Nine things I will do this week

It's reading week. A significant number of my friends are buggering off to LA for something to do with some sci-fi show I've never heard of (what kind of title is Doctor Who anyway? I bet it's rubbish). I have no money. Therefore, I am at somewhat of a loose end and am even considering being productive. Stranger things have happened.

So - the all-important nine things to do in my last ever reading week.

1) Stop being scared of phrases such as "last ever reading week".

2) Read more than 50 pages of a Victorian Sensation novel without falling asleep.

3) Write an essay on said novel for Victorian Sensation Fiction.

4) Write a review of Goodbye to Berlin for Crisis of Culture.

5) Comprehend that I have a 10,000 word dissertation due in less than three months and get a bloody move on with it.

6) Drink Banana Bread Beer.

7) Write a short story. Where things may happen and characters may do things.

8) Apply for some more jobs, in the hope that someone, somewhere may see me as Quite Obviously A Very Good Person To Hire. Yes, I'm talking to you. (Please?)

9) Go to The worst condition is to pass under a sword which is not one's own at the Tate Modern. No idea what it'll be like, but it's a required part of my course. Though it has Darth Vader in, so it can't be all that bad.

Or, more realistically, I'll spend the week watching endless repeats of Come Dine with Me and Top Gear. It is, after all, one of the last chances I'll get to waste time with impunity...

Things I have learned in the past week and a half

1) Bernard Cribbins thinks Great Uncle Bulgaria and Madame Cholet were at it.

2) It is possible for me to write 9,000 words in the space of a week. Not necessarily well, but at least written.

3) Sensation fiction is far too long.

4) There's an outbreak of norovirus at the moment. Despite this, the GC assures me the stomach bug he's had for the past week isn't at all contagious, and is turning up tonight. I'm legally allowed to murder him if I get ill, right?

5) It is impossible to write a cover letter without sounding like an idiot. And apparently "please hire me, I'm awesome" isn't acceptable.

That's pretty much it. The past week or so has been a fascinating combination of either essaying or sleeping - with the exception of seeing Bernard Cribbins at the BFI (who was fecking awesome, and I want him as my grandad) Also headed to the launch of Birds Eye View. They had free wine. I was happy.

Hiatus-ish

I will, at some point, be blogging tales of Christmas and volunteering. But sadly, I'm being attacked by essay deadlines and boring as they are, I need to write about Auden and villainous parents and whatever-the-other-one-is-it's-due-in-last-and-I-haven't-even-thought-about-it-yet.

Basically, volunteering was a brilliant experience that I want to write about properly, not just use as a tool of procrastination.

Normal service will resume (well, start) towards the end of January. Providing I haven't bludgeoned myself to death with a copy of the Complete Auden.

(Oh, and yes - we have lots of snow. Everyone's talking about it, I thought I may as well join in).

And I've got myself some FREE TICKETS to see Measure for Measure in March. I love the Arts Council.