Updating blog sidebar --- changing times

Blimey it can get a bit out of date can't it? have been through and done some shifting of stuff into 'Resting Blogs' and deleting some old no-longer functional links.

Hope I have captured them all.

Blogging by phone

Well let's just see how it goes eh?

blog from phone

Oh mercy is there no end to my activities?

Word Verification - spammed to oblivion and sick of it

Apologies to those who have left legitimate comments that I haven't responded to at the moment: you may have spotted that in recent days I have been getting hellishly spammed. So back on goes 'Word Verification' which should hopefully prevent the worst of the spamming.

A nice description of me: how have you been described?

I'm nowhere near as good at online communication as I should be and my typing skills in messenger are notoriously flawed - as is my inability to remember emoticons accurately. So it was rather wonderful to be described by an online friend as

"You're lovably (and amusingly) haphazard"

For some reason that has just made my day!


Given that I have been in the past described as 'a woman who knows her own mind' (this wasn't intended as a compliment but I was rather pleased with it!), this isn't the first time I've had a rather quirky description ascribed to me.

(One student memorably identified me by gesturing as if going up three flights of stairs before adding 'stripy legs!')

What's the weirdest description you've ever had of yourself that nevertheless pleased you?

All change - blog format changes

To cheer me up - stupid trapped nerve seemed to ease Sunday to yesterday, only to snap back on me last night - I've done a site revamp.

So farewell the long detailed list I originally proposed for Rullsenberg Rules:

For random discussion of things --- Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The West Wing, Green Wing, Spaced, The X-Files, Peggy Guggenheim, Douglas Henshall, David Tennant, New York, graphic novels, Pulp and all manner of assorted filmic, musical and literary goodies.

These thoughts and interests are all still true, but a more general summary I felt was more accurate.

Same as usual I suspect in terms of content, but let's see how it goes!

Blogging and not blogging: plans for the New year

Looking at my Blog Archive figures, this has been a truly rubbish year for blogging on my part. I mean, look at the decline!

► 2009 (166)
► 2008 (245)
► 2007 (478)
► 2006 (824)
► 2005 (762)
► 2004 (47)

What does this tell me/us? Am I less committed to blogging? I don't feel I am, but clearly something has changed. I'm certainly getting less time mornings, lunchtimes and evenings for blogging (some of this reflects a positive change in circumstances in that Cloud is more likely to leave work on time and collect me not long after 5pm - whereas certainly pre-2008 I was very likely to be still in the office after 6pm). I used to be good about using up odds and ends of time to jot in a quick blog thought - now it seems to drift in and past my brain and the moment is lost. Things are generally MUCH busier and I'm getting more tired.

So if I'm to continue with this blog I need to have a change in tactic.

I'm going to put my thinking cap on over the Xmas break (away from technology for a while!) and see what I think can/should be done.

But in the meantime, let me know what you have liked/disliked about Rullsenberg over the time you've been reading. Is there something you want more or less of, or any topics you'd like to see return?

Thanks!

NaNoWriMo in publication: Rashbre's 'The Triangle' (book review)

It's one thing to actually complete a NaNoWriMo writing project successfully. I've never managed it, not even dared try it - my commitment is not helped by the nature of my work and the busy-ness of that time of year; plus, ya know, lazy as F*** - so I am in awe of those who manage to remain on course with the task.

To complete it AND see the product through to publication, by whatever means, is quite another scale of achievement.

So it's both cheering - and if I'm honest, rather galling - to see a fellow blogger be kick-ass organised enough and committed to their writing project to see it through to appearing in print.

Rashbre: step forward dude and collect your reward.

The Triangle is a ripping yarn of everyday folk caught in extraordinary events and attempting to turn them to their advantage. I doubt that my first reaction to the murder of someone I know would be to engage in investigation and identifying those responsible, but then I'm a coward as well as a lazy-arse! But I don't want to say too much more about the storyline because I feel there is a lot of fun and enjoyment to be had in coming to the text 'raw' if you like. So I'll just say there's that death at the start and then lots of political and economic international intrigue added into the mix for good measure. Oh, yes, and a neat reminder about backups for computers as well.

Rashbre is boldly (foolishly?!) intending to work on a sequel - and maybe further??? - so hats off for getting hooked on the writing gig. As the narrative progresses there is certainly a sense of developing mastery over both the characters and the momentum of plot (it IS absolutely an engaging and driven storyline). By the end, I therefore felt more in tune with the central characters than I had at the start -- initially, they had felt a bit too drawn from life. Bizarrely, those quirks and character descriptions that we litter about everyday real-life actually work less convincingly on the page, but as I say, by later in the text, some of this does gain in subtlety.

With a few further tweaks there would be even greater potential in showing how the text could shed some of its online writing origins and become a more independent publication.

(1) get some copy-editing in place from a helpful and critical friend if professional advice isn't accessible within the budget. A NaNoWriMo text will perhaps inevitably wear its origins of fast writing, and all those niggling things like tenses, punctuation and thesaurus-itis in phrasing will sneak through the first draft. But they shouldn't still remain in the final printed version.

(2) if it doesn't feel like contradicting the NaNoWriMo principle, schedule a rewrite period at least equivalent to the original writing period. Preparation before writing is one thing; I know some online writers who plot and plan for their NaNoWriMo most of the year before finally embarking on the writing project itself. But allowing time for the text to settle a little and reviewing it, not just in terms of plot momentum but also tone and style of language, would also likely improve the finished product.

But who am I to comment? Where is my novel? Well, let's not answer that. I have enough to contend with from the nagging prompts that I should have long since got the PhD into book form, and all the 'why the hell don't you just write a book about Doctor Who / Buffy / whatever cult TV I'm obsessed with?' So three cheers for bringing me a great evening's pleasure tearing through the thrilling narrative of Jake, Clare and Bigsy and here's to the next installment!

Waterstones has it listed, and you can always contact Rashbre via the blog for further advice on getting hold of a copy.

Bloody slow internet today

GRRRRRR.

Typical. I get a day at home and I can't even make distracted use of the internet whilst I do other things.

Busy weekend - posts to follow

Well, as we now hit heatwave and muggy days and nights I feel compelled to provide you with some blog updates:

• Lowdham Book Festival 2009 review
  
• Books reviews of item purchased at Lowdham
  
• A trip to Butterley and the Midland Railway Centre (plus preview for Indietracks)
  
• In praise of 'Upshares' (the money slot with Nils Blythe)

There could be more if I can manage to breathe in this heat!

Blog Housekeeping

Just been trying to do a tidy on my blog sidebars. I have still at the moment kept the list of blogs read as a separate item but this may vanish soon.

One or two issues though with reading lists and sidebars of blogs at the mo:

1. Some blogs do not seem to have feeds.  I'm reluctant to shift them off my reading list completely as its becoming increasingly the way I update myself on blog writers.  Hmm...
2. Some have been moved into the 'hiatus' list at the bottom of the sidebar.  This isn't ideal but some blogs have been resting for more time than others and some look more likely to disappear or not be restarted.
3. I've now added 46 blogs to the automatic 'blogs I read' list - these have come mostly from ones I regularly read, ones that have been on my list and/or are ones I follow.  To allow for some circulation of names, I've told it to currently show just the 25 most recently updated.  If you're not writing, then that doesn't mean I don't love ya, but I won't be getting a prompt to visit.

Shout up folks if you think you're being neglected. I'll do my best.

Mini update: London and forthcoming

Apologies: we were in London last weekend (very nice thanks) and since then I've been battling with work overload and general lurgy.

Still, just to give a quick preview of what's coming up:

• review of the shuffleathon CD received from Jamie Smitten - a fine looking beast it appears too
• London visit review
• The Devil's Whore - one of the best TV dramas of this year IMHO
• books I have been reading
• what's happening in December/January

Just a reminder on that last item folks: I will NOT be able to watch the Doctor Who Xmas Special this year. Anyone able to set a video or similar to record this and let me watch their recording will therefore be gratefully adored and acknowledged.*

Just as a forewarning as well, and partly as I don't really trust myself, I will probably be largely off-line between Xmas Day and 6th January.

As Professor River Song said: "Spoilers!"

* The iPlayer will be of no use to me here UNLESS the show is repeated and (or) is available via the iPlayer for viewing after 6th January 2009. Meh.

Online friends

You know what, I don't care what people say about online contacts not being 'real' friends. For sure, you may not see them (often, ever) but then the same could be said of several friends I initially made IRL (in real life).

So to those of you whom I have come to know through the interweb, thank you for your comments, your kindness, the laughter and support provided.

And Poly, this includes you. It's heartwarming sometimes to think of the friendships shown through blogging and other online contacts.

:)

Easter and onwards: blog plans

As the working week draws to a close for Easter and at last I get a few days off, I'm going to try and get back into a better habit of blogging for you dear people.

If hear too many shouts of 'promises, promises' I may just sob: I know it's not the first time I've tried - and failed - to get back to some of my former winning ways.

Still, in the upcoming weeks I hope to grant reviews for the end of Torchwood S2 (judgement on my overall response is reserved for post-finale), the incoming of Doctor Who series 4 (for which I will weep profusely should I not manage to record its first episode or catch a conveniently timed repeat soon after airing), and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (my delight at Henshall's now regular stage activities is almost boundless).

I'm also hoping to do an overhaul of the blog-roll with a bit of pruning and judicious organisation going on. It's all got a bit chaotic on the sidebar generally so I'm aiming to get some clearer structure to it. if I trusted I could re-design without losing the whole thing I'd do that too but that will almost certainly not happen.

Longer term: I'd really like to try and plan/prep some regular slots - and keep to them (I'm hoping these will be music/film/TV based - la pop culture if you will). I'd also like to get into a better habit of book reviewing - after all the number of books in our collections and acquisitions surely deserves some recognition. Above all, I feel you deserve better links and acknowledgement of my online reading as it is far more diverse than my mostly brief witterings on pop culture.

Still, as it stands Rullsenberg probably remains a fair reflection of my focus at the moment. I hope you don't mind that.


And yes, if I can, there will be some stripes.

;)

Raising Money for WARCHILD

Remember the fun that was Shaggy Blog Stories?

Well now Peach is co-organising a new project to raise money for WARCHILD.

Ta to Mike for this direction.

One of the things that a lot of us love about blogging is that we share experiences. We may not meet or even see our fellow bloggers but we feel we know them. For many of us it's an important part of feeling connected, almost like having another support system. Recently I tagged some bloggers on memes requiring a bit more info on who they were and what they felt and what I read really moved me. They made me wish I could pay for their writing, to thank them for sharing, to give them something for giving me their words on their personal stories.

From that thought, and with the help of a small team (Sarah from He Loves Me Not, Ariel from From Fuck Up To Fab, Ms R from Woman of Experience and Vi from Village Secrets) we've come up with a plan! We're putting together a book for WARCHILD written by bloggers and here's where you come in:

We would like you to submit (to us at bloggersforcharity@yahoo.co.uk) a written piece about something you've been through from any aspect of your life that you want to share. It can literally be about anything: your relationships, your past, a road not taken, being a parent, an illness or your regrets etc. We've called it "You're Not The Only One" to reflect the camaraderie of blogging.


Proceeds will go to WARCHILD and, blatantly following in the same fashion as Troubled Diva (Mike Atkinson)'s Shaggy Blog Stories, we will be publishing it through www.lulu.com. This is a no upfront fee internet publishing site who will take £4.70 per book sold if we make it no longer than 200 pages. We're pricing the book at £9 so £4.30 will go to straight to the charity. Because the cost lulu.com takes goes up according to how many pages we want published, we do have to stick to the 200 page limit so we can't guarantee you'll get your submission in for sure and the absolute maximum length for submission is 1500 words (but we’d rather not have too many at that length. In fact you may stand more chance if your piece is on the less wordy side).

WARCHILD is a uk based charity but it helps children all over the world, so we'd like as many submissions from as many places as possible

A small note, we'd prefer it if you submit stories you've not published outside the blogworld, i.e a piece from your own site is great, but not from a previously published hard copy book, lulu or otherwise; that makes this exclusive.

To summarise:

You must be a blogger with a live blog
It must be about something you've been through, amusing or serious or any style you like.
You can submit in your blogname and remain anonymous, or not, up to you.
It can't be something previously published outside the blogworld, but anything from your blog, or something entirely new, is fine.
Try to keep below 1500 words.
You must pimp the book on your site and buy it if you make a submission to be in it!
Please LINK BACK TO THIS POST to spread the word!


NEW DEADLINE IS 9th MARCH 2008 for submissions.
Send your submissions to us at bloggersforcharity@yahoo.co.uk

A good idea I think...

Explanation of absence

Hi folks, remember me?

As Cloud has given a public explanation for our recent absence - and return - I thought I would make my own here too.

Basically, Neil's dad took seriously ill and we had to quickly up-sticks and depart for New Zealand. It was always going to be a race against the clock, but before we could get our stupidly expensive but necessary flights out he had unfortunately died. So with heavy hearts we had to make the long journey to NZ knowing we were going to a funeral.

We left in winter, we arrived in high summer. We also left on the day our kitchen rebuilding project was due to start which did mean we missed the first two and a bit weeks of demolition (old chimney, former bathroom, outhouse wall to join it all together into one large space). However, we did come back to a kitchen minus a ceiling, minus most of its flooring, needing the outhouse roof to be raised and replaced, with pretty much every room in the house bar one (luckily the bedroom) layered in dust as we had had no time to properly pack away and dust sheet everything. And the builders (who have been lovely btw) were taking out and putting in the new windows. It was still winter in the UK - albeit no longer dark by 5pm. But it was - and remains - bloody cold in the ceiling-less, floor-less, unsealed windowed kitchen space.

We had three days at work last week: mostly sleepwalked them I have to say. After that we had our longed planned trip to London, and boy was it nice to not have to climb over things or take an hour to make a cup of tea [at home it is: find mugs, clean up sink, wash mugs, trace teabags and sugar and useable milk, clean kettle, fill kettle from struggling water-pressure taps, boil kettle, finally make tea in mugs as cannot bear to locate and clean up tea-pot].

London was lovely: we had glorious, if cold, weather and bright sunglasses days. Amongst our many activities, I was 'reluctantly' dragged to the Globe theatre where my inner geek screamed not just Shakespeare but 'The Shakespeare Code'.

Home again we are hoping that next week we get patio doors, a patio, a new kitchen/porch/pantry floor and a ceiling. At some point thereafter we should start to get fittings, cupboards and appliances. Basically a completely new and much more functional kitchen.

In the meantime, jetlag, work, the stress of a major house rebuilding project on top of bereavement has meant that blogging has unfortunately taken a big backseat.


Mind, I did watch both the BBC2 and BBC3 eps of Torchwood this Wednesday...

Double Grrrrrr and Meh, Meh, Meh: posts I owe

What can I say people? It's been a tough few weeks.

I know that this autumn I have been rather erratic in providing blog posts: work has been considerably more chaotic and demanding and I have consequently been much more tired and disinclined to be online of an evening; the house has been in a state of upheaval most of the time since we returned from NZ; and despite these difficulties we've also tried to squeeze in some level of a social life.

So: what do I now owe you?

1) blog posts on our recent trip to London - which included a trip to Dulwich Picture Gallery (and a sighting of Timothy Spall in Dulwich Village), a visit to Tate Modern, an enjoyable rummage of Spitalfields Market and the Hawksmoor Church, an unexpected cello recital, an expensive trip to Rough Trade East, support of our favourite London independent bookstore, and much more besides.

2) A Hawk and a Hacksaw live at the Malt Cross Nottingham - this post will appear over at Music is Our Hot Hot Sex

3) update and photographs of the house (including Neil's fabulous book storage)

4) a music acquisitions list (will also be cross-posted at Music is Our Hot Hot Sex

5) my opinions on the first series of Heroes

6) my excitement at the prospect of a second series of Primeval and the return of Doctor Who

...and probably several other things I owe

More Rachel

Rachel has joined that illustrious list of bloggers selected for profile over at Mars Hill.

I was especially taken, with Rachel's take on the Lyrical Terrorist even though it is a long post. She later, rather ably summed up her point as "I am not sure anti-terror legislation should be used to criminalise the morbid online posturings of silly adolescents."

Read 'em folks.

Rachel is back...

... with a cracking post on the voices of the net. She's been in debate with Andrew Keen and Microsoft on Richard Bacon's FiveLive radio show.

Nice to see Rachel back on the internet as capable as ever of sparking debate and thought: she's had a rough time for too, too long.

PS Sorry MediumRob

I think you got the short end of my long absence from blogging as you have just been inflicted with multiple comments from me! Trust me Medium readers, he does have other commenters!!