No I am not going to post any pictures of me dancing up here. If you are that desperate to see me make a fool of myself you can come and see me in panto. Yes I know shameless plug, still Babes in the Wood is on over the next two weekends. Tickets and details are available here

The aim of the 100+ reading challenge is to read 100 or more books in a year. this is something I attempt every year but usually fail due to forgetting to keep track of them all. So this year I’m going to follow Skippy’s idea and blog each one.

So first up it made sense to read one of the three, now four, new books I got for Christmas.

Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter tells the story of teenage goth Jade Leigh who finds herself switching places, freaky friday style, with the most popular girl in school. With one slight twist, when Jade enters this virtual world she finds that everyone s now goth and those people who were her friends before are now dressed like Barbie.

I found it an amusing read. It made a nice light hearted start to the year and didn’t take me long to finish. One down ninety nine to go.

So firstly what is BatFit. Le Professeur Gothique has set up a challenge where we all set our own goals for health and well being for the year, such as loosing weight or gaining muscle. There will be weekly challenges to participate in and hopefully making this public will actually give me the kick I need to do something. Heres hoping anyway.

Right the first challenge;

Once you buy, make or find your journal write your first entries:

1. Write your health goals for 2012. Be brutally honest, candid and realistic about what you want to achieve.

2. Once you’ve done that, your second entry will be for you to explore the meaning of good health. What does it mean to you? How does it relate to your goals? Be absolutely realistic.

In this journal you will keep a record of your progress and daily health activities. This includes your food intake, exercise output, moods, mental state, trips to the doctor, sickness, PMS, etc. Since I’m trying to lose weight and get fit, I am going to record my food intake and will slowly eliminate the “culprits” and habits that are causing my problem. I will also keep track of all of Bat Fit’s challenges in my own journal and my own results. We all have our own goals so your journal will look quite a bit different than mine.

However, we should all write this one entry EVERY NIGHT before bed:

3. Write no less than five things that you are grateful for, or that you’ve accomplished during the day and are proud of, or that you like about yourself.”

Right ok, finding a journal was not hard, I have loads of notebooks lying around that have various half written things in them it was just a case of deciding which one to use. I finally decided on my dragon one, which despite having the best of intentions for I haven’t written in since university. Bad me. The bigger challenge was finding a working pen.

So with that achieved it was time to start the challenge properly. I know there will not be enough pages to last me the whole year, but that’s ok, I can always switch to another book later, but this will get me started. So first task. Write down my health goals. Firstly, I want to generally live a bit more healthily. I am of a slim build but that doesn’t mean I am healthy by a long stretch. I eat utter rubbish and that has to change. I could also do with undertaking more regular exercise, I am hopelessly unfit, and building some muscle, my current muscles are non-existent.

So the meaning of good health. To me it is all about being able to achieve everything you want to. I know full well that being slim does not automatically equal good health, on the other side of things being curvy is not an indication of bad health either. It’s about feeling good about yourself. Plus I am looking to the future, I know my stupidly fast metabolism won’t last for ever so I am going to start eating better now so I get into good habits for when I am older. Plus, just because I don’t seem to put on weight does not mean I’m doing myself any favours in the long run. Yes there will be bad days, there always will, but this way I hope to take more control over them. Well that’s the plan anyway.

Finally I am grateful for, and no I will not be posting this every day, I just thought I should for the first one;

1. The nice weather earlier. Yes, it was still bitterly cold when the wind picked up but I arrived early to meet a friend today and so just sat outside reading and watching the world go by. It was actually pleasantly warm when the sun came out.
2. The good friends I have around me. You know who you are and thank you.
3. This is going to seem really silly but, the goth scene. Or more specifically the London goth scene. I don’t get out very often, something I am planning to change, but when I do I am always left feeling like I belong. I don’t know what I would do without that.
4. Books. I love books, I just love being able to escape into another life for a bit, what better way is there to relax than to curl up with a good book.
5. Finally, my parents for today providing advice, a chauffeur and dinner. What more could I ask for!

So that’s my plans we’ll see how long I can keep this up.

So after a frankly miserable end to the last year. For those who don’t yet know I broke up with Skippy. This is not something I want to talk about on here but I thought you should know to keep things in context. I feel that this year will be better. I am going to set myself some goals and see how well I stick to them. i know I have failed slightly already by starting all of this on the 2nd and not the first but it’s a leap year this year so I get an extra day to make up for it.

As it currently stands my goals for 2012 are (and yes I know some of these are the same things I post every year)

• 100+ reading challenge – read 100 books in a year
• Project 52 – write at least one blog post a week
• Crack on with my 101 list
• Write some more London’s Dead posts
• Actually go out so I see people more than once or twice a year
• Have a crack at Le Professeur Gothique‘s BatFit 2012 challenge
• Actually complete an entire month on 750words.com

I think that is everything for now but I will update you on all of these soon so watch this space.

Anyway, I have spent years trying to find an online version of Nibbles, no luck so far, other snake type games are just not the same. However I did find this site; DosGamesArchive which has a number of old Dos games that you can download, including Nibbles. The only problem with this is that my computer is too fast to run it, oh well. I will keep looking. Though while I was looking for Nibbles I did discover that they have another of my favourite childhood games; Secret Agent Man, commonly abbreviated to SAM. You play the role of a secret agent, number 006 1/2, and then fight your way past guards, robots and other obstacles to destroy the enemies radar. Skippy seems to think that this XKCD cartoon is appropriate at the moment;

Wednesday, when I had the day off due to industrial action at school, me and the friend who had suggested this took a trip to Tescos and tried them. Needless to say I was not overly impressed. Then again Tescos value fish fingers and cold custard are not great on their own never mind when combined together. When I went to the NaNoWriMo thank God it’s over party on Thursday and mentioned this there was general mutterings that the pub we were going to on Saturday had a fish finger sandwich on their menu as well as assorted desserts that came with custard. It was at this point I said something rather stupid. Didn’t I say that ideas had in the pub are rarely good. “I’ll try them again if you guys do.”

So with my fate now sealed it made sense to dress up and do this as properly as possible. I will happily admit that on the three times I have worn this outfit I have felt rather more mad than normal, which is not a bad thing. Sometimes I wish I had that level of insane energy all the time. Life would certainly be more interesting. Anyways I digress. Thy were a lot better this time round, probably the combination of handmade fish fingers and piping hot custard that did it, but was a lot nicer. And this time round we even managed to get photos to prove it. How many geek points do I get for this?

For those who don’t know I have been following Amy’s blog, The Ultimate Goth Guide, for a while now and enjoy reading what she has to say. So when I thought that I should try some new music and not just keep listening to the same old stuff it made sense to start here. So Yesterday at work I listened to the following bands;

1919, according to Last.fm this band from Bradford started in 1980 ‘and set about recording heavy, melodic, intense dance music with no frills and pretentions.’ I managed to find a few of their tracks on YouTube after trying and failing on Spotify.

As such I listened to the following tracks; After the fall, Cry Wolf, Can this be Real, Caged, Dream, Repulsion, Alien, The Scream, Earth Song, Giant, Tear Down These Walls, Midas touch, and Control. My initial thoughts were that I liked them, though they are unlikely to become one of my favourite bands. They did however provide perfect background music for work. No one has questioned my strange musical tastes so far, other than to occasionally ask who an artist is so I think I have got away with it. Will certainly be adding them to my last.fm playlist and possibly buying an album in the future.

Band number two was 19ninetynine, who after much searching I found had changed their name to terrornation. They are described as ‘an instantly accessible fusion of dirty beats, haunting vocals and grinding guitars.’ Even knowing their new name I had a bit of trouble finding tracks by them but in the end managed to listen to; iThink, Snow white Eyes, and Vagabonds. It probably says enough to say that out of those my favourite was Vagabonds a cover of the New Model Army song. I did like them but doubt I will be listening to them much in the future.

Finally was 13 candles. ‘One of the most gifted of the Dark Romantic Gothic bands from Britain in the Last Century.’ Must say I agree, listened to quite a few of their tracks; Xenomorph, Siren, Listen for the Whispers, Lost Child, Flesh of the Nazarene, Carpathian Moonrise, Woman of Dark Desires, Stranger in my Own Home, Sapphire (Queen of Dusk), Disbelievers, Join me in Death, In the Name of Darkness, Death Awaits you, Prayer of Eternal Damnation, Ghosts, Alien, The Hunted, The Hunger Within, Killing for Culture, and Lifeless Passion. Easily the best out of the three band sI listened too. Will be looking for more of their stuff in the future.

In case you were wondering when I last checked there were 1045 bands on the list so I have a way to go yet.

The Challenge:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple challenges such as New Year’s resolutions or a ‘Bucket List’. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips, study semesters, or outdoor activities.

I am starting my list today so it will be completed on 24th August 2014. Keep reading my blog as I will keep you updated on my progress

1. Read those history books you keep buying and never opening
2. Use my kindle more
3. Listen to everything in my iTunes library at least once
4. Give up alcohol for a month
5. Give up fizzy drinks for a month
6. Give up chocolate for a month
7. Drink only water for a month
8. Cook something from each of your recipe books
9. Finish Doctor who scarf
10. Spend more time with sisters
11. Pick up the last of my stuff from my parents
12. Rejoin the British Library
13. Enter NaNoWriMo each year and complete it
14. Complete NaNoEdMo
15. Submit one of your books for publication
16. Start my own War of the Roses research so I don’t have to rely on what other people tell me
17. Tidy my room and keep it that way
18. Give yourself regular manicures
19. Experiment with make up more
20. Stop biting nails
21. Pay off debts
22. Complete couch to 5k programme
23. Complete the 100 push up challenge
24. Complete the 200 sit up challenge
25. Go vegan for a week to see if I can
26. Ask 20 friends to suggest a book and then read them all
27. Meet up with friends you haven’t seen in years
28. Complete 100+ reading challenge
29. Attend a music festival in another country
30. Complete project 52 with both loupie.co.uk and ukgoth.info
31. Complete weff riddles
32. Learn BSL
33. Improve posture
34. Learn to swim
35. Update address book so I have an email address, phone number and address for most people
36. Learn 25 origami shapes I don’t already know
37. Apply and test for Mensa
38. Complete at least one scary crochet character
39. Produce enough craft items to sell at the goth bring and buy
40. Update my elf wood account
41. Get my ears pierced again
42. Complete cover to cover bible notes
43. Start a diary and write in it every day for a year
44. Do the 750 words challenge every day for at least a month
45. Go to Whitby Goth Fest
46. Rejoin the MSS and go to more events
47. Get involved with Woodhouse more, don’t just turn up once a year
48. Tell bank, DVLA, Skirmish magazine etc. I have moved
49. Go for the lunch date to Petticoat Lane that me and Carrolle have been talking about for ages
50. Get my legs waxed
51. Go through all the unread books on my shelf and either get rid of them or read them.
52. Write a post to celebrate each goals completion
53. Write to Mike Gayle in response to his book; ‘The To-Do List’
54. Listen to at least one song by each band in Amy‘s great big list of goth bands
55. Sleep under the stars
56. Get a massage
57. Host a dinner party
58. Get a better job
59. Visit a place of faith other than a Christian one
60. Compete my London’s Dead walks
61. Become a London tour guide
62. Host a themed party
63. Make everyone a birthday card for a year
64. Make and decorate a birthday cake for someone
65. Find a frame for my bat picture and somewhere to hang it
66. Work out an exercise regime and stick to it
67. Try to plot my family tree
68. Obtain my CBT license
69. Write a panto
70. Get into a 22” corset
71. Tag all my photos in iPhoto
72. Complete Bogle
73. Clear out wardrobe
74. Wear a dress on a regular non-special occasion day
75. Set aside a day to make my iTunes perfect (artist/album/artwork)
76. Make it to the top of an indoor climbing wall
77. Learn another language
78. Read a book in that language
79. Complete ECDL
80. Enquire about getting a bat handling license
81. Watch a bat colony emerge
82. Customise a my little pony
83. Finish Skippy’s trenchcoat
84. Go on a wolf walk
85. Get a pet
86. Have inner by candle light
87. Do something nice for everyone in family
88. Gt rid of everything I don’t need
89. Dye my hair again
90. Watch a sunset
91. Watch the sun rise
92. Build up enough muscle mass to comfortably pull my long bow
93. Go to Paris with Skippy
94. Learn Quenya
95. Extract my DNA
96. Learn to recognise 5 constellations
97. Make a new kirtle
98. Get some male medieval kit
99. Do 5 random acts of kindness
100. Spend a rainy day watching movies in my PJs
101. Start a new list on day 1001

I will be playing the vampyre Krimson. so yes after years in the London Vampyre scene without doing so I now have full filled the goth stereotype of having a stupidly spelt ‘spooky’ name.

I am rather excited about this one, as anyone who has spoken to me recently can probably confirm. Though there is just one slight problem, as my lovely flatmates have been so keen to point out, thank you guys. That is that although being a vampyre is really cool, you are now on the wrong side in a Pratchett book, which means going against the likes of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg. Which any fan of the Discworld will tell you is a really bad idea. You’ll have to come see it if you want to know what happens though.