Christmas in July (In June) 2011

Myself, my husband and his parents celebrated our very first Christmas in July (In June) yesterday. It was different, but lovely. The weather is cooler, the shops aren't crowded and the time we spend together is about love and good times rather then presents and consumerism... although our gifts were quite awesome and the food was so amazing that we'll be eating fruit and water for the rest of the week to cleanse our bodies. While our two cats rival it out, we had a jolly day of simply laughing and enjoying each other's company and I spend my time viewing the world through my very snazzy new lense...



A polaroid 300! How beautiful and simply adorable and I cannot wait to fill my house space with a million teeny sized polaroid photos of all sorts of things that bring my inspiration. And talking of inspiration, I am full of it. My stories for the competitions are coming along well. I have story ideas for them all and now just have to get the ideas down on the page to start getting a true story happening from there. It's all coming along. Aside from those stories though, I have big plans for other creative aspects of my life. Watch this space to see more about them soon.

Until next time, sleep tight and Merry Christmas in July (In June)!

SM
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Oh my.

So I absolutely lost track of everything I had begun in between a million chores, family visits and commitments and a bit of work here and there. The days are just moving too fast for a life that I'm trying to chase.

I have only a few days left of holidays (from my diploma) but there's not rest in the near future for me. I'm behind on three book reviews, about 30 pages of shorthand practice and a few of my portfolio exercises, just for school. Then there is my commitment to National Young Writer Month, which was to write a few short stories, some poems and to write everyday. The latter, especially, and it's what I've been dismissing so easily when the dishes need to be done. However, I can say that I'm quite proud of the ideas that I've been sprouting; these could definitely lead to something good when I finally sit down and get them all out.

So here is my plan. I've written out a list of competitions happening in the next few weeks or months and it's my first, baby goal to write something new for each and every one of them and post in my applications. They're quite inexpensive and have reasonable requests and something that will finally help me get my act together in actually writing new things, rather then just having awesome ideas for new things and it never progressing from there.

In the mean time, I have taken to jewellery making; or at least trying. Check out this groovy pair of doily earrings I made:



Considering I am trying to run an online business, I think it's not too bad when I take time out from writing to whip up a few upcycled accessories. You can check out my shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/chebylou

Til next time, which I hope will be tomorrow,

SM
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I love you.

To my husband,

You're not my world, but you certainly make it wonderful.

You are not my soul mate but you are my best friend.

You do not complete me, but you do empower me.

It's been one year, since we stood in front of our family and friends, nervously and a little bit hesitantly repeating the vows that made us man and wife. It was never the married part we were worried about; and nothing has changed since then. I am proud to have made the next natural move in our relationship that simply meant the formalising of our togetherness over those past five years (now six).

I love that we always laugh together.

I love that you wear the bearded hat I made you.

I love that you make me apple crumble at 1am just because I asked you to.

I love that we don't have the same beliefs but it changes nothing between us.

I simple love you.

SM
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Oh, croutons.

I do remember the first time we met. I was in primary school, and you were served by the religion teacher that my family had become affiliated with. Mrs White and her husband Mr White, had a lovely back garden with many plants and flowers. It was around lunch time, and how odd, I thought, to add small, crunchy portions of bread to a soup that would only make them soggy. I didn't like you at the start, but oh, how I grow to love you now.
I've begun to rekindle this appreciation for you, oh croutons, as I chunk up the bread and sizzle you in my fry pan. I anxiously heat up my soup and scoop you on top; some of you sink in, some of you stay partially crunchy... secretly my favourite.
I look forward to our winter adventures.
SM
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Day Five; on a roll.

I'm getting better! It's 11:27am and I'm onto my blog post. Good work, I say! So today, I will be writing a book review on Jerzy Kosinski's, Being There. This is an assignment that is a little behind, so it's a high priority to finish. I also have some writing and re-writing to do for my interview following on from yesterday, and I'd like to have a crack at a poem. A poem that can then be used in a spoken word performance... that of course, I'll practice by myself at home in my pajamas.

Perhaps my new strategy of announcing my daily goals on a public forum will enhance the chances that I actually complete them. What do you think? :)

For now, I'm off to read the last chapter of Being There and to finish off my cup of earl grey tea with Minute to Win It playing in the background.

Cya!

SM
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Day Four

Sadly my daily bout of writing yesterday was for assignments, but I'm still happy that it's my words. So today, day four, is an extra special compilation of writing. At least, the first part is! Today I interviewed a young lady who is busy in the arrangements for her first book deal - very exciting! The write up of this interview will be linked to you very shortly...


Today I've really struggled to put a few words down. First I was distracted by the TV, then searches for dream earrings on etsy.com and now it's youtube's fault. Well, not really their fault, but these are the challenges I've faced. I feel awfully lazy today, so it's difficult not to sit in front of a screen of some sort and watch the pretty colours and drift into my own world.

So as I sit here staring at my rainbow coloured finger nails and look at the pile of work that I really need to make a dint in, I still feel like I could just float off into a cloud for the next few hours. However, that would not be productive! It's so hard to get things done on a routine basis when you're so prone to just doing whatever, whenever. It's a habit that I both love and hate. Actually, I have to admit, I'm leaning more towards hate. I barely get anything done, so it can't be a good thing! It now becomes a goal of mine, to at least get the things I need to done, no matter my strategy. (Organisational strategies just don't really work for me!) I'll make 50 cups of tea, crank the radio, fiddle about with everything on my desk or decide to crochet yet another hat, but I'm determined to make it happen. How else will I be successful? Further to that, I have to work for the next two days. It's not overly strenuous work, but it is work that requires my attention and presence and that I need to go if I like to get paid to support my fake-plug earring habit. Which I do.

So for now, I must be off to complete the tasks a-fore-mentioned. Until next time, smile your heart out for no better reason then you jus' can!

SM
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Shattered Glass

Day #2 of NYWM and I'm happy to say that I haven't left my bout of daily writing to 11pm. It's much earlier then that and I have a night of writing and brainstorming ahead of me. This is very exciting!

While catching up on some of the Jschool work I've missed from being sick, I watched a film called Shattered Glass. It captivates the true story of a prominent, young journalist writing for The New Republic for three years in the '90's. The only problem is, 27 of his 41 published stories were either partially or completely made up. Incredible! I think it's safe to say, I'm am now terrified to write as freely as I once did... However that won't stop me writing at all, in fact, it simply enforces the importance of your professional ethics and working as morally as you can. As with any job, a writer is still a profession.

So while this is only a short blog, again, I am proud that I've made the time to write down a few notes. Now that my mind and fingers are all warmed up, I'm ready for book reviews, editing, poetry and short story writing. Productivity, here I come!

SM
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Oh Dear

So here we are, a day in an already I'm scrambling to write up something, anything for my daily goal. It's 10:47pm and I've only just now, made time for a blog post. Terrible form, Siobhan! However in my defence, I did sleep alot today for waking up sick on the first day of winter. A lovely cold-sorey-weak kind of sick that's just ever so pleasant to deal with. Though this is no month for excuses, it's a month of productivity! For now I'll be off with a dissatisfied feeling of only writing such a short amount of words for my first day of National Young Writers Month but with greater hopes for the days (and productivity) to come!

SM
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