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 |  My first WDC blog, cruelly abandoned but not forgotten... |
| I'm not as prolific as I should be when it comes to writing, so I'm blogging to try to encourage and motivate myself to write more. Sometimes I'll be ranting and sometimes I'll be pondering... and sometimes I'll just write the first thing that comes into my head to satisfy the demands of the 'Update your blog' email! If you like what I write or have anything to say, I appreciate all comments. |
| Maybe I was over-reaching when I said I'd go for a blue month. Technically I've already failed....it's 1.36am on 2nd May. BUT it's still 1st May according to WDC time, and seeing as I'm on WDC I may as well stick to that time, in which case it's still yesterday and this entry counts. Phew. I've been thinking over the past couple of days about why I haven't really got into blogging all that much, and I have a feeling it's because I can't decide what sort of blogger to be. Bloggers tend to fit into some kind of mould, whether they intend to or not. There are some people who treat a blog like a diary, detailing their own experiences and personal feelings in quite an intimate way. There are others who try to use their blogs to be informative, talking about broad social or political issues. Still others, particularly here on WDC, use their blogs to showcase and promote their other writing. And then there are those who seem to write simply to entertain, with funny anecdotes and jokes. For the most part, the people whose blogs I tend to really enjoy cross the lines that divide these various blogging styles, and offer something from each 'genre'. But I feel like I can't necessarily find the place for myself, and my own blog. Basically, I don't feel like I can write about really private and personal things because I would feel too exposed. I'm not sure how much I should write about myself and my life because I would fear that it would be boring for other people to read and, therefore, no one would bother reading it. Sometimes there are broader issues upon which I may wish to comment, but sometimes there really aren't. And as for promoting my writing, I think I'd feel weird about using my blog to do that. Maybe I'm missing a trick here, but I'm sure people will look at my stories if they want to. Now that I've written all this, it seems silly. I think I'm hugely over-analysing the whole process. I guess I just have to write whatever I feel like writing, whenever I feel like writing it. Except, of course, now that I've set myself this blue month challenge, I'm going to have to think of something on a daily basis. And, in future, get around to actually writing it before 1.30am! |
| OK. So the title of this post is a lie. I know where I've been. I went to Australia for two weeks, then I came home and immediately started my "new" job, and I've basically been somewhat AWOL from WDC until now. Even right at this minute, I don't have time to write a proper blog entry, as I'm at work on my lunch break and have yet to eat anything. So this will have to be a quickie. Firstly, Australia was amazing. Capital-A Amazing. I loved it so much I'm considering moving there. Semi-seriously. This is just one of the many things occupying my brainspace at the moment. When I get time I will write about my experience in Australia properly, either in this blog or as an independent item. Stay tuned if you're interested. The "new" job is going OK, but not great. Basically my manager has moved over to work on the online side of our magazine for six months, to cover the online editor's maternity leave. And this means I have moved from my comfortable position as deputy production editor to the role of production editor (until October). In many ways this is great, but unfortunately the extra responsibilities I now have are not so good. I spent two whole days last week constructing schedules for forthcoming supplements and working out costs for hiring freelance designers and sub editors. This is not fun. I like editing pages, and I'm happy to approve them and send them to print, but the financial responsibility of costing publications is something with which I don't really feel comfortable. And it means I'm doing a lot of (unpaid) overtime and taking proofs home with me to read on the train because I have so much to do. So this is why I've been neglecting WDC somewhat... both the sheer workload and the fact that this temporary promotion is making me reconsider what I'd actually like to be doing with my life. Which is big and scary and overwhelming. Not being on WDC has made me feel pretty crappy as well. I hate knowing that I'm not participating and that I'm neglecting my writing, especially as one of my main aims for 2009 is to devote more time to writing and the WDC community in general. So here's the solution. I shall endeavour, in May, to have what is known as a blue month. In other words, to blog every single day. Goodness knows, between the work stress and the holiday stories I ought to have enough to say, both good and bad! Although obviously I will try to talk about more than just myself. I promise  The idea of blogging every day for a whole month is daunting but I think I'm up for the challenge....maybe.... I think the most I've ever managed before has been two blogs in one week, and even then that would be followed by a six-week gap! But I reckon this is what I need to get myself back into the writing spirit again. So wish me luck, and I'll be back like a good little blogger on 1st May  |
| I feel like I've only just started getting back into the swing of things after a really busy period in early February. I'm trying to catch up on reading blogs, reviewing items and doing my own writing....and now I'm going to be offline for two weeks! On Friday I will be going straight from work to London Heathrow airport, and will then be flying to Perth, Western Australia The following Friday I (along with two friends) will fly down to Melbourne for the weekend, where we will be attending 2009's first Formula One Grand Prix (I cannot even begin to articulate how excited I am about this!) and then we're flying to Sydney to spend a few days there. I can't wait I'm hoping to get lots of writing done — even if I don't find the time while I'm in Australia, hopefully I'll be able to get my creative juices flowing on the ridiculously long flight! Much as I'm sad to be away from WDC for a whole two weeks, at least there will probably be some interesting anecdotes for my next blog when I get back.... so watch this space |
| Well, what a nice surprise to log on to WDC today and find out I'm now a preferred author! I'm so happy about this, it's very exciting and really makes me feel like I've achieved something. Apologies for being really annoying, but as I'm still on a high from awards season there are a couple of people I'd like to thank... Firstly, Thomas  - thanks for your continued support, encouragement and blog comments that make me smile And also for being the first WDC member to give me an awardicon (for this very blog, in fact), which certainly helped to motivate me to achieve more!Also, a huge thanks to everyone at "The Holding Pond"  and "The Talent Pond" for being so supportive and giving me lots of ideas and activities to get involved in, especially Brooklyn  , Kaya and runningwolf04 who have all been amazing in the past few months.And of course thanks to everyone who reads my blog or anything in my port. I'm so proud and privileged to be a member of this great community here at WDC OK, gushing over, I promise. Next time I blog I'll be all sarcastic and cynical |
| Sometimes I have things to say, sometimes I don't. That's just the way it is. Lately I've been tired and uninspired (please forgive the lame rhyme) so I've not been too creative. But the daily Update Your Blog emails are really starting to make me feel pressured. It's like I'm at a party or dinner or some other sort of social function, and a friend has just enthusiastically introduced me to someone and then disappeared, and I suddenly have to think of things to say....interesting, relevant things. And my brain just ceases to cooperate and all I can think about is how much I'd rather be at home reading a book, not having to be sociable. I realise this makes me sound completely socially inept (which, to be fair, probably isn't incredibly far from the truth) but I'm merely trying to illustrate a point. No more demands! No more pressure! I'll be back when I have something to say |
| I stumbled across this today: "Invalid Item" I think it's a wonderful idea to encourage reviews here on WDC and raise funds for an important cause. Well done to solveig for setting up this activity and I'll definitely be taking part |
| Time to relax....finally I've moved house. I've moved offices. I've co-organised and experienced a fantastic (even if I do say so myself) hen weekend. I've co-written and co-delivered a brilliant (if other people's praise is to be believed) bridesmaids' speech at my best friend's wedding. And now, I finally have some time to myself! Well, I've mostly spent the past week getting to grips with my new commute (it's not much longer but involves various train changes so I have to keep my wits about me!) and doing all the boring address-changing admin necessary when one moves house. Then, for the past couple of days, I've been rearranging my port here on WDC as I felt this was long overdue. And now I'm ready to start living normally again. I plan to get back to regular writing (although I don't always get a seat on the train so my original plan to write on the commute may not be as easy as I thought it would) and get back to reviewing. I really enjoyed the Snowball Tag review contest and now that I've had basically three weeks of inaction as far as WDC is concerned, I really want to start reviewing regularly again. The other thing I've had to neglect over the past few weeks is blogs. I feel really out of touch having not read any WDC blogs for ages! So I definitely have to catch up on that front too. Hang on, suddenly it looks like I'm about to be busy again! But at least I'll be busy with non-stressful things, which I actually really want to do. I can't wait |
| ....but so, so tired.... It's my friend's wedding on Sunday. As chief bridesmaid I've had an awful lot to do and I have various duties to complete over the next couple of days. I'm so excited and so happy about the whole thing, but also absolutely terrified because I (along with my fellow chief bridesmaid) have to make a speech at the wedding, which is just too scary for me to contemplate! I'm all moved in to my new flat although things have still been hectic, so after the wedding is over I will be able to settle down and sort out the internet and then I'll be back on WDC with aplomb! Meanwhile, I've logged in a couple of times to check my email etc and I'm so pleased to have done really well in some of the challenges from the Talent Pond Winter Writing Warm Up. All the guys involved in organising the events and contests have done so much hard work and I've loved it, so I have to say a HUGE thank you to them all Right, wish me luck with the speech and I'll be back on WDC next week... |
| I don't have much time so will just offer a brief update as to why I've not been online. After my weekend away, which was absolutely wonderful and so much fun, I went back to Brighton, to my new flat that I'm moving into tomorrow, to drop off my soon-to-be flatmate who lives there already. The idea was that I'd stay there Sunday night, then go home on Monday to continue packing my stuff. But on Sunday night it snowed. It snowed like it has not snowed in south-east England for almost twenty years. (This is freaking me out a bit because it bears a scary resemblance to a story I wrote just last week, which is a bit sinister!) Snow in England is not like snow in other countries, because we are, as a nation, completely incapable of handling it. The roads were all shut, the trains did not run, the Government told us to stay in our homes. It was utterly ridiculous. I had Monday booked off work anyway, so I didn't really mind. My flatmate and I went to the park and had a great time in the snow. Then, on Tuesday, it took me FOUR HOURS to get to work because all the public transport was still so messed up. Nightmare. I was at work till almost 9pm and then had to stay at my manager's house as I couldn't get back to either my current home or my new flat. So I didn't get home till Wednesday night, and have therefore had only two evenings in which to try to pack for moving. AND I left my laptop in the new flat in Brighton, hence not having been online all week. To top it all, I now have a cold! I'm drinking lots of vitamin C and trying my hardest to ignore it and hope it goes away.... |
| I'm very excited about the impending hen weekend. My friend and I have been planning it for about four months and tomorrow it's finally happening. We have all sorts of fun and games planned and I really hope everyone has a good time. Unfortunately the nasty scumbags who broke into my car stole the charger and dashboard mount for my satellite navigation (I'm not stupid enough to leave the actual unit in the car, but I didn't think anyone would be lame enough to steal the accessories, and clearly I was wrong) so I'm going to have to rely on the old-school method: maps. I wouldn't mind but the girl I'm driving with is pretty hopeless when it comes to navigation so who knows where we might end up! Anyway, thanks to everyone who said sweet and supportive things to me after my car was broken into. I guess I'm lucky I had this weekend to look forward to as it's meant my anger has subsided more quickly than it might have otherwise |
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I want to take a long trip so badly. Oh man, I want to hear how the trip went - please! And if you have pictures, I think I might have to squeal a little. 
