Thank, in theory, things can always get better. At least, I like to think so. That's horribly opimistic of me, perhaps, but it does occasionally work in practice.
In case you can't figure out the 'read between the lines' of that last sentence, I've had a good day. Or, maybe, rather a very good day. An excellent day. A...okay, I'll stop now.
Normally Mondays for me are rather a day I can forget about. I'd sleep through them if I could. Today, however, I made nearly a grand in unexpected (but very welcome) income for hardly any work (comparative to how much I normally have to do for that much money, that is), I tracked down and scheduled meetings with two very important people, I was handed a project case study on my lap (almost literally), and I bought healthy!groceries. And now it's sunny outside. So, really, a very good day indeed.
In other news, I passed the minimum for the writing challenge I'm participating in, which would be something to celebrate if it didn't mean I was only half way through the story (maybe less than that, actually). I have also failed to return to researching the current paper I'm supposed to be working on (stack of books is five inches away) and as of 3pm this afternoon I've got yet another thing to write which is due Wednesday. Thursday I'm in London. Friday is supposed to be some Grand Meeting of PhDs thing or something. I was only told on Saturday, and then in passing and no one actually seems to know what's happening, but I'm leaving it open anyways. In other words, my Week of Work is turning into my Week of Other Things, yet again. I really need a WoW before I leave for Denver. Like...really.
Tomorrow I get to have a grand adventure in the Attenborough Tower, which for anyone who has not been a student at Leicester will seem rather sad. For anyone who has, you know how awesome the AT is. Needless to say there will be the 18th floor and an elevator ride like no other. I have never been up the tower that high before, though I know some people just ride the lift for shits and giggles (a bit of both are needed to survive it). And then I get tea. And a chat with a person I've known for nine years. But before that, I really need to do work.
At least I'm not wasting my days watching Olympics coverage, since Canada AND GB are doing horribly and I get bored watching the Yanks and Chinese beat everyone else.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Writing Insanity
I often blame other people for my writing mistakes. Well, I say mistakes, but they rarely are actual mistakes. I regret them nonetheless.
Case in point: I have been struggling to write a challenge story for a contest I signed up for months ago. It's due next month. I have about 1000 words of at least 10k written. And it's not going well. Often when this sort of things happens, I try to go and write something completely different in the hope that it will inspire me. Naturally, it's something I complain to my writing friends about. It's why I have writing friends, after all, for the days when I can't write a thing.
Newest writing friend has been suggesting for days that I write something silly and funny and ridiculous, partly to entertain her and partly to just get the juices flowing again. I'd been doing very well ignoring this advice (I hate writing crack fic, I always feel slightly unclean afterwards), but yesterday it all went down hill. Which resulting in a texting war and a rather fangirl-y conversation on the phone...and two chapters of a story I have no interest in writing. My muse rarely cares about what I want.
What really bugs me is that I think it's actually helped. If I can get this silly crack fic done, I can get back to writing what I need to be writing (which isn't true, as I need to be writing my phd research, not fiction).
None of this is the reason I've been quiet again as of late. The reason for that is a whole mound of new duties in the department, a further increase in my already pretty bad stress levels, moving house (which took 3 days and resulted in a bad back) and a pastoral issue with one of the 'students' I'm now responsible for (which is still ongoing as of an hour ago, and looks like it will continue all week). There just aren't enough hours in the day!
Oh, and I have a telly again, so there's even fewer hours of 'work' time available.
Case in point: I have been struggling to write a challenge story for a contest I signed up for months ago. It's due next month. I have about 1000 words of at least 10k written. And it's not going well. Often when this sort of things happens, I try to go and write something completely different in the hope that it will inspire me. Naturally, it's something I complain to my writing friends about. It's why I have writing friends, after all, for the days when I can't write a thing.
Newest writing friend has been suggesting for days that I write something silly and funny and ridiculous, partly to entertain her and partly to just get the juices flowing again. I'd been doing very well ignoring this advice (I hate writing crack fic, I always feel slightly unclean afterwards), but yesterday it all went down hill. Which resulting in a texting war and a rather fangirl-y conversation on the phone...and two chapters of a story I have no interest in writing. My muse rarely cares about what I want.
What really bugs me is that I think it's actually helped. If I can get this silly crack fic done, I can get back to writing what I need to be writing (which isn't true, as I need to be writing my phd research, not fiction).
None of this is the reason I've been quiet again as of late. The reason for that is a whole mound of new duties in the department, a further increase in my already pretty bad stress levels, moving house (which took 3 days and resulted in a bad back) and a pastoral issue with one of the 'students' I'm now responsible for (which is still ongoing as of an hour ago, and looks like it will continue all week). There just aren't enough hours in the day!
Oh, and I have a telly again, so there's even fewer hours of 'work' time available.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)