TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

3:38 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Did I mention that Johan has a selection of Moomin cups in his apartment - it makes me very happy to drink my tea with Snufkin or Little My.

Slowly creaking back into a sense of purpose and focus.
Woke up early - really, 8am and got up instead of drifting back into vague not-quite-sleep, did yoga, went for a walk - all those things I promise myself. Don't feel completely bright-eyed and sparky for it, maybe the three coffees in two cafes after the walk negated some of the good effects (!) but far more on-form than previously. Finished reading 'Around the World in 80 Dates' - fabulous! Inspirational. Of course also research for travel/memoir writing. Really, wishing I had thought of that instead of this art caper. Ah well, I wouldn't have had the chutzpah to just go on dates, you need a smokescreen in most cases I find. Or is that just insecurity? I am always open to dating advice - in this case, feeling good about yourself and taking risks/leap of faith being the one that stood out for me - and doing my best to be open, present, honest, available and all the things I would like in another person. Do unto others, as they say.

Either way, I actually do genuinely enjoy my chosen vocation, when I get some work done. Which today I managed, writing 3371 words of my American Farm Chapter 2002 in a few hours this afternoon.

Amazing how productive you can be when you just sit down and do it.

Valubale advice from one of my writing correspondents (is that a tautology? writing as in career and correspondent as in email) who said, in the words of her multi-published friend 'the queen of horror' "you have to let yourself write crap for the first draft". And also quoted Peter Carey who says that writers often imagine being published will quell their fears and self-doubts, but just wait, it makes no difference.

It seems like this slow, creaking ship of fools has managed to avoid the worst of recent rocky waters, and having painstakingly slowed down and changed course, is almost ready to go full-steam ahead again.
But not quite....
Continue to practice my german with the tram lady.