Moved offices at work into a different building, opposite the main one. The move was on the cards but a bit of a surprise, especially because I'm in the middle of some tight deadlines. I have not yet got over moving house.
I've sent correspondence from me and the evil landlord to my solicitor, working on the presumption that attack is the best form of defence. Not had a reply from evil landlord, but I want to take him to the cleaners for the inconvenience and stress is refusal to hand over my deposit has caused us. He is untrustworthy and a despicable character and it galls me to think I paid his fucking mortgage for two years.
I'm trying to do the corrections to my revision notes on a night, but am too tired. I've almost finished the first section and feel the need to get it out there and receive some feedback.
Homelife is again strained, my wife is depressed about things and it making me feel sad and unsatisfied. I'm really not sure what the future holds. At least the kids are secure in their own home and seem happy.
It's payday tomorrow and I have a fiver to my name, nit sure what we're doing at the weekend. Git a yoga practice at lunchtime, I need some positive energy or good news.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
A work in progress...51
The easter break proved quite stressful in the end. The landlord of our previous address has decided to keep our deposit and made all kinds of serious allegations about the condition of the property. This was upsetting and inconvenient as we were relying on the money to buy bunk beds for the kids' room. At the moment they are sleeping on mattresses on the floor.
The landlord has a reputation as a complete wanker and is basically greedy and arrogant. We left the property in a better condition than we found it and have an inventory to prove it. I spent most of my spare time drafting a letter to the tosser demanding my £1,000 deposit back. I posted it this morning on my way to the station.
Next the boiler packed in, we went a day without heating or hotwater before I figured out what was wrong with it. A faulty thermostat. We spent a most of the time sorting boxes out and taking more stuff to the tip. Highlight of the weekend was going to see Ice Age 2 and watching the new Dr Who. We also went for a cycle ride which was great - the first time the kids have been on their cycles this year. Drank a lot of wine and didn't get much writing done. I also have speakers rigged up to both computers so was able at least to listen to some music. I also played chess with my son Noah, who's six. He's getting quite good, but cries and sobs when I take his queen. I keep telling him it's to show him the moves, but he doesn't understand. In a year he'll be whipping my ass.
Work is busy, and we've been told we're moving offices tomorrow, righ in the middle of deadlines. Great.
The landlord has a reputation as a complete wanker and is basically greedy and arrogant. We left the property in a better condition than we found it and have an inventory to prove it. I spent most of my spare time drafting a letter to the tosser demanding my £1,000 deposit back. I posted it this morning on my way to the station.
Next the boiler packed in, we went a day without heating or hotwater before I figured out what was wrong with it. A faulty thermostat. We spent a most of the time sorting boxes out and taking more stuff to the tip. Highlight of the weekend was going to see Ice Age 2 and watching the new Dr Who. We also went for a cycle ride which was great - the first time the kids have been on their cycles this year. Drank a lot of wine and didn't get much writing done. I also have speakers rigged up to both computers so was able at least to listen to some music. I also played chess with my son Noah, who's six. He's getting quite good, but cries and sobs when I take his queen. I keep telling him it's to show him the moves, but he doesn't understand. In a year he'll be whipping my ass.
Work is busy, and we've been told we're moving offices tomorrow, righ in the middle of deadlines. Great.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
A work in progres...50
Opened up my laptop on the train this morning and I got an error message and the bloody thing refused to boot. Christ I'm so sick of it. I can't spend anymore money on the damn thing, I feel like throwing it out of the train window. It maybe something simple, but knowing my luck it's going to be something fucking major. Windows and PCs are so flaky, I'm going to get an ibook if I have to replace it.
I managed to proof out the first 12000 words and I'm slowly reading through it. I'm pleased with the results but maybe need to look at the structure. I wrote it in a cut and paste style, but I don't think it works.
I'm looking forward to the Easter holidays, it means a long weekend and I just want to chill in the new home. Works is busy, but rewarding, and Al, my musician mate, wants a press release writing to launch his debut album. As usual skint and overdrawn, but creatively enriched.
I managed to proof out the first 12000 words and I'm slowly reading through it. I'm pleased with the results but maybe need to look at the structure. I wrote it in a cut and paste style, but I don't think it works.
I'm looking forward to the Easter holidays, it means a long weekend and I just want to chill in the new home. Works is busy, but rewarding, and Al, my musician mate, wants a press release writing to launch his debut album. As usual skint and overdrawn, but creatively enriched.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
A work in progress...49
Christ, almost a month since my last post, I can't believe I left it so long.
It's been a completely manic four weeks. We moved into the new house at the weekend, which was stressful and utterly exhausting. The move itself went OK, but we've moved from a three-bedroomed place which we were renting to a two-bedroomed house which we have bought.
The kids have settled in OK and don't mind sharing a bedroom. We can convert the loft into another bedroom, bu that will be in th future. My wife is tired and stressed, but seems reasonably happy. Hopefully being in her own house will have a calming influence. The cafe gallery has closed and added to the pressure, as she had to clear out all her work a week before we moved. The house is compact, but cosy, and in a quiet street. There is not really anywhere to write, unless I take the shed in the garden, which my wife is eyeing up for a studio.
I got my laptop back, it's super quick with all the shit taken off the HD and the extra memory. I miss the ibook though, which I had on loan from work. The Mac is much cooler and always provokes interest on the train. I found that other mac users also gravitated to me, it is like a community.
Because I can't afford to take anytime off work right now, due to a few special projects and a restructuring of the department, I have managed to keep on writing. I've almost finished revising the first 12,000 words and will look to send it off to a couple of agents and maybe post something on this blog. I also wat to print the poetry collection and do some reading.
The kids are off school for the easter holidays, but I doubt whether I can take any time off. I feel tired and a little bit down with things, I guess it's the pressures of the house and family and also our relationship. There are issues that still need resolving. My wifes birthday and our ninth wedding anniversary came and went as it was in the middle of the move. We don't seem to have any fun anymore, that is one of the main problems.
My only enjoyment is writing. I feel pleased that I've managed to keep on going through everything, it' my release and salvation.
At the moment I'm reading William Burroughs' Naked Lunch. A brilliant read, original and provoking. I'm picking up a lots of things from his style. I'm also reading a book on the Turin shroud, which fingers Da Vinci as the faker. Very interesting.
May look at changing the tone of the blog, start publishing extracts from my book.
We've had lovely spring mornings, London looks all pristine, the days are nice and fresh and people are sat out in the parks on a lunchtime. I do ashtanga yoga twice a week and can realy feel the benefits. The new house is about a 20 minute walk to the station, I may start going on my mountain bike.
It's been a completely manic four weeks. We moved into the new house at the weekend, which was stressful and utterly exhausting. The move itself went OK, but we've moved from a three-bedroomed place which we were renting to a two-bedroomed house which we have bought.
The kids have settled in OK and don't mind sharing a bedroom. We can convert the loft into another bedroom, bu that will be in th future. My wife is tired and stressed, but seems reasonably happy. Hopefully being in her own house will have a calming influence. The cafe gallery has closed and added to the pressure, as she had to clear out all her work a week before we moved. The house is compact, but cosy, and in a quiet street. There is not really anywhere to write, unless I take the shed in the garden, which my wife is eyeing up for a studio.
I got my laptop back, it's super quick with all the shit taken off the HD and the extra memory. I miss the ibook though, which I had on loan from work. The Mac is much cooler and always provokes interest on the train. I found that other mac users also gravitated to me, it is like a community.
Because I can't afford to take anytime off work right now, due to a few special projects and a restructuring of the department, I have managed to keep on writing. I've almost finished revising the first 12,000 words and will look to send it off to a couple of agents and maybe post something on this blog. I also wat to print the poetry collection and do some reading.
The kids are off school for the easter holidays, but I doubt whether I can take any time off. I feel tired and a little bit down with things, I guess it's the pressures of the house and family and also our relationship. There are issues that still need resolving. My wifes birthday and our ninth wedding anniversary came and went as it was in the middle of the move. We don't seem to have any fun anymore, that is one of the main problems.
My only enjoyment is writing. I feel pleased that I've managed to keep on going through everything, it' my release and salvation.
At the moment I'm reading William Burroughs' Naked Lunch. A brilliant read, original and provoking. I'm picking up a lots of things from his style. I'm also reading a book on the Turin shroud, which fingers Da Vinci as the faker. Very interesting.
May look at changing the tone of the blog, start publishing extracts from my book.
We've had lovely spring mornings, London looks all pristine, the days are nice and fresh and people are sat out in the parks on a lunchtime. I do ashtanga yoga twice a week and can realy feel the benefits. The new house is about a 20 minute walk to the station, I may start going on my mountain bike.
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