Belated Post About A Fantastic Week!

As the title of this post suggests; I am having a FANTASTIC week and I felt the need to share it as it also doubles up as a BUCKET LIST UPDATE! As I have been sticking to my New Year’s Resolution and have actually begun crossing things off my list, and as such I am happier for it!

Number Six: Learn a new language!
This week I discovered, through GroupOn(.co.uk), an amazing deal to get six months worth of language lessons for £5! So I grabbed that deal as quickly as I could and I am now learning German! Ich bin nicht sehr gut... but hey! It's only been three days! I wish myself luck!
  
Number Twenty-Eight: Go to Groezrock 2012!
This didn't happen this week, and won't until the end of April, BUT the festival ticket is bought and the flights are booked! All I have to do now is wait. HOORAY!

Number Thirty-Two: Read more European Fiction
This is one that I will never really be able to cross out, but I have definitely made a start at this and felt it needed to be acknowledged. I have just finished reading Milan Kindera's; 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' and have Natsume Sōseki's; 'I Am A Cat' (already half read) waiting in the wings.  
I had already read quite a bit of European fiction before attending the Manchester Literature Festival back in October, but ever since the short story event I have been hooked. One particular authors from the event; Thijs De Boer, I loved. I highly recommend his work and it is such a shame that more of it isn't available to us. I would absolutely kill to read his collection 'Vogels Die Vlees Eten' (Birds That Eat Meat) but, unfortunately, I can't speak Dutch. Luckily there is a website dedicated to celebrating the work of short story writers from across Europe, and making their work available in other countries. 

www.theshortstory.eu  

 
Number Fifty-Seven: Take part in World Book Night
Tonight I just received the email from WBN organisers that I was chosen to be a book giver and I couldn't be happier! I actually gasped so loud that I startled my mother out of a dosing state. So come April 23rd I get to give away copies of Roald Dahl's dark short story collection 'Someone Like You.' People of Manchester, keep your eyes pealed for me handing them out on the streets/leaving them in random (but carefully selected places) around the city.
 

Number Sixty: Start getting work experience towards TEFL/PGCE

Thanks to an awesome pal of mine, I am currently working at a nursery three days a week to gain some experience working with children to help towards my TEFL course/teaching plan! I was unbelievably apprehensive about my first day; I kept having nightmares of children crying as I approached them, or accidentally causing them pain, or worse, but it was all for nought. Everything went smoothly and as my first day drew to a close all the worries had dissipated and instead I was filled with happiness. I absolutely love working there! I feel like I’m learning a lot too, which is brilliant. I’ve only had two days off and I actually miss being there, the children, and the random stuff they come out with. Consequently, having started doing this I can also scratch off number 49, as I have no intention to go back to university for my masters. 

Also on Wednesday night I attended Tales Of Whatever's story telling night, where real people get up onstage and tell true stories from their life, at The Castle Hotel in Manchester. I could hardly contain my internal organs I was laughing so hard. On no other night would I have been able to shout out the words 'BUM SLAPS', or hear a story about a man patting another mans erect penis. I desperately wanted to have a go myself when the organiser of the event Mark mentioned an open mic section of the night, alas, my bladder failed me and I went to the toilet instead of asking for a go. Damn you alcohol! And so I endeavour to do it next time! If you'd like to join in, or just go to one of the nights (do it!) go to:

http://talesofwhatever.com/

I'll hush now. If you've read this far, thanks and I bid you a goodnight!