What I have been doing when I could be writing...

This week hasn’t been a particularly successful week with my writing and I can’t even use the excuse of having been too busy with work! I had time to write this week, but I didn’t. I just had a week where I felt massively distracted by everything that wasn’t writing.

So, what have I been doing when I could be writing?

Crafting

After getting a little more adventurous with my crafting skills over lockdown, I decided I would try and make some of my Christmas gifts this year- only for my parents, because they have got to love whatever I give them, no matter how disastrous it looks. I am currently making something that involves far too much paint, picture frames and polystyrene stars and it has all been quite messy. I have been trying to couple my messy painting with soaking up the last of the ‘summer’ sun and have been doing most of my painting outside, in the garden, with a cup of coffee. It has all been rather peaceful.

Walking

Just to add to trying to make the most of the September sun, I have been going on walks whenever I can. I am determined to continue walking this year. I love walking. It is one of my most favourite things to do. I love the British countryside and there is nothing better than going on a hiking adventure. However, I tend to only do this from March- August and never seem to really get my walking boots out over the Autumn and Winter months. I promised myself over lockdown this year that I will keep on walking and spend time appreciating some autumnal and wintry walks.

Seeing the family

With having a few vulnerable family members in my immediate family, I wasn’t able to see them so much over lockdown. I am really family orientated, usually spending multiple days throughout the week with my parents and my nan, so this has been really hard for me. Now that I am back at work, I feel that I need to be especially cautious as I am aware that I could easily catch things from the students, even with the measures in place, and perhaps not even realise it. So, when I am able to see my family nowadays it is particularly special. It is my birthday coming up soon and as the weather was nice on Sunday we had a socially distanced meal in my parents back garden and watched a Christmas 2019 video James and I had made. It was so strange watching us celebrate Christmas not knowing what was to come in just a few months’ time.

Watching Series

It is amazing how much time TV can just drain away. In just a week, I have watched:

-The second series of The OA: Bizarre and surreal. I like the acting, the characters and elements of the plot but sometimes it pushes it way too far. The octopus? What was that about?

-Strike- Lethal White: This was interesting because this was the first time I had watched a series so close to having finished the book (I read Lethal White over lockdown). I liked that I could remember so much more detail but disliked when characters didn’t quite match up to my expectations- definitely thought a certain character in particular would be more of a caricature of Boris Johnson, but maybe they wouldn’t quite be able to get away with that.

-Sharp Objects: I am about halfway through this series. I love all of Gillian Flynn’s writing. I absolutely love her imperfect and unreliable protagonists. I had forgotten, however, how dark her writing can be and can’t watch too many episodes of Sharp Objects in a row or end up feeling a tad depressed.

Anyway, my point is- far too many hours wasted on television!

Reading

Usually my reading accompanies my writing. When I am in a reading mood, I tend to write a lot too and vice versa. I haven’t read as much as I usually do this past week but I have read some of Jamaica Inn. I had been meaning to read it for a really long time and I am really enjoying the description of Cornwall and the atmospheric writing.

Now I have allowed myself to be torn away from my writing for a while, I guess I should get back to it. I only have about 10 more chapters of my current WIP to write, so hopefully, I can get my act together and dedicate some of my next weekend to writing.