Month: September 2019

Titles are not my forte

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Well, I’ve spent all weekend finalising my text adventure game for the Adventuron CaveJam, and it’s up online – just in the nick of time! If you like text adventures, you can play it here. The CaveJam ends at midnight tonight, but if you want to play about with making your own text adventures, Adventuron Classroom is really easy to learn.

(The game is called ‘The Cave of Hoarding’. As you’ll know if you read this blog every day, titles are far from my strong point.)

Tomorrow is going to be a day where I don’t have to use my brain!

The Ouseburn
Not an OOTD: I went out at lunchtime today to take a few last-minute photographs to help create the art for my game. I didn’t use this picture of the burn, but it’s very pretty.

Today’s earworm playlist:

Michael Land – The Cook
Michael Land – LeChuck’s Evil Stories
Michael Land – DeSinge’s Theme

(Yup, this is the outcome of constantly listening to Monkey Island soundtracks for two weeks to get me in the mood for coding. I expect Michael Land’s tunes will remain in my head for some time.)

Flying Saturday post

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No picture today because I’m already half asleep. I was up early for parkrun this morning and have spent the rest of the day working on my text adventure game. Same again tomorrow (with less running).

Today’s earworm playlist:

Michael Land – DeSinge’s Theme
Michael Land – Club 41
Michael Land – Spinner Cay
Mott The Hoople – Saturday Gigs
Sacre – The London Marathon
Yuzo Koshiro – The Lounge Where We Speak Of Tomorrow
Yuzo Koshiro – The Roadside Trees Outside The Window
Korobeiniki (the Tetris theme music)
Girls Aloud – Something New
Duran Duran – Rio
The Four Bucketeers – The Bucket Of Water Song
Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell
Duran Duran – Hungry Like The Wolf [Steve Aoki Remix]

Scene infinity

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I spent pretty much all day today finishing off an entry for another writing competition. It was a scriptwriting competition this time, and I always find script takes a bit more out of me than prose or poetry. Very tired now! Looking forward to a slightly less brain-heavy weekend coding my text adventure and practising my ukulele.

I’m also going to head to parkrun in the morning to stretch my legs! Haven’t been out for a run in a week.

Spider plant
Not an OOTD: my spider plant is looking a lot less tired than I am today.

Today’s earworm playlist:

Michael Land – The Scumm Bar (MI4)
Mousse T vs. Hot & Juicy – Horny
Michael Land – The Drinking Contest

Venturing forth

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After heading to my earlier Slimming World weigh-in this morning, I settled in for a day of writing. Today I’ve been mainly working on my text adventure game, which has been a lot of fun – it’s fascinating working out how to code all the puzzles.

Brain is a bit frazzled now though, so I’ll be having a quiet evening!

Adventuron Classroom
Not an OOTD: the online programme I’ve been using for my text adventure. Highly recommended if you’ve ever fancied a go at making a videogame!

Today’s earworm playlist:

Michael Land – Wally Crying
Kate Bush – Wow
Village People – In The Navy
Jeremy Soule – Dragonborn

Back to the Wednesday routine

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I slept a little longer last night, which is a good thing. I was still up fairly promptly to get a good day of writing in – I’ve got two competitions I want to submit to this weekend, so I’ll be busy all week getting these projects finished.

I then headed off to my first ukulele class of the term this evening. I was a bit nervous about moving up to the intermediate class – if it hadn’t been for the fact that they changed the times of the classes (meaning that beginners class now clashes with poetry night once a month), I might have stayed in beginners for another term. However, the pieces that were introduced tonight are very manageable – a bit challenging, and I’ll need to get back to practising every day, but I will have definitely nailed them by the end of term.

I’m going to an earlier Slimming World weigh-in tomorrow morning so that I can have another productive day of writing!

Tyne Bridge, September 2019
Not an OOTD: the Tyne Bridge still has its Great North Run sign on and looked absolutely beautiful from outside the Sage Gateshead tonight.

Today’s earworm playlist:

2 Unlimited – No Limit
Michael Land – Sea Cucumber
Revo – Horizon Of Light And Shadow
Peter Hames – Ordinary Man
Jim Croce – Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
Jackson Browne – Rosie

Shetland cheesecake roundup

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I’m a little late with my holiday cheesecake roundup this year. It’s not nearly as long as my Toronto cheesecake roundup from last summer, but I still found a couple while we were away!

1. Orkney fudge cheesecake – Northlink Ferries

Orkney fudge cheesecake

Well recommended if you find yourself on a ferry in this part of the world. The fudge taste was fantastic and the texture was just right.

2. Raspberry cheesecake – Waterfront Bar & Grill

Raspberry cheesecake

The advertised cheesecake of the day was some kind of lime concoction, but they must have run out, because when my brother Malcolm and I ordered cheesecake we got this raspberry flavour with white chocolate sticks on the top. It was a bit too light and tasteless – Malcolm described it as ‘like fat-free raspberry yoghurt’ and I had to agree.

Short but sweet list this year. Hoping for a more cheesecake-filled holiday next summer 🙂

Still finding alternative worlds

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I find I’m waking up really early at the moment – lots to do, lots to think about. It does mean more productive mornings, so I’ll take it for now.

As such, I was at my ‘desk’ at eight this morning, meaning that I managed to get all of my admin and most of my writing jobs done by the time I had to leave for my lunchtime hair appointment. I got on with more writing and coding for the rest of the afternoon, and am now looking forward to an evening of videogames. I know I’m doing the same thing every night at the moment, but I’m finding it really relaxing!

Tomorrow evening will be different, though, as ukulele class starts again after the summer break! I’m really looking forward to it.

OOTD 17th September 2019
OOTD: new hair, same as usual new hair! Plus another cosy ’80s jumper. Glasses Emporio Armani (2017), jumper Ellend (vintage 1980s, bought at vintage fair 2019).

Today’s earworm playlist:

Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?
Duran Duran – Hungry Like The Wolf
Duran Duran – Girls On Film
Yuzo Koshiro – Labyrinth I: Emerald Woodlands
Murray Gold and Neil Hannon – Love Don’t Roam
Jess Glynne – All I Am

2019 Pizzas #18: Sainsbury’s Stonebaked Margherita

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This oven pizza has been a recent go-to since our local Sainbury’s stopped stocking my favourite Dr Oetker Ristorante ones.

Sainsbury's Stonebaked Margherita
Sainsbury’s Stonebaked Margherita.

I’ve had this pizza a couple of times now but I keep forgetting to take a picture. When I’m hungry it’s not something I remember.

The taste is a bit generic, but it’s got a really nice texture when cooked properly. It’s also really good as a lighter option, as it’s quite small – although I find it’s not filling enough if I haven’t eaten a lot that day.

Creative endeavours

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Nice productive start to the week today. I sorted out my entry for a poetry competition, got a good couple of hours in working on the text adventure game that I’m creating for the Adventuron CaveJam going on this month, and spent the afternoon sorting out admin and things in the house.

Another evening of videogames beckons! I’ll be out and about doing various things tomorrow, but hopefully I’ll be able to get some more writing work done as well.

OOTD 16th September 2019
OOTD: it’s another of my cosy ’80s jumpers. I’ll be sick of them by April but right now they’re a novelty again! Glasses Emporio Armani (2017), jumper Jac (vintage 1980s, bought at vintage fair 2018).

Today’s earworm playlist:

Rei Kondoh – Watery Music Box
Revo – The Civil War Country
Korobeiniki (the Tetris theme music)
The Drifters – Saturday Night At The Movies