Thought I'd catch myself up

It's long since been new year's day and all that, but f*ck me, but 2011 was a busy one. I did all sorts. Some of it was in previous posts (gloating), like the award for 39 Steps and the sheer joy of doing the play itself. Also did some, if not a great deal, of photography. Miss Liz (my wife) and I have coined a new term, awesome fatigue. As in we look at some of the photos we create, and go 'well, it's all right. I suppose.' I totally have to give here the 'we' these days'. Which is to say she has a more or less equal hand in creating the photo, not that I provide her with liquid excreta.

I will take a big old chunk of the credit for most of the execution, but in terms of quality ideas, sly motivational techniques and wings she's right up there. That, amongst a great many other endearing and impressive qualities, got her to the front row. I mean, check it:



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OU is going well. Apart from having been sick on day of my Child Development exam and now having to resit the fecker. Bah. Incoming seriously heavy year of study. Cognitive Psychology amongst other things. I look forward to it and actually is part of the reason for the blog post. Bit of a brain dump and starting afresh with the power routine. Went very well last year, up until September which was a total crash and burn but that was due to waaaay too much on the plate and downing from doing the play in August. I have learned from that experience. I'm not sure what, exactly, but I definitely learned. *sigh* Probably to not do a play in August, but I really really want to. We'll have to see how things go. If I also want a First (which I do - with a fiery passion) then I need to get a distinction in Cog Psych. But I'll have done several TMAs (tutor marked assignments) by the time I'd be auditioning for anyting Fringe-ified so I should have a decent idea of how I'm going. Level 3 module is Cog Psych so a bit of a cut above what I've been doing so far.

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Work. Yeah. Um...let's move right along, shall we?

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Still a complete lack of husband. Honestly. Where are all the eligible, handsome, witty, intelligent well-dressed (GAY!) men? Eh? Is it so much to ask?

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So this year is:

Three OU modules (and a resit).
The usual Men's Health 10K in October.
Half marathon (you heard me) in May.
A play (maybeprobablyhopesomightnot)

And that'll probably do, to be honest. One thing I definitely will be (WILL. BE.) doing this year is not too much. Only so many hours in the day and fuel in the tank, eh?

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Semper superne nitens (bitches),

C :)

Commitment

Given that it's 1am and I'm not less than a given value of drunk, I'm not going to wax philosphical on commitment. I totally could, you understand, I'm just not going to.

I do hereby commit to hit the 2016 Burning Man with Jenni (word to ya, the small sister!). I can totally be that guy who hits forty and says, "Oh yeah, I really took a new direction this year; I went to Burning Man and I really feel that I found myself in that environment."

You know. A wanker. :)

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Semper superne nitens,

C

I still think she's here

Le chat, that is. Miss Patsy. Coming home I thought "I'll go and squirrel in bed with laptop," leading to concomitant and largely visual thoughts of "but the cat..." Only she's not here, you see. She's dead. Some time ago, now. Some months, anyway, which is what allows me to use the bleak term. At the time I took refuge in 'gone to the vet' or 'she's away.' Miss her dreadfully but it's what you sign up for. They don't last.

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Not so very cheerful start, eh? And it has, in fact, been an 80% cheerful year, I'd say. Downsides of incosiderate doctors (not medically and, actually, with some truly wicked smile moments) and some work troubles too tiresome to go in to.

On the upside - and I write this post as I enjoy reading back and thinking 'actually, yeah, that was good' - it's been a joyous year for creativity. Although I haven't done a lot of the 'tography, what I have done has been very much transferring what's in my head into an image. Deeply satisfying. I don't draw often, so I'm not very good at it and have been continually frustrated by this. Being able to make the picture in my head real is satisfying all the way down to my bones. In general, feel free to check them out.

www.flickr.com/photos/readwrite

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Acting. Out-frickin'-standing.

I'm stuck as to how to say it so I'm going to go with childish glee. We only went and won a bloody award!

I performed in the 39 Steps with Arkle. I don't think (hope) that anyone in the process would jump up and down and swear at me for saying the process itself had its ups and downs, but the actual week of performance was a fucking joy. I truly have not had a more fulfilling experience in theatre and I am thankful for it.

Oh, and yeah. Won an Evening News Drama Award for Best Production. *polishes fingernails*

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And I would wax greater philosophical, but maybe another time. In another year. :)

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Semper superne nitens,

C

Never enough time

Certainly not for everything I wish to do. I occasionally think about my sixth year at school's botched attempted at a yearbook. Doomed for failure from the start what with there being a maximum of twenty of us in sixth year. One of the things we did manage was for each of us to write a couple of paragraphs on ourselves; aspirations and such. I had a great many. The fella who was editing the yearbook took great exception to this, I couldn't possibly do all of these things. Looking back, I've actually done quite a lot of them or at least am making reasonable headway toward.

That said, there's never going to be enough time. But choice, focus; these are good things.

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Just finished being Puck.



Was awesomes. Definitely a big tick on my 'things to do while alive'.

In a tiny bit of a slump following, however. Unsurprisingly. Plays - or other significant events - are like that. Pile energy and energy and energy into them and then, all of a sudden, they're done. And the energy seems to go with them.

I wisely took a few more days off than needed, though. Plus, Jane and Clare - lovely London friends - came up to see the play and to do Festival things so we went out and had a passing lovely time on Sunday. Went to see Smoke and Mirrors at the Spiegeltent, amongst other things. Which links back to never enough time. I'm totally running away to join the circus.

Or maybe just join aerial classes with Miss Kim. That would be a cool answer for 'what you doing tonight' on Tuesdays? 'Trapeze, actually.' :D

Speaking of people coming to see, I was very fortunate / flattered that a great many came to see the show; 38 in all, with (sorry the rest) Jane, Clare and Barbara winning the 'most effort' prize for distance travelled. Hope it was worth even the smaller effort for the most local. Which, everyone, flatteringly, said it was. But these are my friends so they may have been lying...

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And on to what's next. As discussed with some few, I'm totally doing at least A N Other play next year. The intention was to not do any more theatre for a while, and concentrate on OU studies. But plays are just too much fun, I have decided so I'll have to find the time somewhere.

Next three OU modules should all be grand; Exploring Psychology, Biological Psychology and Developmental Psychology. I've done the latter two before and, while I was a bit daunted by the bio-stuff, I've started doing a bit of reading and am finding it far more fascinating than I did previously. I think possibly I have more confidence in my learning abilities than once I did. And if it all starts to get too terribly much, I have both Ellie - psych lecturer pal - and not commiting to any plays until Spring of next year anyway so I'll have a definite feel for how well / much I'm doing by then.

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In the meantime, I've signed up for (very manly!) 10K. Men's Health Survival of the Fittest. Ten weeks from Saturday behind us there. Am feeling reasonably fit at the moment so looking forward to it, with a bit more training.

FriendRich has also signed up, which is excellent. A pal to train with is hugely motivational.

Also need to get back into photography, which has lagged for the last month or so and my Flickr contacts have been doing jaw-dropping things of late. Much inspiration. Check out TCB and Lapp Pro De, as for instances.

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Today has been my first day of Nothing in quite some time. Haven't even showered yet - lazy bugger! Watched a movie, read a book, slept incredibly late. All quite delightful. Tomorrow; back on the merry merry merry-go-round.

And my wee to do list for the next year or so...let's say by 35th birthday. (Yikes - middle age!!!)


10K (and maybe a half marathon)
Finish the Gnome fishing story
Organise an exhibition of my light painting photos
Three OU modules
A play of some sort
Driving Licence - I'd forgotten that one. Start lessons on the 6th of September.

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Semper superne nitens - because otherwise life is Too Boring,

C

Utter procrastination

Woot! To quote a certain film: "I got the part! I'm going to play Puck! I'm going to play Puck!"

Many things will lead from this. First one is complete and utter glee. It's right up there on my list of 'things to do while alive' (I don't do 'before I'm dead' - so dreary a way to look at it. So a Big Tick in the life column. Also - getting fit. Has been a goal for quite some time now, mostly in my head, but I'm told the costume is being designed to a factor of skimpy, so the love handles need sorting. Towards this, I'm started *shudder* focussed exercise. There's some good sites - onehundredpushups.com (etc - sit-ups, squats, chin-ups). You do as many as you can then it gives you a programme to build from there.

The utter procrastination comes from the fact that I've just completed todays push-ups and squats and I am a bit bushed for now doing the hoovering. So blogging. Blogging becomes important.

I'm also planning to dye my hair green. :D But not for a while.

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I have once again been playing with fire.



Definitely go team on that lot, though. Came a Liz, and a Kim, and a Rich, and an Ivan, and a Sonja, and a Helen. All of whom are simply the best minions money couldn't buy.

Did I say minions? *insert preferred term here*

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The OU is going to well. Not a great deal to talk about. I'm reading chapters, and sitting quizes and getting through them grand. Even if it is only multiple choice...

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Semper superne nitens,

C

Hatred and Psychic Abilities

It's amazing what you value in your friends.

I have been playing with fire. It's *awesome*. Take the next opportunity to do something your mother told you not to. Seriously. Make this a goal for the week.



SteveO hates me. This makes me cheerful as he and I collectively hate these people. I mean, seriously; how good to you have to be? It's offensive.

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Liz is psychic. Or we are psychic together. One of the two. We half decided not to bother talking in the future as it seemed somewhat redundant, but any opportunity for affirmation is a good opportunity.

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It has been busy since my last post. There has been a play; A Madman Sings to the Mood by Mark Thompson. I played the part of Frank, a 'PR Man' and total and utter prick. Serious fun. And seriously unmitigated character. It's always way better playing the baddies.

Mr Thompson is the artistic director of the Lyceum Theatre Company in Edinburgh and he was kind enough to come see us. Also hung out a bit after the play and bought us some champagne. He professed to be pleased with the performance which was flattering and pleasing. Also pleasing was the positive reaction from m'pals and colleagues who were all supportive enough to come along. Always a bit nervous about asking people to come along, as it might suck / they might hate it and they've given up not only their time but their hard-earned to be there. Everyone very positive, though, and I have several friends - even the untelepathic ones - who have *no* problems with honesty. i.e. if it had sucked, they'd have said so.

Overwhelmingly positive experience, rehearsal and performance. Co-actors were very professional in their outlook and ability, as was director and the company, Arkle, is very well managed. Have auditioned for A Midsummer Night's Dream, as Puck, for the Festival, but not finding out about that for a couple of weeks.

Have always always always wanted to play the part, but have two mitigating circumstances. One - I already have a holiday booked for the week of the performance. Oops. But have spoken to the friends (hi guys!) I am ostensibly going with and they are understanding the dream-partness of it all.

Secondly - have started my OU degree. Only one module to kick off with, but it's a serious investment of time. That + a play = who *really* needs sleep?

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Semper superne nitens!

C :)

You have to check the links...

...otherwise you won't follow the entire point.

What I like about light painting. You have to be taking part. You have to *do* something in order to achieve the shot. Consider this. Amazing photograph. Techniquely, it's unsurpassable (if you take a certain definition of 'perfect' as a given). But...once you've reached that level of knowledge, it's a bit too...easy.

Sorry. Really. I recognise that it takes a lot of work to get to be that good, to have the level of knowledge that allows you to execute something like that. Not only is the single red rose a great choice for total bokeh, but the composition between it and the background is flawless. Add to that the sizeable circles of sunlight you're getting from the raindrops on the background roses and it really is a perfect picture.

But what you have there is a finished product in terms of the human. Someone who knows what the lens is going to do at a certain aperture at a certain shutter speed. It's not rocket science.

Hard work to get to that level of knowledge, no question; dependent on how fast a learner you are. Once you're there, though; it's just another picture.

Plateaus suck. But they make you look up at the next summit, even if it's just to interest the eye.

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And, also, you know; light painting is *COOL*!



And doesn't Kate look like a proper angel? She knows something we don't...

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I've registered with the Open University. To do *another* psychology degree. This is necessary for the overall plan.

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Futue te et ipsum caballum,

C :)