Another goal

There was a third goal I should have added to my last post. Sort out my online presence.

I know I've not been the best blogger in the last couple of years, though I think I did a little better in December. I want to get back to posting several times a week as I used to and finding those entertaining videos, pictures and links again. I need to prune my blog roll, as I know some of the blogs are now dormant and I want to make room for more recent favourites. So if you find your blog disappears from my list, I do apologise, though I will be adding all those I remove to my Google Reader, just in case.

Then there is my website, where I have a page headed links, which is 'coming soon'. I want to put up links to a few websites and blogs which I have found particularly useful in my journey as a writer so far. First I have to choose which, of the many I have bookmarked, to include.

Finally, I need to be a little more proactive on Twitter and Facebook. You know, actually post updates rather than just popping in to read about what everyone else is doing. Of course to make my updates interesting, I may just need to get a life...

Hmm, I think all that should keep me busy this week while I'm plotting the final section of my novel.

(PS Have you seen my word count meter in the side bar. It now says 87%!)

New Year Resolutions

So, did you make any?

I'm not a huge fan of New Year Resolutions. Some, such as starting a diet, are just so obvious and should really be long term lifestyle choices. Others may be so unachievable that they just set you up for failure, which is not psychologically healthy.

So this year I'm just setting two goals (not resolutions):

1. Finish the novel

It's been a long time coming but at the time of writing it's 83% complete and the end is within my grasp. I had a huge burst of inspiration between Christmas and New Year, when the word count rose rapidly. This wasn't planned, but I woke up one morning with one scene so clear in my mind that I had to write it down, even though it was out of sequence. From there, other pieces of the puzzle started to fall neatly into place and I knew how the story would progress up to and beyond that scene. It all got written in an intense burst over two days. This is how writing should be.

2. Find more 'me time'.

I'm on doctor's orders with this one. Some members of my family (no names mentioned) think I have a lot of time to myself. But it isn't proper 'me time'. Some of it is supporting and helping other people, through charities I'm (now unofficially) involved with. Often enjoyable, it gets me out of the house and meeting good friends, but really it's a form of unpaid work. The rest of the time is largely writing related. I've decided that I need to treat the writing as proper work rather than a hobby, in order to be able to maintain my focus and up my productivity now Hubby is home all the time. So, at least whilst I'm currently not in any regular paid employment, I'm going to try to focus on these two things primarily in working hours. Hopefully this will leave more time for reading, relaxation and, dare I hope, fun at other times.

Of course, the best laid plans...

Goodbye 2008...

...and good riddance.

Those of you who visit regularly will know that many members of our extended family have had to face huge challenges this year, mainly health related. Things are not back to normal, indeed never will be back to how they once were, but have at least improved and I appreciated all your support. I know that we have not been alone in facing such a difficult year, far too many of my online friends have also been struggling in various ways.

We don't know what 2009 will bring, financially it is likely to be difficult as Hubby has already had to take a pay cut to try to keep the business, for which we both work, alive in the credit crunch. But we will get through it somehow.

I'm not going to make New Year's Resolutions, in the current climate I think I would be far too likely to fail. But what I would like to achieve in 2009, circumstances permitting, is to complete my OU studies and at least the first draft of the novel, to become a more consistent blogger again and also to find more time to look after myself. Everything else will just be a case of wait and see where life takes us...

Happy New Year!

A room of my own

Once upon a time we had a spare bedroom. Well actually we still do, but over the last few years, while things have been so difficult at home, it has gradually turned into a tip. After all, nobody ever comes to stay with us nowadays. They don't when you live with autism.

Now, if I am honest, much of the stuff littering the spare bedroom belongs to me...ie boxes of craft materials, books and endless paperwork to be sorted. Then there are the plastic sacks of hand-me-down clothes both from son 1 and a friend's child, which need to be sorted to identify items for son 2 and the remainder sent off to the charity shop. There are a couple of pieces of unused and/or broken furniture which need to be found a more suitable home or sent to the tip. But in my recent state of mind all this has seemed a task too far. I have preferred to bury my head in the sand (or a book!)

Just two years ago this room also contained a small desk which I was able to use when working. Son 1 has now stolen that desk for his own bedroom and I am relegated to working and writing on the dining table or coffee table. I was recently talking to a counsellor and she suggested that I needed a haven I could escape to. Son 1 is at home most of the time and I no longer have that precious bit of space when both boys were at school. So why not tidy up the spare bedroom again?

It will be quite a big task and I can't even start until son 2 is back at school next week, but I am going to do it. I have been looking in the Argos catalogue for a compact desk and I want to get an ergonomic chair to help my bad back. I will also ensure that there is plenty of room on the floor for my yoga mat so that I can do stretches whenever I need to. I will be able to put on my own music without being interrupted by son 1 wanting to watch TV.

It sounds good. I want my writing room up and running by the New Year.

Three notable things:

1. I have now caught the cold virus from the boys...

2. Thank goodness for the CBeebies website. It keeps son 2 occupied for hours.

3. The National Autistic Society launches its new awareness campaign today. Why not take a look at Think Differently about Autism. It might surprise you.

Image by Free-StockPhotos.com

Weekend plans

No more targets, I fear. I have decided I can only do what I can do and I have to put myself and my health first, for once, and make use of the fact that Hubby is at home for four days to help with the boys.

A quiet weekend beckons, I think. I have lots of things I could (or should) do, such as bookkeeping work, an Open University essay and a pile of ironing. But the weather is warm and sunny, I have books to read, future writing to plan and lots of other things I actually want to do.

That will suffice for now.

False alarms

Thanks to gentle nagging from Anne and Sue ( thanks girls!), I am not going to set any new formal targets this month. However, I am going to try to catch up with myself before the Easter holiday starts. So, my informal targets for March will be much as before...

A bit of mild excitement today. Son 2 tried to burn down the kitchen whilst making toast this morning. He seems to think that once the bread pops up out of the toaster it has to be put back in again and again. He does this until the bread is black and brittle and the house is full of smoke. Of course this set off the smoke alarm, which totally upset and confused him. Then we had to open all the windows so I froze. All because he sneaked off to make something I had already said he could not have.

This afternoon I took him to a special needs club at a local church and guess what, one of the kids (not him!) set off the fire alarm. The noise was earsplitting and no one knew how to turn it off. Son 2 is very sound sensitive but coped simply because he was listening to a CD and seemed to be able to tune out the alarm. If only we adults had also been able to do that!

Target time

A day late, it's time to review how many of my targets for February were met.

1. OU...still a bit behind on my reading but the assignment is done. OK, I cheated slightly, I asked for and was granted an extension and it was actually completed and posted off today!

2.Novel...well I have written a little more, but not as much as I would have liked.

3.Proper work...some bookkeeping done, lots more to go.

4.Voluntary work...caught up, sort of.

5.Wardrobe clearing...um, no. Though I have bought a few more items to put in it!

Not too bad for a short month which contained a two week half term for Son 2...

Now for the March targets. I will have a think and put them up over the weekend.

No time to write

I'm pulling my hair out over my essay on personality disorders, Hubby is pushing me to get on with his bookkeeping and Son 1 decided to have a crisis today and seems to have rather given up on life.

My copy of Suite Francaise arrived in the post from Amazon and a friend who has just read it wants me to read it soon so we can discuss it. But when will I have time?

Oh and I need to lose weight, I have put on a lot since Son 1 became ill as I am much more confined to home and have frozen my gym membership. Not that I did anything too energetic there, but I did enjoy yoga and swimming. Diet and exercise is needed, along with less chocolate, I fear. It's always the damned chocolate which makes me put on weight. Oh well it's nearly time for my next monthly targets...

February targets

Better late than never! It is a short month containing a half term, so I dare not be too ambitious.

1. Complete reading and next assignment for my OU course.

2. Continue trying to write some of novel at least every other day and write regularly on here.

3. Do some catching up on my paid accountancy work (for hubby's business so very flexible, but still...)

4. Try to catch up with the financial part of my voluntary work.

5. Tidy out my wardrobe ( not highest priority but really does need doing...)

Like last month I will report back on my progress. As you can see many of the targets are very similar to last month. Its not that I didn't achieve anything in January, but the same things will inevitably come up time and time again. Perhaps next month I will actually have time to include something fun...?!

How did I do?

Time to revisit my targets for January:

1.OU assignment...done, still awaiting the result.

2.Tax return...done (couldn't afford the fine if I didn't!)

3.Voluntary work...have done quite a lot but not necessarily what I set out to do!

4.Novel writing...prologue and chapter one finished, chapter two started. Not as much as I'd hoped but better than nothing. Also first 1000 words edited thoroughly and sent off to a competition.

5.Wardrobe tidying... not even started. Oh dear.

Not too bad though. Now I must set my targets for February. I'll have a think and try to post them up tomorrow.

My virus never developed into anything too much, so perhaps it was just the tail end of a tummy bug we have all had. I'm glad as I'm actually going out to dinner this evening, a ladies night out (I would say girls, but some of those going are definitely no longer girls!) with a special needs support group I attend.

Today I also had my six monthly check at the dentist and of course, he found a very old filling that needs replacing. He has to make money somehow! But it is not desperately urgent so I am leaving it until after half term.

I finished 'Something Beginning With' by Sarah Salway a couple of days ago. I enjoyed it...a quick and easy read, but well written in prose which conveys hidden depths beneath a seemingly superficial surface.

Got a virus

Me that is. Not the computer. I hope.

Started the day off feeling fairly OK, just a hint of a cold on the way. I decided to go to the office to do some voluntary work catch-up as that is one of my targets for the month that I haven't done too well on.

I got in fairly early and the office was quiet, so it looked promising, but by the time I'd taken messages off the voice mail, made a call and had a chat about support groups with someone from another group working in the same centre, time was already getting on. Then one of my colleagues came in and I needed to do something with her. By that time I was starting to feel lightheaded so I decided to cut my losses as I had to go to Tesco anyway. After all I am not paid for this work and sometimes frankly it seems more hassle than it is worth.

I thought I would feel better once I had arrived home and had some late lunch, but to be honest I don't. I tried to write a bit more of the novel but my fingers weren't working too well on the keyboard.

I give up for today.

It must be the weather.....

I had lots of plans today to be busy and do some Good Deeds for my voluntary charity work (in other words spend a day trying to catch up with financial records in the office). But then the last piece of info needed for my tax return arrived in the post this morning and once I had looked at the storm outside I decided I would be better off to stay in and finally stop procrastinating over the form. So another one of my January targets has been met.

I have had one eye on the TV news about the Channel 4 Celebrity Big Brother racism row. I have only seen about 5 minutes of the series so I couldn't possibly comment on whether it is racism, class differences or just plain girly bitchiness and ignorance. It all leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth though, even for those of us not watching the series. I'm sure many bloggers and commentators will have their say, as Jane Henry and Danuta Keen already have.

My novel word count is creeping VERY slowly upwards, but I'm glad I didn't join in the novel race, I would feel very inadequate alongside the likes of Kate Harrison!

Tax return blues

Since I am technically still a Chartered Accountant you wouldn't think a fairly straightforward tax return should hold too many fears for me. But I hate doing it and yes, on at least one occasion I have made a mistake in calculating my tax. True to form I have left it to the very last minute and then spent the morning chasing my bank for info, downloading extra sections of the return from the internet and thinking about what else I might have forgotten. Tomorrow I shall have to rush into town to get some building society books updated and then when the bank info arrives maybe I can do force myself to fill the form in. Oh what joy!

Haven't had time to write any more of the novel over the weekend though I did edit what I have done so far. I think I am the sort of writer who writes sections then likes to edit, rather than rushing straight through a first draft. Once I get writing the words and ideas can flow very well some days but on others I'm more in the mood for nitpicking and fiddling with my text. I suspect that comes from having very much enjoyed translation work when I studied languages at university.

Essay writing again

Lots of paperwork today. I not only finished writing my OU essay but got it into the post, before I could start changing it too much! It's funny how some days I just can't get into academic mode but on other days the concepts flow easily. Just like any sort of writing I suppose. So, one of my targets for this month has been met. I also wote a few more words of the novel, but at the moment I am working a bit more on plannning and structure rather than actual prose.

Talking of writing, in the Oxfam bookshop I visited in the West End on Tuesday, I managed to pick up a copy of Stephen King's 'On Writing', which was recommended by many of my fellow OU writing students last year and also a copy of this. Oh and if you want more tuition from popular American authors, Kate Harrison recently drew attention on her blog to this year long workshop by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer.

Trainers, rain and timewasting

Spent most of the day dealing with niggling domestic issues, like why did the repairman from Comet come to the house to mend a TV which we had already taken back to the store because it never worked?

Then there was the trainers saga. Son 2 is very fussy about shoes. He also destroys them on a regular basis. So we don't spend too much on them...trainers from Woolworths actually fit him well because they are usually wide, like his feet. This morning, while getting him ready for school I noticed a hole in the bottom of his trainers. He refused to wear his spare pair so had to go as he was. I asked Hubby to look in the Woolies by his office for a new pair. But it is incredibly hard to find velcro fastening trainers in size 4 and son 2 can't cope with laces due to his disability. No success. So I had to go out hunting myself in the rain. By a stroke of luck I found some, but they were in a store next to a charity shop and of course one thing led to another and I came home with even more books! By the time I had finished all my chores and shopping it was nearly time for Son 2 to return from school, so no essay writing, no novel writing, no tax return done....

New year, new organised me?

Happy New Year! I hope you are all partied out? We had a quiet one, at home, in keeping with our relaxing Christmas this year. We did manage to stay awake to midnight, however, by watching Jools Holland on TV (was Amy Winehouse on something??)

I have been thinking about New Year Resolutions and have decided not to make any this year. This is simply because every year I say very blithely that I will lose weight, give up chocolate, spend less, do more housework or something equally boring which I know I will have forgotten about by the end of January. Life also has a habit of getting in the way, big time, whenever I start on a new self-improvement plan.

This year I am just going to make a realistic monthly list of targets, which I hope will seem a little more manageable.

So here is my list for January, in order of urgency:

1. Write my Open University assignment ( due in on 10th but I have been granted an extension...)

2. Do my tax return

3. Get up to date on some of my voluntary work tasks, as I have fallen behind

4. Write some more of my fledgling novel ( or indeed write more of anything)

5. Tidy out my wardrobe and send unwanted stuff off to the charity shop.

I'll report back at the end of the month...