Just another day in the life

Another day almost over and I'd say it's been a productive enough day. Worked hard showing a new member around the library and searching out existing books in local history. Went for a quick look round one of the arty places I missed on Friday (Studio 102 - a crowded art space with upstairs cubicles for rent to local artists - something for the Plymouth Arts students to consider), and ended my afternoon/evening reading the week's set portion of the Dramatic Writing module reader. Now I have a good hour or two to kill how I please. 
Tomorrow, my first 3-hr dramatic writing workshop....wish me luck!

The Art of Hedge-Trimming for UPSU Student Led Volunteering

A friendly visitor

Our busy volunteers

Our busy volunteers

Today has been an exhausting day of volunteering for me, that's for sure, however, that has not deterred me from wanting to make being involved in the UPSU Student Led Volunteering a more regular thing. Upon meeting the rest of the volunteers and project leader Mark, I was understandably a little uncertain - meeting new people has always been a bit daunting for me - but once we arrived at the owl sanctuary, re-fueled on tea and chocolate biscuits (of which I ate too many!), and were shown around the owl enclosures, I felt I could relax a little more. But then, of course, the manual labour - the primary reason for this trip - began! 

The end result

Thanks to my dad, I already had some experience with sharp garden tools; however, what we were faced with was no simple pruning of a rose bush. These were vast hedges entwined and tangled with brambles, blackthorn, and rosehips, all viciously spiky plants. The tough gloves we were supplied with helped protect our hands, yet some of us were brazen enough to delve in with bare arms, while I regretted my tights (a magnet for those sticky burrs), my raincoat (the arms of which were soaked with sweat by lunch time), and my wellies (which weren't the comfiest footwear

It's bigger than it looks

I could've worn). Gradually, though, as we hacked, lopped, and sawed our way through from both sides, and endured scratches, spikes, and broken saw blades, the hedge grew thinner, stripped of its overhanging mass, while the pile of vegetation on the hill just grew and grew.

Such a beautiful view

As a reward for our 5 or so hours of effort, we were treated to an up-close encounter with Bailey, one of the resident barn owls (of which I have no decent photos, unfortunately, so you will have to use your imagination). As a fairly avid fan of raptors (birds of prey), it was truly an experience to have this bird glide silently over my head, creating a small gust from the downdraft of his wings, and to look into his beautiful little moon face. Around 4, the minivan returned and it was time to bid the owls and the hills goodbye and return to Plymouth.
It was truly a miracle that the weather stayed so mild and sunny for the duration of our stay, allowing us to enjoy the scenery - as well as our work. I'd like to congratulate everyone involved today on a job well done, and hopefully see you next time!

Fundraising Begins Again - Plymouth Proprietary Library

So it begins. I've set up my Crowdfunding page for the Plymouth Proprietary Library with a reasonably achievable goal of £500 by Christmas 2016. Saturday 1st October will signal the start of my Poem-a-Day Challenge, the plan being to pick a random word from the dictionary (1st word on the page for the 1st day and so on) to inspire said poem. Fingers crossed I can keep it up for 31 days!
Check it out if you can and even better, support me for at least this next month.
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lauraslibrarypplplymouth

Seems only yesterday...

It would appear I have survived the first day of second year, despite having a 9am introductory lecture to my Apocalypse module. I got through and feel pretty excited to get started next week. Though it doesn't feel that long ago that I was chatting to one of the department staff on an open day, and hearing about the infamous Apocalypse module. Now I'm here about to embark on it. I wasted half an hour chatting with my friend Jenna who will be in every one of my seminars (lucky girl) before heading up to the library for some [irritating] cataloging. The attitude some people adopt when doing the cataloging is a real pain in the backside. But I was saved by the need for lunch and a return to uni for my second introductory lecture, this one for Romanticism. It is a real shame I won't be having the same seminar tutor as I did last year - dear Bonnie, how I love her - but it is going to prove to be an interesting module all the same. Following that, it was back home for some reading, food, and chilling white watching the unfaithful Netflix knock-off of The Mortal Instruments called Shadowhunters. With that all done, it's probably time to get some sleep for my third and final introductory lecture, this for Dramatic Writing. See you later!
Ps. I realise I didn't get to write about yesterday except for the parts about the Arts Weekender, but then again, that's pretty much all my day I involved so you can fill the gap by checking that out instead.

Plymouth Arts Weekender Day 2: Walking in the Whale's Footsteps

I knew this good weather couldn't last forever. As I speak the very heavens above are pouring from the sky and turning roads to rivers! And this all only started about 5 hours ago. 
This morning was a breezy though sunny day. Work at the library wasn't exactly ideal because, though searching for books can be irritating, cataloging them is another thing entirely and it can get tedious. The company wasn't exactly grand either but I'm not allowed to complain so I shall move on.
Met up with Mark (whose mother had supplied us with lunch) before embarking on day two of the Arts Weekender, this time with company. I provide a link of the afternoon's run down here.
Following that, I hurried home at about 4pm to get my review written up before hastily making dinner. It was around this time - so 6.20pm - that the rain began to fall and I don't think it has stopped since. I walked in it to get to the Leviathan show at The House, and I had to return through it, greatly increased in quantity as if Moby Dick himself were up there (that being the inspiration for the show). My every step felt heavy and wet, my tights and shoes were sodden from the knees down....but as I had a rain coat and umbrella, I loved it! I don't suppose the freshers would have though given today was supposed to be Freshtival haha. But I had the smell of baking to come home to as one of my housemates was making cake. I'll write up a short review of the show in the morning and post it to my above linked blog. But for now, I need to get my sleep. Got laundry and the final day of the Weekender to get through in the morning.

Plymouth Arts Weekender Day 1: My Missing Pasties

So today went almost entirely according to plan.
My first port of call was the library where I was set to work locating local history books - which wasn't exactly a walk in the park when the book codes weren't necessarily in numerical order.... Following that, I grabbed myself some lunch in the form of a salad-loaded turkey flatbread from Subway which I enjoyed in the Drake Memorial Park overlooking the reservoir fountains. Then it was down to the first stop on my Plymouth Arts Weekender schedule. I would detail exactly how the next 2 1/2 hours from 1.30-4pm went but as I've already written about it all in great [enough] detail on my other blog, I shall instead direct you there - so follow this link. Good. Now once I'd finished all of that, I had one of two options: either head over to the uni campus and grab myself a pasty just as the Cider and Pasty Festival gets heated up OR grab some groceries and go home to write up my review THEN go to the festival. Turned out that the former option may have been the better one as by the time I'd cranked out a decent review and got down to campus, the cider was the only thing still flowing. I did, however, hear a chorus of people calling my name and find myself in the company of my former flatmates Panksy and Charlotte once again - made up for the lack of pasty alright. I contented myself with a Ginster's Cornish pasty from the SU Shop before returning home to heat it up, pop open a bottle of Old Mout Kiwi and Lime cider (decent substitutes) and post my review in various places.
Tomorrow will see me scouting out the exhibitions at both Plymouth University and the Plymouth College of Arts, as well as going to a show called Leviathan, and maybe (if I have the time), another ghost tour, all as part of the big Plymouth Arts Weekender!!
See you then!

I was never a fresher at heart, but hey, free stuff

So Freshers Week is almost over - already! In that time, I've gotten myself interested in several volunteering schemes, worked out a few ideas for my future fundraising for the Proprietary Library, perhaps taken on more prospective societies than I will have time for, and taken advantage of all the free stuff I can get as a student at the Freshers Fair. 
I did spend a short bit of today guarding the front desk and valuing books at the library while a talk was going on upstairs, and guess what? More free food! 
Fortunately, the Wi-Fi has been fixed (Monday) so everything feels a little more laid back now. Also finished all my books for this term too, so that's another temporary sigh of relief.
Now I am heading into the next big multiple day event: the Plymouth Arts Weekender. Provided I have the time, I plan to cover a fair few areas of Plymouth which are hosting art exhibitions and review them fairly briefly. Then, hopefully, take advantage of the Cider and Pasty Festival on campus for dinner. 
I have, however, found the time to catch up with a few friends, which is always nice. But there remains a few I am still missing.
Until next time!

Nothing makes me cry / Like shitty Wi-Fi

How much busier have I been these last few days, I hear you ask? Not insanely. Thursday saw me making chili, continuing to read The Day of the Triffids, and crying over the close-to-home reality of Vampire Diaries Season 6 (I won't give any spoilers as to the who, but someone gets cancer and as you may or may not know, that's a very personal issue to me so you can understand why the tears). Friday, I did my stint at the library, cataloging books to assist the library's new president before rushing home (getting some extra supplies from the local SPAR on the way) to make stir-fry, reading, and eventually more Vampire Diaries - and tears. Saturday, reading pretty much all day to finish The Day of the Triffids, get a few pages of the history of Romanticism down, fill up my academic calendar for the year, and then wail over Vampire Diaries once more - worsened by the appalling Wi-Fi which kept cutting out and freezing my video every few minutes (not helpful during the emotional scenes).
Today I woke up later than usual and spent the morning reading War of the Worlds before heading out to meet my new friend Mark and talk about writing techniques, share poetry, and generally get to know one another. Stayed out way longer than I thought we would but discovered a new favourite cafe (Rumpus Cosy) in the process. Made a mixed up stir-fry when I got back consisting of Super Noodles (chicken and herb flavour), Southern Fried chicken strips, and mushroom stir-fry vegetables. Student Life ftw!!!
I have arranged a few more meet-ups with other friends now so maybe that will help my readjustment to life away from home/back in Plymouth easier. Fingers crossed. Also need to start writing more poetry for future events.

Busy Bees Got Nothing on Me

Good evening once again. It has been a busy and heavy day for me. 
After making breakfast and forgetting the beans I'd left in the microwave, then forcing myself to have a cold shower for a short while before figuring out the controls, and finally waiting around for some people to finish cleaning our oven (during which time I cleaned the bathroom a tiny bit), I was able to head to town. Carrying some heavy-ass bags of kitchen stuff for charity, I might add. Then I was a case of buying various things for the house, returning said things to the house, and setting off once again for Aldi to finally end my starvation. I got to make my favourite Quorn chicken curry as a result. To top it all off, I added more to my passage on the Unconscious which I proceeded to read at the Soapbox Open Mic at the Bread and Roses - and which you can read on my other blog laurareinbach.blogspot.co.uk. Even got asked to do another reading at a few future events!
Now, after a full day, it's almost time for bed.

A Literary Adventure

Day 2 back in Plymouth and I've enjoyed myself more than I imagined I would. After testing one of the house's two showers (and finding it a little cramped but efficient), I went to do some work at the Proprietary Library; I ended up there for about 6 1/2 hours, listing books, carrying books, checking lists against the library's existing catalogue. By 5pm I was done and starving. so I headed into town intending to get myself a burrito but soon learnt the place I wanted to go to (Bar Burrito) was closed today (passed it later on and it wasn't.....) so I settled for a cheeky Nandos. And what a Nandos it was. Supergrain Salad with chicken and chips, and some little custard tarts called Natas for dessert (yum). By this point, however (approx 6pm) it was too late to head back home as I had a poetry competition to attend at half 7, so I stayed out and wandered down to Sutton Harbour. Gradually made my way to the venue, meeting two friendly faces at the door, and one or two more inside, but finding a free enough table was tough. A lady by the name of Bev signalled me over to her table and I'm glad she did because she and a guy named Jak who completed the table's occupants were very interesting company.
We received our prompt which was a statue beneath the waves at an underwater museum in Lanzarote. I had a good idea to start but found my flow petering out halfway through so that 14 lines in 30 minutes suddenly seemed like such a challenge. But I made it just in time and despite being second to last to read, I didn't feel nervous. Didn't win however but it gave me ideas for new poetry. I appear to have gained a fan so that's a bonus too.
I think I'll have to say goodnight now though. That was my Monday.

Back in Plymouth

OK so it's the morning after my first day back in Plymouth and I'm still pretty....nervous, homesick (already), uncertain. But I guess things will get better as the days go by. 
We had to get up SO early (2am!) and leave just before 4, car packed, nerves already fluttering. It was a smooth enough journey with a few rest stops and breakfast only 3/4 hr outside of Plymouth. Not the best breakfast, mind, but that's motorway services for you.
Once we reached my new house, it wasn't quite the happy welcome as neither of the people I knew were home that day, so I just had to unload the car, check my room, and slowly unpack, before bidding my dad goodbye. He's such a trooper, driving all the way here and back in one day.
All that was left then was to get my unpacking finished, buy some extra items and food, and try to relax. Got to speak to the three new housemates I didn't know, only briefly however but they seemed nice enough. Time will tell how things go.
I spent the rest of my evening [trying] to read before getting a call from my dad to say he'd just got home at 5pm. Made me wish I was back home even more. Whether it was my nerves or real hunger, I don't know, but I eventually heated up a can of Carrot and Coriander soup and ate it while watching Vampire Diaries. This carried on until I started getting tired, the kind where you can barely keep your eyes open. Then I knew it was time to get ready for bed. 
Now here I am on the new morning with a library to go visit and potentially a writing competition to attend tonight. See you later for more developments 

On Top of the World

Outside the Tate Modern - world's biggest Rubix Cube!

There is only one full day separating me from my return to Plymouth and student life, and I don't think I could've spent it in a better way or with a better person. Starting our walk at Charing Cross, I had my faithful London guru boyfriend Jackson with me. We wandered north and...well to be honest, I wasn't 100% sure where we ended up, but we were soon on Oxford Street, amazed by the Shakespeare-esque window displays of Selfridges - which we decided to check out, and oh man, I have never felt so cheap before, surrounded by so many floors of expensive

All the people look like ants!

clothing and perfume. It only got posher as we wandered through Mayfair, every street sporting pillar-fronted houses and a Bentley, Tesla, or Rolls Royce parked outside. But as hunger called, we returned to the Covent Garden area for a YO! Sushi....or would've, if the place we headed for was still there (which it wasn't), so we wandered over to Chinatown, picked out the place with the tastiest value for money, and went in. We were not disappointed with Gerrards (that's what they were called, as un-Chinese as it sounds), and my choice of bean-curd wrapped prawns was a definite winner. It had been our plan for most of the day to go see the view from the Shard, and after a minor setback which almost saw us returning home early, we did just that. After an hour of walking from Charing Cross to London Bridge - taking in several bridges and beautiful bits of scenery along the way - we made it. This was the icing on the cake for the day. Taken 68 floors up in the lift to the viewing platform, we were treated to a 360 degree view of the city of London. As it started to get a little darker, we went up to the Sky Garden, astro-turf, potted plants, and an open roof. I'm sure we

weren't meant to stay longer than half hour, but it was 7pm and we were

Evening sunrays over the city

sipping slightly expensive plastic flutes of Malbec when we realised this. Needless to say, we didn't make much haste in leaving, staying another half hour to watch the city light up a little more before descending again to street level and finding our respective trains home. As this was the last time I'd see Jackson - or London - again for few weeks, I was understandably reluctant to leave. But I do have alot to look forward to when I go back though, so I guess it weighs up nicely. I probably won't get around to writing again until I'm in Plymouth now, so see you then!

The [Unorthodox] Battle of the Week

Well it certainly is a sticky evening - my laptop is sticking to my legs as I write - but the one thing even more oppressive is the weight of packing for my return to university in under 4 days. Tuesday was a suitably productive day in terms of packing away kitchen, bedroom, and study items, as well as a few cosmetics. Today was the turn of the clothes, after dropping into my local high street for a few extra items (kitchen timer, plastic cups, food tray, etc). Packing clothes was never my strong point - even getting dressed on an average day can be a struggle - so today has been slow and full of me procrastinating like hell. I think I have a comfortable amount packed now, so that just leaves odds and ends and the other 20% to go nearer the time. 
After rushing through preparing dinner and dessert in the space of 90 minutes, I was able to relax with some tea and Robot Wars before fixing a large batch of chicken chasseur and another of chili con carne to freeze up for my dad while I'm away. I hoped the day might end easily, but not this time. Due to the arrival of September, the crane flies are about and so when I went into my garage to fetch tomorrow's dinner, what decides to loom towards the overhead strip lighting but a freaking huge crane fly! My weapon of choice? A bag of frozen salmon. I wielded that thing like I was fending off a creature far stronger and more formidable than a flimsy insect, but when that insect looked like a flying spider....well, I suppose my actions were justified. I bolted indoors - because said bag of salmon needed opening (with scissors, no less) - but then I was faced with the problem of returning the bag to the still open freezer outside. Fortunately, Mr Flying Legs was nowhere in sight.
And there ends another day in the life of me. I'm usually good with a fair few bugs, but crane flies are a different story altogether.

Wake me up when September ends

And suddenly, it's September. Time to start hitting the panic button as Moving-In Day draws ever closer. I've been given a few concerns already in the shape of news that my home-to-be is kind of filthy and spider-infested (never encouraging) but that a cleaner is going to be brought in next week, so fingers crossed for a clean house by the time the 11th rolls around.
But I shan't dwell too heavily on that right now. Today was pretty fun, spent in London for a few hours with my lovely sister - who is returning to her uni life a week earlier. Arriving at Buckingham Palace, little did we know it was the perfect

time to witness the daily parade of Royal Guards during the Changing of the Guards. We heard the distant sound of drums and trumpets but didn't think much of it until it started to get louder, and then the first few red-coated guards wielding brass instruments appeared. We stayed for about half hour before crossing St James' Park and finding our way down to Parliament Gardens in the shadow of Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. After taking some time to let my sister do some more sketches - and take in the audible atmosphere around me and distill it into poetry - we answered our stomachs by seeking out a Costa on the first floor of Trafalgar Square's Waterstones and ate our lunch on the steps overlooking the fountains. By this time, it was getting a little cold and bleak, so we took a train from Charing Cross home.
Now it is the end of another day, and I have finally completed Lessing's Memoirs of a Survivor (such a confusing ending) and will move on to Walter Scott's The Highland Widow tomorrow. For now, it's a little relaxation and then to sleep. I'm shopping tomorrow.