Quiet Day It Is Then...

In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die. And where you invest your love, you invest your life...

A very nice lyric that just floated over my iPod speakers and into my ears. It made me smile and feel good about myself. It's both a very depressing indie statement that I like all too much because it's attached to an upbeat melody, but it's also a very sweet confession of love and life and everything in between. 

Let's face it, its raining outside, and my friends all have work, what else am I going to do, but consult the musical realms and sit here and write - well I suppose I might make a breakfast in a bit, and watch Avengers/Les Mis...

Don't you find that forcing yourself to have a lie-in is one of the most painful ways of sleeping?

I'm hoping to finish Bute Wall (But-e-wall) later so you all might have little messages to my other blog (the writing one) where I keep my secrets. Or I might just email you all the body of text that I'm forming, I haven't figured it out yet. 

Who knows, I might even do some Writing People stuff later (eek-eth, could you imagine?). Though saying that, something needs to be done about that. Perhaps in the coming months we'll figure it out again.

I don't have very much to say today, perhaps I will later, or tomorrow, but what're you going to do? It's my day off, it's Pay Day, it's raining, and no one's around.

Quiet day it is then...

Carpe diem...

Writing A Bit...

I think you all know by now that I tend to write about what I know (which I know, isn't very much - oh be belittled himself again), and as such the world of Palurin came about. For those of you who don't know, Palurin is my fantasy realm where epic adventures happen to all my characters, and not all have happily-ever-afters. They're not that sort of story/plot/narrative. Something things happen to my characters to build them up, and make them seem more normal than fantastical, and somethings happen to them that need to happen to drive the story forward, and the inevitable end I foresee for them all. 

However, there is also one other aspect about my characters that most people don't know. They're all based on real people I know. Some characters I enjoy writing, and I don't get to speak with or see the person they're based on for a very long time, and other characters I don't really like writing even though I know the real person and I know they wouldn't do half the things their character does. But there is one thing I can assure you, you do have a character, and they are living in my world, the world I created when I was eight, and the one I occasionally visit, though not as often as I'd like, and you've only made it there because you're significant to me, or you used to be. I'm sure you can put the pieces together, I've even posted some of them to wearethewritingpeople.co.uk: Apprentice, Lamia, Culling, and Prey being just a few (guess who they're about if you can).

But something in the week got me thinking about a new character. So please bare with me, and let me know what you think. It is only a first draft after all...

Carpe diem...

‘From a seafaring shore, far in the stormy northern waves, a tyrant rides the white horses they say.’ The tavern was a quiet place. A storm raged outside, and all decent folk had retreated to their homes. The odd traveller had sought refuge in the tavern, but not many, and none of them cared to hear a story from a drunken sailor. Though, he had spiked the curiosity of the barmaid who wiped down the table next to him.

‘Do they now?’ she asked, standing upright again. The drunken man turned to face the maid he hadn’t seen before, and threw all his attention on her.

‘Yes they do. The Red Captain sailing his Crimson Tabby, a fearless vessel; plundered a thousand ships, and pillaged a hundred villages, the bane of Elledjhon himself.’

‘One ship the bane of an Empire?’ The maid pressed for more details, allowing the rag in her hand to drip freely on the floor and slowly dry.

‘Oh yes, the Red Captain and his crew, daringly defiant in the face of death. They’ve fought off a dozen ships, some of the Elledjhon’s fleet, and sank them all. No survivors.’

‘So how do you know any of this is there weren’t survivors?’ the girl was quick witted and saw a lie when she was told one. His bloodshot eyes darted from her elegant blue ones like an untouched pool of sapphires caught in the sunlight.

‘Well, some say don’t they?’ the sailor busied himself finishing his pint.

‘They’re just stories you mean?’

‘Stories I’ve heard!’ he raised his voice and slammed his glass down on the table. ‘Stories I’ve had to prepare myself for.’ He grabbed the barmaid by her petticoat and dragged her closer to him. He looked her square in the eyes, baring his yellowing teeth in a menacing grin. ‘The entire fifth fleet has been ordered to search the northern waters and to eliminate the Crimson Tabby, and kill that bastard of a Captain and his crew at all costs,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘I am a crewman of the Strand, the flagship of the fifth, and I am scared.’ There was no fear in his eyes or voice, only distrust and fatigue. His grip didn’t loosen.

‘I’ve got to get back to work,’ she said innocently, but as she pulled away he pulled back. He moved his face closer to hers.

‘Won’t you comfort this sailor, ready to greet death at sea, before his last voyage?’ he forced his lips on hers. He tasted of rot and rum, like a back street dentist. She tried to raise a hand to him, but was stopped by his tanned forearm. There was barely any movement in the struggle, and no one noticed the commotion. All she needed to do was scream, but she didn’t. ‘You forget your place lass, it’s beneath a man.’

‘No sir, you’re wrong,’ she said calmly within his vice-like grip around her throat. Her rosen cheeks turned a redder shade. One arm clenched her fist, and his other started to fondle the folds of her dress.

She jolted, loosening his grip on her arm. Her hair, the shade of a sun sweetened cherry in the height of summer, swayed from its tidy bun until it dangled neatly by her shoulders. The movement was that of an instant, but the man ceased his actions. She had removed the dagger he kept upon his belt, and was pressing it against the soft flesh below his belt. She freed her arms and her dress, and stood above him. ‘You sir, are wrong.’ He looked at her confused. ‘It is you, who is beneath this woman.’ He flinched as she pressed the blade harder into his flesh until a little blood showed. ‘You have options, sir. You can run from here and join your fleet to die at sea, or I can kill you now. Either way, you die.’ She grinned a pleasant smile waiting for his response. It did not take long.

‘The fleet,’ he replied with a quivering voice. She removed the knife from his flesh and cleaned it on her petticoat. The man stood up, and wobbled. There was a thought tingling at the forefront of his mind, the barmaid could see it, working its way to his mouth. The man walked a few steps away from her before turning.

‘What makes you so sure that the fleet will fail?’ The woman sighed, facing him again. She threw the blade at the man and he fell backwards to the floor with a scream. The knife protruded from his right shoulder. The other travellers in the tavern took note of the next encounter. They were her witnesses. And none of them were heroic enough to intervene. The barmaid walked over the man who was shouting profanities at her. A sweat had come over him, and blood oozed onto the floor from his shoulder. She pressed a foot onto his right hand causing more screams and more terror.

‘I am so sure, because I shall take my ship, and my crew, and I shall eradicate the very existence of the fifth fleet from my waters. Understood?’ There was real fear in the man's eyes as he looked back at her. He saw her for who she was, he had seen death, he had seen the Red Captain.

A Few Ups And Downs...

Well, this week I had an interview...

I know right? But please, exhale from your astonished gasp now and I will tell you how my week is going. I think this week is a busy week in the life of me at the moment - well I say that, I have a daily unpaid routine of housework and my own work that I aim to do, but this weekend was filled with Borderlands 2 as illustrated by myself in this week's Badly Drawn Adventure on wearethewritingpeople.co.uk

So, after that quite relaxed weekend, well relaxed as can be with housework and you know, other family members, Monday came around and I was blissfully alone again.

I applied for some jobs, wrote a review of Borderlands and set it away to IGN.com, I sent away a few comic strips to the Seaside News, and then I got on with the game. Now keep in mind that I had done all that before midday, so yay me!

1pm came and I got a phone call asking me whether I would be interested in an interview on the Tuesday (the day after), I enthusiastically replied and we agreed the time, and that was that, I returned to my game with even more achievement in my mind.

You should also remember that I've only managed to acquire 1 interview in all my 8 months as a Job Seeker, so to have a second was excellent news.

Anyway, Tuesday comes, and here's where it gets messy...

I woke up early, calculating my daily schedule - I had a Prince's Trust meeting at 11am and the interview wasn't until 2:45pm so I had time. I got up, dressed, readied myself.

UP - I got a lift to the station from my father, who offered.

DOWN - I completely forgot my PIN at the station to buy a ticket, so I had to resort to cash before I locked my card, at the station.

UP - in Cardiff I had time to spare so I went exploring to find the place of my interview and an ATM to practice my PIN, I got it right and I was a bit chuffed.

DOWN - I got to the Costa I was meeting my Prince's Trust Mentor in, and I typed in what I thought my PIN was, but it turned out the ATM had tricked me, and I managed to lock my card. I paid for my coffee in coins, and I was skint. 

UP - my meeting with the Prince's Trust was very productive, informing, and useful. I'm encouraged to set myself some goals to achieve before the next meeting hence having written, edited, and sent away Real Magic, and sent away my comic strip, etc. I also applied for a Grant from the Prince's Trust for £250.

DOWN - I had time to kill between the meeting and the interview, in the rain.

UP - I waited in a comfortable chair in the bank while I sorted out my card problems. I've got a new PIN and Card in the post, somewhere.

DOWN - it rained almost all the time between my bank issues and the interview, so I was a bit wet.

UP - I filled out the form they wanted me to, making sure my contact details were correct, and up-to-date. (It was a bit awkward writing in the employment section - Unemployed.)

DOWN - So what interest do you have in Sales and Marketing?...erm. Now I don't know about you, but those sorts of questions scare me. The Job Application didn't actually say anything about Sales or Marketing - it was more along the lines of '!FILM AND GAME FANATICS WANTED!' - I tried to research the company as well, but their website was a bit dated, and their press releases, and I committed them all to memory - there were only three - were about 1. Businesses need Social Networks, 2. Cardiff Business School's New Building, and 3. NASA make a Comet Harpoon. 

I obviously couldn't put two and two together, linking Sales and Marketing to NASA, but there you go.

My interviewer, giving me the hard sale, told me that it was basically a door-to-door sales person position trying to sell LoveFilm to households. There were two things flying around in my head when I was told that, I hate the door-to-door salesmen, and I'm a Netflix customer (LoveFilm's main competitor). 

I didn't say any of that by the way, it was just a quick 15mins preliminary interview, and he said that I would get a phone call later on that evening, whether or not I had acquired a second interview on either Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. 

I got home and waited...

And waited, and waited, and waited...

It's Thursday now, and I think it's safe to say that I didn't get the position. Oh well, it was a commission only position anyway, and I don't think I could work hard at something I don't particularly want to do, with no guarantee of getting paid at the end of the day.

Anyway, that was that. And I got to go to a Job's Fair in Bridgend Recreation Centre yesterday. Which basically went something like, all the unemployed people in Bridgend descend upon this one place in the hopes of getting a job. 

The thought went through my mind that it could have been a trap and we were all just going to be culled to reduce the unemployed statistic. 

Anyway, I was there, with all my unemployed brethren, and upon speaking to the majority of people - the GoWales and Bridgend College people were useful - I told them that I was a Graduate of Creative Writing, and their eyes shot open with fright. 'And what do you want to do with that?' they asked, as if I was being a stupid person, 'Well, I'd quite like to be a writer,' was my reply. 

Needless to say, the construction industry, along with nearly all the recruitment officials there were could not help me. 

I did bump into a very nice Work Experience Journalist for the Gazette on my way to the Job Centre though. She was trying to find people who had watched 'The Valleys' or whatever it was called. We talked a bit about work experience and such and she had managed to get 3-days out of the gazette. 3-DAYS!

I'm sorry, but people at the Gazette, 3-days is just not good enough. That's not an experience of work, that's hardly a taster. She wasn't even mentored (I suppose you don't actually have to be to write, but still).

So in the last fortnight I've managed to apply for 2 Grants, get nominated for 2 Awards, and I'm going to be published in the Seaside News soon. But I'll probably tell you all about that later on.

Carpe diem, until next time bloggers...

The Summer Is Here...

Well, it's now Summer time and the last time I spoke to you all was April. So, what's been happening? 

The world has started to deteriorate, lo and behold the 2012 destruction has begun, Greece is now a third-world country, but what have I been up to? I hear you ask, as you're all very interested in me, after all that's the reason you're reading this.

Well, if you haven't been to www.wearethewritingpeople.co.uk yet then that would explain all. 

My daily activities seem to revolve around this site, the brain child of The Writing People, and as such my own personal writing has somewhat taken a backburner, or not, depending on your view of things. 

I'm currently writing for the website, every Monday, providing lots of content for the site, but also in my back catalog. However, if I hadn't started this I might have focused all my efforts on Real Magic - which you can read over the first draft if you want. 

I'd love to hear your feedback, it's all very close to the wind or whatever, said the readers that I've already had the comments from. 

I don't know how to write any of these anymore. I'm sure I'll get back to you by the end of the week and say something meaningful or productive. But until then...

Carpe diem, bloggers...

The 92nd Amendment...

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...

So it's been a while yet again. And I don't think I have an excuse this time. Not one excuse, which isn't like me.

I've recently discovered Coffee, which is either a good thing or a bad thing. I think I had a withdrawal thing this morning, to which I drank and the pain went away. I could be addicted. Hmm...

Anyway, this was only ever going to be a quick hello and a tell you how I'm getting on. I'm writing a NaNoWriMo entry this year, and I'm already 15,000 words behind where I want to be on the 9th November, but that's like a day's work, right?

I'm also growing my mustache for Movember. I know, I know, stop laughing - I probably won't end up like this:

But here's a video explaining everything about Movember:

And here's my progress video:

So please Sponsor My Mo here. I think that's about it. I'll try to update more and more as the year dies. It's my birthday next week, and I don't know what I'm doing for it just yet, perhaps I should figure that one out now.

Carpe diem, until next time bloggers...

Something New...

It occurred to me last night, whilst speaking with my friends/peers/betters (what ever you wish to be known as) that this blog could be of more use for me as something productive, than something or rather some place for me to moan and groan about the pangs of life. So, after 75 Posts to Making the Unmissable Missable I am going to turn everything around and use this space as a productive workshop for my ideas and a hunting ground for new ones to be slaughtered on this page like freshly squeezed words from a pen.

And without much further ado, may I present to you something I re-found recently, as it was something I wrote inspired by 'L.A. Noire' while Tag was still playing it before the summer. I really must acquire that game somehow. Anyway, I how you enjoy whatever this is or even cold be, and if you have any ideas, don't hesitate to inform me through the proper channels.

Also, for your information, in my older age I've lost the ability to title my scribblings so I've simply labled this 'Something New' (OMG he said the title of the blog in the blog! I love it when people do that!) in the hope that something new will happen and indeed get titled.

“His face. That is all I remember. The creamy eyes to the deep lustful lips. He had no hair, but dark skin. He wore a collar of blue feathers, and...and... I do not remember much else I’m afraid to say. He was with them. He was one of them.”

“But you don’t remember?”

“I remember enough. Or what was left to me to remember. He took them, he took my memories. I have had no childhood, no youthful experiences, no first love, or murder, or betrayal, or happiness. It is strange to think that I have no happiness in my life. I might have done once might you think? Though all I remember is the here and now. So inspector, ask what you will.”

“But you’re here. How can’t you remember God-damn-it?! HOW?”

“I do not know how. I do not know who, where, or when if you are going to ask those questions as well in your enquiry. I simply do not remember.”

“Bullshit. Alright then, riddle-me-this smart ass. Why?”

“Why?”

“Yeah, you said you didn’t know how, who, where, or when, so why?”

“I see your reasoning. I do know why.”

“Well?”

“Well what, inspector?

“Well tell me Motherfucker!”

“I understand. You do not need to become aggressive inspector. The reason why they needed to do this to me is because they needed this to be done to me. Otherwise you would be asking me all these questions and I would be lying to you.”

“You little shit. You think this is funny do you?!”

“It would have been an amusing outcome would you not say inspector?”

“Who says you’re not lying to me now?”

“Careful inspector, one might think you might lose your temper. I don’t think it would be good for either of us. I would be battered or bruised or dead for one, and you. Well you would be discredited. Disgraced, humiliated.”

“Er, Inspector Sir? ...Sir? ...John?”

“Yes what is it?”

“The Super’s down the corridor and you’ve got the suspect by the neck. Do you want him to walk free?”

“No, I want him to confess!”

“Well as we both know inspector, my memory has been erased, and we both know that I cannot answer any of your questions, and the more I think about it I am becoming less inclined to do so anyway. You have been showing me your true colours after all.”

“John, we need to go. It’s not our case. John quickly for God’s sake.”

“They knew you wouldn’t talk, didn’t they?”

“Would if I could.”

“John, let’s go!”

Carpe diem, until next time bloggers...

P.S. I will more often than not be moaning about life soon, so don't worry those of you who enjoy reading the disappointingly teenage angst this twenty year old goes though. Oh how immature I am.

The 2.2 of Disappointment...

Q: Hello sir, I'd like to ask you five questions concerning your degree. Do you mind?

A: No, not at all.

Q: Okay, here goes. Why did you do your degree?

A: Well I originally did my degree because I didn't know it existed. I saw the course title 'Creative Writing' and thought, that could be good. Though of course I should have taken history like the Stanford Test suggested, but I didn't want a test telling me what to do with my life when I didn't know what to do with my life. And it was by sheer chance and my perversion that I chose to study Creative Writing at Trinity. It had the prettier girls.

Q: How did you feel when you received your 2.2?

A: Well I wasn't best pleased, to put it lightly, after all I was expecting everyone to receive 2.1's and do exceptional in the things that we hadn't received the marks in yet. So yes, I was very disappointment and annoyed at myself. I was actually annoyed with plenty of other people on my course as well. Those less deserving than I, I thought. Very pretentious of me. Though what else am I going to think when those in question don't buy the books, don't turn up to lectures, and don't do their work in time? And I work my hardest, the hardest I've ever worked for academia, and I come up under where I want to be. It makes you think that you shouldn't try so hard for something, if it doesn't come naturally then it won't come at all. Though saying all these negative things I am really proud of those people who did get higher than me, and I am proud of those people because I know they worked for it as hard as I did. I am proud.

Q: Where do you think you went wrong?

A: What sort of question is that? Though I suppose if I were to answer it, I would say that I did not interact in class enough, I did not talk to my lecturers after receiving marks back, to see where I was going wrong, and I did not read enough. So if that was the case then I'm sure I wasn't cut out of academia.

Q: What will you be doing now?

A: I don't actually know. I don't think I'll be doing any proper work until after I come back from my holiday in a couple of weeks. Though if I were to answer properly, at the moment I'm in the process of writing a screenplay with a few friends of mine, I am leading a team of writer so that we might develop and create a Zombie Apocalypse in Carmarthen, and I'm also waiting to hear back from the Cardiff International Poet of the Year Competition among other competitions I've entered. So all I've got to do is keep writing, and I'm sure something will come from it. Though, as for my personal progression, I will be learning Italian, learning how to drive, and getting much fitter and Vin Diesel like.

Q: Okay good, good, one final question. Would you do it all again? The same way? Everything?

A: Yes. Simply yes, there's no doubt about it. Though I'm definitely sure that there would be things I'd change. If not the marks, but definitely the occasions when I needed to be more of a man and the ones where I just needed to be a person. Perhaps if I'd done what I thought about doing during those occasions then perhaps I'd be more of an emotionally acceptable person. But that's just perhaps.

So yes, I got a 2.2. I am now a Bachelor of Arts with Honours. And I've finally gotten over myself and would like to congratulate everyone I know. And I would also like to announce that I am incredibly proud of HB Sauce for her 2.1. I can think of no one more deserving. Well done, even though I know you won't read this.

So without university I wouldn't have done this blog, and with it you've witnessed the emotional madness that is my mind. I wouldn't change who I am, who I've befriended, or who I love, even though I know some of them would.

But that's me, until next time bloggers...

P.S. Just a quick question to see who is still reading this 66 Posts on. If you could change one aspect of my life, what would it be? I know the question is about me, but meh, it's my blog.

Three Rings of the Elven Kings...

Yes that's right, I'm watching the Lord of the Rings...

Man I'll tell you something for nothing - if I were to watch any set of films from now until death I would watch these. And not only that I would get loads done.

Nothing major mind, perhaps build a few thousand flat packs, write thousands more novels, with accompanying backstory, maps, and other details, and I'd make some great table top gaming models, paint them brilliantly, and have some fantastic scenery to go along with them. I'd also have this constant urge to read the Lord of the Rings and other Epic Fantasies. Man oh man, these films are great, I've got the urge to do everything - literally loads.

But there's nothing to do, so I'm just sitting back and watching these writing this. Perhaps writing a bit more than this. I've written my own Dwarven Script now - so I don't have to steal Tolkien's ever again (Hi Professor), and I'm working on the Elven Script. I've been thinking about commissioning someone arty to re-draw my map, so I can get it printed A3 size - I've been thinking how I'm going to re-arrange my room when I get back, and I've been thinking what to do with my life.

Wow these films are inspiring.

I have also just received my American Goodies from my American friend. Today is a good day, today is Lord of the Rings day.

But that's me, until next time bloggers...

Nick-nack Paddywack...

Hello everyone...

It's been a short while hasn't it? Well I'm a part of the Ffrinj next week and I haven't written anything. Worrying indeed.

Not even that but I've got to write the Carmarthen Zombies with my friends, I have a couple of writing competitions to enter, I still don't know whether I'm Cardiff's International Poet of the Year, I've got my own writing to focus on, I want to learn a bit of Italian before I leave, and I've got to start work on looking like Vin Diesel.

Man I'm busy, or at least I should be. But instead I'm more interested in helping my friends make and play this Dragon Age D&D game.

Meh, you never know. I might get around to doing some of this work. Who knows.

Oh, and I've been watching lots of Bones recently, hence the title.

But that's me, until next time bloggers...

The Pangs of Life...

As you know the University Experience is over and as such everyone is moving out.

This an unfortunately sad occasion therefore and everyone is kind of on edge and doesn't know how to move on. Others are just leaving, ripping off the plaster as it were.

I, however, am lingering on to the very last.

I remember why I liked my degree and why I worked at it and got distracted in all the geeky things I do - I liked it and those geeky things because it all made me forget about how sorry my life actually is.

Damn it, I hate feeling sorry for myself especially when I know I shouldn't be. There are people who are far worse off than I but this still happens. When I don't have anything to do I always realise how alone in the world I actually am. And not only that but the person I actually do fancy/admire/love doesn't seem too bothered in me. That makes me feel great.

Pill thinks I should tell her the reasons behind me not saying 'Yes' to her last summer, but I don't want the relationship, if one emerges, to begin on a bed of excuses. Man oh man I'm love-sick and I just don't want to continue saying any of this but I've got to vent somehow!

I just don't want to hurt anymore.

I just hope with all this pain and anguish that I can write some bloody good poetry.

But that's me, until next time bloggers...

And So It Ends...

Well that was that. University in all its wondrous and life making brilliance...

I promise I won't summaries anything. But these past 2 weeks I've never been so exhausted, and all I was doing was writing and presenting presentations.

The iEvolve Conference went extremely well thank you very much. I got many a laugh and an email afterwards from one of my lecturers asking for an image I used.

FYI it was this one:

I thought that'd make you chuckle. All around its been a good time. We just don't know what to do with ourselves now. There's no structure to our lives, the widening gyre, the falcon cannot hear the falconer. Man I love that poem. Things fall apart.

So everything is all well in the world, apart from now its down to Me and a few others to create the backstory to the Carmarthen Zombie Apocalypse (CZA) which is very cool.

I might find out whether I'm Cardiff's International Poet of the Year, I'll be reading something in the Carmarthen Ffrinj this year at the Dylan Thomas Boathouse, and I've got to try and finish my major literary masterpiece. Not much to do with a lot of time on your hands now is there?

Oh and I've got to fit in countless hours of Xbox and Tv.

I also think things with HB Sauce are looking up. I might ask her if she wants to catch a film, see what she says. Wish me luck. Wait, this isn't the end, it's only just the beginning (Ooooh I said it! Hi Tag!)

But that's me, until next time bloggers...