The Second Challenge

Due to the success of the last challenge I decided to challenge again. This time, rather then writing, I am going to read.

On Friday, when Emma and I went to Stratford, I picked up a copy of 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss as recommended by Andy and Nina. I chose the book based on the recommendations and also because it has been a while since I read fantasy, having been more concerned with Sci-Fi books of recent. Lets hope I find it gripping!

Challenge 2 awaits

I'm planning to read it all by next Sunday. My first thought, when picking up the book, was 'Oh, it's quite a lot longer then I thought' and I actually hesitated of going through with the challenge, but then I realised that its not that long, and it was entirely possible and also that if I didn't go through with it i'd let myself down.

It's 662 pages long. Thats 662 pages in 7 days, an average of approximately 95 Pages per day, and I will update again on Thursday to let you know of my half time progress.

So far I am off to a terrible start as I have been with my Family all day, but this evening I am going to atleast start myself off and, though I might not hit the daily average, it will be better then no reading at all!

Day Seven: The Finale

This blog post is a bit late as my internet/laptop is now seriously going awry but I am here, typing away on my Mothers laptop before the 12 O'Clock deadline, not that I actually set a deadline but still.

This blog is the final blog in my Challenge and so it better be pretty climatic or you're all going to be dissapointed, right?

Well!

Today I've been hungover, to an extreme, while having to face the busy day of a Somerfield shift, and by busy I mean I did practically nothing for 6 hours and got paid for it. The reason for my state was because we went out yesterday evening to say Auf Weidersehen to Liz as she moves to Germany for a year as part of her course. As I mentioned in my first ever blog, apart from the ones explaining my blog, about a certain Daniel Winter, I think its a really good and brave decision. If anything I'm a combination of pride and jealousy and definitely don't think it would be anything to regret. So best wishes to Elizabeth!

I could talk again for hours on end about the value of new experiances but I won't bore you with that old spiel.

I've decided its only natural to asscess the Challenge, or Challenge 1 as it is going to be called. The aim was to get me to write more and post more blogs and as I have hit the target of Seven blogs, with this concluding the challenge, I think I have achieved that. It was a struggle and some of the blogs show this, due to time or inspiration constraints. The one thing I found didn't happen, which usually would with me, is my motivation didn't die and I looked forward to blogging, rather then procrastining.

The idea of Challenging oneself appears to me to be a succesful way of getting stuff done and I am going to try to utilise it in the future. The main reason for this, I think, is you make a commitment to yourself rather then something easy to break you actually have goals, which really do help. Another reason is, as i've mentioned before, you, the public. As I am blogging if I fail everybody knows and I have to strive to achieve so I don't look silly so thank you to those of you that have followed and read.

A graph to show the 'hits' recieved each day of this week on my blog.

The highest hits I got were when I advertised on facebook, these were in the 20's, the lowest I got was 4, one of whom I know is myself.

As the graph shows, I had a few readers, even if they might just be one person refreshing, but it kind of shows who bothered, or just who was bored on Facebook. A few people have gotten back to me, often with encouraging words, which makes me think maybe I do have something to say afterall, and now the challenge is over, and I dont have to think of a topic each day and thus exhaust most my thoughts, maybe I could go back to writing at least one a week, and I might actually have something interesting to say.

In the end its been very productive. I am pleased with myself and hopefully this is a new start. I'm also going to challenge myself more, and maybe I might start to be productive without such a structured method. I will blog again tommorow with what this weeks challenge will be, maybe you will follow that too.

Shaun Kellett - Not a Clone
Clockwork Musings

Day Six:

Ok this might have been a bit of a rushed topic and a rushed post in general but its a post. I am very much reminded of blagging out an Essay just to have something to hand in. It's rubbish I know, but forgive me, I tried and I think I scraped a Pass. Maybe a D?

I've had a busy day today involving going to work, sorting some stuff out on my car and handing in my resignation to Somerfield.

Since I am finishing work and should really start packing for Univeristy I'd like to reflect back on how Summer has been. I have really enjoyed this Summer despite not having done much. Though i've missed some opputunities, such as climbing with Andy, Sid, and Nina, I have done other things like going to Portsmouth with Dan and Nina, and Stratford with Emma.

I've also managed to work this holiday and, despite it having worn me down to the point where I can't wait to leave, I have some funds ready to start back at Uni and to help pay off any overdrafted I've used up this summer.

It's nice not to stay in one place for too long. Derby was getting boring by the end of the year, there was little to do, and little to see, but Solihull has been a refreshing change, especially considering I was dreading the Summer prior to it. In my opinion the Summer has been just long enough, I have reached the stage where I am begining to want to go back to Uni and see all my mates there, but I am not yet completely sick and bored of being at home. As all my mates from here begin to leave and go off to different parts of the country (and in one case world) it will be time for me to move back and begin a third year.

It's interesting how life can be split into segments, such as 'Summer' or 'Uni', and because of the Education system I never think of 'Years' as being 1st Jan - 31st Dec, Years are what they are in Edcutation terms now. There are years where I started new and bigger schools, years where I made new friends. Though its hard to recall them all at any one given moment there are so many different memories clustered in my head surrounding each part of my life and I very much look forward to what the future ones bring.

If I was to make a prediction, as to where the next year will lead, it is one of great and happy times, though also one of sad departures and one of fear of the unknown. The next year brings the coming of an End as I will finish University, along with my housemates. It will be hard and challenging, but it will be an amazing memory.

Memorably,

Shaun Kellett
Clockwork Musings

Day Five: Friendship

Friendship is funny.

I am pleased to say I am someone with many friends but rather then a blog ode to friendship I want to consider the journey friendship takes, from stranger to loved one.

In my life I've had many opputunities to make different and wonderful friendships; School, College, Work, and Uni, to name the most prominant occasions. Sometimes its obvious who will become a friend and sometimes it's those obvious friendships that end up being distant memories for any number of reasons.

I find it interesting to muse on how I first met some people, sometimes I knew people for many years before they came friends, sometimes I didn't even like them. Andy, one of my best friends for instance I disliked to begin with. Sid, and Caolan, both went to the same Junior school as me, and every school there after, but it is only the recent years, since late secondary and college, that we've properly become good wholesum chums who I know and love now.

On the contrary to this some people I have taken instant likings too have turned out to be people I don't particually like, or want to talk to, in the long run.

I suppose it just means that everyone out there has possible potential to be a friend and that some friendships take long winding journeys, while others are a little bit more simple then that. Another thought is that some friendships just don't last, which is just the way things go. I look back on who I would say were my best friends in the old years and how we've grown appart and I don't regret it, at all, and the fact we're different people with different interests was inevitable. We should cherish the time we spent with our friends.

If you're reading this from Facebook then theres a chance we have atleast a few cherished memories. We should reminisce about them sometime!

Shaun Kellett
Clockwork Musings

Day Four: Why blog?

I covered this subject right at the start of my blog when I told the world why I was setting it up but I figure it might be wise to cover it once more, especially as I am now advertising it to the world on both my Facebook and my MSN and hardly any of you will read the first post.

I don't claim for my blogs to be interesting, enlightening, deep or otherwise, I just claim that they are me; my thoughts, my feelings. The purpose in my blog, as a whole, is to encourage me to write more, lest I lose my literacy. It also stands as form of expression when I need to get something off my chest. You can find out what matters to me by seeing what I write about, I wouldnt express an untrue emotion, or an untrue thought. If it doesn't interest the reader it doesn't really matter to me as I blog for my own encouragement, my own peace of mind, and my own growth. If someone reads it and likes it, then that makes me happy as not only have I expressed myself someone else has enjoyed the expression. Not all expression is loved, and never will it be loved by everyone. I accept that.

At many times I won't feel creative, or I wont have inspiration, and then I find it hard to write. The beauty of using a blog for this is it comes down to how I am feeling at the moment. It may mean I range from cynical, to depressed, to overjoyed, and it may not keep a strict topic as some blogs do, but it allows me to express and to write without need for creative inspiration.

The purpose of this challenge I am setting, on the other hand, is to will me to do something. By saying 'this is what I am going to do, by this time' I am giving myself a deadline and, hopefully, helping myself to change. I advertise it, on Facebook, on MSN, because those who actually want to read it can do, and also because I have someone to monitor my progress. No matter how many people read it, be it one or ten, I still feel more focused on the challenge then relying souly on myself.

I thank those of you who have found the time to read my blogs, those of you who have encouraged or critised provide me with the drive to carry on the challenge.

They say you should be proud of who you are, and proud of what you accomplish. I'm proud of what I write.

Shaun Kellett
Clockwork Musings

Day Three: Hypocritical Planned Spontinaity

I am a hypocrite. "How?" I hear you all scream. Well.

I often state how I love meeting new people! But I am terrified of new people, constantly concerned that I will give off a bad 'first impression' and I will from then on be regarded with anything from disgust to pity. But I like having a new collection of friends, to span who I know and who I can learn from and, after the initial 'meet' after a few times when I am comfortable, I then love having this new person in my life.

Another way in which I am hypocritical brings us to the main subject of this blog. I would like to say I enjoy trying new things, and doing new things but in fact I am not a massive fan of change. Change scares me and quite often I wont do anything. However, this is fear of change is changing as I am trying to grasp hold of new experiances and be more spontanious!

Today I spontaniously went to Bournemouth with my friends Dan and Nina. Ok, maybe not too spontaniously. It was planned, but it still had a sense of randomness to it. Dan is currently a student at Bournemouth Univeristy and he had some resits. What would have cost him £80+ on the train only cost him £30 in petrol and I offered to drive him down; not only to save my friend money but to do something different. Mondays blog mentioned how I waste so much time and just don't really do as much as I could so I relished the opputunity to just do something different.

A spontanious picture of Nina and Me in Bournemouth.
Well ok, it was preceeded by 'Lets take a picture for my Blog' so it wasn't that spontanious

So Nina and Myself spent most the Day, from 8:30 till 4:30, in Bournemouth, chilling, chatting, taking photos, and exploring the town while Dan, the poor sod, spent the day in exams. It was thoroughly enjoyable, for Me and Nina atleast, and it shows just what a bit of change can do.

How many times do I wake up, spend a day doing nothing, and go to bed. Or if I have work, I will go to work, then come home, and go to bed. When I do do something it is usuall the Pub, which in Solihull is normally the choice of Feildhouse or Spoons. It's nice to do something completly different, even if it's a drive to a rainy seaside, and it shows that this sort of change, either spontanious or planned, can be a good, possibly even great thing. Not only did it get me out the house, not only did I do a favour for a friend, not only did I get to take photographs and thus be a little bit creative, but I feel it broadened a friendship aswell. So many good and positive things from one simple change to everyday.

Lets try and do something different.

Atleast Once a week!

Shaun Kellett
Clockwork Musings

Day Two: On that First Step.

Everything requires a single step to begin and it strikes me that it is usually that first step which I find the hardest.

I've never been one for motivation.

If you've met me, or read any of my blog before, you will know that I procrastinate with pretty much anything and everything. When I entered writing competitions I left it till the last minute to write my entry, obviously not proof reading or planning it properly. Now, I by no means think I could win most of these competitions, but I'd stand a better chance if I put some effort in. What always hits me is the "I'll do it later" attitude and it persists untill the last possible minute. This happened with my IS, my Independant Study, the piece of work that is going to help me pass my degree, the piece of work which, without, I fail. Now at first I didn't know it had to be in so early, so I began to stress, then the longer I left it the more stressful the thought of it became, so I didn't touch it. Days turned to weeks and weeks to months and it became increasingly apparant that I needed it sorted, but the idea of it scared me.

But then it clicked... It takes one single step to get it moving. All I had to do was email lecturers to see if they liked my Ideas. If they didn't, start again, but if they did it meant I had a direction to go.

One step, and I could have a destination.
One step, and I could stop stressing.

Now in a way you have helped me with this. By setting this Challenge, to write seven articles, and by having people read it (I know atleast a few of you are reading every article, and for this I thank you) it gives me some motivation. I knew that I wanted to write about 'that first step' but I knew I couldn't write about it without first doing it. So I forced myself to send off emails about my IS, so I could write about it in my blog.

I rely too much on other people. I am relying on the fact that I have some people reading this to make me write, otherwise, knowing me, I would probably have given up. But I figure, by starting this I am starting a change. By setting the challenge, even with minimal support, I am sparking a change in myself where hopefully I can get over the first little step without you. Not that I don't appreciate you all! I think you're just dandy! But I do need to be able to encourage myself, and to just start doing things in life!

From now on, he says, I am going to jump that first hurdle more easily each time till it doesn't become a challenge anymore. Obviously it may take a while, and obviously I will still procrastinate with somethings, but, overall, I am going to make an effort to do something a bit more worthwhile with my time. Whether its on my own or with others.

So, here's to change; here's to getting up that first step.

Shaun Kellett
Clockwork Musings

Day One: On Letters and Life

Dear Reader,

I'd like my first blog, the first of the seven, to start on a positive and most upbeat note. Though I have no news myself, no tale of recent joy, there is something I read a day or two ago that touched me:

I recently saw this blog. Shown to me by my friend Oli. The blog shows letters and postcards written by two friends, Lenka and Michael, and sent to everyone in the town of Cushendall, Northern Ireland. That's 467 letters of varying shapes, sizes, and subjects. Despite the News report on it, posted at the top of the blog, where some people say its scary and confusing, I, personally, think it was lovely and really just showed a good nature to some people. It really made me smile. There are a lot to read, but go ahead and read one or two, or ten, or twenty. I think if we all got a message like that it would just make us that little bit more happy. It makes me happy just reading the ones these other people recieved!

It does makes me wish I had more letters though, and I think when I am at University I shall write some to my Grandparents. I think they would like that. I have a pack of 12 stamps, (1st Class!) I was going to use them to enter writing competitions but when my motivation died, as it always does, I was stuck with them. I am now making it my aim to use them all up when I am back at University.

It also made me appreciate just being happy with what is and, in a similar vein to this, I am currently addicted to the song 'Not Perfect' by Tim Minchin. (As my Lastfm will testify) Though there are the small pieces of humour in the song, I think it shares a powerful message of just appreciating what you have and loving how things are. Things are not perfect, a sentiment I couldn't agree with more, but sometimes we should just be a little bit more grateful for what we have. I am usually pretty cynical, or pretty grumpy, but at the moment I'd like to think I'm grateful; Even if its just for this moment.

With this competition I am endeavouring to write something new and fresh every day for seven days and I am hoping not to sink into a tireless and bitter rant like I used to. I'm going to, hopefully, write about something positive. It will hopefully spur a change where I am happier and more willing to try new and creative things. Perhaps I will send out some letters, or you will send some to me! I'd give you my address and everything.

Yours sincerely,

Shaun Kellett
Clockwork Musings

A Challenge

I waste time. That much is certain.

The ammount of hours I must spend doing absolutely nothing but refreshing facebook is appauling. So I am going to do something different with my time.

....Atleast for a week.

This week I am going to take atleast one hour each day to write a blog. Thats 7 blogs. Between now and next Monday.

I do hope you follow and you enjoy!

Feel free to subscribe at the side.

It does so encourage me when I know someones reading

^_^