Ideas

This may be entirely wrong, but I feel that there is more money to be made from writing articles rather than short stories.  

I can only name a few magazines that will pay for short stories (but if anyone can name some more I'll gladly take note) and, although being published without pay will look good on my CV, I kind of need to get some money back for my time. Of course, there are probably thousands of short story competitions, but the probability of actually gaining any money from them is not that great. 

There are definitely thousands of magazines, journals, newspapers and the like out there. And I don't even have to pay to submit my pieces to them. So I think this is the side I'm going to focus on most with my spare day.

So, what can I write articles about?

- salsa dancing
- Ceroc dancing
- reading
- writing
- having an 'at risk' job
- baking
- learning to cook healthier
- weight loss
- personal trainers
- being new to running
- getting slightly better at running
- kettlebells
- gluten free, dairy free eating 
- Glasgow
- Crewe
- being on Jobseekers Allowance
- being kicked out of your place of residence (twice...)
- moving house
- finally settling down
- losing someone you love to cancer
- losing someone you love for no apparent reason
- fundraising for charity
- living away from your family
- public transport
- sharing a flat with a European 
- sharing a flat with a cranky distant relative
- making greetings cards
- embroidery and cross stitch
- the desire but complete inability to modify your own clothes

That should keep me going for a wee while.

Trying not to panic

I'm back in Glasgow again. Didn't get the clerical assistant job, things still good with my Scottish man, two assignments due in 62 hours. Proper update to follow when they're handed in.

xXx

Slow down!

I cannot believe it's December already. I'm going home for Christmas in just over two weeks, where the heck did November go?? It's good in a way because I haven't really had chance to be homesick. I've been here nearly twelve weeks but it feels like I've only just arrived. Still HUGELY looking forward to going home though, I'm so excited about Christmas and seeing everyone again!

  The snow is getting kind of old now. It was fun for the first few days but now I would really quite like it to naff off so I can get on with things. It took me an hour and a half to get to town and back on Monday, which is just ridiculous. It had better clear off in time for the 18th. If my train is cancelled I shall cry!

xXx

Boy, you wouldn't even recognise me

What a day. I'm almost too tired to type, but I want to make sure I remember today. 

 It started off at 10 with breakfast at Rebekah and Lindsay's (egg in toast, gorgeous), which lasted over an hour thanks to the number of people and the fact that we had a spontaneous Bible study. I was exceptionally happy because I finally remembered to take some 'thank you' banana bread with me. Eventually the 7 of us piled into the van and we headed off to Stirling, with no idea what there was to do there except go and look at the castle.  

  

  At first I tried to be really good and read Another Country, but it's the first time I've been to a different part of Scotland (and the book is hideously depressing) so I soon gave up on that and just watched the view changing. It sounds terribly twee but Rebekah had her guitar with her and we sang some hymns to pass the time.

  Stirling is very pretty, and it has a character hugely different to Glasgow. The buildings are all made of the same golden stone, but they're more spaced out and don't have as many storeys. It feels more relaxed. There are also more hills and mountains to look at; this time of year the trees are turning an extraordinary orangey-yellow colour. I tried to take a picture but my camera just couldn't handle it. 

  We parked on the castle car park, then found out that it's £9 per adult to get into the castle itself. None of us can afford that right now so we wandered round the few bits you could get at for free and took a whole bunch of photos of the incredible views (which are all up on facebook) and kilted statues. I saw two real men in kilts, which was possibly the highlight of my day :p we spent quite a while in the shop and I fell in love with every single item of jewellery they had. My favourite was a pair of silver studs in the shape of bagpipes. I boguht a green celtic knot fridge magnet because it was on sale, a thimble for Grandma's Christmas present and a postcard to send home, because that's what Thorleys do.

  After a picnic lunch (during which my banana bread was much admired) we drove to a little village called Aberfoyle, which had been recommended to us by a local. It was during this drive that I felt something strange happening inside. I'm not sure how to describe it. It was a kind of opening feeling in my chest, and I found myself desperately wishing that I was Scottish. I've often joked that if I could have chosen where to be born I would have picked Scotland, but today I really, seriously, desperately wanted it. I wanted to be able to call this place home and know in my bones that it was. 

  By the time we arrived this feeling had settled down to an unshakable feeling of contentment.  We had a look round the Scottish Woolen Mill, which sells an awful lot more than wool and its products. I fell in love with yet more jewellery, as well as the purple kilts (£50!!), a gorgeously soft, deep blue scarf and a canvas bag covered in sheep with Scottish flags on. If I ever win the lottery I am going straight to that shop. 

  Then Glen and Denise (who, I just realised, are like the Mum and Dad of our friendship-family) had a sit down in the coffee shop and the rest of us went for a walk. I'm tempted to call it a hike, I was so knackered by the end of it. But that's probably just becuse it was mostly uphill and my little Crewe legs still aren't used to such slopes. We walked round the village, looking at all the pretty houses, then wandered on to a bike trail. I was kind of worried that someone would come freewheeling down the hill and knock us over, but apparently it was too cold for cycling coz we didn't see a single biker. 

  When I eventually got to the top, gasping for air, it turned out to be well worth the effort just for the view. I can't even begin to describe it, you'll just have to come and have a look one day.  We found the start point for a Go Ape (always worth knowing), a few wooden carvings and a visitors centre. I would have loved more time to look round the centre properly, but by then the sky was starting to turn pink so we headed back down the hill before it started getting dark. The timing was brilliant; as it got just too dark to see properly under the trees, we walked into the coffee shop. 

  Lindsay bought me a cup of tea and a cake, although I REALLY didn't need any more sugar in my system, and when everyone had finished their drink we headed home. It was a comfortably quiet drive home - the kind that only comes from a day of fresh air. I think I must have slept a little bit because we seemed to go from little country lanes to the streets of Glasgow remarkably fast.  When we got back Denise gave us homemade chilli and rice with garlic bread and then we just sat around and chatted. 

  And now I'm home. I feel like I shouldn't eat for a week to balance out my average weekly calorie intake, but I'm happy. On the way back I found myself praying Lord, if you ask it of me, I could make this place Home.

xXx

You must allow me to tell you how adrently I admire and love you

I have a GINORMOUS urge to read Pride and Prejudice again, even stronger than the urge to read New Moon whenever I get to the end of Twilight. But I can't! I've got to make some banana bread, write a 500 word parody, print off three lots of work (which is turning out to be an exercise in not smashing my printer on the floor), make some dinner and pack my bags because I'm going home tomorrow!  

 I've managed to stay up here a whole month and I'm really looking forward to seeing home again. It's only until Sunday afternoon, but that's plenty of time for hugging. I'm kind of sad that it'll make me miss salsa though, I've been looking forward to it since Monday morning and it's hard to think I won't get to do it again for more than a week yet. But hugs!! Yay! 

 Anyway, I suppose I'd better get on with that long list of things, as I've only got five hours now to get them all done. Off I go!

xXx