It’s Been a While

It’s been a while since I’ve done a meme on here (I think I’ve actually done this one a couple of times before, but that shouldn’t be a cause for worry).

Big thanks to Oscar Windsor-Smith for awarding me a Versatile Blogger Award. Now I must tell you good people 7 things about me that may not be generally known.

Here goes.

1. The first piece of writing I was paid for was written under a pseudonym, the first name of which was Joe. This was, I reckon, a little subconscious nod to Joe Strummer. (It was an article for a county magazine, in case you were wondering. And it featured both Merlin and David Beckham (there was a joke in there about wearing ridiculous robes, from memory).

2. When I started writing I didn’t think I would end up writing fiction.

3. My zodiac sign is Leo, and, from what I’ve read, I sound like a pretty typical one. (And no, I don’t know if there’s a sign that exists that I’m compatible with.)

4. I have a particular aversion to cliques (this will be a separate post, actually) and tend to avoid them at all costs. This can make me seem grumpy and/or not very social.

5. I mostly don’t care what people think about me. Though there’s always a strange desire to be accepted, in some way. Actually, I wonder if that’s why I write.

6. I can’t eat chocolate.

7. I don’t have a university degree. Or A Levels. And I have never attended any writing course, aside from those I’ve run. (Hypocrite, I know.)

So there you go. Now you know a little more about me. Anything else you want to know…?

(I’ll not tag anyone specifically to carry this on, but do let me know if you do it too.)

Blogger Award

Well now, that was nice. The lovely Dolly has given me a Creative Writer Blogger Award. Thank you very much Dolly.

And now I have to list six fibs and one truth. Feel free to guess which is which.

1. I can’t stand onions.
2. I have read a lot of Dickens.
3. I once wrote a story about a character called Dolly.
4. The weather’s looking better up here today.
5. My handwriting is very, very neat.
6. I am good at being patient.
7. I am almost always smiling.

I’ll not nominate anyone (there are SO many brilliant blogs that I read) but I’d love to see the results if anyone decides to have a go.

Obsessions

Megan Taylor thinks my blog is fabulous. Thank you Megan, yours is rather fine as well.

Now, as part of accepting this lovely award I have to do meme shenanigans. Namely: List five obsessions. Megan offered 5 obsessions in her writing which I may do as well. We’ll have to see how I feel further into this post (it’s feeling like a long day already!).
Nik’s Obsessions (or what he’s obsessive about – are they the same thing?):
Fountain pens. (Like you didn’t know that.)
Stats for this blog. (Yes, I’m watching you.)
Getting writing right. (A hopeless one.)
Not being too sensitive. (As above.)
Birds. And leopards. I really like leopards.
And writing obsessions? Why not. 
Loss.
Death.
Love.
Seeing things differently/ loneliness
People not being able to get things right.
Or perhaps they’re more themes. 
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Now to tag five peeps, whose blogs I think are fab, to interpret this meme as they see fit, should they want to.
I tag:
***
And talking of leopards, I think Legadema here is about my favourite. Watch her try to mother a baboon cub. Quite, um, wow.

7 Things

Sally Cook has been doing some meme tagging shenanigans. I am one of those she’s tagged. I have to tell you all seven things about me. Now, I remember doing this some time ago, though if memory serves it was eight things back then. Times change. 

1. I need peace and quiet to write. Things like dogs barking, people using those big industrial leaf blowers/hedge trimmers, pneumatic drills are not on my list of favourite things.
2. Some interruptions when I’m writing are necessary and are received politely. If you’re the chap who rang me up earlier to tell me that you’re going to help me switch mobile phone providers you will know that such phone calls are not a necessary interruption and might not be received politely. And if I do want to switch mobile phone providers, as I said, I’ll do it when it’s convenient and not when I’m working. And if you are that chap, don’t sound so grumpy because, you know, I didn’t ask you to ring.
3. I can be cheery at times. Honest. Probably has something to do with the moon.
4. I’ve been getting the feeling, more and more lately, that I need to spend more time relaxing.
5. I have really enjoyed, over the past few months, the actual act of writing. Of putting ink on paper.
6. I think Pelikan fountain pens are wonderful.
7. My hair’s in my eyes.
So there you go, folks. The first seven things that came to mind. I wonder how different these answers are to the last things about me meme I did.
I’ll not tag seven people, I’ll tag you all. Let me know if you share…

Aliya Whiteley’s Secret Vice

(Good title, huh?)

Aliya has tagged me. She wants to know what my secret vices are.

Let’s see. Well, I don’t think I’ve anything secret. Don’t think there’s anything people don’t know about.

There are fountain pens, which I love. But they’re not really a vice. There’s American Chopper and Deadliest Catch that I love to watch. Again not really vices.

And then there’s Big Barn Farm. I first came across it when my beloved and I were in Cornwall earlier in the year. And I have to admit that whenever I happen upon it I do want to see how it ends. And in all fairness, it is good children’s TV.

(I’ll not tag anyone else, cos I tagged some folks not long ago and wouldn’t want to become a nuisance. BUT if anyone wants to do it – get it done!)
***

I went to a pub to see friends last night. It was good fun. But one event still has me puzzled. I passed some people, who’d been sitting at the table next to us, in the corridor as they were leaving. There was the polite, and rather northern, see ya from a couple of them, which I returned. And then, one of them, a lady (quite possibly a wee bit tipsy) grabbed my arm and, giggling, proceeded to call me George Michael. Over and over again. She thought it was hilarious. I thought (and still do) it was bizarre, for the simple reason that I look nothing like him at all. Very, very strange.

Me, when I got home, not looking like anyone other than myself.

Tagged

I’ve been tagged by both Fionna and Sarah Hilary.

So, let’s get to it shall we?
Display the award. Link back to the person who gave you this award. Nominate at least 7 other blogs. Put links to those blogs on your blog. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated. You can only answer in one word.
1. Where is your cell phone? There

2. Where is your significant other? Teaching

3. Your hair color? Black
4. Your mother? Home

5. Your father? Home

6. Your favourite thing? Pelikan

7. Your dream last night? Dreamy
8. Your dream/goal? Stability

9. The room you’re in? Study

10. Your hobby? Birds

11. Your fear? Many

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy

13. Where were you last night? Beloved

14. What you’re not? blond

15. One of your wish-list items? Stationary
16. Where you grew up? Home
17. The last thing you did? Listened (Editing stories, see?)
18. What are you wearing? CoolEPT-shirt/Jeans

19. Your TV? Off

20. Your pet? Quiet

21. Your computer? Essential

22. Your mood? Busy

23. Missing someone? Yup

24. Your car? Silent

25. Something you’re not wearing? Bonnet

26. Favourite store? N/A

27. Your summer? Behind

28. Love someone? Deeply

29. Your favorite color? Depends

30. When is the last time you laughed? Today

31. Last time you cried? GraveyardBook

So. Now it’s for me to nominate. Well, um, let’s see. Whose blogs do I love? There are loads. Off the top of my head – Fiona’s (as mentioned yesterday), Sarah Salway’s, Mummywrites, Lane’s, Jenn’s, Aliya’s and Neil’s, and Charlotte’s.
***
Added – doesn’t half get on my nerves when Blogger does its own thing with the formatting and refuses to listen to what I want.

Ooh, And Before I Forget…

I’ve had two responses from the friends I tagged with that meme I did the other day. You can see Tania’s here and Lexi’s here (it’s in the comments bit because she likes to keep blog posts about writing; I think she’s a little more disciplined than I am!).

And while on the subject of blogging about things which have nothing to do with writing, I have been drinking out of different mugs today. New mugs. Replacements for the two favourites that broke last week. So it’s no more pretty Hindi-esque design and Eeyore, and hello to Mr Bump and Mr Messy (And a nice green one I’ve yet to test). I’d post a picture but my phone broke last week as well.

Meme

Okay, being as my mind’s not quite back up to writing speed, I thought I’d warm up (and at least write something) with a meme. I was tagged by the lovely Poppy.

So…

1) What were you doing ten years’ ago?

That would have been 1998, wouldn’t it? Let’s see. I was sixteen and working at a VW garage. I don’t think I was a salesman then, in fact I’m pretty sure I was a service receptionist working at the garage’s small outpost on the Fairfield Estate in Buxton, Derbyshire. I had a lot more ‘friends’ than I do now but I didn’t write stories (I’m sure it’s a balance thing). Actually, I was still writing songs then, still dreaming of being a rock star. How things change. I was also quite a bit slimmer (like a rake) and had sillier, but shorter, hair. And definitely no beard. Or glasses.


2) What 5 things are on your to-do list today?

Get better.
Rest.
Try to do at least some work.
Do this meme.
Get better.

3) What snacks do you enjoy?

I honestly don’t really snack. Breakfast is porridge, lunch is a sandwich or soup, and dinner is dinner. If I’m hungry I might have an oat bar and a mug of peppermint or jasmine tea.

When I could eat chocolate I used to LOVE raisin and biscuit Yorkies. Alas, no more.

4) What would you do with a billion dollars?

Um, dunno. There are plenty of well deserving charities out there. I might even start my own.

I’d buy a nice house. And more fountain pens and inks. And books.

Actually, if I had it now, I’d pay for a specialist to come and sort my foot out.


5) List the places you have lived:

I have inhabited many, many worlds, as many different people.

6) List the jobs you have held:

None that interesting, I’m afraid.

Paperboy (Manchester Evening News AND a Sunday morning round – see, I started my career in the media).
Solicitor’s mail opener and scanner.
Waiter (more than once).
Office floor layer and decorator (well, once, for £40).
Service Advisor
Car Salesman

7) List the people you’d like to know more about:

I would like to know more about Tania, Lexi , Rosie and Jenn.

I also tag them (and anyone else who feels like it) with my bookshelf meme – which means taking a picture of one of your bookshelves and whacking on your blog for the world to see. No arranging books prior to the shoot though, folks.

Not Your Average Sunday

Well I don’t suppose it ever will be when it’s spent in A & E. Yup I have been a little bit poorly. To sum up without boring you… felt a bit rotten last week and developed a sore foot, which on Friday was so bad I couldn’t walk on it. And then it got worse. I can honestly say that I have NEVER EVER, EVER been in so much relentless pain. I mean it PROPER hurt. And then I became nauseous. And got a temperature. And shivery. And that all turned into a bit of a fever. Didn’t sleep a wink last night – not a wink. The pain was excruciating (I know what that word feels like now!) and I was dripping with sweat.

So this morning, my beloved took me to the hospital. And I am so glad she did. Things could have got really nasty.

Aside from the less than friendly or helpful welcome (one of the receptionists ignored me and the other, when he was ready, looked at me – no chance of a hello then?) everyone I saw was terrific. I was examined and found myself, rather quickly, being given medicine I.V. style. And painkillers – what painkillers! And all because of a nasty and unavoidable infection which can turn into a flesh eating thing and can be life threatening.

So here I am, feeling a little better, and not, it seems (and I hope!) in danger of being gripped by death. And I have a pair of crutches, which are much more difficult to use than they look.


I have to go back to be checked tomorrow (one of the conditions of them allowing me to go home) and I have a course of antibiotics to finish, but I hope to be feeling well enough to be writing and blogging again, and as normal, soon. I may have a bit of time off first though.

So that’s been my day. I have a meme from Poppy which I hope to do soon. Still no takers for my bookshelf pictures Almost Meme?