Yesterday was surreal
Two strange things happened yesterday.
Firstly, a member of the lower Sixth approached me in the library yesterday afternoon. He told me how great my D&T coursework was, and what's more, he knew all about reverse keyboard tilts, light-sensitive LED systems, and RSI's (my project was a specialised keyboard tray). He was practically brimming with praise! Apparently, Mr Chapman's been using my project, folder and all, as an exemplar piece of work for the year below me. They're just about to start this major project (I started it a year ago), and as they don't have any up-to-date pieces to show off, the D&T department have chosen mine.
The funny thing is this: The guy who approached me actually knows what my grade is, because Mr Chapman told them. I don't even know my grade yet. He offered to tell me what it was, but seeing as the damn project isn't even fully finished (I need to add a few bits and pieces), I told him I'd rather wait for the 'official' announcement. But it was nice hearing such naked adulation from someone in Year 12. It isn't often I get my ego stroked.
The second weird thing is to do with my old website, http://www.roddie.demon.co.uk/. On it I posted a range of extracts from some of my old novels and short stories, the most infamously notable being part of the Life of a Falcon trilogy. I received an email from Rachel Lisle (no, she's no relation to Holly Lisle), saying that she really liked LOAF and it was a shame I never submitted it. That's amazing in itself, because every person who's read LOAF before has told me what a load of cliched rubbish it was.
Rachel visited this blog, too (*waves* Hi, if you're reading!), and I sent her an email back saying that she's welcome to the rest of the LOAF files if she wants them. In fact, I got the idea of giving the novel to her. I know this sounds weird, and probably unwise, but I will never return to that novel ever again. It has too many memories and connotations associated with it. I wouldn't be able to make a decent rewrite of it. So ... Life of a Falcon is hers to complete, if she wants. I think there is promise there, beneath the congealed layer of crappy plotting, characterisation, style, grammar, spelling and everything else. It is a story that deserves to be told by someone, and if I can't do it, then I think somebody else should have the chance. (And no, Kate, I won't offer it to you, trilogy-type fantasy novel that it is: you will take one look at it and never speak to me again. I know you. :-) Besides, you have your own books to write).
Oh yes, and I also received an email from an old friend, saying that all my work was rubbish and I'd never be published. At least my novels are getting some attention! Who knows? This may be the start of a large fanbase!
So ... a weird day. (Apologies for long and rambling post. Will strive to be more concise in future.)
Stop press
Just got my preliminary marks back for my ICT project (NOT the one I mentioned above). We had ten months to do it, and I did most of the work in the last two. Anyway, here are the marks, subject to moderation:
104/120 : A
Yippee! This is about two grades higher than I needed! And God alone knows how I managed this ... but it's a welcome surprise.
Two strange things happened yesterday.
Firstly, a member of the lower Sixth approached me in the library yesterday afternoon. He told me how great my D&T coursework was, and what's more, he knew all about reverse keyboard tilts, light-sensitive LED systems, and RSI's (my project was a specialised keyboard tray). He was practically brimming with praise! Apparently, Mr Chapman's been using my project, folder and all, as an exemplar piece of work for the year below me. They're just about to start this major project (I started it a year ago), and as they don't have any up-to-date pieces to show off, the D&T department have chosen mine.
The funny thing is this: The guy who approached me actually knows what my grade is, because Mr Chapman told them. I don't even know my grade yet. He offered to tell me what it was, but seeing as the damn project isn't even fully finished (I need to add a few bits and pieces), I told him I'd rather wait for the 'official' announcement. But it was nice hearing such naked adulation from someone in Year 12. It isn't often I get my ego stroked.
The second weird thing is to do with my old website, http://www.roddie.demon.co.uk/. On it I posted a range of extracts from some of my old novels and short stories, the most infamously notable being part of the Life of a Falcon trilogy. I received an email from Rachel Lisle (no, she's no relation to Holly Lisle), saying that she really liked LOAF and it was a shame I never submitted it. That's amazing in itself, because every person who's read LOAF before has told me what a load of cliched rubbish it was.
Rachel visited this blog, too (*waves* Hi, if you're reading!), and I sent her an email back saying that she's welcome to the rest of the LOAF files if she wants them. In fact, I got the idea of giving the novel to her. I know this sounds weird, and probably unwise, but I will never return to that novel ever again. It has too many memories and connotations associated with it. I wouldn't be able to make a decent rewrite of it. So ... Life of a Falcon is hers to complete, if she wants. I think there is promise there, beneath the congealed layer of crappy plotting, characterisation, style, grammar, spelling and everything else. It is a story that deserves to be told by someone, and if I can't do it, then I think somebody else should have the chance. (And no, Kate, I won't offer it to you, trilogy-type fantasy novel that it is: you will take one look at it and never speak to me again. I know you. :-) Besides, you have your own books to write).
Oh yes, and I also received an email from an old friend, saying that all my work was rubbish and I'd never be published. At least my novels are getting some attention! Who knows? This may be the start of a large fanbase!
So ... a weird day. (Apologies for long and rambling post. Will strive to be more concise in future.)
Stop press
Just got my preliminary marks back for my ICT project (NOT the one I mentioned above). We had ten months to do it, and I did most of the work in the last two. Anyway, here are the marks, subject to moderation:
104/120 : A
Yippee! This is about two grades higher than I needed! And God alone knows how I managed this ... but it's a welcome surprise.
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