Saturday 8 January 2011

She's back!!


image from internet

I know, I know...once again the blog got filed under ‘bury head in sand’ and the year is suddenly rounding up on the middle-end of January. Gadzooks! Apologies (and I have to give an extra thanks very much to a particular reader who gave me a gentle boot up the backside to get going again. You know who you are!)
Right then. Where are we? Ahh yes...a smashing and relaxing Xmas with my sister and her fiance, a tub-thumping New Year and a crash dive into the bleak mid winter. Such I believe was the pattern for many of us, running hell bent towards the end of the year, eyes shut, fingers in our ears, shouting ‘ Yabadabaddooooo! We made it!’ only to find there was no ‘it’ to make and the morning after was still full of plot holes and winter and ‘what next’s and job hunting and cut backs and the usual hangover of world politics.
I realised that although my 2011 needed to include such things as ‘income’ and ‘love’ and ‘adventure’, I wasn’t going to be able to do any of it or even think straight until I had finished the first draft of my thriller ‘Witchgirl.’ The only problem was that it didn’t seem to want to be written. I tried concentrated blasts. Nope. I snuck up on it, pretending to walk past the computer and then ambushing the keyboard. Nope. I turned off facebook. (This helped but was unsustainable), and I even attempted to remain seated in three hour blocks three times a day. Nada. Not even an eloquently constructed sausage. I whined at everyone (hence facebook on again) and eventually went to far as to moan about the unfairness of it all to my poor cousin in the States- she of the post back surgery-and-by-the-way-I-am-still -in-agony,-still-have-kids-and-a-job- to-deal with-and-am-not-allowed-to-even-swivel-let-alone- pick-up-my-own-martini- glass, cousin. I called to cheer her up with my whining.

'Tanvir,' she said. 'Just write it.'

'Whatdaya mean?' I asked sulkily.' I am a creative. I have to wait... '

'Just get to the end and THEN go back and make it pretty.'
'Really?'

'Really! '


And so and so after much whimpering I finally tucked in my chin and did a slightly off centre judo roll into my final few chapters. And it stinks! Hell yeh! Trust me I am not being modest here. It pongs big time.. but at least I am now in the final few thousand words.
I intend to get to the end by THE END OF THE MONTH! Dad a daaaaa!

And that’s bascically why I have been unblogged folks. At the moment it hasn’t been worth the wait but maybe..just maybe...after a great deal of plot darning, some character renames, an additional sex scene and a spell check this blasted book might be my ticket into 2011 after all.

Apart from the above mentioned, I didn’t really have many resolutions this year but I did decide to continue the one major lesson I learnt last year. I learnt that life can be hard BUT it is you who decides if life is shit. It’s a very simple attitude correction. Feels like having one’s posture adjusted by a physiotherapist. You may feel like a plonker as they twist you into shape; elbows back, neck relaxed, chin in..but then your entire spine suddenly feels gooey with relief, all supple and sexy. Problem is that it takes practice. One is barely out the clinic door before one is slumping and chin poking all over the shop again. You have to keep telling yourself, straighten out, boobs out, elbows and chin IN.
Same with life. I don’t mind hard. Hard is just a challenge and it feels good to get through things that are hard. ‘Shit’ on the other hand is a steady circular downward thing. (I know my metaphors are getting out of hand)
I have learnt that approaching things as ‘hard’ as opposed to ‘shit’ makes them possible, sometimes even exciting.
So from now on everytime I hear myself winigng about things being just so shit , inclduing the problems involved with getting my novel fixed, or money, or eyes, I will straighten up and say nope...things are probably going to be hard but that's quite all right. Boobs out, chin in, come on 2011!!

Grace Dec 2010 (c) T. Bush

11 comments:

Janelle said...

you rock tanvir. great post. and can;t wait to read The Book...much love x j

suscol said...

oh yes, she is! thank you - and strength with sexing up those last couple chapters. am sure that the characters will let you know - most eloquently - in the wee hours of the morning, exactly what you have neglected to express!

Unknown said...

Good piece, I'm pleased the block has passed!

Miranda said...

Great blog! And yes you rock, indeed you do! xx

Louisa said...

you have inspired me Tanvir!!! I myself have also been on the 2011 is just out there to finish me off...it is sh*t etc...got dengue fever (yes that was what I was ill with) my car is yet again in intensive care and just oh so many things and I think I was in the hibernation...woe is me phase and january hasnt even finished! But you are right....life is hard and holds challenges...it is going to be my (if you dont mind me adopting it) new attitude towards life too! I agree with the other posters here...you rock! xxxx

tam said...

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." Murakami, quoting some athlete in that running book of his. I miss blogging> Every day I intend it. But at the moment its a good day if i can bath or wash my hair. Not that I'm complaining...
You rock. Wish we could cath up in the flesh. I'm tired of cyber worlds.

The Bug said...

I like your attitude. I'll try to remember it the next time I'm driving to work in a snowstorm. This is a CHALLENGE - it's not tragedy. :)

Anonymous said...

so you are writing a novel? your own life is stranger than fiction, though. you should write a memoir, instead!

BTW, welcome back.

Chimera said...

Thank you all very much for the lovely responses! Janelle, suscol,lodgeman, Miranda. It is just great to have so many inspirational people out there.
Yep - I am sure my characters will tell me what to do...they have a habit of taking their sweet time about it but I am fine trawling after them right now.

Lousia..dengue fever?? You are kidding?? I thought you could only get that if you were a Victorian colonial with an elephant gun and a moustache! Damn, you poor thing!
And I feel for you Tam - blogging time is definately a luxury. For me it is one of the few benefits of being unemployed... I am even back on twitter...a sure sign of witlessness. MUST see you soon. Its getting ridiculous!

Hey Bug - hmmm try thinking 'snowstorm' not 'shitstorm'? Tricky one that!
Thanks Gigi - I think a memoir might get me sued but thank you for sugessting it!
Much love all and you are my rocks so read on!
Tanvi

Wendy said...

Hey Tanvir! Love your blog... stumbled on it by accident, and recognized you. We met years ago at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. We were showing our (awful) film on elephant domestication in Zimbabwe. We sat outside and talked, I had a friend who had RP also... remember? Maybe? So amazing to find you online! Keep up the fantastic work, great attitude. Such an amazing achievement to write a novel, keep it up, I know you'll get there and I'll look forward to seeing it on Amazon.com or something!
Best,

Wendy

Chimera said...

Hey there Wendy! How smashing to be in touch again! Do you do facebook perchance? Would love to know more abut what you are up to..I remember we had a great chat that time in Hot Spring. What a blast!
T xx