When I started this blog, I planned to be very consistent with it by posting as regularly as I possibly could but somehow, it always ended up as a victim of neglect. Given my new resolution to become a consistent blogger (well, at the rate I am going, I doubt that I can even dream of becoming a ProBlogger!), I am thoroughly ashamed of myself for the neglect I subject this blog to!
What can I say? I have been spending way too much time on my other blog, my website and my freelance work that this poor writing blog got chucked aside as the fourth priority. I have also neglected my other writing places such as Hubpages, Helium and Shvoong.It is not because I have writers block or anything. Even if I have that, we all know, I have my very own tips to get rid of writers block. Nowadays with even more work at my day job (and more stress too), I could sadly say I have very little time to indulge in my private pet project: fiction writing. All these are on top of time for my family.
So, what do I do? How do I ever do so many things in so little time? Well, time management is the key. I know, I have posted an entry of my hopeless attempt in time management before but I have since come up with a system to try to get everything done in times when my plate is too full to handle.
The steps I take:
1. Prioritize - Divide my tasks and assignments by priority. Example: set aside compulsory family time everyday, then write down a list of tasks and assignments I have to do. Write it by priority, the top being the most in want of attention. Sample:
1. Family time
2. House chores
3. Day job writing assignments
4. Two freelance articles due by Friday
5. Research for two more articles for next week
6. Search job boards to bid for more freelance work, place bid
7. Update blogs
8. Research for website and update of website
9. Learn up more about internet marketing, etc.
10. Research and write fiction projects
2. Divide the to-do list according to the available time each day - for example, I will be spending between 8am to 7pm on my day job (including commuting time). From 7pm onwards, I will have to divide the time to do the ten things in my list.
3. Keep to the timetable created from above and avoid all distractions - yep, that means no TV, no online chatting (unless it is for work), no hanging around gossip forums for hours and most importantly stay away from Facebook, Myspace and similar social networking sites (unless it is to keep in touch with your freelance clients). These are the worst time-waster ever!
4. Let your family in on it - ask your family members to cooperate by giving you peace and space to do your work without interruptions. They could also help out with some of the house chores.
5. Use pockets of available time wisely - you know when you have to wait for the computer to boot up or while waiting for a page to load, don't just sit there staring at the screen - use that time to do other things like organize your paperwork or write down new article ideas or even read books as part of your research.
6. Multi-tasking - the reason for high-tech computers is to make our life easier so use it to multi-task. Do your research and check your emails at the same time, just open more windows.
There it is. I have been applying it and though I am still a bit behind schedule on some things ( like this blog), at least I am getting there. The day will come when I will be able to do everything efficiently and even drop by at other blogs to read and leave comments (as I should have done for ages!) in a return favor to those who have dropped by here and left comments.
Showing posts with label time. Show all posts
Showing posts with label time. Show all posts
Saturday
The secret to time management...
Is not that easy to find if you have an over-active toddler at home, a demanding day job and a household to run.
These past few weeks of trying to establish myself as an e-freelancer while managing a household and showing a modicum of commitment to my day job, I found myself practically out of breath and running around like a sugar-high toddler.
Darn it, why didn't I ever chose to be born a multi-billionaire and not have to be so bothered with trying to break even from freelancing so that I could stay home for LR?
Day dreams aside, I found myself crashing into bed (yep, you read it right, I really do crash into bed) at around 1am the earliest and 3am the latest. Every day.
Can you imagine the beautiful eye shadows I have obtained from these endless late nights or shall we say, early mornings?
So, I decided to come up with a plan to manage my time so that I could at least go to bed by midnight. After all, I still do need my beauty sleep to keep those panda attributes, wrinkles and other late-night related ugliness from marring my very natural..err..beauty..;-)
The plan goes like this:
Morning plan:
Get up at break of dawn, hurry through my exercise routine (Must always spare time to exercise!), prepare breakfast and pack my lunch, complete some chores, hop into the shower, grab anything from the closet and throw it on (no more spending 10-15 minutes staring at my clothes and wondering what to wear), feed LR, clean him up, change him and out the door to drop LR at the babysitters' but sometimes hubby does that so could spare at least 20 minutes when it is his turn.
Time: 30 - 50 minutes
Work-time plan:
Complete my assignments at record time, sacrifice lunch time by munching on my homemade sandwich while completing my assignments, grab some spare time in the afternoon to check emails/bid for projects at job boards/ monitor job boards/ blog, leave at around 5.30pm.
Time: between 8 - 9 hours
Evening plan:
Curse at the horrendous traffic jams, pick up LR, go home, prepare his evening snack, feed LR, play with LR for awhile (I couldn't find it in me to cut this special time short), bathe and change LR, read bedtime stories, sing nursery rhymes and tuck him into bed, do more house chores, do some light yoga stretching, shower, spend some time with hubby, then finally, take out the laptop to check emails/bid for projects/ monitor job boards/ blog.
Time: between 5 - 7 hours.
Aww...shucks. With this plan, I still end up going to bed at around 2am. I really am at a loss. It is not as if I wasted my time faffing around. Sigh...I better come up with better plans.
These past few weeks of trying to establish myself as an e-freelancer while managing a household and showing a modicum of commitment to my day job, I found myself practically out of breath and running around like a sugar-high toddler.
Darn it, why didn't I ever chose to be born a multi-billionaire and not have to be so bothered with trying to break even from freelancing so that I could stay home for LR?
Day dreams aside, I found myself crashing into bed (yep, you read it right, I really do crash into bed) at around 1am the earliest and 3am the latest. Every day.
Can you imagine the beautiful eye shadows I have obtained from these endless late nights or shall we say, early mornings?
So, I decided to come up with a plan to manage my time so that I could at least go to bed by midnight. After all, I still do need my beauty sleep to keep those panda attributes, wrinkles and other late-night related ugliness from marring my very natural..err..beauty..;-)
The plan goes like this:
Morning plan:
Get up at break of dawn, hurry through my exercise routine (Must always spare time to exercise!), prepare breakfast and pack my lunch, complete some chores, hop into the shower, grab anything from the closet and throw it on (no more spending 10-15 minutes staring at my clothes and wondering what to wear), feed LR, clean him up, change him and out the door to drop LR at the babysitters' but sometimes hubby does that so could spare at least 20 minutes when it is his turn.
Time: 30 - 50 minutes
Work-time plan:
Complete my assignments at record time, sacrifice lunch time by munching on my homemade sandwich while completing my assignments, grab some spare time in the afternoon to check emails/bid for projects at job boards/ monitor job boards/ blog, leave at around 5.30pm.
Time: between 8 - 9 hours
Evening plan:
Curse at the horrendous traffic jams, pick up LR, go home, prepare his evening snack, feed LR, play with LR for awhile (I couldn't find it in me to cut this special time short), bathe and change LR, read bedtime stories, sing nursery rhymes and tuck him into bed, do more house chores, do some light yoga stretching, shower, spend some time with hubby, then finally, take out the laptop to check emails/bid for projects/ monitor job boards/ blog.
Time: between 5 - 7 hours.
Aww...shucks. With this plan, I still end up going to bed at around 2am. I really am at a loss. It is not as if I wasted my time faffing around. Sigh...I better come up with better plans.
Friday
Salute to fellow diligent bloggers
After only a mere few months of maintaining this blog (and two others elsewhere), I am already feeling the strain of ensuring I continue posting entries at least once a week. As is obvious, I have been slacking! So much so, there were hardly any entertaining or twisted ramblings to be found in the past two months or so.
Much as I want to blame Harry Potter for that, I feel that it would not be fair since it only took me a few days to finish delving into that thick fantasy world after its worldwide release last month.
Then there is the infection from that bug...seriously. I was truly, really, ill. Well, for the whole of two days. ;-)
So, it is with the utmost respect and much admiration that I extend my salute to all diligent bloggers who kept at it daily, weekly, frequently, all the time. I just do not know how you all do it! Some of you probably has less time than me but still managed to continue blogging at a regular pace, it is absolutely admirable!
What can I say? I am a total absolute slacker!
But that is because I have this annoying, irritating, insistent little voice in my head that hound me on end to work on my novel-in-progress and stop wasting time in cyberworld. Then there is that motherly voice insisting that I must spend more time with my son since I only get to spend evenings with him as I work full-time. Let's not forget the other wifely voice who stridently reminded me that I had neglected my darling husband so much so that he may soon forget what I looked like. Of course, let's not forget the teeny, wee, little voice of conscience tsk-tsking at my stealing working time to blog, lurk at other blogs and surreptitiously work on my novel-in-progress.
Then there is the very real voice of my human bosses demanding for more news articles and pronto! That's the problem with news reporting. The deadlines are horrific as it starts anew everyday and with the paper printing earlier these days, the deadlines are even earlier. So much so, I find myself munching sandwiches over my workstation for lunch instead of going out for a one-hour break from all the madness of frantic news deadlines.
So, honestly, how do other mothers who worked full-time outside the home ever do it all; keep an updated blog, keep the house sparkling clean, visit other blogs and comment appropriately and yet still have energy and time left to spend time with family and indulge in her own hobbies or interests (from gardening to writing to studying for the third Masters degree).
I am already scrambling for more time to squeeze in my novel-writing when every night after tucking my son into bed, all I want to do is collapse onto the bed and sleep.
Sigh. Can anyone find me the time-travel watch Hermione (in Harry Potter) was using to attend all the classes she took at Hogwarts?
Much as I want to blame Harry Potter for that, I feel that it would not be fair since it only took me a few days to finish delving into that thick fantasy world after its worldwide release last month.
Then there is the infection from that bug...seriously. I was truly, really, ill. Well, for the whole of two days. ;-)
So, it is with the utmost respect and much admiration that I extend my salute to all diligent bloggers who kept at it daily, weekly, frequently, all the time. I just do not know how you all do it! Some of you probably has less time than me but still managed to continue blogging at a regular pace, it is absolutely admirable!
What can I say? I am a total absolute slacker!
But that is because I have this annoying, irritating, insistent little voice in my head that hound me on end to work on my novel-in-progress and stop wasting time in cyberworld. Then there is that motherly voice insisting that I must spend more time with my son since I only get to spend evenings with him as I work full-time. Let's not forget the other wifely voice who stridently reminded me that I had neglected my darling husband so much so that he may soon forget what I looked like. Of course, let's not forget the teeny, wee, little voice of conscience tsk-tsking at my stealing working time to blog, lurk at other blogs and surreptitiously work on my novel-in-progress.
Then there is the very real voice of my human bosses demanding for more news articles and pronto! That's the problem with news reporting. The deadlines are horrific as it starts anew everyday and with the paper printing earlier these days, the deadlines are even earlier. So much so, I find myself munching sandwiches over my workstation for lunch instead of going out for a one-hour break from all the madness of frantic news deadlines.
So, honestly, how do other mothers who worked full-time outside the home ever do it all; keep an updated blog, keep the house sparkling clean, visit other blogs and comment appropriately and yet still have energy and time left to spend time with family and indulge in her own hobbies or interests (from gardening to writing to studying for the third Masters degree).
I am already scrambling for more time to squeeze in my novel-writing when every night after tucking my son into bed, all I want to do is collapse onto the bed and sleep.
Sigh. Can anyone find me the time-travel watch Hermione (in Harry Potter) was using to attend all the classes she took at Hogwarts?
Wednesday
Lethargic and busy and Pottermania
I have been lagging behind in my blogging and my private pet projects. Due to an onslaught of work in the office, I have been unable to steal some time to enter a post or work on my manuscripts. I was not even able to take a breather!
Anyway, I have been kind of lethargic too as I do not know what should I post anymore. I have so many topics banging around my head, I don't know which one to do first. Time is another factor as I have to find some time to do it!
Also, I am all excited over the upcoming release of the final book of the Harry Potter series. I may read a lot of romances and thrillers but I am also a Potter fan. I became hooked to the series due to all the hype over Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone some years back. There were numerous reviews on the book. It really piqued my interest so I went and got a copy to read for myself what all that hype was about. The rest is history because after that first book, I was hooked. Addicted. I immediately went out to grab the second and third book. I was like a Potter junkie and impatient for the next book.
Finally, Rowling has completed the last most anticipated and awaited book to round up the whole series. I hope all this wait is worth it because frankly, the fifth and sixth book did not leave much of an impression in me. Neither did the fourth book. Sure, the plot thickens and things were explained, people die and Voldemort makes his appearance but still....it didn't hold the same spell. At least, not for me. But the books are still well written, the plots interesting and the story progresses. I guess, as a whole set, all of it are good but individually, it's a different matter.
Oddly enough, or not so odd after all, it reminded me of my fascination with the Narnia series. It also comes in a set of seven books and some of it, as an individual book, is not very remarkable while some left a lasting impression in me.
Well, in a few more days, I shall know how Rowling is going to wrap it all up nicely. Judging from how her books became darker with each new release, I would not be surprised that the seventh book do not have a happy ending.
We shall see.
Anyway, I have been kind of lethargic too as I do not know what should I post anymore. I have so many topics banging around my head, I don't know which one to do first. Time is another factor as I have to find some time to do it!
Also, I am all excited over the upcoming release of the final book of the Harry Potter series. I may read a lot of romances and thrillers but I am also a Potter fan. I became hooked to the series due to all the hype over Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone some years back. There were numerous reviews on the book. It really piqued my interest so I went and got a copy to read for myself what all that hype was about. The rest is history because after that first book, I was hooked. Addicted. I immediately went out to grab the second and third book. I was like a Potter junkie and impatient for the next book.
Finally, Rowling has completed the last most anticipated and awaited book to round up the whole series. I hope all this wait is worth it because frankly, the fifth and sixth book did not leave much of an impression in me. Neither did the fourth book. Sure, the plot thickens and things were explained, people die and Voldemort makes his appearance but still....it didn't hold the same spell. At least, not for me. But the books are still well written, the plots interesting and the story progresses. I guess, as a whole set, all of it are good but individually, it's a different matter.
Oddly enough, or not so odd after all, it reminded me of my fascination with the Narnia series. It also comes in a set of seven books and some of it, as an individual book, is not very remarkable while some left a lasting impression in me.
Well, in a few more days, I shall know how Rowling is going to wrap it all up nicely. Judging from how her books became darker with each new release, I would not be surprised that the seventh book do not have a happy ending.
We shall see.
Thursday
Thursday 13
This is my first time participating in TT so here goes:
A list of 13 things I will not regret or try not to regret doing:
1) Slacking off at work to blog / write down my story ideas. Since trying to type even a sentence after work while at home with a toddler without the said two-footer trying to add in his own words is next to impossible, I reserved some of my office time to blogging and writing my own manuscripts. I just had to be careful to quickly click on my email page or other office works in progress whenever someone walks past my desk.
2) Missing out on sleep to work on my story ideas / manuscripts. Again, I have to put both baby and husband to sleep first before I get some free time of my own to write, write and write so that I can finish that manuscript! Dark circles under my eyes? Hah, even pandas would envy the lovely pair of beauties surrounding my eyes from lack of sleep.
3) Writing romance stories even if they never get published. I started jotting short romance stories when I was a teenager and though I have dabbled in a few other genres such as horror and fantasy, I still find I love writing romance stories with the happy ever after endings. I am now working towards completing my first full length novel and sending queries out to publishers.
4) Indulging in chocolates and ice cream. As a die-hard chocoholic, I would probably die without my daily dose of chocolate. I could survive solely on a diet of chocolate so throw me on a deserted island with endless supplies of chocolate and I will live!
5) Spending more time with my family. In my hectic working world, it is very difficult to balance my roles as a sister, daughter, mother, wife, journalist, blogger, closet romance writer, chocoholic, bookworm but I'll do whatever it takes to finagle some time out of my clogged schedule to spend more time with my darling husband, Steve and hyperactive son, Ray.
6) Reading all kinds of books including erotic romance books. I am a bookworm very much like my mother so I buy all sorts of books and when I have stolen free moments, I would let myself be transported into the different worlds created by authors from around the world.
7) Yo-yo dieting. I have never been blessed with the 'thin' genes so I always have to go on a diet to lose extra baggage around the hips and butt whenever I overindulge in no. 4. But I can never stick to a diet for too long because frankly, lettuce leaves vs chocolate...no prizes for guessing which one won the fight!
8) Starting this blog. When I initially started blogging, I was very apprehensive and unsure of what to write. Now, I am glad I started as it gave me an avenue to sharpen my writing skills and air my opinions and also rant and rave!
9) Not becoming a millionaire by not choosing a 'safer' or 'stable' career. Money and materialism have not always been the main goals in my life. A simple person at heart, I don't mind living in a small apartment, driving an old car which could break down at any time of the day for no simple reason and not being able to afford luxurious things like a diamond-studded toilet seat. As long as I can live comfortably with my family, I am happy with my not-so-profitable career choice.
10) Buying skimpy, smaller sized clothes which I may not be able to fit into in this lifetime. Hey, every girl is allowed to buy clothes they wished they could somehow squeeze into someday. It's the only motivation to lay off the chocolate for like two whole minutes!
11) Learning to cook and bake. When I was younger, I have been known to burn everything I tried to cook but after meeting my gourmet husband, I have improved my skills and now, can whip up a simple meal for 20 if need to.
12) Having my son, Ray. At times I may feel like pulling out my hair in frustration over his cheeky shenanigans but all in all, he is a good kid who never fails to cheer up my days. I don't even mind the stretch marks and extra bulges I ended up with for having him.
13) Not conforming to any particular group of people. Though I am a news journalist and is supposed to be all serious, all no-nonsense and very sociable, I am far from that. I have a skewed sense of humour and tend to burst out laughing (real deep loud HAHAHAs and not those ladylike polite 'heeheehee's) at anything remotely funny to me even when in the middle of a press conference which could be very awkward. That said, I also hate attending any social events and avoided it like the plague and the only way I could be induced to attend one 'voluntarily' is by orders from the boss at work for work-related functions.
There, it wasn't so hard after all.
A list of 13 things I will not regret or try not to regret doing:
1) Slacking off at work to blog / write down my story ideas. Since trying to type even a sentence after work while at home with a toddler without the said two-footer trying to add in his own words is next to impossible, I reserved some of my office time to blogging and writing my own manuscripts. I just had to be careful to quickly click on my email page or other office works in progress whenever someone walks past my desk.
2) Missing out on sleep to work on my story ideas / manuscripts. Again, I have to put both baby and husband to sleep first before I get some free time of my own to write, write and write so that I can finish that manuscript! Dark circles under my eyes? Hah, even pandas would envy the lovely pair of beauties surrounding my eyes from lack of sleep.
3) Writing romance stories even if they never get published. I started jotting short romance stories when I was a teenager and though I have dabbled in a few other genres such as horror and fantasy, I still find I love writing romance stories with the happy ever after endings. I am now working towards completing my first full length novel and sending queries out to publishers.
4) Indulging in chocolates and ice cream. As a die-hard chocoholic, I would probably die without my daily dose of chocolate. I could survive solely on a diet of chocolate so throw me on a deserted island with endless supplies of chocolate and I will live!
5) Spending more time with my family. In my hectic working world, it is very difficult to balance my roles as a sister, daughter, mother, wife, journalist, blogger, closet romance writer, chocoholic, bookworm but I'll do whatever it takes to finagle some time out of my clogged schedule to spend more time with my darling husband, Steve and hyperactive son, Ray.
6) Reading all kinds of books including erotic romance books. I am a bookworm very much like my mother so I buy all sorts of books and when I have stolen free moments, I would let myself be transported into the different worlds created by authors from around the world.
7) Yo-yo dieting. I have never been blessed with the 'thin' genes so I always have to go on a diet to lose extra baggage around the hips and butt whenever I overindulge in no. 4. But I can never stick to a diet for too long because frankly, lettuce leaves vs chocolate...no prizes for guessing which one won the fight!
8) Starting this blog. When I initially started blogging, I was very apprehensive and unsure of what to write. Now, I am glad I started as it gave me an avenue to sharpen my writing skills and air my opinions and also rant and rave!
9) Not becoming a millionaire by not choosing a 'safer' or 'stable' career. Money and materialism have not always been the main goals in my life. A simple person at heart, I don't mind living in a small apartment, driving an old car which could break down at any time of the day for no simple reason and not being able to afford luxurious things like a diamond-studded toilet seat. As long as I can live comfortably with my family, I am happy with my not-so-profitable career choice.
10) Buying skimpy, smaller sized clothes which I may not be able to fit into in this lifetime. Hey, every girl is allowed to buy clothes they wished they could somehow squeeze into someday. It's the only motivation to lay off the chocolate for like two whole minutes!
11) Learning to cook and bake. When I was younger, I have been known to burn everything I tried to cook but after meeting my gourmet husband, I have improved my skills and now, can whip up a simple meal for 20 if need to.
12) Having my son, Ray. At times I may feel like pulling out my hair in frustration over his cheeky shenanigans but all in all, he is a good kid who never fails to cheer up my days. I don't even mind the stretch marks and extra bulges I ended up with for having him.
13) Not conforming to any particular group of people. Though I am a news journalist and is supposed to be all serious, all no-nonsense and very sociable, I am far from that. I have a skewed sense of humour and tend to burst out laughing (real deep loud HAHAHAs and not those ladylike polite 'heeheehee's) at anything remotely funny to me even when in the middle of a press conference which could be very awkward. That said, I also hate attending any social events and avoided it like the plague and the only way I could be induced to attend one 'voluntarily' is by orders from the boss at work for work-related functions.
There, it wasn't so hard after all.
Sunday
So you want to be a writer?
When I was a kid, whenever someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, my reply was always 'I want to be a writer just like Enid Blyton'.
The response is also always the same, 'But why? You are better off becoming a doctor/ engineer / (insert any other high-paying jobs)'.
Even my father was not very encouraging, telling me to get good grades in school and take a practical course in college such as business administration or architecture.
"You can write in your free time," was his reply when I told him I only want to write, nothing else. Architecture indeed! Imagine, clumsy me designing a building. I can just imagine forgetting to include a column or two into the building structure and the building crumbling into pieces the moment someone sneezed at it.
So, for the greater good and for the sake of everyone's life (I don't want to accidentally kill someone by bungling up in any of the above-mentioned professions), I decided to stick with my dream.
Of course, I have quite a few others who would tell me to ignore the sceptics and continue chasing my dream.
My number one fan was my mother who encouraged me and took the trouble to read the many stories I penned in my teenage years. My other fans are my circle of school friends who would wait patiently to read my short stories (most of which are romances since I was into Mills & Boons and Harlequin books at that time) and ask for more.
Now, years later, I am still working to fulfil this dream. I still scribble storylines and ideas whenever I have time. I started blogging to keep my creative writing skills honed and active.
Somehow along the way I managed to land myself in a writing job as a news journalist with a local daily. It was not what I wanted, but hey, it pays the bills.
Again, I get the same scepticism from other 'serious career minded non-journalist friends'.
"Are you sure you want to be a journalist? There's not much future in it, you know," one well-meaning friend would say.
"Well, since I do not have a college degree, I can't possibly be a doctor, can I? Nor can I be an architect, so I will have to settle with what I do best, writing," I told that well-meaning friend.
Fortunately, my circle of good friends continue to support me. One actually made sure I continue writing down my story ideas by nagging me at every turn.
"Have you completed your book yet?" he would ask when we 'bumped' into each other online recently.
"Err...not yet but getting there soon," was my sheepish reply.
"It's been ,what, ten years?? When are you going to complete it? Until you turn 99 with one foot in the grave?"
"Well.....I've been busy..."
"Excuses! I thought you wanted to be an author? Whatever happened to that?"
"I am working on that, really, honestly, believe me..."
"Hummpphhh...if you don't work on it, then don't come whining to me about having to write boring news articles day in day out!'
"I don't whine. Besides, how can anyone whine through an online chat? And I have a toddler at home to care for and a lot of work in the office and house chores to boot. so there!"
"Again, excuses, excuses."
"Hey, if you volunteer to babysit my son every once in a while, perhaps I would have completed the book by now!"
"Hah! Nice try! We live in different states and I am, thankfully, thousands of miles away, remember? So, don't try to foist the blame on me!"
"Okay, okay, stop nagging me. I don't need the extra stress, ok? It's not my fault that my husband is not a millionaire and we do not have a maid at home and I have to work to help pay the bills. I promise you that I will have the manuscript complete by...err... end of this month, so there!"
"We will see then," was his ominous reply.
Now, it is mere days from the end of the month and I am only at Chapter Four. I better not logon for too long, he might see me!
Better go, I have another six chapters to write, daily news articles to write, house chores to do, hyperactive baby to control and less than 48 hours per day to do all that! Oh, @#$%, I have not done my taxes yet too! Whose idea is it to only have 24 hours per day anyway?
The response is also always the same, 'But why? You are better off becoming a doctor/ engineer / (insert any other high-paying jobs)'.
Even my father was not very encouraging, telling me to get good grades in school and take a practical course in college such as business administration or architecture.
"You can write in your free time," was his reply when I told him I only want to write, nothing else. Architecture indeed! Imagine, clumsy me designing a building. I can just imagine forgetting to include a column or two into the building structure and the building crumbling into pieces the moment someone sneezed at it.
So, for the greater good and for the sake of everyone's life (I don't want to accidentally kill someone by bungling up in any of the above-mentioned professions), I decided to stick with my dream.
Of course, I have quite a few others who would tell me to ignore the sceptics and continue chasing my dream.
My number one fan was my mother who encouraged me and took the trouble to read the many stories I penned in my teenage years. My other fans are my circle of school friends who would wait patiently to read my short stories (most of which are romances since I was into Mills & Boons and Harlequin books at that time) and ask for more.
Now, years later, I am still working to fulfil this dream. I still scribble storylines and ideas whenever I have time. I started blogging to keep my creative writing skills honed and active.
Somehow along the way I managed to land myself in a writing job as a news journalist with a local daily. It was not what I wanted, but hey, it pays the bills.
Again, I get the same scepticism from other 'serious career minded non-journalist friends'.
"Are you sure you want to be a journalist? There's not much future in it, you know," one well-meaning friend would say.
"Well, since I do not have a college degree, I can't possibly be a doctor, can I? Nor can I be an architect, so I will have to settle with what I do best, writing," I told that well-meaning friend.
Fortunately, my circle of good friends continue to support me. One actually made sure I continue writing down my story ideas by nagging me at every turn.
"Have you completed your book yet?" he would ask when we 'bumped' into each other online recently.
"Err...not yet but getting there soon," was my sheepish reply.
"It's been ,what, ten years?? When are you going to complete it? Until you turn 99 with one foot in the grave?"
"Well.....I've been busy..."
"Excuses! I thought you wanted to be an author? Whatever happened to that?"
"I am working on that, really, honestly, believe me..."
"Hummpphhh...if you don't work on it, then don't come whining to me about having to write boring news articles day in day out!'
"I don't whine. Besides, how can anyone whine through an online chat? And I have a toddler at home to care for and a lot of work in the office and house chores to boot. so there!"
"Again, excuses, excuses."
"Hey, if you volunteer to babysit my son every once in a while, perhaps I would have completed the book by now!"
"Hah! Nice try! We live in different states and I am, thankfully, thousands of miles away, remember? So, don't try to foist the blame on me!"
"Okay, okay, stop nagging me. I don't need the extra stress, ok? It's not my fault that my husband is not a millionaire and we do not have a maid at home and I have to work to help pay the bills. I promise you that I will have the manuscript complete by...err... end of this month, so there!"
"We will see then," was his ominous reply.
Now, it is mere days from the end of the month and I am only at Chapter Four. I better not logon for too long, he might see me!
Better go, I have another six chapters to write, daily news articles to write, house chores to do, hyperactive baby to control and less than 48 hours per day to do all that! Oh, @#$%, I have not done my taxes yet too! Whose idea is it to only have 24 hours per day anyway?
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