Unencountered – Part 1

After much consideration, May’s Project has finally been decided. The plan is to write a short story over the month of May. A blog post every few days should keep me occupied. But also in an attempt to make it a more interactive experience for the couple hundreds of people that read this, please feel free to comment or tweet suggestions for ideas or inclusions to add to the story. Enough said, here we go…..

Unencountered – Part 1

That’s when I saw it. The only problem was, I wasn’t entirely sure what ‘it’ was….

It had begun some time in the summer I think, not a sighting, just a feeling. The feeling of being watched, the feeling of something not quite right, a very, very strange feeling. I couldn’t even place exactly when and where it had first started. It was just there. It seemed to have been with me for months, but it was only over the space of the last couple of weeks that the feeling had become so much more intense.

Everywhere I went I felt as though I was being followed. I’d go to the shop, and there it was. I’d go to work, and there it was. I’d take the dog for a walk, and there it was. The dog could sense it too, I could tell. A look here, ears pricked there, at times he would just stare at one spot.

But the last couple of weeks had been different. The darkness was rising, I felt a definite presence, an evil presence that was beginning to rule my life. The dog’s staring was now accompanied by a deep growl. A growl so deep that at times it sounded like the voice of a demon.

Then I began to lose control. At first I didn’t even realise that I was doing it….

[To be continued]

Operation Cutty Sark Day 28

I write this on a Saturday morning (feeling slightly guilty that i haven’t blogged for a week – hence this) with the end of the month looming and April’s Project, the building of the Cutty Sark, looking far from seaworthy.

It has been a very busy week: Media Studies deadlines, after school club, parents’ evening and we are looking after the mother-in-law’s dog for a couple of weeks why she is in hospital.

Meaning the Cutty Sark has taken a bit of a backseat. Although I have still managed to at least erect two of the masks, yes slightly off square, and yes lacking paint, and yes very wobbly, but erected all the same. Cue moan: the picture makes it look easy. It wasn’t. Three words: small, glue, plastic. Enough said…..

With the actual Cutty Sark now reopened, the pressure is on to complete! So, the vitally important Y10 and Y11 GCSE exam preparation marking will have to wait….

 

Operation Cutty Sark Day 20

Day 20 of April’s Project of building the Airfix model of The Cutty Sark is going exactly the same way as the other 19: bloody fiddly.

Stage 11 of 19 is complete. Lifeboats are in place, as is a particularly rickety barrier that surrounds the deck. I must admit that I have cut corners with the painting (not done it) and been relatively creative with the instructions (guessed), but at last I feel as though I can see the light at the end of the tunnel….

Although looking at what is coming up, I’m not feeling quite so confident….

The next blog should show some major changes: the masts should be in place. I can’t guarantee that they will be straight, in fact I can’t actually guarantee they will even be in place!

Still looking for suggestions for something to do in May…….

Operation Cutty Sark Day 12

Firstly I would just like to reiterate how thankful I am of my little sister for the gift of the Airfix model of The Cutty Sark. Never before have I had soooo much fun! It has taken all my willpower to avoid smashing up the frigging thing and throwing it in the bin!

Day 12 has progressed to the completion of stage 10 of 19. Stage 10 brought the same problems: stupidly silly small %#€$#@ pieces, ridiculously baffling %#€$#@ instructions and increasingly %#€$#@ troublesome painting….

This month’s project has definitely tested my patience. On first sight it may actually seem as though I’ve not done much since the last post, but look closely and you should see more rubbish cluttering up the deck, how the sailors in the 1860s managed to avoid falling over all the crap I’ll never know….

The actual Cutty Sark is due to reopen on 26th April in time for the extra tourists the Olympics will bring. This in only 4 years after the fire that destroyed it in May 2007, thanks, in part, to a £3.3m gift from an Israeli shipping magnate, although I would be amazed if they have had the same problems I have had to deal with.

The Cutty Sark Trust will be pleased to hear that I will be holding off my relaunch until the end of April to avoid any possible media clash. At the moment I am in negotiations with various personalities that have shown an interest in conducting the relaunch. Although I can share the names of some who haven’t made it through the first round of negotiations: Jimmy Saville, failed to attend meeting; The Queen, apparently she’s too busy this year; Lawrence my neighbour, mowing the lawn; President Mugabe, not feeling too well.

 

Boat Race via Twitter

Due to a rather eventful race I thought a blog dedicated to the Boat Race via Twitter was in order. All posts appeared on Twitter during what was, I think, one of the most entertaining races I can remember.

My first tweet about #theboatrace sums up what I always think….

https://twitter.com/#!/phillengthorn/status/188605244148695041

But then, thanks to Trenton, Twitter really came into its own….

https://twitter.com/#!/TweeterofWit/status/188619756331479040

https://twitter.com/#!/themiltonjones/status/188634185299279872

https://twitter.com/#!/uk_teacher/status/188624223223287808

https://twitter.com/#!/Agent_Rush/status/188619240901840897

https://twitter.com/#!/MirrorFootball/status/188619844596412416

And this probably sums up what everyone was thinking….

https://twitter.com/#!/TweeterofWit/status/188622921097424896

Overall an interesting afternoon watching #theboatrace, and thanks to Twitter a very entertaining one!