Seren and the New Mabinogion

Seren have commissioned a series of books from Welsh writers, the first two being White Ravens by Owen Sheers and The Ninth Wave by Russell Celyn Jones. I'm elated, obsessed with the Mabinogion as I am, but also frustrated.

Seren should have commissioned me to write my version of Blodeuwedd. It's contemporary, gay, urban; everything Welsh Publishing houses seem to like at the moment. I've got any amount of short stories, poems, experimental fiction and plays - all of which I've been told are too experimental, too urban to be published. No one wants to take risks. The one lead I have is an editor said he wanted to read a novel based on Geraint and Nathalie, after reading a few short stories about them. They are my favourite characters to write about; I've been writing about them for so long that they wrote their own stories now, it's like I just write down the exploits of two friends that I'm growing older with. Great though they are, and fun as they are to write - they are the stories most rooted in the real world. I wish it was the 50s and I was a beat writer. I wish the editor had asked to read about Nathalie and Geraint living in Antiville, my bleak near-future Welsh city. I wish I had more time to write the Geraint novel, or that someone would publish a collection of stories if I promised to write the Geraint novel afterwards. Get me and my angst. It's like being fifteen again.
I read contemporary fiction, and a lot of it frustrates and depresses me. How the hell did that get published? And conversely, why did no one buy this book?

I'm setting myself some deadlines. I want to write the Geraint novel by end of March 2010. Parthian are calling for submissions. I need a binding contract, something spiritual I can use. I will write my testament and seal it inside a beloved book and only open it when I have finished writing my novel. Which book to use?

Off at a tangent again. I love the idea of a New Mabinogion, I absolutely love it - but I am worried that the Blodeuwedd story will be ruined. It won't be as good as mine.

Nadolig Llawen

It's that time of year, my Christmas EP is being released today 6th December. I'm having a mediaeval yuletide this year - game pie, pheasant, cranberry and apple chutney, homemade presents (mostly knitted, sewn or carved from wood) and I have orange and clove pomanders drying on the radiator in my bedroom. It started off as being homemade out of neccessity, I'm skint this year, but it's grown and kind of consumed me since July! I'm all about the mediaeval Christmas this year, oranges, cinnamon and cloves all the way.

This mediaevality (no such word, I know) informed this year's EP. I make an EP as a Christmas card every year, and it usually has at least one 16th century melody on it, along with some Nintendo samples - but this time I just used tunes and words from the 1400s to the 1700s. I'm pleased with how it's turned out, but it's way more melancholy than typically Christmas songs are.

It's free to download, just click on the picture. Hope you like it.

Nadiolig Llawen x

The Adventures of Miss Flitt

I've just stumbled on an absolutely fantastic thing, The Adventures of Miss Flitt. It's an illustrated book of knitting patterns mixed with an amazing-sounding story.

From the website "The Adventures of Miss Flitt: The Strange Case of the Magician's Cabinet, an illustrated, 19th century mystery with knitting patterns by Beth Hahn, follows Emma Flitt into a Victorian New York filled with magicians, clairvoyants, charlatans, and pick pockets to unravel the mysterious disappearance of her sister Lucy. Told over the course of four installments, the debut issue features knitting patterns that emphasize the use of experimentation and creativity. While the intermediate knitter can follow clearly written instructions and charts, he or she is also encouraged to personalize each item by choosing from different yarns, edges, sleeve types, and sweater lengths."

It's such a fantastic idea, incorporating loads of things I love - knitting, magic and mystery, fiction, illustration... it's just such a lovely idea! I'd like to make my own one day, but finding the time is getting more an more difficult the more projects I start. I have it stored though, one day I'll make one. Maybe I could start off with an easy one: four patterns and a short story... hmm... braincogs whirring...

The pictures are just lovely as well.

http://willowrosaknits.blogspot.com/2009/11/amity-capelet-errata.html

Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers

Has anyone seen the wankfest that is Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers (BBC One)? I used to love Nigel, and have admired his style of cooking (he's a cook, not a chef, after all). But this programme gets right on my tits. Why?

1. When he says 'leftovers', he means a whole roast chicken that's had two thin slices taken from the breast; or some leftover rhubarb (that's only leftover because he made a cheaters rhubarb tart a few minutes ago)!
2. He plates up REALLY slowly. He spoons food the way he thinks a chef on tv should, slowly and seductively. Sorry Nige, you're not Nigella!
3. Each episode has 27 songs on it. It gets annoying having the first few seconds of a Ting Tings song, only to be replaced with the first few seconds of another song.
4. The bloody allotment section. Nigel goes to a middle class family's allotment, picks their veg, fries it. That's it. Fried veg served up in an allotment for Mummy, Daddy, Tilly and Ollie: “Ooh I've never thought of fried tomatoes before, isn't this lovely Tilly?”
5. Nigel wanking about his garden. Yes, you have a garden; and no, not everybody can have one (the garden of my rented house is all patio slabs, and the nearest allotment has a 2 year wait).

I suppose the reason this programme annoys me so much is that it's such lazy television. Nigel makes four or five things in each episode – and some of them are as easy as chopping up leftover chicken, adding it to cous cous, then adding coriander leaves and orange juice. That's it, and it took about 10 minutes of screen time while Nigel camply explains why he likes using leftovers. Now I consider myself middle class, and I've fought my way here, but I find his manner smug, his middle class allotment owners smug and his food mediocre. Sorry Nigel, you had it once, but sadly no longer.

Mastering

Finished my Christmas EP. Here's the tracklisting and more info:

1. Gaudete – 16th Century

2. Coventry Carol – 16th Century – such a sad song, story can be found here and here

3. In Dulci Jubilo – 15th Century

4. Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle – 16th Century – done using a sample of a wine glass being hit by a pencil

5. Orientis Partibus – 12th Century – an ancient melody, now known for the song The Friendly Beasts

6. Boar’s Head Carol – 15th Century

7. Tempus Adest Floridum – 13th Century – which you may know as Good King Wenceslas

8. Here We Come a-Wassailing – 17th Century – and I had to finish with a bit of New Year's Eve paganism, what is Christmas after all? Nothing more than a pagan winter festival absorbed by Christianity. Remember: Father Christmas isn't Santa, and he wears a green robe.

Me x 34

To do this, copy this entire message, then go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, delete my answers, and type yours.

1.What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
Chocolate digestive

2.Where was your profile picture taken?
Upstairs in Pantyffynnon Social Club

3. Can you play Guitar Hero?
Yes but I'm not very good at it. I'm better on the drums one

4. Name someone who made you laugh today.
Patrick

5. How late did you stay up last night and why?
Went to bed after 1am, stayed up drinking with Patrick

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you?
Yes, to Aberystwyth

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?
Yes

8. Which of your Facebook friends lives closest to you?
Curig, same house!

9. Do you believe ex's can be friends?
It's rare, but it can happen

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?
I love it

11. When was the last time you cried really hard?
Last week at Llangrannog, looking after a deafblind little girl

12. Who took your profile picture?
No idea, someone using Vicki's camera

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?
Patrick playing Viva Pinata on the DS

14. Was yesterday better than today?
Today was okay, off work!

15. Can you live a day without TV?
Yes easily

16. Are you upset about anything?
Yes, but I'm too busy to let it upset me

17. Are you a bad influence?
Always

18. Night out or night in?
Dunno, is it raining?

19. What items could you not go without during the day?
Mobile

20. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
Mamgu, on Sunday

21. What does the last text message in your inbox say?
Alison telling me that she missed me in work today, because there was nobody there to make her coffee

22. How do you feel about your life right now?
Time is moving too fast for me to do the things on my list that need doing

23. Do you hate any one?
Plenty of people

24. If we were to look in your Facebook inbox, what would we find?

25. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
Yes of course

26. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
Yes, but he has appalling taste in men

27. What song is stuck in your head?
Kate Nash - Mouthwash

30. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be?
Ron in the flying Ford Anglia

31. Do you want to have grandkids before you’re 50?
Seeing as I'm 32 and have no children, it's not going to happen

32. Name something you have to do tomorrow?
Prepare stuff for two meetings I've got on Wednesday

33. Do you think too much or too little?
Too too much. My brain is always thinkin'

34. Do you smile a lot?
Thankfully, yes. I may be a miserable git sometimes, but I have a sunny disposition

Little Bee Cowl

New pattern! Little Bee stitch is my new fave stitch, it's so cute. I want to knit a swatch in yellow and black like a bee. I'm trying pdfs for my patterns from now on. Hope this works.

There, just click the arrow to download the pdf.

If that doesn't work, try clicking here to download the pdf directly.

Shout brochure controversy

Ostrich Plume Cowl

You will need:
3 balls Sirdar Denim Ultra (or other mega chunky yarn)

10 mm knitting needles (US size 15)

7 mm knitting needles

This makes a medium to large size cowl, but it is easy to make smaller. It's basically 3 repeats of the ostrich plume stitch, with reverse stocking stitch in between - so if you want to make the cowl smaller (or larger), simply decrease (or increase) the amount of reverse stocking stitch between the pattern repeats. (This pattern states 3 sts between repeats, but the cowl in the picture has 4 sts).

Gauge is not massively important, but about 3 sts per inch.

Ostrich plume pattern is easy to remember:
1st row: K.
2nd row: P.
3rd row: K4tog, (YF K1) 5 times, YF, K4tog.
4th row: P.

Cowl pattern:
With 7mm needles CO 51 sts, K2 P2 rib for 3 rows, then switch to 10mm needles.

K to end of row.
P to end of row.
K3, *K4tog, (YF K1) 5 times, YF, K4tog; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K3.
P to end of row.
Repeat last 4 rows until cowl reaches desired length, then switch to 7mm needles and K2 P2 for 3 rows.
BO in pattern (using a 10 mm needle to keep the BO sts loose).
Weave in ends, sew together.

There, easy!

Betws Mountain, overlooking Ammanford

Distant, dumb hills silently green their faces and smile down the valley. A sentence of silence punctuated by rosy sheep and the call of black birds. I have followed these roads more than a hundred times since I was tiny, wrapped in blankets and the worn leather of old cars. Sunday afternoons accumulate on these slopes, drift gently upwards to slowly choke the swirl of clouds. Early mornings too; Sarah driving home and shooing the sheep out of her path. Mamgu still remembers the walk back up to Blaencardunen with bread.

It all changes in the night. You can see the ‘elephant’ and ‘bell’ constellations of streetlights, orange stars set into the gentle hills of Carmel. These are teenage nights.

Feeling Christmassy

Goodness me, how quick the year comes round to this most joyous of times - me preparing my annual Christmas EP. I've decided to go mediaeval this year, and I've chosen some really old Christmas tunes. Here's the tracklisting so far:

Gaudete
The Coventry Carol
In Dulci Jubilo
Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle
Orientis Partibus
The Holly and the Ivy
The Boar’s Head
Tempus Adest Floridum
Here we come a-Wassailing

You can always have a listen to my other Christmassy stuff here, I've merged both EPs into one big one - and all free download too.

last.fm/music/FFLWCS/dolig+EP

Merry End Of August everyone, and to all a good September... x

Podcast 8.0

A piece of soundart/music in which the listener is asked to imagine a large wind-up machine, like a big musicbox being wound up and played in an open space like a church or cathedral.

This player might not work with all browsers. Sorry.

Download here.

Fucking full moon

She's upset my plans yet again. I've been having a busy week, granted, but on top of this I've had to contend with black thoughts; things seemingly ending; para-fucking-noia; stress, crying... oh blah blah blah, poor me.

I can see the end of the tunnel though, it's not too far - then I'll be back to happy old me (not Andrew-trist-Williams, as Alison calls it).

Keeping busy is key (though not work-busy, which is detrimental). I'm making some remixes at the moment: Scott Walker, Belinda Carlisle, not sure who else to do yet though. I want to finish these ones first.

Even getting ID'd in the supermarket just now isn't enough to cheer me up (I had no ID on me either, so the boy behind the till had to call a supervisor. My argument consisted of showing her my white hairs and telling her I was born in the same year as Star Wars. She seemed satified with that.)

Maybe a lazy day reading the paper will help. Maybe some unexpected emails from faraway friends will arrive today, maybe I'll get texted some unexpected loveliness. Who knows. The world (as far as the living room, study and garden) is my mollusc.

Podcast 7.0

A piece of soundart I have made to commemorate and celebrate the joining together of two fantastic organisations: RNIB Cymru (Royal National Institute of Blind People) and CIB (Cardiff Institute for the Blind).
I have again used braille as the focus of the work, but this time I have used the bilingual strapline of both organisations: RNIB Cymru and CIB working together to support blind and partially sighted people / RNIB Cymru a CIB yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd i gefnogi pobl ddall ac â golwg rhannol.
I allocated each dot of the Braille cell a different note of a version of the pentatonic scale, and used the above strapline as the base. I then transcribed it into Braille, and carefully placed each note according to itâs braille counterpart. So one letter in my transcribed version can be up to five notes played together.
The percussion is made up entirely of sounds I sampled from a Perkins brailler. The kick drum is the sound of a Perkins being put down on a desk, and the snare and other percussion noises are made from the various keys and knobs being pressed and turned.

Download here.

This player might not work with all browsers. Sorry

More information:
rnib.org.uk/cymru
cardiffinstitutefortheblind.co.uk
perkins.org
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perkins_Brailler

Film meme

1.Name a film that you have seen more than 10 times.
Star Wars – all of them

2.Name a film that you’ve seen multiple times in the cinema.
Revenge of the Sith, but it was only twice. Honest!

3.Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a film.
Scarlett Johansson

4.Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a film.
Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller and Will Ferrell; also Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lyndsey Lohan

5.Name a film that you can and do quote from.
Withnail and I

6.Name a film musical that you know all of the lyrics to all of the songs.
Little Mermaid

7.Name a film that you have been known to sing along with.
See above

8.Name a film that you would recommend everyone see.
Princess Mononoke

9.Name a film that you own.
Barbarella

10.Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting ability.
Björk – Dancer in the Dark

11.Have you ever seen a film in a drive-in?
No, but I would love to

12. Name a film that you keep meaning to see but just haven’t got around to yet.
The House of Flying Daggers

13.Ever walked out of a film?
Yes, Diary of the Dead. What a waste of time

14.Name a film that made you cry in the cinema.
A Very Long Engagement

15.What’s the last film you saw in the cinema?
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

16.What’s your favourite/preferred genre of film?
Magical realism

17.What’s the first film you remember seeing in the cinema?
The Fox and the Hound

18.What film do you wish you had never seen?
No Country for Old Men

19.What is the weirdest film you enjoyed?
Häxan

20.What is the scariest film you’ve seen?
My Little Eye, Ringu, 28 Days Later

21.What is the funniest film you’ve seen?
Superbad