Things have calmed considerably in Bangkok. The original curfew that was instigated on Wednesday night between 8pm – 6am was extended. The following three nights were 9pm – 5am and last night until tomorrow it’s 11pm – 4am.
I feel a bit manic. We’ve raced around trying to be normal. On Friday after the biology exam we went to the cinema (Daughter and I saw Bounty Hunter which was just the sort of nonsense with pretty faces we needed. Son saw Robin Hood – I have a very low tolerance for dodgy/slipping accents (Johnny Depp, I'm talking about you in the first Pirate film) – I’m not sure I’ll cope with this film.) On Saturday all four of us went to see Shrek which had us all laughing. I do love Shrek. I saw lots of friends while we were out all trying to be normal or trying to cheer themselves up.
Everyone has taken a bit of a bashing but I expect we’ll get there in the end.
However, it turns out I’m still scared.
Not about Bangkok – though I am a little, if I’m honest – it’s the novel again. I’ll stop a minute while you all sigh. *Collective sigh*
Scared scared scared. That’s what I am. I’m fairly certain that I know what I have to do but I’m too frightened to start.
(I need Dummies Guide to Twentieth Century Britain. Does anyone have recommendations for researching twentieth century life? How we used to live?)
6 comments:
Glad to hear things are settling down.
I always find the Robert Opie books good for research.
Remember When is a breakdown of every decade in the 20th Century. It is quite visual and shows things like what we were eating and what we were watching on television.
I find Google UK most useful for research. If you put in e.g. 'food of the 1940s' or 'hats of the 1970s' you often get very helpful pages. I've never tried anything as general as 'life in the 20th century' but I bet that would yield interesting results as well.
The thing about that 'scared to start' feeling is, the only way to make it go away is: to start. Sorry, but it's true. As soon as you get going, you'll feel better.
It's good to hear that life is settling down there. As for writing nerves... Queenie is right - I might have to pin her words to my wall too!
When I feel like that, I sneak up on it. I tell myself I'm not going to write, I'm just going to sit at my desk and (1) reread what I wrote last time or (2) do some research or (3) read over some notes. Next thing I know, I'm writing. It's all a mind game, but desperate times call for desperate measures. And probably the main thing is to stop thinking what you're next going to write has to be good. Give yourself permission to write some shite. Undoubtedly it will be better than you imagined. that's my advice, for what it's worth (which isn't all that much).
So glad you things are settling and you have been able to keep posting here.
I google everything. I don't know how I managed without it.
It's good to know things are finally calming.
Take the bull by the horns and go for it.
CJ xx
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