Houston... We Have Lift Off!

Don't get me wrong, I do love my husband - I really, really do. But from time to time, he who currently is trying to complete his Diplome of Financial Planning, told me that he would be ignoring me most of the weekend and go into overdrive study mode.

And so I, naturally, rejoiced and went into overdrive writing mode myself. And over the course of one weekend, Evelyn, the current name for my new novel, came to fruition. And there are quite a few things I've forgotten about starting a new novel from scratch; the anticipation of watching the number of pages grow from 1 to 13, much like seeing the growth and new things develop with each ultrasound pictures you receive of your baby inside you; the joy of watching these characters develop their own personalities, much like watching your child grow up from newborn to toddlerhood.

So far, it's actually quite beneficial working on two projects at the same time, because I can actually bounce off what 'didn't' happen with Michael & Lizzy to Evelyn, so to speak. I'll elaborate a little. From time to time, I've been wanting to do a version of Michael & Lizzy I in which they actually became an item for a little while, and something happened in which they had to break up. I've managed to convince myself not to pursue this particular story line, persistently hanging on to the notion that they will have failed relationships with other people, but when they finally get together, their relationship will stick.

So, lo and behold, this story becomes a major developing story line for Evelyn, currently forging a relationship with her high school crush. It won't be long-lasting, but I assure you that they will have a good time while it lasted.

Oh No... What Have I Done?

I am, by and large, a sucker for punishment, I think...

In the last entry I have written that there is another story brewing in my mind... and yesterday, I can no longer deny it; I've started writing a significant section of this new story.

So... can I introduce to you a bunch of new characters, totally separate from the Michael & Lizzy saga. This new story revolves around a character named Evelyn Campbell, the youngest in her family, but by no means a spoilt brat. She has had to (surprise surprise!) go through some life-defining events, and her current profession will reflect this (I might keep her profession a surprise for now...)

There will also be Nicholas Walker, the main male character you will learn more about as this story progresses. Eric Perkins, Evelyn's high school's crush. And Donny Morgan, the not-so-pleasant guy. And a whole bunch of other people like Evelyn's and Nicholas' family, friends and bosses I have names of but don't know how they will develop as yet...

Savouring the Little Things...

I now work in a new place - same organisation, but new office. It's closer to home - I have literally cut my travelling time almost in half - 22 minutes compared to 40-45 minutes.

To that end, I have vowed to myself that I will still wake up at a reasonable time in the morning instead of having extra time sleeping in (hard, I know, considering how much I savour sleep!). I can't tell you how much of a difference having an extra 15-20 minutes in the morning make in my life, how much I have begun, and will continue to savour the little things like being able to load the dishwasher, or fold a bit of laundry before I go out the door; or dusting the whole house as soon as I get home.

Life will never be the same again from this year onwards... I am planning 'so much' more to over the coming months now that I am able to 'pace' the chores throughout the week instead of piling them up for the weekend :)

Dilemma...

Life has been rather busy of late that my brain was, more often than not, it shut down as soon as I got home from work.

But it did receive a healthy dose of aphrodisiac on the weekend, and it was one that had left me... well... a bit unsure as to which path to take.

I guess I could no longer deny that I am, well and truly, a writer (even if none of my works are currently published). Imagination and creativity are now well and truly running through my veins, dominating any other type of creativity I used to crave and nurture (scrapbooking, cardmaking, crochet, long stitch).

As you know, I am currently in the middle of trying to finish Michael & Lizzy I-III, filling in the holes; each of the novels are currently about 80% done.

I have had bouts of inspiration coming and going lately about... *gulp* my next book. In a nutshell, this is about a female secret agent (I did write earlier that my story would always revolve around a heroine, right?) who has had some troubled past affecting her current and future decisions. And on the weekend just past, I kept having the strongest urge to write the most significant sections of this yet-to-be-named characters.

I am in two minds about pursuing another storyline. On one hand, I have read from interviews of some of my favourite authors, that working on multiple projects simultaneously keep them from having writer's block. Plus, first-hand experience has taught me that when I write something, anything substantial, other things fall into place; further sub-plots develop in my head; more inspirations appear in my mind.

On the other hand, I am very reluctant to add more to my plate; perhaps, was I an author full-time instead of sporadic, writing-frantically-in-my-spare-time writer, I could afford to do this. But... *shrug* I don't know... if I start working on the new, unnamed project, Michael & Lizzy will stall. And I know that at one stage, I will get so frustrated that I have two unfinished projects rather than one.

Decisions... decisions...

Waterworks...

My parents used to ridicule me when I was little every time I showed any emotion to the movie I was watching; most of the time, I cry at soapy movies, at some cheesy lines; less often, I feel rage burning inside me to see some injustice portrayed in the big screen.

Growing up, I seemed to not have gotten out of the habit. Not that I learn from this, judging from the expression on my darling husband's face when I busily wiped away my tears using the back of my hand or palms instead of having a sachet of tissue always ready every time I went to the movie with him. If anything, it seems to have gotten worse; it's not unusual for me to shed a tear watching an actress deliver their acceptance speech after winning an Oscar, especially if said actress was blubbering herself; and, from time to time, I have been known to get a little bit teary watching a wonderful choreography from 'So You Think You Can Dance' number, or simply listening to some powerful song lyric.

Today, I watched 'Invictus', starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman. It's based on a true story about Nelson Mandela, newly elected South African president, barracking for the South African rugby team to be part of the 1995 World Cup; a team that comprised mostly of Caucasian Englishmen either born or raised or migrated to South Africa.

The following part contains SPOILER of the movie so if you are planning to watch the movie later on and don't want to know what happened at the very end yet, stop reading now!

The team not only made it to Rugby World Cup, they ended up winning. And at the very end scene, these 'white' hands were lifting the cup trophy up high in the air... and this black hand crept up - belonging from the only black player in the team. And I BAWLED!

I know, I know... the real reason I bawled was because I had a soft spot for liberation, for unity between men and women from all walks of life, regardless of race, colour, and appearance. But, for God's sake... this is, essentially, SPORT! Rough, dirty, grubby, manly occasion, and I was crying.

Perhaps calling me a hopeless case is not all that unwarranted...

If I Could Sum Up What I Wish For 2010...

It would be to have a more balanced life. As my reflection of 2009 has suggested, I focussed almost 90-95% of my passion and energy into work and writing that I've managed to neglect almost every other facet in my life.

So here are some of the things I want to achieve in a nutshell this year.

1. I really want to repair and reconcile with my in-laws. As much as a lot of things have happened last year that has made me thrown the towel and feel absolutely bitter towards each and every single one of them, they are in essence the only family I have now and I don't want to lose them. A lot of work needs to go into this, and the biggest thing is to keep talking to my darling husband as when I cracked it last year, a big part of the meltdown also boiled down from the fact that I was the one 'trying' to be the perfect daughter-in-law and husband was just commending me of my efforts without actually pitching in himself.

2. I am going to try to be healthier; that means making home-made meals more often, and not only that, but ensuring that I make well-balanced meals. I want to make sure that I go back to eating smaller portions. I want to make sure I allocate some time to actually exercise, be it doing a 30-minute power-walk on my lunch break or biking after work. I am actually quite excited about the fact that I will have that much more time on my hands with the shorter commuting time to and from work. I am so looking forward to having my grocery shopping done on my lunch break (coz the nearest shopping centre is practically on my doorstep).

3. I need to constantly remind myself that writing is not the be all and end all; that there are times when having a break from it is actually a good idea. That reading is just as effective in unblocking your mind and gaining new sets of inspiration; that watching a DVD with your husband is not a crime; that you don't owe the characters anything; that the deadlines I set are my deadlines and not the publishers, and my life doesn't depend on it (YET!).

4. I want to finish my TESOL assignments and get the first TESOL certificate. I signed up for this 2 years ago, with the view of spending a year in Jakarta teaching English. Whilst that dream is no longer applicable, the set of skills I gain from completing the qualifications are, and it seems like a waste having it half-done.

5. I want to try get Eleanor I published. It doesn't mean I want the book published this year, but it means that even if I send out my query letters to agents and get fifty rejection letters back, I have made that step forward.

6. And lastly, I want this year to keep reconnecting with the friends I've made from last year and over the years; I want to make time for them - to see them and talk to them on a regular basis.