D is for Doing Things!

As a student, writer and work-from-home small business owner, I spend a lot of time at home.

Since this became my lifestyle, I have become quite determined, quite passionate about GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE. Plus when it's hot (like it is today. Summer came back for a visit) my office gets too hot to work in so yay for excuses to join the human race!

I went to the Victorian Roller Derby (come on Toxic Avengers! Why are they my favourite team? Because they have the coolest logo)

I bought the tee shirt

It's comedy festival time, baby! I'm going to 4 shows. 2 down, 2 to go!

I'm becoming a semi-regular at the ice hockey, and am definitely looking forward to the season starting up again.

I like to go on Ghost Walks and Tours because they are creepy (and educational!) though I haven't done one of those in awhile...

I have a weekly standing date with a girlfriend to go to the gym and try a different class. I had no idea I would be SO SORE after Body Balance. And I'm looking forward to flailing and jostling and never feeling MORE like a white girl when I try Zumba.

I saw the How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular! which was pretty awesome for the special effects and playing with perspective, but also a bit of a let down because there were so few Vikings they couldn't get even close to filling up the stage area.

But, I mean, it had big shoes to live up to. How to Train Your Dragon is a favourite.

Tomorrow I'm going to Luna Park! 

Not at all creepy-looking, right?

This is pretty much what my day will be like*.

*If this was a goes upside-down rollercoaster then there's
no freaking WAY this is what my day would be like.

And after editing, editing, editing this morning, I'm off to the pub for a writing lunch date with one of my favourite people. Then back for editing, editing, editing some more! (FYI - I don't do liquid lunches, editing clients you need not be worried!)

See you all later!

C is for stand up Comedy

My review of the first show I went to on Sunday night, and my first show of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival season is up and live on The Pun if you're interested.

Mark Thomas - Extreme Rambling (Walking the Wall)

Really interesting show. Not at all what I expected. That said, I didn't know anything about Mark or the show. Great mix of comedy and international politics.

http://www.anewleaf.com.au/2012/04/02/mark-thomas-extreme-rambling-walking-the-wall/

AND...

My review of the second show I saw is live now too!

http://www.anewleaf.com.au/2012/04/03/damian-callinan-robinson-crusoe/

Who are your favourite comedians? Be they movie stars or stand up. Share with me!

C is for Craptastic

GROOAAANN.

My workload grows and grows when it has no need to.
I had to do a ten minute presentation yesterday at university, on the literary criticism topic of Structuralism. (I was going to talk about Structuralism in relation to The Hunger Games. It would have been awesome).

Representation of the dyad of poverty and wealth depicted in The Hunger Games.
Without poverty, there is no wealth, and vice versa. See? I know this shit!

So I did the work. Made my presentation. I MADE THE TERRIBLY HORRIBLY HARD DECISION TO SKIP SUE LAWSON'S BOOK LAUNCH YESTERDAY BECAUSE I WAS STRESSING ABOUT THE PRESENTATION.

So yesterday came. My flash drive was corrupted. I hadn't written a speech, it was all in the power point presentation.

So now, to make up for NOT doing the presentation yesterday, I get to write a 1,000 word essay on it instead. On TOP OF the other essay that's due.

Yays.

End whiny vent.

B is for Birthday!

It's my birthday this month! April 19th, to be precise. And I will be turning a very decided SOMETHING in the twenty-something turn of phrase.
I have a friend who, two years ago, gave me a "Happy 80th Birthday" card. Last year he told me "Happy eighty-first birthday." He seems to remember my faux old lady birthday but I don't think he has any idea how old I ACTUALLY am. I must say, I'm curious as to what he'll wish me this year.

Anyhoo. I'm looking forward to my birthday. I'm going to have a Murder Mystery party, methinks. You'll find out more about that later.

Presents are accepted and heartily encouraged.

I discovered this AWESOME SHOP online. So this is what I would like:

Do I seem to want them all? Yes. Yes I do.
These tee shirts and other awesome stuff can be found at Out of Print Clothing. You want them too, don't you.

Yeah, I know you do. Let's be tee shirt buddies!

B is for free BOOK!

The Witch's Curse is FREE right now until April 3 on Amazon!

In this new short supernatural thriller from Amazon Best Selling author Edwina Ray, when fifteen-year-old Alex is caught out in the secluded forest admiring the giant ancient tree set in a moss-covered clearing, she is sure Josh is pulling a prank on her.

Be careful of the witch's curse, he says. The tree has the power to kill you in the most horrible of ways.

Alex didn't believe him.

Maybe she should have.


Get it at Amazon US and Amazon UK


PRAISE FOR EDWINA RAY'S BOOKS

"Great pacing, mood, atmosphere and crisp writing. I love this story." - Shirley Marr, author of Fury and Preloved, Black Dog Books

"The writing is delightful and the tension is set up from beginning to end. It's the kind of psychological mind-f*** that leaves you wondering..." - Heather Marie Adkins, author of Abigail, Underneath and The Temple

"This dark and wonderfully creepy! I love your writing style, very clean, compelling and top-notch" - Heather McCorkle, author of Channeler's Choice and Born of Fire

"I thought that every angle in the zombie genre had been explored. I was wrong, as you have proven in an original and hilarious way" - Vincent Cleghorne

"Edwina Ray's stories keep you guessing until the very end, where there is always an element of surprise. This book `The Witch's Curse' is no exception. It will leave you saying `I didn't see that coming!'" - Vikki Barker

So you can get your copy NOW. Don't have an ereader? You don't need one. Check out the tab up the top about how to read an ebook without an ereading device. There are SO MANY great books out there to choose from. 

A is for Weekend of AWESOME

To bid adieu to March and usher in April, I've had a jam-packed weekend full of excellence.

Yesterday I went and saw this:

OMGSQUEESOAWESOME!!!!11!!!!1!

So faithful to the book which I was INCREDIBLY glad to see. In the books I'm Team Gale 4EVA but the movie...I gotta say it...Peeta was wearing me down. Mind you, Gale will get more time in the spotlight in the next movie WHICH NEEDS TO BE MADE RIGHT NOW.

And I went to my first ever bout of this:

It was fun, though since I don't really know the rules, watching them roll around and around was somewhat repetitive. I need to study up if I'm going to go again.
I bought the Toxic Avengers tee shirt because their logo is awesome.

TODAY I am going to these:

The Book Launch for Sue Lawson's new book - at the Titanic Theatre Restaurant which I have been DYING to go to!

Mark Thomas at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Damian Callinan at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 

I am reviewing the comedy festival shows for the publication The Pun, so you'll be able to check out what I thought of them later this week!

Totally A for AWESOME weekend.

Later gators,

A is for A-Z Challenge!

I am taking part in the A-Z Blogging Challenge!

Yes, I don't know why I do this to myself either.
But I think it'll be fun. I DON'T think I'm going to post 6+ blog posts a day. But I will try to post EVERY SINGLE DAY, so throughout April I feel we're going to get closer, dear readers. You're going to get to know me better.

Every day in April (except Sundays...well...except Sundays that are NOT April 1st) I shall post about the letter of the day. April 1 is A, April 2 is B...you're a smart cookie. You can figure out how it goes.

If you TOO would like to participate, you can sign up here!
I'm looking forward to meeting lots of new bloggers and just readers in general. Let the shenanigans begin!