Optimistic

I am feeling strangely optimistic today. Not that I’m usually pessimistic; I like to think of myself as a realist. It’s a lovely feeling, this pure optimism thing, even though I’m not quite sure to what it should be attributed. These are what it could be:

• Husband is flying to England today. He’s gone to the airport already. (I know I will love to have him back in a week, but I’m looking forward to having the bed to myself and thinking of one less person for a few days.)


• I am flying to England in a few weeks. (I’m so sorry to say it again, but hell, I’m excited. Perhaps you could keep your eyes peeled for a post on the Novel Racers later today.)


• We may know in the next three to four weeks what is happening to us (will we still be in Bangkok or will we be coming home?)


• I’ve been caressing handbags recently, and am contemplating a purchase, maybe when we know what’s happening to us. Even if I don’t buy one, I get pleasure from the meditation. (God, I’m sad, but hey, cheap too?)


• I’ve nearly finished the artwork owed.


• I’ve bought myself a scanner – no more fiddling with Husband’s computer, a pen/thumb drive and the big complicated printer, that’s supposed to be able to do everything, yet really seems to do nothing very well.)


• I’ve finally submitted to the War Child ‘You’re Not The Only One.’ (I know how crapulous I would’ve felt if I hadn’t tried.) Please see below.

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I’ve sent in my War Child piece. Never one to do anything at the last minute (Ha ha ha) I finally hit ‘send’ this morning. Given, as I explained here, that my piece is about being a scaredy cat, I couldn’t really fail to submit because I’m scared, can I? (Err, yes.)

If there is anyone out there who hasn’t seen these details, this bit is for you. Peach was moved by some personal stories written by bloggers she’d tagged with a meme and the idea came about to appeal for stories, on the theme of ‘You’re Not The Only One’ to reflect the camaraderie of blogging.

With the help of a small team (Sarah from He Loves Me Not, Ariel from From Fuck Up To Fab, Ms R from Woman of Experience and Vi from Village Secrets), Peach is putting together a book for the UK based charity WARCHILD written by bloggers from these submissions – not all of course, will be published. The charity helps children all over the world so although the price tag of £9 may seem a lot, a generous £4.30 of it will go straight to the charity.

Lusty slut

I went bag shopping yesterday. I’m looking for a handbag for my sister’s birthday present to give her when I go home next month (HURRAH, DID I TELL YOU I’M GOING TO THE UK?)

For my birthday last October I was given a map to a secret location (I kid you not) where one can procure a certain type of receptacle (a nudge is as good as a wink, eh?) I took my friend with me. I did find what I wanted: good quality, imported leather, price tag to match. Honestly, getting friend to the secret location, was almost too exciting to bear.

Next we went somewhere much less thrilling but I wasn’t happy with what I saw. I came home and today, after some news about our future which I can’t share yet, I decided I wanted to go to the big mall, Siam Paragon to look at the bags. It’s a sad thing to admit that ‘looking at bags’ will make this simple creature happy. And it dawned on me that I’ve never told you all that I am … well … a bit of a bag slut.

My love of bags is, I think, about the search for the perfect bag. Of course most of you will believe that to be impossible and certainly one of the delights is to keep looking, purchasing and using the bags in the hope that it will one day I will realise that the current bag is The One.

How great is that? – a lifelong search for something as enigmatic as a perfect bag. How can any bag be perfect when there are different needs for them? I have, however, found the perfect purse, so now I feel filled with hope that one day I will find bag paragon. And of course, that means there's a need for further research.

My bag thing started twenty odd years ago when I discovered an English leather bag company’s factory shop an hour and a half drive away from where we were living. Husband was a research scientist in those days, and we had no money. I used to drive over to the Mulberry shop, for that was what it was called, and caress the bags. I lusted, readers, shamelessly.

Then one day I bought myself my first Mulberry bag. It was a black shopper – tote? And I bought it because I could afford it, rather than it being the bag I wanted. I still have it. It will never go out of fashion. My next one, again from the Mulberry factory shop was purchased by Husband for me for another anniversary present. This one is chocolate brown leather, think ‘old fashioned doctor’s bag’. I still have it. It’s a classic.

And I can’t take you through all the others – not because I don’t know their individual stories, sadly I do, but because it would bore you all to tears.

Can I also say that I’m not in love with all designer bags; I buy many, many cheap and undesignery bags, and actually only possess one other bag of a famous designer but I am worryingly in love still with Mulberry. In those days was a beautiful product but not hip and fashionable. I fell in love with the saddle bag connotations: beautifully crafted, quality leather. I am now the proud owner of several … not quite enough … Mulberry bags.

While I was hunting for a picture to show Husband when I got home this afternoon, I found this lovely site. Check out this orange suede number – I’m in lust.

No surprises here

81%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Two Posts in One Day

I am beyond excited. I'm fizzing, quietly in my chair.

Speaking is difficult – good thing I’m typing.

I’m visiting England: for 11 days, on my own. 22 April – Monday 5th.

OMG.

*****

And, I have drafted, scene by scene, the first four chapters of my novel.

Oh god, the excitement. I might have to order falafels, tomato salad and babaghanoush to celebrate.

*****

PS. Neice passed her 11+. Hurrah.

The kindness of Strangers

There are lots of things I appreciate about being part of the Novel Racers. I’ve found friends here that filled a gap in friends in Bangkok – mostly people who actually write. Friends here are very supportive of my writing and take me seriously (more so than I take myself sometimes) but they aren’t at different stages of the same writing journey, that means I can learn from them.

I don’t need to persuade you all; I know we all appreciate it.

And then, sometimes I’ve had a comment from someone who isn’t part of the Novel Racers – or the ‘regulars’ in this part of cyberspace - and their kindness has touched me.

Last month on this post David McMahon left some advice, which really helped me.

A couple of days ago I had a comment from AK which I appreciated on an old post. I was sorry to miss her at the Bangkok Women’s Writers’ Group (it was my ill week) but I was glad that she stopped and commented at one of my (all too) anxious posts. I went to her profile page and she writes too. She was born in England, lived in Bangkok and now lives in America. Thank you AK.

Last night I had a long comment from Victor on another old post. It was the post where I wondered if I was the only one who didn’t intuitively understand the process of creating a book. (I’m not.)

Victor left this message:

Ask yourself if you are drawing on your own past and experience or your interpretation of the "other" (other here being used as no more than a reference to a 3rd person point of view/reference that is otherwise wholly unfamiliar to your past and daily routine).

The first is often said to be easier for first time writers as it allows them to suffuse their characters with an intimacy and authenticity that might otherwise be lacking unless you intend to devote much research, observation and time into the background "set-up" of this novel.

Follow that up by asking the following questions. Who is your audience; what is the main plot; are there any subplots and for whom are you writing? Is this book intended for those who love good and masterful prose or a clever mystery? Is it a subdued but soulful tale of self-realization or an epic journey set against the backdrop of two battling empires? By answering these basic types of questions you will essentially be answering the question "WHAT IS IT THAT I MEAN TO WRITE".

Even the best of today's modern creative geniuses start with an idea and mould it into a conceptual structure then change it as need be in composing the final body of their work. It provides a framework within which to begin writing an opening vision and sequence for the storyline. It is not written in stone and they can alter it as they please (unless under contract, e.g. to deliver a mystery novel).

Unfortunately, well intentioned as it may seem and as good advice as it may be for A-level pupils, to heed the advice of the one writer to just put pen to paper and write the thing then have it edited, is, at best, a romantic notion.

Best of luck with your project,

Hope you are enjoying Thailand.

Victor

Hmmm, he seems to know what he’s talking about. My stats showed that Victor posted from Toronto, Canada and that he found my blog by searching for certain keywords. (Not related to me). ­His Blogger profile showed only one profile view so he’s not a regular Blogger commentator. I wondered, did he create his profile, just in order to comment? Whatever Victor was searching for, he took the time out to comment on my blog, to pass on some of his experience and knowledge. So I’d like to thank him.

So I’m moved, yet again, by the kindness of strangers. I don't think any of them are regulars - they could be lurkers - but they are kind and gave me some time.

An aside:

Today, I am working on my novel. I am not doing any designing of posters, or tickets, or headed notepaper, or compliment slips, or business cards. I am not doing any website stuff - though I will have to write my website report for the meeting tomorrow - I am writing. For me. My writing. My story that won't go away in my head, no matter what other things I am asked to do.

Sycophant - ooh I love that word

Thank you to Cally for this lovely Busy Bee award. Cally's given it to me because I don't "seem to stop! :o)" (I think she might mean I don't stop going on and on about wanting to write, or am I being a bit paranoid?)

This is lovely; I'm glad to be busy but frustrated to be so busy I can't seem to get on with the writing. (I am going to though, as soon as I've cleared the design decks.)

And, if I'm allowed a little reciprocal backscratching in my Oscar Busy Bee speech, I'd have to say Cally would win my industry award. Not only does she actually write and edit etc - as opposed to my talking about it - but she has a full time job; commutes a long way to work(not for much longer); appears to know the world wide web inside out and backwards (because she's always posting valuable articles I have to go and look at, and daft stuff too!)

I'd like to pass it on to Liz who was having a moment of despair last time I looked. I really hope that's all it is because Liz has always been a huge role model to me. Her industry, like Cally's , never faulters; her diligence puts me to shame and her constant attention and generosity to the Novel Racers and their adminstration is the best.

Stuff

I couldn’t come and blog yesterday because I would’ve said horrible things, and only a week or so ago, I posted that I was a nice person. Yesterday I wasn’t nice.

But, being not at all nice yesterday gave me a subplot I hadn’t already got, so I’m trying to persuade myself that I was doing a sort of 'method acting' version of collecting ideas. Have I convinced anyone?

I’ve worked hard all day on artwork. Carola Crayon and I have got our next commission for artwork (poster, tickets etc) for a big lunch for 300. It has a theme and I felt inspired so I started doing some stuff on it. The theme is tippity top secret, so I can’t tell you what it is yet.

I’ve got lots of website stuff to do too. But, as mentioned last post, I now have another assistant who’s doing the stuff I inherited when Susan deserted to Delhi (Hello Susan, *waves* - she lurks.) So finally I can get on with redesigning the front page and updating my book club pages – woefully neglected. It’s also been raised (again; damn it, it just won’t go away) that we have a noticeboard… this would need to be updated weekly, which I could do without, but it’s my ‘job’ so there we go.

I’m such a butterfly brain. I’ve been away and done something else about three times while I’m writing this. Perhaps if I concentrated on one thing at a time I’d get more done.

Maybe I should work all evening on the website stuff and then I’ll be freer tomorrow afternoon…
I WANT TO GET ON AND WRITE. Or at least plan.

I think from now on, I'm going to have to call all my posts "Miscellanea" because this is all so disjointed and woolly.