New Project!

I've decided to do another project, a new one and I'll be contemplating about why with this entry.

The new project is that I'll be making Sami bracelets and sell them. :3 Then I'll be writing a report about Sami craft, historically (has it changed?) and interculturally (i.e. I'm going to see if there are differences and similarities depending on what part of  Sápmi you're from (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia) and if so what those are.)
In short the idea is to do something practical and learn some more about a part of my origin.

First off is the obvious reason with the most weight.
I can't deal with writing so much right now. I walk around constantly being reminded that I need to write 50 pages within a month or so, and I really can't bear myself to do that with everything else going on. School but also the winter. If we'll be getting really personal I must admit that I'm getting depressed for various reasons, but I think this will take a turn next year when we go towards brighter times - in every way possible. I don't think I will stop writing it, but at least now there is no deadline and all. I can just write when I feel like it without having to feel any pressure. (Am I giving up? No! I'm trying to handle the stress so that I can handle my life so that I can handle school and thus handle the (new) project. ;) A depressed me makes everything half-heartedly, if even that..)
So, the first reason in one word: Health.

Next reason is the fact that I've been wanting to get my bracelets out on the market for quite some time but I've been a little worried that no one would want to buy any, but now as Christmas is getting closer you never know~
The reason is obvious: I want to earn money. (Anyone in my situation would do this!) Being poor (from a Swedish perspective) is creeping in under my skin, making me anxious and even more depressed.
Next reason in one word: Money.

Another reason - to sound professional here - is that it would be nice to see what it's like to almost run your own company, even if it's not a company or anything, but I'm still running something to earn money. It'll be cool to see what that is like. I think that this can make me grow very much as a person.
Third reason in one word: Experience.

I haven't thought so much about "what if no one wants to buy...?"... I should probably sit down and ponder because if that's the case I need to be prepared. I'm hoping this won't happen, and I'm not expecting it either. Keep it positive!

So, I felt that if I want to be able to handle this last year I need to fix this and thankfully I figured it out early.
I was feeling that I can't do it any other way. I can't write shorter chapters because that would just look plain stupid, I can't force anything forth because it'd be bad then and I can't wear myself out by writing like a maniac when I'm already not feeling well.

Already when I was thinking about what project to do (1-2 years ago?) I told myself that "whatever you do, do NOT let it include writing too much!" I have no idea why I didn't follow this advice. It felt like a good idea to keep the memories, I suppose. I didn't know it'd be so much labour. Doing practical things are the best when it comes to myself, so I am very much looking forward to this. Next week I'll start figuring out what to write in the advertisement.

I think that's it for this time.
Ciao~

P.S.
Thanks for helping me out in the last entry. ^^

Writer's block!!

As predicted I'm in a writer's block... It's really difficult to find inspiration, yet I'm pretty good with reading these days.
I'm not getting far and I don't know why. Too much work with school. I really hope it'll get better, because I can't afford to lose so much precious time and get so worn out by school work that I can't get myself to write on the project.
I did however get somewhere but I know that I'll have to write during the holiday. A lot...

I'm thinking that a possible solution is to change the time table, because I'm pretty certain I might have written it too tight. At the same time I think that it's okay since I have plenty of spare weeks, especially in the end and during next term. I know that being completely alone when I write is extremely important to me, since I've noticed I get the best results during those times. But whenever am I alone?

Some questions for you, PLEASE, answer (at least some of) them:
- Should I get up earlier in the mornings and write? Should I stay about an hour after school? Should I go to the library and write?
- How do you do when you are out of inspiration? (No matter if it's writing, drawing or whatever floats your boat)
- Any suggestions how I can be more flexible with work?

Please, help me out. I wouldn't be writing this in English if I didn't need all the help I could get.

Is it a good idea to just take a day and force myself to write? Like I said, the amount of time I'm alone is very slim. It's as good as never.
Either way I need to hurry because I'm only writing chapter 2, when I should be writing chapter 6.
I've made a huge time table of the days in Finland, with notes of the things I want to bring up, and I keep doing the colour codes and whatnot. Actually, I came up with a new one: Facts! I wrote a little part about Mannerheim in there. These colours are for me to see. I have a few goals and criterias to fulfil and therefore I need to see where I wrote for example Finnish, idioms or stuff like that. It's harder to miss something with the colours. ;D

Also, when it comes to the book itself I've started to think of the cover. I don't know exactly how I want it, but I guess I'll see what the printers say.
Anything else?

I think that is it for now. I'll keep trying to catch up, even if it seems impossible at the moment.

Madi xxx

Chapter 1

September 28th 2010

Okay, with the Germans here for the past week I can't say I got much work done and I'm actually behind with my work. (Already?!) I did however finish the first chapter! Which is great. Now it's just up for being beta-read. It's about 4 pages long and I have made some notes in it that are mostly for myself, but also for whoever beta-reads it. 

Right.. I need some questions to answer. 

I don't really know why I fell behind, I think it is because I've had so many other things to do. From now on I hope that things will be a bit easier but I know I need to use my spare week to catch up, and probably the holiday, too. I've noticed that I can't really work when I have people around me. When I am all alone and it's quiet and I sit comfortably I get a long way, but unfortunately I don't have many of those moments, so I need to come up with a solution. Ideas? Should I just "turn off" and leave this world or walk to a lonely, quiet place? Or something else?

That has actually been my greatest problem with this chapter, the time. There has been too little time lately. (Even this blog entry is a week late or something...)

I keep bringing notes whenever I come up with something that I want to write about, because I keep remembering things all the time.

Also, I came to realize that perhaps this work won't be a PERFECT description of how/when/where things happened, because no mind is that good with remembering, but it's still as close as possible. I believe it to be important to remember that.

From here on, I'll try to use my time better and start chapter 2. (Which is supposed to be finished already...) 

Yah.... I'll contact some people about the beta-reading. Only one will get this chapter, dun dun dun~

Project plan!

7th of September 2010

I will be writing this blog in English for three reasons:
1. Not everyone I want to get help and ideas from understand Swedish.
2. It’s good practise for the real deal. (The project itself, that is.)
3. The whole project will be in English so why stop now?

I wrote in my schedule that I will start blogging this week, so I might as well make it a habit already.
Finally I am done with the project plan and time table, so it feels really nice to see what I need to do and when I need to do it. The only thing that concerns me is that I rely on other people, because if I’d fall behind one reason - except myself being lazy - could be that I don’t get the corrected chapters in time. That is why I reserved four weeks for correction, so anyone who corrects any chapter will have until the end of this term and the beginning of next.
I put in other weeks that I call “reserv”, meaning they’re spare weeks for me to catch up or simply relax, depending on where I am in the work.

I’ll be starting today writing the first chapter and I should have it done and delivered to someone for correction by next week, so that I can begin chapter 2. Then the procedure will go on like that.
For the moment I have no more worries, but more questions and thoughts will probably show up by the end of the day. It’s always difficult to begin writing something, but I hope that it will be fine.

 Nähdään~


(Note to self: Remember to use Finnish words every now and then. For example: “I picked a mansikka - strawberry - and ate it.”)

Projektarbetet

Så det är alltså här ska jag skriva min blogg för projektet...
Tänkte prova skriva något så att jag ser ifall jag gjort rätt.


Vi har bara skrivit en snabb skiss på vår projektidé idag.
Glömde fråga om man får skriva på engelska... för det skulle jag behöva göra, tror jag...

Hoppas det fungerar nu!