This Sunday Circle is an initiative of Peter M Ball (see here for this week’s). I don’t get to it every week, but this is one of those weeks, so here we go.

What am I working on this week?

Well, the big news is that the THESIS IS DONE*. Which is to say that the document is done … the actual submission is being thwarted by the university sending its submission system down for the ENTIRE WEEKEND. Of course! What other weekend would it be? So, this week, my first order of business (after the family responsibilities) is to actually submit the document, and then do the other eleventy million steps in the process. But otherwise, done.

Other than that, there’s not a heap on this week, for good frickin reason. I’m done. Wiped out. I need to prepare to teach all day Tuesday (after which, wipe-out will be complete) but after that I plan on taking a day to clean the house, before heading to Melbs for the RWA conference. There, I plan to do very little except recharge, eat Poke bowls (which we cannot get in Brisbin**), and make some hat tip moves towards the next project.

*where follows my usual nod to the gods of hubris not to punish me too harshly for such declarations.

**I was somewhat chuffed when listening to the audiodrama of William Gibson’s Alien III to find New Brisbane (pronounced bris-BANE, rather than the local norm bris-bin) mentioned as an actual place. I’m intrigued what set of future calamities/fortunes have elevated dear Brisbane into galactic significance. I mention this here because I didn’t in the blog.

What’s inspiring me this week?

People who manage to take time out of their lives to actually do the things they want to do, rather than just talking about it. Also, the 10% Happier app (an off-shoot of Dan Harris’s 10% Happier which I read a year or two back). The app was recommended to me by Andrea Featherstone, who I met at the EWF in Melbs a few weeks ago. I’m reflecting a lot on how I make decisions, and how I go forward from here, especially now the thesis is done. Where to go next isn’t straightforward in creative writing (and never has been anyway) … it’s not like there’s academic posts just waiting to be filled, and the industry avenues don’t come with anything resembling a reliable income. I’m thinking very seriously (but in a much less panicked way than normal) about what the best move is now.

What action do I need to take?

Be patient. Go through submission when the site comes back up. Take the pause I’ve declared I’m taking this week. And then, do the next thing.

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