The Word Cloud

Well,
Here I am on the eve of my stone circle adventure! What does one pack to go tramping round stone circles? Aside from the kids multiple changes of clothes (we're only going overnight), one for each meal time, playtime etc.
hmm...nappies...wipes...sick bag for the car....blankets incase we break down, rain coats, thick coats, summer coats...hats, long trousers, short trousers, jumpers and t-shirts.....'playing out shoes' smart shoes, boots...
first aid kit, calpol, paracetamol (for the headache I'm bound to have after 3 hours of I spy)... maps and directions, phone and charger, hotel booking information....cameras, toys, colouring books, nibbles and picnic for the car journey...pushchair and reins, money and pants!

think that's everything.......just need a bigger car to fit it all in now!

 

 

 

If you do keep an eye on my scribbling, you may remember that I had a big sulk at the start of the year about needing research for my book, ‘At night all cats are grey.’ This was mostly the product of soul shattering self-doubt that inflicts us all from time to time, and me once a week, but it’s never a bad thing.

            So, I hit the internet and the library  and netted a few books on a variety of subjects related to the environment in which my book is set – namely New York gang culture, the seventies art and ,music scene and the Russian Mafia. I have to confess my reading list from the libruary caused a few raised eyebrows – Alpha city tales from the heroine infested slums of New York, next to a book on chocolate wedding cakes (although the later is not for my novel as such.)

            Having never really done research about anything, or rather, having never researched for a book before, I wasn’t sure how to start – but the process seemed to break down into a few remarkably easy to follow stages.

 

1)     Read the first few pages of everything. Mood swings from pleasure at finding exactly what you feel you need, and desperation that there is no way you will ever be able to convince in this genre, what the hell were you ever thinking, you don’t know this world and you must look like a tight tit for even trying.

2)     Sulk.

3)     Refuse to give in to sulk, and read some more. Start under lining things in the books you actually own, stick paper tags into the library books. This at least feels like you are doing something, like when you did ‘A’ levels.

4)     Find something, which really climes with your book, which you thought you’d made up, but is apparently exactly how it was – feel elated and a little spooked – because it’s so exactly like you’ve written it must be a sign from some collective unconsciousness your tapping into.

5)     Write five chapters in a hurry retelling the events described in the research material as if you’d thought of them.

6)     Feel smug: feel sure you’re talking like a native.

7)     Read them back. Hate them, feel you sound like a tit.

8)     Edit the five chapters ruthlessly until only one line remains.

9)     Realize that line is crucial, that it gives that elusive hint of reality without over powering your narrative, and that you would never have written it without the five preceding chapters of stuff now languishing in the bin.

10)  Return the books to the library, three of them un-read – and wait until the next cycle of self-doubt sends you back there to check them out again.

 

 

And I presume I should add ‘and repeat’ after that lot.

 

I can say that, after research, my book is shorter but better and I know what happened to all the characters and why, but the reader doesn’t need to. It is very tempting to write footnotes along side every subtle detail – (the reason why character a is wearing a Thai silk shirt is that the Crime boss smuggles conflict diamonds from Africa to Thailand where they are used to buy heroin, which is then brought to America inside consignments of TV’s) but in fact, this is not what the book is about, it’s the foundation the research has allowed me to build the novel on. As it’s not actually about heroin dealing at all, it’s only important to me that I’ve worked it out. Oh, and the character likes the feeling of silk on his skin, but to work that out took a whole lot of other research….

I have recently sent my first manuscript off to be copy edited. In the mean time I’m starting work on another novel, one that I originally drafted about five/six years ago. It was originally drafted to be a short but grew in size. However it was never big enough to be considered a novel. A few months ago I read over this novella again and decided that the time had come to finally have a go at making this into a proper full novel.

 

I love the feeling of just starting a project, the thrill of starting something new. The research stage is usually my favorite stage as everything is so free following and you can really let your imagination run wild. Every new piece of information found gives me a new idea.

 

However when I sat down to research my novel, I panicked. I had no idea where to begin. Eventually and after a strong cup of tea I firmly told myself to stop floundering and do something. so I did the simplest thing and goggled a topic.

 

6,000,000, results. All of them saying something different.

 

Without giving too much away one of my main characters is a deity. Looking up this deity has left me buried underneath pages and pages of conflicting information. Some people say he was the deity of thinks, others disagree and say he was actually the deity of something else entirely. Some call him one name and others another.

 

Research I quickly decided is harder than it seems.

 

However after researching research (lol) I have come up with a few basic rules to follow.

 

1.    Research your source.

 

a.    This is perhaps the most important rule. Always use a reputable source.  

 

2.    Always check your websites if you use the internet. Anyone can create a website, there are no credentials needed to do this.

 

3.    Always use the latest edition books if possible. New info is being discovered all the time, best to keep up to date.

 

4.    Look for more than one source repeating the same information.

 

5.    Keep your research organized - while it might be tempting to simply throw it all in a pile and leaf through later. This is not a good idea!  

 

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If anyone has any hints or tips to make researching easier then please share!

Hi Guys,
Doeas anyone know of a drug that will keep a patient/victim conscious but paralysed?
 I seem to remember there is one but can't find it by googling.
Ta

There have been quite a few significant character building changes in my life in the past one year. Not all of them were welcome since I have a natural resistance to change, very un-evolutionary (if that is a word) I must say. So I fought and kicked and screamed and yelled bit ( really hard), and yet I was dragged by the hair kicking screaming and rebelling all the way to the middle of 2010. My life is full of very independent and confident people who know what they want and have created very successful niches for themselves in the world. These wonderful people happen to be my parents, friends and of course my dearly beloved who has achieved enough commendable heights to rightfully say “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn”. However I am still running after all that jazz while it daintily eludes my time and again like a feather in the wind. My academic life of late is like a stubborn bit of burnt cooking at the bottom of the pan which refuses to leave. Not that I do not want to research!!! It is still a part of my grand plan to be a successful person.

In the past few months life as I knew it is rapidly changing, I am contemplating finishing my Mphil research, leaving hyderabad, getting a job, getting married, applying for further studies, moving to a new country, making my marriage work, studying or working, travelling and continuing to run behind my life as the years fly past like a constant panorama of colours. Like a continuous reel of film a movie where I am the flawed protagonist who wants all of it with a bit of romance, tender loving care and romance thrown in.

In search for that missing bit of spice in my life I have resorted to a lot of trashy novels which help me dream. Learnt to live alone and re-confirmed my knowledge that I am not a loner but someone who needs a lot of space, I am extremely attached to family and friends who are as good as family. I don’t care where I live as long as this basic need is fulfilled. South India hasn’t been the same since the 23rd of January. I suffering from withdrawal symptoms of tender loving care. I have spent a lot of time away from research trying to regroup myself, making new friends, travelling and turned into a suspicious person who craves for attention.

I am not sure what will help since I know what I should be doing. Maybe retail therapy will help but I doubt it, I just need a shove in the right direction and a listening ear and a helping hand. Is it too much to ask.

It has been a long long time since I wrote something here because I had nothing appropriate in the meanwhile to share. Now I do,  so I am here :) 
June 2012 is the month when I will finish my A-Levels, but the admission procedure for universities has already started for universities that are outside my country. The UK is one of those places where I will be applying. 
Considering the budget that I could afford (that includes tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses) my college counsellor recommended me the following universities:
University of Nottingham, York University, University of Bristol, Southampton University, Kent University, Durham University and Bath University.
My research aside, if I am supposed to choose 5 of these universities, which 5 would you choose and why? 
Looking forward to your response :) 
Has'san 

I know what you're thinking, 'What a booorrrrring subject'. lol
But listen up.....

I pondered the idea a few weeks ago of buying a sewing machine.  I've not held any interest in sewing for as long as I can remember up until the end of November last year when I was introduced by my sister to cross stitch.  I've been sewing little projects and regularly attending the cross stitch club which is always a fun couple of hours.  Now, I'm sewing my own large project called 'Fairy Castle' By Mike Powell, which is a quirky design on Castle Coch in Taffs Well.  Everyone around also calls it a fairy castle.  Though I had no intention of having a second large project on the go the same time, I'm also sewing a 'Felicity Wishes' for Y Bwthyn Cancer day centre (I attend every Thursday).  And so, I'm beginning to feel I want to expand and progress in areas of sewing.

Being a terrible addict of Create and Craft TV I've been watching the shows on Singer Sewing machines. 
What a wonderful name I hear you cry.  You can't get better than Singer I hear you cry.  Well, hold your horses and block that dialling finger.  As much as I was tempted, I held off ordering and decided to check the internet for sewing machines out there first.
As I've not used a sewing machine since the age of 14 I felt I needed to read up loads as I knew 'nothing' on the subject.  Research led me to names I'd never heard of but are top brands in the market place. 
I've learned by this exercise how important it is to RESEARCH before you buy.  How important it is to read peoples reviews and reports on things and not only read these reviews but actually watch the U-Tube footage of people using the machines as they demonstrate good and bad points.

Well after a few days of reading on Janome, Viking, Brother, Toyota  and shops own brands etc I was ready for the next step.  To find a place and company close by who sell them.  That proved to be a little harder as not many shops actually sell household machines.
After a few phone calls I'd decided that Newport was my destination so off I trundled along the M4, got lost on one round-a-bout before eventually parking up. 
Having more or less decided what machine I wanted before I left, as you'd guess, after having played on them as well as checking how heavy they were, I chose something else.   I have to admit, it was the weight and the simplicity of the machine for an absolute beginner as myself as well as the fact it was on a superb discount sale price. 
I bought a Brother DS-120.

SINGERS
By the way folks as regards to Singer Sewing machines, if you have a new one and get on well with it.  Fantastic.  If you have a model that's older than 6-7 years you've probably got a good one also. 
Unfortunately my research highlighted that most Singer Sewing machines these days are not recommended purchase.  Apparently the company went bust a few years ago and are now owned by chinese or japanese company and sadly the reliability just isn't there on the cheaper models (£300 and below, I didn't find much written on the higher price machines, but I didn't look very hard either as 300 is way out of my price range). 
The amount of bad reviews for the poor quality and unreliability of Singer ranks alongside machines for £20 - £50.  It appears to be a lottory whether you get a good one or not, and sadly the odds are not in favour of good ones by what I've read and seen.
 End moral, you get what you pay for.
The point of my blog I supppose is that these days, it is SO very important to research what you're considering buying.

Thanks for reading
Nibs
:o)

Was doing some research and came across this, it's great if you're a fan:
www.the sweeney.info
Enjoy.

Last night I watched The Mentalist, basically because Friday night television is dire these days.

The story was about a concertmaster (leader in the UK) who is murdered. Whoever wrote the script obviously knew nothing about classical music, or at least professional classical music.

1) The conductor runs up from the back of the hall, shouting "Hurry, let's begin..." Firstly, it is usually the personnel manager who is standing in the front making sure everyone is in their seats and ready. Secondly, if any conductor acted like he did, he'd soon be out on his arse. These days, the management of professional orchestras is more democratic. In some cases the conductor doesn't even have a choice what musicians are hired.

2) The concertmaster's seat is left vacant, and in front of every one, he moves people up (dissing one of them). Most orchestras have a set procedure for that. Considering it was three days before the first performance, there was plenty of time to hire a guest concertmaster, which is usually what happens in this case. Most American orchestras have only three rehearsals anyway.

3) Next, the conductor shouts "From the top!" and they kick off with the Third movement of Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony. He didn't say what piece or movement, and the orchestra didn't tune. (The principal oboist was busy talking to Patrick Jane.) At the time, I thought that they didn't actually even start from the beginning of the movement, but I may be wrong (on reflection). Still the third movement is hardly "the top."  (It was all they ever played in the entire episode.)

4) The oboes were sitting next to the clarinets. Sorry, never happens in a symphony orchestra. In fact, the orchestra was far too small to play Tchaikovsky, but that is just a nitpick.

5) The whole motive didn't work. Kill the leader, frame the co-leader, and the third chair would take over and fall in love with the killer. Fat chance. Maybe in an amateur orchestra. As I said above, they would probably hire a guest leader first. Promote one, but not two. Many big orchestras have an associate leader, but they often don't play when the leader is there, so there would be no promotion. Sure, there are a lot of personal rivalries in professional orchestras, but this particular one is unlikely to ever happen.

6) The dress rehearsal. IN CONCERT DRESS! And an empty hall. Most professional orchestras invite visitors and students to dress rehearsals, especially for the opening concert of the season. But I can forgive that. Orchestras never wear CONCERT DRESS in a rehearsal. Never. Period. Even if the rehearsal is an hour before the concert. In fact, I've known conductors who didn't put their tux on until minutes before the start. 

7) The deceased violinist was making her way as a soloist. Fine. Her mother was her manager. Nope, sorry. Orchestral musicians don't have managers. They have a "diary service" who takes bookings and resolves date conflicts. Only "concert soloists" have managers, and they never play in an orchestra, and even that is mostly limited to violinists, cellists, and pianists, and a couple of rare exceptions. 

8) I can also forgive the fact that few of the musicians onstage knew how to play their instruments. That is pretty common. Hire an extra, hand him a trombone - he acts like he is playing 76 Trombones. You are paying extras union scale, why not hire an orchestra for the shoot? You'd probably pay less. I was once paid £150 to mime in a music video. Union scale for a day of playing [rehearsal and performance] was around £75 at the time.  (It may, of course, be more for video-recording.)

The bottom line is that if you are going to write a story about classical music, you should know something about classical music.  At least a little. Don't just assume that the classical music industry is the same as popular music. It isn't. Go to a rehearsal, or even just check your story over with a musician.

Really, you should research anything like that, but for some reason it seems so much worse with music. Maybe because I'm a musician.

[/rant]