tell me, do you write everyday?

Sure.
Today?
Sure.
It's a beautiful typewriter.
Of course. It writes nothing but sensitive, intensely felt, promising prose.
There's no ribbon in it.
There isn't?
No


-Breakfast at Tiffany's




There's something about typewriters that I find irresistible. the clacking sound of them is intoxicating. I remember having one as a kid and I've wanted one ever since. I think there's something beautiful about the care which goes into typing. We're too lazy now and it's far too easy to just hit delete or backspace and remove errors. Something written on a typewriter has to be thought out and carefully keyed.


Ernest Hemingway is shown at his typewriter as he works on For Whom the Bell Tolls at Sun Valley lodge, Idaho, in 1939.
Photograph: AP




Agatha Christie behind her desk with towers of her own books piled around her.
Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images




Tennessee Williams searches for an idea in his Key West studio in 1957.
Photograph: Bettmann/Corbis




Helen Gurley Brown at home in her Park Avenue apartment in 1965.
Photograph: Corbis




William Faulkner works on a screenplay on a balcony, Hollywood in the early 1940s.
Photograph: Alfred Eriss/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image




Bonjour Tristesse author Françoise Sagan in 1955.
Photograph: Thomas D. McAvoy/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image



The observant of you may remember that I tweeted about this collection of images a couple of weeks back but I couldn't resist sharing some of my favourites.

You can see the full collection of images on the Guardian website (view gallery).

It's sad that this is another piece of technology which is slowly but surely heading for extinction. Paul Bailey wrote a very moving piece on this for The Guardian. (read article).

So my first week of freedom, having completed a three year degree in English literature has been spent... reading.
I went to chester-le-street with my Dad and found a load of cheap books in charity shops to add to my ever increasing pile of 'books I can now FINALLY read for pleasure'. Currently reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. It seemed a good choice when there's so much upheaval in my life and change happening. I have to say I'm surprised by how much it moved me. It made me think a lot about what I want to achieve in these next couple of years, and how I need to go about it.

Any recommendations of good reads are always welcome (now I have the time to!)

out with the old and in with the new??

Now Newcastle is a city that's very close to my heart and I'm all for its redevelopment and improvement. That being said a close friend of mine, A, brought the demolition of this building to my attention earlier this evening.



So what is this gorgeous building being knocked down to make room for??

A car park.

Yes, really.

We're in the middle of trying to raise awareness so that this beautiful piece of architecture doesn't just vanish. Find out more here:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_206012356104532


It seems such a shame to lose such a great building

il bel far niente

I spoke to a Sicilian man last night at work.
As I went through a quotation with him, he answered every question with a joke before giving me his serious response.
At the end of the conversation he thanked me for my time and said 'ciao bella'.
It's funny, the little things that make you smile.

Like this piece of graffiti i walked past in Newcastle yesterday



So this weekend has been a little bit insane.
Thanks to all the bloggers who offered messages of support last week!
I'm all finished now and I've spent the past few days with a bunch of people who collectively have kept the biggest grin on my face you could possibly imagine.

Now I don't know what to do with myself



blue striped dress: Zara
nude heels: Topshop

Happy Birthday Mr President...

So tomorrow is official hand-in.
I am 24 hours and 12,000 words away from finishing my degree.
I have to admit, I am slightly terrified.



Today is going to be spent nailed to my macbook, finishing off conclusions, and proof reading, but in the spirit of a last couple hours procrastination I thought this was a nice video to share...

Today in 1962, a very special lady sang a very memorable happy birthday:








Now I need to go back to proof reading