Blog Archives – Miss Write

I’m now 30… Check out how I did with my challenge below! I also did a summary post which you can read here. 

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“30 Before 30”. What’s that when it’s at home? 

It’s a list of 30 cool and interesting things I want to do before I turn 30. It’s like a Bucket List, but I’m hoping not to die at the end of it!

How long do I have to complete the challenge?

I started this on the 28th January of this year, just over a week before my 28th birthday. That’s just over two years to complete the challenge, for the astute among you! On average, I need to complete 1.25 activities per month. 

Why bother?

I love the sense of achieving something, I love trying new things, I love a challenge, and… I love lists! 

Have you set any rules?

I have not allowed any travelling to appear on this list, as I already do a lot of that. I also wanted it to be mainly activities I could fit into my world here in the UK, things I could do on my own quite capably, so no one would feel obligated to join me on my quest. No doubt I’ll have people helping me along the way, though.  

Are you worried about hitting the big 3-0?! 

No, not really – but then, we’re still 2 years from the big day! “Age is just a number,” is my current attitude. Plus, this week someone told me I didn’t look older than 21. Long may my youthful looks last!

So here goes…The big reveal! *drum roll*

The List

1. Climb up into a church spire INCOMPLETE 

2. Try 5 new foods DONE! 9/3/13

       1. Nut puffs – peanut butter sweets coated in sugar
       2. Samphire – deliciously salty veg
       3. Pearl Barley – in a soup cooked by my mum
       4. Quail – in a curry during a night away Birmingham
       5. Pig Cheek – as part of English tapas in Cambridge

3. Do a photography course DONE! 9/3/13
4. See the Milky Way vividly DONE! 21/08/14
5. Read Top 5 books of all time (using The Guardian newspaper’s list) Why oh why did I choose this challenge?!?! Not enjoying this part in the slightest!

       Don Quixote ~ Miguel De Cervantes DONE – ish! I gave   
       gave up 18/06/14
      A story of a Spanish knight and his servant, two of the 
     most famous figures in western literature. 

       Pilgrim’s Progress ~ John Bunyan DONE – ish! I gave it a good go but gave up 12/03/14 
      No idea what to expect here, I hadn’t even heard of it! *shame*

       Robinson Crusoe ~ Daniel Defoe DONE! Hideous book… 20/03/13
      The first English novel. One my English teacher recommended over 10 years ago and I still 
      haven’t read. 

       Gulliver’s Travels ~ Jonathan Swift DONE! May 2013
      A satire that still works for all ages. And no Jack Black in the lead role – bonus!

       Tom Jones ~ Henry Fielding DONE! Well, not quite… September 2013 
      The adventures of a high-spirited orphan boy: an apparently unbeatable plot and a lot of     
      sex ending in a blissful marriage. 

6. Drive a tractor – with the help of farmer friends Ted and Anna DONE! 9/3/13

7. Give a stranger a compliment every day for a week INCOMPLETE 
8. Sponsor an elephant DONE! 07/02/13
9. Volunteer with WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) INCOMPLETE
10. Get a henna tattoo  DONE! 12/03/13
11. Go zip lining  DONE! Costa Rica 12/10/13
12.  Complete scrapbooks from Raleigh (argh, can’t find it!!!!) and South Africa (DONE 21/4/13) journals  HALF INCOMPLETE
13. Have a font of my handwriting made DONE! 16/07/13

14. Make a cake on a fire DONE! 28/01/13

15. Complete my online Spanish course   DONE! 20/08/13
16. See ‘Les Miserables’ on stage  DONE! 21/09/13
17. Prepare a meal using only ingredients bought at a Farmers’ Market DONE! Pork and blue cheese baked with veg – mmm! 18/02/14 
18. White water raft (again) DONE! 17/06/13 …and again 24/08/13
19. Have Costa Rican custard for breakfast DONE! (It’s more like mayonnaise which you eat with tortilla breads) Costa Rica 13/10/13  
20. Party in London DONE! 23/03/13  
21. Borrow (and use!) Lauren’s pasta maker DONE! 29/07/14 – find out how it went here! 
22. Join a ‘flash mob’   INCOMPLETE
23. Scan old photos DONE! 17/03/13 
24. Make sorbet   DONE! 15/03/14 
25. Send flowers to my mum for no reason  DONE! May 2014
26. Try 10 new local (Northamptonshire) restaurants  DONE! April 2014

       1. The Goose, Northampton 01/03/13
       2. Red Hot World Buffet, Northampton 6/04/13 – not sure I’d go again…
       3. Papa John’s Pizza, Northampton 13/05/13
       4. The Buttery, Castle Ashby Rural Yard, Northampton 15/08/13
       5. Bella Italia, Northampton 24/08/13 – pleasantly surprised!
       6. Dang’s, Northampton (Vietnamese) 01/01/14 – great one for a special day <3
       7. Behind The Bus Stop, Northampton – 18/01/14
       8. The Vineyard, Northampton – November 2013
       9. Fayre & Square, Northampton – 18/02/14
       10. Cromwell’s Cottage, Northampton – April 2014

27. Get a hot stone treatment DONE! 21/03/14  
28. Stay in a castle overnight  DONE! 7/2/15 – birthday treat!
29. Send birthday cake recipes to friends overseas on their birthday   DONE! 29/06/13 
30. Learn to snowboard (New Years Resolution 2013) DONE! 15/03/13

Follow my progress on Twitter at  #Lou30Before30. I’ll be updating this post too, of course, so keep an eye out.

Have you got a ‘bucket list’ or an age-related ‘To Do’ checklist, like me? Tell me about it in the comments box below – I’d be interested to compare ideas. 

Lou x

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Born To Be A Tourist

This week I am inviting Lawrence Fisher to talk to us. We “met” on one social media outlet or another and I thought I’d grab him and his wise words for my blog. He’s a dating-themed novelist and there’s a convenient crossover between the two of us, as you could imagine! I hope the following is useful to you, fellow writers.

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Hi Lawrence, thanks for joining me this afternoon. 

Can you describe your book for us – what genre would you classify it into?

My book “Kill Me Now” is all about my exploits, escapades and narrow escapes I had while doing what others have done before me; meaning to find that one lady who I will allow to make my life a living hell. Despite the fact that some of the dates were true terror, I would definitely classify this as humour.

How did you come up with the idea for the book?

It was a nice spring evening when I met, Ms Motor Mouth. Young Lawrence (ok, young at heart…) shaved, showered and perfumed himself up to meet Ms Motor Mouth, who was a blind date, bestowed upon him by a match maker. Yes, yes, you heard it, a match maker. Read my book for sordid details of the awfulness of this period. 

So I met Motor for coffee and for the better part of two hours, she did not stop talking. The poor waiter was standing next to her waiting for her to order while she went on and on. The only thing I knew about her soliloquy was that she was complaining about her job. Not explaining, but complaining. Should I have charged her $200 for therapy? 

My mind wondered and wandered and I looked up to the heavens for release. Scotty was not available, but the title was born. Thanks Ms Motor Mouth.

When and why did you begin writing?

When I was three! I picked up a pencil and started writing. I was so far advanced in my language skills that to this day no one has broke the hidden code behind my prose. I am sure that is how the Da Vinci code started out. Maybe in a hundred years some genius named Suineg will say “Hey, there is a pattern in this. Let us decipher this.” 

Perhaps I should have been a secret agent. Maybe I replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond? Maybe I am just dreaming.

Who is you favourite character in the book? 

I would have to say that my favourite character is obviously the person I know best. I know this guy very very well. Well at least I think I do. Yes, I am sure I do. I have never met him before, but I do see him every day when I shave. It is yours truly!

The second best character would have to be my best friend, Ed. I have known him for three decades. He keeps telling me that I am nuts. Why go out on dates and come and tell him about them. He is married and has this doomed look in his eyes. He told me once that if I ever get married he would first kill himself and then kill me. I am not sure how he intends to do that because if he kills himself, he will be dead and therefore not be able to kill me. But what do I know?

What was the hardest part of writing the book?

The research was both the hardest and the most fun. By research I meant going on dates. But it makes it sound as if I went on dates only for research. That is not true. The date only made it into the book if it turned out that she was worthy of a mention, such as one woman who threatened to kill me.

I can sympathise with you there! I met some truly contemptible and amazingly ridiculous people on my dates! 

So did you design the covers of the book yourself? 

I had a graphic designer do it. We discussed it together. The book is supposed to show that I as a male know nothing about women. I do not understand them and I am not afraid to say so. There are signals and hints that are sent out that women think are understood but they are not. If I understood those signals I would either be a woman myself or effeminate. So the poor guy on the cover, offering flowers, has no idea why his woman’s so angry.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I learned a lot. Writing is a lot of fun. I also learned that what you say can and will be used against you.

What are your current projects?  We all want to know when your next book coming out!

I am currently working on book two and three of the “Kill Me Now!” trilogy. I am not sure when the sequel will be out as I am still looking for stories. Any reader want to send me a story that I can adopt as my own? The book will be called “How I didn’t meet your mother”.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing? 

“Prefer” has nothing to do with it as it has to be when I come up with an idea. Believe it or not that normally happens when I am on the toilet. That is why my trusty iPhone is with me.

I love that play on words – ‘How I Met Your Mother‘ is one of my favourite TV shows! 

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to readers?

Yes. Take the line from the Jackie Chan remake of Karate Kid “When life knocks you down, you can chose whether to get up or not.”

Quick-fire questions:

ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover? Paperbacks

Cats or dogs? Dogs, either golden cocker spaniels or golden retrievers

Coffee or tea? Coffee!!!!

Favourite food? Cheese cake!

Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream?  Chocolate!!!!!

What are 4 things you never leave home without? My keys, my iPhone, my shoes and my wits.

If you were deserted on an island, who are 3 famous people you would want with you any why? Anne Hathaway because she has the best smile and…, and Superman so that he can fly Anne and I away. But why would anyone desert me on an Island?

Which is your all-time favourite song (only one song please)? 

My Way – Frank Sinatra!

Thanks for joining us on the blog this week – all the best for your book and future challenges on the page and over dinner ‘n’ drinks!

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You can find out more about Lawrence and his writing here:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lbigfoot

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KMNow

Blog: http://killmenow.org/blog 

Take a look – he won’t bite! Until next time…

Lou x

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Born To Be A Tourist