Other things

For some reason, it's been a really hard couple of weeks.

Partly, this may be down to autumnal health issues - Simon's been sick all this week with a cold/throat/head bug which I'm now suffering from (and complaining at least twice as much as he did).

Also, the wedding planning is kicking into high speed now, with only five more weeks to go (oh God).

Add in the new job, which inevitably involves a lot of concentration if I even want to remember people's names (something I am very bad at) let alone what I'm actually supposed to be doing.

All this is by way of saying, "The writing's not going so well."

On the other hand, I have my half hour agreement with Bonnie. This, at least, has enabled me to keep moving with stuff. I've actually used the time mostly to finish up loose ends, get some short stuff written, and plan and plot away quietly, which is more inkeeping with my limited attention span right now.

I'm also very aware that it is nearly October. It seems kind of pointless setting lofty goals for the next month, when I know that so much of it will be filled with table plans and place cards. But as long as I can keep my 1/2 hour a day, I should be okay.

Now that most of the loose ends and smaller things are finished, I need to commit to using my half hour to edit Saving the Unicorns. I'm going through the hard copy, very slowly, at the moment, although I've barely started. I also haven't brought it to Wales this weekend, so it'll have to wait until Monday. Instead, today and tomorrow will be spent getting over this stinking cold, and thinking and noting my way through a few writing issues I know I have to deal with next month.

It's frustrating to have everything moving so slowly at the moment, but at least it is still moving.

Things that are happening to me right now.

Right now, I am about to be late for work. However, I'm not going anywhere until my fiance has managed to saw his way out of the bathroom.

Seriously.

A couple of weeks ago the mechanism in the door handle broke on the door to my study, while Simon and I were outside. With the aid of a screwdriver, Simon managed to jimmy the door so we could get in, and has dismantled the mechanism so that, while we can't shut the door properly, we can't get stuck in or outside the room.

Same thing just happened to the bathroom door, except this time, Simon's inside.

Because of the way the door is set up, you need to be inside the room to do anything about it. And there isn't enough space under the door to pass a screwdriver.

I managed to get a saw blade underneath, though, and he's currently sawing through the mechanism. He thinks he's nearly there.

I'd better go give some more encouragement...

New Job

First day at the new job went well, but I was so exhausted at the end of it I went to bed before nine.

Of course, some of that may have been to do with the trek up to Wales, going out partying with my brother on Friday, shopping for wedding shoes all day Saturday (still don't have any), and shopping for clothes all day Sunday. Add in a few wedding related in-law issues, along with general wedding planning, and a four and half hour drive back on Sunday night, and I was just whacked.

On the plus side, it means I'm up early this morning and already have my half hour done.

Okay, off to the day job!

New Start

As one door closes, yada yada.

As I may have mentioned, I'm starting a new job on Monday. They sent me a stack of forms to fill in (if I go missing, my fiance mayhave bumped me off for the life assurance) one of which was a New Starter form.

The more I thought about it, the more appropriate it seemed.

I've spent the last four and a half years organising conferences, all around the globe. I worked damn hard, for long hours, many weekends, and I was very good at my job.

But you can only do that for so long. So I don't any more.

The last month has been a limbo period. I've temped, written, decluttered, thought and slept a lot. But now it's time for my life to begin. A new life, with a new start.

Other signs that my world is starting over, whether I like it or not - I need to renew my passport, as it runs out on November 6th. So I need to renew it in a new name, with a new picture, and a signature from my vicar that I will be becoming this different person in a month and a bit.

I'm heading up to Wales this weekend (luckily, as that's where the vicar is) and my mother and I are going to visit the personal shopper at Debenhams - something we booked ages ago, and that coincidentally falls now, just when I need a new wardrobe, in order to be this new person.

But it's not all coincidence. I'm making some active changes too.

One reason (among many) for leaving my previous job was that I wanted more time to write.
And I know that my stories progress if I write on them everyday, however little. Bonnie reminded me of this, and we set ourselves a challenge.

We will write for half an hour, every day. No matter what.

How hard can that be?

New regime, people.

September

It's all change over here in Katy's Wonderland.

I've just finished my temp contact at the council, and on the 18th I start my new real job, right here in town, with ordinary hours and everything.

It has a pension, health care, free Alta Rica coffee on tap, and free lunch in the restaurant!
My old job had none of these things.

I'm very excited.

The darling fiance has just disappeared in a taxi for the airport - he's off to a conference in Vermont for the week, while I sit here at home and pine.

Well, not exactly.

Lots to do today, before my cousin comes to stay tonight. There are plans for Red Dwarf dvds and Chicken Pad Thai. I do make damn good Pad Thai. And then I'll probably live on ready meals until Simon gets home.

Then I've got until Thursday to get the house / my life / everything in order. I'm up in Wales over the weekend, going to a personal shopper with my mum, and probably meeting with the florist again, I think.

And, of course, the writing.

I want to get Saving the Unicorns revised this month. And, potentially, sent out.

I've also accidentally started in on something new over the last week, which appears to be running faster than I can keep up with. I said I wanted 20k on it this month, and I'm at 14k now, so hopefully that should be achieveable too.

Oh, yeah. And I need to finish planning the wedding, as it is now less than two months away.

Right, must get dressed and go to the cash machine to get money to pay the nice man who's coming to clear out our gutters in about 45mins. It's a wild, wild life I'm living.