A Quick Update

After posting nearly every day for almost two months, I’m aware that this blog has looked a little empty of late. My explanation for this is simple: I had a dissertation to write. But as of 10pm yesterday evening that is complete, all 8,000 words of it, and now a more regular posting schedule can begin.

Despite the stress, I have been watching some fantastic television recently (Upstairs Downstairs, anyone?) and I even escaped to the theatre yesterday evening to catch DULOG (that’s Durham University Light Opera Group for those not in the know) performing RENT. So over the next few weeks you can expect a review of that, as well as a few more reviews, and maybe even some creative writing. Don’t you all feel lucky?

Stress and More Stress

You may have noticed an overload of pictures and an absence of actual words on here of late. This is because I am stressed. Very stressed. Ripping my hair out stressed. The situation is dire.

You see, my family came to visit last weekend, which meant that I spent a lot of time visiting crumbly old things and doing impressions of various Grey’s Anatomy characters (I have succeeded in getting my fifteen year-old brother addicted to Grey’s, my life is complete) and not a lot working. Then, when they finally left, I just had to go to the pub. Seriously, I did have to. A friend was visiting who I hadn’t seen in six months and who is about to move to Moscow for another six (or perhaps four, but either way it’s a long time). And then it was the beginning of Pride Week and I couldn’t not show off how out and proud I am, and then I rediscovered my love for Tetris, and then, and then…

In short, I have been procrastinating, and now I am stressed. It’s entirely my own fault but I’d still like to whine about it. Whine, and listen to the Spamalot soundtrack on repeat. And then tomorrow, get up and do as much dissertation work as possible, so that I don’t look like a massive fool in front of my supervisor on Friday. Wish me luck…

 

 

This is me right now. Too much to do, too little time in which to do it!

Christmas To Do List Update

Way back in December I set myself some goals for the Christmas holidays. I believe there was even some mention of public whipping if I failed to complete them (or that may just have been a punishment which I refused to accept). And now the question is, did I…

1. Write 5,000 words of my dissertation? I changed this target to 3,000 words pretty much as soon as I sat down to work on it and realised that 3,000 was all that I had to hand in to my supervisor. I’ve actually written 4,000 words, and have enough notes to write several thousand more – that’s this week’s job!
2. Blog twice a week? I more than succeeded in this goal, blogging every day from December 26th onwards. In this time I also managed to double my site views, proving that regular blogging really does work!
3. Update my CV? Added 2 bits of work experience to my CV, CV was updated. Easy goal is easy.
4. Apply for postgraduate journalism courses? This I didn’t do, but I did research the courses for which I wanted to apply and discover that most of the applications don’t have to be sent off until a couple of months before the courses start, so I have some time. That said, I won’t be leaving it much longer!
5. Consume my own body weight in chocolate? Chocolate, crisps, cake, pumpkin pie, you name it I ate it. And I have the spots to prove it!

I may not have quite succeeded in completing all of my goals, but I feel happy in what I’ve achieved in the past four weeks. Now to keep up the productivity for the next term!

Back to Blogging – My Christmas To Do List

Can you hear that? It’s time rushing by. I’ve been at home since Friday, and aside from completing some horrible aptitude tests (the bane of any finalist’s life), I’ve achieved a big fat nothing. Which means that if I’m going to achieve anything over the next four weeks, I’m going to need some goals. And, just to pile on the pressure, I’m going to put them up here for the whole of the internet to see – allowing you to point and laugh at my failure if I don’t complete them. And so, without further ado, on or before January 15th I will:

1. Write 5,000 words of my dissertation.
2. Blog twice a week.
3. Update my CV.
4. Apply for postgraduate journalism courses.
5. Consume my own body weight in chocolate – a girl’s gotta have some fun, right?

Depending on how I’ve got on with those precious 5,000 words of dissertation (which have to be submitted to my tutor for feedback on January 16th), I will update you as to whether I’ve achieved my goals. If I succeed, I expect cookies. If I fail, you may choose my punishment (however, I should warn you, I draw the line at public whipping).