I have nothing (coherent) to say, other than: ****FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIL****

I'm just rewatching the Battlestar Galactica miniseries while I have my lunch and before the big finale next week, and... my god, I'm only in the second scene (the one long-cut run around the Galactica's hallways) and it's already SO WEIRD.

( Spoilorz! )

PS: I'm kinda proud of the word 'procrastalgia'. Procrastinating through nostalgia. It works.

( How, HOW are there only two episodes left?? )


ETA: Just found an awesome article on feminism in Battlestar Galactica. It's a pretty interesting read, and a good take on the subject.

( So... soundtrack? Now? )

In other news... life remains busy. Very busy. But my mum is up for the weekend, which makes everything better. Had 4-hour rehearsal for Wyrd Sisters tonight (still crack up the entire cast with one of my lines) which also involved clambering in and out of windows because we couldn't be bothered to walk through corridors to the front door. First performance at Elvet Underground tomorrow night!

... OK, was it just me, or was that episode ( MADE OF AWESOME?!?!?! )

I got a 2:1! There is only the tiniest bit of disappointment, since for a moment I let myself dream I might get a 1st in a couple of subjects, but mostly great relief and happy and acceptance that, yeah, I'd in no way worked hard enough for a 1st, and if I'd got one it wouldn't be fair to all those students who actually live for their studies.

2:1! I can do a masters with a 2:1! I can delay facing the Real World for another year with a 2:1! Of course, I still have to get a 2:1 NEXT year, but since I'm planning on working a lot harder that shouldn't be a problem, right? ... RIGHT?

My exam results aren't even technically out till Wednesday, and though I knew all the marking was done, we got an e-mail last week telling us NOT to pester our advisers for our results because they weren't allowed to tell us and besides, they might not have our results anyway. Which was fair enough - it wasn't like it was going to influence my module choice much, since the modules this year are LAME.

Anyway. I went in to my meeting with my superviser, in no way planning to drop hints about how I needed to know my exam results before choosing my modules.

"Now," said my adviser, taking some sheets of paper, "We need to sort out your modules, but I imagine that you'd rather know your exam results before you choose them."

"... um... well, it might help."

"Though I'm not supposed to tell you what your results are yet."

"... no."

"It would be very bad of me. What's your anonymous code? Ah, here they are. Now, I really shouldn't tell you, but you need to choose your modules, don't you?"

"... er..."

"You got a 2:1."

Was I somehow interrogating him without noticing? Because he caved so fast it was like someone had already excavated him when I got there.

And then he let me do two second year modules since the third year ones were all lame. So my modules aren't actually too bad this year. Nowhere near as great as they could have been if half the department weren't going on research leave, but not as bad as they could have been. I didn't have to resort to studying Athenian Law or the building plans of Rome, at least.

And in a complete non-sequitur, OMG THE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA MID-SEASON FINALE. HOW, HOW CAN THEY LEAVE IT LIKE THAT TILL 2009. I CAN'T EVEN WRITE A COHERENT ENTRY ABOUT IT YET.

You know what's even more mind-blowingly fun than writing summative essays?

Having to go through the summative essays once you imagine you've got them OK and delete 350 words because your lecturer happens to mention that footnotes and bibliography are included in the overall wordcount.

It was difficult enough keeping to the word count. I mean, 2500 words? On a subject I'd happily write a dissertation on? Is nothing. Now, with the world of references I've had to include, it's near impossible. Gah.

I can't wait for exams to be over. Nothing but Stargate and cross-stitch all day. Aaaaahhhh. (Of course, that's assuming we have any Stargate left.)

( Oh, and a quick thing on BSG 4x03 - )

Holy SHIT that was intense.

( I so want a SatNav like Starbuck. )

NEW BATTLESTAR GALACTICA I FINALLY SAW IT WHEEEEEEEE

( Random ravings about BSG 4x01. Coherency not guaranteed. )

I've figured I must really want to do the 'Heroes in Epic and Heroes' one, because why else would I keep desperately looking for things to talk about?

I STILL haven't managed to talk to Dr Pitcher about it, but I did mention it to one of my other favourite lecturers Crazy Lady today. She said it was a good idea, that reception of Classics is a very "in" topic right now, but said it could be very very complicated. It doesn't take much to shake my confidence, so I spent all the way home talking at my friend Louise about it, and she tried to help, even though she hadn't seen Heroes.

( Musings )

PS The song I'm listening to? SO MUCH LOVE. At first I only had the Mandy Moore version, which I listened to lots despite a level of shame akin to that of having Take That as the 2nd most played song on my iTunes ('Rule the World' is pretty! When I was in the midst of my Stardust obsession, IT WAS ALL I HAD!), but now I've found this version AND I LOVE IT AND DO NOT HAVE TO FEEL ASHAMED ANY MORE. Except for the fact Take That is still 3rd. 'A Promise to Return' from Battlestar Galactica overtook it, with its PRETTY VIOLINS.

Today it was Fresher Bash. And it was good. I was kicked in the face repeatedly by Owen and Ali as an orc and a goblin, to show me that boots COULD be good weapons, and got nominated for a pint for protecting woodlice. MattMatt also won one for just being MattMatt. Aka getting spirit-wracked for setting a hungry goblin on some unarmed farmers. Humact sees what you did there.

Fangirl news: Simon Pegg is playing Scotty in Star Trek!! I wanted James MacAvoy, but if there'd been a film with him AND Zachary Quinto, I don't think I'd actually hear a word of dialogue. Plus, Eric Bana as the bad guy. SQUEEEEE.

Also, I hear they're editing the end of 'the Golden Compass'. They've cut out the last three chapters to be the beginning of the Subtle Knife, so that it's not such a mahoosive cliffhanger. This... would normally annoy me, but I've read a statement from Philip Pullman, who's totally behind it, so if he can deal, so can I. Plus, I saw the trailer, and it looks beautiful, and PAAAAAN! IS SO CUTE!

Unlike 'The Dark is Rising', now just called 'The Seeker', which has just changed EVERYTHING because the director and writers are totally wrong for the project, and even though I've never read the books, I feel so horribly bad for the author. The film apparently sucks and is failing massively at the box office, and I'd hate to have anything I'd written be treated that way. We can only hope that by its utter failure, future works of literature are saved from the "Hey, let's make the kid AMERICAN!" approach to film-making.

Book-to-film adaptation that is good? STARDUST. Bet that surprised you. But it is. Sure, they changed stuff, but they kept the spirit of the book there, and they clearly had great respect for the source material, so it was still fantastic. THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE, PEOPLE.

Whereas the director and writers of 'The Seeker' didn't not only love the source material, they seemed to DISLIKE it. They seemed to think it was too stuffy and British. WTF STUDIOS WHY ARE YOU LETTING THEM ADAPT IT? FIND SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY LIKES IT.

Interesting link I stole from someone else:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22556281-661,00.html

I see her going clockwise. 'Fantasy based' and 'imagination rules'? Sounds about right. But no matter how hard I stare, I can't make her go anticlockwise. Evidently I'm not only right-brained, my left side is lazy and can't be arsed to make an effort.

Another completely random thing. I found this picture of Lee Adama from Battlestar Galactica, and suddenly want to hug him. ( Yes, I'm scared too. )

Finally, I'm actually obsessed with finding motivators on the internet now. Mostly Heroes and Doctor Who ones. ( I struggled so hard trying to choose between which of these two to post, but in the end I love them both too damn much. )

1. 62000 words!! Writing is lovely and easy again! It feels like I'm running downhill yelling "WHEEEEE!!!!" I'm actually tempted to pull an all-nighter and see how much I can write.

2. I can get away with pulling an all-nighter because I'm back in Durham, away from tutting parents and in the company of Barnas, who, at 9pm, doesn't even think it's 'evening' yet. And I have comfy bed to sit on, Lindor to snack on, and a lamp that gives me a nice amount of light. BRING IT.

3. And I'm a good creative mindset, because I just watched one of my favourite Battlestar Galactica episodes - Maelstrom - and managed not to weep!! Possibly because I was chanting before I started it "I WILL NOT CRY. I WILL NOT CRY."

So. A possible all-nighter is afoot. It's going SO WELL at the moment - it hasn't been this great since I was in America and stayed in the hotel room all afternoon writing about Kirsten's Wacky Adventures with the Vampires.

It's odd. I think I've grown in my views of religion since I started writing it. Now Jesus has turned into who I was then - blaming God for everything and determined to make him pay - whereas Kirsten and Paul are where I am now - somewhere in the middle, happy to listen to both sides, not sure either is entirely right.

Which means the ending could be interesting. I still have a last scene in my head, which I like, and will continue to play with and aim for.

Also, I've realised events in the story are already falling into place for the climax, and the plot's gathering speed towards it. It's quite scary, but kinda thrilling at the same time - like running down a hill shouting "WHEEE!", as I said before.

Only problem is, if I finish this tonight, what am I going to do for the rest of September??

At last, my plot bunnies have got going again and writing is easy! Yay!

Basically, last night when I was half asleep I started thinking out the ending. I started thinking if I had to write the ending, right now, what would I have to go back and add in later to make it make sense?

I then basically deleted everything I'd written lately that was so rubbish - well, cut and paste it onto another document in case I needed it again - then started writing Section 3 all over again. Only this time, I started writing it with my traditional slightly odd and surreal opening sentences - 'Dave was paddling when the end of the world came' - and was also listening to the Battlestar Galactica track 'Prelude to War' while I did it to a) make me feel important and b) instil me with some sense of the drama of what was happening. Because deep down, I know the attempted-epicness and blasphemy-ness of my writing, but when I write it it ends up just like a couple of guys having a chat. Music helps.

So now I'm up to 59000 words and all goes well. I've written nearly 10000 words in a week! Woooo!

And the end is in sight, and I know exactly how it's going to happen, and it's going to give out a good message! Double woooo!

And last night I dreamed that I was Harry Potter having to hide around Hogwarts from Voldemort. I'd keep hiding in cupboards, then he'd open the door and go "HAHAAA, I HAVE YOU NOW!", then I'd yell 'Expelliarmus!' and run away again. Because, even in dreams, that's the only spell Harry Potter knows.

Went to the cinema yesterday to see Knocked Up. It was funny. I now never want to get pregnant though. Having a baby would be fine - just HAVING the baby is the icky part.

Today, went to the airport to pick up Becca. She's home, and full of tired, as she keeps reminding us.

My story continues to go badly. Or rather, not go at all. I could technically write the ending right now, but it would seem crap, anti-climactic, and just a throwing-together of vague ideas I've only just added in into an ending with the message I want to give. Part of me wants to do that, just so it's done, but part of me wants to labour at adding in loads of other insignificant gubbins so that it feels like the ending is earned.

What bothers me is that the ending has no build-up. There's no race-against-time, or end-of-a-quest feeling in the air.

What also bothers me is that the grapes I'm eating right now have pips. Ew.

I think I might have a solution, though I still get the feeling it'd all end too quickly. Also, I haven't written for several days now, and have The Fear, so it's difficult to get started again. I don't know why I dislike writing endings so much.

I ONLY HAVE 24 DAYS TO GO (damn September only having 30 days!). I CANNOT - WILL NOT - FAIL NOW.

Oh, and one more thing - the trailer for Stardust? Is rubbish. It completely missells the film. Because frankly, it makes it look crap. Ignore the trailer. Listen to my ravings. IT'S AWESOME. TRUST ME.

Oh, and I'm nearly at the end of rewatching Battlestar Galactica series 3 again. My god, 'The Woman King' is rubbish. I'm just about to watch 'Maelstrom' for the first time it aired, and I'm torn. Last time I watched it, I cried non-stop for about 45 minutes until Claire and Barnas came round with chocolate and hugs. Now, this time, do I watch it alone, and save myself the embarrassment of caring so much about a fictional character, or in company, so I have hugs at the ready?