costume

I promised I would blog only inanities didn't I? - so here you are. Today I bought a new swimming costume - long overdue indeed -something more becoming of my increasing girth and rasping inner thighs. The pool is rather populated these days (strangely by women with red hair or perhaps red wigs.) Anyway took a train to Fish Hoek (or Vishoek in Afrikaans) - lovely sea front train ride and if you ever come to Cape Town I implore you to try it - catch the Simonstown train from central Cape Town especially for the view - even better in whale season when you can see the huge lumbering mammals leaping balletic from the waves ... anyway. So bought myself a navy-blue, matronly item with slinky skirt (which may embolden my walk from the bench to the pool - though limelight has never really licked my moth).


What else? - life has been consumed by oddity lately. On the old blog I'd probably refer to the 'signs'. Hey but eish.. not saying nothing, not saying anything. I'm crying a lot too - getting rid of all this feeling and stuff. Not easy. I'm so glad there's bloggers who know me from the start. Yes I cry too.

Anyway rewind to Sunday - after visiting my mum, the family was shuttled off to an evening meal in the suburbs. Firstly the driver and his accompanying friend both wore white sombreros as did the host of the palatial, gated, suburban mansion set in acres of crimped lawn. There was even a trampoline - on which (after I'd consumed more than my usual ration of wine) I happily bounced away for nearly an hour. The food was divine. The sun set across the mountain valley. My daughter had been whisked upstairs to a playroom and fed and tended to and I didn't see her or even worry about her for the rest of the evening. Conversation meandered, then I was gently interrogated on the state of the worldwide economy to which (after 7 glasses) I burbled that the market economy was a 'myth' - hey why not? - artist-writers have a duty to be interesting huh?
At this point, the men started clutching their heads in anxiety and striding up and down and swearing to sell all their shares immediately. Talk then moved on to equality in divorce payouts and bitterness. Hmmmm that is a large topic but I'd like to think I'm fair.

So as you see apart from all the redheads at the swimming pool - life is kind of banal for now. With undercurrents..

Check you later x

meme

Nice little meme that's doing the rounds and since I have haven't talked about writing for a while - here it is:

When it comes to writing, what do you know you're good at, and what aspect of writing are you worst at? (Procrastination is not permitted as either part of the answer.)

Good:
I think I'm pretty good at character - I often pluck people from my life into scripts (often without even bothering to change their names). There's often something about that person that intrigues - to make me want to get inside their head...

Bad:
Endings - in life too as in scripts. I prefer to slip out the back door while everyone is busy. Must really brush up on the 'big finish', climactic stuff. My endings tend to whimper or are open-ended - maybe due to 'travelling hopefully' writing-wise. A bit like forgetting the punch line. Folk wonder if there's more to come or whether they should go home ...Maybe its an Aries thing

face

a few sketches from Christmas afternoon.
Laters peeps,

A

Classified

Job vacancy: Angel
(Guardian or misc)
Temp

A motivated and enthusiastic person committed to specialised, random acts of benevolence sought for high level management team. Previous seraphic experience preferred but not essential. Must enjoy flying, word games and be IT literate.

1 Year Fixed Term (to cover present incumbent on sabbatical)

Location: worldwide
Remuneration: tbc

Closing Date: 23 January 2009

newness

Once upon a virtual time, there was a story which twisted and turned and got a bit complicated (nay nail-biting) at times - confusing even. Characters didn't know whether they were written in or out - playing cameos, star roles or just one-liners. Other times they didn't show up. The protagonist wanted to back out, while the antagonist bamboozled the bit players. Everyone forgot lines and spoke out of turn. Even the plot got lost.

Fortunately, right at that moment, fate intervened and steered the story back on course. It started to come together just fine.

And everyone lived happily ever after. Of course.

Happy New Year!

review

Here I am Christmas day evening - my brain still a bit wine-wrapped from the day's festivities and thinking about today's two deaths Eartha Kitt and Harold Pinter and wondering how I'd sum up my own year.

In terms of writing, my output has probably been boolspizzle. The commission I bashed away at - did lots of legwork before becoming dishearted and conflicted about the type of story it was and whether I was the person to tell it. Funny but right now I feel I could pick it up and smack it out while no one's noticing or expecting it. Shhhhh - let's see. Reminds me that I found an old school report from when I was 8 the other day: 'Amanda is a great waster of time' ha!

So the jazz book became the centre piece of the working year. Then a mid-year trip to the UK became an unexpected turning point. Seeing old, old friends including a best friend after 7 years was not only heartening but also unsettling. I spent evenings in her house in Brockley - my daughter happily playing outside with neighbours' kids in the communal garden - feeling a growing sense of relief that I was back on familiar territory with people who know me best. Also meeting you fellow bloggers confirmed these odd bonds forged through writing alone. So my return to SA fomented a subliminal discontent - and has become in some ways 'the writing on the wall' in terms of where I stay and what I do in the future.

Then blogging of course (funny how it becomes such a huge part of one's life.) I did try to wean myself off but... Contemplating and trying to make sense of all that, has been a bit heavy this last month, I feel I've weathered some kind of emotional maelstrom. There were times when I wondered about my own sanity and even had to ask my daughter - who said I wasn't bonkers. Phew.

Happily - making art took over and became a refuge. For the last couple of months, I've been drawing like a fury (something which I haven't done in nearly 20 years) - drawing change...

So today, Christmas day afternoon I sat sketching in Gugs - drawing extended family - new children - the same olds still swearing to go dry and thought; 'I won't be sitting here next year.'..

I can see that.

Happy Christmas!

done

Here it is for my regulars...
Onwards.