Since my last update around three weeks ago I’ve done a hell of a lot of writing and I couldn’t be happier. Mostly story ideas but a few decent outlines drawn up too, there’s also a number of poems and songs that I’m reluctant to share but I think I will in time. My greatest achievement during this time though is the fact I’ve actually finished a short story! A week or so ago a new idea popped into my head and knowing that it would only be a few paragraphs I sat down to write it up immediately, rather than my usual routine of jotting down the idea and forgetting about it. I started at around 10am and worked on it every minute possible; I had to walk away numerous times due to family commitments. I finished 12 hours later. The ‘few paragraphs’ grew and grew in to six meaty chapters (following a short introduction) and almost 7000 words. Red on canvas can be found here.
Moving in to my personal life I have an MRI in a couple of hours to check on suspected sciatica. I’ve had some pain and numbness in my leg for a while and after making an appointment with my doctor, being rushed in to hospital to rule out potentially life-changing issues and then an actual doctors appointment I was referred for an MRI and that’s where we’re at. The actual pain, numbness and resulting limp have now faded but let’s see if there’s some underlying issue.
Other than that everything is pretty good. I’ve had no work this week so have spent a bit of time sorting the home and garden and I’m happy with how things are looking. My weight loss has continued and I’m now 12 pounds lighter than my starting weight. I’ve said I’ll start running (couch to 5k) as my fitness has always been pretty poor and/or get back into the gym and get some muscle back on but as of yet I haven’t started either. The family is all good and my partner’s mother is visiting so we’re getting extra help with the kids, not that we need it with our 5 month old – she’s happy all day and sleeping all night (sorry to my fellow new parents who are having a harder time of it).
Actually my partner, her mother and the kids have gone to visit my partner’s sister and they’re staying overnight so for the first time for as long as I can remember I’m sleeping in the house alone tonight. It’s already a bit eerie but I like my own space so I’m doing okay. Plans for tonight are as wild as watching the FA cup final as a neutral only wanting one of the teams to lose more than the other due to a personal dislike. I’ll have a couple of cans and a bachelor meal (all within my calorie allowance for the day) and finish listening to my audiobook (War of the worlds).
Two hours later…
So I walked to the hospital, had my MRI which took half hour of lying still, and walked home. Around three miles all in. I listened to my audiobook and have around half hour left to complete it but the football is kicking off as we speak so I’ve hit pause. The walk did me good, including putting me off having fast food for my tea after my good work. Perhaps I will write some more; during my walk I had a few ideas not really specific to any story I’m currently working on but that could easily be implemented into a couple. With one story in particular I believe it gives me the beginnings of a great ending.
I must also mention that I have purchased two non-fiction books that I believe will help me as a writer in a special offer on Audible; one on creative writing and another specifically looking at the dystopia and utopia genre (something I explore a lot in my ideas). While I like to believe I have my writing style and I could possibly do okay as I am it would be downright arrogant to not attempt to educate myself more and find external inspiration. There are millions of people, alive and dead, I can learn from to be a better writer and a better person – and my education is just beginning.
For now I shall be signing off happy in the knowledge I’ve stuck to my vow to write more and again linking to my first completed short story Red on canvas.