Gillian Polack's Blog, page 243
June 21, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-06-21T10:48:00
We have Weather. How surprising... We will have Weather until tomorrowish, when Canberra will return to its clear skies and crisp cold and I'll have to find something else to complain about. My plaint of the day is that howling gales are hard to sleep through. My prediction today is that I shall be drinking much coffee and staying indoors.
I might write a real post later, if I can cross lots of things off my list. Today and tomorrow are Days for Getting Big Stuff Done. This would be because I have run out of paper to sort.
I had become so used to sorting paper that I woke up this morning and looked at the piles on the floor (they have not yet migrated to bags for recycling because of the amount of water outside) and almost started all over again. Only 'almost' however. I was saved by my list, which told me I could read a book or fill in one of four spectacularly complicated forms, or wash dishes or work on the Article from Hell. This distracted me for just long enough so that I lost that temptation and made sure that I have clear instructions for getting to the BSFA meeting in my itinerary.
ETA: By 'Weather' I mean that it's about five degrees colder at lunchtime than it was overnight. Sadly, when the temperature dropped, the rain stopped. No snow for me. (typical of Canberra, but another excuse to stay inside and work hard and drink much coffee)
I might write a real post later, if I can cross lots of things off my list. Today and tomorrow are Days for Getting Big Stuff Done. This would be because I have run out of paper to sort.
I had become so used to sorting paper that I woke up this morning and looked at the piles on the floor (they have not yet migrated to bags for recycling because of the amount of water outside) and almost started all over again. Only 'almost' however. I was saved by my list, which told me I could read a book or fill in one of four spectacularly complicated forms, or wash dishes or work on the Article from Hell. This distracted me for just long enough so that I lost that temptation and made sure that I have clear instructions for getting to the BSFA meeting in my itinerary.
ETA: By 'Weather' I mean that it's about five degrees colder at lunchtime than it was overnight. Sadly, when the temperature dropped, the rain stopped. No snow for me. (typical of Canberra, but another excuse to stay inside and work hard and drink much coffee)
June 20, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-06-20T23:01:00
Wednesday's my last day of term, since my class has an excursion next week and I'm taking the last week of term off. I was getting together the stuff my Wednesday students need while I'm away. My class was not happy that I won't be there, but they feel they can deal if I bring much work in this week and leave it with them - that work has to include the quantum physics book, a Bollywood film, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians and a couple of 1930s musicals - I am under firm instructions.
I had just started collecting all this, when I suddenly realised "End of term!" Two weeks earlier than usual means that my brain hadn't quite caught up with reality. There are a whole heap of things I do at the end of a teaching cycle, just to make sure that I haven't left too many loose ends before I go into research or writing mode, and one of them is a big sort of all the stray paper. Between four and eight bags of recycling, and me wondering how I produced it all in a mere ten weeks.
This time it's especially important to do a sort, because I'd left stray notes for research for Europe under every stack of paper (it felt that way, anyhow), and I am working on quite a variety of things at once and because if I have forgotten anything that has a deadline, that deadline will be gone before I see the paper again. I need to sort the right work to take with me (since this trip is going to be awesome and fun, but not a holiday). Also, there might have been bills to pay*.
Now I have two small piles of paper that are all forms to be filled in this week (one pile tomorrow, for posting Wednesday, and one on Friday), my Leeds paper and all its notes are gone (done! printed! packed! I don't know how good at is at this stage, but I shall stop worrying until I reach Leeds, I think, and worry about other things, instead), a smallish pile for the Chapter of Doom (due to be reduced to rubble this week, by hook or by crook), two piles of dissertation stuff (which I have until tomorrow week to demolish) and two stacks of stuff to be sorted for travel (one for tonight and one for later in the week).
I was going to do so much stuff on Thursday, and spend a chunk of tomorrow hanging round to see the doctor and then getting scripts filled, but my inner weather sense says we're getting a lengthy and nasty change, and now the Bureau of Meteorology says that tomorrow will be pretty foul. Therefore, my heater will be on high and I shall make many surfaces clear and get paper under control and then face my rather hefty Wednesday with aplomb.
*I found not a single bill. This was odd. Not as odd as the dusty jelly hippo pen rest that appeared, but odd. My friends give me some odd desk accessories. It was explained to me recently that I'm the excuse for buying things that are so very daft that they have no natural home. I don't know what this says about me, but I have suspicions about what it says concerning my friends.
I had just started collecting all this, when I suddenly realised "End of term!" Two weeks earlier than usual means that my brain hadn't quite caught up with reality. There are a whole heap of things I do at the end of a teaching cycle, just to make sure that I haven't left too many loose ends before I go into research or writing mode, and one of them is a big sort of all the stray paper. Between four and eight bags of recycling, and me wondering how I produced it all in a mere ten weeks.
This time it's especially important to do a sort, because I'd left stray notes for research for Europe under every stack of paper (it felt that way, anyhow), and I am working on quite a variety of things at once and because if I have forgotten anything that has a deadline, that deadline will be gone before I see the paper again. I need to sort the right work to take with me (since this trip is going to be awesome and fun, but not a holiday). Also, there might have been bills to pay*.
Now I have two small piles of paper that are all forms to be filled in this week (one pile tomorrow, for posting Wednesday, and one on Friday), my Leeds paper and all its notes are gone (done! printed! packed! I don't know how good at is at this stage, but I shall stop worrying until I reach Leeds, I think, and worry about other things, instead), a smallish pile for the Chapter of Doom (due to be reduced to rubble this week, by hook or by crook), two piles of dissertation stuff (which I have until tomorrow week to demolish) and two stacks of stuff to be sorted for travel (one for tonight and one for later in the week).
I was going to do so much stuff on Thursday, and spend a chunk of tomorrow hanging round to see the doctor and then getting scripts filled, but my inner weather sense says we're getting a lengthy and nasty change, and now the Bureau of Meteorology says that tomorrow will be pretty foul. Therefore, my heater will be on high and I shall make many surfaces clear and get paper under control and then face my rather hefty Wednesday with aplomb.
*I found not a single bill. This was odd. Not as odd as the dusty jelly hippo pen rest that appeared, but odd. My friends give me some odd desk accessories. It was explained to me recently that I'm the excuse for buying things that are so very daft that they have no natural home. I don't know what this says about me, but I have suspicions about what it says concerning my friends.
gillpolack @ 2011-06-20T14:14:00
I hurt and kept thinking "I am a miserable sod, always whingeing." Now I've checked the weather forecast, I know why I hurt. I shall deal with it forthwith. (There will be snow on the hills...and possibly blizzard.)
I'm still a miserable sod, but now I have due cause. (also, I've done lots of work, regardless. Deadlines are marvellously focussing.)
I'm still a miserable sod, but now I have due cause. (also, I've done lots of work, regardless. Deadlines are marvellously focussing.)
gillpolack @ 2011-06-20T13:35:00
I read a book! I wrote about it! The author may not love what I wrote...
PS I love Diderot to pieces. I just don't agree with the whole of his world view. In fact, large slabs of it and I are not in deep accord.
PS I love Diderot to pieces. I just don't agree with the whole of his world view. In fact, large slabs of it and I are not in deep accord.
June 19, 2011
Updatery
The official announcement about Life Through Cellophane.
In other news, my fridge contains purple Dutch carrots (organic), baby capsicums, artichokes, mushrooms and a bag of mixed lettuce (with one nasturtium). I also have oranges straight from the Riverina, a few potatoes (so that I can make potato/artichoke soup for lunches) and some tomatoes. Everything else that Sarah and I bought at the markets this morning is safely inside both of us. There would have been more food, except that we're between seasons and everything is horrendously expensive.
No other news. Or rather, all my other news is tiddly bits of things that have to do with getting overseas or with the work that must be finished before then. For instance, I found my stash of half hose so that I can wear stockings with my sandals without being reduced to discomfort.
In other news, my fridge contains purple Dutch carrots (organic), baby capsicums, artichokes, mushrooms and a bag of mixed lettuce (with one nasturtium). I also have oranges straight from the Riverina, a few potatoes (so that I can make potato/artichoke soup for lunches) and some tomatoes. Everything else that Sarah and I bought at the markets this morning is safely inside both of us. There would have been more food, except that we're between seasons and everything is horrendously expensive.
No other news. Or rather, all my other news is tiddly bits of things that have to do with getting overseas or with the work that must be finished before then. For instance, I found my stash of half hose so that I can wear stockings with my sandals without being reduced to discomfort.
June 18, 2011
Life through Cellophane
If any of you had been delaying purchasing Life Through Cellophane... you're too late. It may have been quiet, but it sold, and sold and, thanks to the curious business decisions of Borders, Eneit Press won't be reprinting. I get the rights back in October and I'll consider my options then*.
Right now I am very chuffed. I like it when print runs sell out. It makes me feel that maybe, just maybe, the publisher hasn't made a bad decision in investing in my writing. I think the reviews of it and the sheer number of comments readers made to me (over 40% of the buyers of that first print run got in touch with me and wanted to talk about the book - at conventions, here, on FB) mean that Sharyn doesn't regret taking my manuscript.
It's strange to think that it's sold out already, however. It's only been in print eighteen months, and it had some extraordinary bad luck along the way. It got lost on the way to the Aurealis judges. The copies never turned up and the judges never saw them. Everyone involved in the book had challenging times, which really affected anyone's capacity to get it into bookshops or arrange any kind of event (other than that amazing launch, last Conflux). Because of this, most bookshops never got round to stocking it (there may still be a couple of copies in Smiths' Alternative Bookshop in Canberra, by the way, and I have packed a copy for the BSFA raffle) so it sold by word of mouth at just a couple of conventions and from the website.
I keep wanting to say "Bye Liz!" I suspect, however, that I haven't seen the last of her.
*although I actually only contracted with EP for the Australian print rights - I am now in the land of "I don't know what to do" all over again.
Right now I am very chuffed. I like it when print runs sell out. It makes me feel that maybe, just maybe, the publisher hasn't made a bad decision in investing in my writing. I think the reviews of it and the sheer number of comments readers made to me (over 40% of the buyers of that first print run got in touch with me and wanted to talk about the book - at conventions, here, on FB) mean that Sharyn doesn't regret taking my manuscript.
It's strange to think that it's sold out already, however. It's only been in print eighteen months, and it had some extraordinary bad luck along the way. It got lost on the way to the Aurealis judges. The copies never turned up and the judges never saw them. Everyone involved in the book had challenging times, which really affected anyone's capacity to get it into bookshops or arrange any kind of event (other than that amazing launch, last Conflux). Because of this, most bookshops never got round to stocking it (there may still be a couple of copies in Smiths' Alternative Bookshop in Canberra, by the way, and I have packed a copy for the BSFA raffle) so it sold by word of mouth at just a couple of conventions and from the website.
I keep wanting to say "Bye Liz!" I suspect, however, that I haven't seen the last of her.
*although I actually only contracted with EP for the Australian print rights - I am now in the land of "I don't know what to do" all over again.
gillpolack @ 2011-06-18T16:14:00
I've run out of books!
Not really. It's just that I only have 8 more books to read before I go. Not quite a book a day. And I only have about ten articles to read on top of that. And I only have about 4,000 words of drafting to go, everything else is polishing and cleaning and finding out where I've gone wrong. And, and...it all seems within my reach.
This can't be right.
Not really. It's just that I only have 8 more books to read before I go. Not quite a book a day. And I only have about ten articles to read on top of that. And I only have about 4,000 words of drafting to go, everything else is polishing and cleaning and finding out where I've gone wrong. And, and...it all seems within my reach.
This can't be right.
June 17, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-06-18T00:41:00
I think I might try for the world record of dull blogging. Either that, or I'll write something interesting tomorrow, just for a change.
In the meantime (to distract you from lists about my life), Tales for Canterbury is out. Not the Chaucerian Canterbury, but the Canterbury inhabited by the people of Christchurch. Great writers with but a single aim: to raise money to help the earth-quaked Kiwis. Australians are the lucky ones - free postage and a strong Australian dollar makes it somewhat cheaper than your average paperback.
I saw Simon Petrie's copy on Wednesday and it's a nice book. Nice people. Also good writers. My mailbox will contain my very own, very shortly (I know I am saving for my Big Trip, but have you looked at that table of contents? Also, I have friends who were quaked. They're holding up, but I want to support them. Also, do you know how supremely cool NZ writers are?*)
*The coolest of all right now is Helen Lowe. Drop into her blog sometime.
In the meantime (to distract you from lists about my life), Tales for Canterbury is out. Not the Chaucerian Canterbury, but the Canterbury inhabited by the people of Christchurch. Great writers with but a single aim: to raise money to help the earth-quaked Kiwis. Australians are the lucky ones - free postage and a strong Australian dollar makes it somewhat cheaper than your average paperback.
I saw Simon Petrie's copy on Wednesday and it's a nice book. Nice people. Also good writers. My mailbox will contain my very own, very shortly (I know I am saving for my Big Trip, but have you looked at that table of contents? Also, I have friends who were quaked. They're holding up, but I want to support them. Also, do you know how supremely cool NZ writers are?*)
*The coolest of all right now is Helen Lowe. Drop into her blog sometime.
gillpolack @ 2011-06-17T10:28:00
Today is much more exciting than yesterday, because today has its own burden of work, plus 30% of yesterday's. Plus I'm seeing friends. I'm spending this morning diminishing the undone paperwork. I know - very exciting. Paying bills, booking tickets - the stuff of extreme joy. Also drying washing and putting papers together for recycling and washing dishes - total merriment.
The really good news is that I don't quite want to go back to bed yet. The need to sleep all day has passed. Tomorrow I'll be back to normal. This is, of course, for values of 'normal' appropriate to me. If you want other values of normal, you possibly want to read the blog-next-door.
The really good news is that I don't quite want to go back to bed yet. The need to sleep all day has passed. Tomorrow I'll be back to normal. This is, of course, for values of 'normal' appropriate to me. If you want other values of normal, you possibly want to read the blog-next-door.
June 16, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-06-16T16:13:00
For the rest of today I don't have much work. After a kind.
In fact, I have the usual vast amount and the usual long list, but I can't read my writing. This means I'm doing only the items I can actually understand. This is because my cold is a bit worse and I just want to eat and sleep and sleep and eat. Nothing serious.
Anyhow, I've only got one more onslaught and my Leeds paper is finished, and maybe four more hours work before I have a half-decent first draft of the Article of Doom (this latter can be shoved to tomorrow anyhow, because tomorrow night is when I promised to have that draft done). I only have one book left to read today, two short stories (by other people) and one scholarly study to assess (although one short story doesn't need a response for six days, so I might do it over the weekend). Plus I have to sort my travel papers and find out what is not yet done. And there's a modicum of housework (but only if I want to wear clothes and eat off plates).
This is what I shall do with my rest-of-day. Everything else is lost due to poor handwriting.
PS I took my Leeds paper to the CSFG meeting last night and just kept nutting it out until I had worked out what needed doing and gave it continuity and, most importantly, made sure I actually addressed the topic. I was given the occasional Look, but was beyond caring. One CSFG friend read the paper and thinks that it's good and, just as importantly, far less boring than most conference papers he has encountered. Also, he agrees with me on the subject of one Michael Crichton.
In fact, I have the usual vast amount and the usual long list, but I can't read my writing. This means I'm doing only the items I can actually understand. This is because my cold is a bit worse and I just want to eat and sleep and sleep and eat. Nothing serious.
Anyhow, I've only got one more onslaught and my Leeds paper is finished, and maybe four more hours work before I have a half-decent first draft of the Article of Doom (this latter can be shoved to tomorrow anyhow, because tomorrow night is when I promised to have that draft done). I only have one book left to read today, two short stories (by other people) and one scholarly study to assess (although one short story doesn't need a response for six days, so I might do it over the weekend). Plus I have to sort my travel papers and find out what is not yet done. And there's a modicum of housework (but only if I want to wear clothes and eat off plates).
This is what I shall do with my rest-of-day. Everything else is lost due to poor handwriting.
PS I took my Leeds paper to the CSFG meeting last night and just kept nutting it out until I had worked out what needed doing and gave it continuity and, most importantly, made sure I actually addressed the topic. I was given the occasional Look, but was beyond caring. One CSFG friend read the paper and thinks that it's good and, just as importantly, far less boring than most conference papers he has encountered. Also, he agrees with me on the subject of one Michael Crichton.
