tiger!

2008-11-06T21:43:00.005Z

Not the best choice of title I have to say, being the name of a sex shop back in Wiltshire, but a play on words is a play on words DAMNIT!

Any hoo, super sexy special awesome Tiger Tiger UV bonfire party update aWesomness GO!

Yeah, the UV party at tiger last night was freakin bew -cheers Saree for that piece of English butchery. Unfortunately I wasn't as glowey glowey as I'd hoped, my GET LOST Vodka Kick t-shirt was no where near as effective as I thought it was gonna be :( oh well, I'm so gonna get me a bright yellow T for the next one...there is gonna be another one this year...right?!

Again, I was the sober one, with half of my peeps already pretty drunk before we even got the taxi into town. Seriously guys, I don't mind you drinking but give yourselves a brake once in a while. I don't wanna have to drag one of you to A&E *touch wood*
WTF is wrong with me!? I think I may be turning into every one's mother T-T

Tiger Tiger is quite a nice place, despite the severe lack of decent music. I can't see me holding onto my sanity if I have to dance to freakin club anthems every time we go out. At least Walkabout played some relatively good stuff I knew the words to -yeah, we're not all human jukeboxes like SOME people *coughsSteffan* ^ ^

There was grooving and glowing, I became a cat halfway through when a lady gave me pink whiskers =^-^= meow! I hadn't noticed how many people I knew till they were all in the same place, SERIOUSLY! What's more shocking is that I kinda sorta remember all their names, lol. I was gonna go with one half of my flat, ended up sharing a taxi with the other half -one of which I still owe money for said taxi- and some peoples from downstairs, got there only to be ambushed by more aWesome graphics peoples. I kinda didn't really know who to go 'hang' with. I ended up grooving with my fellow graphics peeps, the uber cool Julian and (what's you're name again?) Chris with the broken glasses, lol.

Yeah, it was a damn good night, despite everyone kinda dispersing, some random guy whipping me with a glow stick and another semi-fondling me outside the club.

That's Cardiff for you, any one's got a chance, even me! LMAO!

Notice of Revocation of Independance

2008-11-02T10:15:00.002Z

Stolen from the journal of my DA pally Thestril. I've been saving the entry for a while, not quite knowing what to do with it, so I'm sticking it up here so I can clear out my inbox and stop getting excited when I see a little 1 next to my messages ^ ^'

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Note: Though this is attributed to John Cleese, it wasn't written by him. info It has been circulating since the 2000 election.

To the citizens of the United States of America, in the light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today.

Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy. Your new prime minister (The Right Honourable Tony Blair, MP for the 97.85% of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world outside your borders) will appoint a minister for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. You should look up revocation in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up aluminium. Check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour' and 'neighbour', skipping the letter 'U' is nothing more than laziness on your part. Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters. You will end your love affair with the letter 'Z' ( pronounced 'zed' not 'zee' ) and the suffix ize will be replaced by the suffix ise. You will learn that the suffix 'burgh' is pronounced 'burra' e.g. Edinburgh. You are welcome to respell Pittsburgh as ' Pittsberg' if you can't cope with correct pronunciation.

Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up vocabulary. Using the same twenty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. Look up interspersed. There will be no more 'bleeps' in the Jerry Springer show. If you're not old enough to cope with bad language then you shouldn't have chat shows. When you learn to develop your vocabulary then you won't have to use bad language as often.

2. There is no such thing as "US English". We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of -ize.

3. You should learn to distinguish the English and Australian accents. It really isn't that hard. English accents are not limited to cockney,upper-class twit or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier). You will also have to learn how to understand regional accents - Scottish dramas such as Taggart will no longer be broadcast with subtitles. While we're talking about regions, you must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is Devon. If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become shires e.g. Texasshire, Floridashire, Louisianashire.

4. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as the good guys. Hollywood will be required to cast English actors to play English characters. British sit-coms such as Men Behaving Badly or Red Dwarf will not be re-cast and watered down for a wishy-washy American audience who can't cope with the humour of occasional political incorrectness.

5. You should relearn your original national anthem, God Save The Queen but only after fully carrying out task 1. We would not want you to get confused and give up half way through.

6. You should stop playing American football. There is only one kind of football. What you refer to as American football is not a very good game. The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders may have noticed that no one else plays American football. You will no longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football. Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. It is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like nancies). We are hoping to get together at least a US Rugby sevens side by 2005. You should stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the 'World Series' for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.15% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders,your error is understandable. Instead of baseball, you will be allowed to play a girls' game called rounders, which is baseball without fancy team strip, oversized gloves, collector cards or hotdogs.

7. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because we don't believe you are sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you will require a permit if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

8. July 4th is no longer a public holiday. November 2nd will be a new national holiday, but only in England. It will be called Indecisive Day.

9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and it is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean. All road intersections will be replaced with roundabouts. You will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time,you will go metric with immediate effect and conversion tables. Roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips. Fries aren't even French, they are Belgian though 97.85% of you (including the guy who discovered fries while in Europe) are not aware of a country called Belgium. Those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut and fried in animal fat. The traditional accompaniment to chips is beer which should be served warm and flat. Waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers.

11. As a sign of penance 5 grams of sea salt per cup will be added to all tea made within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this quantity to be doubled for tea made within the city of Boston itself.

12. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all, it is lager. From November 1st only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer,and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. The substances formerly known as American Beer will henceforth be referred to as Near-Frozen Knat's Urine,with the exception of the product of the American Budweiser company whose product will be referred to as Weak Near-Frozen Knat's Urine. This will allow true Budweiser (as manufactured for the last 1000 years in Pilsen,Czech Republic) to be sold without risk of confusion.

13. From November 10th the UK will harmonise petrol (or Gasoline, as you will be permitted to keep calling it until April 1st 2005) prices with the former USA. The UK will harmonise its prices to those of the former USA and the Former USA will, in return, adopt UK petrol prices (roughly $6/US gallon- get used to it).

14. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.

15. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.

16. Tax collectors from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776).

Thank you for your co-operation and have a great day.

John Cleese

Halloween, erm...party?

2008-11-01T16:03:00.003Z

What's that? two parties in as many nights? The beginning of the end you say?
HOW 'BOUT NO! lol

So the pembrok party's been on everyones halloween 'to-do list' since the blood splattered posters appeared around the halls. Despite not being a 'party animal' and having my standards set pretty high by Walkabout the night before, it was a damn good party!

OK, so my feet were still killing me from wearing my stupid heels for five hour straight -they're still all tingily now, which can't be a good thing- but I endevoured to put in some effort and dug out my party frock. Said frock is a bit less...conservative than the black one I wore to walkabout. 'Twas a low-cut deep purple velvet dress that stoped just above my knees, so not exactly my normal atire. I wore it for all of an hour before my feet started to kill me again >< I happily changed into my jeans and strongbow t-shirt -it had a jack-o-lantern on it, but everyone seemed to thing it was batman!?

Anyway, I spent half the night looking for my flatmate -I was the only one with a key ^ ^- which I didn't mind until a second year film student decided to hit on me! SERIOUSLY!!

TBH, I've never had anyone 'come on' to me before, so it's was an experience if nothing else, but it freaked me out something rotten! He wasn't un-attractive or rude, just not my 'type' what ever that is. And he was a bit too 'in your face' for my liking. I was fine chatting to him until he said, 'So, your flat after this?' and I'm like 'No!' when he got a bit pissy and started grumbling to his mate. I'm sorry Mr. 2nd year, but I'm not some harlot you can just come-on to and expect her to put out! I have my standards DAMNIT!

I should have told him I was gay, that would have got rid pretty quickly! XD

Apart from the creepy coming onto incident, I had a good night. Didn't get to sleep till 5am as I ended up chatting to the last dregs of the party people -AKA me, Steffan and Siaad (I soooooooo can't spell that!!).

There was also an incident with a pan...don't ask, lol

============================================

I had a really weird dream last night/this morning...

All I can remember is falling over, close to an edge of some sort and someone helping me up...

Walkabout WOOHOO!

2008-10-31T14:28:00.003Z

OK, this may sound a bit sad, but I went 'clubbing' for the first time last night and I FREAKIN' LOVED IT!!! That doesn't mean I'm gonna become a party animal, It's far too expensive to do that more than twice a week. Not to mention the amount of alcohol people drink. I know it's not ME drinking it, but I worry about other people...I'm caring like that ^ ^

Anyway, 'twas the Halloween Monster Ball last night (even though it's Halloween today) so we all dressed up to go out. I was a witch, obviously =P
I was kinda glad it was fancy dress, as I don't think I'd get in in my normal clothes...

I had so much fun you can't believe, SERIOUSLY! Until my shoes started eating my feet I was grooving away to the best of my ability -which is not that grate to be honest *makes note to learn how to dance*

It's weird being the only sober person in a crowd of drunks, everyone seems so...I dunno, up for it, and I'm still 'with it' enough to be like WTF!? There was this weird black dude -I'm not racist, it's a fact OK!- standing at the bar who kept looking at me, properly creeping me out. And this random guy decides to grab my arm and tell me how large his friends penis was! Several times ¬_¬
I'm very thankful for my palls pulling me out of that one ^ ^'

Well, I have work to do, cups of tea to drink so that I can talk, a toe to wake up because it still has pins&needles left from last night and Samhain -Halloween- posts to do.

CIAO PEEPS!

word of the week

2008-10-27T21:38:00.000Z

appoligies if this post is less than medeocre, I have a feeling that I have a touch of RSI in my right arm -dominant hand- so I'm stuck using my sucky left hand for everything ><

Anyway, I'd like to introduce semething new to my blog, the Word of the Week! Unfortunatly, due to my useless memmory the words may stay up longer than a week, or evenbe granted anotherr week because they're just too good for one.

So this weeks Word of the Week is....baba da daaaaaaa

aWesome -accent on the W, obviously.

s'all for now
Ciao peeps x

Things that go bump in the night

2008-10-26T16:10:00.001Z

Seeing as it's nearly Halloween (Samhain for those 'in the know') I though I'd best do something atleast a little bit holiday related, so...

Video Jug has a load of 'how to' videos that are just right for this season!

How to kill a vampire

How to carve a traditional pumpkin lantern face

What to do if your house is house is haunted

How to make fake blood

How to make sure your kid ain't afraid of no ghost

Have fun ^ ^

in the silence...

2008-10-25T22:49:00.001+01:00

I thought everyone had gone out tonight. I was very much mistaken.

Right now, I'm sat at my computer -obviously- with the door to my room propped open, listening to my flatmate playing his violin down the hall.

He must think he's here alone...

It's so beautiful...

I hadn’t realised how much I missed listening to someone practising music in the background...

OK, red face & bleary eyes aren't very attractive, especially if he decides to check to see if anyone's home.

I'm so glad I stayed in tonight ^ ^

Annyong-hi kashipshio!

2008-10-25T18:52:00.004+01:00

Our Korean pally Lucy left to go home today...

Even though I've only known her for a month I'd still like to think of her as an uber friend and an all round upstanding gal-pal. I think everyone's taking it in their own way, but the flat is eerily quiet for a Saturday. I think the party last night helped though.

and then there were seven....

On a positive note, our going away party motivated our flat into cleaning the kitchen and -a month into living with each other- we've gone communal on the pots/pans/cutlery front after discovering an extra giant cupboard under the sink! And a few hidden draws too ^ ^

Hopefully it'll bring us all a bit closer together and we'll start living together instead of with each other...if you know what I mean.

=====================================================

We’ve got some serious wiring problems going on here. If we have the extractor-fan, oven and hob on all at the same time –which happens a lot living in the party block**- the fuse blows and we’re left with no power! I don't know how long I can survive on microwave food, toast and cellery!

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It seemes that on some screens my posts screw themselves up into something that is -in my honest design opinion- SHAMEFULL!!
Kindly pointed out by my gally-pally Kelkoo who is also a design head...though in a -more obvious now- completly different way. If anymore layout disasters like this occur I appolagise. It's not my failt, I SWEAR! I also know that this post switches between fonts a couple of times...I have no idea why it's doing that, apparently it's blogger's 'off day'.

=================================================
Man this post has been freaky...

**apparently our building is the 'party block' because they put all the younger students in here. I can't see it myself, though we do tend to 'flat swap' quite a bit.

truley typography

2008-10-24T18:06:00.002+01:00

One week on from my last -totally random- post and I'm right back in there with another one. This time, I've finished my typography project, YEAH BABY!

Check this bad-boy out! OK, so you might not be very impressed, despite this being a weeks worth of work, but if you're typographically minded...well, you should have imploded by now.

Why haven't you imploded!?

Basically, our brief was to produce a poster that effectively illustrated the two words we were given. Ours were 'feminine' and 'delicate' so we -myself and Rachel- went straight for the scripts and clarendons. OK, I know there are a couple of sans serifs in there, but hear me out! Compared to the other letterforms, these are delicate in a less flamboyant way...seriously! OK, whatever...

Now all I have to worry about is analysing and presenting it, two things I could reeeeeeeally do without right now.

Oh well, all's fair in love and fascist typography =3

Uni project numero uno!

2008-10-17T17:35:00.003+01:00

To all those who think that university students don't do any 'real work' I say 'SHUT YOUR MOUTH!' That's right, you heard me...

I guess I'm slightly contradicting myself, seeing as I've been at UWIC for nearly a month now and I'm only just getting a proper project. But I've been working full time up untill now, honest!

I've currently been filling my little blond brain with info about typography and modernist layouts, which is more interesting than you think. I now know that it's a sin to use Helvetica because it's the worst font to ever have an enlarged x-height, stretching out type is an insult to the original typographer, and Bodoni is a slimy Italian chap who'll take you out for coffee, talk about himself for three hours and still expect a happy ending!

As for the modernist layouts...well, they're a little more complicated to explain. Basically, they're more traditional layouts that are designed whilst carefully considering, balance, contrast, hierarchical scanning and a path for the eye. Yeah, I'm still a bit hazy on what it REALLY means, but apparently I've 'got it'.

Look, I'll add examples and try to explain again...

Take a look at this one. Where do your eyes fall first, and how do they move around the page?

The answer SHOULD be, the header, down the black line to the image, up to the coloured piece of text and possibly back round again...

If not, I've epically failed and my tutor was lying to me about it being good.

And before you say anythting, yes, all that white space is meant to be there =P

OK, next one!

Same questions go for this chappy, where do you look first and where does your eye go after that?

And the answer is...
Header, pencils, down the green line to the text, down to the green square and back up to the green bar to do it all again!

I guess I should explain the space, yeah? Well in both of these designs you should notice a deliberate use of white space. Unfortunately I don't know how to get a border round the images, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad. Anyway, if you look carefully, the space is either in triangles, or it reflects the shape of the design...

See it? No? them I'm afraid you're not 'graphically sensitive', you loose! =P

I could probably say something more, but I've run out of steam -phew.

*Edit: OK, now my images have borders >< stupid blogger*

makes sense...

2008-10-13T01:40:00.000+01:00

This may seem totally random and out of the blue -whatever 'the blue' is- but for some strange reason, I've been noticing smells a lot more over the past two months.

Seriously, I can walk into a room and smell something totally different to everyone else; I've even started to smell food burning before other people too! If any one's got any idea what's causing this, please let me know. It's not a bad 'skill' to have developed, but it's kinda weird.

I'm starting to recognise people by their smell. OK, I know that the olfactory sense is supposed to be one of the strongest and there for forges your most solid memories, but knowing that some one's entered the room by their body spray/perfume is just freaky.

Maybe I'm 'on the turn'...my cat did bite me a while ago =^O.o^= meow?

Settling in with the squirrels

2008-10-10T01:15:00.002+01:00

So it's been a few weeks now, and I'm starting to get into a comfortable routine with the whole having to cook and do the washing, socialise with numerous people I often can't remember the name of and university work.

But before I get into that, I'll explain the squirrel...

During freshers week, we were given a basic mapping project to do. Naturally, we were all out pf practise because of the uber long summer we all had and procrastination was rife. Anyway, we were chatting away when we heard this weird screaming noise. We had no clue what it was, until someone looked outside, only to see that a squirrel had got its self stuck on the top of some pipes up the side of the building. It seems that the daft fool had climbed up on the pipes foam coating, and apparently lost it's nerve once it got to the top!

As for everything else, I'm a bit miffed with my course right now, as we're getting work set every evening - even on Wednesday afternoons, which the lecturers got told of for doing because it's meant to be our 'recreation time'. OK, I know that it's university and I should expect it to be pretty full on, but CUMMON! The other half of our group has two and a half days of 'independent study', which is student code for 'set your own timetable because the tutor is part-time'.

Bitching aside, I'm actually starting to enjoy the work. Typography is a bit of a weird subject, but all the classifications of the letter-forms are sinking in, all I have to worry about now is bloomin' modernist layouts. Apparently I'm 'nearly there' with the whole understanding of what makes a good modernist layout, but consciously, I don't have a clue. I think, it's got something to do with the varying weights of text and the whole balanced positioning and making sure that there's a path for the eye...

But TBH, I'm still in the dark ><

Hopefully it'll sink in by monday so that I don't stay as a total noob.

Oh, the squirrel got down BTW. Someone put a branch next to the building and he hinda did this face-furst shimmy down the pipe and jumped onto the bit of tree. Mind you, this was on his seciond go, when he realisesed that he'd commited to crawling down the pipe.

Stupid freakin' squirrel with virtigo

ciao x

List of demands

2008-09-24T17:28:00.004+01:00

For those of you who didn't get here via my DA post...CLICK THE TITLE!! It'll take you to my sexy page where you shall see my fabby pictures ^ ^

Anyway, I've been at uni for 4 days now and it's OK...not as good as home, but it'll do.

So far my wardrobe door has fallen off and been fixed, my bathroom light was busted and had to be fixed too, someone downstairs burnt sausages on sunday and set off the fire alarm, the fire alarm went off at 7:40AM!!! erm...I was IDed buying non-alcoholic cyder, I have a mini fridge that clicks and turns its self off, every morning a talking van reverses outside, I'm on the top floor so the whole flat it boiling!!

I think that's about it...

Freshers week isn't even over, and we've already got a project on the go. It's one of these stupid icebreaker jobbies, and we have to present said 'jobby' tomorrow >.< I'm really not looking forward to it.

I'm just hoping that my piece of work has survived the trip here so I don't have to reprint it for Fridays presentation...

Uni Update

2008-09-22T23:17:00.003+01:00

I've just gone through my first 2 days at uni, and it's getting better! *mini yay*

I still can't remember everyone's name, but I'll get there in the end.

Right now I'm pretty tired right now, and as I haven't really got into the swing of cooking yet, I'm having a sausage roll for tea, yum yum...^ ^'

I must sleep now zzZ

This is the end -do do do- my only friend, the end...

2008-09-20T12:19:00.005+01:00

Tomorrow I walk into the mists and face my future...or, I go to wales for 88 days of adjusting to university life before I get to come home to normality.

Yeah, I'm bricking it. But can you blame me?? OK, I know everyone else it in the same boat, but I'm allowed to have my fair share of pre-uni angst.

I've been trying to contact the people on my course, but so far I've only had proper replies from 3 of them. This computer hasn't been helping me much in my quest not to be the loner. Hopefully the Internet at the uni shouldn't be too hard to get into and I'll have proper access to the world, not some half rate temperamental crap.

I've heard from Kelly, and she is still alive! Just. Apparently she flooded her halls on Tuesday, so the whole floor had to be moved out so they can redecorate it. Talk about bad luck! No matter how bad my freshers week is gonna be, it'll be a damn sight better than hers. But she gets a cool icebreaker story to tell the people she should have met. Now I'm jealous! I think I'll use the polar bear line, you know, 'How much does a polar bear weigh? just enough to break the ice!' HAHAHAHAHA....yeah. Cheesy I know, but helpful.

Though I wasn't expecting it, I was given a leaving prezzie ^ ^ My witchy pally Andria gave me a looooooooovely card with sparkles and everything, some Scottish CDs - they're good if you give 'em a chance - and a candle. The candle came wrapped up with a sticker that said, 'This is magic. Burn it and see.' so I did! It's one of those weeping rose candles that are black on the outside and red on the inside. I left it to burn, only to comeback later to see that a small pillar of red wax had climbed up past the wick to make a stalagmite-esk formation. How that happened I don't know.

I still have packing to do :( and I'm not sure if it'll all fit in the car, let alone my room. Oh well, even if I can't move for stuff, I'll have some home comforts and a fridge full of essential food for the week. As long as my roomies don't find out that I can make mini meringues, I'll be fine.

Ciao peeps x

Alright for some

2008-09-16T11:05:00.004+01:00

Amongst the credit crunch and the threat of recession, some people can still afford a couple of quid to support struggling artists. Although that may seem fair, when the 'couple of quid' is £8.5 million, and the 'struggling artist' happens to be Damien Hurst, it starts to leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

The work, sold at Southerby's, was the ridiculously named 'The impossibility of death in the mind of something living' - AKA the pickled shark. It's not even the original shark, and some money bags art collector spends £8.5 MILLION on it!!! On the brighter side of the dark side, I can only hope that it was purchased by a private collector who'll hide it away in a warehouse where it will never see the light of day again. The shark was on sale amongst other pieces of Hurst's work, including half a sheep - that I can't remember the name of ^ ^'. The auction came to a grand total of £70 million!!

How disgusting is that?

Now that that's out of my system, I can get back to me - boy, I don't sound self centred at all :P.
It's only 5 days till I move into uni and TBH, I'm bricking it. I'm not really a 'people person' so encountering possibly thousands of new people isn't exactly my ideal situation. Having to do a verbal presentation on the first Friday I'm there isn't exactly helping either, but I'm trying to think of it as an opportunity to brag about my work to the amateurs. That probably won't be the case and I'll most likely be outclassed by everyone else, but I'm gonna give it my best shot DAMNIT!! This industry includes a lot of presentations to clients, so i have to get over this stupid fear of public speaking! Anyone got any ideas...apart from hypnotism?

On a brighter note, I have my computer now. It's a freakin' spaceship, seriously! And I now know that I won't starve at uni. My mummy taught me how to make a cheese sauce ^ ^ so that combined with my superhuman ability to boil pasta, I'll be set. The only problem is, I only know how to cook for 5, so I'll be cooking all my dinners at once and freezing portions that I can reheat throughout the week. Hopefully no one will steal my food. I may have to get a big black marker pen and scrawl my name over everything...even my milk.

Well that's me done for today...

ciao bambinos x

No longer a work horse...

2008-09-14T21:40:00.002+01:00

Well, I've paid my dues and finally finished my sentence at coopers, WOOT!

I will now systematically erase all those stupid codes from my head and begin to plot a dastardly scheme to get me a job at Tescos. I WILL NOT BE A POOR STUDENT ANY LONGER!!

My pally Kelly moved into her Halls today, i bet she's pooping herself, but apparently her room's nice. She hasn't replied to my text yet, so she must be having fun.

sorry this was quick, but there is promise of crumble,

ciao x

Panic over, phew

2008-09-11T10:45:00.002+01:00

My game finally arrived yesterday, and I think I've worked out why it took so long to arrive...it came from Guernsey, FREAKIN' GUERNSEY! Which probably means that what ever mode of transport was carrying my precious cargo was stuck because of all the crappy weather we've been having. Stupid weather.

However...I had to be strict with my self yesterday, as I was expecting my computer to arrive. So I had to tidy my room...any one who's seen the sketch of my desk on DA would know how much of a state that thing was, let alone the rest of it. So 5 hours later I could finally have some food -after not having eaten for 6hours - and I could relax and play my game. I'm totally hooked already, and I did the whole 'play till 2am thing' which I haven't really done since Pokemon diamond/pearl came out last year. I know, I'm a geek ^ ^'

Anyway, the chappy with the computer didn't turn up, he thought we were picking it up -.-' silly man. So it's arriving today, WOOHOO! And I have a circular mouse mat that looks like a cookie ^ ^ I've also finally got all the equipment I need for uni, bringing the grand total of arty stuffs to a painful £160 >.< I know.

I think uni's more trouble than it's worth...

'Don't sweat the small stuff'

2008-09-08T13:24:00.003+01:00

I am currently a tightly wound ball of fustration and stress, and I have lost all confidence in the Royal Mail.

Yeah I know, weird thing to start with, but I CAN'T HELP IT!! My game is yet to arrive and I'm so freakin' frustrated that I could bite my nails off!! Why the world and the Royal Mail don't consider Sunday to be a 'working day' is beyond me...I work on Sunday damnit!! OK, take a deep breath and calm sown...phew.

Still, I'd like to think that Internet shops count the whole week as 'working' seeing as they don't actually work. They just let four nerds and a super computer deal with it, while parcel monkeys do all the foot work. I Have no idea where this train of thought is going, so I'll cut it short.

BLARG!!

It's Party Time!

2008-09-05T13:32:00.005+01:00

Indeed it is 'Party Time' - why the caps I don't know...

Tomorrow happens to be my 19th birthday WOO HOO!! But after my 18th, I think this year is going to be a bit of an anti climax - oh er - as there's only 1 day to go and I have ONE - count 'em - ONE! card...

I'm pissed to say the least.

OK, maybe I should shut up and slap myself, as my parents have just shelled out for part of a new computer and half of a new TV. Not to mention all the equipment for university... Damn, now I just feel bad. *sinks into a hole in the ground* ._.

I'm just hoping that my nan isn't counting the £300 she gave to my mum towards my computer as my prezzie. WHAT!? I've already said that she's rolling in it but is too clueless to realise that she could help me out without even feeling it!

I know. I'm a bitch...

Anyway, I won't actually be having a party, as such. I'm not really a party person, plus I'm pants as throwing them. Last year all of 3 people, THREE, came to my 18th birthday BBQ. That either means I have no friends or the organisational abilities of a gnat.

reflections aside, I am following in the age old tradition of spending my birthday money before I've actually got it. I found Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise - the one for the DS - on www.lovefilm.com for the bargain of £17.73, how cool is that? I know, I'm a geek, but I thought It was coming out on Halloween and I thought I wouldn't be able to get it because of stereotypical student skintness. Yay for alliteration!

Speaking of Halloween - AKA Samhain - it'll be the first holiday I'm away from home, and being the holiday of the dead I'll either be at the uni fancy dress party or slitting my wrists in a temporary fit of 'emo-itus'. Ho hum, I'll probably have to get a web-cam and a mike so that I can connect to my coven - yes, I have a coven =3 - and we can do a 'web wowoo' sesh. I'm still not sure how I'm going to manage without candles though...damn fire regulations.

In a bit of random information, Scientists are going to try to recreate the Big Bang next Wednesday, and two possible side effects of the reaction is the end of the world, or the creation of a black hole that we'll all be pulled into...though I doubt it.

Enjoy it, digest it, reuse it.

Ciao x

Business as usual

2008-09-03T15:07:00.002+01:00

THAT'S IT! I am officially giving up on trying to post about my holidays as it seems the universe is against me talking about it. Stupid universe, always thinks it knows what's best for me... OK, maybe it does, but I can still complain DAMNIT!

Yeah, well it's about 18 days till I go off to uni and I cry myself to sleep every night because no one will talk to me because I'm the chubby geek. Hm, apparently I'm part realist now, oh well.

Turns out that uni isn't hitting me in the wallet as hard as I've previously thought. OK, so I didn't really need the new TV, but I'm justifying it by saying that my existing one was crap and wouldn't pass the PAT test =3. I wasn't taking time into account, the coming and going of my wages and the random generosity of my nan who gave my 'rents £300 towards my computer
^ ^ Thanks nan!

That said, my nan could pay for the whole 3 years of uni with the amount of money she's got stashed away, but she's too clue less to think of it. Even after numerous -not so subtle - hints.

Back to the grind, expect short and sweet updates in the build up to uni. I think I've fixed my computer...but I don't want to risk it.

Now to download flyff again so I can finally become the uber Ring Master I would be if I hadn't screwed up my skill points by listening to useless mages. Can you believe I still have my Reskill scroll from my job change!?

What can I say? I'm a hoarder =3

Update

2008-08-25T17:18:00.002+01:00

I've only got time for a quick update before I'm dragged off to an BBQ - which I don't particularly want to go to.

I am still alive and back from my holiday in wales. It rained and was rather boring. We didn't go to The Old House like I though we were going to as it turns out my grandparents don't care as much about my parent's silver wedding anniversary as I thought. Nice, hu?

I will update in full at some time, but this next week is going to be hectic and I don't think my computer will be able to handle me uploading all my photos from my phone. Stupid thing!

Have fun peoples, and keep on truckin'!

Now to throw on a T-shirt and eat burnt food.

Ciao x

Best pub EVER!

2008-08-17T18:10:00.002+01:00

Yeah, I know I just posted like 5 minutes ago, but I don't really like doing edits and I think this deserves a post all of it's own.

The Old House Inn in llangynwyd - pronounced clan-oi-ed -is small, but has the atmosphere and the menu to turn any dreary evening in Wales into a good night out. Most of the building is taken up by the restaurant's dining area that looks like an upper-class conservatory, mainly because the roof is plastic duck board!

If you remember the old style Hungry Horse restaurants - before they redesigned - that had random signs and souvenirs hanging from every surface that wasn't being eaten from, then The Old House will bring back fond memories. Unless you had a bad experience at a Hungry Horse.

The sealing is crammed full of mugs from every brewery you can think of, though I'm yet to spot a Waddies mug amongst the clutter. Trust me, there's enough stuff on the walls to keep you occupied if you find your self waiting for your meal.

The bar is far smaller than the dining area, but it's just as full of trinkets for your 'visual enjoyment', except this time It's the pubs extensive collection of Welsh Copper that assaults your eyes. The bar is more for locals than anything else, though the don't shun visitors, you may find your self somewhat uncomfortable in the intimate space.

Check out The Old House Inn website
http://www.oldhousellan.com/index.html

It's not the best site in the world, but they're a pub, not a design firm. I may have to offer to redo it for them, as their photos - and the load times - are shocking!

Whale watching

2008-08-17T17:36:00.003+01:00

That's right, I'm off to the 'land of my fathers' - AKA Wales - for a 'holiday'. Is it really a holiday if you're staying with your grandparents?? As far as I know, this years entertainment will include budget shopping at an outlet centre and sight seeing, not that we'll be able to see much through the rain.

One of said 'sights' will be Southerndown beach, AKA 'Dalig Ulv Stranden' or 'Bad Wolf Bay', from Dr. Who. For a panoramic view, go here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/panoramics/pages/southerndown_beach.shtml

One place I won't be bored out of my skull to return to is Porthcawl and it's fair - a kid died when they fell off the log-floom about 7 years ago. Last time I was there, it was still standing but out of commission. I've no Idea if it's gone yet. - check out some stats on Porthcawl on wiki!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porthcawl

Apart from that there's not much else to do...except sleep and read a book.

===============================

About, 5 years ago - I think - I couldn't sleep, so I started channel hoping. I came across a film where a pair of teenagers killed their 'friend' by feeding her all purpose deodorizing drain cleaner. Yeah, I know! Suffice to say, I fell asleep and never learnt the name of the film. For 5 years I've been looking for this damn film and I walk into Zavvi last week and there it is for all of £3. Heathers! Directed by the same guy who did The Breakfast Club - which I also love - it's a dark, horror/comedy/thriller thing and I love love LOVE IT!!

If you get the chance, see it.

It was also the first thing I've ever had to show my ID to buy, YAY :D

Is it sad that I'm excited about being ID'ed?

Drop by...

2008-08-12T19:01:00.001+01:00

My good friend has just started her own design based blog to beat the boredom, 'In Design' - a title suggested by me ^ ^

Linky linky! >>>http://www.journey-in-design.blogspot.com/<<<

Enjoy!

Ignore my advice will ya!?

2008-08-11T19:34:00.002+01:00

WARNING! mini rant coming up...about brown paper bags O.o

As some of you may already know, I have a weekend job at a local supermarket. During my weekly penance - because that's what it secretly is - I scan a lot of meat, most of which is swimming in blood and general uncooked icky stuff. Because of this I offer the customers who come to me if they would like a brow paper bag for their meat...this it where we see a divide between the sexes.

Women will consider their answer briefly and then say, 'yes, thank you', and I proceed to bag and seal the meat in a funky style I seem to have developed.

Men however, will either see that the meat is all icky and say, 'yes please' - I'm assuming these gentlemen have learned from their mistakes, and their wives's hen-pecking - and the other half will instantly refuse. This half proceeds to cram as much as they can in a plastic bag as quickly as possible, squishing their bred, crushing their bananas and covering their shopping in blood from the meat that has just exploded. HA!

Rant over, I'm off to eat curry.

Ciao x

New additions

2008-08-05T22:06:00.002+01:00

As you can see, I've added a few new features to my blog over the past few days...this is mainly because I've been so bored I've had to do them or chew my own arm off.

Expect the new 'to do' list to change as things are added/removed. I will hopefully, at some point, explain most of them. But, if any one has a pressing question about anything on the list -or anything I've spoken about - please let me know. I would like at lease ton comment.

I HAVE to advertise this blog or no one out side my circle of friends will ever read it. Ideas on a stamped addressed post card...or in a comment, whatever.

Money down the crapper...

2008-08-05T21:31:00.003+01:00

After all my useless hours of toil at work, sitting behind a checkout and slowly going insane, university has come along and decided to bleed me dry of every precious penny before I've even started!

Housing Deposit - £200
Buss Pass - £205
Studio Fee - £70
Trip Fee - £115
Computer - £500 (ish)
PAT tests - Unknown, but I'm guessing they'll be pricey
New TV because mine is old and will undoubtedly fail the PAT test - £50 (approx)

I am officially going to have no money EVER! I'm so glad I have relatives in Wales who'll be able to feed me/help me pay the rent if I get in too much doo-doo. I'm thinking it's a good thing I don't drink, as I won't mind living on water for 3 years. I'm just hoping that I'm not sharing with a rich kid who has everything...I may have to eat them when the pasta runs out.

hmm, needs more Welsh...

2008-08-04T17:37:00.003+01:00

As my parents have an insatiable desire to know exactly what's going on in my life, they decided it was a good idea to cart the whole family down to Cardiff for the day to see my University. This meant a total of 3 hours of driving, an extortionate bridge toll and the Welsh whether, AKA rain.

As predicted, every one was more than a bit testy when we finally arrived. I had to explain to my mother that, despite it being the summer holidays, UWIC was still very much a working university, so we couldn't just turn up...it took nearly an hour for it to sink in, causing her to sulk.

It wasn't so bad after we drove around for half an hour looking for somewhere to park in the town center and looked round the shops. No sign of a Waterstone's, but I did find a Forbidden Planet International, so at least I have somewhere to go if I get a craving for the Japanese stuff.

I've decided that my accent is far too posh for Wales. despite living in the 'West Country' all of my life, the traditional farmer's twang has escaped me, making me sound more snobby than I'd like to be. So, I am going to force myself to become more welsh! I'm not quite sure how I'm going to manage it though. The Welsh alphabet includes something stupid the 11 L's, 6 Y's and W is a vowel (the W bit isn't made up!) so learning to speak it is out of the question. Although, learning to swear in welsh is probably a good idea...

Well, I am neither mentally or physically prepared for University life. Mentally, I'm a home bird and I don't really like the idea of living with 7 strangers, but they're all in the same boat as me so I guess we'll all be as scared as each other. Physically, despite playing tennis for an hour almost every day, I'm still a tub-o-lard, so it looks like I'll be spending the next 3 years alone...oh well, I've done it for nearly 19 years, so why should a few more make me any less insane?

I need a drink now...TO THE FRIDGE!!

ciao x

Super Funtime Wildlife Safari GO!

2008-08-04T16:55:00.003+01:00

As it was my little sisters...12th birthday (I think) last Thursday, we trundled off to our local wildlife park, Longleat, to see the animimals ^ ^

That place holds some fond memories for me. I've been going there all my life to see the animals I'll probably never see in the wild, and the BBC program 'Animal Park' helped keep my love of their animals alive.

Sentiments aside, it was a grate day! We saw the parrot show, looked round pets corner (where they were letting visitors hold ferrets and tarantulas *shivers*), we went into the butterfly house (where my mother nearly wet herself for fear of the harmless creatures -.-' ), we visited the free flying bats who didn't like my camera's blinky red light, and we went round their uber awesome safari!

I'm totally 12 again ^ ^

I took a total of 333 photographs/video clips with my sexy camera, and I will be selling some of the better ones as prints on DeviantArt. If you're interested follow this link >>>http://pickled-witch.deviantart.com/<<<>>>http://www.longleat.co.uk/<<< for information.

Ciao peeps ^ ^

Shoppers Dream

2008-07-29T00:11:00.002+01:00

Me thinks the locals are going a wee bit crazy in the midst of all this talk of recession, people have been buying some really weird stuff at work lately.

OK, so these two chappies heave their fully laden trolley up to my checkout, and I think, 'boy these guys eat a lot' as they bought almost the same amount last week. So I'm scanning it all through and I notice that they've bought a lot (and I mean a lot) of alcohol and meat. I'm thinking, 'OK, they must be having a party'...

And then I was caught off guard...they bought 6 (yes 6) boxes of MAN SIZED Kleenex tissues!

I bet it was some party...

There was also a lady who spent over £7.00 on chewing gum and a guy who bought 8 packs of frozen carrots...no other veggies, just carrots.

*points to tittle* as for the dreaming bit, well I had an uber freaky one last night/this morning. It was bloody...and I mean reeeeeeeeeeealy bloody, like 13 ghosts bloody. With more blood.

All I can remember (I would have remembered more if I'd written this, this morning) is it taking place in a huuuuuge library/hotel thing and there being a dark basement full of prison cells. Anyway, some freaky stuff happens and there's blood and people being chained to walls, and more blood and then it turns out that one of a pair of twins 'did it'. I'm thinking she was responsible for the blood and chaining and such. It all ended with the guilty twin chasing her identical sister, who she'd already bloodied up, down a hill in front of the library/hotel thing.

Yeah

I think I need therapy...

Young Musician of the Year Competition 2008

2008-07-20T16:59:00.005+01:00

This, my friends, Is my little brother rocking his freakin' heart out in the finals of the (intermediate) Young Musician of the Year Competition!

Linky linky! >>>http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMWrQC2MAQ

Now, before I dive head first into what is undoubtedly going to be a highly bias review of the evening...I have to say that all the participants played to the best of their ability, and It was a damn good show. If a little badly put together.

Just so it's out of the way, the main thing that was wrong with this competition was that it was held at my old secondary school. Incidental, I encountered several ex-teachers I didn't particularly want to see again...ever.

Anyway, I'll quickly list the winners, but don't expect names...I don't 'do' names:

Beginner: A girl who sang 'I an 16 going on 17', from The Sound of Music - I wasn't impressed.

Intermediate: A girl who played 'The theme from Love Actually', from Love Actually - she was OK, but I couldn't hear her bring anything new to the music.

Advanced: A girl who sang 'Don't cry for me Argentina', From Evita - call me mean, but I just didn't like the girl...WHAT!? She was flat half the time!!

Has anyone else noticed a pattern here? All the winners were girls and they were all performing songs from popular 'chick flicks'. Did I mention that the judges panel was made up of a male English teacher who plays guitar, a female woodwind teacher and a female ex-pupil?

I think you can guess why my brother didn't win...

Bitterness over,

Ciao X

Evening Update

2008-07-16T22:27:00.004+01:00

I thought I was going to be really good and post a little something every day...apparently not. Damn you lack of will power!!

Anyway, whilst shopping yesterday, I was perusing the books in Waterstones (I still couldn't find the book I was after) and there was a huge bang! I was like 'WTF?!', naturally, but Seeing as we were all still alive I figured someone had been rear-ended on the road outside...

A bus had backfired...

But I was rather impressed how no one hit the floor like they do in so many TV shows. Maybe their researchers should do some more research...or things like that only happen in America, I dunno.

I've finally made a start on painting my brother guitar. Right now it's drying in the shed, cunningly hidden away from animals who could vandalise it with their hairs of doom. Although I don't think spider webs will do it much good.

As for the book I've been scouring local Waterstones for...

About...erm...3 weeks ago (I think), I was in the very same Waterstones I sheltered from the near fatal bus backfiring from yesterday. Woo, confusing sentence. Any how, I happened to pass by their 3 for 2 POS** offer shelf type thingy and my eyes were drawn to an almost luminescent yellow book. I blame my graphic designer senses. And, ignoring the proverb about not judging a book by its' cover, I quickly scanned the blurb and bought it. To cut a long story short... I freakin' loved it!!

If you ever get the chance to, read Kim Harrison's' 'Dead Witch Walking' (AKA Rachel Morgan 1), take it! I've only read that one, and I liked it so much I've just ordered myself the rest of the series of the tinternet, saving me £14.50 of the RRP and I didn't have to play P&P. Thank you Amazon ^ ^

Well I've babbled enough, and a nice cup of tea is calling me...

Ciao X

P.S. I think I'll count this as another adventure =3

**Point Of Sail

Monday's Adventure

2008-07-14T23:34:00.003+01:00

I went on a little trip into the crazy town of Trow-Brow today, had me a little adventure =3

My day didn't start grate. I'd just got one of those annoying little card things that say 'you have a certificate to collect' from college, except I left college about 3 weeks ago, meaning my bus-pass had ran out. So I had to blag some money for the OUT RAGOUS buss fair of £3.75!

Anyway, I planned to get up at around 8, possibly 9 depending on how groggy I felt...apparently I felt very groggy as I ended up putting my alarms (yes I need two) to sleep so much that they gave up and I woke myself up at 11:07am...

My bus was at 11:30.

So 30 minutes and no tea or breakfast later, I was on the buss grooving to BBC radio Wiltshire, kindly supplied by my mobile phone. The guy in the seat in front smelt strongly of earwax, which was nice (sarcasm). After the 40 minute journey that should only take 20, I walked to college to collect my certificates and such. Tried to take the back way out, only to find a girt big pointy gate across my exit...obviously I was like WTF MATE!? -1 for me

Trundling my way into the town centre, the radio was talking about how the Government is going to give teachers the right to search pupils for drugs, weapons, alcohol, etc. and they got onto the topic of those teachers every one's come across that have the power to freeze a classroom with a glance. I decided to text in about my amazing old history teacher who used to hit the desk with a riding crop and his grenades (dead ones) in her draws! problem is, I forgot to put my name and home town on it >.< -1 for me.

An old chap, with a nose that made up nearly half of his face, asked me where he could cash a giro cheque. I had no idea. He also told me that I wouldn't get drunk on the bottle of Diet Coke I was drinking... and the teenage stereotype strikes again! -1 for society

Got into town, finally and popped into Waterstones. Mark OD (the BBC radio presenter) read out my text, calling me 'an Anonymous texter'. I was ambushed by my friendly friend Tara, chatted about her birthday bash and how it might clash with a wedding 'do' I'm being forced to go to, and I couldn't find the book I was after.

Turns out that the parties do clash...bugger! -1 for me

Milled around some more, went to Asda, realised that PMD2 was out and rather cheep for a new release and made a mental note of it. Went to Wilkinsons for the spray paint I needed to decorate my brother guitar, didn't get ID-ed. Damnit! Checked the local game shops and ended up buying both PMD2 and my breakfast at Asda. Strawberry Yazoo and a KitKat Chunky, yum yum yum.

Finally got my game at the Customer Services desk and went to get my bus home. Saw a bus coming, thought it was mine, but it wasn't. I was officially the fool of the day. -1 for me

Got home, ate a Cornish pasty with ketchup and had a cup of tea, finally ^ ^ +1 for me

When all's said and done, it could have been a lot worse. I could have missed my buss and spent the day sulking or playing Pokemon. Instead I walked for around 2hours straight (which I needed TBH) and I'm now rather stiff and my feet ache a little. Bad times.

================================

I'm gonna have to do some reviews soon, as I've been playing/reading stuff that may be a little old, but I feel I need to share. It's good for the soul...all three of em =3

Ciao x

If you've been keeping score, It's -3 to me, -1 for society...defeated again!

Originality in Art

2008-07-10T13:35:00.002+01:00

Check this out first http://themrock.deviantart.com/journal/19288031/ and then read this post. It inspired me to think about this subject...

Can art ever really be original??

All art stems from something, no matter how 'original' you think your style is, someone has always got their first.

But, if someone was to be kept away from all forms of art...would their work be truly original?

I was intending for this to be some long winded speech, but it seams that I've run out of steam already...

Cabin Fever

2008-07-07T16:07:00.002+01:00

Well, it's all over. College I mean.

It's been over a week now, and without the regimented timetables of institutionalised education, every one's falling apart.

Anyway, there's is really nothing to talk about. It's all quiet on the western front...

======================================

OK, it's artsy fartsy time! The Tate Britain has a new 'kinetic' work in its' collection...

Martin Creed has selected a team of runners from around the country to run through the Tate Britain, whilst avoiding the crowds, in a piece called “Work No 850”. I know, another obvious title...

I actually want to see this, mainly because I won't have to suffer the horrors that lie with in the Tate Modern to see it, but also to find out how they're going to handle problem visitors that will inevitably try to hamper the 'work of art'.

Well that's it for now...

Ciao

Exhibition

2008-06-26T12:23:00.008+01:00

And so, the lull before the storm that is University begins...

Now that my exhibition is over we can all breath a bit easier and stop panicking, for now. I have to say I was rather impressed with how it all turned out, despite some of our group members not being the hardest workers in the world. That said, it seems that Graphics was overlooked due to the shiny shiny attraction of 3D and Fashion and the randomness of Fine Art. At least we did better than last year, and we had less people in our group. So a big WOOT to us!

Moving onto the Summer Solstice...

In short...it was a washout. It didn't stop raining all night. How do I know this? Because I was out in it for seven freakin' hours, THAT'S HOW!! OK, it wasn't all bad, the King's Drummers put on a good show and I officially got my grove on, whilst avoiding pot fumes. There are some rather embarrassing photographs on facebook...enough said.

Expect another post in the very near future, as I'm kinda behind on this stuff...

Ciao

Feeling the crunch

2008-06-16T16:56:00.007+01:00

Its been four days since the shell lorries have stopped delivering fuel to the petrol stations and over half of Wiltshire is dry already. Thank you panic buying!

By the looks of it, right now the lorry drivers have England by the balls and are trying to squeeze every last Penny out of our watering eyes. OK, maybe I could have chosen a better metaphor, but I am starting to realise how dependant we are on our cars, especially out here in the sticks of Wiltshire.

Well because of the fore mentioned fuel problems, I am having to rely on public transport a lot more than I am comfortable with, and seeing as Hatts have recently bought out Bodmans, they are the only company to blame!

Not being a brilliant traveler, I choose to doze on my daily 40 minute journey, a journey that takes only 20 minutes in a car might I add. Lately I have taken to returning home on an earlier afternoon bus (I'm not skiving, my course is basically over s'all) and the driver is INSANE!! Now I'm not one to talk as I'm a self confessed horrendous driver (I have an excuse, I'm a learner) but this driver really takes the biscuit. Would you want several tones of bus to plow into the grass verge at every sharp corner...no? Well this guy seems to enjoy it! His new hobby is realising that he needs to stop far to late and slamming on the brakes, subsequently shunting all of his passengers into the seats in front of them. Those lap belts aren't as safe as 'they'd' have you believe.

Rant over...-.-' phew

As for everything else that's going on...

Driving is same old, same old. I'm still a danger to everything on, and off, the road and I can't drive straight...or on my side of the road >.<

My exhibition is done! Except for the little ID thingy that a technician was supposed to be organising...oh well.

This Saturday is the Summer Solstice WOOT! So to Avebury we shall go, alcohol shall be had and drugs shall be avoided. I'm planning on taking my camera so expect photographs and possibly film.

Ciao

Time for an update...

2008-06-11T22:55:00.002+01:00

Well it's all go right now, hence the lack of posts, but I have a free five minutes to jot a few things down...

My exhibition is nearly ready, I just have to staple the hell out of my stuff and hope that it doesn't fall down >.<

It's nearly the summer solstice, WOOH! Avebury, here I come!

Don't you think the handles on the baskets in supermarkets are round the wrong way? OK, some people like to hang them on their arms, but most of us try to carry them like regular bags but end up getting bashed in the leg!

Diagrams possibly to come...

Updates and links and bears, OH MY!

2008-05-26T22:22:00.004+01:00

I am getting really bad for updating this. Seriously, half-term comes around and I'm thinking, 'Yes, I can finally get some serious blogging done (how sad am I for thinking that)' and it turns out that I have half a ton of college work to do! My sketchbook is practically non existent compared to what I want it to be, stupid hist&context getting in my way of REAL work!!

Well, I've got my housing application for uni sorted. I was having a bit of a mental break down on that front, so I sought guidance from my God-like tutor, Chris. what confused me was that on the form it basically said, 'we can not guarantee your first, second, or third choice so select four and we'll get back to you.'

I was like 'wuh?'

They really need to make this stuff easier, it's like they don't want people to go to university and/or have a place to live. anyway, phone-calls were made, conversations were had and tracking sheets were sent off. Hopefully that'll be the end of it until I'm told where the hell I'm staying.

====================== <-look freaky divider thing!!

I have been watching so much youtube lately it's ridiculous. But, because of my current addiction, I have found a couple of shiny diamonds in the rough.

First off, I found this chappy:
http://uk.youtube.com/user/AmazingPhil
possibly one of the most random vbloggers I have ever come across. He likes Lions, I want his socks...enough said.

Subsequently (wooh big word) I found my self watching this:
http://uk.youtube.com/user/TheMysteryChannel
and it does EXACTLY what it says on the...URL!? Yeah I have no idea what is going on with TheMysteryChannel, but apparently she died on Christmas day and you REALLY don't want The Black Crystal!

Check 'em out...or else, grrr

==================================

Bears were promised, none were provided...I apologise -_-

Who decided to put bar-codes on the bottom of pies!?

Cruel educators

2008-05-23T18:10:00.004+01:00

As you've probably guessed by now, I am an Art & Design student. Yes, the first year was a bit of a cop-out, but our chilled attitude had come back to bite us in the backside!

Art & Design isn't all doodles and naked ladies, there's written work involved too, known as the dreaded Historical and Contextual Studies BAM BAM BAAAAAAAAM! Well, we were set around 20 essays to do almost two years ago...and most members of the course have spent the last week or so catching up on the eleven we had to do. Including me ^ ^'

So we're all happily clicking away trying to get as much done as possible before the deadline, which we were lead to believe was 23rd May. Our tutor however, decides to make all our late nights, early mornings and extra hours totally pointless by telling us that we had until after half term to do the work!! I could have killed him...

So now I have two more images to bullshit about and eleven covers to design. I figure I'm gonna go with a penguin style, have them all practically the same but change the text and the colour a little =3 sneaky, hu?

On a university note (possibly an A#), I've done my housing, so I will hopefully have somewhere to live ^ ^

All I've got to do now is get hold of the money to pay for it -.-'

The grate work pile-up

2008-05-18T21:39:00.003+01:00

Why must I find a load of work I need to do a week before the deadline? Karma possibly, not that I can remember doing anything bad recently, but I'm sure there's something...

So I've been doing historical and contextual studies work for the last three hours straight, and I think I may have died a little.

Why does Ian Davenport insist on naming every piece of work 'poured lines'? You poor the paint down MDF, WE GET IT! But seriously, if you name everything the same, we're just gonna give up on referring you by name and say, 'Do you know that artist...that does the stripy pictures...the big ones with the lines on them, etc. etc.'

I think I may start to rant about art in this blog, just so it has some sort of direction. Plus I need to pay attention to what's going on in the design world and such, so it'll be good for me.

Let's see what I come up with, shall we?

Looks like summer's over...

2008-05-15T17:32:00.003+01:00

Well, the rain's back, and as we all know here in England that means that summer is officially over. Although we'll probably have another week or so of sun sometime in August, it'll be hampered by reports of floods, droughts and everything in between.

Please people, pick up after your dog. College road was like an obstacle course today!

Boiling over

2008-05-13T15:45:00.002+01:00

It seems that the heat is getting to everyone by making them hate every mechanical object and each other.

Someone had a fight with the printer this morning as it had decided to only print half her document and then just sit there being useless. Well she lost it and tore the paper out of the printer the wrong way. Not good, I know.

The temperature is also making people, who have been friendly for a while, fight like ninjas. Neither of them know that their actually fighting with each other as they're too polite to actually do anything to the other's face. So it's all a bit cloak and dagger, if you get my meaning.

And now I'm getting miffed with facebook. Despite my Internet being a reasonable 1.1Mbps, it slows down my computer and refuses to play the game. Stupid friggin' website messing me about!

Apparently 'friggin'' is my favorite word right now...

Aren't you that guy from that show?

2008-05-10T22:22:00.003+01:00

Is it OK to get starstruck by someone from a children's TV program??

So I'm happily sat in an excessively hot barbers and I recognised someone. David Sterne, who plays Professor Dust in 'The Mysti Show', was sat in front of the window with his grandson! I know it was his grandson because I am an eves-dropper!

So now I have to admit that I occasionally watch The Mysti Show while doing my sketch book work...I'm not a fan, honest =3

Aside from that, there was another (rather foxy) guy having his hair clipped, who looked exactly like the good hero from Fable. He even had the groovy blue eyes!

How come every English person fires up the BBQ at the first sign of a sunny day??

On the subject of education

2008-05-09T21:34:00.006+01:00

As I said in my first post, I'm soon to be leaving the comforts of the family unit and entering the unknown world of university life. Well I just received my acceptance from UWIC, my uni of choice...lucky, hu?

I know I should be happy about this, and inside I really am, but I feel a little bad about it too.

You see, two people from my group applied to UWIC as well, and they didn't get in. Obviously this made me more than a bit worried as all our work was pretty similar. But, they've both found places where I'm sure they'll be happy, so...

I'm not sure how I'm going to handle the actual parting of ways. In the past two years I've made some really good friends I don't want to loose touch with, but we're all going so far apart. Sadly I've lost touch with all but two people from secondary school, and I can't help but feel distanced from them even though we still meet up every now and again. I just don't want the same to happen with my college buddies.

I'm not the crying type, but I'm sure there will be a lot of people bulbing for all their worth on the last day. And I'm crap in those situations too!

Anyway, happy happy happy ^ ^

See! I told you one would creep in eventually =3

Blog in progress

2008-05-09T16:05:00.005+01:00

Apart from the occasional post on a 'social networking' site or forum, I've never blogged before. So this could be an interesting experience. I guess I should have thought about a theme before I started this, but that's me all over. Jumping onto the band wagon only to be stuck over the wheel, feeling every bump in the road.

Why did I decide to start a blog? Well, as I'm about to embark on the great adventure that is university this September, I think I'll need somewhere to vent for the next few years, and I'll be able to see how much I've changed after education's taken all my money and I'm just a stressed out shell. Plus I'm hoping my college friends will look at this every now and again to see what's going on, and possibly start blogs of their own so I can stalk them back. Poking each other on Facebook is only fun for so many days, after that it's just a popularity contest...I've no idea why I check it when ever I'm on a computer.

I think it's best I warn you now. Without the assistance of my lovely ABC button, what you are reading now would become a scrawl of illiteracy. I don't think anyone will want to regularly read something they have to decode and translate in to English, unless you're into that sort of thing. I'm also an avid user of those weird faces people make with characters. ^ ^, O.o and >.< are among my favorites, so expect to see them quite a bit.

I've probably missed a lot of stuff out that should really go in a first post...but I'm out of things to say. I'm sure I'll come up with stuff later, so watch this space...