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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Who needs Paris? ..... me?


Just received the most tempting offer I cannot possibly ever take up.  It was from The Sydney Writers' Centre and it was called "Writing in Paris with Patti Miller".  This would be like living my ultimate fantasy.  Living in Paris (though be it only for a couple of weeks), taking part in a daily workshop learning how to write your memoir and having my own apartment and the freedom to wander the streets, sit at cafes and listen to people speak French all around me. Bliss.

I've taken a few writing courses over the years but mostly for a couple of hours a week in a cold Tafe classroom after a day at work and domestic reorganising.  The 'great novel' did not come out of any of these courses and it wasn't because the teachers weren't wonderful or inspiring, it was because I have a very laid back attitude to inspiration backed up with no follow through.

I was talking to my son about what people said they wanted to do with their life when they were at school and I told him I had always wanted to be a writer but haven't ever made a serious commitment to it.  He replied "Mum, you won't ever write a book".

This threw me a bit.  Besides the fact that this revelation is coming from a nine year old boy, he is probably right.  Depressing thought.  Even a child has come to the conclusion that I may never realise my dream.  This just makes my post inspired by George Clooney just another whinge.

For a moment I reacted with defeatism and agreed. But then my always present rebel sat up and said "Hang on, I know I'm virtually middle aged (if I live to be 92 that is) but I could still do it!  I do write in my blog, not often, but that's writing!".

And it is.  Not great writing, but as they say, if you want to be a writer ... just write!  Doesn't have to be in Paris (though that would be more than nice), I just have to keep writing on my couch.


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Some of you might have noticed I don't post as much as I used to.  That would be because of the painfully difficult online course I've been attempting, "Creating Mobile Apps with HTML5".

I wasn't going too badly on it until they started talking in Javascript and I realised why I didn't go on with being a computer programmer when I was 18.  It is boring, frustrating and mind bending.  Every time I've sat down to do another lesson, I've almost fallen asleep in the middle of reading the code.  Even though I've missed the deadline to complete the course, I've printed out all the lessons to learn in my own time.  I want to know how to read the language but I don't think I will necessarily be able to create mobile apps from scratch.  My brain is not in that place anymore.

***

But I'm back now.  With a bit of encouragement from my sister (she actually said she misses my posts!) and the memory of my son not having any faith in me, I will scribble on.  I may even put one of my old short stories up here one day!


I'm joining Jess from Diary of SAHM for IBOT - late as usual!


12 comments:

  1. You can do whatever you put your mind to. Write a novel or write more on the blog anything. I always have those thoughts every day that I can't keep writing on this blog i'm just not interesting enough but yet I still go back to it for some reason.

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    1. You're right, I just have to put my mind to it. I do have thoughts during the day I think would make a good blog post but once I'm ready to sit down and write, they're gone!

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  2. Mmm I think writing that novel would be easier than attempting to understand javascript! Use those words from your son to inspire you to prove him wrong! x

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    1. That's a good way of looking at it, whatever it is it's easier than Javascript. I've also already planned to dedicate my first book to my son, for telling me I couldn't do it.

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  3. I've missed your posts too! Shame the course got hard- I was looking forward to some interesting apps :)

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    1. Now I've been given all these good ideas for new apps, I feel I will be disappointing some people.

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  4. You know I look at my mum, and I always grew up believing she would write a book an she hasn't. I refuse to let that be me. Some times you just have to do it. :)

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    1. I always thought my Mum had a book in her so one day I'm going to tell her story.

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    3. The other day someone close to me told me that she had always wanted to write a children's book. She is in a job out of necessity so her partner could realise his dream job. It's about time us women stopped being martyrs and reached our full potential through what we love to do..for ourselves.

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  5. Write the book, otherwise I suspect it'll be one of those things you regret not doing.

    From one writer to another, it's ok if the first draft sucks ;)

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  6. I was just talking to my husband about this last night. I'm a week from 37 and I had always imagined I'd have 'done' more by now. Written more.

    When I finally got back into writing 5 years ago, I would not have imagined that I'd be here, where I am. 2 years past the last great thing I wrote. Losing the muse.

    Time to fight for it.

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