IP1zine- poetry review

Just had the most exciting news of my life so far: after posting one of my poems online at IP1zine.com, a local Ipswich arts magazine, the editors have been in contact with me to ask if I'd be okay with a review of my poem 'My Pen Is My Guardian'. I didn't hesistate and said yes, although I did check their website to match their names to the names in the email as a safeguard and to check the authenticity of the email (which appeared in my inbox in basic font 'Courier New').

UPDATE: I picked up a copy of the latest issue today; the review of my poem is on page 33. Here is a link to download a free PDF version of the same issue:
http://ip1zine.com/magazine/issue/issue-44
http://ip1zine.com/files/magazine/ip1_issue44.pdf

and here is a link to the original poem, just so you can read it too! If you want to comment on it, use either the comments box below or the comments box on the webpage:
http://ip1zine.com/showoff/media/6701

Professional Writing Practice: NWT placement agreed

I had a chat with Andrew Clarke of the E.A.D.T. but sadly it seems, and due mainly to the recent economic disasters of late, the newspaper may not be able to offer me a placement. Never mind...

UPDATE: However, thanks to my father who has been working/volunteering at the New Wolsey Theatre for the past few years, I now have a placement at the New Wolsey Theatre. My 'contact' is the same person who oversaw my progress over the reviews on the theatre's plays. She is very welcoming and wants to help me in any way she and the theatre can, as I have left a good impression on her as an enthusiastic theatre-goer.

Hopefully, once all the paperwork has been done, and details agreed, I'll be able to start work at my placement in January 2013, shortly after Christmas 2012 and also after a couple of essay deadlines...

Sleeping Beauty- Review for New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich

There was an opportunity available for me to review a couple of theatre shows in a joint programme between the UCS English Literature department and the New Wolsey Theatre. I already reviewed their highly successful Mods and Rox play, and having am about to review their Sleeping Beauty rock 'n' roll pantomime tonight. I shall submit it tomorrow for publishing on their website.

Below is a link to the webpage where you'll find my review for Mods and Rox:

http://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/4168/mods-and-rox/review-project-with-university-campus-suffolk.html

Professional Writing Practice: getting a placement

According to my tutor, I'm supposed to go out there and get myself a placement in a professional workplace. Apparently, this could be anything, from working at a farm to working in a hotel or at a magazine; whatever my choice, the most important element of work that it must include is writing. Therefore, as long as I'm doing something related to my literature degree, literature and/or writing, I can apply anywhere I like. I'm hoping that I can get a placement at the East Anglian Daily Times; I already know the Arts & Culture editor, Andrew Clarke, and have an opportunity to meet with him soon. Here's hoping...

3rd day, but my choice of things to do...

As it was pretty much the end of inductions and introductions after Monday & Tuesday, Wednesday was comprised of three workshops to enhance our 'English' skills - Flash Fiction, Poetry, and Writers' Board (Q-&-A with 3 visiting writers). I chose Flash Fiction, as I was aware that Poetry was one of our first semester modules.

I learned that 'Flash Fiction' is actually another name for 'short short story', basically a tale no longer than or just over one side of A4 paper. We were given examples from past years, and were given a series of artistically-captured photographs from a photography book to help inspire us with imaginative ideas that we could gather by looking at the photographs. I have provided you with my Flash Fiction story below, "The Misty Sight" (sorry about the formatting issues). I hope you like it, whoever is out there reading this:

__________________________________________________

Close your eyes. Close them! Don’t peep! Read once, close eyes. Read again, close eyes.

2007

A red mist. Splattered on your window, burning your eyes, lava-orange, almost white centre, black where it cannot reach. A destructive range of colours.

Your eyes are half open, half closed; half not bothered, half intrigued. The black gives way to orange, orange to yellow. The white walls that surround you remind you of your fall twenty years after now. How cold it must’ve been for your daughter. Travelling, like so many others, waiting in queues, wondering if she’ll be there in time for…

…She sleeps off her grief, anger, frustration, hurt

feelings. Plane from Hawaii,

to New York,

to London.

When she’d arrived at her hotel in Hawaii, beautiful sun-lit room.

When leaving, room felt empty. Distinguished. Green neon lights shining in, not a nice feeling. Cold, sick, Devil Doesn’t Care.

Beach was tranquil.

Peaceful.

Empty.

Bright.

Hot, arid, sky-blues, sea-blue see-through, yellowy-white sands.

Left behind for other treading feet.

How could you, you think. But it’s too late now. Too late to change the Future, your Past, their Childhood.

Their Moon, Your Sun. The dusts, the rubble: your resting place.

An ending.

A beginning.

Dark city. Plane lands… Too late… The sun has shone its last for you.

You’re stupid, stupid woman!!

The blood pump halted,

Your...

…heart

…rests…

Your last breath stops…

You’re Stupid. Stupid Woman!

First Day: this is it!

Monday... first day, first week, first semester, first year; all the firsts come to light. University Campus Suffolk (U.C.S.) in Ipswich, ironically, was not my first choice university. However, my grades from my A-level exams did not reflect my determination to succeed in one of England's leading institutions, University of East Anglia in Norwich, thus leading to them declining me as I had not met their terms in their 'conditional offer', and I happily accepted my second choice.

We have to remember that sometimes what we refer to as 'fate' can shape our futures and determine us as a person. It is therefore possible, without going into too much detail, that some things in our lives are meant to happen... and for the better...

I was one of the first to arrive to the induction lecture, which was a general welcome from the university and the Provost, and as I sat in the lecture theatre, I sat as nervous as a rabbit, as excited as a bouncing bean (not literally) and yet as calm as a student. I recalled the students from my A-levels at Suffolk New College, which was not far from the building within which I was now sitting, who said they would attend this particular university. As each student strolled through the door as I had, looked at the big room as I had, and sat down as I had, it became clear to me that several million other students across the country were 'in the same boat' as me in an induction lecture, not necessarily on the same day, and I now felt that I could sympathize with all the students in the past who had experienced the same 'first day nerves'.

I was rather glad to see Ezra, one of my flatmates, who sat nearby, and even more pleased when I saw the number of us that had come from the same College... there was, maybe, seven of us, some of whom I recognised, and some of whom I hadn't met... My friends from College each came through the door, and we all kind-of sat near to each other. It was rather comforting having some of my College friends there with me; already this place felt like home.

As we sat down on the back row in the room for this afternoon's English-specific introductory lecture, we saw a guy sitting in the corner. He looked a little lonely, thus when we were given the chance we chatted to him. It turns out he was Anthony, from Hull, and he seemed to be kind and well-mannered. It is no wonder, then, that on this day we made friends with him, and I as associated myself to his accent and his attitudes I quickly became a best mate, and he too became my best mate...

At around 4pm, late afternoon, we entered a pool tournament organized by and in the UCS Student Union bar. We lost, but had a great time, and afterwards at about 7pm after all the fun of hitting the cue ball, our little clad of 'English students' (me, Anthony, Emma and Leah) attended a Pub Tour of Ipswich. Apart from Anthony, me Emma and Leah were locals and came along for the fun. We visited Pals, The Swan, The Rep, Robert Ransomes, McGinties, Dakotas (a bar and club which used to be Edwards restaurant - can't remember as, for the first time in my life, I was drunk), and then off to nightclub Liquid for the student & rock night.

We met up with some of Anthony's flatmates inside the club, and when The Proclaimers' "500 Miles" song was played we seemed to be having a lot of fun as we did some sort of arm-in-arm Irish folk dance (I think it was Irish). One of the best nights of my life... EVER!!!

Student at the Centre of the Universe

2 weeks ago... it is the weekend, and finally I get my keys!! I meet my flatmates... and I learn about the difference in cultures between my flatmates and myself.

Today: (Sunday)

So, it is my first day... the day I moved-in to my student flat, the day before my induction lecture, the day my emotions are saddened, and I am left wandering in the metaphorical world described only as my brain as I search for an excusable explanation regarding my sadness. I have left home and my parents for the first time... I have officially 'started' my life, I am living on my own now... no Mum or Dad to rush me to bed.

However, and rather suddenly, after about five minutes of sitting in my room watching my Dad's car turn the corner and travel down the road out of sight, my sadness is replaced by the eagerness to 'be a student'. I decided to open my door and introduce myself again to my fellow flatmates, and find that just talking to them eases my insecurities about living on my own with strange new faces. I have only been here for an hour, I haven't even had any lectures or seminars, and yet already I feel like a 'proper' student.