Homecoming

I'm going back home to Sweden tomorrow. It feels weird. It's as if I've always been here, but at the same time it feels as if I only came here last week. Where on earth did all that time go? Not that it's not going to be nice coming back home. Borta bra men hemma bäst, trots allt.

Still. I'm certainly glad I chose to come here. I've had so much fun, and I've even managed to pick up a hint of a proper British accent during my stay. Just you wait. Soon I'll start sounding like Spice Girls.

NaNoWriMo

Since I reached 50k so early on (it took me 14 days) I have decided to aim for 100k instead. 'Cause, you know, who needs sanity. Or sleep.
It shouldn't be too difficult, however - I need to average 3334 words per day in order to reach 100k, and since I have proved in the past that I can, without too much difficulty, come up in 5k a day, I should be fine.
Hopefully.

Ridiculous

At first I laughed, because it was ridiculously hilarious. I mean, honestly, if all those women could smell him from that far away he must have put on just a bit too much.
Then I got offended, because this is incredibly sexist.

NaNoWriMo progress

Broke the 20k barrier today. I've never been this far ahead in NaNoWriMo before. I kind of like it. Most of it has been written in the evenings, usually when I've realized that I haven't written anything during the day, which tends to lead to a 2-hour writing frenzy. So far it seems to be working quite well.

Socializing

I was planning to go to one of the write-ins today, but it's cold and rainy and windy outside and my pajamas are so very comfortable. I'll just have to write on my own today and attend the write-in on Wednesday, instead. I'm going to get to 10k words today (hopefully), which means one fifth will be done. That's kind of neat.

On another note, archery was pretty awesome last night. We got to try shooting with a sight, which was an interesting experience as you draw the bow differently to make up for the fact that you're aiming with the sight rather than the arrow. I still think I prefer doing it au naturale, but it was still fun to try it.

The neighbours were shooting fireworks last night. Actually, quite a few people were shooting fireworks last night - I could see it all from my window (yay for seeing the whole town from my window). I have no idea why they were doing it though. It might be in preparation for bonfire night or something, but I'm not sure.

Speaking of bonfire night, I'm quite tempted to head to Lewes tomorrow, 'cause they're apparently quite famous for their bonfire celebrations. It would be kind of cool to see it, and, you know, be able to say that I've celebrated Guy Fawkes' night in England.

Procrastination

Procrastination is the finest of arts.

Look, a couple of ravens!

A squirrel.

A fat dove.

And a pair of guinea pigs! Wait, what?

No, they're not real. Apparently the neighbours think it's a good idea to have guinea pig statues in their garden.

Dreaming of countdowns

NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow, my literary exam is on friday. Guess which I'm more excited about?

I even dreamt about NaNoWriMo, and for some reason - in my dream - I was in lapland doing it.

Counting down

Only two days left till NaNoWriMo now. God I am getting excited.

Also, fun fact: only three days left till my Literary Survey exam. Whoop whoop.

And it's only 50 days left until it's time to go back home. Time sure flies - it doesn't feel like I've been here for two months already.

Countdown

Five days left now. I've added a word-count thingamajig there on the side here, just under the 'about' section, so that you all can see my progress.

You know, for fun.

NaNoWriMo

Only seven days left till NaNoWriMo now. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't ridiculously, pants-pissing excited. I have sooo many ideas of what to write, so now I just have to decide whether I should just pants it (write without a plot, or even a goal, in mind) or work on getting started on what could become a proper novel that I could send off to published-land.

Oh, the decisions.

Mist

It's a bit foggy out today, wouldn't you agree?

I can usually see as far as to the sea and the other side of town from my window. Today I could see as far as to next doors.

Bookelibookbook

I bought a book today. Second hand, of course.

More foood

I made me some stroganoff for lunch.

A delicious beef-leek-mushroom stroganoff:

 .
It looks awfully healthy, doesn't it?

Something tells me I'll have food for a while.

Foood

Went grocery shopping today, so now I have enough groceries to make my awesome stroganoff (4 portions), the broccoli-fetacheese-hoummus-thing Matilda told me about (4 portions) and pasta-sallad (4 portions). I've also bought pasta sauce, both tomato and herbs and a carbonara one, which makes up for a total of 8 portions. I can live with this.

Priimark

So me and Matilda went to Primark today. Again. Ahem. I might have accidentally bought a few things. Maybe.

First of is a purple skirt:

And here's a red skirt, which I fully intend to wear for Christmas.

Two pairs of stockings, one red and one green. (Yet again, Christmas.)

A pair of dark green jeans. I'm turning into such a pantser.

A purple pair of jeans:

And here's the purchase of the day: Purple shoes.

Purple shoes.

Purple shoes.

I own purple shoes.

Archery and writing

I'd forgotten how much I love archery. Whoop whoop! Now I just need to get awesome at it again so that I can keep doing it when I get back home to the motherland. Also, for anyone interested, I am going to add a archer tab (a patch of leather you use to protect the fingers you draw the bow with), an arm-guard (so I don't get any bruises) , and a bag for my bow (because the box I keep it in now is a bit too cumbersome to drag to archery practice every week) to my Christmas wish list. Just so you know.

On another note, there're only 25 days left to NaNoWriMo, and boy am I starting to get excited. 50000 words in 30 days. Surely one of them will be good.

Shirtelishirtshirtshirt

I bought a new shirt today (and a belt, but that one wasn't nearly as interesting).

Linguistics

Linguistics is a bloody interesting subject, I have to say. I'm reading Jean Aitchison's (gesundheit) book Language Change: Progress or Decay? and I have to say it's one of the more interesting books (not counting the ones read purely for pleasure) I have read in a while. It's just a shame that our linguistics teacher sort of sucks.

Ah, well, I suppose I'll just have to study on my own. Besides, since I plan to apply to the bachelor's programme in Linguistics for next autumn, I dare say that it won't be too problematic.

School

Today I'm going to write a 500 word essay on whether or not co-ed is better than single sex education. Then, I'm going to go do some ballet, and when I get back I am going to read some romantic poetry (romantic as in the time-period, not wishy-washy roses are red violets are blue nonsense.)

I might also get some other reading done. Just maybe.

Happy birthday to me!

Today I turned old! So very old.

Okay, not really that old.

Me and Matilda went out to eat delicious dinner at the local pub/restaurant called - I kid you not - The Dyke.

Seriously. It's called The Dyke. The Dyke.

The food was delicious, though. I ate a wild mushroom lasagna, and it was simply delicious.

Here, have some pictures:

Books all over the place

I love my new Kindle. I love it so much that I've filled it up with quite a few books.

To be precise, these books:

A Dance With Dragons, by George R. R. Martin

A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll

As You Like It, by William Shakespeare

Blood of Requiem, by Daniel Arenson

Call of the Herald, by Brian Rathbone

Demon Lord, by T. C. Southwell

Dracula, by Bram Stoker

Eye of the Wizard, by Daniel Arenson

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by J. K. Rowling.

Foul is Fair, by Chantal Halpin

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley

Grimm's Fairy Stories, by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

H.P. Lovecraft the Complete Collection, by H. P. Lovecraft

Harry Potter books 1-7, by J. K. Rowling

Johannes Cabal the Detective, by Jonathan L. Howard

Johannes Cabal the Necromancer, by Jonathan L. Howard

Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute, by Jonathan L. Howard

King Henry V, by William Shakespeare

King Richard II, by William Shakespeare

King Richard III, by William Shakespeare

Language An Introduction to the Study of Speech, by Edward Sapir

Mageborn: The Blacksmith's Son, by Michael G. Manning

Moby Dick, by Herman Melville

Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles, by Kim Newman

Mort, by Terry Pratchett

Nekropolis, by Tim Waggoner

New Latin Grammar, by Charles E. Bennett

Night of Wolves, by David Dalglish

On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin

Othello, by William Shakespeare

Prince of Thorns, by Mark Lawrence

Pygmalion, by Bernard Shaw

Quidditch Through the Ages, by J. K. Rowling

Shakespeare's Sonnets, by William Shakespeare

The Blue Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

The Book of Dragons, by E. Nesbit

The Comic Latin Grammar, by Percival Leigh

The Crimson Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

The Dragon and the Raven, by George Alfred Henty

The Green Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

The Iliad, by Homer

The Lilac Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

The Man in the Iron Mask, by Alexandre Dumas

The Olive Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

The Orange Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

The Painted Man, by Peter V. Brett

The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde

The Pink Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

The Red Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

The Redemption of Althalus, by David and Leigh Eddings

The Unsuspecting Mage, by Brian S. Pratt

The Violet Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

The Weight of Blood, by David Dalglish

The Yellow Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang

Thinblade, by David A. Wells

Three Ghost Stories, by Charles Dickens

Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare

Shopaholic

I've bought clothes today at Primark (and 14 books for my kindle) as another happy birthday to me thingie. Now, me buying clothes - and books - isn't too strange. The strange part here is what kind of clothes I bought.

I've bought trousers. Me. Trousers. What is going on here?

This first outfit here is my ballet outfit. They said wear something comfortable, so something comfortable I bought. Go me.

Now here's the fun part. This is my sexy new plaid shirt, and my new jeans. Skinny jeans.

Another shirt I bought (from the mens section lololol) as well as the jeans again.

And here's a tunic-blouse thingamajig I found in a second hand shop. I just couldn't resist it.

And this, my dear readers, is what happens in archery-class. Giant bruises. Fun times.

A pint o' milk.

Me and Matilda spent the day on campus today. She to study, and I to try out fencing and archery. In the end I never did try out the fencing, but I am so going to continue with the archery. I have bruises on my arm. That pretty much means I'm a sucky shot. xD

Oh, and we ate lunch today, and I bought a pint of milk. It was adorable.

I mean, honestly. It comes in pints!

Tech-geeking.

Hoe gawd hoe gawd hoe GAWD my Kindle has arrived!

Owls, everyone is from the bowels~

Me and Matilda went to Primark today to look for clothes to wear to our ballet-classes (yes, we're gonna ballet here in Brighton). I ended up buying two new pairs of stockings (one orange pair and one purple pair!) and then I found something so glorious I had to have it.

I have sold my soul. To the owls:

Dictionaries

My pretty little collection of mini-dictionaries. I like them.

Essays

I am totally getting into this whole studying and writing essays thing. Not only do I already have one of the three (at minimum) secondary sources we need for the literary essay, I am going to look up six more in the library tomorrow. I'm also going to look at different portrayals of the MacLady on youtube. I'm on a roll.

Speaking of essays, I may also have come up with a topic for the upcoming linguistics essay: Internet's effect on the English language. I figured I'd look at how people seem to be unable to spell on the internet, and contrast it with the sheer number of grammarnazis that seem to exist out there, as well as discuss how internet-language is seeping into everyday life and what effects that might have on the English language.

Am I awesome or am I awesome?

That's right, I'm fucking awesome.

Food

Now I can add beef and mushroom stroganoff to the list of things I can actually cook. And I was even smart enough to make enough to give me two lunchboxes, as well! I am awesome.

Spendrift - or not.

A week's worth of lunch and dinner for just 17 quid. Am I good or am I good?

That's right, I'm fucking awesome.

Considering that my budget allows me to spend £76 each week on food, I'd say I'm doing pretty well.

Essays and individual tutorials

It felt quite good when the teacher said that there seemed to be nothing I needed help with on the individual tutorial on the literary essay, and then said that he thought I had the right attitude and that he had high hopes about my essay.

Now I just have to make sure I actually write a bloody spectacular essay, and everything will be fine.

We also had literary class today, and Mr. Douche is seriously beginning to shape up. It was a wonderful class, where we discussed metaphysical poetry and listened to music.

Studying

I've started reading White Teeth, by Sadie Smith, and what I've read so far (the first chapter) is absolutely brilliant. I'm looking forward to read the rest of it, never mind that it's the thickest book we have to read for this course - it's a whole 540 pages. Piece of cake, I say!

I've also started on Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley (for those who for some reason didn't know that~). I've read it before, a couple of years ago, and I'm glad I have to re-read it. It is beautifully written, and I have a bit of a soft spot for the supernatural and horror, so it's right up my alley.

Tomorrow we're gonna discuss the metaphysical poets and a few selected poems, and I have to say I really enjoy analyzing poetry, much more so than analyzing novels. I suppose it's because when I read novels in my spare time I am not interested in analyzing it in depth rather than enjoying the story. We're also going to get individual tutorials on a topic for the literary essay, and I'm rather tempted to write about the MacLady. She's just too much fun.

Sexism

My foot crème has to be the most sexist thing I own. Not only is the brand called 'loosewomen' (I kid you not), on the back of it it claims it will leave 'feet so soft he won't notice you walking all over him.'

It gets even better when you know that on the back of the hand crème it says 'rub into hands until diamond appears'.

It's so sexist it's hilarious, I love it!

Studying like a boss

Macbeth, a few metaphysical poets and excerpts from Paradise Lost. Seems like I'm going to have a fun day today~

Even more Macbeth

So Lady Macbeth, she's a card.

Seriously. That woman is vile. Her hubby had just convinced himself not to commit regicide, and then she comes and totally takes the jam out of his doughnut. It makes for very entertaining reading.

I hath been Macbeth'd. Again.

Hooray for index flags! No, I'm not abusing them, not at all.

And yes, I verbed a name in the title. So sue me! (please don't. I have no money.)

As you can see, the introduction in this version of Macbeth turned out to be quite interesting, too. Go figure.

Macbeth commiting McMurder to become McKing

Considering that we're supposed to write a 1500 word essay on the thing, I have spent my evening reading the introduction to Penguin's edition of Macbeth.

As you can see, I did find some of it interesting.

Some.

School and stairs

Today we have discussed Macbeth. For four hours. Fun times.

Actually, it was kind of fun. The play is interesting enough, and today we were introduced to a new teacher who'll be in charge of our literary essay, and I have to say out of the ones we've met so far he is definitely the best. He's a bit scatterbrained, which isn't really something to mind, but he knows his stuff and we had a real fun class. We also had Mr. Douche, but he wasn't as bad as during the first class.

And today me and Matilda decided to try the stairs going from the train station up to our roads. Looks fun, doesn't it?

One week

We've been here for a week now. In one way it doesn't feel like it's that long, but still, a whole week? Sheesh.

Anyway. Matilda and I decided to forego the beach today and instead found a nice little park nearby (Withdean park) where we sat for a couple of hours to discuss Macbeth for the upcoming literary survey class. Fun times.

The park had a little pond, and it had fish and everything. We were very impressed.

It wasn't a very big park, but it was quite cozy.

Matilda.

Me.

A tree (one of many).

Look, another tree.

More tree.

Something we decided we'd have to explore some other day.

Matilda and a bunch of dead leaves. I knew it was supposed to be Autumn!

More magpie

And now I drew another one. And unlike the previous one, this one isn't a copy of a picture - I drew it all on my own (I might have glanced at several pictures of magpies just to get the feathers and proportions right. Maybe).

Here's the sketch beginning to take the form of a bird.

Now the outline is basically finished.

And here we have a magpie! I'm not too happy with the feet, but they'll have to do.

Magpie

Another magpie sketch. Though for this one I used coloured pencils as well; Black (for the black parts, duh) and green and blue for the wings. Fun times.

Sunny weather

I think Brighton has forgotten that it's supposed to be in England; the weather has been ridiculously warm and sunny the last few days.

So warm and sunny, in fact, that we opted for a day at the beach. (Yes, I think the heat may have gotten to me.)

As per usual I brought the camera, so here's some pictures.

Here's on our way down. This is the underside of a bridge which we thought looked quite fancy.

Some more of the under-bridge.

More bridge.

And even more bridge.

Here's the other side.

And this is the exit of the tunnel under the bridge.

Another one of those painted things.

Some commercial for some music-thingie.

Another bridge.

Look, a cassette!

The beach. There were a fair few more people there today compared to yesterday.

Me and Matilda.

Beach!

Very white legs.

Some more beach.

And here's me on my way down to brave the water.

I'm almost there. On a sidenote, those stones are a bitch to walk barefoot on. Really painful.

I'm getting there!

About to get hit by a wave.

Water!

It wasn't nearly as cold as I thought it'd be.

And this is how far out I went.

Now I'm on my way back up those impossible stones.

Trying to walk, with some difficulties.

Here's to show just how many people were there.

They have really pretty lamps here by the beach.