I Travel? Sam Travels, Here I Go?

I've been thinking more about my travel idea recently. I've passed my first thousand pounds saved for the journey and am excited about raising more. Although how much and how fast depends on my being able to continue to work here at Falklands Radio. I have a job interview on Friday. For my job. It's odd.

Anyhow, the travel thoughts that I've having recently is about the title of my travel diary and a logo to go with it. Since I aim to write a travel diary, maybe record a videoblog, I want to make sure I have a good name. I'm thinking something simple, such as 'Sam Travels'. I've got time to keep thinking about it. And of course I'm open to advice and ideas.


I went for a meal on the Dira last night. Me and Ailie joined Sebastian, Ben and Ken on the yacht. It was a lovely evening. We had a few beers, some lovely cheese crepes, filleted dorado with courgette and peaches and chocolate for dessert. We had some wonderful conversation. The lads have been invited to ours for dinner on Thursday night. We're thinking of cooking mexican style. Chilli, fajita's, potato wedges, salad. I'm looking forward to it.

A Mini Reflection of 2011

A short round-up of my life in 2011.

Started seeing someone.
Got new job.
Moved house.
Stopped seeing someone.
Lots to do with the visiting film crew.
Annoyed by stalker behaviour of ex.
Annoyed by absent father.
Got better and better at my new job.
Was ill, had a week of work.
Moved house again.
Still annoyed by stalker behaviour of ex.
Had a couple of parties.
Enjoyed Christmas (don't tell anyone - I'm the grinch).
Enjoyed my birthday (don't tell anyone - I'm a birthday grinch).
Got to go on a yacht.
Great New Years Eve party.

I'm looking forward to 2012.

Puddings are a Way of Life

Why is it fine dining comes with desserts but not puddings?
Desserts can be ok. They're all right. But I like a proper pudding. Now maybe it's the Yorkshire in me, but there's nothing better than a good rhubarb crumble, or apple pie. A decent bread and butter pudding satisfies wonderfully. As does rice pudding. Good thick rice pudding, with that layer of skin that few people like, so I get it all to myself.

I made a lovely apple and rhubarb pudding just the other week. I'm no Delia Smith or Jamie Oliver. I make a decent ham sandwich and an edible chilli. But I do make some damn good puddings, if I do say so myself. It's Christmas and as usual I'm going to be stuck with fruit cake (that I don't like) and fancy desserts.

Time to pick some more rhubarb and make some more crumble I reckon.

Scrumptious.

Christmas Time. Bah-bleedin'-Humbug!

Christmas isn't a time I particularly enjoy. Lots of false happiness, being extra friendly to random people. Expectations of cards, feeling guilty if you don't send cards to the right people.

The horror of receiving a card or a gift from someone and not having got them something in return.

I'm not a fan of the festive period.
There is always a day or two where I do get caught up in all that extra joyfulness that hovers around people. And I love giving presents and seeing the happiness on people's faces when they get something that they didn't even know they wanted. Presents can be given at any time of the year. Why save up for months for one day?

I spent Christmas by myself one year. I loved it. There was no-one to please but myself. I chose what to watch on the TV, made myself a lovely pizza for lunch. Had a few beers, had a nap. Phoned the important people.

Every Christmas since I get the same questions.
'Why'd you want to be by yourself?'
'You can come to us if you have nowhere else to go'
'Don't be miserable. It's not fair on anybody else'

Why should I let guilt and other people stop me spending the Christmas season as I wish? Because I care about them, I suppose. And I do usually end up enjoying the day, for the most part.

Christmas is coming. Time for the enforced jollity.

Ho ho ho.

A Novel Idea

It always seems to me that the world and his dog believes that they have a novel inside of them, waiting to be put to paper.

Of course, so do I. Only, with my short attention span and my very low level of patience I don’t think I’d ever manage that novel. What I do think I could manage, and manage quite well, is a book of short stories.

And of course, like any aspiring writer and dreamer, I have my book started. I’ve had it started for about seven years now. One day I may finish it. I like to believe so. As for having my words published…

...wouldn't that be amazing!

I Think of My Ink

Look at me, look and see, see the marks on my skin, see the ink going in, marking me for all to see, marking me eternally.

The pain of the ink going in, the constant burning of the skin, this is a physical memory, it takes time to be a part of me.

I love tattoos. I really do. My first two tattoos, I wouldn't get now, but at 18/19 years old, they were what I wanted. They were my statement pieces for that moment in time.

My newest tattoo however, I absolutely adore it! And even if I feel like this as I do about my first two, well, there's nothing wrong with that. There is no regret. Just a change in mindset and a change on how I view myself.

Once I saw myself as an unfeminine tomboy, unsexy and a bit funky. Hence the snake and the spider.
Now I view myself rather differently. My first flower tattoo. A secret red little flower, hidden on my hip, showing the emerging acceptance of my femininity. Oh, this does sound trite. But it is also how I actually felt at the time. My large shoulder piece tattoo, my unique almost tribal flower design, inked in the faintest pink with a darker pink overtone. This is me now. I love how is puts me in mind of a piece of armour. A beautiful, intricate, strong piece of amour, designed for me alone.

And I already have two ideas for more tattoos. One idea that I've been playing with for years. One just recently come to mind. If in a year or two I have a more defined idea...well, that is a future project.

For now...my newest tattoo is a thing of beauty and I have now buy more clothes suitable to showing it off.

Ebay here I come.

My Sunday

Things I have done today:

Get up early (for a Sunday),
Went to work, learning how to report on the Remembrance Day Parade,
Had a nap,
Read a few more chapters of I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett,
Chatted to Bonnie,
Watched Labrynth, then Hairspray,
Made some new ear-rings,
Made pancakes (not as nice as normal though),

And that's where I'm at right now.
I've done some of my favourite things today, but all day I've had that unsettled feeling. So I'm trying to keep myself busy.
The next thing on my list of things to do this Sunday, is put a zip into my skirt, and make a bag using the button idea that I had a while ago.

Feeling unsettled makes me productive. Who'd've thought it?