Back To Work.

I've just finished two weeks' holiday. And, of course, I was busy. I had a list of jobs to do, and didn't manage to finish the list.

I got very little writing done. One good day last week where I wrote some good words, only to discover they had disappeared the next morning. No I'm reasonably computer savvy, and I save as I go. And yet that document is gone. Completely. I spent far too much time trying to recover the file, but to no avail. I simply cannot explain what happened to it.

The next morning I rewrote as much of it as I could remember, and I must admit I think I did a better job on the second occasion. Of course I cannot compare the two pieces, but I was more satisfied when I read it back. I think it might be a keeper.

But back to work tomorrow, teaching. And it's going to be a busy term. I must work out the best way to make time for me, to make time to write.

To motivate myself to write after teaching English at school, working with words all day.

This I something at which I must work.

School Holidays Are Here.

I'm in the first week of my term break, and starting to relax. Although I must say I actually haven't had much 'down' time.

Lots of work to do around the house, particularly with this unseasonably clear weather. It's supposed to rain for the next week or so, which means I'll have some time to get some writing done.  I did manage to free up Monday, and spent the day writing, and tweaking a story for a deadline. I sent it off with a couple of hours to spare. No we wait. And the waiting can be long. 

It's an unusual story for me. Different style, different genre, and different format.  Hopefully it pays off. If not, then I've tried something and pushed my own personal writing boundaries.

Apart from that I've built a gate and a fence, repaired outdoor steps that had broken, and generally done stuff around the house.

But the physical work has been good. It's a nice change from the classroom, but it's not something I'm particularly suited to, or something I would want to do full time.

If I Had A Hammer.

School holidays are with me and so I've had the past week off. Not that I've had too much time to relax. I've been marking school assignments, trying to get some writing done and doing stacks of jobs around the house that need doing - sanding, painting and, utilising all the woodwork skills I can muster, attempting to hammer nails in straight.

My wife and I are currently working on the rooms we plan to be our 'studios'.  A bit of writing, a bit of painting, a bit of music - heck, even a pool table. It's a lot of work to get them up to scratch, but the place is coming along and looking all the better for it. And one day soon I'll be able to sit back and relax to enjoy the fruits of all this labour.

But it hasn't all been work. I had some friend come over a couple of nights ago to play cards - not poker, but 500s.  Whereas poker is based largely on luck, 500s is based largely on skill. (and having the right partner) I much prefer the four handed version of the game, but due to our numbers we had to play with six hands.  Of course we used the correct 500s deck - much like the regular ones, but this one has cards that go up to 13.  Still looks odd when you see them.

So we had a casual evening of wine and food and playing cards - and talking lots and lots of crap.

Maybe I should have got those guys around during the day to do some DIY for me.

Now that would have been smart.