Calling Card

Arrived back in London last night after two weeks holiday with my children. It felt strange to be back in the flat - seems there’s more space here than in the former marital home. My ex was in Amercia on some kind of shamanic quest. As mentioned previously money is tight but I took the kids camping, and for the rest of the time we hung out in the house, played cricket in the park, frsibee etc - went to the cinema, went on walks etc, simple pleasures and my children didn’t seem to mind. My daughter was invited to various sleepovers - and both her and my son and friends for sleepovers. Even cooked pancakes one day - and baked a crumble made from berries picked in the garden.

I thought/wanted to bring them to London for a few days but in the end I simply couldn’t afford it. London costs big time and they would have ended up in the flat in front of the tv or computer most of the time, so we stayed in the west country, enjoyed the fresh air.

Been back in the house was claustrophobic, it’s tiny for one and little privacy, but at ages 12 and 10 my kids are are gaining semi autonomy and are happy to go off an play with friends, which suits me as I got time to write- or read. I also kept up my yoga practice, abstained from coffee for a full fortnight - and still have not touched alcohol.

I have promised them if I make some extra money I will take them away, maybe later this year - certainly next year.

I also got an iPhone4, couldn’t afford one - but can I afford not to have one? Can sync all data with my Macboook Pro - I even have a screenwriting app for it, so it made sense. I need to be organised with contacts etc and it seemed the best solution - especially as my old crappy phone died on me.

So I am back at work today; I have a fairly easy week but really concentrating on the ‘business’ side of my first screenplay, provisionally called CROCODILE EYE. I have a meeting with a developer as part of a National Film and Television programme - have sent it to a couple of actors to read and for feedback so must chase their comments. My screenplay is a manageable 81 pages at the moment so space to develop plot and characters, the structure may also need some work. It felt good to take a break from it, I must now concentrate all my efforts on selling/producing it as it may well be my calling card into the industry.

My new screenplay seems much easier to write, mainly because I took time to work on a structure, I am 12 pages in and the process has been incredibly easy. Having a structure as allowed me to concentrate on the characters and dialogue.

It has been a happy exercise in escapism so far as I am totally in the story and it’s a joy to return to it.

Apart from coffee there is nothing in the flat so I must source breakfast from outside - ie the staff canteen so going to go to work early. I am looking forward to cycling across London and picking up the vibe of the city again after my little west country sojourn.