Perhaps?

Coming up with a few more opening ideas, getting a little collection before I decide which one to use in my short story. 

1. -----------------------
 They turned back and ran down the steps. They knew what they had seen. They weren't even meant to be there; just following a friend into an apartment. She'd been sneaking around for three weeks - they had to see what she was up to, if anything. But, what they saw enlightened them to the fact that, she was up to something, something big. Something that would change their lives in a short space of time, they were now a part of it.

2. -----------------------
She stared into the darkness. Sophie was fascinated by it; the mystery in the abyss - how it could swallow any object or thing. She was never one to ask for the nightlight to be kept lit, Sophie found peace in the dark. Never scared of closet monsters, or the ones that hid under your bed, the ones that watched you whilst you slept. She was brave, braver than most girls her age - she had to be, for the things she had been through were darker than most.

3. Try the use of first person.       ------------------------
Everyone in the office turned and stared. That was the second time this week that my boss had brought me into his office to shout at me. For one, I had done nothing wrong - my work was completed on time, I was way ahead of schedule, yet, my co-worker seemed to like putting me into the shit. Literally, on one occasion. He likes to play practical jokes and when I turn to fight back - that is when my boss walks into the room, finding me in the act. But, today I have had enough. After the prank this morning, there was no way things were going to stay the same.

TGI Fridays!

Last night, we decided to 'double date' to TGI Friday's. For all of you that don't know what this place is - It's an American restaurant, serving all sorts of yummy food and drinks. From Monday-Thursday, there's set meal deals on for either £10.99 or £15.99, which is great in this case as usually, separate meals aren't the cheapest.

<---- Chicken BLT and Steak

We decided to order some cocktails - Purple Rain, Strawberry Shortcake and Very Berry (I always pick the strawberry shortcake whenever I go to TGI's) There was one water (as one of us had a very late and drunken night and wasn't feeling in the best shape!) But for us, the cocktails were good - I have to stop myself from drinking it all straight away to save room for food!

For our starters, I had loaded potato skins - then there was; boneless chicken wings, chicken wings and mushroom bruschetta - which I have never seen advertised anywhere before! For mains; Chicken BLT, steak, full rack of ribs and the 'Bruce Lee burger' - all were delicious, but I really couldn't fit all of mine in! I had to ditch the ciabatta bread the chicken came in and just eat the strips and chips. Our friend was feeling much better now after he'd eaten!

Now, as we all know - there is always room for pudding - and extra stomach for it! So, I had the 'Cookies and Cream sundae' to share and then there was a cookie dough cheesecake (from the top of my head) which looked yummy. We couldn't finish all of ours, there was so much oreo!

TGI's is always a nice place to go, with lovely waiters and lovely food. It's just embarrassing if you have a birthday there, as they make you stand up with a balloon hat on your head, shout out your name and then the waiters/waitresses proceed to sing and clap around you. (This has happened to me on one occasion, very embarrassing)


<--- The 'Cookies and Cream' sundae

Baffling

Today has been an interesting day. Mainly because what happened in our seminar was so bafflingly (is that a word?) fascinating that I didn't know what was going on.

Basically, our lecturer has had his short story published called 'The Girlfriend'. He continued to play his voice recording of it; here's the synopsis -

There is a girl (the girlfriend) who is walking with her new current boyfriend, saying that they can't go to a pub as her violent, psychotic ex is there. They all meet and then continue to meet at certain times in a certain place to spend time together in the evening. The boyfriend's work colleague teases him about his girlfriend, making him think that they had slept together. In the end the girlfriend stops meeting up with the boyfriend, which turns him slightly crazy - hits her continuously... then the story circles back around on himself with him being the psychotic boyfriend, which she is telling her new boyfriend to be wary of as he is violent.  (If that made any sense at all!)

So after reading this, we had a discussion. Now, there are two extreme feminists in our class. One walked out, slamming the door behind her and the other sat bitching about how a woman would never rape a man (as there was a scene in there that he felt like he had been) and how it goes for the stereotypical view that women are the weaker sex, after she is being hit by her boyfriend. Yes, it's horrible in any circumstance in real life - but this is literature. You are allowed to explore different ideas in literature, hence why it is fiction. This short story was actually based on the works of John Keates' poem of 'La Belle Dame sans Merci' (I'll link it after this) so if you read this, then read the story - it really does make sense.

Everyone was extremely baffled by the outrage so we let her carry on with her rantings. Then, when one of my friends tried to question her about things - she quietened down. The lecturer came back in and when asked if there were any questions, she didn't raise any. Which for her views - you would have thought there would have been some that she would have raised.

Now, I'm not saying that there is a problem with feminism, it's good in some ways and necessary - of course it is within proportion, but when it comes to the more extreme views and philosophy, I really don't get it. 

But, that was my rant for the day - I'm sure my friend 'http://thecollectionofthings.blogspot.com/ will write about the same topic at some point!

Here's the poem link; http://www.bartleby.com/126/55.html

What I've Learnt From University

I'm almost finished with my second year at Coventry University, studying English and Creative Writing. It's been interesting looking back and seeing what things were different to what I expected.

First year absolutely flew by! We were freshers, we were out every week (awful on my bank account) and the work - yes, we wanted to get good grades - but, they didn't count toward your final mark. Now, nearing the end of my second year - there's been much more work to complete, the deadlines all seem to appear at once and yes, these grades count toward the final outcome. They said that university will be the fastest and best three years of your life - and they were right!

I've learnt that you can't leave everything until the last minute, you need to keep on top of it all. Try not to stress about it and stop worrying! (obviously worry if you've left it until the day of the deadline to start it) The work that I didn't understand, I'd find help from peers or the lecturer, which is really useful - don't be shy about that, everyone's in the same boat! But, people are different in everything that they do.

For me, it's the procrastination. I know that I have work to complete and I end up writing my own stuff that's not related. But when I get going on my coursework and deadlines, I do it non-stop until it's complete - along with background reading (which is really useful!) Try and look at the history of articles and things that you are studying or background reading before you go to the lecture or seminar - it will help you understand a lot more.

You'll meet the friends you will probably keep for life at university. I know I have three great friends that I will definitely keep in contact with when we finish. It's difficult in the holiday's as everybody lives so far apart, but it's nice to spend time with them during the university period, either in university or out and about for drinks.

I know a lot of people that were worried about coming to university. What if I don't make friends? What if I don't like the subject I'm studying? All I can say is - don't worry. Everyone is all in the same boat and everyone (mostly) is really friendly. You'll meet some interesting characters a long the way and you'll find yourself hanging around with people that you never thought you would back when you were in college.

I hope this is some help to those of you that are starting university! I've got my final year coming up with my 10,000 word dissertation to write! Make the most of your freshers year, after that, the work load is a lot different!

Who Would Have Thought It?

Who would have thought it?
I sent two of my poems that I wrote in the previous year to a small company. If selected - your poetry goes into a pamphlet for doctors waiting rooms, for patients to read. Guess what? My work has been short listed to go to the editor to undergo the final choosing! How exciting.
These are the two that I sent off;

Free verse;

Life

The stars have died;
So that you may live.
Atom upon atom,
You are stronger,
Than diamond;
Precious.
Ounce upon ounce,
Your beautiful life.


Also, a small haiku;
Winter Breeze
Trees dancing in the
Wind. Paintbrush. Watercolour
Vibrance in Winter.

Hanover, Germany Trip?

So! I've applied for a trip to go to Hanover, Germany in December for a week with university. It'll be nice to see if I get accepted - as I think it'll be an exciting experience with friends (hopefully they get accepted too!)
We get to go on a city tour, sit in some lectures at Leibniz University, go to the German Christmas market etc - all for £40 - flights, accommodation, travel insurance covered and travel.
It'll be great to go to an actual German market at Christmas time. I always go to the Birmingham version and yes, it's fun and a great day out... but it'd be amazing to go to an actual German one.
There is a chance for us to learn basic German during this week which I would take up, along with my post-beginner Italian language skills to add to my CV!
Let's see if I get accepted!
Have any of you been to Hanover?

Re-writing the American South

There's a module at the moment in university which is really eye-opening and interesting. 'Re-writing the American South' gives us slave narratives to read, such as; The Color Purple, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, How to Kill a Mockingbird and Absolom, absolom!

I never thought I'd really enjoy literature like I have been, as at college - I did A level English language. Learning about child acquisition and the history of the English language. But, once getting to university and choosing a course that enabled me to partake in both (along with creative writing) - I thoroughly enjoy it.

We look at the underlying meaning and identities of the books, with reading the background history of what was happening in the era that these novels were set in - compared to when they were written. Each character, even though they are a part of the same race - has different identities and viewpoints on life. Take for example, the notion of freedom - some characters want to have the freedom for themselves, or others, want it to lead people in society and create new beliefs. Or, the view on feminism/womanism and how the women were treated entirely different to the men sexually and sometimes physically, even though they were of the same race and class.

Reading each book for every week really keeps you on your toes, and what you learn is not only the literature, but the history and psychology of the novels. If you've never read one of these books, such as; Gone with the Wind and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, I would recommend them entirely. Yes, some are difficult to read (The Color Purple) as they use the narrator as a black, uneducated woman using the black vernacular - so you really have to take your time to focus on each sentence. But, it's worth it if you get the chance.

I'm currently creating my essay proposal for this module, focusing on the women and feminism of The Color Purple and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, so I hope all goes well!

Has anyone ever read any of these books?

Ordinary Night (Opening Idea)

 Random story opening idea or, Flash Fiction

It was just for one night. That's all. Luke House swore down to it - he would never do what he did again. He was drunk, not in his own mind - high on drugs, on life. He didn't notice his surroundings, the people that accompanied him; just a blur. A blackout. His first time being involved in such recreation, now  turned sour. Having awoken and looked down at his hands stained with blood, he knew - this was not an ordinary night.

Aren't Dreams Weird

 Morning Thought...
Aren't dreams weird?
I can fall asleep for five minutes and have an in depth dream about being Indiana Jones or someone. Or last night, having a dream about coffee - woke up tasting coffee and almost falling off of my bed. Supposedly, you dream about what you were thinking before you fell asleep. Hm, I'm pretty sure I don't think about being on a flying bus before I sleep and usually they're meant to have concerns with what's happening in your life, but no. Then, studying Freud - he believes dreams are a window into our unconscious and convinced that they were unfulfilled desires, hopes and aspirations.
But, there are so many different studies into what dreams actually are, that it would take several days to take in and try to explain.  So i'll leave with this;
Aren't dreams weird?

City v village?

 Thought of the night;

It's fascinating the people you can see in a day. For me, I love people watching - maybe you think that's weird - but I love it. I don't just stop and stare, I briefly glance and take in my surroundings. It helps pass the time, I guess.
It's fascinating spotting the different types of culture around. For one, I go to university in Coventry - so there is a real mixture of race and culture. In my first year, when I lived in Halls of Residence, it was a completely different area to what I live now in my second year; even though it's 5 minutes down the road. But, then - back at home, I live in a tiny village. It literally has around 60 houses and a pub, no shop, no post office - just sheep and cows. Don't get me wrong, I love living in the countryside - it's a relaxing place and you can go on long walks for miles without reaching another village. Yet, no-one is really out and about, so you can just go cow/sheep watch. Apart from when you get surrounded by a herd - that's scary.
So, there is a bit of a variation between my university living and my home living. City v village. There's pro's and con's of each, I guess. The city is always busy and everything is moving continuously, there's shops available in less than a two minute walk, and there's always people. Yet, there isn't really any quiet, no fields - unless you walk for a while to find an open park with a pond (to feed the ducks of course). Then, a village; walks on command, quiet, open space and everyone comes together when it's the Summer Fayre. Occasionally I get an owl outside my window when I'm trying to sleep, or a fox shouting noises that makes the dogs go crazy. But hey!
I like both. If i had to choose - I'd choose the country.

What do you think?

Deaths Angel

We read a short excerpt today from an opening of a novel which inspired me to write this short piece.

I held Timmy in my arms, his feet were tired from walking. He was only four, yet, from what he had been through - he seemed older. I did too. What you're meant to get from experience is meant to help you carry on with your life - to help you learn; but this was difficult.
We walked past trees, dog walkers and other park goers, with a fixed smile on my face. I didn't want Timmy to see me upset. Everyone presumed I was doing just fine.

"Daddy, daddy, look!"
I didn't look to where Timmy was pointing - I knew what he was about to say.

"Look, look, look - it's mummy!" 

I knew that it wasn't his mother, I knew this for a fact - as Anna had been dead for eight months.

Short story openings

This morning, we were told to come up with an opening to a potential short story and create three different versions. These are the three I came up with.

1. Walking toward my car, I spot a piece of paper sticking out from my windscreen wipers. Confused, as I had paid for a ticket I picked it up and read; 'Sarah King - I have your most loved possession - meet me by the cabin at 8pm, if you want to see it/him/her again. Oh, and bring your glove.'

2. "Yeah, I know, I'll be home soon."
"Best be, dinners ready. Don't want to micro it again."
"I know, hun, I know, getting into my ca- wait, I have a note."
"What does it say babe?"
"Sarah King, - I have your most loved possession - meet me by the cabin at 8pm, if you want to see it again. Oh, and bring your glove."

3. I left the note there, she'll know who I am, or at least - have an inkling. I watch her as she removes my note and reads. I told her to meet me by the cabin at 8pm, told her I have her most loved possession. She'll know what I mean. Oh, and to bring her glove.

Which one would you think?