My dearest, sincerest, severest, clearest apologies...

...for leaving you all in the dark.
It has been quite the eventful period just now, I daresay!
Still, "all's well that ends well", would not you agree, darling Bill?


First things first for I must not digress from what I wish to convey with the utmost care and earnestness.

18000 words flowed out of my metaphorical Microsoft Office Word Pen.docx
Neenerneener, swordie!

During this somewhat longer silence of mine, I have been extremely busy completing my A-level coursework!
The tasks:


* GCE English literature AS paper O2: Compare a Shakespearean play to a play by another 17th century playwright and prepare a creative critical response with your findings.


* GCE English literature A2 paper O4: Read 3 different texts and devise one extended study in which you are to refer to each text in view of supporting your thesis statement regarding literary prosai/poetic devices/narratological techniques.


*GCE English language AS paper O2: 
Task 1: Write a journalism interview and a corresponding commentary that explains the used techniques for representations of speech and its (desired) effects on the reading audience.
Task2: Write a dramatic monologue and a corresponding commentary on how your piece of writing belongs to the general genre and which effects are used to affect the listening audience.


*GCE English language A2 paper O4: Write an extended study on contemporary global English or language acquisition with children.


Total word count: 18000 words.
I should point out my chronic ailment: Postponia.
Even though I was granted several months to complete these tasking tasks, I wound up finishing them in 4 days. No sleep, no breaks, just work. 
And it felt absolutely exhilarating, I can assure you!


Today has been quite an interesting day for me because for the first time, since my enrolment in December, 
I paid an overdue and satisfactory visit to my school: The British School of Brussels!
The various buildings -once erected by the Duke of Edinburgh- are surrounded by vast forests and elegant gardens. 
A sight for sore eyes, I can now boastingly own up to.


Next Monday (16th of May) is my first A-level examination and -all things considered- I am keenly looking forward to it!
One is currently studying and reading the following undeniable, unforgettable classics of English literature:

Darlington Hall

The Remains of the Day - Miss Kenton and Mr Stevens

 

Howards End - Mr Henry Wilcox and Ms Margaret Schlegel

 A fun little fact: both film adaptations of classics The Remains of the Day and Howards End include the -in my humble opinion- excellent actors Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins ànd were directed by the equally splendid director James Ivory!

I am actually looking forward to discussing Forster's work on the exam; Howards End has often been labeled 'a deeply flawed work' but its many illogical twists in the plot and quite ludicrous and inexplicable coincidences harbour a fascinating theme of rich versus poor and other dualistically inspired themes: The Seen and the Unseen, the Connected and the empty panic, the inner life and the outer life, the Literature&Art and the Abyss as experienced by Mr Bast and - to some degree- the frivolous Helen.

Gee gollicker's, is this going to be swell!

Yet for all I know my tutor will think: 'What the Dickens is the lass on about?!'

I shall embark on the adventure anyway and I will confidently venture into this new experience as is my custom.

My second exam will contain essay questions concerning following pieces (of art):

__________________________________________________________________________________

1/5 of my very own collection; feel free to browse!

True, that.

A new love hath captured me...
For a capricious, impudent, whimsical little creature like myself, however, this can hardly be considered shocking news.
Be that as it may, I wish to share the object of my love and high regard with all of you:

Ed Sheeran

This young, talented, British lad has produced some of the most refreshing and inspiring music I have had the honour of putting my ears to in quite a while!
He even braved a cover of the British-to-the-backbone spiritual/folk song Wayfaring stranger:

I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger
While travelling through, this world of woe.
Yet there's no sickness, toil nor danger
In that bright land, to which I go.
I'm going there to see my mother
I'm going there no more to roam;
I'm just a going over Jordan
I'm just a going over home.

Another personal favourite of mine is Little Bird which is loosely based on the same title by Annie Lennox, presumably.

One would strongly recommend keeping an ear out for this promising musician for one is fairly certain he may well surprise us yet...

And now for something completely different:

For, 

in eternal awe of the glory that is the English language,

 this little girl ardently wishes to return to her teapot and reading 

and wishes you all that is kind, dear and enchantingly beautiful!

I remain

Yours faithfully,

Lola

"We're actors - we're the opposite of people!"

I shall attempt to speak candidly; I rather missed posting here for this little while.
Perhaps I am inflicted with the worst forms of vanity and pride for even thinking thusly but at least I have the decency to own to it, have not I?


Quite a week it was! For an entire week I was appointed the Personal Assistant to the general manager of Kipling Europe.
'Exhilirating' wouldn't even cover my new experiences and adventures!
It was rather fun to take my mind off of the dreadful times to come (coursework assessment period).
At the moment I consider myself fortunate to explore and rediscover English drama.


If I were a playwright yubba dubba dubba dubba dubba dubba dubba dum
If I were a biddy biddy shrewd idle deedle daidle dramatist... Tevye got it wrong after all.


One of my all-time favourites must be Tom Stoppard and his play 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead'.
This play -rather to be experienced than studied according to Stoppard- plays on the existentialist nature of Hamlet's two best friends contemplating their raison d'être while trying to weedle out of the young prince exactly why he's been acting in one such peculiar way.


The downplaying of the renowned character Hamlet in contrast to the emphasis on his seemingly undeserving friends in the spotlight renders the whole both intriguing and hilarious at the same time.
At times their wordplay becomes essential yet more often is the essence bemused by the ingenious maze of wordplay.
And yet amongst all the dubitous questions posed, some of them are spot-on;


"ROS: Do you ever think of yourself as actually dead, lying in a box with a lid on it?

GUIL: No.

ROS: Nor do I, really.... It's silly to be depressed by it. I mean one thinks  of it like  being alive in a box, one keeps forgetting  to take into account the fact that one  is dead... which should make a difference... shouldn't it?

I mean, you'd never  know you  were in a box, would you?

It would be just like being asleep  in a box. Not that I'd like to sleep in a box, mind you.

Not without any air - you'd wake  up dead, for a start and then where would you be?

Apart from inside a box.

That's the bit I don't like, frankly. That's why I don't think of it....

Because you'd be helpless, wouldn't you? Stuffed in a box like that,

I mean you'd be in there for ever. Even taking into account the fact that you're dead, really ... ask yourself, if I asked you straight off - I'm going to stuff you in  this box now,

would you rather be alive or dead?

Naturally, you'd prefer to be alive. Life in a box is better than no life at all. I expect.

You'd have a chance at least. You could lie there thinking - well, at  least I'm not dead!

In a minute someone's going to bang on the lid and tell me to come out.

(Banging on the floor with his fists.) 

"Hey you, whatsyername! Come out of there!"

Spring has taken a hold of my heart in the mean time - no season quite so powerful to my taste; It has a humbling effect. One recoils nonplussed at the sight of all the wonderous phenomenae in the world that surrounds us. 

It promises new beginnings and fresh starts and that is exactly what each and every one of us covets.

Feel like a new adventure?

I rest my case.

SPRING! "Then let winged Fancy wander through the thought still spread beyond her." - Keats

Yours truly,

Lola

Jazz as played in an exclusive side street club...

'Twas a dreary, uneventful february afternoon when suddenly I was struck or indeed smitten by and with the divine sounds of piano... 
and suddenly D.H. Lawrence's lauded words came to mind:

Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me;

Taking me back down the vista of years, till I see

A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the tingling strings

And pressing the small, poised feet of a mother who smiles as she sings. 

In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song

Betrays me back, till the heart of me weeps to belong

To the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside

And hymns in the cosy parlour, the tinkling piano our guide.

[...]

“Great joy, especially after a sudden change of circumstances, is apt to be silent, and dwells rather in the heart than on the tongue.” ~ Henry Fielding

This gay and jolly tune carried me to melancholy memories of times I know not of!

My mind's eye displayed images of smoky pubs, a handful of musicians slaving away at their instruments, engaging in the core of their tune, eager to please the crowded, dimly lit and mysterious room full of anticipated apprehensive ambiance. 

Beautiful, gracious women and smart-looking men dancing and chatting away joyfully and bursting into gales of roaring laughter over drinks... ; it seemed bliss!

Culprit?

Nina Simone - a fierce civil rights advocate and veritable pianist proficient

                                                                   RELISH HERE

A tiny flicker of joy to last a whole day I was eager to share with all of you!

Now it's off to bed for little, intrigued, enchanted me!

signed: Your ever-faithful servant,

Lola

5 months and seven days to salvation...

Christian you say?
Hardly. Opportunism, I say. Like everyone else I deem Christianity useful, yet not in the least bit enlightening, spiritual or valuable for that matter. Perish the thought that I should ever scorn religion because it's had its many good uses in the past, undeniably.
Its 4 august uses today: burning candles, Christmas, wellwishing and it's perfect for Sundayafternoon mockery with a lovely cup of tea and shortbread.


Then what is this 'salvation' I was referring to?
I shall elaborate most willingly;
For 7 months now I have placed all my hopes on and all my efforts in a somewhat irrational yet inspired attempt at starting my future carreer in England. More specifically, I aspire to be accepted for an English literature course at a British university.
DEADLINE: June 30 2011 also known as Salvation or my personal V-day.


The British educational system somewhat differs from the Belgian one and so does the overall university attitude. This blog will tell the tale of a 19-year-old embarking on the lifechanging adventure she so ardently covets.
One cannot wonder at my intentions: I merely wish to share my impressions, experiences, follies and my adoration of the beauty to be encountered along the way with all who care to appreciate it.


A question I receive rather often is this one: 
How does one go about applying to a British university as a Belgian student? 
(for those uninterested in this topic, I grant you leave to scroll down)
There's no uncomplicated way of explaining, I'm afraid, yet I shall make it my daunting task to endeavour it all the same.


Firstly, start thinking about opting for an international education in the month September a year beforehand. This way you are quite safe when it comes to deadlines and even applying to Oxbridge (Oxford-Cambridge) is still an option. Pay a prompt visit to the UCAS website (Universities & Colleges Admissions Service) and make good use of the 
course finder, helping you decide which course befits you.


Secondly, having decided on the adequate course, you need to start checking which universities offer this particular course and have a closer look at the entry requirements.
In Belgium literally anyone who finished secondary school can commence a degree at university. In Britain, however, this is not the obvious case!
The bigger picture: A-levels in Britain can be compared to the Belgian ASO-degree preparing students for university lectures. However, when applying to British universities one often meets with a discouraging, unwilling and in some cases even a disparaging manner to consider a Belgian degree equal to the GCE/A-level.
Therefore it is wise to improve one's chances by undertaking the GCE-exams as well so as to eliminate the difference between yourself and the overall British applicant.
In Belgium, GCE-exams can be taken at the British school of Brussels by contacting the British Council. Their employees will go out of their way to furnish you with the best advise on subjects, examination boards, study materials and choice of tutors for your coursework papers.
My GCE-subjects include Dutch, English Literature and English language. 
Additional requirements can include proof of your English language proficiency. Ideal measure to this end are the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS Cambridge (International English Language Testing System) tests.


Thirdly, enrolling for the necessary tests and exams brings you yet again one step closer to the ultimate goal. Don't forget to keep an eye out for the UCAS deadlines, but the order of the day now is drafting your UCAS-application form and looking out for a suitable referee.
Unfortunately, it is imperative that you choose 5 universities to which UCAS agrees to send your application. And then... we wait. 
Universities will either offer or deny you a place based on the expected grade-achievement in the A-level. At that point all that is left for you to do: to perform and accomplish!


Yet another, though closely related, question is the following: Why?
Everytime I am asked this I stumble on my own words, feel a glowing warmth spread from my heart and forget all sense in me just because my mind blanks out of sheer admiration and I simply swell with indignation at someone asking one such redundant question.
If this feeling sounds familiar then you know very well of what I speak! 
If not, however, then there is very little use to my trying to explain for these are matters of the heart that cannot and should not be stained with rationality. 
Hereby I gratefully put a stop to the seriousness and proceed to my order of the day.




I hope to post reviews of books, and probably a lot less frequently reviews of films, series and other things that catch my eye and I think are worth mentioning.


In quest of becoming a heroine myself, I shall be quite candid and therefore it is incumbent upon me to add that the odds are against me so I humbly dedicate my each and every sincere word to all the people who inspire me, to all the people who make me want to read, love and admire.


Next up I shall commence the drafting of my first of four papers.
TASK: compare a Shakespearean play to one written between 1300-1850.
To this end I have elected "Troilus and Cressida" versus "Dido, queen of Carthage" by Kit Marlowe.

The famed play by Christopher Marlowe - I can hardly wait!

Yours devotedly,
Lola


(the name of the blog refers to what my first ever published work would be called 
-not that I consider it a possibility, of course- 
as conceded with a dear, successful and talented friend)