Tears

I usually write about sad things. Until today I had never really felt like I was greatly affected by that sadness.

Today I was doing some research for one of my stories and I cried. I cried solidly for about five minutes; tears dripped off my chin.

I'm not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing that I had such a violent reaction to what I'm writing about. I guess it means that I will write with empathy and passion; but maybe I will be too close to this writing. Maybe I won't be able to make sense of the topic enough to write coherently about it. Maybe it will just come off as soppy, emotional crap.

This is new to me; I'm very confused about it.

Sorry about the lack of pictures in my last few posts. I don't seem to be able to find or take anything appropriate.

Publishing

I’ve been published in print just once. On the web (other than here), I’ve been published a few more times. But I’m still not entirely sure how one goes about moving from Written Piece (notice I don’t say ‘finished’ – my pieces are never really finished) to Published Piece.

I do know that it involves putting your work out there. Sending your baby off to people you don’t know, who will judge whether or not it is worth publication. I find it a little terrifying.

The piece I had published in print was the first thing I ever really sent off. I should be proud of that, but it has, in fact, made it much more difficult for me to send anything else for consideration. What if it was just beginners’ luck? What if I only had one good piece of writing in me?

I know these are all just silly excuses for me to avoid having to face potential rejection. If I don’t send anything for consideration, I won’t have anything published. Simple as that.

I’ve made a mini-vow to myself. I am going to sit down at my computer and go through all of my short stories; and I am going to pick two, three, maybe four to start sending off to potential publishers. I will keep sending these stories until everywhere I can think of has said ‘no’ (or not replied).

The other issue here, of course, is that I do need to feel like something is at least finished enough for publication. So this is the first part of my mission: I am going to try to get three or four pieces to a Finished Enough point and then out they will go, into the big, scary world of Please Publish Me.

Wish me luck!

Mary and Max

I've just been to a preview screening of Mary and Max, the new animation by Oscar-winning Harvey Krumpet writer/director, Adam Elliot.

I absolutely adored this film. Visually, it is spectacular to look at and it has a simple, touching story. The film is about the twenty year pen-friendship that forms between an eight year-old Mary in Australia and a forty-something year-old Max in New York.

Whatever I say about this film will sound trite, so I won't try to review it, only say that films like this one inspire my storytelling and motivate me to try harder. Never a bad thing!

Definitely see this one if you can.

Red Bubble

I love Red Bubble; I could spend hours looking through people's art, and reading their writing. Some inspirational stuff here! Have a look.

I've never ordered anything from here, but now's as good a time to start as any. Bring on the Red Bubble present-buying.

Recycled notebooks

I've finally got around to uploading a picture of the notebooks I have been making in my spare moments at work.

Here are two of them, in beautiful yellow and purple.

I'm yet to use these, because I'm still filling up the last notebooks I bought, but I'll be excited when the time comes!

17 reasons I'm looking forward to the fast approaching winter...

1. Skirts and boots.
2. Hot water bottles.
3. Handmade scarves.
4. Fresh crisps mornings where everything feels new and clean.
5. Hearty vegetable soups.
6. Stockings.
7. Snuggling in bed.
8. That chilling feeling when you are all rugged up and toasty warm on the inside but a cold wind blows and your nose gets cold.
9. Warm baths.
10. Being snuggled up inside when it's raining.
11. Wearing socks.
12. Slippers and flannel pyjamas.
13. Puddles.
14. Frozen foggy breath.
15. Dark mornings where you get into the city and its foggy and cold and the lights are only just turning off and it still feels a little bit like night.
16. Hot air balloons in the sky in the morning (why do I only see these in winter?)
17. Hot chocolates being more acceptable and necessary.

images by doogsta and OZpics2007

Quiet

Sorry I've been a bit quiet of late. I've been quiet here because my life has been far from. Last week I didn't have a single school night at home (I usually only get one, so that's probably not all that different) and I've been really busy on the weekends. I feel a little like I'm trying to explain away a sick day or something here...!

I have a few post ideas up my sleeve though, so I promise there will be something more substantial soon. For the moment though, I'm just trying to get some sleep in my spare time.

Some interesting thoughts...

"....where do we as individuals find the most value? What kind of world would I most like to create? (because I am creating it on a daily basis whether I like it of not)? I am responsible for what I put out into the world. Is it in line with my beliefs?"

From here

via a lovely blog I've recently discovered - Lisa Currie

Workshopping

I've just come home from class and am utterly exhausted, so this will be brief (and picture-less...).

Tonight in class I workshopped a fiction piece. I'm not sure what it was about this particular class, or this particular instance of me putting a piece of my writing out into a group of people for scrutiny, but I found tonight's class immeasurably helpful. It's made me really think about the idea of workshopping something, and expecting (and receiving) immediate feedback on it. For me that process is invaluable. It's why I'm in a writers' group.

I'm interested to find out whether other people (writers or not) find this process helpful, or if, in fact, you have any kind of regular feedback system in place.

I'm also seeing the potential for the monthly projects to be used more explicitly for this purpose. Of course the feedback would have to be constructive criticism (read: helpful, diplomatic). What do you think?

Lists update

I bought a book that I intended to use for lists. I haven’t even opened it. When I bought it there was a sale, and I convinced myself that I would use it, that I would get over its obvious systematic failures. I would do this because the book cost me a dollar.

But, as is usually the case with these things, just because it was on sale did not mean it was a good idea to buy it.

So a new list system is in the works. It will involve a ring binder of some description, so I can move pages around if lists get longer than the pages I have allocated them; it will probably have dividers; but most importantly I will be making a fabric cover for it (probably something similar to what Kristy has on Kootoyoo) so it can be discreet. It will also remain something for my eyes only. Why? Because I’m embarrassed about how organised I’m being about this (why am I telling you about it then, you ask? I don’t know, to be honest) and I don’t want anyone to see the proof that I’m pedantic.

I also want to thank Kristy for her Menu Planner – I’ve given my Dad a book full of these for his birthday, which I hope is a wonderful present for someone who puts so much effort into his grocery shopping lists.

Oh dear. We really are a List Family.

Craftiness at work

I'm so pleased with myself! For the last few months I've been collecting paper at work with only one side printed on that would otherwise go into the recycling; and I've just made myself a bound notebook, with old, unused manilla folders cut down to size as the front and back cover. I've even got about three different colours to choose from for the covers.

I've no doubt that my work colleagues think I'm crazy, but I consulted Miss B (who sits on the other side of the petition) at each stage and she said she thought it was great; and J even taught me how to use the binder (it's a very large, rather intimidating machine with a fancy LCD screen). So I guess they're at least happy to go along with the craziness!

I still have a huge pile of paper, all the staples removed, clipped together into notebook-thickness sections, and I plan to make about ten more of these when I have a few spare moments at work. I'll use the notebooks for my writing, doodling, uni work. I love that I can make them exactly the size that I like.

But the best part about it is the fact that I am putting a small dent in the waste the company I work for creates; or the energy it uses to recycle. And what a feeling of well-being and smug pride it's given me! I can't wait to start using them.

Unfortunately I don't have a photo to post as yet. I feel a wee bit silly getting my camera out at work...

Canberra in the autumn

I'm cheating slightly; these images were taken a couple of years ago at around this time (my youngest brother, in the fog of the first photo, is much larger and man-like -- they grow up so quickly!). But the fact remains that I love Canberra in the autumn. Blue skies, a slight (or major) chill in the air and falling leaves.

I've been in Canberra visiting my family this weekend. It's been lovely, and it's given me a small break, away from my life, to re-stock and quietly re-examine where I am in that life.

On top of that, obviously, I've been able to spend some time with my much-loved family, which is always a very worthy way to spend my weekend!

And so I feel (just vaguely) re-invigorated, after a week of busy-ness and exhaustion. I might even be ready for my thirteen hour day tomorrow!

Perfect Saturdays

Now that I'm no longer working on Saturdays, I've been doing a lot of relaxing and drinking coffee.

Seeing I'm not working Fridays anymore either I'm able to get all of my jobs done and leave the weekends for taking it easy!

Today I met up with my sister for a coffee and a chat, some shopping and some discussions about our new project. It's so nice having her a little bit closer than she use to be, and it nice to have someone to go and waste away the afternoon strolling through the city with.

hiding away

....no better place to be on rainy days like this, than hiding away in my workshop. Except for maybe being rugged up in bed??

storybook locket

So, anyone would assume going part-time would give me so much more time to work on creative projects.... It has, but its also made me lazy.... hey, its okay to start with right? I was going to lie and say I've been busy, but really I've just been having a mini-holiday :)

I LOVE making things that move or have secret little hidden compartments. Like lockets! So my idea for this month's project was to make a little book that opened up and was either going to be a locket or just a little box the wearer could keep something in.


At the moment its still in pieces on my bench, but I plan to get finish it off so I will add some photo's at a later date. I think it is going to look good! Eventually..... okay from now on I'm being more organised I promise!

Thanks to everyone that got involved this month!

Miss Maybel
Mr sketchy
Hybrid J
Sophie

Its so exciting to see a range of different responses to the same idea. It was interesting I thought that while my response was quite literal, all the writers seemed to end up with quite sad stories? Or maybe they weren't necessarily sad but that was the impression I got and how they made me feel. A list of anyone involved will be added to the side bar today.

New project starts today, the idea is "missing you". Feel free to play along!! Make sure you send us any links or responses so that we can post them up for everyone to see.

Monthly project: Missing You

So, perhaps off the back of me missing a certain city, this month's theme is 'Missing You'. Of course, the 'you' could be a person, a thing, a place -- it's entirely up to you!

The deadline for responses to this project will be a month from now on Monday 6 April.

As usual, please send any responses through to themondayproject85@gmail.com (you can send us a file, as long as it's not too big, or a link to your response posted on your own blog/site); and they can be in any medium you like.

We'll be posting up this month's responses shortly, so keep an eye out.

Happy creating!

a new little something

Here is a little something I've been working on with my sister. It's fun to be working on something with her, and it gives me a chance to show off how awesome this city of mine really is. It's very early stages so far, so not too much to see, but head over and have a look.

Sundays

I love Sunday mornings. I like to get up (relatively) early, before my housemates have emerged, and read or write in the muted light of my bedroom. Oftentimes I'll have a cup of tea.

Sunday mornings, I've decided, are a good time for me to get things done. Uni things; writing things. I've just finished my first week of the new semester, and I'm feeling excited about the two subjects I'm doing. I'm looking forward to writing a screenplay for one of the subjects; and challenging myself to use the other subject to take another story I'm writing in a vaguely experimental direction.

Part of the second story I'll share with you tomorrow -- I've written it as my response to the Storybook theme. Looking forward to seeing some other responses!