Friday, February 18, 2005

Back in Sydneyland.

Picked up Dad on Thursday and we drove to fabulous Kempsey. Spent the night in a dodgy Budget Chain Motel. Between the trucks roaring past all night, and dad's hacksaw snoring (which kicked in around 2am) didn't get much sleep. While I was asleep dreamed of how I was lying in this Budget Chain Motel in Kemspey unable to get to sleep...

This morning hit the road around 8am and back home around 12.30pm today. The flat looked different - tidier 'cos I haven't been here for 7 weeks messing it up. Have spread some of my stuff around in a haphazard manner and it's looking a little more homey now.

Managed a 20 minute cat nap while dad read the paper. Then dropped him at St Leonards and came home again. Caught up with Melon and Peter on the phone. Heading over to Melon's tonight. Snuck in another quick 60 minutes of Zzzzs.

Catching up with Chris and the Zobeast tomorrow night. (They'd booked me before I even left Sydney). Am going early tho... some of the Clarion gang are getting together in Glebe for dinner - might try and swing by late and say g'day. Administer hugs and kisses, talk about the good old days, and do you remember when....

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

I got a massage yesterday. Something to release my Clarion stress build up. I'd actually describe it as a 'goudging' rather than a massage. At some point, when the Italian accented masseuse, had his elbow digging deep into my upper thigh I yelped, and suggested that softer would be good.

"No, no," he said, "Must release your stress."

Ok, so today I feel much better. Yesterday I just felt like I'd gone three rounds with someone bigger, rougher and tougher than I.

Have a slight sore throat. Typical of me... delay getting sick until holiday time. It's not too bad but my energy levels are fairly low. Have been doing lots of floating around my apartment in a dazed state, lots of floating around the pool in a dazed state, that sort of thing.

Saw 'Motorcycle Diaries' last night - was good but it did make me wish I knew a little bit more about Cuban politics.

Pulled out my week 1 story this morning and started reading through Crit notes with the intent of working on it. Found I drew a mental blank. Have started on writing a something else. It's probably one of those 'won't see the light of day' things. I'm calling it withdrawal therapy. It's the methadone to my Clarion addiction.

Sunday, February 13, 2005

It's all over. The fans packed away, goodbyes said.

I spent last night at Ken's. We walked down Racecourse Road and had dinner at a Seafood Restaurant on the river. This morning ate breakfast together then I jumped in the car and started the trip north.

I'm here in Byron Bay - I've even been shopping and bought myself the obligatory Indian cotton skirt so I can fit in with the rest of the crowd! Go hippy, go!

I'm planning to start rewriting the first of my Clarion critiqued stories over the next few days - and I bought an Ursula Le Guin book - because everyone spent half the course raving about how fab she was. (I actually think I read the Earthsea Trilogy when I was in High School... but I've forgotten what happens).