Wow, haven't been on here in forever... Really need to get into gear. Right, will post an update sometime within the next few days, no matter how busy I am!

Woo, I feel dizzy. Don't know where I've been the last few weeks, but it doesn't feel quite real. Unfortunately, have to go back to said strange place in a minute, and carry on with work (urgh).

Had to choose my modules for second year last week. Think the English Department was perhaps a little misguided with they thought that holding the Options Market 2 days before the deadline for choices was a good idea. No time to talk to tutors (especially as mine was away on some kind of business trip), but put down some choices anyway. Admittedly, the range of options had been published longer than that, but the talks given by lecturers in the subjects during the Market were the turning point, as it were, in the decision making process, so would have been useful to have them a week earlier.

Compulsory core modules were: 1. 17th Century Literature and Culture (with quite possibly the coolest lecturer ever), 2. Romantic and Victorian Poetry (not so keen on this; I do write a little poetry, but it's not particularly good and it's never really structured, and I'm very picky when it comes to liking poetry that I've read, so the idea of a year doing a module solely devoted to one kind of poetry is something of a intimidating one).

Chosen optional core module: The European Novel.

Choices for Special Subject ranked in order of preference: 1. Introduction to Creative Writing, 2. Feminist Perspectives, 3. Anglo-Irish Literature.

Praying that I'll be accepted onto the Creative Writing course, but it's very competitive, so the situation is doubtful. Had to submit 2 pages of fiction, but didn't have the time to be inspired by a new idea so had to revise something old, which didn't turn out badly, but I'm not sure it was spectacular either. Also had to do 200 word statement of why I wanted to do the course, which was even trickier than the writing, because my reasons can be given in full in one sentence "I love writing and would dearly like to learn more by doing a course in Creative Writing." That's 17 words, not 200 :-( Will just have to hope. If I don't get on, then the Feminist Perspectives and Anglo-Irish courses look fascinating too, so all will not be completely lost.

OMG HAS ANYBODY SEEN THE TEASER TRAILER FOR NEXT WEEK'S DOCTOR WHO? Am almost wetting myself in anticipation. One of my friends has a tv in his kitchen and has recently invited me to come and watch it with him and his flatmates when I want, which is a relief, because before that I hadn't seen any kind of tv program for about 5 weeks and was starting to suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

Stuck for anything else to write, so am going to use (horror of horrors) the Writer's Block prompt, which I think I swore never to use.

Prompt was: What is the one thing you MUST do before you go to bed at night?
My answer: check that my bedroom door is locked, at least three times, but sometimes as many as six before I'm convinced that I'm actually safe. Live in Halls at the moment and sometimes people stagger around in a drunken stupor and try the lock with their keys, which is a rather disturbing experience, as the Halls are huge and the person trying to get through your door probably isn't someone you know. So yep, this has led to me being very careful about security, both before I go to bed and when I go out for the day, leading my flatmates to label me as obsessive compulsive about the state of my door lol. Ahh, the joys of (somewhat) ridiculous obsession :D

Mm, well, have to actually go and do some more work now, or else shall fail miserably. Wish me luck :-)

Hope you all have a lovely week.

Estelle Tiniwiel -x-

Hmm, yeah. The last couple of times I wrote anything on here I said I had loads to talk about. I now have absolutely idea what those things might have been. Not a good start.

Anybody else out there feel totally useless when it comes to getting things done? I swore to myself that I'd get a load of work done whilst I was here at Uni before going home for a week, but has it happened? Nope. I've just about broken even, and that's it. WHY CAN'T I BE PRODUCTIVE????!!!!!! Grrr, somebody help. I need a rocket up my arse and no mistake. Any firework manufacturers out there?

Other than that, things are looking good. Just sent off my application for the Gala Dinner at the Discworld Convention (yay! - I am probably overly excited about this; it can't be good for me), so hoping I'll be able to go to that. Seriously though, there must have been some big break-ups in the past, because on the invitation it says something along the lines of "if you don't want to sit next to your nemesis, name and shame" (admittedly this is a rough translation). I mean, blimey, what the hell goes on at these things?

Also, anyone got any tips on how to structure the writing of a novel? Again, it's beating the dreaded Procrastination Monster that is the problem. Hope to have some fanfiction out soon, though, so at least that's better than nothing :-)

Hope you guys all had a good Easter :D

Estelle Tiniwiel -x-

I found this link when reading the Sun online article about the casting of Vetinari (again) and just had to laugh. Check out the gnome dude:

 http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article902014.ece

I'd love to know who he really is, just to see the looks of monumental embarrassment on those kids' faces when they found out.

Have lots to talk about but am supposed to be reading a novel for tomorrow, so am just saying hi for now. Will write properly tomorrow (not that anyone seems to read this, but hey...). Bye!

Can't write much now as am very busy and have loads of work to do by tomorrow, but just had to say that today I found out that Jeremy Irons is going to be playing Vetinari in the new Pratchett adaptation and I am ecstatic! He's the person I've almost always imagined as being the right actor for the role. Apparently people who went to see the premiere of the film said that he was wonderful as Vetinari, so can't wait to see it! Although will possibly have to wait until it comes out on DVD as I don't have Sky... Grrr.

I burnt my arm on the oven door today - stupid substandard university kitchen equiment! It's quite an old oven and you have to kneel down to get anything in and out, but if you pull the door all the way down then you can't reach whatever is in the oven. I spent so much time trying not to burn my hands that I forgot about my arms and the fact I was only wearing a T-shirt. Ouch. The mark has now gone a curious shade of pinky-grey. Seriously though, there is not one piece of electrical equiment in our kitchen that functions properly:

- The oven cools down and heat up randomly, never maintaining steady temperature
- The hobs take forever to heat up and then don't cool down if you need a lower setting
- The toaster is completely broken and only does two slices out of four, and even then one of them will only be done on one side
- The fridge freezes
- The freezer defrosts

Grrr. Ah, well, such is life. Maintenance have already said they can't fix the cooker, so I think we shall just have to resign ourselves to a life of juggling pans. Any paramedics out there, be on the alert!

Tomorrow should be interesting. I'm going to talk to my friend to try and arrange times that we can both go for house viewings for our accommodation next year, but my other flatmate has just stuck a paper about a new house under my nose and the location is fantastic, plus it provides broadband - so certainly something to look into!

Other than that... nothing interesting happened today (oh, except Elizabeth Clarke giving an absolutely fantastic lecture on Milton's Paradise Lost, including scenes from the Disney production of Hercules. That woman is a legend!). Still have to book my room for the Discworld convention, but I will get round to that eventually. Still regretting the fact that my friend will be unable to come, but hey, maybe acting as a completely free individual will have its advantages - perhaps I'll be able to finally get myself a boyfriend, for example...

Mmmm, feeling sleepy now. Think I'm off to beddybyes. Bye!

Estelle Tiniwiel -x-
 

Turns out my friend can't come to the Discworld Convention with me after all, which is a bit of a shame, but hey, I'm sure it'll still be good fun - and this way I'll be forced to talk to new people! :) Still worrying about costume though: I'm not a skilled seam- erm... let's say tailoress... enough to make the whole thing, or do anything complicated, but at the same time I want to go as someone vaguely recognisable. Any suggestions? Hmm... suppose I'd have more guarantee of a reply if I'd actually got any friends on here, but am a bit shy of just adding people without asking - tricky! But hey, I'll just burble on anyway :D

GUESS WHAT??!! I actually got a 2:1 on my first assessed essay! I am so unbelievably relieved - I thought I'd end up with a third with the quality of that essay, but apparently it was better balanced than I thought it was. Now I've just got to wait to get back the essay I handed in on Monday... Wish me luck!

Anyone else here like Milton? Random question, I know, but I'm an insomniac with nothing better to do, so there we are. Have to say I'm finding it far more interesting that the Classic Epics of Virgil and Homer, and although I think that is partly due to the language I think it's also because I have so many more points of reference for the Christian imagery than the Ancient Greek and Roman stuff. Satan really is a very interestingly drawn character - not surprising Blake said that Milton was of the Devil's company but didn't realise it!

Want to write a fanfiction romance between Lord Vetinari and an original character, but have so not got the guts to do it right now - have a feeling there may be ill feeling and a risk of Mary Sueness, 'cos it's hard to imagine just what kind of a girl Vetinari would go for (at least, if we're talking non-undead ladies, anyway). Anyone got any particularly strong views to either encourage me or make me steer clear completely? Would be interested to hear anybody's opinions.

Anyway, I suppose I really had better try and go to bed, or I'll end up falling to sleep in the lecture again.

Bye!

Estelle Tiniwiel -x-