Or maybe it's not!

Just had it pointed out to me (thanks Lola!) that I am jumping the gun somewhat, with my 100th post. Actually, I clearly can't count! I'm only up to 94 according to my posting history. I have tinkered about with my blog a bit but can't think how that would have changed the number of posts. Don't think I deleted any! (Maybe I should have!)
Must be me, but could have sworn I added it up right. Hey ho!

Anyway, all the above stuff still applies and is true. But I needn't have had all that angst over the posting of it, as it isn't even the 100th anyway!

God. Now what am I going to write for the 100th one??

Milestones

I have been approaching the writing of this post with some reluctance and trepidation. For a start, this is my one hundredth post on this blog, and I kind of thought I ought to write something meaningful, rather than the usual rambling nonsense.

Secondly, I've been away from blogging for a while. There are a few reasons for this. I've been somewhat child-bound during the summer, as a lot of people are... And we have been away to France for nearly a month. Although we do have internet access there, I do tend to use the time to take a break from technology, recharge my batteries, and read. Yes, read. I probably read more when I'm in France than I do the whole rest of the year. The way I see it, the summer is for reading and the rest of the year is for writing. Although I do try to do the two things in conjunction, it isn't always easy.

Thirdly, I had this, perhaps misguided, notion that my one hundredth post should see me illustrating the numerous and abundant ways in which I have changed since beginning this blog. Of course I have changed and progressed, but perhaps not quite so dramatically as I would have liked! I have a Diploma in Creative Writing from the Open University to my name, but other than that, not much is different. I still have two small children, although they are getting bigger every day... And part of my learning has been to cherish that experience, as they grow and change so quickly. I've realised that their babyhood will too soon be over and they won't want to know me, other than as a cash machine and taxi service... Next year they will both be at school full time and I will have ample opportunity to pursue my goals. Until then, they take priority.

Having said that, I 'keep buggering on' (as Winston Churchill said) with my writing. It's slow progress - maybe I'm a slow learner. But I have goals (to try to get some short fiction published) and I'm plodding on towards them, slowly but surely. Hope 'The Hare and the Tortoise' comes true for me!

Anyway, that's my one hundredth post. Normal service and (semi) regular blogging should resume shortly. Kids are back at school/kindergarten now and writing work whispers to me from my notebook.

Hope September is a fresh start for you all.

And as Confucius said, “It doesn’t matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.”

Most hated word?

I ws just reading a post on the Guardian Books Blog where poets at the Ledbury Festival were asked what their most hated word is.

What's best about this article are the HUGE number of comments and discussions about peoples' favourite hated word. One of the top ones was 'moist', which I definitely agree with. Especially when in conjunction with 'panties'. I can't even bear to write them down together...

And another one I hate is 'yourself' when used instead of 'you' - e.g. Insurance salesman - 'And will the car be driven by yourself?'

I could go on. And on.

Anyone else got a pet hate?

New look

You can tell I've got work to do, because I'm fiddling about with my blog instead of getting on with it.

Anyway, thought I'd change the layout round a bit - I tried rewriting some of the html code to make my other blog wider but it didn't really work properly, and my LibraryThing widget was still squashed up, so I just thought I'd change the template and be done with it.

I like it to take up all the page - doesn't feel so column-like.

Distractions

Aren't there just always distractions for writers? My current ones are the following:-

• Pain - following my wisdom teeth extraction last week, I have had a very painful mouth. The post-operative discomfort has now been added to by a shard of bone that has become loose and is trying to work its way out of my lower gum. It REALLY hurts....
• Sun - I'm in France. It's very hot and very stormy. I just want to lie by the pool reading, and then sleep a lot.
• Daydreaming - it's what I do - and there's ample opportunity for it at the moment.
  
• Rejection - I got another rejection for a short story, but as they go, this one was encouraging. At least it said 'great idea' and 'good try' before the 'no thankyou'.
• Facebook - need I say more? Our internet has been broken here for a week and we've only just fixed it. It feels like I'm back in the real world again, suddenly. Or have I been in the real world and am just re-entering the digital mesh we call life?

I have a few writing ideas bubbling just under the surface though - tomorrow it's time to get the notebook and pen out.

Lurkers!

To all you people out there who are reading my blog anonymously (you know who you are!), please leave me a comment when you happen to drop by, even if it's to radically contradict what I've said in a post, because you know me so well...!!

It would make me feel less like I'm talking into a vacuum...

So. Leave a comment. Otherwise, I'm going to start writing about you....!

Yours, as always...

I may be some time....

I'm having my wisdom teeth out today. In about an hour.
Apparently, I have to think, 'pressure not pain, pressure not pain...'
Hmmmm.....

So, I don't know how I'll feel for a couple of days. May not want to do anything other than lie on the sofa and watch crap TV.

Also, we're off to France on Saturday, so future posts will be from there for a month or so...

Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.