1. Does anyone have a job for me? I do mostly medical copyediting, but I'd do just about anything (though preferably something vaguely editorial, and slightly more literary, at an outrageous salary please). I make a decent cup of coffee even. And I can write too, kind of. My bread-and-butter contract upped and went (I'm assured that the quality of my work was not in question, simply they have the resources to produce the journal fully in house now), which has me thinking, at age 37, (ack,) what the hell do I want to do with my life.
2. Curses on Ana Maria, and on that accursed Popword, on which I've spent more time in the last few days than pretty much everything else.
3. I feel the assault of Christmas. The commercial Christmas crap ought not to start till December 1. Leave my birthday a Christmas-carol-and-tacky-decorations-free zone.
4. I haven't packed yet, but I feel confident about getting it done in the morning. The laundry at least is laundered.
5. I've spent far too much time carefully considering what reading material to bring with me. I'm bringing The Red and the Black (Stendhal) and The Art of Murder (José Carlos Somoza). (Also Harold and the Purple Crayon and Harold's Circus.)
6. I've been reading — in an effort to delay the forthcoming pleasures of Patrick Hamilton, and to leave my vacation book alone, and to enforce some schedule discipline on myself for the group reading project book (and I'm really not liking having so many books "open" at the same time — it's a pervasive uncomfortableness, I'm at loose ends) — The Shadow of the Wind, which a third of the way in, underwhelms me. A pleasant enough comfort read, but I don't think the blurb comparisons with Umberto Eco (my recent realizations notwithstanding) or Arturo Pérez-Reverte (though I can see the Dumas-style romance adventure connection) are deserved. An example of word-of-blog run amok? To me it reads like a young adult novel (and that's not meant as an insult). — More on this when I finish it.
7. I spent a lot of time with my cat today. He's very cool.
8. I'm still thinking about War and Peace. Last week I finished watching Bondarchuk's epic film adaptation, but I haven't had the mental space to sort out all my thoughts. I liked it very much. Stay tuned.
9. I leave tomorrow for a week. Blogging will be intermittent, perhaps nonexistent or quite possibly better than you've seen it in months. I expect to have time enough once at my destination to post a bit on The Red and the Black (to chapter 21).
10. I dread travelling with small children. Every time, I dread it.
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5 comments:
So sorry about your client evaporating! If I hear of anything (potential projects/clients), I'll definitely let you know.
Oh dear, Isabella, I am sorry about your job. What a birthday present, huh? I have no job offers (yet) for you, but on the bright side, you now have much more time to tackle that novel you declared on your blog you were going to write! ;)
Re: Shadow of the Wind. I thought the book started off really well, but for me, the last 1/4 of the story just fell apart into a mess of disappointment. But a good read, overall, I think. Looking forward to reading your thoughts on the story.
Re: cats. They are wonderful creatures, aren't they? Nature's perfect pet, I think. I've been sick with a cold/flu thing for over a week, and my precious angels have cuddled with me the whole time. Cats and books is the best medicine when one is sick.
Have a wonderful trip! We'll miss you!
Pity you are based in Canada from the point of view of me being able to help -- we do use freelance copyeditors at Nature Publishing Group, but for the journals produced out of London, not from such a distance. There may possibly be opportunities out of our New York office so let me know via email to MAXINELCLARKE AT GMAIL DOT COM if you want me to pass on contact details.
all best, and good luck.
Darling, is it possible that someone else is having occupational-angst [<-- sounds like some sort of bowel disorder, doesn't it?] to a similar degree that I myself am?
In a matter of days I am turning 43, and I am now FULL-TIME wondering how to re-invent myself, vocationally. My job is literally driving me mental, and I already had enough mental problems!
I wish you the best.
Write that novel!
Yours, in the same boat,
-- Cip
Just to say that I was underwhelmed by Shadow of the Wind as well, and I too HATE travelling with children. Don't worry too much about what to do next. Something really, always does crop up, just when you're not expecting it, and it becomes clear retrospectively that you needed to be free and idle to appreciate it. Just have a wonderful trip and look after yourself.
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