I thought I’d write a bit about what I’m actually doing these days… after meeting with a friend who was a little concerned that I’d dropped off the deep end and had started hanging out with squid, I figured it was probably time for a journal update..

Isobel and the Octopoidal Monster are characters in the NaNoWriMo novel I am attempting to write this month. Yep, I’m at it again, and hopefully I’ll have better results than last year, which died rather unspectacularly right around this time of the month. I broke 10,000 words yesterday, but to stay on top of things I’d like to be closer to about 20,000 by the end of the weekend. I didn’t write at all last weekend for various reasons, so I think this weekend is going to be spent hibernating inside and spending some quality time with the laptop and doing word count sprints. 15 minutes to write as much as I possibly can on one scene, then take 15 off to do something else (cleaning the house springs immediately to mind), then another 15 minute burst. It works suprisingly well – I can get anywhere from 250 – 500 words down in 15 minutes so it doesn’t take too long to get up to my daily word count as long as I am diligent.

I’m also trying to get a few big assignments done for my masters course – I’ve got a term paper due in 5 weeks that I need to get an outline and lots of research done for, as well as a shorter reaction paper and online onference moderation in two weeks. I was feeling so on top of my schoolwork for ages, and then as soon as NaNoWriMo started I’ve been feeling behind on both. sigh. Looking back on life when I was working, I find it amazing that I managed to do anything outside work. If I was working now I certainly wouldn’t be able to do both my course and NaNoWriMo.

On top of all that, I’m also spending two or three evenings a week at a volunteer organization here in cork. I don’t really want to blog about it cause it’s not really blogable, but it’s something that I have wanted to do for a while and finally said to myself, “you’re not working – there is no excuse for not doing this now.” So there’s also time commitments to that on top of everything else. I’m actually feeling rather busy, given the fact that I’m technically unemployed.

I’ve been considering taking on some part time work over the Christmas period, just to earn a bit of cash. There is a new Lush shop opening in Cork, and I like the idea of selling things I like and use myself, not to mention the attraction of the employee discount! But I still haven’t really decided for sure. I am not sure I would really enjoy being in a shop for several hours a day during the Christmas shopping rush. And I like being able to wake up when I want to. I’m a big wimp really.

So, there you have it – the contents of my life at the moment. I’ve also been baking bread by hand nearly every day, cooking delicious soups, trying to stay in touch with friends, having tea with my sister-in-law who is about to give birth any day now, going for bike rides with tom when it’s not pouring out of the heavens, and reading books on the couch with a purring cat on my lap. I’m feeling pretty good these days, relaxed and happy.

Edit:: I’ve also been taking driving lessons recently, and on monday drove through the roundabout from hell with the driving instructor. I’ll be insured on our car from my birthday onwards, so I’ll be a fully legal driver soon enough. Yay!! It only took me three and a half years…

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