https://rhiaro.co.uk/2011
type: Collection
type: Container
contains: poster-presenter-winner
contains: work-wanted
contains: design
contains: flying-24-hours
contains: it-begins
contains: hope-you-have-fun
contains: day-one-amman
contains: day-two-amman
contains: day-three-dead-sea
contains: day-four-petra
contains: day-five-wadi-rum
contains: day-six-wadi-rum
contains: days-seven-eight-dahab
contains: day-nine-blue-hole
contains: day-ten-israel
contains: days-eleven-twelve-sinai
contains: intermission-truck
contains: day-thirteen-luxor
contains: day-fourteen-valley
contains: day-fifteen-birthday
contains: day-sixteen-abu
contains: day-seventeen-philae
contains: days-eighteen-felucca
contains: day-twenty-one-giza
contains: day-twenty-two-cairo
contains: forced-fiction
contains: forced-fiction-2
contains: story-about-being
contains: forced-fiction-3
contains: fiction-more
contains: msc-research
contains: university-2
contains: so-glad-you-feel
contains: investigate-door
contains: hi-amy
contains: fiction-hero
contains: interactive-bliction-2
contains: use-candle
contains: spells-wear-out
contains: nanowrimo-pre
contains: interdisciplinary
name: Posts between 2011/01 and 2012/01
total items: 41

poster-presenter-winner
type: Article
tmpcontent: # Poster presenter and winner, Original Project Prize ## BCS Women Lovelace Colloquium Poster: "CakeBomb: An Online Collaborative Community", from my final year dissertation.
actor: me
content: BCS Women Lovelace Colloquium Poster: "CakeBomb: An Online Collaborative Community", from my final year dissertation.
end time: 2011-04-14T18:00:00+0100
name: Poster presenter and winner, Original Project Prize
published: 2011-04-14T18:00:00+0100
start time: 2011-04-14T09:00:00+0100
tag: bcswomen
tag: bsc
tag: cv
tag: lovelace+colloquium
tag: lovelace
tag: poster
tag: prize
tag: resume
tag: women+in+tech

design
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-5487103910304554663
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: At the Future of Web Design conference earlier this month, I was inspired. As a developer primarily and a designer when I have to be, the talks and people at FOWD were perhaps more valuable to me than if my main focus was on design. I don't need inspiration to develop, but I do to design. But an incredibly busy week and a bit later, I find I haven't had an opportunity to really make use of the ideas that were triggered at the conference; not only that, but the inspiration is beginning to fade. And I will struggle to find time to watch the talk videos over the next few weeks. I had intended to shove together a new portfolio site, to match my shiny new business cards, before the first day of FOWD. Naturally I didn't manage to stick to this deadline, continued to work on the site during the conference, and to this day the redesign remains unfinished at localhost/. It is so far responsive up to iPad dimensions, but the design that I was initially satisfied with has fallen out of my favour, so I'm struggling to finish. I've been browsing collections of great web design, like this one, as well as staring agonisingly at localhost/, hoping for re-inspiration. Turns out I dislike quite a few of the designs on that list. Some just have too much blank space. Many go way overboard with the 'Web 2.0' look; glossy buttons, excessive rounded corners, and the like. Pretty on first glance, perhaps, but after seeing so many sites in the same style, you suddenly realise the genericness of them all; they give an impression of designers who forgot that the purposes of, or the companies behind the sites have their own personalities and branding that can't be represented simply with shiny buttons and background gradients. I am currently a fan of textured backgrounds, and I'll confess I am currently of the opinion that a text shadow automatically makes almost any header text look better. I'm sure this will wear off, just like glossy buttons did. But I'm still struggling to find a style tha…
name: Design is frustrating right now.
published: 2011-05-31T10:27:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: attendee
tag: design
tag: events
tag: future+of+web+design
tag: hacking
tag: learning
tag: web+development
updated: 2013-05-18T16:44:22.562Z

work-wanted
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-7666757292937788553
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: Their previous version of this particular site was the image from the event poster, with links mapped onto it. It was mere moments before my progressive enhancement / responsive design OCD kicked in. The site in question is to advertise this year's University of Lincoln Grad Ball, and is little more than an online poster. So here goes. 1530 Marked up the page, with HTML5 tags and the content from the poster, using currently non-existent classes where needed, and also including a few non- existant images. Added my own mini CSS reset for the elements I was using. 1545 Cut the couple of images I needed out of the poster png and uploaded them. Spent a while trying to find something to match the obscure Mac font that had been used on the poster. Impact was close, but didn't quite cut it at small sizes. Played with weighting and letter spacing for ages, but eventually picked a font from Google Web Fonts that did the trick and styled all the typography related stuff. 1605 Aligned, padded, margined and weighted everything as I wanted. Remembered to use a HTML5 enabling script so versions of IE lte8 would actually bother to style things properly. 1625 Took a step back to look at content. The organisation of it was great for a poster, where you can pretty much see everything at once, but in any scenario where scrolling is a possibility, the most important stuff needs to go at the top. So I rearranged some things. 1630 Used CSS to hide a couple of elements that would do more harm than good on a device with a small display. Used media queries to show them for displays with a greater width than 480px. With help for IE, of course. Nasty, dirty cheating One of the images I used consisted mostly of text, with a few images plonked around it. I didn't have the energy to recreate this in a two-column list, especially not with the apparently randomly floating images. The image is only used for 480px+ of course. Mobile get a list. Unfortunately, I just used display:none. So mobile brows…
name: Work wanted a website in an hour today.
published: 2011-05-13T19:27:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: hacking
tag: learning
tag: lincoln+su
tag: Lincoln
tag: responsive+design
tag: web+development
tag: work
tag: lincoln
updated: 2013-03-31T23:57:13.068Z

day-four-petra
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-3165187360071506247
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: A mega early start to Dave's porridge, and the day was set in motion with a drive to the ancient (once lost) city of Petra. Entrance was a steep 50JOD but the stunning sights occupied us for about five to six hours. After entering through the gorge we walked along the cobbled pathway that lead to the treasury. Being 7am, other tourists were scarce and we got some good photos. We then began the inordinately long trek and climb in the increasing heat to the monestary, admiring the homes, tombs and other structures carved directly into the towering, naturally patterned red coloured rock faces. From the monestary we followed a trail to 'the end of the earth' where we sat to take in a huge and humbling view whilst our friends back home were still sleeping soundly. We got sidetracked on our return journey by the promise of a spring in which we couls swim. We ventured well off the beaten track and eventually found a trickle. We followed this a little way and enjoyed the cool clear water (probably the same as we'd been drinking all day from bottles). Some clambering and relaxing later we made our way back. Midday heat was intensifying and the return to the town took its toll (on little old me at least). We crashed in a pub for an hour or so to recouperate before catching a taxi back to the hotel. JUMPED IN THE POOL. Dave invented killer frisbee which involved standing around the edges of the pool and exchanging frisbee tosses, with the aim of catching them no matter what. So lots of stylish (occasionally unnecessary) leaping into the water. We chilled out and redied ourselves for a buffet dinner at the hotel. I spent the rest of the evening on the tenth floor roof of the hotel spying fireworks.
name: Day Four: Petra
published: 2011-07-30T16:27:00.002Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: indiana+jones
tag: jordan
tag: killer+frisbee
tag: lost+city
tag: petra
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-02T09:16:51.328Z

day-one-amman
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-8375633381249617799
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: We got to the Farah Hotel at around 11pm last night (after a great flight with unexpected free food) and met Al, one of our Oasis trip companions, en route. The hotel (farahhotel.com.jo) is great; clean, cheap, and friendly. Breakfast (because anyone who read my India blog will know describing food when I'm travelling is a priority) was flat bread, hard boiled eggs and soft cheese. This set us up for a day of exploring the city (with Al and Chris who we met at breakfast). We started by climbing to the Amman Citadel and wandering around the grounds and museum. A spectacular view of the city and a cooling breeze from being high up, along with helpful and enthusiastic tourist police made for a fantastic morning. We learnt about the history of the area dating back to the stone age in the citadel museum. On our way out we were talked into letting a tour guide called Basam drive us to a restaurant for a fantastic local lunch, a visit to the black and white mosque which overlooks the city and the blue mosque. They let H and I in once we were covered in black robes, nd we spent a few minutes wandering through this beautiful, tranquil place. Young lads approached us to chat and welcome us warmly. Well, the guys were welcomed. H and I were largly ignored, so we kept quiet. One of the boys sang verses of the Qu'ran for us, and I have never seen a more pure delight in anyone's eyes. The other told us that he was visiting his family in Jordan; he studies medicine in Turkey in term time. Despite feeling a bit opressed, this was nonetheless incredible. During the drive, Basam impartedlots of local knoledge. Like that there are more Palestinians residing in Jordan than Jordinians, particularly in Amman. Jordan is also the health capital of the Middle East with govenment funded hospitals, world renowned doctors and people travelling from miles around for care. Promising us better quality materials and better prices than the tourist areas, Basam took us to a bazaar frequented by visi…
name: Day one: Amman
published: 2011-07-28T08:48:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: amman
tag: jordan
tag: travel
updated: 2011-07-28T08:48:35.110Z

day-three-dead-sea
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-2950374330151285714
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: We awoke on a mountainside at around 7. So far nighttime has proved to be uncomfortably hot, at least within a tent. Breakfast was french toast by Heather and Kath. We packed up and set off,driving for ages to find a secluded spot by the Dead Sea. We avoided the usual areas as the were populated by local tourists. We changed into swimwear and scrambled down to experience the 30% salt water and apparently rejuvinating mud. The buoying sensation of the dense water was the perfect, effortless suspension. The water was not as painful as I'd been lead to believe it might be and I managed to avoid getting any in my eyes or mouth. Salt deposits around the edge were pretty stunning and I would have happily stayed in the warm water for longer than the time we had. Next stop was a town called Karak; apparently not the least nightmareish place out there, particularly for navigating with a truck the size of ours. We had a lengthy lunch (falafel pitta for me) and went to look for supplies for the evening meal. Food was massively overpriced (we were probably lied to). We visited an ancienr Crusader castle which turned out to be enormous and very underrated. Entry was 1JOD which did not include the services of an unavoidable local guide. We were off again, destined for our final stop of the day the Al-Alanbat hotel. We were sweaty and tired and so delighted when the first thing we saw upon dismounting the coach was a shadey pool. Everyone elso took a dip, whilst Helen, Al and I made no nonesense chilli with beans, vegetables and soya mince. Twas tasty. Finally I had chance to JUMP IN THE POOL. It was dark by this time and the pool was freezing to start with but the swim was heavenly. Although normal water is somewhat disappointing after the Dead Sea experience. We hit the sack early in our makeshift dorm in what may be a hotel outhouse. Insects and strange noises abound through the night. Always good for the night before a 6am start..
name: Day Three: The Dead Sea and Karak
published: 2011-07-30T15:50:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: castle
tag: crusades
tag: dead+sea
tag: jordan
tag: travel
updated: 2011-07-30T15:50:41.137Z

day-two-amman
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-9178125517774731228
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: We spent a relaxing morning at the hotel before driving to Amman's City Mall where we saw the Oasis truck for the first time. It's pretty damn awesome. City Mall is a large shopping complex and one of the most Westernised places I've seen so far, for the most part with no dress code observed by either locals or tourists. If you're in Amman and missing home, a taxi will take you there from the centre for 3JOD. After enjoying their version of Subway, we hit the massive Carrefour on the bottom level to buy supplies for the evening meal. An hour drive from here took us to Madaba where we briefly visited a church filled with intricate mosaics, the most promient being a map of the holy land. We explored the small town and the guys hunted for beer (with success). Further driving through winding steep mountain roads eventually took us to our campsite for the evening, on the side of Mt Nebo. We pitched our tents and admired the incredible view over the Dead Sea and Israel. We watched the sunset from this perspective too and Israel became an unearthly spectacle of glittering lights. We saw plenty of shooting stars, and cooking duties were gained and lost in wagers about the solar system (resolved by flaky 3G access and texts home). Eventually we slept, woken periodically by the haunting call to prayer, all the more beautiful for not being artificially amplified. A great introduction forme into the world of bush camping.
name: Day Two:Amman to Mt Nebo
published: 2011-07-30T15:21:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: amman
tag: israel
tag: jordan
tag: mt+nebo
tag: travel
updated: 2011-07-30T15:21:48.337Z

flying-24-hours
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-6490947283091010517
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: This is me making sure I can blog with my shiny refurbished Kindle. I can. So keep an eye on this, and my twitter (@rhiaro) to keep up to speed with my trucking and desert camping adventures!
name: I'm flying in less than 24 hours
published: 2011-07-25T12:32:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: travel
updated: 2011-07-25T12:32:35.312Z

hope-you-have-fun
type: Note
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-2576277635129023852
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/10705745642913528294
content: Hope you have fun Amy! I'll be following to keep an eye on your progress :o) Ross
published: 2011-07-27T10:26:05.293Z
summary: Amy wrote about something
updated: 2011-07-27T10:26:05.293Z

it-begins
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-69618332186490786
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
name: IT BEGINS
published: 2011-07-26T10:00:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: adventure
tag: begin
tag: heathrow
tag: travel
updated: 2013-04-01T00:12:53.924Z

day-fifteen-birthday
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-6370355496037808745
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: We started our day at 4am by catching a hot air balloon from the other side of the Nile. On the boat across, we were unexpectadly supplied with coffee and Twinkys. We shared the balloon with Japanese tourists and a pilot with a sense of humour. I hadn't expected the fire part of the balloon to be so close to our heads, nor so loud. The wind took us away from the Valley of the Kings and across the Nile. We upped and downed a bit, with the pilot explaining that flying close to things (the Nile, tops of trees...) is more fun. We saw the sunrise, and lots of Luxor from above. We almost landed in someone's field but a disgruntled looking chap on a donkey waved us away. So we landed in the next field, with a ground crew of local kids, who had been chasing the balloon's progress for the past ten minutes. The pilot warned us not to tip the kids or we'd have to pay them all, and to keep hold of our bags. We stayed in the basket whilst the balloon was haphazardly bundled away before traipsing through mud to the waiting minibus. An experience of a lifetime. I got some cool photos. Back at the hotel we slept for an hour before digging in to the remaining birthday cake and heading out to Karnak Temple by horse and carriage. Karnak is huuuuge. Afterwards we went back to bed again before lunch. Al and I set out on a hunt for the kushari shop, which should have been a couple of minutes walk from where everyone else went for lunch. En route we encountered a young man desperate to sell his shoe cleaning services to Al, who had jut stepped in something disgusting. This proved to be at a crucial point in the journey as the distraction meant we missed the turning we were looking for. Next we met the infamous Christian Mike, a toothless carriage driver wwho misdirected us and we walked for a further forty minutes or so into a distinctly tourist free area. Fortunately we didn't get charged for this pleasure. Eventually we circled back and found an enormous tourist information centre. The …
name: Day Fifteen: Birthday! (Luxor and Aswan)
published: 2011-08-17T14:06:00.001Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: aswan
tag: birthday
tag: egypt
tag: hassle
tag: hot+air+balloon
tag: karnak+temple
tag: luxor
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-17T14:11:26.862Z

day-five-wadi-rum
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-1017033232484402393
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: The day started with a nice easy morning of packing and chilling out by the pool. This was followed by an exhaustingly violent match of water polo, at which Al and I were proven the indisputable champions. (We won nine-two against H and Chris). We hit Wadi Moussa for a cheap (1JOD) and tasty falafel lunch. I have decided that fresh lemon with mint is my drink of choice for the Middle East. A couple of hours drive took us to the Wadi Rum desert. The truck got slightly stuck en route which is always exciting. Eventually we found a good spot and pitched our tents. Al, H and I climbed to the highest rock we could physically get to. It took a while. The view was awesome but getting bak down was a minor disaster. Mostly for Heather. We made it eventually. After dinner and sunset we relaxed in the gradually cooling surroundings. Speculation abot what was coming through the desert to get us definitely didn't freak anyone out. Shortly after settling for the night, screams erupted as Kath and Helen found a spider THIS big in their tent. I slept under the stars that night,and was still unaffected by this apparently mythical 'cold' I have heard mentioned. I woke up with tiny little crabby spiders everywhere, but with no additional bites. Which is always a sign of a succesful camp.
name: Day Five: Wadi Rum Desert
published: 2011-08-02T09:31:00.001Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: bush+camp
tag: desert
tag: jordan
tag: lawrence+of+arabia
tag: travel
tag: wadi+rum
updated: 2011-08-02T09:38:13.514Z

day-fourteen-valley
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-3382959581499780552
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: A 6am start for the Valley of the Kings, where a ticket allows entry to three tombs. We saw those of Ramses third, fifth, and ninth. Pro tip: EVERYTHING is half price with an international NUS card. The quality of the preserved colours and carvings in the tomb is stunning, especially upon remembering that they are thousands of years old. Colours in the tombs in the Valley of the Workers were even more intense - the workers had one day off a month to work on their own family tombs, and put much more effort into the art. After napping for a couple of hours we regrouped for lunch at a cafe in town. My growing karkade addiction (did I mention this yet?) was satisfied and more shopping commenced. We spent a while in a no-haggle statue shop and learnt how to tell machine- or Chinese-made from handcrafted Egyptian wares, as well as getting a demo on holding a naked flame to the black statues to prove they are plastic and not the stone they are sold as on the street. We hung out in the jewellers again, and were given more karkade. I then bought a ton of dried hibiscus so I can make my own every day for the next year. Later that afternoon, H, Lizzie and I joined Dave on a visit to the SunShine Orphanage, a charity sponsored by Oasis. Wewere covered in adorable drooling toddlers for a couple of hours before our return. We all ate dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Nile. At the end of the meal, an enormous chocolate cream birthday cake appeared bearing the message 'HAPPY BIRTDAY AMY' (sic). Thanks everyone! The best surprise. We ate about a third of it then stored it in the hotel's freezer. To bed ready for an exciting 4am start...
name: Day Fourteen: The Valley of the Kings
published: 2011-08-17T12:30:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: birthday+cake
tag: egypt
tag: luxor
tag: orphanage
tag: tombs
tag: travel
tag: valley+of+the+kings
updated: 2011-08-17T12:30:09.823Z

day-nine-blue-hole
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-3840187786180890077
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: Another fantastically lazy day, with everyone doing their own thing. H went to learn to kitesurf, and Al, Lizzie and I caught camels for half an hour to The Blue Hole, a prime scuba diving and snorkling spot. My camel was distinctly tetchy and easily distracted,but overall highly entertaining. I snorkled for a bit, but had a dodgy mask so it wasn't nearly as enjoyable as last time. I think we were all a little underwhelmed by the Blue Hole. It can't have helped that it was brimming with tourists. H joined us later and we lazed about, eating, drinking and sleeping until we were collected at 5. For anyone still reading this because Chris pointed you here, he was diving all day. You'll have to ask him about that. We regrouped for dinner at a classy looking Indian/Thai/Chinese place. At ten, six of us were picked up from the hotel on a minibus for our next grand adventure...
name: Day Nine: The Blue Hole
published: 2011-08-06T14:12:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: blue+hole
tag: camel
tag: dahab
tag: egypt
tag: snorkling
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-06T14:12:19.390Z

day-seventeen-philae
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-8564233979276465155
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: We were all excited by massive the lie in we got for a 9am start that morning. We saw Philae Temple, with Hatshepsut's cool obelisk. Another place where those darn Christians ruined a lot of carvings. After lunch on the waterfront, I slept for a few hours. It was good. We regrouped at 4 and took a boat to a beach on Elephantine Island. Took a dip in the Nile and survived. It's clean and clear around Aswan, contrary to popular rumour. We had a tour of a family home in the Nubian village, and Mona, lady of the house, cooked us a fantastic dinner. The houses are made of mud brick, but painted brightly and strategically in yellows, blues and greens to maximise heat and light potential year round. The house we saw was also enormous, even for a family of five. During the summer months, they all sleep on the roof, but there are an excess of indoor bedrooms for guests, and two huge reception areas. In the village, there are no locks on doors, and the sense of community is such that friends can wander in and out of each others' homes at leisure. While we were there we had a few drop-ins from neighbors and local kids, including a woman who henna'd up everyone except me. Even Al got a hardcore eye-pyramid thing on his arm. Manly :) An enjoyable and stress free day, in preparation for the next few days of uber-chilling on a felucca...
name: Day Seventeen: Philae Temple, Elephantine Island
published: 2011-08-19T11:31:00.001Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: aswan
tag: elephantine+island
tag: hatshepsut
tag: henna
tag: nubian+village
tag: nubians
tag: philae+temple
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-19T11:31:50.575Z

day-six-wadi-rum
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-3269215183163919231
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: Helen, Chris and I made scrambled eggs and beans for breakfast before we packed up camp and drove the short distance to the Wadi Rum visitor centre. It was the first day of Ramadan, but one shop and the restaurant were still open to sell food and drink to tourists. We enjoyed the air conditioning, drinks and sandwiches for a couple of hours before a local guide arrived in a 4x4 to show us round the most famous sights in the Wadi Rum desert. We stopped at some choice climbing spots - heads up: desert rocks are hot! We also investigated Lawrence of Arabia's old hangout, some water control he helped the locals build,and many ancient inscriptions in rock. We stopped at a Bedouin camp where we were guided through a small sheltered gorge by an enthusiastic nine year old, who presented each of us individually and at carefully chosen moments with gifts of small pebbles. On our return to his tent, his family made us a delicious herby tea and showed great hospitality. We drove to the port town of Aqaba which looks pretty modern and appears to be constantly under construction. There was a nice beach but it was far too conservative a place for us to enjoy properly that afternoon. We chose a Syrian restaurant for a drink (about fifty percent of places were closed because of Ramadan) and ended up eating there as well. Portions in the Middle East are huge and we all ended up bloated. Good food and great juices. We borrowed MacDonalds wifi for a little while before preparing to board the ferry. Our access to the ferry consisted of one deck of seating and two levels of outdoor decks. Most people attempted to sleep,with varying success. I didnt even try. We reached land ahead of schedule but made up for that by waiting outside the immigration office for a few hours whilst staff did everything but their jobs. We were sitting in pretty grimy sand; a lucky few passed out and awoke when the sun came up. Nuweiba in the daylight was a sight for sore eyes. I may even go so far as to eloquen…
name: Day Six: Wadi Rum and Aqaba
published: 2011-08-03T15:50:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: aqaba
tag: bedouin
tag: desert
tag: egypt
tag: ferry
tag: travel
tag: wadi+rum
updated: 2011-08-03T15:50:34.731Z

day-sixteen-abu
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-2182920829989310869
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: SOMEONE* ordered a wakeup call for everyone without telling us. At 4am, a phone you don't recognise ringing next to your head from a table of all of your charging electricals is one of the most confusing phenomena known to man. *It was Dave. We drove three hours to Abu Simbel and marvelled at giant representations of Ramses II and his cohorts. The whole lot had been moved to save it from the rising Nile a few decades ago, which is pretty impressive. At quarter to ten we regrouped to join the return convoy (they don't trust tourists driving alone in the desert). Lunch was even shadier than last night's dinner. There was no written menu so the guy reeled off what he had. Not feeling particularly hungry, Kathryn and I ordered spinach soup. It had the texture of dried spinach, herbs and garlic in oil. Our resident professional chef (Al, for those of you not keeping up) whisked it for a bit and concluded it was egg white. It tasted sort of okay with bread dipped in. But I wouldn't recommend it. At 4, a local gave us a tour of Elephantine Island. The place is so chilled out. There is an enormous sense of community and 'the simple life' amoung the Nubian people. After dinner on the waterfront we went for an aimless wander that turned into getting lost in the winding streets of Aswan. It was nice to see some entirely tourist free areas, but we were also knackered. Eventual collapse at the hotel.
name: Day Sixteen: Abu Simbel and Elephantine Island
published: 2011-08-17T14:51:00.002Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: abu+simbel
tag: egypt
tag: elephantine+island
tag: luxor
tag: nubian
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-17T14:53:47.582Z

day-ten-israel
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-7038996669072108275
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: We drove to the Israel border on a coach full of Russians, two Italian- Romanians,two Italians and a French-Moroccan family with two impossibly well behaved knee high children. Us Europeans teamed up and were delivered approximately one tenth of the information that the Russian-speakers recieved. Being in the language minority was definitely a unique experience. At the border, after queuing for an age, we queued some more, then did some queuing. We made it through eventually, with only the minor incident of Alan's passport being temporarily confiscated. We continued to drive, until we were suddenly unloaded at the Dead Sea. We sat around blearily whilst other tourists set to work covering themselves in mud they had just bought from a shop. This Dead Sea beach was long and white, with showers and seating and shops. From the people in it, the water appeaered less buoyant than we had seen in Jordan; we could see pipes pumping in fresh waste water from the showers, and there was a whole section signposted for no swimming, with the implication that they were polluting that specific bit. All in all, I think we preferred our off the beaten track, clamboring down a cliffside, Jordanian experience. Back on the coach, our English-speaking guide arrived. He was friendly and knowledgable, if less talkative than the Russian one. He also had some weird affliction of the skin that caused random patches on his arms and then head to bleed unprovoked. He seemed fine, though. We stopped at a high place to see all of Jerusalem before visiting the Wailing Wall (pro tip: you don't turn your back on it, evem whilst walking away). We spied on some praying Jewish people for a while, before moving on. We followed a Jesus-related trail of locations, conveniently sequenced for the maximum touristic experience, in both Jerusalem and Bethlehem. These included the slab on which Jesus was lain after crucifixion, his tomb, and the patch of mud on which he was born. I may have become even more skept…
name: Day Ten: Israel
published: 2011-08-12T19:57:00.001Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: bethlehem
tag: israel
tag: jerusalem
tag: jesus
tag: russians
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-12T20:02:52.683Z

day-thirteen-luxor
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-7985985603442582572
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: After our sandy night, we had another drive day. We were all pretty grimy. We spent a majority of this journey learning interesting and enthralling 'facts' from a quiz book we found on the truck. This consumed hours. We stopped for lunch and supplies at La Senza Mall; made up for some great purchases at a super cheap Carrefour by spending the same amount on a single coffee at an overpriced chain. Totally worth it. We arrived at Rezieky Camp in Luxor late afternoon. First things first, we all upgraded to hotel rooms instead of the campsite. Secondly, we got in the swimming pool. Slightly disturbing that we couldn't see deeper than a few inches into the cloudy water, but we were all so filthy ourselves we were well beyond caring. After showering and cleaning up properly, Dave took us into town. Luxor may be the hassle capital of Egypt (reserving judgement on Cairo for now). In a jewellers shop, the owner of which was known to the crew, we were brought kushari and cold hibiscus (karkade). This may be my new favourite meal in the world, and sparked the beginning of a slight addiction to karkade from this point onwards. Unfortunately we were told that the ability to make kushari well is a rare skill indeed. But I'm going to damn well try. Later we met our Luxor guide who took us that evening to Luxor temple. The temple sits in the middle of the city, integrated with the local surroundings like no other. A lot of Luxor is currently being demolished by the government to make way for new excavations, as there is still apparently plenty left to be found. Luxor temple at night was stunning, particularly due to the distinct lack of other tourists in an area that we were told would usually be packed. Notably we learnt about Hatshepsut, the only female Pharaoh, and why lots of her likenesses have been erased in various temples. (Hint: her stepson hated her). Afterwards we walked back through the market and did some shopping. We got no end of attention from sellers and locals ali…
name: Day Thirteen: Luxor
published: 2011-08-12T21:55:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: egypt
tag: hatshepsut
tag: luxor+temple
tag: luxor
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-12T21:55:48.061Z

day-twenty-one-giza
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-2787884435003058872
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: We had plenty of space on the train; big seats and air conditioning. I was woken often by jolting starts and slamming doors, but all in all it wasn't too bad. Carrying all of our stuff, we stumbled out of the station and onto a minibus in Giza. Dave left us in the hands of a new guide, who was distinctly more interested in getting us to the pyramids than letting us eat or use the loo. We comprimised with pastries and juice from a fuel station shop and recovered enough to be on our way. We wandered around the pyramids, and then the Sphinx. Underwhelming, all things considered, and the Valley of the Kings is far more impressive. Also, definitely aliens. Most people did the cheesy holding-the-pyramids photo thing. I took pictures from the wrong angles of people posing these. This is far more entertaining. We had streetside falafel for lunch before visiting the enormous Egyptian Museum. There's some cool stuff in here, again with the giant walls of heiroglyphics, and I lost everyone else for a while. We were dropped at the Havannah Hotel. We thought there must be some mistake. This place was SHINY. Huge rooms, clean, functioning bathroom facilities... (for about £10pppn) A classy end to the trip. I passed out for a couple of hours before we all met downstairs again at 6. The place Dave wanted to take us for dinner was absolutely packed, but we were directed to another restaurant a few doors down who promised to serve us food from the first place. Interesting business technique, but it did the job. I had the vegetarian version of f.... I can't remember what it was called but it definitely began with f. Might have been fattah. Someone help me out please, the Internet isn't doing yet. It was an extremely filling rice yogurty dish with fried flat bread and peas in it. Suuuper tasty, and almost equal to kushari. The non-vegetarian versions had liberal amounts of shredded beef or chicken on top. After hanging out at the hotel for a bit, thus concluded the final night in Egypt…
name: Day Twenty One: Giza
published: 2011-08-19T12:28:00.001Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: cairo
tag: egypt
tag: giza
tag: pyramids
tag: sphinx
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-19T12:28:55.816Z

day-twenty-two-cairo
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-7542039604717393806
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: We got up early on the final morning with the intention of cramming as much of Cairo in before our flight as possible. No-one would take us to Tahrir Square, and the Metro wasn't running. Taxis claimed to drop us off at the famous market, but we struggled to find anything much... We wandered many backstreets, and concluded that it was just early (for Ramadan) and everyone was probably not quite up yet. Cairo streets are covered in gunk and litter and smelly things, and they're tight and winding. I love them. The high walls and narrow paths created an effect the closest to being hugged by a city I have ever felt. We visited a couple of churches that we were ushered into by locals, before stumbling across the Mohammed Ali Sibel and learnt about its history. We climbed down a ten metre shaft too, and wandered around in the dark beneath the building. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Heather and I had to head back for midday, and we enjoyed a whirlwind taxi ride. Our driver stopped to ask directions from pizza delivery boys, other taxis, policemen, passers by... We saw a huge amount of the city in the hour it took us to find the hotel, with criss-crossing, elevated main roads providing the perfect viewing platform. Cairo has perhaps the best cityscape I have ever seen. Sprawling and uneven and huge. Bright colours, haphazard shapes, buildings that are jostling for attention. Windows that churn out flapping bedsheets, streamers of electrical wires; low roofs beside high walls, supporting slouching heaps of sand, bricks and mud. The feeling that everything is always moving and the overriding sensation that something is always happening in your peripherals. Needless to say, a half day was not enough. I will be back. Our predicted hour-and-a-half journey to the aiport took barely half an hour. Free wifi at Cairo International could sure teach Heathrow a thing or two... The airport was near enough a ghost town during the late afternoon. Staff were laid back and friendl…
name: Day Twenty Two: Cairo
published: 2011-08-19T12:48:00.001Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: cairo
tag: egypt
tag: mohammed+ali+sibel
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-19T12:48:15.078Z

days-eighteen-felucca
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-2752040122052143382
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: Our felucca was a small boat covered in a foam matress, a few cushions and little else. There was a cabin at the front for the guys who were both sailing the thing, and cooking our food. Thus, we lounged around. That is all. The toilet was amongst riverbank bushes, and the shower was the Nile. The Nile is exceptionally refreshing, by the way. We moored for breakfast, lunch and dinner; local food, prepared and cooked by the felucca crew, was among the best we'd had on the trip. Lounging, for those wanting more detail, consisted of reading, writing, sleeping, playing cards, listening to music, sleeping, reading, playing cards and sleeping. This challenging routine was broken up by jumping into the Nile and holding onto a rope that trailed behind the boat. Then climbing back onto the boat to dry off in the sun and resume the lounging. The morning after the second night on the felucca, we had arrived about an hour's drive away from Aswan. Nev picked us up with the truck, and we drove all the way back to Luxor. En route, we stopped at Edfu Temple for an hour. This quickly ranked as my favourite one. It was huge, plenty of places to get lost in, and enormous walls covered in heiroglyphics. After lunch in Luxor, we spent a few hours at Rezeiky Camp (where we stayed previously) thoroughly cleaning the truck. When that was done we headed into town for dinner - more kushari! Without getting lost, this time. Back at the camp we jumped in the pool for a bit (the pool which is distinctly more of a funny colour than the Nile, and into which you cannot see further than a few inches). we cleaned up, packed everything, and headed to Luxor train station, saying goodbye to Nev and the truck for the last time. An hour later than scheduled, the eight-hour overnight train journey commenced.
name: Days Eighteen, Nineteen and Twenty: Felucca sailin', then back to Luxor
published: 2011-08-19T11:48:00.002Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: aswan
tag: chilling+out
tag: cleaning+truck
tag: doing+nothing
tag: egypt
tag: felucca
tag: idling
tag: laziness
tag: luxor
tag: nile
tag: sailing
tag: train
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-19T12:07:53.040Z

days-eleven-twelve-sinai
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-8756207059690457372
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: An idle day. I sat around the hotel writing a lot. H returned from her kitesurfing course mid-afternoon and we had a mosey around town. We regrouped with everyone else for dinner in a nice sea-front restaurant that was a lot like all of the other nice sea-front restaurants we had eaten at. Apple moussaka was good. Then we drove to Sinai. About an hour from Dahab. And we climbed the mountain. Our local guide consitently told us to take it easy. We were all already exhaisted, so the climb was slow and steady and probably took about two hours. The night was hot and thirsty and our way was was lit only by our torches. The trail consited mostly of a gentle slope with steeper parts being roughly stepped. There are a number of huts selling cold drinks at gradually escalating prices en route. At the top, our guide reccommended to us his favourite rock and we settled for a bit. Sitting still in a high place became chilly but we al fell asleep for an hour or so. Based on what we had learnt was possible in Israel, we decided that we were napping in the EXACT spot that Moses recieved the Ten Commandments. The sunrise took ages, and by this time a massive group of Australian and Italian pilgrims had arrived at the top, singing and praying obnoxiously (in my opinion) and somewhat disrupting the notion of a nice peaceful sunrise.. Many also seemed to be intrigued by the fact we were camped out on a ledge below the peak, to the extent that they started taking photos. Once the sun was firmly above the horizon our guide summoned us and we opted for the 3000 steps route to the bottom. This meant no other annoying tourists, and plenty of shade. Not to mention some awesome views of heaps of rocks. We got back to the truck around 7am where Dave and Nev had French toast and beans waiting for us. Then, we drove. And almost exclusively slept. We stopped for lunch at Pizza Hut (vastly superiour food and prices compared to the UK) as next to nothing was open because of Ramadan. We camped in t…
name: Days Eleven and Twelve: More Dahab and Mount Sinai
published: 2011-08-12T20:32:00.002Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: dahab
tag: egypt
tag: moses
tag: mt+sinai
tag: sunrise
tag: ten+commandments
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-12T20:41:10.552Z

days-seven-eight-dahab
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-7764270403879747618
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: We spent our first day in Dahab chilling out in restaurants by the beach, splashing about by the Red Sea and recovering from the ferry. Contrary to first impression, Dahab turned out to be fantastic. Locals are friendly and welcoming, food is incredibly cheap and the sea is warm and salty. We're staying at Bishbishi hotel with clean and comfortable grounds and excessively friendly thoughtful staff. There are cats everywhere. Breakfast is good. Aircon costs extra and H initially refused to contribute. She changed her mind after waking up at 4am melted to the bed. (Only about £1.50 per day). It's been around 47 degrees here during the day, but a continuous breeze has made it entirely bearable. In the evenings we enjoyed copious amounts of food (and shisha for those who chose to partake) with massive discounts due to the highly competitive atmosphere. We then hit the cocktail bars and drinking and dancing commenced. More than one person ended the night a little worse for the wear. During day eight we were driven to the Three Pools for snorkling which I really enjoyed. Many many colourful fish and not-quite-healthy reef. Plus a good amount of lazing about in the sun was indulged in. We're making the most out of not living on the road while we can.
name: Days Seven and Eight: Dahab
published: 2011-08-04T19:36:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: dahab
tag: egypt
tag: travel
updated: 2011-08-04T19:36:39.544Z

fiction-more
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-4249352792275276195
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: I wrote two stories today! Without even the random words. I'm on fire. One was inspired by old people at the bus stop (maybe getting out of the house helped?) and I titled it An Inconvenient Youth. I'm still in debates with myself about this. The second was a ten minute jobby that I started two paragraphs before I finished the first (indeed, on the same document) and I called Whut is Lurve Anyhaw?. It similarly takes place on a bus, but is a primarily a monologue in what I hope is a southern US accent. Both of these stories are currently on an adventure along with the conspicuously absent Ethel and Jake, which should take no longer than two months or so to complete. Depending on the outcome of the adventure, they may arrive here.
name: Fiction and more fiction!
published: 2011-08-30T21:58:00.000Z
tag: doing
tag: Doing
tag: fiction
tag: story
tag: writing
updated: 2013-03-23T02:17:42.113Z

forced-fiction
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-1860806766088356945
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: A quick explanation in advance of future posts. The concept of forced fiction is well known and popular, but I've never heard it called that before. I think it's an appropriate name. Normally I write because I have an idea. When I don't have many ideas, or I'm preoccupied with other things, I go for enormous stretches of time without a word of fiction leaving my pen. Recent events have made me realise that there exists an upward spiral; writing often both improves the quality of prose, and the frequency of ideas generated. But ideas from nowhere are a blessing, and not to be taken for granted. Thus, forced fiction. A minimum of every two days, if I haven't written anything idea-based, I will generate five random words using this, for example, and not move until I've written a piece of flash (or longer, if the mood takes me) containing them all. And in a crazy and unforeseen turn of events, I'm going to post them on here. Unless I really like them, then I'm going to keep them to myself. So now you know.
name: Forced Fiction: a definition
published: 2011-08-21T15:30:00.000Z
tag: doing
tag: Doing
tag: forced+fiction
tag: story
tag: writing
updated: 2013-03-23T02:18:15.041Z

forced-fiction-2
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-6649387906420521642
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: (What is forced fiction?) [Words were generated randomly. I swear I didn't expect them to be this topical.] Little Steve poked at the pile of circuitry in front of him with a screwdriver the length of his forearm. His nose wrinkled with concentration as he carefully extracted a string of spaghetti. His father would not be pleased. As usual, the aliens had come whilst his parents were sleeping. Last time it had only been the TV remote that they'd abducted. The time before that it was a standing lamp. This time, it was his father's brand new Macintosh computer. Steve did not want to be around for his dad's reaction, but being four-years- and-seven-months old, he struggled to find excuses to be absent from the house. So he would have to face the consequences. They always blamed him of course; not when things went missing, but when they came back. Because most of the time, things came back having been partially transformed into something tasty. The lamp had been embedded with chocolate chips. The insides of the remote, filled with ice cream. They never believed him when he explained about the aliens and their faulty teleporter. His mother just eyed him with suspicious terror, and his father talked in a stern voice about respecting peoples' things, and the cost of psychological counselling. Steve reached for tweezers in an attempt to extract flecks of bolognese. The machine had been quite literally turned inside out before being dosed with a hearty Italian meal. It may well be beyond salvation. He sighed, rolling his eyes at the spot in the night sky in which he knew their mothership resided. If their pattern of taking increasingly sophisticated devices was to continue, something must be done. Steve crept through the dark house and reached a tiny hand onto the desk in the study. The hand withdrew with his father's billfold clutched firmly inside. He extracted all of the notes, and returned the wallet to its previous position. Tiptoeing through the kitchen, tiles chilling…
name: Forced fiction 2: billfold, circuitry, macintosh, reaction, usual
published: 2011-08-25T23:34:00.006Z
tag: doing
tag: Doing
tag: fiction
tag: flash
tag: forced+fiction
tag: story
tag: writing
updated: 2013-03-23T02:18:03.400Z

forced-fiction-3
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-5937009293604152759
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: (What is forced fiction?) [This one was tough. Two two-hundred-word false starts, at least twenty four hours of unproductivity and a session on 750words to force extraction of every thought that drifted through my mind, however insignificant, later...] [Disclaimer: All persons and scenarios portrayed her are fictional, and any resemblance to real people and places is entirely coincidental.] Life circumstances twisted and turned, times changed, redundancies occurred, and one way or another, I found myself living with my mother again. I'd been back in the family home for two whole weeks before I became suspicious. The house routine had changed little in the years I'd been away. My mother worked her way through consistent mountains of laundry and ironing, courtesy of my siblings. She cooked and cleaned and tended the garden. She complained that the house was always a mess and that she never had time to read or play the piano. She claimed to relish rainy days because she could resist the allure of the outside world, and do chores in the house. She incorporated my laundry into the household cycle and it was easy to let her take over. She ironed clothes of mine that I hadn't ironed in years, insisting it was necessary. She was critical in conversations with neighbours and family friends about having to 'look after' me again now I was home, but wouldn't let me cook for myself and swore she loved having me around the house. She was at home all the time during the summer. She had a job change to look forward to at the beginning of the next school year. It involved fewer hours and less responsibility. To her, this was a promotion, and she frequently mentioned how much she anticipated creating a new routine around her work, finishing chores in the afternoons and having weekends free for gardening and baking. Her hobbies truly were the household tasks, and she was always engaged with them. But she was right. The house was always a mess. Not dirty, just untidy. Disorganised, clu…
name: Forced fiction 3: bottom, cabbage, concealing, promotion, strip
published: 2011-08-29T21:16:00.000Z
tag: doing
tag: Doing
tag: fiction
tag: forced+fiction
tag: story
tag: writing
updated: 2013-03-23T02:17:52.503Z

intermission-truck
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-5461951970988262630
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: Overlanding means lots of driving, and driving means a vehicle. A vehice means a confined space, which in turn means patience and cooperation. The Oasis trucks are built to house 24 people, plus a tour leader and driver. We are fortunate in that there have been only eight to nine of us in total on this trip. We've been able to spread out,sleep across the seats and have had plenty of storage space to ourselves. Storage is in an overhead rack and in space below which we access by removing our seats. Seats are along the edge of the truck facing inwards. Beneath the floor in the central walkway, food and various communal things are stored. There is also a selection of books and games. The truck is air oinditioned by means of entirely open windows. Plastic sheets roll down the side in the event that it does need sealing. In our current location, these have a serious greenhouse effect. When we tire of sitting or lying on the regular seats, there's the beach. This is an open space behind and just above the truck's cab. It is usually both really hot and windy up there and is a great spot for a view. It can get violently bouncy up there on desert roads; of course we are strictly not allowed up there whilst we're moving.. When the truck stops, the kitchen unfolds. Sheets of metal surround a blackened, gas-powwered hob, and cooking is generally done in a series of enormous saucepans. The kettle is usually boiled over an open campfire for tea and coffee. Stuff is prepared on a foldup table, and three washing up bowls are ritualistically laid out (water, bubbles, disinfectant). Food is brought locally or taken from the stash of tins or dried food on the truck. Cook groups (pairs in our case) were assigned at the start and everyone pitches in with their own washing up, which operates a lot like a production line and is extremely efficient. Travellers may often be seen waving plates and pans and cutlery around for minutes at a time. This is a highly sophisticated pot drying techni…
name: Intermission: Life on the Oasis truck
published: 2011-08-12T21:17:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: middle+east
tag: oasis+overland
tag: overlanding
tag: travel
tag: truck
updated: 2011-08-12T21:17:33.870Z

story-about-being
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-2469134646843477339
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: [13th August 2011] The grazes on Kip's palms stung, pressed tightly against the icy cold rock. Water seeped into the belly of his tshirt and front of his tattered pants as he scraped his body along the unforgiving stone. Though the crevasse through which he crawled was getting smaller, he continued to inch onward. Kip had an inkling that his father's life depended on his progress, and the several tonnes of grey rock closing in on him from every direction did nothing to persuade him to give in. For the tenth time in as many minutes, the boy swallowed his fear and crept forward another arms length. His breaths became shallower as space in which to expand his lungs decreased; cheek pressed against stone, a single tear merged with the veins of water already tracing the surface. He tried to move again, an inch, a millimetre. He squeezed his eyes closed and pushed his head until his temples groaned, but the barrier would not yield.
name: A story about being trapped, which presently has no end.
published: 2011-08-26T22:38:00.000Z
tag: doing
tag: Doing
tag: fiction
tag: story
tag: writing
updated: 2013-04-01T01:51:23.065Z

hi-amy
type: Note
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-2483112656392046304
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/03397581150789452230
content: hi Amy Dr Mark Wright from Informatics. Good to meet you last week. Glad to see you experimenting with stuff like this. I am interested in interactive narrative. I did stuff related to Joyce and Ulysses played out in the city using mobile phones. It occurred to me that the same thing could start happening to people who visited the site, like the film crew. Maybe you could make a site that was like a wasp trap jam jar that brings real visitors into a story and then "kills" or freezes them and then in time and makes them part of the next victims story. If it was facebook maybe you could use their profile info/image. A feeling like the end of the Shining when the camera pans through the hotel and you see a young Jack in a picture from 1921. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCUGYgWSz8c Maybe you could put facebook visitors in a picture something like that. So they know they have been captured and then the crowd just grows and grows with new victims of the page? best regards Mark
published: 2011-09-23T20:48:37.535Z
summary: Amy wrote about something
updated: 2011-09-23T20:48:37.535Z

investigate-door
type: Note
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-7180974264920975422
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/14496078324895787574
content: Investigate door_
published: 2011-09-23T07:31:38.577Z
summary: Amy wrote about something
updated: 2011-09-23T07:31:38.577Z

msc-research
type: Article
tmpcontent: # MSc by research Interdisciplinary Creative Practices ## Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh Core classes taught concepts from architecture, philosophy, art, sociology, media theory, political sciences, choreography, design, history, literature... and who knows what else. My eyes were opened to a million new ways of thinking about the world. I started to understand 'research by practice' and the value of play. There was still a lot of artsy crap I couldn't accept, but it was mostly okay. I took electives inside my comfort zone, from the School of Informatics (Advanced Natural Language Processing and Multi-agent Semantic Web Systems). I worked on group projects with an awesome and diverse bunch of people from whom I learnt a lot. ### Thesis: *Location-aware literature* (I cleverly wrote this thesis in Google Docs, but I might translate it to HTML and link to it one day). I worked with a couple of people in the English Literature department to build Palimpsest, a web app (with Python and JavaScript on Google AppEngine) that shows you historical texts based on your location as you walk around a city. I spent most time on the authoring interface, for plotting texts onto a map. The project is still going, though it's morphed now and outgrown the code I wrote. I'd intended to develop this into a full blown interactive fiction engine and authoring system that let you draw the world map onto a real map, so that players could navigate the story by moving around IRL. I didn't pull that off, but I mocked it up.
actor: me
content: Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh Core classes taught concepts from architecture, philosophy, art, sociology, media theory, political sciences, choreography, design, history, literature... and who knows what else. My eyes were opened to a million new ways of thinking about the world. I started to understand 'research by practice' and the value of play. There was still a lot of artsy crap I couldn't accept, but it was mostly okay. I took electives inside my comfort zone, from the School of Informatics (Advanced Natural Language Processing and Multi-agent Semantic Web Systems). I worked on group projects with an awesome and diverse bunch of people from whom I learnt a lot. Thesis: Location-aware literature (I cleverly wrote this thesis in Google Docs, but I might translate it to HTML and link to it one day). I worked with a couple of people in the English Literature department to build Palimpsest, a web app (with Python and JavaScript on Google AppEngine) that shows you historical texts based on your location as you walk around a city. I spent most time on the authoring interface, for plotting texts onto a map. The project is still going, though it's morphed now and outgrown the code I wrote. I'd intended to develop this into a full blown interactive fiction engine and authoring system that let you draw the world map onto a real map, so that players could navigate the story by moving around IRL. I didn't pull that off, but I mocked it up.
end time: 2012-08-17T00:00:00+0100
name: MSc by research Interdisciplinary Creative Practices
published: 2011-09-01T09:00:00+0100
start time: 2011-09-01T00:00:00+0100
tag: academia
tag: cv
tag: edinburgh+college+of+art
tag: education
tag: geolocation
tag: google+appengine
tag: icp
tag: interactive+fiction
tag: interdisciplinary+creative+practices
tag: msc
tag: nlp
tag: python
tag: resume
tag: text+adventures
tag: university+of+edinburgh

so-glad-you-feel
type: Note
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-7631509823518887782
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/14496078324895787574
content: So glad you feel that you are in the right place! It sounds awesome! I can't wait to come up and visit! (btw, just checked out your site in a sensible web browser - looks great! Plus the Georgia is a lovely font.)
published: 2011-09-18T21:17:58.189Z
summary: Amy wrote about something
updated: 2011-09-18T21:17:58.189Z

university-2
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-1620748948005162711
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: I'm excited. I'm scared. I'm filled with anticipation. My feet are tired, my brain is in overdrive, and my imagination is on fire. And classes haven't even started yet. I'm inspired by the city. It's beautiful; wet and green and cobbled. Each and every one of the University buildings I've seen has a character all of its own. I've walked many miles further than necessary, over the past seven days, mostly due to map-related incompetencies. I can't wait to hit the multitude of museums and delve into the vibrant history embedded within these streets. I'm inspired by the University. Tours of the facilities this week have blown my mind and stripped limitations from my imagination. In my leap from science to art, it suddenly seems okay to break all the rules, okay to experiment, and - though I have not quite come to terms with this idea yet - okay to consider form over function. I'm inspired by the people. Somewhat unexpectedly (perhaps I didn't do enough background research before I came), University staff involved with my course have histories, projects and research in areas that directly map to my interests and passions, some of which I'd almost forgotten I had. My coursemates are a diverse bunch, with backgrounds in literature, music, film, art and social sciences, and there is not a doubt in my mind that our skills will complement each other perfectly as we collaborate on projects over the year ahead. I'm inspired by freshers week. I've gone along to meetings and events organised by a ton of different societies, mostly food related. I've met some great people whose names I've already forgotten. I've picked up plenty of free stuff, and I've talked to plenty of strangers in that way that is only really socially acceptable during freshers week. I'm daunted by age and by time. I've hung out with first years, and felt horrendously old upon realising I'm no longer eighteen. I've been to postgraduate events, and become tiny in a room full of people who are all older, wiser, …
name: University 2.0: first impressions of a new world
published: 2011-09-17T19:39:00.001Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: braindump
tag: edinburgh
tag: icp
tag: interdisciplinary+creative+practices
tag: university
updated: 2011-09-17T19:45:46.330Z

fiction-hero
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-114047751981265645
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: [February 2009] “Ours is but a small existence. We are but simple people. On this planet of ours, superheroes were but stories. Until today. We are gathered here to give thanks to the new Hero of Monarar, the almighty Ora. No-one knows from whence he came or where he goes. No-one knows how it comes that he moves so fast, predicts events with such precision. No-one knows why he has no tail, why his skin is dark, why his ears are sideways on his head. But it is to him we owe our utmost gratitude. It is he who freed us – who will continue to free us – from those that seek to imprison and enslave. “We must support him as he travels our planet, rescuing villages, saving families. “Here is to Ora the tailless, Ora the Hero of Monarar!⁂ The applause was deafening. “Why didn’t I take the gloves?⁂ Ora mumbled to himself. The rock was grazing his palms as he scrambled up the near-vertical cliff face. “Because you’re a moron,⁂ replied his subconscious. “Oh, I won’t need gloves. It’s not like I’ll be going anywhere cold, or, or doing any climbing. Moron.⁂ “Shuddup,⁂ Ora spat. “Either shuddup or get out of my head and help, why dontcha? Huh?⁂ “Hows about you keep climbing, how about that? Oh, watch out.⁂ The blast of a laser smacked into the rock an arm’s reach above his head, and Ora ducked in time to dodge the heap of dislodged stone that tumbled down onto him. “Oh some sixth sense you are. Warn me about a laser blast that’s already hit the rock. Nice work.⁂ “I warned you! It didn’t hit you, did it?⁂ “Waste of good coin you were. ‘Revolutionise your life’ my rear end. Just a pity you don’t come with a mute function,⁂ Ora continued to grumble as he climbed. His subconscious reluctantly helped guide his limbs, warning him before he put his weight on unsteady outcrops, or grasped at stones that were not well attached to the surface, and occasionally to hesitate in time to avoid the lasers of those that were targeting him. In the village, children were crying for their mothers. Mo…
name: Fiction: The Hero of Monarar
published: 2011-10-05T16:46:00.000Z
tag: fiction
tag: flash
tag: story
tag: writing
updated: 2013-03-23T02:17:12.752Z

interactive-bliction-2
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-3149512785497720837
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: Investigate door. Your eyes are drawn again to the marks on the small door, and you squint, taking a tentative step forward. A small cloud of powder rises around your foot, and a floorboard creaks. The creak is low, and to you, sounds welcoming. Like the house is inviting you in. Encouraged by this, you continue. You have to watch out for the things cluttering the floor, and step carefully around an upturned plastic chair. That obviously wasn't part of the original décor, and despite the heavy coating of dust, you assume it must have been left by the documentary crew. Your foot clacks against something heavy. Look at floor. The dust makes everything the same dark grey, but there are distinct shapes that you can see. Several small plastic chairs are visible, laying on their sides or with their legs pointing into the air. A standing lamp with a wide shade has fallen over at the foot of the stairs, to your left. There's a knee- hight rectangular box against a wall to your right, with what looks like a padlock hanging from the front, and beside it lie pieces of a large and once- ornate vase. At your feet is something long and narrow, and a glimmer of metal peeks through the dust. When your foot made contact, it felt pretty solid. You kick it again to roll it over, and dust peels away to reveal a brassy candlestick holder. Take candlestick holder. You pick up the object, about half the length of your forearm. The metal is cool, but surprisingly not cold. Feeling like you need a souvenir, you tuck it into your coat pocket, and continue to pick your way across the hall. Inventory. In your coat pockets you have the candlestick holder, half a bar of Dairy Milk, and the keys to your flat. In your trouser pocket is your mobile phone, which is turned off so your friends won't disturb you, and some change. Investigate door. The small door is in front of you, and to your left is the sturdy looking bannister that runs up the side of the staircase. You could touch the bannister and…
name: Interactive-Bliction: > Investigate door.
published: 2011-10-06T16:14:00.002Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: fiction
tag: IF
tag: interactive+bliction
tag: interactive+fiction
tag: story
tag: writing
tag: if
updated: 2013-04-01T01:51:11.712Z

nanowrimo-pre
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-5807979824494744510
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: I've never sat up and counted down to the first of November before. In 2007 I used Nanowrimo as an opportunity to kick myself into writing some more of a novel I started many years ago (reaching 35k new words by the end of the month) and in 2008 I took part in earnest, came up with a totally fresh idea the night before and hit the fifty thousand, two hundred and twenty ninth word of Milo's World before midnight on the 30th. It was, quite simply, the best feeling. In both 2009 and 2010, my degree objected strongly, and I didn't even try. This year, I know what being too busy to take part feels like, and I know what missing out feels like. But I also know what taking part feels like, and I know what winning feels like. This year, I'm writing an old idea in a new way. A short story from around 2007 sparked novel scribblings in 2009, which got left to fester. Looking at these scribblings with eyes two years older, I plan to take the core concept and solidify it into something readable. That's the theory, at least. I'm terribly excited about creating some new lives. Then destroying one of those lives, and watching the effects cascade. I'm mostly nervous because I've never written anything set truly in this universe before. Fifty percent of Milo's World was, and that fifty percent was from the point of view of a child with an enormously vivid imagination, so that doesn't really count. A good chunk of Currently Untitled will be set inside the main character's head; a head which is subject to the physics and realities of this universe regardless of how much her mind tries rebel against them. Her name is Harriet, by the way, and her little daughter is Rosy. I'll probably tweet about them as real people, because for the next 30 days, they might as well be. Rosy's dad is called Zeke, and Harriet's inconsequential boyfriend's name is Paul, as far as I know. I'm also aware of the existence of Patrice, a panda with an eye patch, and Arthur, a tiny penguin. I'll probably post some…
name: Nanowrimo: Pre-madness
published: 2011-10-31T23:52:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: fiction
tag: nanowrimo
tag: writing
updated: 2013-04-01T01:51:01.153Z

spells-wear-out
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-173028562666338053
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: One of the first lessons Turald learned during his time at Castle Qythe was that spells wear out. They weaken, they lose their power, the more they are used. They were all taught this, he and his classmates, probably in their very first week of study. But few eight year olds take this kind of wisdom to heart. Most are keen to crack on with casting, and nobody thought to question why some of their oldest tutors never demonstrated even the simplest of enchantments. For as long as he could remember, Turald had loved to explore dark places. He loved to see what was out of sight; to make known the unknown. When he was fifteen, he discovered a whole section of the castle's cellars that had been lost for centuries. To the delight of his wizened mentors, the expanse he found was filled with age-old liquor which had been promptly and enthusiastically excavated. It was from then that his freedom had been unofficially granted to roam and explore the castle grounds as extensively as he saw fit. Recognising his gift for discovery, Turald's studymaster, the ancient but sprightly Professor Chalmak, quietly overlooked Turald's disregard for out-of-hours and restricted-area rules that were strictly imposed upon the other students. In a broom cupboard, Turald once found a mousehole that lead two hundred metres north and seventy four years into the past. One of the seniors had been able to use this to make peace with a long-dead, estranged father who had been in that classroom, all those years ago. In the shadowy corner of the library marked 'secret', Turald had found the headmaster's daughter, missing for over forty years. In a tunnel that he had found through crawling into a large oak chest, Turald uncovered a delicate glass vial containing the last breath of the first philosopher. When Turald realised that his elders thought him special for his findings, he began to keep a diary of them. Through his diary entries, he noticed patterns in his actions. Or rather, repetitions. The shed…
name: Spells wear out
published: 2011-10-29T13:52:00.003Z
tag: doing
tag: Doing
tag: fiction
tag: story
tag: writing
updated: 2013-04-01T01:51:07.104Z

use-candle
type: Note
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-425692911409145654
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/14496078324895787574
content: Use candle stick as lever.
published: 2011-10-06T16:34:20.885Z
summary: Amy wrote about something
updated: 2011-10-06T16:34:20.885Z

interdisciplinary
type: Article
bloggerid: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18505529.post-8467511486840677949
actor: http://www.blogger.com/profile/12227954801080178130
content: tl;dr - My MSc group made an art installation. Me? Art? Shocking, right. I've formed some new ideas and opinions, and had lots of fun in the meantime. Photos coming soon. This semester I have been one fifth of the brains behind the ICP Group Project. Our brief was essentially to make something between us by December. There's quite a lot of scope there. The fact that we're working out of the College of Art probably also leant a few assumptions to what the final outcome should be. When we started this adventure, I was still coming to terms with the notion that not everything needed a distinct purpose to be a valid contribution to society. What I mean is, whilst I understood the concept of art in principle, I still couldn't quite align the idea of art for art's sake with my view of the world. During the seminars, research and discussions of the past few months, things like the value of play; the possibilities opened by beginning research without a clear goal; the emergence of new ideas by unfocussed exploration; have all started to round out an initially biased view of the area in which I am now studying. Don't get me wrong. I'm still not going to look at an unadorned mirror on a wall, labelled 'Untitled', and nod my head and make thoughtful noises about the meaning of identity. Some 'art' is just plain silly. But I'm willing to take a little more time to think about the methods and thought processes that went into creating something, and what might be the end result in addition to the physical outcome. It's likely that I'll still be more of a fan of art that was created to raise awareness, to provoke thought, or to explore innovative uses of new media or technology. But art that was created 'just because' will get more of a chance in my books now than it might have done three or four months ago. Being part of this kind of creative process no doubt influenced my altered perspective. We started the semester as five strangers: Katherine, literature; Tina, video editing a…
name: Interdisciplinary Memories
published: 2011-12-15T02:37:00.000Z
tag: done
tag: Done
tag: art
tag: edinburgh
tag: flickr
tag: icp
tag: interdisciplinary+creative+practices
tag: mash-up
tag: twitter
updated: 2011-12-15T17:59:23.106Z

https://rhiaro.co.uk/2011
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