Category: Other Stuff

This includes anything that isn’t primarily to do with my writing.

A few pictures and words from and about my holiday to New York.

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Just as a change of pace, and because I said I would, this post is regarding my trip to New York! with my mates Paul and Leigh from 18.06.15 – 29.06.15.

It was a brilliant trip and I’d like to thank Leigh for organising it and being spot on with the directions and ideas for places to go while we were there. When I got back I immediately knew that I wanted to go back there at some point. To live. And eat pancakes and doughnuts and burgers and drink ale and learn how to drive just so I can beep and swear at people. Well, I don’t think I’d like to live there as I love Manchester to much but I would like to learn to drive specifically to let out my anger on the streets of New York!. On one occasion, I did see someone, who looked like he had the right to complain about the taxi in fronts driving, shout Get out of the way you f*ckin idiot! n a thick New York! accent. I made sure to wait until he drove off before laughing because I’ve heard and seen that on TV but to see it in real life was cool. Along with this, we went to a baseball game (the game ended New York! Yankees 10 vs Philadelphia Phillies 2), drank many beers in our New York! local The Ginger Man http://www.gingerman-ny.com/, walked EVERYWHERE, went to the Freedom Tower, Wall Street, took the Staten Island ferry, went to Soho, chilled in Central Park, had one of the best nights out I’ve ever had when we went out in Brooklyn, and did many many more things on top of that. But for right now these are just a few of the pictures I took while we were there. Hope you enjoy them and have a nice day.

Times Square. Always busy. Always cool.
Times Square. Always busy. Always cool.
Me in Times Square. This was on the first full day after we arrived.
Proof I was in Times Square. This was on the first full day after we arrived.
Inside Madison Square Garden. I was well giddy when I saw this. Memorabilia from the first Wrestlemania held at the Garden.
Inside Madison Square Garden. I was well giddy when I saw this. Memorabilia from the first Wrestlemania held at the Garden.
Grand Central Station
Grand Central Station
Jews control everything apparently. Who knew?
Jews control everything apparently. Who knew?
Ghostbusters Headquarters. Brilliant.
Ghostbusters Headquarters. Brilliant.
Coney Island. Lovely place to relax and chill. However, I managed to burn my back and there is now a hand print, my own, in sun tan where I put some sun cream on just the places I could reach.
Coney Island. Lovely place to relax and chill. However, I managed to burn my back and there is now a hand print, my own, in sun tan where I put some sun cream on just the places I could reach.
Washington Square Park.
Washington Square Park.
In Washington Square Park. Me taking a picture of Leigh (white shirt) taking a picture of Paul taking a picture of me. For no reason at all.
In Washington Square Park. Me taking a picture of Leigh (white shirt) taking a picture of Paul taking a picture of me. For no reason at all.
Top of the Rock. Proof I was actually there.
Top of the Rock. Proof I was actually there.
Pretty much each view you can get from the top of the Rockefeller Center is awesome. This was one of them.
Pretty much each view you can get from the top of the Rockefeller Center is awesome. This was one of them.
Across the Brooklyn Bridge. Again but this time with the bridge getting involved.
Across the Brooklyn Bridge. Again but this time with the bridge getting involved.
Across the Brooklyn Bridge. The views were spectacular when we finished crossing the Brooklyn Bridge.
Across the Brooklyn Bridge. The views were spectacular when we finished crossing the Brooklyn Bridge.
Across the Brooklyn Bridge. This one is a personal favourite. Managed to get the sun shining through as we went back over the bridge.
Across the Brooklyn Bridge. This one is a personal favourite. Managed to get the sun shining through as we went back over the bridge.

My week in pictures. Well, some of it anyway.

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Hello,

I just thought that I don’t share a lot of pictures via my blog so I’ve decided to change that. Here’s a few from the last week. Well, mostly Sunday when I did the Manchester 10k run.

Enjoy

Waiting for the warm-up to start for the Manchester 10k. Third year running.
Waiting for the warm-up to start for the Manchester 10k. Third year running.
Me after the Manchester 10k. My time...49.09. Well chuffed as the year before I did it in 54.00.
Me after the Manchester 10k. My time…49.09. Well chuffed as the year before I did it in 54.00.
Me and mate Ed after the race. We had a bet that whoever lost would buy the winner a trophy. I won. But I'm scared of what I'll end up with now.
Me and my mate Ed after the race. We had a bet that whoever lost would buy the winner a trophy. I won. But I’m scared of what I’ll end up with now.
A view of Old Trafford from Salford Quays in Greater Manchester.
A view of Old Trafford from Salford Quays in Greater Manchester.

Just a little progress and schedule to keep.

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Hello

So, I have continued to edit my short story for the latest competition I’m entering and have yet to use the notes I have found or relocated (as mentioned in https://johnrsermon.com/2015/04/09/from-the-lost-to-found/) This is solely down to my new found like of writing my stories without many or indeed any notes. Although, it is slightly comforting to know that I do have notes available if they are required. You know, when I start to cry because instead of editing my story I end up rewriting to whole thing, not knowing what the main points of the story are of the top of my head, and missing the deadline!

I do not however, have this problem with my latest story.

Again, as mentioned in my last original post linked above, I have started to write a Western without any notes to start off with. I’ve had this story swimming around in my head for years and it’s pretty much fully formed. And as Westerns are my favourite genre of film I thought, why not now to get it all down in story form? I’ve moved this story along slightly and have now started to focus on the villains of the piece. I have decided, as I write this post, that this story is only going to be taking place over the course of two weeks (probably, maybe) and I’m enjoying having that time scale to mind. I only usually have a time scale as I go along and it can vary throughout. This time I’m hoping I stick to it.

But I need to get in a routine. I’m not making much in the way of progress.

I have signed up to take part in my third successive Manchester 10k run. A run which takes place 10th May and my running pack with my number and such has just arrived. I haven’t run 10k in ages and I haven’t really got that much time to work my way up to it. Yesterday I ran 8.5k and it took me 50 minutes. I’m hoping to do the Manchester 10k in 53 minutes so I’ve got some way to go. I’m feeling good about it though, but I’m not liking how it’s affecting my writing. I think this is more down to my own attitude as opposed to my running. I have been more tired, tireder, tired more, tiredish? But this should not push me away from writing. I might even write down a schedule and stick to it.

With that in mind, I’m going to make my first attempt at it. Or not, depends how tirederised I am.

Thanks for reading. Bye

…Authors… just a wee WURD about getting negative reviews…

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Hello

I thought I’d share this wonderful post I was put onto by Chris The Story Reading Ape (Thank you and http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com) by Seumas Gallacher. Who’s blog is cool by the way.

I’ve not been doing that much in the way writing except a little editing. I’m going to wait until next week when I’ve got more stuff and things to talk about and that.

So, enjoy!

…Authors… just a wee WURD about getting negative reviews….

Can I get behind this campaign?

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I saw the following poster outside a 2nd hand book stall in Manchester City Centre.

image

Though I agree with it, I can also see how useful Kindles can be for aspiring author’s and how it could be seen as the future. Will books ever be completely replaced by the Kindles?
So, if this were a real campaign, would you get behind it?

And the edit is done!

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Hello

 

After 41 days, the first edit of my humans versus demons yarn is completed. Oh how I smiled when I read the last word. Though I have enjoyed the process, I am glad it’s over. I’m looking forward to a break from writing and I will start back up again, be it either by writing a new story or editing The Searcher’s Want again, next year.

Wait…more edits…NO!!!!!

I knew I would have to edit my story at least ten times before I could maybe possibly send it to a proof reader to go over it. I’ve outlined that I’ll have to edit for; characters, description, locations, dialogue, punctuation, grammar, and probably a whole host of other things I’ll come up with once all those edits are done. But if I can keep each edit to around 40 days, I could have it done quicker than I think. I have to say I did not think I would be able to do it such a short time. I could actually make it shorter, which I now intend to do in the New Year. A few times I did feel like editing more but didn’t want to rush it. I felt it was easier to edit at a calm pace as not to rush the thing. And a few other times I decided to go to sleep instead. Sleep is good.

Anyway, I finished the edit! Here’s a few pictures of what is going on in my head right now as I think about how I’ve finished my first full story edit. Maybe. Bye!

20653-44412 Celebration 1 monkey-human-smile