Well, I don't know about you lot, but I'm knackered. This week there has been one too many meals out, evenings in the pub and late nights followed by early mornings. I'm pooped, and very relieved that I had the foresight to cancel a weekend helping my lovely friend Darren move. Sorry Darren, but I wouldn't have been much use anyway as a week of excess has left me with a rather delicate back! The good news is one of my meals out was with my writing chum Charlene. After a moan about work, flat hunting and Christmas shopping for those awkward family members (you know who you are!) we headed to Le Pain Quotidien in Covent Garden for a cake and to share some writing. Charlene seemed to quite like my effort (and mine hers too!), although she pointed out that it does need a bit of tweaking. But, it's Christmas. So below is a bit of a taster, just for you. I hope you like it - and I'd love to receive any feedback... Happy Reading. In the room, someone laughed. Sam joined in automatically. She looked around, a wide smile on her face, hopeful for a clue as to what had caused such hilarity. Miranda stared back, that standard quizzical expression on her face, from the 42 inch flat screen telly Sam’s son Jason had given the family this time last year. Sam took a swig from her can of lager and watched as the comedienne bungled about. “Stupid upper class bitch.” She muttered to herself as she put a cigarette between her lips. Taking a drag, she looked around the room again. In the corner next to the patio doors stood the Christmas tree. Sparsely decorated with twinkling fairy lights and uniform white and silver baubles (“so it doesn’t look cheap, mum” Angela had insisted) it glowed gently, a beacon of hope in the otherwise grey afternoon. Below it was the usual stack of present for the kids, the grandkids, Dave. It had been a struggle this year, but Sam wasn’t one to let the family down when it came to Christmas. “Er, hello? Earth to mum!” Sam turned in her seat to look at her daughter, her mouth already open to put her back in her place for her cheek. Behind her youngest stood Ellie, the new girl on the estate who seemed to have latched on to Angela and the other more established kids. Sam tried to pull herself into a more upright position on the slouched sofa but, with her can on one hand and a fag in the other, soon gave up. She heard her daughter mutter something (Pissed. She had used the word pissed.) but chose to ignore it. “Y’all right girls? What you up to? What’s going on?” Angela rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “We’re going to the pub. Everyone else is going, it’s too cold to hang around out there. You got a tenner?” She held out her hand. Her expression was beyond expectant. There was no negotiating in her daughter’s large brown eyes, the eyes that never failed to bring back her father’s face to Sam no matter how hard she tried to block it out, to forget. Sam sucked at her teeth and rolled her eyes in return as she popped her cigarette between her lips and delved into her jeans pocket. Casually she inspected the contents. One crumpled ten pound note, a couple of pound coins and some shrapnel. All she had left until the 28th. And certainly not enough to pay the rent. The rent. Sam nearly snorted a laugh.
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Okay folks, I need your advice. How on earth does one fit in flat hunting, preparing for Christmas, having a social life AND writing around a demanding full time job? Seriously, I need to know! It has been a manic week, and, whilst it has been pretty darn good, it’s also been pretty exhausting - I haven’t had a night in since Monday. Let me summarise... Magic Flute at the Collesium on Tuesday – a fantastic night, especially as some kind soul handed in my mobile phone rather than nicking it after I left it in the pub... Choir practice on Wednesday – always a pleasure! Christmas shopping and dinner at Seven Dials on Thursday – with only two stocking fillers purchased, not the most productive, but fun all the same. Flat viewing on Friday, which lead to an offer being made (watch this space) and me losing my mobile phone once more, this time in the estate agents car. Someone shoot me. Choir concert and The Dance Before Christmas at The Vaults on Saturday, fuelled by Red Bull, great music and a large Cornish pasty. And this week isn’t looking any quieter... The good news is, among the mayhem, I have managed to write three quarters of a short story which I intend to share with my writing buddy Charlene on Tuesday over dinner and, if I’m happy with the end result, I hope to enter in the ABC Tales Christmas competition. Watch this space for its online publication... On that note, I shall say adieu. Its seven thirty and I want to call my sister and my mum, polish off said short story and have a well earned soak in the tub before bed... wish me luck! Today folks, I am immensely proud of myself. Not only have I made it to yet another birthday, but I have also managed to get my sorry ass to college after celebrating a friend's 40th last night - oh, and treating myself to a Jack Daniels at midnight. And I am so glad I made the effort. Ladies and gentleman, let me introduce you to picmonkey, the online photo editing programme which is quick and easy to use - and completely FREE! Let me illustrate. To the left you will see a lovely photo I took on Bonfire night (yep, still a big kid at heart) and below, my picmonkeyed version, which I created in about 2 minutes. HOW COOL IS THAT???!!! So, what with firework displays, birthday parties and lots of other extra curricular activities, it's been a busy week. It started off with the Red magazine networking event Meet the Editors on Monday evening. Whilst it was interesting to hear how they all got to the top of their game, I have to admit I found the whole thing a little disappointing. At the end of the day, I know the theory - but when it comes to actually getting a break in the world of writing (and arting and crafting for that matter) it ain't that easy. But I also think it is time for me to stop faffing and start doing - and start doing in a more focused manner. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to get my life in order. Oh, and to treat myself to a big fat slice of birthday cake... Hello my lovelies. Again I have been more than a little slack when it has come to updating my wee blog. I know it’s a poor excuse, but life has been a bit hectic – the day job has been getting in the way (BOO!), flat hunting has been getting me all a bit stressed out (ARRRGH!) and people have been, well, getting on my nerves (GRRR!). Yes, my friends, it is time for a rant. The day job has been, to say the least, trying of late. Okay, so I’ve only been back for one week after a fortnight break, but it took me about half of my holiday to repair the damage that such a draining situation has caused. This is especially annoying as, not only have I been feeling completely wiped out after a day in the office, I have been left with no energy to do the things that I want to do – namely, the things that I write about in this blog. As for the flat hunting... well, at first it was kind of exciting finally looking to buy my own place. But several viewing no-shows and a general lacklustre service from practically every estate agent I have approach has left me feeling more than a little disheartened. But I shall stop there – planning a blog on the subject for AngloInfo later this month – watch this space! Then, along with the pressures that my employers and customers put on me and the trials of tribulations of trying to get estate agents to HELP YOU when your budget doesn’t allow for the kind of commission that gets them all excited, I’ve recently come across quite a few people who are, quite honestly, not very nice. Yes, there are the perpetrators who cause my customers such grief, but there are also people who have unbalanced the status quo in my private life – and the lives of those I love. The people who think that it is absolutely fine to cheat on their partners, lie to get a someone into bed and to sleep with their long term friends – only to dump their friendship when a new girl/boyfriend comes along who disapproves of their new squeeze having mates of the opposite sex. Even worse, there are then the people who seem to think it is absolutely fine to abuse their partners – physically, mentally, and/or emotionally. People like this make me ANGRY. But, folks, before you reach for the vodka – THERE IS HOPE! You see, whilst I have been observing from afar – and occasionally a bit closer – such disagreeable behaviour, I have also met some really inspiring people. People who, despite being abused, bereaved and sometimes emotionally damaged by the kind of people I have written about above, have stayed strong. In fact, they have not only stayed strong and laid to rest their demons, they’ve also reached out to help other people who are in more pain and have less confidence to let go move on with their lives. People who are truly inspiring and keep me going when things are looking more than a little bit grim. You know who you are ladies. Thank you for saving my sanity. So, there you have it. My blog for this week/fortnight/month, depending on how the next few weeks go. But, just to prove that I am still writing and painting – albeit not as much as I would like - here is the link to my London Staycation blog on the aforementioned AngloInfo website and a snap of my latest artwork in progress. Hopefully to follow soon will be a couple of guest blogs – and maybe the above pic in its completed glory. Keep smiling! Happy Friday one and all! I don’t want to know how long it is since I last blogged here but I know it’s been a while. Sorry about that, but, well, I’ve been really rather busy, mainly putting my body through hell whilst having a bloody good time. Those of you who read my Overground Underground blog (http://blogs.angloinfo.com/underground-overground/2013/06/05/mountains-and-molehills/) will know I’ve just been to Peru – and have since fallen in love with it – and anyone who follows me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/lovehatelondon) will also know that this week has been dedicated to recovering from a really rather wonderful weekend at the Isle of Wight Festival. It would appear that standing in a field bopping to a plethora of bands for four days starts to hurt in your thirties... So, needless to say, my creative endeavours have taken a back seat over the last month or so – but not completely. Following two rejections from literary agents (FOOLS!) I have written to two more, and managed to squeeze in a writing session between my jolly jaunts too. Other than that, I admit I’ve not done a lot – but I’ve had a break and am rearing to go. Of course, going to far flung places and being able to take a step back from the day to day grind has given me space to reflect, gain perspective – and be inspired. The stresses of work aren’t getting to me anywhere near as much as they did pre-Peru, and I thank the country for reminding me what is important in life – and not to sweat the small stuff. And, as corny as it sounds, it brought me back to earth – as in it reminded me how beautiful the world can be, even when it pushes you to your limits. So, on the way home I made this little sketch – and intend to turn it into a painting some time soon. Another great thing about travelling (and the silver lining of long haul flights with dreary stop-overs in dull airports) is that you get time to read – and devour a book in 24 hours. I practically inhaled Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood and found myself nodding away to Caitlin Moran’s How to be a Woman – and have been inspired to get the paints out to celebrate womanhood too. No doubt I shall produce a collage or two to record my time in Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and those amazing mountains whilst I am at it.
Watch this space.... It’s Friday! The weekend is here! And today is my “work life balance” day so, rather than dragging my ass to the office, I am sat in my dressing gown talking to you lovely people. Cool, non? So, what am I going to do on this gloriously wet spring morning, you may ask? Well I have a gratis lunch booked at 1pm (keep your eyes peeled on Capital Life for the review!) and then I think I’ll treat myself to the stupidly expensive May Ray exhibition. At £14, it better be good. You see, that’s the problem. Going out can be an expensive experience – which in general I am cool with (well, you have to be in London!) as long as I have a good time. Last week I made the mistake of going to see the Folly Mixtures at Madame JoJos – okay, so it was only seven quid, but by the time you’ve bought your dinner in town and had a couple of glasses of wine, the cost starts to mount up. I wouldn’t mind if the show had been organised to the extent where you could see the stage without standing on your chair (no, I’m not even joking) and if JoJos hadn’t filled their venue to such a ridiculous extent that I am pretty damn certain that it breached a number of health and safety regulations. And, if the show had had a bit more to it, we might have stayed beyond the first half... I know people have been saying it for ages, but maybe staying in is the new going out after all. Last weekend I had two really great evenings quaffing wine and munching takeaway/cheese and nibbles in the front rooms of two of my chums, talking Tooting (it’s hip, dontcha know?), men (ha!), the trials and tribulations of that thing we call work (uff) and everything in-between. I admit, in the week I have been a bit of a hermit too – but this does mean that I have been busy making stuff! After a very painful introduction to cable knit (sorry sis) I managed to create a lovely cosy headband (modelled by Mr Pink) just in time for spring, and also threw together my “Bag Lady” carrier bag holder – and am thrilled to announce that I can remember chain stitch from my home economics classes at school. Yay me!
The jury is out as to how far I shall venture into the wide world this weekend, but, if the weather doesn’t start to improve, it may not be far – which means that at some point I shall have to stop procrastinating and compose a letter to be sent to the two literary agents I have chosen to approach. Yes I am scared – rejection is never a nice feeling - but I guess a girl’s gotta to what a girl’s gotta do to get what she wants out of life. Anyways, I’m off now for a lovely bath before facing the world – and whether you decide to stay in or brave the weather, have a fabulous weekend. Adios! It’s funny old world, isn’t it? This time last week, I was knackered. I’d been out four nights in a row with only Monday night off to recover after a week of hedonism with my mate Lisa (There’s a rumour going around that we’re not good for each other. Can’t think why.) and, after a gruelling week at work, I was more than ready for a weekend hibernating in my flat – and very nearly cancelled my catch up with fellow arty-type and good friend Laura. Laura was pretty knackered too, but like the troopers we are, we hauled our arses out of our pits and met for an exchange of collages (I’d left a couple of creations at Laura’s last time we met), a mooch around the South London Gallery, tea, cake, and a bit of mutual mentoring. You see, Laura and I have “buddied up” and meet once a month to talk about how we have been getting on with our respective projects – and offer moral support when things haven’t quite gone according to plan. We both work full time, have busy social and home lives and often find focusing on our creative pursuits more than a little challenging. Laura admitted that she had not done as much of her “to do” list as she had hoped – but had the excuse of a new voluntary job, manic work schedule and an addiction to Coursera – a directory of free online courses on anything from philosophy, social networking and mathematics. Take a look at your peril – Laura is currently signed up to about half a dozen courses... So, last week was busy. This week, however... has been pretty dead. Other than a rather dull evening meeting I’ve been in every night – which, whilst relaxing, does lead to a bit of cabin fever, along with an over-indulgence of jaffa cakes. Having said that, it has been a rather productive week. I’ve caught up with my writing (novel number two is at about 12,000 words and counting) and have been getting on with a bit of crafting. Not only have I made my mum a snood (modelled by Dog below) and a rosette-style brooch to accompany her ticket to see Carmen for her Birth/Mother’s Day treat, I’ve made Breezy, a metre-long beast of a draught excluder commissioned by a chum who has unusually wide doors. And tonight I’ve titivated my collage “Fist” yet again... keep an eye on the “Art” section of this website for its unveiling once I decide it’s finished.
It’s the third of January and two days since I returned to my chilly, empty flat and returned to work. Despite my New Year’s resolution to “get my shit together” (drink less, eat less, exercise more, find fulfilment and balance in my home and work life, yada yada), my motivation is struggling to get beyond hitting the snooze button – or reaching for yet another piece of chocolate orange.
And that is not all. I now have orders from two very good friends and will be sending one collage and a pair of “Hers and Hers” cushion covers over to chums over in Canada and hand delivering a pair of earrings and a bracelet to another friend when I meet her for coffee in two weeks time. Thanks guys!
I also managed to make a start on novel number two between Christmas and New Year... okay, so I only managed an edit of the 1,800 words I wrote about three years ago plus an extra 500, but it’s a start. And with plans to meet my creative “buddy” this weekend, hopefully I’ll soon be back into the swing of things. Oh! I almost forgot! I’ve also now got my very own business card! SO EXCITING! So if you happen to bump into me whilst on our travels through 2013 you might even get one – or order something from my Etsy shop and I’ll make sure I pop one in the post to you... HAPPY NEW YEAR PEEPS! My festive flat! Here I am again, sat on a cramped train on my way back to London after a weekend ooop north. I guess I should consider it training as, in pretty much exactly a week’s time, I shall be starting my annual epic Christmas journey to festivities in Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Durham – with a hell of a lot more baggage. Yes, the Christmas crush has started – and although it has been more than a little manic, I think I am winning. Apart from a bit of something from Fortnum and Mason for my beau (bet that has got him thinking, he he) and a mad rush back to House of Fraser after some rather disappointing customer service from Yodel (summary: parcel left with neighbour who denied all knowledge of it, no customer service phone or email, and, to round off the saga, when I finally retrieved the package it was damaged and the mother in law’s gift smashed) I have my shopping under control and a week to get it all wrapped up in front of my festive fairy lights and lots of crappy Christmas telly - I’ve already watched my faves Love Actually and a Muppet Christmas Carol! All my Christmas cards are written and posted to the correct addresses, and I managed to avoid a major faux pas by double checking the name of an old mate’s fella – and not addressing it to her horrible ex instead – eek! I’ve also managed to survive my work do with minimal damage, impressing my manager with my figs wrapped in Parma ham and winning the hearts of my colleagues with homemade Christmas Bakewell tart. The less about the following shots of tequila and karaoke the better... Even if hangovers and indigestion hit, I’ve had my highlights done and getting my barnet restyled on Friday too. Teamed with my new sparkly top and deluxe reindeer antlers, there will be no stopping me when the celebrations start in earnest when I finish work on Thursday. And, as if the Christmas countdown hasn’t been keeping me on my toes enough, I’ve been busy elsewhere too! For starters... I’VE OPENED MY ETSY SHOP! Hurrah! Check me out at www.etsy.com/ship/ShellyBerryOriginal - and please tell me what you think. I’ve already been told that I should be concentrating on my paintings and piccies rather than my crafts but would love to hear other opinions too.
for telling me about them! Unfortunately I have to admit I have been procrastinating a wee bit about another task on my to do list, and that is to start novel number two – DAN DAN DAAAA! Actually, I did start writing it a long time ago but got distracted by what soon became novel number one, and I fully intended to be picking it up where I left it on this very train journey – but appear to not have it saved onto my trusty netbook but have tucked away on my external hard drive back at home. I just need to dig it out, dust it off and get typing... before 2013 rolls in at least :)
Well, that’s all for now folks... I guess it just leaves me to say MERRY CHRISTMAS! Readers... I have a plan. It isn’t particularly cunning, but it enables me to keep focused on what I want in life and where I want to be. My plan is haphazardly divided into three parts; Plan Part A is to be a published novelist (which I rambled on about last time I blogged), Plan Part B is to pursue my other creative pursuits and Part C is to sort out the rest of my life. Keeping them separate stops me getting too overwhelmed and, most of the time, they bumble along quite nicely without bothering each other. But the other week my desire to buy a flat (a la Plan C) inspired my dream to create things for a living (see Plan B) – and escape the rat race. You see, when I last looked into it, I discovered that I could just about afford to buy a flat in Walthamstow. Having already explored it a month or two ago, I recently returned to have a look around the Lloyd Park area. I was pleasantly surprised – the surrounding streets looked nice enough, the park itself had a lovely community feel and, to top it off, it was the home of the William Morris Gallery. I admit that, unlike my mum, Mr Morris’s designs don’t really excite me, but what I love about him and his contemporaries was their creation of the Arts and Crafts Movement – the rejection of mass production in favour of carefully crafted wares made by skilled artisans. It’s a concept I very much admire – and one that I feel is having a bit of a revival at the moment. However, these days, your average person has more free time than the working class Victorian and many of us are embracing craft into our own lives.
Whatever the reason, I will not be defeated! I have already created accounts on both the aforementioned websites and shall be getting some of my stuff on line for people to buy asap. So, if you need a little bit of something different to stuff your stockings with, watch this space... or, if you see something you like on the site, just drop me a line via my contact page and I’ll see what I can do!
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THE JUICEHere you will find my latest news, including what I have been up to and what I have been writing (and making). Hopefully you'll like what I have to say - and perhaps I will motivate you to get creative too... Archives
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