Crack O'The Whip

Ash and I have decided to be strict with writing. We're going to set aside at least an hour a day to work on our novels (or other creative writing). I figure that it's the only way to make any progress, and still retain sanity. We've been reading the wonderful blog of Miss Snark and have become both excited and frustrated with our writing efforts.

We both have similar thoughts. I want to be at a stage where I can re-write my manuscript and send it off to agents. I want to have a solid body of work. I want to be on my way to signing a contract and getting something published.

So, an hour a day. Hopefully it'll be good for us. Ash is happy with her progress. (She's working on her Nano novel) and I'm trying to find a good way to get stuck into my idea. I've written a couple of thousand words but it doesn't seem to be right. I don't think I've got the right tone, nor the right picture of the characters. Besides, I don't have in my mind enough of what I need. So, I'm working on beginnings, while Ash is polishing and writing yet more.

If I don't stick to my plan, you have permission to harass me, both verbally and through the medium of thrown fruit.

What's All This, Then?

Well, there's not much to it. I'm simply posting some raw, fresh (and possibly terrible) poetry.

I was listening to music today and I was struck with images and lines and I had to get it down. I tried it again with another song. I like the way writing these makes me feel. So apologies if they're terrible, but they're extremely interesting and fun to write.

That'll teach you for wanting me to be creative. *laughs*

Let Go

Spin now, spin.
Make up your mind.
The time for creation is done.
Plunge into it, I’m here, you’ll see.

Ecstasy awaits. There’s no time now,
Come away, there’s a whole world, extravagance, disbelief, I’ve got you.

Do you trust me? So come, be free.
Slide with the melody, delicate and mystic.

Warning Signs

There’s an unexpected tenderness at the start.
This is not immediately revealed.
Rather, we are lulled into this melody gently, as if hesitant.

You invited me in.
You wished to confess.
You were looking for something.
You told me you missed me.

So.

Is there a spectre? A retreat?
Perhaps neither.

And now you regret.
Crawl, then, and I shall take you up.

A Poem of Whim

It was a slow, hesitant start.
Before being cupped in her hands, you were but a tiny flame,
To be coaxed into a deliciously warming fire.

You suspected enchantment.
Not that; but perhaps a concoction of hazard and sweet, tender looks.
And then, two were one.

LoveLorne

Guess who my favourite Angel character is? Well, apart from Fred when she's all half-crazy and timid. (Not so much when she's righteous and/or annoying in some other way...)

Ah, but Lorne has his sly one-liners and witty jests and smooth turns of phrase... Maybe it's safe to say that I love whoever writes his lines. All of them are little gems.

Oh yes, and even though I do mutter 'Mmmm, Angel' I would definitely most like to meet Lorne, given the choice. He's the one they go to for help (much like Giles, whom I also like) and will encourage even the worst singers with a compliment. I love that he uses nicknames like Peanut and Pumpkin Seed and Danish. I love that he thinks that someone could be better off following their heart singing than pursuing a career in medicine.

Also, I love his flamboyant attitude. Puts me in mind of many of my friends back in Melbourne. I reckon he'd fit in well at Auto, horns and all. (After all, isn't it dinner and a show?)

Ah, Lorne. Such a fabulous character.

Thus ends the mini-shrine.

Swedish Food!

I've been more adventurous than I thought I would be when it comes to food in Sweden. Thanks to Ash and her friends and family, I've tried a whole lot of traditional Swedish and Finnish dishes, and they've actually all been pretty good. So, here's a few of my favourites:

Plankstek - Which is pretty much a steak that comes on a wooden plank, surrounded in mashed potato, with gravy. I also had garlic butter with mine. I don't know how hygienic it is to eat off wood, but it's really very tasty. They put the whole lot into an oven, so the mash is all crispy on top. Mmm. I wanted more.

Tunnbrödsrulle - A traditional Swedish wrap (sort of like a tortilla or lebanese flat bread) filled with mashed potato and one or more sausages (think Vienna franks) that comes with mustard, tomato sauce and mayo. It can also come with salad, onion and räksallad (shrimps, mayo and onion). Actually extremely tasty, although I skipped the räksallad, not being a huge fan of shrimp. A carbo-loaded extravaganza.

Köttbullar (Swedish Meatballs) - Firstly, let me say mmm! I loved 'em. They're served with potato (yeah, those Swedes are big on the potato, aren't they?) and 'brown sauce', a sweetish gravy. Also taken with lingonberry jam, which is more of a sauce. Delicious. The meatballs themselves can also be eaten cold. They sort of taste like kabana. Or, you know, regular meatballs. I would definately advise trying them.

Reindeer Meat - Doesn't taste too much different to beef or lamb. Actually, it sort of reminds me a little of kangaroo, but I'm sure that isn't quite it. Sort of gamey. I liked it.

And now for the Finnish dishes:

Karjalanpiirakoita - Sort of a pastry thing that comes with buttered egg on top. Er, I didn't really like this. Inside is a rice pudding sort of mixture. The pastry isn't too bad, I suppose. Almost like a Danish with egg on it. Traditionally a starter.

Mämmiä - Finnish dessert, eaten during Easter. It looks like chocolate pudding (or brownies?) but it's actually more like pumpernickle bread. It's served cold, and you cover it with milk and sugar to make it slightly less sour. I only tried a little bit, and it wasn't too bad, but I probably wouldn't eat it by choice. I can't really describe what it tastes like, but if you've ever had pumpernickle bread, it tastes like that. Very grainy and rather sour. I suppose like an extreme version of sourdough bread.

We went shopping today and got yet more meatballs (I tried them last night) as well as blodpudding (blood pudding, obviously). Haven't tried that yet. Hmm. I don't know if it'll taste any good, but I suppose I'm going to find out...

Eating With the Fork in the Road

I suspect that I'm at another junction. I'm really not sure what I'll do next year. Of course, I'm sure that it'll all sort out (and I'm in a far too good a mood to pretend that I think it won't) but I'm rather curious... I think I'll probably either stay close to home or with my Grandma for a while, to get some money together, and then I'll do the big shift back down to Melbourne.

At least I know that it's where I want to be. I really miss Melbourne sometimes. I miss gliding past the Carlton Gardens on the tram on the way to work, or looking at the reflections on the river at night. And of course I miss the people! It would be really great if I could just duck back for a drink or two and a laugh, but I know I'll get back there in time.

Still, I feel really good being here. I'm happy. And I know that it was the right thing to do. I love it when things turn out. They usually do, but it's nice to know that my optimism isn't misplaced.

Now, as for my writing... I'm rather motivated, yet still slightly... shy, I suppose. I'm way too underconfident for my own good. Really, I am. I freak out with the slightest bit of pressure, and I just can't get there. It really sucks, and I need to work on it. I think I need some kind of minor success to motivate me, but I can't for the life of me figure out how I'm going to get there.

I should just write a damn book. (Sounds easy, eh?) At least then I'll have something to get behind and really work on. Well, maybe I will. I want to. I have a few ideas. But I'm really lazy. Ok, that's not an excuse, but it's a scary prospect!

Anyone got a pool of confidence they don't need? I might just take a dip.

But still, I'm in a really great mood today. The sun is shining, the music is loud and spectacular, and I'm happy. So maybe I should get writing and stop being a whiny little mole.

Visit by Numbers

So, I had Easter dinner with Ash's Dad last night...

4 - Buses caught.
2 - Finnish dishes I ate.
14 - Toothbrushes in the bathroom.
1 - Green shag rug in the lounge room.
2 - Chunky Gothic rings found in Ash's old bedroom.
3 - Muse songs that came up on my iPod on the way there.
4 - Photo albums perused.
1 - Shocking photo of Ash's mother on a beach.
20 - Minutes spent making out in a park while waiting for a bus home.
2 -Rides on the flying fox at Ash's old school.
3 - Jokes made about Ash being a wine snob.
4 - Words in English uttered by Ash's father.
7 - Wasps driving us away from the old cubby house.

It was rather good, actually. Not too scary. Granted, I kept my eyes on my plate for almost the entire dinner, mainly because I wished to avoid the awkward 'I'm the woman deflowering your daughter' glances.

Absolutely Stunning

I found this courtesy of Nadine.

So so so so beautiful.

Have a look.

iPod Random Five #2

• Feel Good Inc. - The Gorillaz
• The Sweetest Thing - U2
• Serious - Gwen Stefani (We used this for our intro music on the show 'Frank Discussions')
• Without You - Silverchair
• Hangin' on the Telephone - Blondie

Verdict: Hah, eclectic much? *dances to Blondie* The last time I heard this song was at Scrabble Training. Not joking.

The Future?

It'll be either this or honours. Perhaps I'll do both? One after the other? You never know.

Is this it?

Deadly Paranoia

Sudden death has got me paranoid. You've all heard the stories. My childhood friend, for example, didn't tell anyone about pains in his stomach. When he went to the doctor, it was discovered that his appendix had ruptured, and he could very easily have died. Hilary Swank almost died filming 'Million Dollar Baby' because blisters on her feet got infected. Every day of the year, people kick the bucket without any warning, and for the most odd reasons imaginable.

I think it has to do with the fact that any number of things could go suddenly wrong in our bodies. Something could burst or rupture or just plain stop working. I've had dreams of heart-attacks which felt real, and being able to perfectly imagine what it would feel like certainly doesn't help.

I probably shouldn't worry. I'm a fairly healthy young woman. But what would it take for my appendix to go haywire and kill me? How do I know that I don't have some sort of minuscule cancer growing in me as a result of years under the harsh Australian sun. How do I know?

I suppose I could always go and get a complete check up. That would probably reassure me. But with things seemingly so easily going awry... I don't know. Would I trust results? Well, probably, yes.

It could simply be the fact that I've had a fair bit of contact with death in my life. Friends, family, teachers and surrogate Uncles and Aunts have all kicked the bucket. I suppose I'm equal parts resigned and morbidly fatalistic. Occasionally, I'll wonder who will go next. And that's a horrible thought. I don't want to imagine my life with one less person in it, whoever that may be. But some morbid part of me wonders.

We live in a dangerous time. Even something as simple as second-hand smoke is a killer.

Forgive me for being nervous. I'm almost disgusted with myself for being so macabre. Don't get me wrong, I accept the fact that it's inevitable. I just don't want it to happen any time soon. That, I'm certain, is a thought echoed by nearly every soul on the planet.

Big Angel

I love finding new obsessions. Of course, I was pretty excited about S1, but it's just getting better and better until I want to become a sunlight-spurning creature myself, just so I can sit in the dark and watch more shiny deeveedees. Things are getting so complicated and spectacular and...

My alarm just went off for me to go and catch the bus.

You know you're addicted when you need to set an alarm so that you'll go back to normal life in time.

Just quickly before I go, I'm thinking when I get back to Melbourne, I'll rope one of my Buffy/Angel loving friends to do a radio talk show about 'em. I can play music from the soundtracks, as well as having quizes and character wars (Wes vs. Connor! Vote now!) and people calling in... And I can theme the shows and I'm really getting very excited about it already. I know Katie would be interested, if she's in the city next year, and I could probably bribe Shane.

Oooh, the possibilities. *rubs hands together*

Live From Hobbmeet

So, I'm sitting in the home office of our wonderful hosts (who have gone on holiday and left the place to us... Moo-haha) and Skittle and Biped are kicking each other. Naturally. Yesterday was awesome, and has probably mostly been covered on the board... There was a lot of wandering around eating and drinking, with some laser shooting as well. And we completely beat the children that were on the other team. Woo!

Last night we ate curry until we were almost ill, then came back here and watched Angel all night. I went to bed and Skits and Biped stayed up all night talking... They actually wanted to send me to bed so that they could get all spoilery. But I think hours of Big Angel more than made up for it. Aaah, if I ever can afford it, I am getting me a projection screen.

So, what's the plan today? Seeing as we kidnapped Skits for another day, we might wander somewhere and eat something... Or just watch yet more Angel.

Hobbmeets are the best. *happy sigh*

Look! An Update!

Well, I've been a lazy mole, haven't I? I think it's because Saturday night put me out of whack. I had intended to post a long rambling post about our adventures, but it has all nearly departed from my mind. Nevertheless, I shall attempt to recall some of it, seeing as it is a rather good yarn.

So, Ash and I (I'll try not to slip into the smug 'we' too often) had been invited out by friends of a friend, intent on showing us the Swedish night life. I was disgustingly excited, as I hadn't been out drinking and dancing in an age. So, Ash and I, after meeting friends A and Li on the train, found the boys waiting on the outskirts of one of the many squares that litter Stockholm. The guy who had invited us out (the spitting image of a young, gangly Hugo Weaving) was accompanied by a tall quiet guy. They took us to the club, in which we ordered drinks and sat on big squishy couches. The club was rather cool, with a mezzanine level overlooking the main bar and dance floor. Along the walls on both levels were little nooks with couches and low tables.

The drinks were bloody expensive, a simple Tequila Sunrise costing 88:- (or $15.90AUD). I was left alone with the two boys while the rest of the girls all went to the bathroom together. To my relief, young Hugo spoke fantastic English, and we nattered away until Silent Guy went to fetch the other boys. They arrived soon after the girls, and shall be known hereafter as Guy With Neatly Trimmed Beard and Glasses, Having a Strong British Accent (or B&G for short) and Faintly Nervous Yet Handsome Guy. I'm sure had he walked into Automatic, there would have been loud shouts of 'Moof Moof!' all around. In fact, I could probably guarantee it.

So, we all bounced from one dance-floor to another, dancing with much flailing of arms and head-nodding. Even Ash danced. Yes, she actually danced. Especially in the room that played chiefly Eurovision hits. I knew exactly one of the songs. Go me. Oh, and they played one ABBA song. Of course, my heart leapt when I heard the opening bars, but soon fell when I realised that they were singing in Swedish. Foiled!

After dancing for a couple of hours, we went back to young Hugo's place, to partake in house music and red wine. I had been previously astounded to learn that the Swedish public transport runs all night long. Not only that, but it runs at 15 minute intervals! And so, after consuming some red and chatting a bit, the two other girls and I made our way back to Södertälje. Ash and I ran into two of her friends from high school (who had just moved in together) and whom spoke extremely good drunken English.

Twas a fun night indeed. A word of advice? If you go out in Sweden, drink before you go. Otherwise you'll be disgustingly poor afterwards. Oh, and they print out receipts of every purchase, so you can actually calculate how much you spent on drinks the morning after. An activity, I surmise, that would be less than fun.

Aside from Saturday night adventures, I've been doing slag all. We went bowling yesterday. (I did pretty well.) I've become addicted to the game Caeser III, and tonight I'm going to do nothing but read more of 'Ash' by Mary Gentle, cook myself dinner and watch 'Desperate Housewives.'

Over and out.