The End is Near

I'm back in the Big L and have been for the last few days, accompanied by my bro.

I've attempted to work a little, which, considering I have as much motivation as a small vole being encouraged into a mouse trap, is pretty good!

Other than that, not much has been going on, I have however introduced my brother to the delights of the Green Wing, in preparation for the Special on 4th Jan, which I'm so excited about!

Tonight is New Years Eve, and I'm not really sure what's happening. I have been invited to a party, which I'm sure we'll make an appearance for, however as Stu won't know too many people I don't think we'll stay long! We've also been invited along to join Tom and his housemate (and 17 of his housemate's friends...) however they're all going to be heading to a (dive of a) club for the actual midnight bit - something I'm not a fan of, and neither will my rock loving brother be. I'm sure we'll figure something out tho, and I'm quite looking forward to my brother's beef stew for dinner (and the bottle of red wine...)

Well I had better crack on

Happy New Years to everyone, I hope the night doesn't end up disappointing for you, as New Years has a tendency to do!

3 Beautiful Things

1. Stu managing to cook a beautiful stir fry, even tho I forgot to buy more noodles

2. Tom liking some of my designs - maybe I'm not rubbish after all

3. Giggling at the Green Wing

Disaster Strikes Again!

Post have have been few and far between recently, mainly because I don't have speakers on my computer, thus there is no point turning it on!

I'm preparing for the trek back up to Lufbra, which I'll do later on, but until then I'm just gonna fill in the last few days...

Yesterday, went over to see my cousins and their children, Felix (4), Isaac (3) and Ethan (1), got chased round the kitchen, dribbled on, attacked, sat on, kissed, hugged and generally loved, all to the amusement of the "adults" who want to know when I'm gonna pop a sprog of my own...*never if I can help it*

Now appart from the boys being incredibly cute, blonde, blued and perfectly behaved (and related to me) , the reason I love them so much has a lot to do with the fact that they're the only children I've ever met who love me back!

For the record, I'm really not a "child" person, and I normally hold babies at arms length and wonder what to do with them, so for them to love me back and want me to come read stories and help at bath-time is fantastic.

I could go on about them all day but I won't as that would be highly boring...!

I also had my hair cut yesterday...
The hairdresser butchered it, and I look terrible (hence why there are no photos of me and the boys...).

I asked him to cut it no shorter than shoulder length - so why, might I ask is the hair round the back less than 2 cm in some places...? I also told him not to cut my fringe shorter than my eye brows - he completely screwed it up and I have ended up with half my forehead on show, with a wonky fringe that zig-zags up and down - it really isn't a good look.

I'm hoping it'll grow out before my birthday...


3 Beautiful Things

1. A new lampshade for my room, in a stylish cream with flower patterns

2. Not having any split ends (trying to find a positive!!!)

3. Hearing from an old friend from London, even if its by text, because we both don't "do" phoning!

Family time, heart attacks, cars

3 Beautiful Things

1. Seeing my 2 very chavy cousins, but still enjoying the one's company after the other one goes off to see his "crew"

2. Chocolate and orange tart made by my brother, enough cocoa solids to make your heart race

3. Driving my parent's very large, automatic Honda Accord Aerodeck, which feels like riding a strong, very large but obedient horse - you have to do very little, but it can still provide spade loads of power to shift up hills very quickly, and you can really feel the engine kicking in

A Traditional Christmas

There we go, its all over for another year, and I have to admit I probably wouldn't have noticed if it hadn't happened. Christmas is what I'm referring to, for those of you still to pissed to actually use your brains...

Christmas Eve, for all my good intentions, I think I wrote about 200 words of utter drivel and then gave up. Chris, Steve and Rosie (nextdoor neighbours) came over for mulled wine and a minced pie, it was nice to see them, we had a brief chat and I did the usual, recounting my last year away from home in 3 sentences (easier than it sounds) and then had a wonderful supper of smoked salmon.

Now I'm a Christian (although I have been accused of otherwise in the past) however I'm not what some would call "practising". I consider myself to be "practising" as I generally have a fair bit to say to God on regular occasions, and I just don't feel the need to go to church to do it. Except of Christmas Eve, its a bit of a tradition now to go to midnight mass down at the local chapel, however this year they didn't have the vicars enough to spare, and we ended up in the main church for the area, The Minster. Now I haven't got a problem with that, only talk about the most dull and lifeless service EVER. And that includes all those Sundays in boarding school, being up and in church for 8am for the 2 and half hour service.
They really beat the life out of it - most disappointing, and unfortunately had set the tone of Christmas for me...not disappointing, but a bit non-descript.

The day itself was lovely as ever, my brother always manages to cook the best roast, and even stretched to preparing me my favourite breakfast, so a thank you to him is in order.
And thank you also goes to everyone who contributed to my presents - at last I can dry and straighten my hair...and Lufbrarians should be warned...I have a new cook book.

Also, another thank you to those of you who sent me lovely Happy Christmas messages on the text, and commiserations to those of you who are also divorcing your families in the New Year...

...needless to say I found the day difficult to say the least, I think partly because I've had my head in the sand so much these last few weeks that I only just started to feel Christmasy on Christmas Eve, and I hadn't really had a chance to get into the swing of things, couple that with how stressed out about work I am at the moment, and it doesn't really make for a happy Ellie. Subsequently, I was told off by Mum for snapping, being rude and generally not being "understanding" to how everyone lives together in the house.

This all culminated with my Mum rather flatly telling me never to come back to live here again, which I don't know whether to take to heart or not.

It does however, leave me in a very awkward position, I now have nowhere to go when I leave uni, and it won't be for the want of trying that I probably won't be able to get straight into a job.

I had planned to come back to my parents if only for a short while, so I could live cheaply and manage to find a good job, now it seems I'll have to start out on my own, and get any old job just so I can afford to live, which I'm worried will turn into a bit of a downward spiral, in that, before I know it I'll be 50 and have worked in a sausage factory for the last 28 years.

Ok I must stop being so over dramatic, and get back to the plot of the post...Stu. don't get worried about this post :)

Anyway as with tradition in the Hyde family, games were the order of the day in the evening, and for a change my brother and I got pretty completely whitewashed at most of the games, still it keeps the old 'uns happy!

Now its just left to work today, visit various members of the extended family over the next few days, and then head back up to uni...the latter of which I'm not looking forward to :(

3 Beautiful Things

1. Vintage 1995 Brut Lauren-Perrier Champagne at lunch

2. The look on Mum's face when she realises we've got her the digital radio she wanted

3. Managing to stay away from the internet for one day and not having withdrawal symptoms

Work on Christmas Eve

I'm at home now, trying to work.

It's not happening at the moment but I have great ambitions to at least start my report for the heated seat today...

This morning Mum tied my hands behind my back and told me that we were now going to clean out my entire room! It only took 3 hours which I was quite impressed by, but its a revelation to have a room I can move around in and actually sit on the bed rather than fighting over piles of stuff!

This afore mentioned stuff is now sat on the landing outside my room...oops

When I packed up my room to come home, I was going for the streamlined look with minimalist packing, but it means I left at uni my iPod charger and and speakers to my computer, so I am effectively soundless - rather annoying I have to admit!

Well I had better get on and do some work, then I'll feel a bit better! (I get the feeling I might come and work on christmas day if the whole "family" thing gets too much for me!)


3 Beautiful Things

1. The beautiful joint of ham we had for dinner last night

2. Seeing my parents' new pond and patio they;ve had since I was last at home

3. Going out for a walk with Dad and Stu and having to wrap up warm!

Going Home Time...

I have to confess in the last 3 days I have got literally nothing done...but I should have expected that really. Oh well.

I'm sat in my P-ju ju's waiting for Dad and Stu to get here, and I really should pack, start making my dad's lunch, bleed the radiators and generally get sorted, but its just too god damn cold!!

I'm going to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a Great New Year - I might not be online for a while over Christmas to blog, (but you never know, Mum might drive me to distraction...)

Take care and I'll speak/see you all soon

x


3 Beautiful Things

1. Finally going home!!

2. The large quantity of Innocent I drank last night in penance for the previous night's drinking

3. The eeriness of fog

Cold toes...

Ahhhhh....

Nearly time for me to go home and until then I really should work, but to be honest I've just been sat around most of the day nursing a rather large hangover. I blame the shocking(ly small) amount of alcohol I consumed last night, with food...I feel old, but needless to say, 2 glasses of wine, and 2 cocktails later I was running across roads, trying to join the Ministry of Silly Walks, and trying to go to sleep on Mannington's bed...at 10.10pm...LIGHTWEIGHT!

Well today I went shopping with Tom, he looked rather bored as I dragged him round the make up section of Boots, poor guy...especially when its so cold out at the moment, I think he just wanted to be in bed!

I'm cooking tonight for him and me, we're the last 2 poor souls in Lufbra and its a bit depressing!
Needless to say the house is sparklingly clean and ready for me to go away - there's nothing worse than returning to a horrible dirty house! All the bins have been done, floors hovered, swept, moped and tidied, timer plugs in, and the house hopefully now looks inhabited...!

Just got to get the "To Let" sign down from outside...as much as I like advertising that I'm not at home, I'd like to make it a little more challenging for the burglars!

Well I can't really put off working any more to be honest....even though I haven't felt my toes or fingers all day, brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, so cold!

3 Beautiful Things

1. Buying new make-up and playing with it all afternoon!

2. Getting the nail varnish I dropped on the carpet out without a fuss

3. Warming up on a radiator when I got home

Energy drain...

Work is slowing down now, I just haven't got any energy left to give to designing right now, so I'm taking a "break" for the next few days so I can have a break from it and come back to the designing fresh and hopefully with more creativity.

I'll be writing my report instead, which is what I'll submit at the end of the semester - its a 3000 word summary of all our work, so although i won't hand in any design work as such, it all needs to be completed and will be added into the report in the Appendices. The report will explain every single step of the process from right back in October to the end of January, so there's a lot to write, and if i can do that now then it'll relieve some of the stress.

Talking of which, I think I'm going to lose all my hair or something. I'm now living in a constant state of stress, and I just can't relax - silly really! Anyway I can't wait for Stu to come get me on Saturday...wondering if I can convince him to leave really early...the sooner he gets here the sooner I can go home....

I'm also freezing cold! It feels sub-zero here at the moment, I'm actually thinking about making some sort of nest in a corner and sleeping until Summer...hmmm I wonder what it's like to be a vole...

*yes Design has driven me CRAZY*

Also slightly worried because a house 2 doors down has been broken into - a big risk for students going away for a week, all the local criminals know that's what happens, and steal everything!


3 Beautiful Things

1. Nikki bringing me Fudge for Christmas - I'm high on sugar :D

2. Getting matching reindeer for Sam and Kate and us all sitting on the sofa with them hugging the reindeer

3. Seeing some Street Wardens for the first time, looking like Father Christmases in their uniforms and Christmas hats...!

Black Crayons

Having had my minor doubts yesterday, I set about today anew.

My big intention was to foam model all day - which I did, only I produced complete rubbish! I have a new plan for tomorrow - I'm going to go into the labs tomorrow and work in there - I didn't realised they were still open until Mannington told me today!

This does however mean that I need to get designs ready for tomorrow so a long night of sketching is ahead of me, usually I'd be disheartened, but I'm actually quite upbeat, which is a miracle considering that I managed to slice open my thumb and half my finger on my left hand today...

*there was a lot of blood, but I'll all bandaged up now...with masking tape...*

I do however have 6 ideas all ready to be drawn, and they're sat on post-its lining the top of my monitor (not exactly aiding my use of the computer I have to admit....), although I've lost my drawing crayon. I have plenty of crayons to draw with but this one is my favourite and the only one I'm really comfortable to draw with.

Now the non-designers out there will be scratching their heads and possibly asking questions such as "ermmmm...why not just use another...?"

Well the answer is that each single crayon is different...Different brands have different textures, waxiness, hardness or smoothness, and I can't find the brand I like (Faber-Castell) anywhere up here in Loughborough, which means I'm having to use Caran d'Ache which is hard and dull. This means my natural "flow" with the crayon has been interrupted and my sketches feel lifeless and undynamic. With a little effort and some pages of rubbishness, hopefully I'll be able to get a good flow with the new pencils...*crossed fingers*

I am aware I'm being completely pretentious....

Had better get on with it!

3 Beautiful Things

1. Finally seeing the wood from the trees and a path in the right direction

2. Finding Nemo...

3. Stu patiently listening to me last night and offering support even when I threw it back in his face in my sadness... :)

A Long Way from Home

I'm having a tough time of it at the moment, and I think that's partly my own fault for over thinking things.

This post is going to be a bit of therapy for me, so feel free to ignore the ranting and skip this!

The feedback I had on Friday was to look at more sculptural, architectural references, do something a bit different, a bit exciting.

I've been trying to immerse myself in a bit of sculpture and get a bit arty, but it doesn't sit very well with me. I'm not one of these arty designers, I'm all about order, control and perfection. So looking at what I consider to be shoddily put together bundles of (for want of a better word) crap and trying to find the hidden meaning has led me far into a world that is unfamiliar and strange. Its left me feeling disoriented and almost lost.

I've pulled back from there and I'm trying to put this artiness into my work, get some designs that are quirky and a bit different. But that requires there to be a hidden meaning behind the work. I'm not into that. For me it should be beautiful, and work well...none of this "embodying the togetherness of the natural and industrial worlds as the forms collide to produce a mechanical-organic aesthetic".

That's not how my brain works.

My brain works in questions...
"would that be comfortable to sit on?"
"can wheelchair users easily use the product?"
"how do the split lines and internal ribbing work to aid durability and functionality?"
"what mechanical forces are going to be applied?"
"how will the seat be disassembled at the end of life?"
"are there any stronger/lighter/cheaper materials that I can use?"
"how will the user know when the product is working?"

Form follows function.

This is how my brain works.

So styling and the look of the product come last to me. Only I'm dealing in "furniture" design now. I've strayed from my given path. I'm in an unknown I don't understand or feel comfortable in. I've dug myself a rather big hole, one that I have no choice in now, one I have to design my way out of. But I'm lost and I don't know where to go now. I feel like I'm a long way from home.

And I just don't know what to do, except have a good cry.

The Littlest Things

3 Beautiful Things

1. Being able to give some good advice to a friend in need

2. The guys walking us home from the pub last night, only to beg me to let them use my toilet...ulterior motives methinks

3. 600 hits on the blog :D

Arty Day

Nikki and I went to an art gallery in the middle of nowhere today - one of those ones in converted stables. Nothing was particularly helpful to me apart from a plywood piece of art - hard to explain - I'll try to find an image - its a flat piece of ply that has been scooped out to reveal the layers underneath. I'm thinking I can add this as a design detail to the concrete - build out layers of concrete and work through it to make it more flowing...

Nikki found these absolutely beautiful glass jars (for want of a better word) by an artist called Stuart Akroyd which she was suitably impressed with and I think she's now going to start sourcing his skills, but it was a nice little adventure that I rounded off with a (very unproductive) trip to the library.

A good day

*we're going to the Orange Tree tonight for drinks tho, yay!*


3 Beautiful Things

1. Hearing 2 Muslim families wishing each other a Merry Christmas in the street.

2. Seeing a man dowsing in campus, then getting closer and realising he was just talking animatedly into his handsfree

3. Kate and Sam giving me 3 gorgeous bars of dark dark bittersweet chocolate as my Christmas present :D

The Weekend

Well I'm back after a short break, partially due to the fact I couldn't be *rsed to post, and partially because my internet decided that I wasn't allowed to connect.
We have since had strong words, I poked the router with a pen, it flashed red lights at me, but here I am...

Friday was a crappy day as I think you could tell from the last post, I had an awful tutorial, where my lecturer decided to pick on me. Normally I can handle that, but telling me that *all* the second years are better designers than me, that I obviously haven't put any work into my heated seat, that its obviously a simple project so I should have far more work done, that my presentation was pathetic, that our year group are having a laugh as all our RSA work wasn't good enough (how did we all manage to get the best marks in 5 years then...)....Well, need I go on?

I spent a lot of time facing the opposite direction, with Pete trying to get me to breathe and count to 10, Mannington telling this tutor to pick his words very carefully.

The tutor was lucky that I didn't
a) jump over the table and stab him with my pen,
b) throw both log books at him (containing this work I "haven't" done) or
c) scream blue bloody murder

Anyway, I have calmed down enough to talk about this, and believe it or not I am taking it all with a pinch of salt!

I decided to go out for Friday night and it was an interesting one, with bets involving whether whales live in "Schools" or "herds" (answers on a blank postcard...see below for the answer....), terrible service at the bar and old skool dance...

Nikki and Mannington













^Nikki and Me^

I also bumped into the ever delightful Mr Andy Higgs, who won't remember in the morning...

Someone was slightly worse for the wear I think, and I promised I'd write it into my blog!

Saturday and Sunday brought loafing and cleaning (I even washed my curtains and brought a new bookshelf!) subsequently, the house is now lovely and sparkling :)
Nikki came over for dinner on Sat, and brought some M&S pudding (this isn't just West Country extra thick double cream...) and we all watched trash TV, Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor...terrible I know...!

And then loafing all Sunday evening with Tom watching Green Wing *bliss!*

Well this has been a right old ramble but why the hell not!



3 Beautiful Things

1. Completing my Christmas shopping on Saturday

2. The Josh Rouse track Dom sent me

3. Finally getting all my hand washing done and the lovely smell it gives my room



**"Whales live in groups called herds, pods or schools"**

The "End"

3 Beautiful Things

1. Getting 85% in my materials coursework even if it's only worth 10% of a module

2. Sleeping and watching TV all afternoon

3. The unwavering support and encouragement of friends and peers.


I will explain 3BT No 3 tomorrow.

End of Term Apathy

I was very tired last night when I finished work so I didn't come write, but I've had a lie in, and a nice big plate of scrambled egg and toast - I feel good :)

Going to head into uni soon so that I can hand in the last bits of coursework and go for my final tutorial. Then I think its to the pub for a drink before heading up to Engineering for the penultimate time to collect coursework, and then back to the department for electronics...I get the feeling I won't actually get very far with the electronics...I've got End of Term Apathy.


3 Beautiful Things

1. The giggles ensuing from carrying a 2ft sq piece of foam home from uni and pretty much getting blown all over the place

2. Having the house to myself as Kate and Sam went out for dinner, and not changing what I was doing at all

3. Watching Bollywood movies while I foam model.

Freddie

A few people have asked what I'm doing with Fredrick, and other than making rude positions with him and some soft toys, not much at the moment to be honest.

What I will do with him this afternoon is start foam modelling my heated seat - normally a designer would foam model in life size - easy when your product is the size of a mobile phone, or even a kettle. Not when it might be the size of a transit van...

So I've come up with the ingenious time and cost saving idea of doing it scaled to one of these little gnomes.
OK, he's not anthropometrically correct, but hopefully he'll give an insight into how each model will work....Hopefully


Well I need to get on, and possibly even go get more foam for modelling...

3 Beautiful Things later...

New Man in my Life

There's a new man in my life.

His name is Fredrick*


*Can you tell how bored I am....

Cushions, Ozone, Drawing

I have fixed my temporary layout issues - it was not a pretty sight, but I'm now back to a layout very similar to the previous one, only I think its easier to read because of larger and clearer font.

I'm obviously getting very stressed at the moment, however I don't feel it in my head.

The reason I know I'm stressed is because I have chewed through both thumbs (disgusting I know, its a habit I picked up off my mother), I have a line of (very painful) ulcers down my throat, and my shoulders are so tense they're somewhere up near my ears...

This is when I think maybe its better to be in a complete flap and freak out, which come to think of it, I haven't done in weeks...strange...I feel strangely calm (even if my body doesn't agree)

Well I'll finish off these sketches then hit the pit, ready for a bright day of modelling tomorrow :)

I've just literally this second also made the executive decision to postpone breadboarding until after my presentation - I'll have a whole afternoon to get my calculations sorted, and start on my way to getting the electronics to work, without losing time on my presentation...now why didn't I think of this before....


3 Beautiful Things

1. The cushions to our sofa finally arriving today, after 2 months...

2. The strangely comforting, metallic smell of fresh welding walking past the library, which I then learnt in the lecture, to be the smell of ozone that is given off

3. Solving my White Paper Syndrome and getting a large amount of drawing done today, in preparation for concept selection tomorrow, and a bit of modelling in foam.

Arghh

I was playing around with the style of my blog, and predictably can't get it back to how it was...

So when I have more time I'll sort it out, until then enjoy the crass-ness of this layout....

xx

White Paper Syndrome

I'm lacking motivation to sketch at the moment which is not a good thing! I just can't seem to sit down and do it; there always seem to be a hundred other things that need my attention.
I think really its a case of White Paper Syndrome, where the blank whiteness just daunts you. You're fine once you've started, but its hard to know where to begin.

This is particularly bad for me as I've got to see our styling tutor on Friday for a mini presentation, its quite frustrating and scary really - I know he's very into his styling, a module I ever took, and I'm scared he's going to ridicule me...

He's also pulled the presentation forward by 5 hours, so all my plans to doing rendering in the morning have to be scrapped and I'm now re-jigging everything!
Had better crack on!


3 Beautiful Things

1. Learning that our major project hand in has been push back from January 19th to January 22nd, giving us the extra weekend for final tweaking - every little helps

2. Finishing my concept circuitry unexpectedly quickly.

3. Noticing the zigzag pattern in the tarmac pavement where the layers obviously swept it back and forth to get a good covering, but leaving behind a nice texture.

Coursework, Coursework

Today, although being productive in tying up loose ends from all my projects, feels like I haven't managed to get much work done. It's now 8.30 and I need to start some heated seating, but its hard to start something like this at this time of night.

The days will be taken up with electronics so I need to get on with the sketching in the evenings - not an easy task tbh.

At least I have 4 days to get on with it, I'm not planning on doing anything sparkling for the presentation on Friday, just quickly add some splashes of colour in photoshop, and I'll be away - that can even be done on the day! I do need to produce some foam models tho, which do take time, and so I do need to crack on...


3 Beautiful Things

1. Finishing all the coursework ready for Friday, leaving a whole week to concentrate on heated seating

2. Having a string of visitors throughout the day at my house and offering each one a cup of tea

3. Getting a friend into Pride and Prejudice and chatting about it for ages!

Payback

I've been working most of the day - not my most productive I have to say, but at least I've finished my wind turbine feasibility studies and concluded they're a waste of time for my project!

The cost so much and take nearly 40 years to Payback their worth! its not worth my trouble when the seating I'm creating is likely to be in service for only 10 years. Plus I've calculated that with all the energy required - it will cost the council £116 per annum. I am slightly worried that that's very low, so I might get my Dad to check over it!

I really should find out how much it costs to run a single lamp post, and what voltage, street furniture is run off (if its not 240V)



3 Beautiful Things

1. Finally getting to the pop of my pile of work where the "To Do" list doesn't get any longer

2. Getting complimented by all Sam's relatives on my tasteful decoration of the living room

3. Sitting in the Orange Tree making a whole set of "Mr Potato Head"s out of the kit Annie bought Anila, and looking like we were at a kiddie's party

Cookies and Wine

3 Beautiful Things

1. Listening to Kate and Sam duet dreadfully in the kitchen to some Christmas songs on the radio

2. Getting very close to finishing the first part of my dissertation (hopefully finished by tonight!)

3. Finally going to Sainsbury's so I have food in the cupboard to eat (and buying a bag of freshly baked cookies and a lovely bottle of wine to save)

The Battle of the Unknown

I will post my 3 Beautiful Things later on today, but for now I just want to chat.

Christmas this year seems to have passed me by, I have no Christmas work do to go to, no Christmas presents to buy (yet), heard no Christmas songs, and no Christmas parties.

Now I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong, but this year I feel detached from what's happening around me, and it's kinda nice.
I'm so snowed under with work I barely leave the house and rarely watch TV or listen to the radio - the most of Christmas I've had so far was the odd Waterstone's advert from earlier in November.

The places I go and people I see are all the same, no sparkly Christmas trees or excitement from any of them.

This all gives me the sense that Christmas really isn't worth worrying about.
I'm not a humbug, honest.

I've never liked the commercialism that Christmas nowadays brings, and I know I'll enjoy Christmas when I get home and see my family, have a nice quiet meal, go to church and relax.

That suits me fine, and I'm glad I'm not being swept up in the frenzy - it allows me to just plod onwards in quiet contentment.

And plodding onwards I shall be; I have a lot of work to do (as ever) but its not so daunting now, I'm fairly relaxed, and that itself is almost stressing me out, but I'm not letting it, I'm just gonna go with the flow.
I know what I need to do, and I know how to get there, which, I'm starting to realise, is half my battle.
The battle with the unknown.

Now enough of my rambling, time for lunch :)

Flash Aa-aaaaaaaaaaaa

I've finished my Flash assignment and loaded it onto the internet! Here

Only one problem...I had to redo my opening page to get it to work, and now none of my HTML pages work, leading me to suspect that there are coding errors...which means...I have to start again!
I'm not too stressed - I should be able to sort it in a matter of hours - I have all the images, I know how to format now, and I think I just need to clean up the code but I won't speak too soon...

Not really something that I could have done with really, but a couple of hours and I should be sorted!
HTML tonight, and some rest before heading into the rest of the work! WOOP I'm upbeat! :D


3 Beautiful Things

1. Having a mid-afternoon nap with Hellie in my lovely double bed while we wait for her washing to finish.

2. Finally retrieving my tweezers from down the back of my chest of draws

3. Finishing my flash assignment :D

Much a do

Yesterday I was mostly plodding onwards with Flash, it was boring and for every step I take forwards I seem to take 3 back, its frustrating, but hopefully I can have all the pages drawn by the end of today then I can at least get on with other work!

Much to do...


3 Beautiful Things

1. Cuddling up in bed to watch a DVD

2. The smell of all my clean washing hanging out to dry, and Kate saying it smells of Calpol

3. Marvelling at the momentary clouds that swirl in a mug when you add milk to tea, before you stir and they all disappear

Chai to you too

Today has been a good day, Kate bought Chai tea today and each mug is like a little cup of Christmas, which considering the season is lovely!

I've been working a bit, but what I have done has been good, so I'm happier about my work load, I just had to work a bit tonight before my tutorial tomorrow at 9am!!
I'm definitely a morning person, so it shouldn't be bad at all, only I normally have my tutorial in the afternoon, allowing time in the morning for work. Instead I'm having to work into the evening, not something that I'm particularly good at!

Grand Designs is on too, which I love to watch, and I may indeed sack in the work until it's finished. I think one day I will restore my own house and turn it from a dream, and make it beautiful.
I have the eye enough to manage that and thankfully have always been a hands on person, enough to be able to cope with all the DIY in any home I live in. (Yes, I realise that restoring a house is far more work than DIY....!)

well food is a-calling and I think I deserve a cup of Chai :D


3 Beautiful Things

1. Walking behind the boiler house of the library on the way to a lecture, freezing cold, and walking into a gentle blanket of warm air from the outflow surround me

2. Getting my marks back for RSA, and achieving 65, which is a 2:1, and a good enough grade for me to smile about

3. Breaking the back of my flash assignment, getting into it and realising that I have a lot of work to do, but it's not as bad as I thought

Murder Mystery

The day has been fairly relaxed for me so far, I've not got that much done but I'm in a surprisingly good mood about it anyway!

I'm just about to head back into the department to have some fun with either Flash or mocking up some circuitry...maybe even both...fun fun fun!
Its nearly Christmas and I haven't even started my Christmas shopping - I keep putting it off - which I know will bite me in the arse eventually! I must hop on eBay at some point and get it all sorted, it shouldn't take too long, but I have a couple of birthday pressies to buy too, before getting stuck into the Christmas lot.

My stomach is still playing up - the longer it goes on the more I suspect something quite bad is going wrong, but I don't have time to get to the doctors any time soon - it'll just have to wait :S



3 Beautiful Things

1. Standing in a very windy street getting blown about, hammering on a front door only for it to be opened and a whole host of cozy people stare out at me disbelievingly, before inviting me in

2. Deciding what to do for my 22nd birthday and chancing upon a Murder Mystery dinner, and finding out how to plan it *childlike enthusiasm*

3. Mum ringing me at silly o'clock in the morning, just to find out if I want a hair appointment with her favourite hairdresser, and then texting me later to reveal that she's forced him to open on Dec 28th just for me!

Eagerly and Tentatively

Today has been productive - the materials essay is nearly finished (despite it being a group project myself and one other guy have done the most of it) and I've at least started my flash assignment - its crazy busy at the moment, but hopefully the next 2 weeks will be productive enough to secure some good marks!

I'm eagerly and tentatively awaiting the release of the RSA marks on Wed/Thursday - I'm hoping for more than 60% but I know I won't be happy unless its over 65! *crossed fingers*
I also need to prepare the work for submission to the actual competition - which also needs to be ready for next week *sigh*

Well I'm going to be productive tonight - finish off my part of the essay, and hopefully get a bit of dissertation done - too much to do, too little time!


3 Beautiful Things

1. The satisfaction of coming home and cleaning the house in under an hour until it's absolutely gleaming

2. Going and having lunch with some friends, unusual for a weekday, unusual for this group of people, but utterly fun

3. Being invited to share home-made chocolate truffles at Julia's house

Belief

"Women find it harder than men do to conjure the special kind of arrogance that one needs to really believe that people want to read the words you are putting on the page" Clare Grant.

I think that applies to all things women do, for me its my designing...

How Ellie got her Groove Back

I'm getting into the groove with my drawing and sketching now, although there was one disastrous drawing last night.
I'm aiming for a good whole day without too much faffing around, and hopefully getting a few other people's opinions on the concepts to start screening out the rubbish ones!
Time to dry my hair and get on I think...


3 Beautiful Things

1. Oversleeping and rushing around to get ready without losing too much time, only to open the curtains and get blinded by the sunlight, realising that it's a beautiful crystal clear day.

2. Doubling up my two duvets for a 27 tog effect...toasty

3. Hearing next door's kids singing in an indecipherable foreign language and dancing around in the room next door, rather than sat on their backsides watching TV

Three Beautiful Things

Ahhhh

I'm just settling down to work and its already 3pm!
I've decided to make this blog more positive and as I've always enjoyed Clare's posts at 3BT I thought I'd take up doing the same thing.

I think it's nice to look for the positives and enjoy them

1. Seeing the look of delight on Kate's face when she realises I've come to watch her play hockey.

2. Going to lunch at the Orange Tree with Tegan, Julia and Russ who I haven't seen in 3 years, and joking like old times.

3. Convincing a (long) lost friend to come round for a cup of tea, and knowing that I'll have to cajole him into drinking it all.


The fancy dress last night was good, although there was a disappointing turn out from the finalists - I think there were about 7 or 8 (out of 40 who showed up) in fancy dress...GI Jane, a nurse, a Mexican and of course a Christmas Fairy...There's gotta be a joke in there somewhere.

Well I need to get on with my sketching, but a nice relaxing night in is what's called for I think, maybe more late night showers and Robin Hood *bliss*

(Un)Happy ERA

I'm not a happy bunny today.

My usually rock solid stomach (bad choice of words...) is letting me down right now!

My stomach is killing me and I've been sick :( I think I must be coming down with something - probably managed to poison myself at some point but its not pleasant and it doesn't make for a Happy ERA - not sure how long I'll be able to stay tonight at the social - I'm not going to stay for long if I'm ill, but that just sucks!

We'll see if I improve throughout the day - I might even go into Boots to get some of the best medicine known to man...John Collis-Brown Mixture No.7...yes it really is as old school as it sounds, but it contains morphine - sometimes old is best!

Look out for a fantastic post tomorrow containing photos of the Mysterious (and probably rather ill-looking) Christmas Fairy...