NaNoWriMo and Life Updates.

I know, say what you want, I'm a bad blogger. But while you've been busy complaining about my lack of blogging, I've been writing a novel all month, so there :P. I finished earlier this evening with a current total of 50, 124 words. By all means, the story is not finished yet, it's barely even begun but I had to ramble on for 50k about something so shush :P. I am very pleased to have won this year as I failed last year and was more determined than ever to win again! I couldn't have done it without the help of the Nanoers in the All-Ireland chatroom as well as my housemate Jesse who was full of useful information about demons and other magical beings when my brain decided to die. So many thanks go out to all of you.

In other news, last time I blogged I said I had ticked off another thing on my 21 list. I have since ticked off a further one. Those two things, which I can happily tell you now are: Go on a date - On halloween night I went on a date. Suffice to say, things have worked out very well and I'm quite the happy chappy. The other one I've ticked off is getting a job. My dad knows an owner of a restaurant and they happened to be looking for staff and hence, I got a job. Which is another reason why I'm quite cheerful these days because there was a point during November where I couldn't afford to live and now I can. It's brilliant :).

November has been a bit of a mental month for me. The first two and a half weeks were full of stress due to coursework essays needing to be done and handed in. I had three to do, I got two done the first week and handed in and the second week when I was in the middle of doing my essay I recieved some bad news. My cat whom I've had since I was 3 was killed in the throws of an angry dog. This news was really upsetting and I was unable to focus on my essay for a while and ended up with an extension. I got it done eventually and was then able to come back to NaNo and end up where I am today. As well as these distractions, the two I mentioned above were quite good at distracting me at points but I through raw determination, I made it across the finish line and a day early too!

So there you go. I was waiting until I made it across the finish line to post about everything because I thought firing it all out in one go would be better than wasting time writing here when I could be writing NaNo. But I'm alive, I'm happy and I hopefully will post more often now that Novembers over and the crazy times have died down. Of course, don't hold me to that.

Hope things are well with all of you,
Sami
:)

NaNoWriMo and Other Non Important Stuff

Helllllo blogosphere.

I am not even going to bother explaining where I've been to be honest, you don't want to hear it and I don't want to type it. So on to the exciting stuff.

I've posted before about NaNoWriMo which stands for National Novel Writing Month for you newbs. The aim is to write 50 000 words in 30 days. No editing. Just write, write, write! Once you get the words down then you are good to go. It's insane and everyone who does it is a crazy fool, so since you're reading my blog, go go go: www.nanowrimo.org

Also, my own wordcount for Nano at the end of day one is 48. Lmao. I am in the process of writing still but I am having to work on coursework these first two weeks and its really important as it's my 3rd and final year. I know Nano will be on the backburner til I do that so unfortunately my count wont be as great for a while.

As for the other non important stuff. I hate coursework. I ticked off another one on my 21 list, but Ill let you guess what one that was. It is freaking colllllld. I like fireworks and I had an amazing Halloween weekend which I shall give you an update about eventually.

So yes. I just wanted to post about Nano really.

See yeeeee.

21 by 21: The Final

So I am now officially 21. I had a party at the weekend to celebrate and had a great time being surrounded by people I love and having a jolly old time together. Since my actual birthday was on a Monday, I had uni lectures but I spent the evening having a laugh and a few quieter drinks with more of my best friends. A lot of people have asked me why I didn't go out to celebrate but to be honest, I'd rather spend the time with my friends talking and laughing rather than screaming over loud music and trying to push past strangers all night.

Anyway, as you know it was my aim to complete a full set of 21 things by the time I turned 21. It is unforunate that I didn't get to complete the list in its entirety due to life constraints but I do feel like I accomplished things that I set out to do and so for your pleasure, here is the list. If the action is scored out it means I have completed that task. If I haven't, then there will be an explaination beside it as to why not.

1. Learn to Drive - This is due to the fact that I didn't have any money this summer to try and learn. However, I did purchase my provisional license and plan to start lessons soon.
   
2. Get a Job - Dear god, you all heard me rant and complain about the lack of employment over here so this one is no part of mine, i sent in at least 20 application forms and had 2 interviews and no one wants to hire me.
   
3. Be able to play Expert on Guitar Hero - Well, I was playing Guitar hero in my uni house then realised I wouldnt have it for the summer so never got to complete the game. I can play a healthy medium though. Stupid orange button.
   
4. Write something publishable - For me, writing takes time and effort and inspiration and I didn't have much of any of those, however, I do have a big story idea in research stages so hopefully something comes of that! :)
   
5. Make a new friend
6. Reconnect with an old friend
7. Read 50 Books (and subsequently, post the finished list here)
8. Make a photo album containing photos of friends and fun times.
9. Keep a notebook of quotes that I like that I have heard/read throughout the year.
10. Get another tattoo
11. Save £1000 - Again due to the lack of job and saving skills I have.
    
12. Visit another country
13. Get an O2 number
14. Master one recipe to perfection and post it as a blog!
15. Buy something from a designer label (Prada? Jimmy Choo?)
16. Go to a concert of a band I enjoy listening to.
17. Learn to speak a different language or how to play an instrument. - I think you should all let me away with this one considering I posted an Italian phrase of the day everyday for a month :P I do know a lot more italian than I did before. La bella donna!
    
18. Go on a proper date (like, for dinner, with a boy I like and whom likes me :P)- I just haven't found someone to complete this one with yet. I did actually have a date planned for last week but the guy postponed as he had something else to do but here's hoping I can complete this one soon!
    
19. Have a spa day with someone.- This was again due to the lack of funds. But I do want to got to the spa with a friend and have a massage and stuff!
    
20. Try and have a successful blog with readers that comment (who are more than just my personal friends and family).
21. Fall in Love (Here's hoping!) - Well, I knew this one was unrealistic when I wrote down. I can't just put a time limit on love and expect it to happen. However, while I may not have found a lover to love, I found and made plenty of friends and family whom I love dearly and wouldn't be able to survive without. So this is for them.

So there you have it. I did just about half of my intended things to do but as you can see life got in the way a lot of the time and I was just unable to compelte them unfortunately. But here's hoping I can complete them in due course. By christmas maybe? Hmm, should I give myself a "10 Things by the 10th day of christmas?" Or something? What do you think?

Thanks for sticking around and keep coming back for more future husband letters and general sami-rants about life.

Sami

50 Books List

Hey guys,

As part of my 21 by 21 list, I had to read 50 books and post the finished list on the blog. Since I'm about to post the final results of my list, I'm putting my complete list of 50 books in a different post. So here you go, the 50 books I read!


1. Tempted by P.C. and Kristin Cast
2. The Book Of Tomorrow By Ceceila Ahern
3. Perfect Fifths By Megan McCafferty
4. Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
5. Looking for Alaska By John Green
6. Destinations by Sheila O'Flanagan
7. Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz
8. Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz
9. The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz
10. Will Grayson, Will Grayson By John Green and David Levaithian
11. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton
12. Burned by P.C. and Kirsten Cast
13. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K Hamilton
14. Ash by Malinda Lo
15. Circus of the Damned by Laurell K Hamilton
16. Paper Towns by John Green
17. Tithe by Holly Black
18. Alice in the country of Hearts 1 by Soumei Hoshino and Quinrose.
19. Simple Wishes by Lisa Dale
20. The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K Hamilton
21. Bloody Bones by Laurell K Hamilton
22. Need by Carrie Jones
23. Captivate by Carrie Jones
24. Burnt Offerings By Laurell K Hamilton
25. Blue Moon by Laurell K Hamilton
26. Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K Hamilton
27. Narcissus In Chains by Laurell K Hamilton
28. Cerulean Sins by Laurell K Hamilton
29. Incubus Dreams by Laurell K Hamilton
30. Danse Macabre by Laurell K Hamilton
31. The Harlequin by Laurell K Hamilton
32. Blood Noir by Laurell K Hamilton
33. Skin Trade By Laurell K Hamilton
34. Flirt by Laurell K Hamilton
35. Bullet by Laurell K Hamilton
36. Evernight by Claudia Gray
37. All The Things We Didn't Say By Sara Shepard
38. Young, loaded and fabulous by Kate Kingsley
39. The Good Divorce Guide By Cristina Odone
40. Micah and Strange Candy by Laurell K Hamilton
41. Breaking the Rules: Confessions of a Bad Girl by Cahterine Townsend
42. The Dirty Bits for Girls By India Knight
43. Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell
44. The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
45. The Sound of No Hands Clapping by Toby Young.
46. Gardens of Delight by Erica James
47. The Wedding Day by Catherine Alliott
48. Madam by Jenny Angell
49. A Scanner Darkly by Phillip K Dick
50. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I knew I'd be able to complete this list as I am an avid reader of literature and enjoy reading and loosing myself in different worlds. So yes, onto the final list!

Sami

Post 50: Number 14/21

As many of you are aware, I started this blog and posted a list of 21 things I'd like to do by the time I was 21. I turn 21 tomorrow, ahh. You can view this post, here. Number 14 on that list states

14. Master one recipe to perfection and post it as a blog

I intend to post this recipe here today. And the recipe is for the infamous Whoopie Pies which I have stuffed myself on this past summer and I'm sure you've seen the pictures on facebook or at least heard me talk about them. So here we go.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Strawberry Marshmallow Buttercream

Ingredients

2pack chocolate sponge mix
2 eggs Water
Marshmallows
Butter
Icing sugar
Strawberry flavouring
Pink food colouring
Sprinkles
Milk

Tools
Greaseproof paper
Baking tray
Bowls
Electric mixer
Spoons
Pots

What to do.
1. Put the greaseproof paper on the baking tray.
2. Make up the chocolate sponge mix using the eggs, water and mix itself.
3. Once the mix is made up then put one tsp of the mix on the greaseproof paper and try and form it into a perfect circle. Continue this step til all the mix is made up and you have several circles of the mix.
4. Put it in the oven.
5. While the mix is in the oven, melt the marshmallows in a pot with milk.
6. Once the marshmallows have melted then add them to the softened butter.
7. Add the strawberry flavouring and pink food colouring to this mix.
8. Take the sponge mix out of the oven and leave to cool.
9. Once the chocolate sponge has cooled, put a spoon full of the marshmallow cream onto one, then top with another chocolate sponge.
10. Continue number 9 until all cream and chocolate sponges have been used up, essentially making a pie shape.
11. Make up the icing sugar and add the pink colouring and flavouring to the icing sugar.
12. Top the whoopie pies with the icing sugar and add sprinkles.

Then NOM NOM NOM. For reference, here is a picture of the whoopie pies.

So there you go, I hope you enjoy baking and eating them. I might go make some myself :)

Also, expect another update possibly tomorrow or tuesday about how many things on my 21 list I completed since I will officially be 21 tomorrow!

Sami

I almost forgot.

I almost forgot that I was doing BEDA hence this quite late night post. I dont really know what to say today as I almost-forgot and didn't manage to plan ahead. Oh life.

So I was just on the Etsy website and it popped "This website has detected that you are in Italy. Would you like to view all prices in Euros?" Um...if only I was in Italy, man. Ohhhh that's just reminded me about my 21 list and how one of those things is to learn a new language. I've always wanted to visit Italy and learn Italian, I dont know what really sparked my interest but it just appealed to me and since I have yet to complete or even start this, I have decided (
literally just now) that I will learn Italian alongside BEDA this month and at the end of every post I will state what I have learnt that day. Except since it's now near 10pm and I have no idea where or how I'm going to learn Italian, I'm going to leave you with an Italian phrase I know and enjoy:

"La Bella Vita" it means "A Beautiful Life". I think I'd like that tattooed on me one day.

Now I'm off to hopefully find a website to teach me Italian. Anyone know of any or can teach me?!

Until Tomorrow (which I promise will be better than this!)
Sami

21 List: Update.

So I started this blog with a post listing 21 things I'd like to achieve by the time I'm 21 and it's been a few months and people are starting to ask questions. I know it seems like I'm not acting on many of them, but these things take time and I'm doing little things that you might not be aware of so I decided an update about them was necessary, just so you know that I'm not a complete failure of a person. So here we go -
1. Learn to Drive - waiting on my provisional to arrive!
2. Get a Job - have applied several places, have interview in morning.
3. Be able to play Expert on Guitar Hero - i fail at this one.
4. Write something publishable - bleeeh.
5. Make a new friend - Made new friends at University.
6. Reconnect with an old friend - Reconnected with people from my past :D
7. Read 50 Books (and subsequently, post the finished list here)- My current total is 5 and I'm waiting on more to arrive for me to read!
8. Make a photo album containing photos of friends and fun times. - photos are being taken when I'm out and about.
9. Keep a notebook of quotes that I like that I have heard/read throughout the year. - Yeah, I'll start this one eventually.
10. Get another tattoo - to be done asap.
11. Save £1000 - I hate money. Hopefully the job will help with this one.
12. Visit another country - I'm going to England in September and hopefully somewhere nice in summer.
13. Get an O2 number Done this at New Years when I got a new phone :)
14. Master one recipe to perfection and post it as a blog! - I think I'm going to master the art of vanilla or chocolate cupcakes. Which would you prefer?
15. Buy something from a designer label (Prada? Jimmy Choo?) I bought a Swarovski Crystal Butterfly Necklace.
16. Go to a concert of a band I enjoy listening to. I'm going to see Paramore in June :)
17. Learn to speak a different language or how to play an instrument. - Ah bollocks, I forgot about this one.
18. Go on a proper date (like, for dinner, with a boy I like and whom likes me :P) - I have been offered a date but I didn't like the guy so I politely declined! Any other takers?
19. Have a spa day with someone. - Yes, to be had soon.
20. Try and have a successful blog with readers that comment (who are more than just my personal friends and family). - Well, here I am, updating, only 8 days after my last one, I'll get there eventually!
21. Fall in Love (Here's hoping!) - Well, this one has always been doubtful.

So there you go. Out of a possible 21, I have completed 5 and started most of the rest of them. So I don't think I'm doing too badly. But really, if you know, you want to donate to teh Sami fund, or take me on a date, or teach me a new language, or how to drive, I'd definitely appreciate it! Do you lot have any goals for this year? Share in the comments!

21 By 21.

So, I know I'm not the most regular blog poster ever, but hey, It was the end of semester and I am sick. I've also been racking my brains lately for something to write about it when it occured to me that next year, I am going to be 21 and that's a significant age in anyone's life. So I came up with the idea of having a list of 21 things I want to do by the time I'm 21. So then I spent days racking my brains with things to put on the list and tonight, I finally finished it. Most of them are feasible ideas, I should hope. So wish me luck. Here's the list!

1. Learn to Drive
2. Get a Job
3. Be able to play Expert on Guitar Hero
4. Write something publishable
5. Make a new friend
6. Reconnect with an old friend
7. Read 50 Books (and subsequently, post the finished list here)
8. Make a photo album containing photos of friends and fun times.
9. Keep a notebook of quotes that I like that I have heard/read throughout the year.
10. Get another tattoo
11. Save £1000
12. Visit another country
13. Get an O2 number
14. Master one recipe to perfection and post it as a blog!
15. Buy something from a designer label (Prada? Jimmy Choo?)
16. Go to a concert of a band I enjoy listening to.
17. Learn to speak a different language or how to play an instrument.
18. Go on a proper date (like, for dinner, with a boy I like and whom likes me :P)
19. Have a spa day with someone.
20. Try and have a successful blog with readers that comment (who are more than just my personal friends and family).
21. Fall in Love (Here's hoping!)

Did I mention, I'm 21 next September? So I have like nine and a bit months from when this blog post goes out! Haha. I promise now that I'm getting better and have more time on my hands, I will post more regularly, or well, I'll try! :P

Sami
xo