I've had a fairly fun and productive couple of days.
On Saturday I went to the Food Festival in Palmerston Road. First I had a hog roast sandwich for my lunch. Then I tried a Strawberry Mojito from the Pimms stand; it was delicious and not as strong as I thought it would be. I wanted to try a few other cocktails, but I didn't think that would have been a good idea as alcohol tends to make me sleepy. I walked around looking at what the vendors were selling. There were some interesting stalls; I was very tempted by the Chinese stalls, but since I'd already eaten I didn't want to make myself sick. A little while later I bought myself a snow cone; the flavours I asked the vendor to put on mine were strawberry, orange and mango, and he called it Sunset...Surprise, I think it was. it was very nice; just the thing for a hot and sunny day. I went home to my flat shortly after that, but not before doing some grocery shopping, otherwise I would have nothing edible in the fridge.
I didn't write this in my last entry but I've starting messaging with another guy I "met" online. He's from London and seems to only want a casual relationship. I'm not really sure how I feel about him. He seems like a fun guy, but his profile says he's non-monogamous, so he doesn't seem like someone I can take seriously. I don't know that I want to lose my virginity to someone like him.
Oh, that's right I didn't mention it before; I'm a virgin. And proud of it! It wasn't really out of choice, since I've never been in a relationship and I don't go out much because I prefer to stay indoor reading, listening to music or watching a film.
Anyway, back to the London guy; he has asked me a few personal things that I didn't mind answering like what I've written about, as in romantic fantasies; and how sexuality influences my writing. I'm guess it's because one's writing tends to reveal their views and what they're like as a person. I've not really told him any of my fantasies or written him extracts of my writing but I did give him the link to my poem How I Feel About Love, and today Love Is My Drug on Movellas.
The same day I sent him that first link, I made a list of things I want to do with a boyfriend partly for fun and partly as research for my dissertation.
1. Slow dance to Miles Davis' It Never Entered My Mind.
2. Cook a meal together, or attend a cooking class.
3. Have my significant other serenade me or dedicate a song to me.
4. Take a walk on the beach.
5. Watch our favourite romantic films and cuddle on the sofa.
6. Lay a picnic rug and pillows down in the living room and talk while we much on snacks and sip champagne or white wine.
7. Visit an aquarium or museum
8. Go on a cruise to Scandanavia, Holland, Italy or just Europe in general
9. Share an ice-cream soda or sundae.
I know some of them are dreadful romantic clichés, but they are still things I really want to experience with someone special.
Oh, I started messaging with a third person on Saturday! He's from Manchester, though his profile says he's from Portsmouth. He doesn't think much of Manchester; can't really say I blame him. He's Chinese and has really strong political opinions. But thankfully he hasn't really messaged me about politics, apart from the one question about which way my political views lean. I truthfully replied that I'm more right-wing; that I view myself as a conservative with a little c. Him from Manchester seem like a nice person and I definitely wouldn't mind getting to know him better. Though the distance is a bit of a problem.
Moving on I had an appointment today with my dissertation supervisor Dr H to talk about my latest completed chapter. I managed to wake up at about 8:30am, get ready and make sure I had everything I needed for the meeting, and I was out the door by 10:30. I stopped in Subway because I wanted to get a breakfast sub, but I got there just as the clock struck 11, and they had already switched to the lunch menu. You can well imagine how disappointed I was. So instead I ordered a ham sub instead, with cheese, cucumber and lettuce; no sauce. Plus an orange juice.
When I got to the CCI Faculty building I went up to meet her in the common room, but she wasn't there. I thought I'd assumed that there was a meeting and we hadn't confirmed it; but luckily I bumped into the course administrator and he told me that Dr H was running late. So I had lunch in the building atrium; a chicken and chorizo sandwich and a can of San Pellergrino lemonade. The was good, though it would have been better without the soggy tomatoes. After I'd finished eating, I read Superdrug's magazine, Dare, while I waited for Dr H. I'd nearly finished my lemonade when she came in at about 1pm.
During the meeting Dr H said some really encouraging things during our meeting. She says I'm definitely on track. I have to admit I was getting worried about whether I would meet the deadline or not, but she said between writing the rest of the story and editing, I will most likely be able to meet the deadline. I certainly hope so. I'm still stuck on the next chapter, though. For now I'll keep at the rest of the thing, and try to write the next chapter as I go. Something should develop from that.
Dr H also liked that I wrote about food in my novel. Food is an important part of Chinese, and therefore Hong Kong, culture, so it would make sense that I wrote about it in my novel. I was also sort of influenced by one of the course tutors, Dr B, who gave us a presentation on the use of food in literature. We read an extract of Brideshead Revisited in class; food was heavily featured in the extract. Dr H thinks it might be a good idea to read the whole book.
Not that many changed are needed to be made, except for a few spellings and a few extra details here and there, so I'm really happy with how Red String is turning out.
After the meeting I went to All About Tea and had a pot of their Lavender Grey. I wanted to try one of their Oolong's, too, but sadly they didn't have any. Maybe I can try it next time.
After I finished my tea I went to the Central Library to their Sir Arthur Conan Doyle collection and did some research on his years in Portsmouth. I didn't get very much done they closed as 5PM, but I did find out some interesting tid-bits. Like what he was wearing and what he had brought with him when he arrived in Portsmouth; only a month after his twenty-third birthday. That's all I'll say about it; everyone will just have to wait for when I've finished writing the story.
Leaving the library, I noticed that it was graduation day for the university. I couldn't help feeling a bit depressed because the graduation ceremony for my course is next year, even though it ends this year. It can't be helped, really, since it finishes in September, which is incidentally when I will be vacating my flat and moving back in with my parents.
Since I was in the town centre, I thought I would have an early dinner there. I ordered a medium rare sirloin steak with chips and peas. Because I had chosen to go in just when the graduation ceremony had finished there weren't enough chair go around so I had eat most of my meal standing up! I didn't mind too much, though. But as soon as a group sitting near me started to leave, they offered one of their chairs to me. I was so relieved to give my feet a rest from standing up.
As soon as I finished eating I went home, getting in at around 6pm.
Well, I think that's all for now. I write again in a day or two.
New words:
Mancunian - Slang for a Manchester resident
My Top 10,
Questions from Superdrug's Dare magazine
Instagram or Twitter? Twitter
Bold lip or bold eyes? Bold eyes
High heels or comfy flats? Comfy flats; anything higher than 2-inch heels and I fall over
Home-made dinner or five-star restaurant? Home-made dinner any day!
Pink or bold red nails? Bold red, I don't think pink suits me very well.
Boutique or high street shops? High street; you can usually find more interesting things in the smaller shops
Fave takeaway? Chinese or fish and chips; I can probably make both at home, but most times I can't be bothered.
Netflix series you can't switch off? Once Upon A Time
Go to karaoke track? Last I went on Smule!Karaoke..."Let It Go"
Signature cocktail? Strawberry or mango daiquiri
