self-portrait, oil on canvas, 2009, a little larger than five foot by three foot

ink, oil, photographs on paper - on canvas, 2008. Words also by me. Around three by two foot.

These are my two favourite peices of work.

I probably won’t be able to update for a while, exams and uni stuff. However, hopefully in the summer I will be opening a brand new website with blog, so stay tuned.

 Topshop are being pretty awesome at the moment. I love their dresses!

 So, here is a selection of some of the books I’m reading at the moment. Yes, SOME. I read ALL the time; I can’t stop, it’s like an illness.

 And my Mum bought the February Elle for me today, and I’ve discovered at LEAST seven new authors that I want to go out and find all their books and curl up with them for hours on end.

 Of those above, the only one I’ve finished before is ‘Cloud Atlas’, which I will come on to in a minute, but of those I am only part way through I highly reccomend ‘The 13 and 1/2 lives of Captain Bluebear’ by Walter Moers, ‘An Utterly Impartial History of Britain (or 2000 years of Upper Class Twits in Charge)’ by John O’Farrell, ‘Words’ by Jean Paul Satre and ‘The Remains of the Day’ by Kazuo Ishiguro; and of course ‘Catch 22′ and ‘Brave New World’.

David Mitchell is my absolute favourite author of the moment. I have favourite books that are not his, but he is consistent in all of his books in that they are all unique and utterly fantastic. They are difficult, and perhaps contraversial, but beautifully written. They combine science fiction, comedy and literary fiction with beautiful imagery and immense technical skill. My favourite is ‘Ghostwritten’ – it is a book that really makes you think.

I highly reccomend all his books – but often it is said that if you are new to Mitchell, you should start with ‘Cloud Atlas’, which is why I’ve been rereading it. I read ‘Cloud Atlas’ perhaps when I was too young, because I didn’t really get it. I returned to Mitchell a few months ago, with ‘Ghostwritten’ and ‘number9dream’, before moving on to his latest offering, ‘Black Swan Green’ (which is actually, in format, quite different to his first three books, but still contains his style), and so I thought I should reread the book that is his most famous.

In conclusion, to quote Ringo Starr in A Hard Day’s Night: ‘Books are good.’

Contrast/Sharpness/Brightness edited by me in PSP7. Taken with a Canon EOS 400D :)

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

–

Yes! So here is my 101 things in 1001 days :) Some I will save for university, and I reserve the right to change my goals if I don’t feel they suit me any more. Anyway, on to my things…

             HEALTH

1. Cook 10 real meals for myself
2. Find out blood type and donate blood (poss. subject to change)
3. Drink something other than Coca-Cola for at least one week

    PERSONAL

4. Establish and follow a morning routine – (face scrub, teeth, deodorant, etc.)
5. Spend a whole day in a dress
6. Go out somewhere wearing a skirt/dress without tights
7. Read a book that makes me uncomfortable (OCD-wise)
8. Kiss a boy
9. Learn how to properly apply makeup
10. Shave my legs every time I shower for at least a year
11. Straighten my hair after drying it after a shower when I want it to be straight, rather than just saying, ‘Oh, I can’t be bothered’
12. Identify 100 things that make me happy 
13. Get my eyebrows/upper lip threaded when neccessary

     FREE TIME AND LEISURE

14. Paint an oil canvas in my spare time
15. Set up a serious photography shoot and take at least 20 really great photos
16. Go to a New Year’s Eve party
17. Hold a “house party”
18. Go on a sailboat
19. Watch at least 5 ‘new’ (for me) films a year, one of which to be a classic
20. When my moleskine planner arrives, use it and write in it daily
21. Wear different coloured nail varnish every day for a week
22. Have a manicure
23. Go to the zoo and take good photos 

     TRAVEL

24. Visit New York
25. Visit 2 other states in America
26. Visit Ireland
27. Spend a day doing the ‘tourist spots’ in London
28. Go on a picnic with close friends in the height of summer in a huge public park
29. Go on a holiday with friends
30. Go on the London Eye
31. Participate in Camp America (poss. subject to change depending on finances)

     EDUCATION AND OCCUPATION

32. Go to  and graduate from university
33. Write and have published an article for my university newspaper
34. Join at least two university societies
35. Pass my driving test
36. Get a job

     BOOKS AND WRITING

37. Read at least 20 ‘classics’
38. Read at least 8 books from The Guardian List of 100 best books
39. Read 5 Shakespeare plays
40. Participate in, and complete at least 25,000 words of, NaNoWriMo 2009
41. Read at least three philosophy books
42. Give a sample of my writing to someone indifferent so I can get honest criticism
43. Read three books of poetry
44. Keep up with pen-pals
45. Spend at least one week where I write every day

     THINGS TO OWN

46. Get a MacBook
47. Buy a piece of artwork
48. Treat myself to a make-up ‘splurge’ of at least £50
49. Treat myself to a book ‘splurge’ of at least £100
50. Buy an expensive set of well-fitting nice underwear
51. Buy a name-necklace
52. Buy a new lens for my camera
53. Get a new phone

     MISC, TO BE COMPLETED & SAVED FOR UNIVERSITY

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This list will end on Thursday, 29 September 2011

Found via iCiNG and All & Sundry

topshop bag from my Mum (£35?)

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time & Stardust - two great films! Both from my Mum :D

Top down - 44 Scotland Street, Alexander McCall Smith; The Road, Cormac McCarthy;The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde - Waterstone's Exclusive Edition; Art Now Vol 2 + The Polaroid Book, both Taschen 25th Anniversary. I also got the Top Gear Book (lol, a joke from my Mum) and Richard Hammond's second book, but I already had it =/

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle perfume (!!!) from my Mum again () and an Estee Lauder charcoal grey liquid eyeliner, which technically wasn't a present, but I bought it along with my Mum's pressie, because it was part of a deal. I haven't used it yet, though, and only opened it a few days ago XD

Back to the Future mug hand-printed by a friend; sort of an in-joke. Also you see a snippet of my newly tidied desk (gasp, it's usually horrendous!) and my marker pens!

 :D I also got some clooothes (which hopefully will be pictured soon in outfit shots), and some art materials and chocolates and things like that! Very lucky girl, me :)

Hope you are all well and had as wonderful a time as I did!

(Sorry for the blurry image, I have no idea how to make it stay at its original size. For a better view, click the picture)

Although I have, yes, been craving some more winter-related items (snuggly jumpers and boots galore, knit dresses and t-shirts, oh my!), there suddenly seems to be an influx of girly, summery, floaty floral things sweeping their way onto my web browser. I want it to be summer again so I can wear these without being as cold as I am now (which has been the reason for my lack of posts – I’ve been, apart from frantically rushing round for uni interviews/last days of term/Christmas parties, wrapped up in a blanket in my pyjamas due to being FREEZING cold)!

 I would go out and buy them, ready to wear in summer, but I spent all my money on books and an eyeliner yesterday. Oops.