So I haven't post in aaaages, which is pretty apparent. IDK, just stop being bothered I suppose, which still isn't the height of my laziness.

It has to be said though that I have at least tried to spend my time wisely, and although I love Children's novels I still get a bit bored - though it has to be said that they're still less patronising than anything by Cecilia Ahern. On an up point I finally read Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman, and OMG I still hate film adaptations. Can't wait to go on my big book tour and get the rest of the series.

My dissertation research is coming together thankfully! Found out that I can borrow stuff from the British Library which struck stars in to my eyes ^^.

I have really nothing else to add, as life has been unashamedly quiet lately, however I still have Stormbreaker, Gatty's Tale, The Secret Garden, Road of Bones, Wind in the Willows, Children of the Green Knowe, and the Famous Five. Phew.

So I decided to go for a walk when Dave went to work, and  I took my camera. There was nothing really to photograph, and I was happy just wandering around looking that the holes the chavs had been making in the trees. Idiots.

I live in a beautiful place, and I think 5 seems to be the best place to wander out, especially when I know that I don't have masses to do when I get home. It's going to be lovely in the summer. I might invite my friends up for a picnic!

I love dusk, it's usually so peaceful. I'm bored of Uni now, I want the summer to come so I can get a job and read all of next years books. I need to be ahead next year, it's depressing trying to keep up. I like the idea of walking down to the coffee shop with Dave so I can read while he carries on to work hehe :D.

I'm avoiding tidying the flat at the moment. I wish Dave would do it every now and again, I'm sick of washing his work clothes, cleaning and tidying. I know he works a lot but I hate doing it. Blah!

Back to the books I suppose!

These are the books I have finished so far this year, bearing in mind that I don't always get time to finish one before I have to move on to the other, but nevertheless I'm trying!

Goal: 100
Current: 19

( Completed Books. )

( Waiting To Read. )Chosen - P.C & Kristin Cast
Hunted - P.C & Kristin Cast
The Evil Seed - Joanne Harris
Black Dogs - Ian McEwan
The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova
The Amber Spyglass - Phillip Pullman
The Suspicion's of Mr Whicher - Kate Summerscale

It's day 5 of my diet today, and I feel like I'm doing really well. I've lost a pound a day, apart from yesterday when I was the same weight. It's really annoying me because I'm stuck at 15.0 and no matter what I do I can't seem to break into the 14's. Having said this though I feel thinner. I don't think I am though, I think I'm imagining it, or it's wishful thinking. If anyone can tell me why I'm nor loosing the weight Id love to know! I'm eating really well now, and I've only had one bag of crisps and no chocolate (I never though I could do without it, but I haven't actually craved it).

I'm doing well at the gym, can go for longer and harder, and lifting more weight :D

In other news, I'm still trying to battle through Mill on the Floss, it's ok, but I'm boooored :P

Off to watch TV!
X

So I'm on a diet. I know, I know what you're thinking: "you've tried this a million times and give in within two minutes!" Well, I actually thought I would too, and even though it's only been 2 days I'm really happy with how I'm doing. Was meant to go to the gym with Dave yesterday but had to come home when I met him because I was too cold.

I am going to do it this year though. I'm sick of bursting out of my clothes because I'm way too fat. At least I have something to spur me on: Download! I know I try this every year, but I haven't even managed two days before so I'm really happy with how I'm doing. I'm seeing the nurse next wednesday so at least I have to force myself to keep doing it.

I'm struggling with drinking so much water, because I don't drink a lot. I never have really, but I feel reall positive about this. I know the beginning will be hard, is hard, but I'm battling. I don't want to wear a bikini, but I want to know that if I wanted to I could lol Reading the labels on food has definatly helped me too.

So what have I done today? Nothing much. Went to uni, read Pope's 'Rape of the Lock' whilst simultaniously reading Toni Morrison's 'Beloved' (which, by the way, is awesome - well recommended), Sam Selvon's 'Lonely Londoners', and also Charles Maturin's 'Melmoth the Wanderer'. So not much. As you can see by my completed reading list I've not been very successful at finishing these books.

But I'm battling. Also, I'm falling apart. Physically. All my glands on my neck are swollen so I have a massive lump behind my ear, I've had to take my nose stud out because the skin was trying to grow over it, which (and this is the second time I've had it pierced, so I've had a little experience with them) is fucking rediculous.

Thats all I really have to say about today, I'm off to change the bed. Ah, domestic bliss!

I thought I'd put up a sample picture I took with new new camera. These are the flowers my Mom and Dad bought me for my 21st. They're actually sitting next to me at the moment. You can't really see them with this photo but it has black feathers in it too, it's beautiful. I just wanted to show off my camera and its amazing macro function really ^^.

I have an immense amount of reading to do. Some are good books, some not so good. I'm currently charging my way through Melmoth the Wanderer which is actually one of the best I've read this term.  I reccommend Tales of the City for some light reading; lots of sex and drugs, rather like a soap opera.

Thanks to the lovely people at Simon and Schuster; I recieved my copy of Burial today. It's sitting on my coffee table right now, begging to read. "All in good time my friend". I must stop talking to books like they are my children...

So, if I haven't mentioned, tomorrow is my birthday. I have the most amazing new camera. It's a beauty! I will post pictures of it when I recieve my beautiful presents tomorrow. 21 is a bloody milestone for me!

I found the most beautiful hardback copy of The End of Mr Y in The Works. It was sitting on the shelf right in front of me and I didn't notice it until I was walking out. Granted I do already have the paperback copy, but hardbacks are just so much better. And it was cheap.

I'll upload a pic when I can be bothered to get round to it.

I don't seem to have as much to say in these entries as everyone else. I don't feel like I really have a life lol. I'm battling my way through my reading list and yet falling further and further behind. I've just finished One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest which I'm actualy quite proud of. It was a really good book, slightly horrific in places, mainly because I have an oveactive imagination, not necessarily because of what happens.

I'm currently reading Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc. I actually really like it, even though it goes into immense details of the heroin industry in the Bronx. It's a good insight in to how peoples values and principles become distorted. It's only 400 pages, same as the one before, only it's twice the size of any of the other books so it effectively like reading an 800 pager.

I'm finding that there's not actually enough time in the day to read everything I have to read, do research, and just generally live. I don't have much quality time with Dave anymore because he works during the week while I'm at uni, then I work weekends, so I don't really have a day off. We're both always tired and the only thing we really do together is the gym, which knackers us out even more. I can't complain though, he's still great company to live with.

Christmas isn't helping either. I have bought one of Charley's, one of Dean's, my mom's present for Dave and bought one which Dave owes me the money for because I've said I'll have it as a present. It's the Satanic Bible. I noticed it at work and after the discussions I used to have with Heather about her being a Satanist, I wanted to be able to understand more. There's nothing worse than someone who condemns something without knowing the full story. I've no intention to become a Satanist, and from what I've sneaked a peek at so far, it has no intention to try to change me, which I was actually impressed by. Not quite as preachy as I find the Christian bible.

I better get back down to some reading...

I've been looking at going to a 4 day summer school in Hanover. It sounds brilliant; lectures, seminars, conferences and readings, and also tourist walks so at least I get to see the city too! I really hope the others at Uni think it's as great an opportunity as I do, but even if they don't I think I'll just go on my own. Also, how can I turn down meeting some well known authors? CV here I come!

I'm a little behind at Uni now, which obviously isn't good, but I worked my arse off last night and I'm slowly but surely catching up. I'm going to a Graduate's Fair and hopefully make a few contacts for when I finish. This is all in case my Waterstone's plan goes to pot, obviously.

So I'm really poor, probably as a result of me buying Dave an XBOX360 for his birthday. Oh well. To be fair I think I've played on it more than he has. I don't usually spend a lot of time playing computer games but since he introduced me to Fable II I've kinda been a little addictive.

I am so behind on my reading. I'm reading 'Meridian' by Alice Walker at the moment. I loved 'The Color Purple' but I think I like this even more. It sort of spoils it a bit knowing that all the books on my American Studies course actually revolved around mad people, so now I've been reading it trying to figure it out at what point, or even when, she's going to go mad. Plus I haven't finished my essays. I'm blatantly putting them off.

As if the Dark Knight was the highest grossing Warner Brothers film of all time. Crazy. I think they owe Heath Ledger a little more money...

I want to come home for JBs on Thursday but I have a lecture till 6 and I have to come home on Wednesday too. The only thing I can think of is not coming home on Weds but then Id have to skive my lesson and be away from Dave for 2 nights, which will suck :(

At least my job is amazing. I wish I was confident enough to order the books in, considering weekend staff don't have to ring the publishers, but I don't have the balls lol. At least I've answered the phone a few times! I'll do it eventually. Im really lucky that everyone there is really helpful.

Anyway Im off to meet Dave.

I have been looking at places to visit again. Yes I know- dreams, dreams, dreams... but I will go one day. I have always wanted to visit New Orleans, especially for the Day of the Dead, or for the Halloween masquerade ball. It's time I began saving. I have decided to open a bank account, work as much as possible and then travel! It's best to do it while I'm young, I reckon! So, I'm collecting maps and brochures at the moment :D

Woooohoooo!! I got the job! I'm now an official employee of Waterstones! Being as this is MY Livejournal, I believe I have every right to blow my own trumpet. I ACED my interview.

I was the first person to be called to be offered the job, and I had to tell her that I was actually already in the shop. Yes, I do spend too much time buying books. Thanks to my amazing ability to be in the right place at the right time she came down to see me and her impression meter went sky high. Ok, so I guess I was just lucky, but at the moment nothing has gone wrong with this job. She told me that I had made the best impression out of all of the candidates. Even the guy who interviewed me was amazing: dreads, piercings and tattoos. Can you really go wrong there?

I haven't told my old job that I've actually left yet, but I'm strangely looking forward to doing it. I've been desperate to get out of that job for so long now that the dynamics there have completely changed. It's a totally corrupt and hypocritical environment which I'd rather not be a part of anymore. And I don't have to be! What better excuse to go to work than to spend all day with books??

I joined a gym yesterday and its AMAZING there. I've got to go for my enrollment today and I'm really exciting. I loved the chance to go out and buy new clothing, and of course, a new bag haha.

Bye bye FAT HAHAHA!

Finally finished 2 more books; 'What Maisie Knew' by Henry James, and 'Evelina' by Francis Burnley. James' book was yet again extremely strange and difficult to get your head around, even though you know what's vaguely happening you still have to stop and wonder 'what on earth does that mean?' Apart from the immensly irritating Terry Pratchet, I didn't think that anyone could put English words in an order I couldn't forge a meaning out of, yet you have defeated me Mr. James. I still don't know if I like that book...

Evelina, on the other hand, was simple, exciting and fun. Burnley does a fantastic job of creating male characters that I really want to slap, but also makes me realise how much the modern world lets my tongue run sharply and wildly. Oh, and Lord Orville is the new Mr. Darcy! 

So in other news, I have moved in to my new flat, and I have to say living with Dave here is even better than at home, I click my fingers and lo and behold! a cup of tea appears! But don't think I have it easy, I make all his meals! I suppose I will post pictures eventually, but right now I can't be bothered to get up.

Mwahaha! My turn to have a LiveJournal! OR as Pete so delicately put it:

Hróald Ironfist says:

you are emo thus should have a livejournal

 Considering I don't do much with my time I may have a little difficulty filling this thing up...

Soooo... what am I doing? Apart from staring endlessly into this white space and trying to decipher Pete's God awful spelling on MSN, nothing much. Dave finishes work at 10 so that gives me approximatly mins to prattle on.

I've taken a break from reading the classics, and although I love them it's nice to be able to read a 400 page book that doesn't take me a billion years to read. Or there abouts. It's also nice to read something I've chosen; even if it was for the sheer fact that even children would find the writing style condescending. Yes, I am reading Pretties by Scott Westerfield.

After emailing my Dad a list of just a few more of the books I need for the start of term, I have come to the realisation that I have done nothing with my holiday. I say nothing, I've read about a tenth of my reading list. Oh dear. I can't emphasize enough how boring I find Gulliver's Travels. I myself have had thoughts whilst reading the book which I'm sure the lead characters tormentors also had. I think I may even steal Pete's girlfriends book list idea and stick my list on here, then anyone can see how much of a pathetically slow reader I actually am.

Methinks that is me done for the night.