So the good thing about my job is I get to organise an event and put a steam train in the middle of it.... the bad part? Well that's the "I have to fill in a Development Application" bit.

Yup these days you can't just put a whole heap of cool stuff in a public space and say 'Hey everyone come and have some fun!' Nope! First you've got to let all the unfun people have a chance to complain AND then you've got to have an outside consultant look at it to decide if it's legitimate fun AND then council has to vote on it!

Thank God I live in a democracy. I feel so safe.

I can write about a range of things, people in improbable situations, places that don't exist, things that will probably never happen BUT when it comes to sitting down and writing about me, or about what I've written I break out in a cold sweat.... wordless.

I've been trying to put together an application for the Varuna HarperCollins Masterclass. As part of the submission I have to give them one page about me as a writer and up to two pages about my project and what I hope to get out of the Masterclass should I be so lucky as to be chosen.

I must finish it tomorrow night - I want to get it in the mail before I go away for the weekend.

I have sold my story 'Things of Beauty' to the CSFG 'Outcast Anthology' due out Easter 2006. I'm just a little bit excited! It's a nice sale and it's been a while since the inbox pinged with an acceptance like this. AND I like the story. So YIPEE me.

The Wollomi Pine lives in a cage.

When I was a girl trees were allowed to roam free as was their want. Not anymore it seems. Caged on all sides, no wonder it hasn't grown very tall.