Category Archives: Random Stuff

NaNoWriMo

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It comes to that time of year when a couple of my good friends go and ask me “Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year?”

NaNoWriMo Mind Map

For those who don’t know, National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo is a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel within the month of November.

I’ve signed up before to do it, had a fairly decent plot but then it’s all fallen apart. I’ve started with a mind map (see above) this time. It’s mostly my worries but it’s helped!

November’s always been a difficult month for me. I’ve always found myself being really busy. It might be constant Saturdays of rugby, it might be being drowned in a sea of university work, or it might be my penchant for procrastination.

This year’s going to be difficult too. Partly because I’m going to be spending half of November in Spain: first in Barcelona and then at my Gran’s near Alicante. I don’t want to be thinking about my novel when watching Barcelona play at the Nou Camp.

But I’m determined to do it. I’ve seen friends go on and succeed with their NaNo pieces, and some have even gone on to write a 75,000 word book in November. I don’t care if it’s rubbish (it will be), I don’t care if anybody doesn’t see it (which they won’t because it’ll be rubbish). I just want that happy and relieved feeling that my friends get when they hit December 1st thinking “Thank god it’s over, I’m so pleased I did that.”

2011 will be the year I win at NaNoWriMo. I can’t guarantee the Booker Prize but I will write 50,000 words in a vague plot behind it.

Who’s with me? And what coping strategies do you have?

Ice Hockey: Let’s go Panthers, let’s go!

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One of my unofficial aims for 2011 was to try something new each month.

So when my friend, Laura, invited me to see the Nottingham Panthers vs Newcastle Vipers in ice hockey’s Challenge Cup last Sunday, I jumped at the opportunity to go and see a sport I hadn’t seen live before.

I wholly admit that my only other experience of ice hockey was when I was completely and utterly engrossed in the 2010 Winter Olympics ice hockey final between the USA and Canada.

Here it is summed up in 4 minutes:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7DeQbTzPE8]

So on Sunday I made my way to Nottingham, to the National Ice Centre via a pub for a spot of food. The face off, which starts the game, and I referred to as both the “puck off” and “kick off” during the evening, was at 5pm so we got there at about 4.30pm and took to our seats. They were far enough back not to get hit by the puck and just off centre on one of the sides.

Laura tried to explain everything she could to me before the game started, but it’s one of those ones that is better explained once you have seen it live! I felt the same about Australian Rules Football, the rules and what happens sounds strange but once you see it you understand it better.

I like the way that some of the North American traditions from their ice hockey have made the journey across the Atlantic: the laser show, the national anthem before face off (see, getting the hang of the jargon now), and the musical interludes plus actions at breaks during the game.

I got the jist of the game quite quickly, which probably helped with the enjoyment of the game. It’s split into three periods of 20 minutes each, but they tend to last more like half an hour with the stoppages. The “half time” breaks are 12 minutes between periods 1 and 2 with a 15 minute one between periods 2 and 3 – it allows the fans to get a drink, one of those foot long Herta hotdogs and for the ice to be cleaned by the Zamboni machine.

It’s fast paced but very easy to follow, unless you’re really focusing on the subs bench, with unlimited changes that can get slightly confusing! The penalty rule was easy to follow, it’s just like the sin bin in rugby, only it’s 2 minutes with a man down instead of 10. I was introduced to other bits of jargon such as slashing and icing but I’ll leave the explanation of those!

To be honest, I went expecting a fight or two, it’s something you tend to associate with ice hockey, but with a final score of 15-0 to the Panthers they weren’t going to be happening. Maybe those will happen next time I go, and yes I enjoyed it so much there is a next time, as on Tuesday it’s Nottingham Panthers vs Coventry Blaze. Last time these two teams played there were…sparks between the two sides, or should I say it was more ill tempered.

I’m excited about it already.

Driving again? It’s like riding a bike!

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L Plate
L Plate.
Photo by GDStinx

You know how I said on my 2011 Action Plan that I wanted to finally pass my driving test?

Well today I had my second driving lesson! I opted to go with Bill Plant and my instructor is someone my Dad used to work with: Steve.

I’m surprised how much I remember, as I last drove nearly 4 years ago. In my first lesson I said to Steve that it’s like riding a bike, to which he responded “You’re doing it wrong then!” You know what I mean…

I like the fact that he’s pushing me, I’m not overly confident on the manoeuvres but that’s understandable. We just keep doing them though and I’m not getting frustrated because I understand what he’s saying, he’s very different from my old driving instructor, very different in a good way.

I’m still making little mistakes like occasionally going too close to other cars and making the wrong decisions, but that’s going to happen, I’ll iron them out the more that I drive.

But the main thing is that I’m enjoying it and I’m feeling confident with my progress after two lessons. I’ll book in for my theory test once my uni exam is over and hopefully pass that first time!

I just need to keep thinking positive and to keep learning. I know I can do this.

2011: To infinity and beyond? Maybe not quite yet.

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Thinking Man
This is how I feel right now, typing up this blog post!
Cartoon by Gisela Giardino

I was inspired by my running buddy, the photographer and entrepreneur Karen Strunks, who on New Year’s Day wrote her plan for the forthcoming 12 months covering everything from her work to her social life. And I really did like it, I think that it is a good way of doing things, much better than a New Year’s Resolution along the lines of “not biting your fingernails”.

A mutual friend, Jamie Summerfield, took inspiration from Karen and also devised a plan of where he wanted to be in 12 months time. He was reasonable in his planning and didn’t write saying that he wanted to be lying on a beach in the Caribbean drinking cocktails, though I’m sure he wouldn’t mind doing that at some point in his life!

What is fundamentally brilliant about both of these blogs is that the writers are realistic about what they want to achieve. They have set their sights high, but not unreasonably high. They also haven’t planned too little to achieve: goals and targets are set across the course of the year. I picture them as many little obstacle courses that we used to do as children at sports day with that goal and feeling of achievement at the end.

So what about my plan for 2011? Here goes…

Health
I really need to lose weight. I admit that and have admitted that for a good few years but have done sod all about it. Not this year. 2011 will not be about crash dieting or trying out the latest fads in dieting. Nor will it be about sitting in front of my laptop all day…wait…I’m doing that right now… Okay, not as much then. I want to lose weight and I want to do it sensibly. I’m not going to cut out alcohol, chocolate, crisps and Jaffa Cakes and never touch them ever again because I know that by doing it that way I will just crave them and my willpower is not that great, especially when it comes to Jaffa Cakes. I will monitor my consumption of these but also bring in more fruits and vegetables to my eating habits. I’m also trying to kick my Coca Cola habit by drinking double strength orange squash from Sainsburys like it’s going out of fashion.

I know that the quest for losing weight isn’t all about making changes to your diet, exercise is equally important too. I’ve enjoyed my runs around Swanshurst Park with Karen, where we’ve done a combination of power walking, jogging and I’ve occasionally stretched my legs further by actually running. I want to aim to go for an hour’s run about 3 times a week in the mornings, I’m up early enough, why not utilise that time? For solo runs I want to experiment by trying some different running related podcasts with music at different paced beats or just download an album full of dance music!

I’ve looked into various mass runs to act as my goals, while raising a bit of money for charity at the same time. I am very tempted by 5k runs such as Cancer Research’s Race For Life, which generally takes place around May/June, and adidas Women’s Challenge which tends to happen in September. Who knows I might try and go for the Birmingham Half Marathon in October!

University and Graduating

In little over 5 months time my dissertation will be handed in. A week after that my production project, which is going a blog covering the lighter and more humourous side of sport, will also be handed in. Not long at all. In fact it’s quite scary. From the week beginning January 24th, these will be my sole focuses. And I really want to do well in them. I openly admit that I am not first class honours material. But I will be happy with a 2.2, I will be over the moon if I manage to get a 2.1. This degree in Media and Communication has been one of the hardest things that I have ever done and I will be the happiest person around when I finish it.

But what will I do after that? There are two options:

The Teaching Route
In the autumn of 2010 I put in my application for Post-Graduate teaching courses through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry. I want to teach in secondary education in the subjects of English and Media. I had an interview with Leicester University, having had very little time to prepare for it. I didn’t get offered a place partly because my knowledge of classic novels wasn’t up to scratch. Apparently my knowledge of Jane Eyre through reading The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde isn’t as useful as reading actual Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë… But at least I’ve had the experience of the interviews now and what to expect, just got to wait to see if Exeter ask me for interview now. If not them then Canterbury Christchurch. Or Cumbria.

The Media Route
It was whilst out running with Karen yesterday that really put a focus on what I want to do if I don’t get onto a PGCE course. She told me to think about my dream job and to take some steps back and see what I need to do to get to that job. I’d love to work in sports media, I think everyone knows that, but I am also the sort who is willing to join an organisation and work their way up to that goal if it’s possible. I know that during my spare time I will be looking into different jobs and such like any other final year student, it’s just a case of getting onto that career level as soon as possible and even at whatever level possible.

I don’t know in what direction my career path will take me, or where in the world it will lead to (though I would love it to lead to Australia) and the thought of the unknown is scary, but I’m also excited by it.

Personal
2011 is the year that I’m going to drive. Mum’s given my brother and I an ultimatum to book lessons by the end of January or she won’t pay for them. I’ve had lessons before, even taken my practical test, but obviously I failed and haven’t sat behind the wheel since. That was 4 years ago this coming May. I’m currently looking into the merits of driving schools vs independent ones etc and I’ll probably book something by the end of the week.

I also need to trust my instinct more, I’m so indecisive at times I just need to go and say “I’m going to do this and not change my mind”. It might work out for the better or my instinct might be the wrong call, but it’s something to learn from.

I want to try acting classes. Not just because I fancy a go at it but because I hear it can be great for your confidence, which is something that I’ve had issues with for a while. I also really miss singing. For those who haven’t known me for long I used to sing in the CBSO Young Voices which is something that I really enjoyed. I miss the team work that you get with acting and singing and I guess I was stupid to stop singing in the first place…

Travel

How can you top spending 10 weeks travelling in Australia?

I’m not sure you can.

But what I do know is that I’ve been bitten by the travel bug big time. I do know that I really want to go back to Australia, perhaps permanently even, but I know that I don’t think I’ll be able to do that in 2011.

I’d love to go back to New York having spent all of 4 days there in 2008. We got a load packed in to that 4 days but I’d like 2 weeks to see it properly, do all the museums and stuff as well as see a show or two. Plus the time I’m thinking of would fit in nicely with the US Open tennis at Flushing Meadows.

If I can’t manage that then I’ll spend the whole summer teaching my American friend in Leicester, Brandy, all about cricket. She’ll be well versed in it when I’m done with her.

Oh and maybe a couple of day trips to the beach with the dogs. Just not Weston Super Mare.

So that’s it. My plan for 2011. And I’ll tell you all about its progress on here.

A Walk in the Woods

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It was interesting to hear this week about the term Nature Deficit Disorder, on both The One Show and also in this piece in today’s Guardian. I guess that I’ve had the luxury of having the best of both worlds, what with me being on the doorstep of Moseley Bog (quite literally in fact, it takes just seconds for me to get to it) yet still living in the suburbs of a big city at the same time.

As a child I would go out with my parents and walk the dogs while pleading to go down into the muddy area of the bog instead of staying in the dry. As an adult I’ll still go out and walk the dogs but this time I know that if I go down to the muddy area with the dogs and paddle in the water with them then I know that by the time I get home it won’t be the parents, it’ll be me who has to clean eight muddy paws!

Okay so there’s still the whirr of traffic from the Yardley Wood Road but other than that it’s just the nature you can hear, the birds, the bees, the dogs barking when playing. You can spot the occasional white tail of a rabbit running off or the rare sound of the woodpecker that lives there. If you can block out that traffic then it’s really nice and peaceful.

Richard Louv, who wrote the book that first mentioned Nature Deficit Disorder says that:

For this generation, nature is more of an abstraction than a physical reality. Kids today can tell you about the Amazon rainforest, but not about the last time they went into a wood alone. Nature is something to watch from a distance, something to consume.

That last bit is something that I do agree with, nature is at its best when you are admiring it, whether it’s a bluebell or a butterfly (not that I’d admire one of those, I am petrified of them) or tree roots that just look plain interesting. Don’t get involved in it, just look and watch. Nature’s been evolving for longer than humans have, it will keep doing it.

I went to the Forest of Dean with my parents and the dogs yesterday. It’s somewhere we used to go each Whitsun break in the caravan, rain or shine, so this day trip was a real nostalgia fest. Our first port of call was the Sculpture Trail at Beechenhurst Lodge. It was an annual event whenever we were there and we’d cycle it, walk it or even do it backwards we knew it that well. It’s the perfect combination of art and nature. There’s no sounds of traffic in the background, just the sounds of the nature, and the occasional bike bell when they want you to get out of the way!

We then made our way over to Symonds Yat Rock, a lovely view point where the views of the Wye Valley are stunning. They also have telescopes where you can see the Peregrine Falcons on the cliff side and experts from the RSPB are there to answer any of your queries about them.

Do you know what the best bit of my day was? Being away from my laptop, the test match on TV/radio and having very little phone signal. Because to me getting away to nature means getting away from all of the mod cons too, it helps you to clear your head, to relax you, and whether it’s on your doorstep or further away take advantage of it.

Here’s a slideshow of some of my photos from the day: my dogs got into some of the photos – Freddie (aged 10 months) is the one with lots of fur, Matt (10 years) with less fur:

[slideshare id=4416984&doc=theforestofdean-100605065319-phpapp02]

Chocolate Brownies

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On the small cul-de-sac where I live my chocolate brownies are legendary. It started with a Christmas do at a neighbour’s house a couple of years ago, and they asked each house to bring some food, so my family delegated that I make a batch of my chocolate brownies.

Needless to say they went down extremely well and since then I have been the go to person whenever someone is after cakes to sell as they always sell out!

I was first given a chocolate brownie recipe by one of the librarians at my sixth form college, since then I’ve looked at other recipes and adapted my own recipe to find one that works every time.

And I’m going to share it with you.

Rachel’s Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Brownie!

Ingredients
400g Bournville Chocolate (or any dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage, I just like to go local)
90g Plain Flour
100g Caster Sugar
1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
90g Butter/Margarine (Stork will do)
3 tbsp Golden Syrup
2 large Eggs
A drop of Vanilla Essence (I’m all for technical measurements)

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4
2. Line a baking tin, pick the size depending on how thick you want the brownies to be, with either baking paper or soft butter
3. Break up and melt the chocolate in a bowl over boiling water/in the microwave/however you want to do it
4. Stir together the dry ingredients into a separate bowl
5. Once the chocolate is melted, take it off the heat and add the butter, mixing together thoroughly
6. Then add the syrup, eggs and vanilla essence and mix
7. Combine the dry ingredients with the chocolate mixture and stir quickly until smooth
8. Pour the mixture into the baking tin, shaking gently so that it is evenly spread out
9. Put in the oven for 30-45 minutes until the edges are crispy, the middle will still be fairly gooey
10. Take the tin out of the oven and allow to cool for a few hours before cutting up into pieces

Serving Suggestion
I like to eat them cold as a snack or warm with some ice cream and chocolate sauce, they taste good however!

When is something not new?

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I recently won a pair of tickets to see Saracens play South Africa at Wembley Stadium. My second thought after “Woo hoo I’m going to the rugby” was “Woo hoo I’m going to the New Wembley”.

Now the “new” Wembley has been open for 2 years now, is it still classed as new then in building terms? I mean is a tree still “new” at 50 years because that’s relatively young in tree years?

I remember when the local radio station BRMB went through a big change and the display in the car was “New BRMB” and it stuck around for ages until one day it just went, it stopped being new. Who decided that?

Should there be a length on how long something is “new” for? Should it differ depending on the average life of these things, such as buildings and trees.

Debutant

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Seeing as this blog is starting one day ahead of another one, I feel that I should mention it on here in my first post.

I first found out about Seven Reasons when it appeared in my followers list on Twittera few days ago and I had no idea what it was on about.

Then I saw the light in my friend Jon’s post on the same topic: Evidence Item A, where he explained that they’re going to be giving 7 reasons for different random things each day.

I like this idea. It sounds fun and quite interesting, and I will be reading it. Especially if they go on about 7 reasons about something to do with gingers because it would be fun to see what Jon puts for that

Just like I hope you’ll read this blog, which I plan on making quite interesting and also quite fun.