New Years And New Plans.

At the beginning of every year people make plans and resolutions.

Not me.

If I want to make a change, then I try to do it. No need to align with a date of imaginary importance. I think the last resolution I made (and didn't keep) was back in the 20th Century. I just don't really see the point. I suppose a large part of that is my failure to keep my resolutions.

I do, however, use New Year as a time of reflection and planning for the future. Nothing formal, simply a few thoughts about what I have done and what I hope to achieve. Writing usually pops into my brain, as does playing my guitar more often with the intent to improve. And there's sometimes something about exercise and planning earlier for work.

You might be asking right now what the difference is between these and resolutions. Simple. This is merely planning, and I don't make it a promise.

As the Australian academic year rolls around, this was the time when we had our summer break. This was when I had some free time to get on with things and I needed to start preparing for the commencement of the school year.

Of course that doesn't apply here in the UK. The extended break is in July and August. So this year I took the opportunity to eat well and go for long walks with Lindsey and the dogs.

Hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year.

Getting On Top.

As regular readers will know, I recently changed schools. I hit the ground running, right in the middle of serious assessment time. Not only did I have mountains of marking land on my desk, but I had to quickly get up to speed on the texts, the course, the curriculum, the standards of assessment, and - well, the whole shebang. It's only recently that I've started feeling as though I'm actually on top of things.

But every time I start to feel that way, every time I start to feel like I'm in control of my life, something leaps out at me like the alien bursting from that guy's chest to remind me that it's all an illusion.

I promised myself last month that once I was on top of things, I would set aside a couple of hours every evening simply to write. But will I ever have that free time?

No.

So, as of tonight, I will start writing daily whether I have the time or not. I will squeeze it in somehow. And I have no excuses.

And yes, I have some new words down today.