New desk day

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Suzanne Schultz Pick

Today we had the groceries delivered at 10:45 by Tesco. Since it was cold and rainy (a wonderful combination) we took a taxi to the MetroCentre. There we had lunch at the Chinese buffet, walked around, then went to the retail park for Starbucks and a visit to IKEA.

Now that the Christmas tree is put away, I decided we need a desk in the corner of the living room. After much debate we chose the smaller white desk with the green drawer. We also grabbed the £9 yellow Jules chair even though it didn’t have roller wheels.

Since we had to watch Celebrity Big Brother tonight, the desk is only half finished. Jake has already claimed the chair for himself – as he should with his catty ways.

It’s getting down to 27F soon. It snowed for a bit today, as the taxi driver told us, and it’s going to snow Monday and Tuesday. That means me, the netbook, and the new desk are going to be spending a lot of time indoors next week.

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Everyone want to rule the world

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Suzanne Schultz Pick
books by aigle_dore

200 million Americans want to publish a book.

256,618 people signed up for NaNoWriMo in 2011.

From 8,000 to 11,000 new publishers enter the field every year; they are mostly self-publishers.

These are the things writers have to take into account these days. No longer is the term “writer” used as a unique form of art that one crafts because of a driven passion that can only be satisfied by working and creating. Well, a lot are but not 8,000 per year.

It’s easier these days to create what you want and put it in a form where someone could see it. We’re no longer locked in our own little worlds, thinking we’re unique and special. There’s what we want to do, then there’s the whole world that’s doing what they want to do. Unfortunately, now everyone wants to do the same thing but not all of them want to do it for the same reasons.

It pains me to think that writing books has become like an Ebay seller store. Maybe someone out there will pay me some money for this junk. I know plenty of people are doing it because they want to write, and that’s absolutely fine. I’m happy that we have the means to get our work in print (and eprint) differently now. But I’m wondering what this is going to do to the book market in another year or so.

Anyway, it’s going to snow tomorrow.

Links to share for today:

Les Miserables Taught Me How to Hate Again

Fifty SHAPES of Grey – the exercise program!

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A paid day out

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Suzanne Schultz Pick

Today I took the Metro out to the coast to help out with test invigilation for a community college. There were two hundred plus students all set up in the gym and I got to answer questions like, “What’s my test centre number?” and “Can I borrow a pen?” I couldn’t even answer the specific questions they had about the test set up because I’d honestly not taken a good look at the English GCSE booklet before. At the last school I was teaching, the others in the English Department were teaching those questions so I at least now have a better understanding of the Sixth Form English exam.

I’m sitting in the dark bedroom this afternoon on the netbook while our regular PC is still claiming to be only at 11 out of 16 updates. It’s been saying that all night and day so Steve will have to check up on it tonight. I sort of like being tucked away in the bed as I write though. It’s much warmer here, that’s for sure. (It’s supposed to snow this weekend. Snow!)

Tomorrow, I’m still not sure if I’ll go to the gym of give in and go to the walk-in clinic.

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09 Jan 2013

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Suzanne Schultz Pick

I couldn’t think of anything more interesting than a date for a blog title.

I was going to go to the walk-in clinic today but I’m driving this afternoon. Also, the walk-in clinic has moved next to the hospital, which I only found out in a comment on one of the websites that listed their address and phone number. The NHS site still has their old address listed. But since I can’t take any medicine before I drive, I decided to just take these decongestants that I got from Boots last weekend and hope for the best.

Tomorrow I have a test invigilating job assignment for the morning so I’ll be up again at 6AM to grab the 7:16 bus. Once I get done with that, I can always take the bus up to the hospital so I can see if the walk-in clinic will see me. Of course, they’ll be closed for lunch so I’ll probably be waiting around for a while. I could always try to get over there tonight. We’ll see.

I’m tired of being sick, and I’m tired of both of us having to be sick. I don’t like being so groggy, and having pain, and ringing in my ear, and feeling all together not myself. Until then, I’m just hanging out here at home unless otherwise required. I have the netbook now so I can lounge around and research and get some work done. I also have plenty of books to keep me occupied. I’ve been trying to get back into updating my book blog this week too.

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Indefinite Leave to Remain

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Suzanne Schultz Pick

We went to Newcastle Civic Centre today to get our application for my Settlement Visa looked over and sent out. We brought ever scrap of mail from any kind of official organisation we could. We didn’t realise we couldn’t have six month gaps in our postal mail dates. Luckily since we brought everything, our application *looks* fine. Of course the person who did our application check couldn’t give us any kind of decision.

What happens now is we get to wait for my biometric (fingerprints and retina scan) request card. I’ll have to take a trip to South Shields for that, then it can take up to four months before I get approved.

Once I get my biometric card, I’m all set. Then I can get my citizenship next year.

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