Weekly Update!

Tea, cakes and a friendly visit

This week has had an interesting mix of things to keep me occupied. A visit from my old university 'flatmate' Claire who now lives in France, caused everyone to come out of the woodwork for a night out on Tuesday. Unfortunately it isn't the best night to go out in Lancaster on, but because there was a decent group of us, it didn't really matter. We went to Hustle, the tackiest, smelliest bar in Lancaster; chosen as it serves a huge array of flavoured shooters that are six for £6. Can't complain. After becoming suitably drunk, we headed back to my house; to get even more suitably drunk.

Thursday was slightly more relaxed, as it was the Fashion Society's second social, and one that involved nothing except cake, tea and idle chattering- perfect for a groups of girls dodging uni work and craving some gossip. Lots of people made cakes and buns which were all tasty, and I attempted some chocolate centred fairy cakes, although sadly the chocolate sunk which was disappointing. It was a great chance to get to know everyone a bit better, especially some of the freshers. Friday was a quiet night in with the boyfriend, and we tested out the local chippy, which was definately upto scratch, and was very reasonably priced for what you got.

On Saturday I headed home for the weekend (technically the night) and enjoyed a leisurely day shopping with my mum and sister. I managed to get my hands on an amazing dress from River Island that was reduced from £70 to just £10! It has a three layer black silk skirt, that then cinches at the waist with a bodice made out of flower print denim. It has elasticated straps across the back, and a neon pink zip up the front that gives it an edgy feel. I can't wait to wear it to something semi-formal over Christmas! In the evening I was incredibly hardcore, and ate a beef stew followed by cherry custard tart, watched X Factor and did some work. Not the greatest Saturday night ever, but to be honest, it was exactly what I needed.

Novel In Progress...

Q - Part 2

I never intended to stay as a coffee barista. It was a part-time job to earn some money whilst I was at university; but when Billy left, I found myself agreeing to step into his shoes. He was a full-time staff member, and handed in his notice to go and work for Starbucks; a month before I was due to return home. Nancy, the old lady who managed the shop, was always grumbling that, “Commercialism will be the ruin of traditional businesses,” so I felt inclined to prove my loyalty by becoming his replacement.

I think it was mainly because I did the job efficiently that they decided to ask me, as it can’t have been due to my customer skills. I’m not at all rude. If someone asks me a question I’ll answer; I just don’t see the point of idle chit-chat. If a punter comes in alone, they either need a quick caffeine hit or have business to attend to. If there’s more than one of them, then they come in to talk to each other, not some guy who serves them coffee.

I think that’s why Cleo was different. She always came in alone, but when she ordered her coffee, there didn’t seem to be a purpose as to why she wanted it. She often left half the cup, so clearly wasn’t desperate for energy, and there was never a hint that she came in to do anything other than stare out of the window. I know some people enjoy people-watching, but with the café being situated down a little alley, there was a distinct lack of people to watch.

After that first encounter, she came in a few times a week for the next month, at least when I was working. I was curious to see if she came in when I wasn’t, but Nancy was nosy enough about my private life as it was, so I didn’t want to give her further ammunition. It wasn’t like that anyway. We never said any more than we did the first time, except that after a couple of weeks I stopped asking what she wanted, as she always ordered the same: black coffee, no sugar.

I started looking forward to her arrival each day, despite our stunted conversation. It was always quiet around that time, and I had things to prepare for closing up, so I could often hear her faint breathing as I walked past with dirty cups and plates, or catch a glimpse in her bag as I mopped the floor around her. I wasn’t intentionally prying, I just found myself curious to know more about her, imagining what questions I would ask if our interaction ever led to more than pleasantries.

I noticed that she often had a ring-bound notebook and file in her bag, so I thought that she could be a student of some kind; she certainly looked the right age. I gradually created a picture of her life in my head that I backed up with shaky evidence. Her nails were painted black, but they were bitten short, so she didn’t seem too conscious of her appearance to give up a bad habit. She also had a new twenty pound note in her purse each time she bought a coffee, so she had some sort of income that was relatively high for someone who appeared to be a student.

Probably the thing that intrigued me the most was something that I didn’t notice straight away. On that first visit she had gestured for me to take the money from her purse when paying, and when I held out the change to place it in her hand, she waited until I dropped it back into the coin compartment. She had also moved her feet under the table when I walked past, to eradicate the chance of my shoes touching hers. It wasn’t until her third visit that I realised that this had happened each time she came into the café; she seemed incapable of bodily contact. I took this as a sign that she was essentially a loner, and because of that, I wanted to talk to her.

Autumn Reads...

The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe- 2 stars **

This book was actually one of the set books for my course. We had to read the beginning and comment on the use of voice within it. I must admit, I didn't particularly enjoy it to begin with, but forced myself to continue reading it and I'm really glad I did.

It is about a young boy called Francie Brady growing up in Ireland. He has a hard childhood, with his mother committing suicide after being released from a mental hospital and his father being an alcoholic who leaves Francie to fend for himself. That's not to say that he can't do so though. A large part of why I liked this novel was the fierceness that Francie continuously shows despite being thrown obstacles on all sides. The town mischief, he is constantly getting into trouble with the law and his neighbours until he is sent to an industrial school run by priests.

The book as a whole is quite disturbing, and contains some issues that may be upsetting to some readers. However, I found this grittiness paired with the strong first person narrative of the story made a terrific read, and the twist at the end was totally unexpected and brilliant. The characters are all seen through Francie's eyes, but they are well crafted and described so that you get a proper picture of the people in the town.

There is a lack of 'standard' grammar throughout, as it is written like a long conversation that Francie is having with the reader, 'Big strings of toffee and a beard of chocolate all over your face...He had a big breeze block of a head and a pair of eyebrows like two slugs trying to stand up. I wouldn't have fancied a scrap with him.' It does take some getting used to, but is an interesting concept that I felt added to the overall feel of the novel, and moulds Francie into a character that the reader really empathises with.

I enjoyed the way McCabe describes things, despite it not being the 'norm', and I thought it did the job just as well. 'My legs went into legs of sawdust. Trot trot goes the sadeyed ass pulling the cart and away off into the misty green mountains and the blue clouds of far away.'

Overall, I would say this book is great if you want a challenging read with an adventurous plot and an ending that is worth reading all night for!

Weekly Update!

Cheese, Wine and Binbags! (delayed from yesterday)

This week was fairly quiet in terms of going out/ doing things but then the work is slowly mounting up, so I was glad to have time to get some important stuff done. Rehearsals for Cuckoo's Nest continued as usual, but Wednesday saw our first cast social which was a really good night.

With the aim of drinking excessive amounts of wine and gorging on cheese we headed to the house of one of our directors, where we all crammed in (quite literally!). We started by sitting around chatting, until 'I've Never' began, which led to some interesting discoveries, more wine, 'Paranoia', cheese, grapes, apples and crackers... and more wine. Fun was had by all, even if we couldn't remember everything the following day!

Friday was rather civilised, as I invited two of my friends round for some food. I made a cheesy bacon pasta bake, which granted doesn't take much effort, but is tasty all the same. We also had garlic bread as a starter, and homemade carrot cake for dessert, which wasn't the best (too much butter in the recipe) but at the end of the day was still a good cake fix for three tipsy girls.

Saturday was the day I had been looking forward to, as it marked the Fashion Society's first social. Our new social secretary had declared it 'Recycled themed' so everyone was encouraged to break out the bin bags, newspaper, tin foil and cans and dress to impress. I was so thrilled at the effort that everyone had put in, I almost felt like a bit of a poor show, with my yellow charity bag tunic and tie belt. We started in Grizedale bar on campus, and then headed for some cheeky cocktails in Mint our (hopefully) soon to be sponsors. Before heading off to the university's club we popped into Yates for some cheap beverages, but left after half an hour after far too many sights of PVC clad women, and middle aged couples grinding on each other. Ew. We ended the night with a queue jump and free ticket into Sugarhouse, which was a lovely advantage to being on a society night out. The majority of people stayed until the end, drinking and dancing until newspaper dresses ripped and binbag skirts split; but rather that than our actual clothes!

Inspired by a memory

The summer we discovered the world.

That summer, we rented a caravan and drove there

like real grownups.

For four days we played house

just us two.

Ate asparagus dipped in butter,

and laughed when it dribbled down our chins.

We lay naked on the sofa, limbs mingled,

not caring who saw.

Got hazy eyes from too much wine

and jumped at the seagulls overhead,

‘Rats with wings’ we said.

We walked in grass up to our knees

chasing butterflies.

Set the fire alarm off cooking bacon

for breakfast in bed,

and chewed liquorice while watching the news.

We shouted words from the cliff tops,

listening as they dissolved on the breeze,

and fell silent at the echo of the waves

as they sloshed against the wall

wishing we could stay one more day.

That summer?

We lived.

Autumn Reads...

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett- 3 stars ***

This was another book that took me by surprise as it wasn't at all what I expected. It tells the story of a birthday party thrown for Japanese CEO (Mr Hosokawa), that goes horribly wrong when terrorists break in and keep them all hostage. The whole book is basically a tale of the everyday life that the hostages encounter, and the relationships that form between them.

It had some lovely moments in it, and the language despite the majority being purely informational, occasionally broke into very pretty prose. An example is, 'there was a vast expanse of carpet embroidered to look like a meadow of flowers, or that ceilings came tipped in gold, or that there could be pale marble women who stood on either side of a fireplace and balanced the mantelpiece on their heads...There were deep white bathtubs with an endless supply of hot water pouring out of the curled silver spigots.There were stacks of soft white towels and pillows and blankets trimmed in satin and so much space inside that you could wander off and noone would know where you had gone.'

I do think that the story was a little slow to begin with, as it set up a lot of characters, many of whom I don't feel were entirely necessary within the plot. It also in my opinion was a bit far fetched, as the terrorists never attempt to hurt any of the hostages, and there are no escape attempts. It is hinted that they are within the house for up to a month, and I just cannot imagine this ever taking place in the real world. For the purposes of an enjoyable read though, I think the writer can be justified in the story she has crafted.

Perhaps the main focus towards the end is the relationships between two couples who appear complete opposites at the beginning. I think this was an endearing subplot, and one that added a bit more depth to the book. 'He wondered sometimes if it was love or just a lack of rest that had twisted such a longing in his heart. He stumbled. He drifted off in wing-backed chairs and in the minutes he slept he dreamed of Carmen.'

Overall I would recommend this novel to people who enjoy a nice read, but one that is not necessarily realistic, as I think this book would become an annoyance.

Weekly Update!

A 21st, Rehearsal and first LUFS meeting!

Seen as I'm now back at uni, unfortunately I have nowhere near as much time in which to do interesting things that I can write about on here, so I've decided to do a weekly diary type thing, where I'll relive the interesting bits of my week (briefly!).

Friday saw the 21st birthday of my friend Danielle, and so we went out to celebrate. It was supposed to be Yorkshire themed, but having no inspiration for an outfit I cheated and went in normal attire. I was quite glad upon arrival to be honest, as there was only our friend Brian dressed up! We had drinks (and beautifully made cupcakes!) at their house before heading into town to the Friary, where Danielle works. We had a few drinks in there, and fully intending going to the Sugarhouse afterwards, but when we saw the crazy queue to get in we chose to stay in the Friary for the night!

On Saturday my mum came to visit for the day. I only live in Manchester, so my parents often pop up to see me, as they both like Lancaster (hence why they bought my house there). Upon hearing that we were intending going shopping however, my dad decided to stay behind in favour of an afternoon in the pub at home. She didn't arrive until after midday, which was great for me as it meant I didn't have to get up ridicuously early after my night out. We walked from mine into Lancaster as the parking is often quite expensive, and it only takes fifteen minutes into the centre from where I live.

We did the usual round trip of the few shops Lancaster has to offer, but I also made a very pleasant discovery- Gorrills. From the outside it looks like a boring homeware shop, so I was less than thrilled when my mum suggested we went in. However, it was a prime example that looks can be deceiving, as inside it held a treasure trove of goodies. Aside from the huge amount of Cath Kidston stuff in there (always pretty to look at) it stocked quirky clocks, handmade cards and general knick knacks that I always love having a root through. I have a bit of a thing for frogs, so loved the door stops that were huge handsewn varieties of the creatures wearing gold crowns, and they had gorgeous customised wine and cocktail glasses, that would be perfect as a present for a special occasion.

Today (Sunday) was the very first rehearsal of the play I have just got a part in: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Having only been in one production in my time at university so far, I was thrilled to be cast again, as I had an absolute ball last time! It not only filled the void of acting, which I missed immensely since doing Theatre Studies at A level, but I made some great friends and had plenty of awesome nights out socialising with the cast. I can only hope this time around it will be the same. It was just a read through this time, although we did start blocking the first scene. I play Nurse Flinn, which is only a small part, but I get quite a lot of stage time pottering around, so still feel pretty involved in the action.

After my rehearsal it was the first meeting of Lancaster University Fashion Society, the society that I founded with my flatmate last year. This time around I have a brilliant new exec, and 144 people signed up at the freshers fair so it looks set to be a great year for us! The initial meeting was just to gage what aspects people were interested in within the society, as we have a magazine and did a fashion show last year; but also just do the usual socials and trips as well. Everyone seemed up for doing plenty of exciting stuff, which was very encouraging, and I'm really excited to get things rolling!

New passions...

Yoga!

I did a yoga taster session in high school when I was about fifteen and really enjoyed it, and have been meaning to take it up on a regular basis since then. Over summer I went once a week to my local leisure centre, and did a class for an hour and a half on a Wednesday morning. I find that it is an amazing way to start the day, as it wakes the body up and gets it active but is also very relaxing so it doesn't feel like strenuous exercise.

The first few times I was a bit achey the following day, but it is one of those activities where the longer you stick at it, the easier it becomes. I'm not particularly sporty or flexible, but I definately noticed an improvement in my ability with each week, and after about five weeks there was a significant advance in my balance and posture. I even stopped getting pain in my back, which has never been consistent or severe, but it is nice to be relieved of it.

The end of my summer holidays drawing near, I really wanted to continue my new found hobby once back at university. I checked on the campus gym's website and found that there were a few yoga classes on at different times throughout the week, which was convenient as I could work around my lectures. My flatmate from last year decied to join me and so last Thursday we headed to the glass training room where it takes place.

It was taught by a man, which was new for me but by no means a negative, and for the newbies, he introduced the ideas behind the practise of yoga and asked people what they wanted from the class. Having joined my local yoga group midway through the year, it was nice to have the initial spiel that I missed out on. Being only an hour long, we didn't spend a great deal of time actually doing positions, but it was a good starter to what I hope will continue to advance over time.

For those people who are toying with the idea of going to a yoga class, I would definately recommend it. It is one of the few exercise classes I have been to where everyone can participate in the same room whatever level they are at, and you don't come out feeling like an exhausted sweaty mess!

Novel In Progress...

Q - Part 1

The clear knock of wood on wood cut through the noise, and silence took hold of the room. I became aware of hundreds of pairs of eyes set upon me; some filled with pity, others cold and accusing, but I was indifferent to what they thought of me. I’d committed the crime, that wasn’t under any scrutiny, and as I held the gaze of Cleo’s mother I felt no shame in telling the truth.

It’s strange really, to think that this whole debacle arose from one piece of paper found in a girl’s room. A plain piece of white A5, no doodles or patterns, just ten lines scribbled in black Bic on a dull morning in May. If Cleo had stopped to think before slotting it inside her book as her mother walked into her bedroom, perhaps she may have remembered to take it with her when she left the house. But then, she had no idea that she would not be returning to complete the eleventh line of writing after her usual coffee at 3pm.

I’ll always remember the first time she came in. Bang on 3pm, the little bell above the door had tinkled as it did each time a customer entered. I had been clock watching; a habit I had started slipping into during the quiet periods at work, when the business men were back walking the streets with their briefcases, and the students returned to their lessons. It was a Monday, the rest of my week looming in a predictable cloud above my head, so it was nice to see someone looking so fiercely alive. She wasn’t overly attractive; she had mid-length brown hair, skinny lips and a slender figure; but her eyes were much bigger than average, to such an extent that I looked away at first, as it felt like I was violating her in some way, as though I was being given access to too much of her for a first meeting. She cleared her throat with a subtle cough, and I realised I had probably left her waiting a bit too long.

“What can I get you?” I said, moving my gaze back onto her.

“Just a regular coffee please. Black, no sugar.”

“Any sandwiches, cakes or biscuits?”

“No thanks, just the coffee’s fine.” She gave a small smile. Despite being in retail, I hated having to try and force things onto people, as the answer was invariably no.

“Quiet in here, isn’t it?” she said, blowing steam off the coffee I had set down on the counter. “I thought quirky-looking cafés down side streets were always busy?”

“It’s the mid-afternoon lull.” I took the crisp twenty pound note from the purse she offered me.

“Besides, I think they tend to be the cafés where they sell mocha lattes with caramel sauce and cupcakes with glittery icing. The most adventurous thing we do here is probably putting whipped cream on top of the hot chocolate.”

“Your carrot cake looks pretty good though,” she offered, clearly feeling sorry for my lack of custom.

“It’s Betty Crocker.” I shrugged and went to clean up the coffee machine.

Freshers Week

Part 2

After a well needed night in on Wednesday, Thursday saw the start of the Freshers Fair. A two day long event, Thursday's Fair was the chance for the clubs and societies to gain some fresh faces for the year.

Lancaster University has literally hundreds of societies from board gaming to equestrian, lacrosse to trampolining. Personally, I am founder (now treasurer) of the Fashion Society, so we had our own stall, complete with papier mache torso, hand stitched banner and red velvet to cover our table. Last year being our first year, I was proud of us achieving to manufacture our own magazine, produce a fashion show and organise a trip to The Clothes Show Live! in Birmingham. We also had forty seven members, which I thought overall showed a rather successful year. I was quite overwhelmed this year then, when at the end of the fair we had 144 names and email addresses down. Definately means our events and socials are under pressure to please the masses!

Thursday evening was another quiet affair, as my voice was tired from so much persuading and enthusiasm, and I knew I would be out on Friday night, so chose to conserve my energy. Friday night was the return of the Sugarhouse's WiFi Disco, where despite everyone looking stupid with massive headphones on, it is great as you don't have to change rooms to listen to different music, and can stay with your mates even if you have different tastes. The twist this time was the addition of 3D glasses (so much more chic?!) which sadly failed to make poor graphics look even remotely real. It was a great night out, with yet more impressive costumes, as the theme was 'C For County' so there were clowns and cowboys, cheerleaders and even a crocodile! The end of Freshers Week drawing near; everyone was determined to enjoy every last minute, so it was a late (and rather drunken) one, but an awesome night nonetheless.

Freshers Week

Part 1

Freshers Week. Those two words can cause parents to worry, newbie students to buzz with excitement, and second and third years to highly consider doing it all over again. Well me being one of those third years, I was ready and waiting for a week of pre-lecture shenanigans to make up for the pitiful five or so nights out I had over summer.

That was the idea. But alas, as usual I hit it just that bit too hard on the first night, supposedly a 'quiet' night in the bar. I was one of the ones there until the drinks stopped being served, and had to bag a bed in my friend's flat on campus as I missed the last bus home. Whoops. However, Monday night came around, and I was determined to make it out of the house at one point during the day. County College's first night was circus themed, so I donned my most circussy outfit (a turquoise corset and pink ruffled skirt) and headed to County bar. To be fair, it had been decked out rather well, with paintings on the walls, sheets draped from the ceiling and a big banner declaring 'Cirque de County'. There were some awesome fancy dress outfits, most notably a guy dressed as a tent (what a great idea!) and people who had gone the whole hog and were wearing full elephant/ monkey/ lion outfits. The plan was to head to Revs, but as I was on the J20s all night, I wasn't exactly feeling pumped up and ready to go, so I chickened out and went home early. Sorry!

Tuesday was County's Big Night Out, where the Freshers are split into different groups and given a route of bars around town to go to, before ending the night in SugarHouse, the university club. As one of my friends is on the JCR, my boyfriend and I decided to head around on his route to keep him company and also try to blag our way into Sugar. The bars we had were actually quite a good mix. We had Mint and Bar Eleven; both 'cocktail' bars, Yate's which is always cheap and cheerful, and The Sun which is a trendy pub with thousands of different spirits and wines available.

Once we had done the four bars, we headed to SugarHouse, where the queue

was astronomical. Luckily we managed to use some T shirts we had 'borrowed' and a cheeky blag for a wristband to get us jumped past it and in within ten minutes! There followed afterwards a really good night, although a clumsy slip outside the girls toilets called it a day for me, as I hurt my tailbone and was in agony! At least I managed to make it past a couple of soft drinks this time though.

Autumn Reads...

A Taste Of Honey by Darren Coleman- 3 stars ***

This was a complete spur of the moment book, as I went to the library looking for Lewis Carroll and came back with Darren Coleman!

A Taste Of Honey is essentially the tale of a high end call girl who falls in love; however is isn't quite as simple as that. Her mother is accidentally murdered when Honey is a teenager, so she is sent to live with an aunt whose over protectiveness pushes her into rebellion. In order to earn enough money to move out she enters into a life of prostitution. Dazzled by the cash and glamour, Honey has no intention of giving it up; until she meets Khalil on a plane one day. When it becomes apparent that Khalil has something to do with her past, Honey decides to play a cruel game of revenge.

This book was actually really good. I didn't hold out much hope after the first few chapters, but it had lots of unexpected twists and more than a few occasions that made me gasp out loud. The characters are well crafted and interesting, especially the contrast in morals between Khalil and Honey. I was surprised when I discovered that this novel had a male author, as both the subject topic and how it is written seems quite feminine to me. It is refreshing to find a man who shows things from a masculine and feminine perspective in a realistic light.

I would definitely seek out some more of Coleman's work after reading A Taste Of Honey; it was dramatic, gripping and took me through a string of emotions along the way.

Autumn Sounds...

Mumford and Sons, Manchester

Last night, my boyfriend and I went to see Mumford and Sons at the Apollo in Manchester. I bought the tickets as a present for his 21st birthday, so we made it an all day event and went for a meal at Cafe Rouge (which was delicious!) and then drinks in a few places, including Apotheca and Dry Bar in the Northern Quarter. The cocktail I had in Apotheca was luminous green and in a massive glass, and despite being very sweet, was fruity and refreshing.

The support acts for the gig were Johnny Flynn & the Sussex Wit and Matthew And The Atlas; but we both decided to give these guys a miss so we could chill out for a while longer in Manchester. At around eight o'clock we headed to the venue, which is a fair walk from Piccadilly station, and arrived at the right time as we walked straight in with no queues. The second support had just finished, so we managed to sneak in quite near the front of the stage while people retreated to fill up their pint glasses.

Mumford and Sons came on fifteen minutes before they were scheduled, so I'm glad we didn't cut it fine! They opened on Sigh No More, the opening and title track of the album, and they prolonged the introduction so people were really anticipating the surge of energy halfway through the song.

The next hour and a half was a blur of amazingness! The atmosphere was electric, with people singing along to every song whether well known or an unreleased album track. Being such a new band, I was unsure how they would fill the stage time, but they played a couple of new songs (all of which sounded true to their original sound, and beautiful as ever) as well as creating a great rapport with the audience, joking and seeming humble and approachable, a rare quality in modern bands who seem to think that being arrogant and rude will gain you respect.

For Winter Winds and a couple of others they had a full brass ensemble to accompany, and there were also numerous other instruments that appeared throughout the gig, played by people tucked away at the back of the stage, yet still in the audiences vision. The whole band's talent is unmistakably clear. Not only did they all have great charm and charisma, each one individually addressing the crowd at some point, but they all seemed to be quite comfortable playing any of the instruments available to them, and all with terrific skill. Perhaps the true test of their command of music was near the end of the concert, where they did a complete

ly acoustic song, with no microphones, amplifiers or backing musicians. It was haunting listening to them unaided, as the harmony of each of their voices was pitch perfect, and the audience remained in complete silence so as to hear each and every word.

This gig was honestly fantastic. My expectations were pretty high from hearing about their past performances at Leeds Fest and Glastonbury from friends, but they were exceeded immensely, and everything from the set list, to the lighting effects, whole band personality and the venue (which I think is one of Manchester's best for music) was spot on and more. And they played Dustbowl Dance, which is slowly creeping into my list of best songs in the world ever. I would buy tickets to see them again in a heartbeat.