Journal

Holiday Review

Last weekend of the holidays, so it’s probably a good time to see what I’d accomplished and what I’d failed to do.

Success

• New draft for The River. I think it’s just about the final draft, so I’m looking to make submissions soon. Relatively happy with it.
• Some plot for Singapura. As is the case with all projects, the first ideas are not the best. That said, it seems to be slowly moving into shape. I’ve no doubt the final product will scarcely resemble the initial concept, but things look optimistic at least.
• Finished my self-assigned readings. Well, actually, I haven’t yet. I was supposed to read the Everyman’s edition of the Flann O’ Brien novels (of which I really liked a couple and didn’t quite like the others as much) and The Absolute Sandman. I’m down to the last section of The Absolute Sandman so things look on schedule, if nothing else.
• Wrote. I wrote one piece of short fiction called Abide With Me. It’s supposed to be edited, but I kind of haven’t got to that. Still, it was nice just to write something completely not related to The River.
• Finished Doctor Who Series 3. It was a nice series. I particularly liked the Family of Blood storyline and Blink. Some parts of the series felt a bit generic, though.

Failure

• Didn’t go on photo outings. I wanted to go take photos, really. Somewhere. Some place. There was just no one, however, and that dampens the mood a bit, so I didn’t go anywhere. I took a few of Christmas lights, though that was it.
• Didn’t draft query. Oh, you. I knew it would be difficult to write you. I knew you would laugh at me when I had no letter to show at the end of the holidays. But mark my words, query, I’ll have the last laugh.
• Plot Singapura? I was initially thinking that I would emerge with a clear idea of where I wanted it to go and how I wanted it to look, but my imagination likes to throw me curveballs so I’m always left with more or less completely new perspectives on the plot. In other words, while I made progress with the plot, I can’t say that I managed what I was expecting.
• Catch up on Doctor Who. I hope they’re showing Series 4.

In The Foreseeable Future…

Here’s what I can see myself doing in the near future (say… this semester):

• Editing. Proofing of The River and editing of Abide With Me.
• That darned thing. The query. I’m looking to find out more of the local book industry, so I’ll get to that as well.
• Minimal writing. I don’t want to write much during the term, but I’ll still try to put to paper two (I think) short pieces. I might also explore a different form. Likely some kind of theatre thing. Though that’s just a self-study thingee.
• Singapura. My main creative output during this period will be to figure out exactly what I want with Singapura, just like with The River last year.
• Reading. Time to kick off the reading for 2009. Many books waiting for me.
• One trip. Somewhere. Anywhere. Preferably not alone. With our cameras. Snapping away.
• The Road. The movie’s coming, right? I hope it doesn’t disappoint.
• The usual shopping. Birthday presents and books, mostly. Oh and the Decemberists album Hazards of Love. I also need to find a nice guide for Ulysses for when the long summer break starts. Of birthday gifts, I only have one to prepare in the near future, though I could be prepared for the Aprils and Mays and Julys.
• Study. Oh what a surprise.

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© 2009 a modest odyssey.