Trip to Scotland and Assignment Feedback

Last week was an intensely busy week! Me and Dean went up to Scotland for a few days to escape and really indulge in each other - and indulge we did...
We saw some beautiful landscapes - Loch Tay, Falls of Dochart and the Acharn Waterfall. It was a wonderful trip with some gorgeous food too and we had a really relaxing time. Hopefully pictures will be up soon but typically I am having to wait for Dean to upload them as we used his camera.In the mean time, here is a photograph of Loch Tay borrowed from here http://draw-nigh.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/t-f-torrance-retreat.html, strangely another blog with exactly the same layout! (Great minds think a like...)

I also submitted my first assignment (woop) and received some great feedback (double woop)! Surprisingly I actually managed to convince my tutor that I knew what I was talking about with poetry analysis and the main feedback was actually about my writing style and format. I am pleased because this is something I can easily work on, I haven't actually written an essay in about 5 or 6 years so I am allowed to be a little rusty. Unfortunately the OU came back to me and advised that they do not advise studying whilst travelling and it may hinder me with being successful at the course. This however does not mean I am writing the idea off! I am still going to keep it in mind until towards the end of my module when I will have a better understanding of my abilities with distance learning.

Now that I am back I will be able to post more frequently - yay :)

Assignments and Damian Hirst

I have not had any internet connection for a while so have not had an opportunity to do any research on uni courses etc. (First week staying at Deans whilst his parents were away on hols - it went well! Definitely shows living together potential wooop!).

I seriously need to complete my first assignment as I'm sure you can imagine it is a bit impossible to get anything done when I am with Dean. I did start it though...whilst listening to Dean's band at band practise..... which could only have heightened my risk of tinnitus whilst I sat next to the amp.

I am definitely serious about developing my writing skills and the Open University offer free modules on their Open Learn website which is such a great resource to dip your toe in to a variety of subjects. I plan to have a go at the creative writing courses to get a better idea of my writing potential. Annoyingly I have actually started a creative writing module but didn't back up my laptop and lost everything when it crashed a few months ago - to say I was gutted would be an understatement!

Another aspect I would to learn more of is Art. I attempted an Arts course previously and failed miserably, mainly because I could clearly see how rubbish I was and cannot draw at all. So Arts history is the way forwards I think. Myself and Dean are planning to spend some time in London soon so I will hopefully visit the Tate Modern and Tate Britain.... I have to visit the Damian Hirst exhibition!! This trip should also help whilst I am studying the Arts section on my current module.

I have already watched the programme on Channel 4, presented by Noel Fielding which explores some of Hirst's main pieces at the exhibition and he discusses his inspiration behind them. You have to watch this if you are a fan! It is available on 4OD. The Skull is my favourite piece and the main one I am hoping to see at the exhibition...

The piece is called 'For the Love of God', and is constructed using a human skull which has been coated in flawless diamonds.. it is phenomenal. I cannot wait to see it!

Journal Consistency

Evidently writing a daily journal was not quite realistic, so I have now agreed that it will be ok to do it a few times a week instead.

I am currently studying a openings module with The Open University called 'Making sense of the arts'. I signed up to it last year and started it in March with the idea that it would ease me in to studying at degree level and help decide if I am capable of distance learning before I sign up to a full degree. So far it is going well and I have been studying the Poetry section and am about to submit my first assignment to my tutor. When I receive the feedback from my tutor I should have a better idea of how well  I will do whilst studying a degree.

I also made plans this year to go travelling through Asia and Australia with my boyfriend Dean. Unfortunately this may take a couple of years with a view to consider settling down in Australia if we like it enough. I love this idea, yet it also completely clashes with my original plans to complete a degree in the UK. So, I am currently exploring ways around this which include researching similar degrees at the Australian Open University. Hopefully I will feel much less panicky once I have a clearer view of my options. I have actually contacted the OU already to see if they have many students who study whilst travelling, which was one of my other options to maintain my studying with the English OU. I am awaiting a response from them but I don't think it will be promising.

Either way, my current plan is to study the next module whilst travelling, as it does not have an end of year exam and I can submit my assignments online too. As this is the main module of my degree, it will also put me in a better position to study humanities at the Australian OU if I choose too.

The latest False Start?

I have finally decided that I want to study a combined degree of English Language and Arts History. Ideally I want to change my career path to a much more creative route, which is why I have chosen English Language as it would open up many options such as Marketing, Publishing, PR etc. I would also like to improve my writing skills and one day hope to be a writer of sorts.

My research into a writing career has suggested I should write a journal daily as this helps develop your writing style and I suppose make you more comfortable with the written word. I like writing so this was never going to be a chore, but my biggest concern is which medium?

I am well aware my creativity flows more freely on a computer, but how convenient is that? Plus, an electronic diary seems a little cold to me.

Then again, at the same time my handwriting is terrible as I am too lazy and impatient to write neatly and slowly. Dean, my boyfriend, suggested a blog which I did initially think would be too public. However, I have decided to give it a go anyway. I do actually have to admit here that I have already started two blogs previously, one on my creative discoveries which lasted all of two posts and one documenting my progress on an arts course. The latter lasted much longer, however I didn't complete the course and the blog was abandoned.

However, I am determined to make this one work as it will be handy for when myself and Dean go travelling to keep friends and family updated.

Here's to my new blog! Wish me luck ;)