Folks
I have access to the Internet, but it’s via a wifi modem – have just moved into our new home (18 months in the planning and completion of building), but we apparently moved in 15 days before the optic fibre network is turned on (sheesh – no one told me about that). Anyway, my activity on the Net is hampered, but not totally removed.
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Oh dear, the dreaded report card. Let’s see how I went:
What can I say? The ones that really really mattered are on track, except weight loss, and I have some ambitious goals that still need hard work. I will report again September 1.
In Canberra today – for day job. After I arrive the ash cloud from Chile, and which passed over Australia last week, is passing over again – cancelled all flights from noon today, and all flights cancelled tomorrow. I booked a flight back to Melbourne for Thursday, so here’s crossing my fingers.
Not much time for writing.
Yep, got back a few hours ago from the Gold Coast. Had a wonderful 6 days – it was sunny (and hot) when we needed it to be. Little one loved the pool (7 dips), Broadbeach, and Sea World. I relaxed, and yet was able to catch up on reading and also enjoying editing some of Ian Hall’s wonderful historical novel, Opportunities.
Day job from Monday… oh well!
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Folks
I’m heading off to sunny Queensland for a break for a week – a little editing, reading and writing, but mostly enjoying the sun, pool, beaches etc with my wife and daughter. Much needed. I will have limited Internet access (blackberry, basically), so there will be a bit of a hiatus – maybe a post or two.
Cya!
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Back on track. The conceptualizing went well and back to writing The Comfort of Beanbags, although a bit tired today – 4th day of a 5 day training course, and super intensive.
I am pleased with the world building done – trying to extrapolate a future society with the key elements that changes the normal progress of human society. I like. Might throw in a WIP some time soon.
Off to the Gold Coast on Saturday – 6 days in warm weather, pool, beach etc. All good to recharge batteries and fantastic for our little one.
Minimal internet there – so don’t be surprised with a drop in social networking.
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Well, I suppose I better get into the spirit. It is also a handy way of putting on record my goals (notably in writing).
So here it goes:
Point 10: Here is my Heat Map of getting into SFWA – the easiest path is to publish 3 short stories in recognized magazines etc. When I get three green slices of the circle, I qualify. Legend: Yellow means I am currently submitted to an SFWA mag, not counting green; red means there is a slot I haven’t submitted to, unless green. Green is a success, as stated.
Point 9: Write 12 short stories: 9 (way ahead of schedule)
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It hit me again. I have had angioedema (chronic, impact type) for probably 20 years – and over the last year or so had a few nasty scraps with it. I win, and it means a drug regime that I will have to carry on with for the rest of my life. Fortunately, until recently, it was a case of just a lot of antihistamines.
I have had a bad throat infection for a while and antibiotics didn’t appear to do me much good, so when my breathing was struggling a bit, I got scared. Went to hospital last Sunday and lo and behold, it turns out that my lungs are fine, my heart it good, no cholesterol or blood-sugar level issues, and yes, I still have my myco-bacterial infection. But it turns out the infection and my angioedema have been playing silly-buggers with each other and that’s why the antibiotics didn’t work. In a nutshell, because I didn’t figure on angioedema playing a part, nor my GP, we were not hitting it the right way.
After two nights at Epworth Hospital in Richmond, Melbourne, I am on track again. Medication to get rid of angioedema symptoms and the infection, and more knowledge on how to stop this happening again.
Bloody Angioedema.
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This title isn’t meant to be an oblique and very ‘in’ joke referring to my friend Jack Eason’s novel in progress. Rather it refers to something real happening to me and my co-owned company, IFWG Publishing. It amazes me how often when something important happens, or not happens, it seems to clump together with other things following the same pattern. I suppose one could call these punctuated moments on someone’s time line, as being a turning point.
Over the last week some ugly things happened in my day job (‘day jobbe" as Jay Lake would call it), but not in terms of job security, more in terms of forces majeur affecting professional outcomes. I was assigned a six month job with an engineering firm to put their house in order, but unfortunately internal politics will probably unravel all of my work. We will see ( 🙂 )
I didn’t get short listed in the Text YA Writing Contest. This was disappointing, but hey, am used to it. It is a long journey to get regular acceptances – have to deal with it. I will, of course, now actively try to get Guardian of the Sky Realms published, or actively represented.
In terms of my company (my night jobbe), had a big breakthrough yesterday – Paul Goat Allen, an excellent and respected spec fic blogger-reviewer, actually reviewed Jack Eason’s Onet’s Tale, and provided good words, a mix of positive and constructive statements. This also reflects on the company, and this is all very good for all of us. I am hoping we have an ongoing relationship with Paul.
Finally, the company has matured sufficiently where we had to make decisions about the scope of our work. We chose to narrow our genre focus to non-fiction, children/YA stories, and spec fic – with some narrowing in that field as well. Of course, we are, and will continue to, support those authors we have committed to who are outside of this new scope.
So…a lot happened and I guess I could last week a turning point.
Yeah. TIme is the killer. Even when conscientious, it forces one to compete with priorities. It gnaws at one’s feet. I swear at it as if it is human, a bizarre anthropomorphic ritual. At times, I feel despondent.
April promises to be a good month but I wont have time to do everything I want. I have a new job within my company, which is better for free time, but it is a very good job (as day jobs goes) and I have to perform with a modicum of continuous brilliance to make the powers to be feel justified in allowing me to permanently transfer to Melbourne.
What I want (dare I say need) to also do is: have a semblance of a family life with the two most important people in my life; continue to ply my editorial/publishing skills for IFWG Publishing, which is just now bearing the first harvest of all our efforts over the last quarter; finish my Evyntyde short story anthology, which I am keen on progressing, finish my YA novel in time for the Text YA Contest – have to say, this goal is REAL important to me; and continue refining/redefining my novels and complete my next one. Whew. Lots and lots of work.
Panic aside, it is a case of prioritization, and chugging along, achieving one milestone at a time.
Just venting my spleen folks. It helps to sometimes unload on one’s friends.
The Chronicles of Evyntyde 