Tuesday 23 August 2011

Writing, writing, writing – rawhide!

I really should get a cushion for this chair. *winks*

This August I have been doing my best imitation of a pinball. Pow – I spring from my home and shoot towards the other side of London. There I sit staring at the computer puzzling over websites until the buzzers ring and shazam – off I slam back towards home to sit in front of another computer puzzling over my story. My poor eyes hate me. I keep having to squirt them with Moist Eye Stuff. When I become an author (not if, when) I shall revert to a typewriter and tippex. I shall write every morning and garden every afternoon (and drink like a fish every evening.)

If I were an author... a-yadda-yadda-yadda-ya...

In-between all this powing and shazaming I have been watching the signs of approaching autumn. I spotted a conker (horse chestnut) on the floor the other day. The trees are poised to reveal their autumn/winter collection 2011. The morning air is fresh and smells of leaves and earth. The temperature is beginning to dip either end of the day. The dawn is stirring out of bed later, yawning and slightly rumpled. I’m already snuggled in jumpers and striding to work in boots, dreaming of scarves and gloves. I am autumn girl. Hear me roar!

Despite not being at school, my thoughts always turn to stationery. New pencil cases, crisp notebooks, shiny folders. There is something very pleasing about fresh stationery. You shall fill me with wonderful things, it says. You shall not disappoint, it says, and that is where me and It sometimes have a parting of the ways, as I am a scribbler. I’m also a doodler. I still scrawl spirals and flowers and ‘HELP!’ signs in notebooks, although now during Meetings of Officialdom.

Maybe one day I’ll have a minion. I could send my minion to Meetings of Officialdom and I could be elsewhere stomping in puddles instead. It’d be rather nice if my minion liked ironing as well. And cupcake eating. Tuesday shall be declared Cupcake Day for both of us. Gosh, maybe I’d have to get my minion a minion. The life of a benevolent dictator seems so tricky all of a sudden.

26 comments:

Unknown said...

Please share your minion with me when you have one, please! :0)

Fran Hill said...

I identify with so much of this post! I get the Computer Sore Eyes, too. So annoying. Bring back Pen and Paper. All so much more aesthetically satisfying.

Out on the prairie said...

The minions are still on the tres here, ripening with extreme heat.Another name for them here in Iowa is Buckeyes.you are suppose to recieve good luck when you rub them, so many are carried in pockets.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

I will be your minion! I like cupcakes, school supplies, fall and the UK!

Happy Frog and I said...

It is so tricky trying to write in the evenings and work during the day. I've had to take a break for a bit. I like the idea of getting new stationary in Autumn though, might have to try that. I also spend far too much time in front of computers. My optician looked horrified a couple of weeks ago when I had to 'fess up.

Old Kitty said...

I'm all for minions and giving minions days off on Tuesdays to have cupcakes. Yay!

I still say August is summer! There's a Carnival to go through yet and a Bank Holiday so it's so so so summer - yes even with the rain outside!

Take care
x

Laura S. said...

I love love love new stationery! I don't need any more though. I have enough. I am using all my willpower to avoid back to school sales. It's. Difficult.

Dolly said...

Oh lovely post which made me giggle throughout. I like your idea of writing all morning (in my case, drawing), gardening in the afternoon and drinking at night! Hear Hear.

Oh please don't let autumn come yet pleads me, Summer Girl. Our summer in Ireland has been dreadful (again). Tomorrow morning I am off home to London for a week so hope the weather has improved by the time I hit Stanstead, half 9ish.

Unknown said...

I wish you many days of typewriters and gardening :P

helen tilston said...

I love to read that someone else dooles and draws. (I do in meetings, on the phone and whenever)
We are all so guilty of provoking our eyes to the extreme.
Helenxx

Melody said...

I'm a bit jealous that you already have a taste of autumn. Here in Texas, summer has decided to last until mid-September. Which is not unusual. Which doesn't stop me from wishing it were autumn already. This summer has been too long. :)

Kittie Howard said...

Loved this post, Jayne, and could relate to soooo much - think I have a love-hate relationship with the computer - ohhhhh, but to garden and come in to a desk with fresh stationery...ahhhh!

Thanks for the link's tip, Jayne. Truth be told, I hadn't scanned totally down lately so was like, wow, when I did just now. Will follow your directions, thanks!

L.A Speedwing said...

Great minds think alike. Re your comment about the pleasing sensation of fresh stationery. It's the subject of my post today. Typing versus Writing. Weird. I do like the feeling of crisp paper but I wouldn't be writing. Thanks for passing by. Getting a minion a minion. Lol. If only.

Eliza said...

I love new stationary too. It's funny that at 50 September still feels like a second new year :-)

Katie Gates said...

What a wonderful, whimsical post!

I appreciate the pinball analogy, and I can relate to the need for "Moist Eye Stuff." Inasmuch as you are in the UK, your mention of that need reminded me of when I was waitressing in NYC and planning my 10-day trip to Britain (this was in '83). An Irish waitress I worked with asked me to bring back something called "Eye Dew." (Or was it "Dew Drops"?) Anyway, they're eyedrops not available in the States. I bought some early on in the trip, and then I found a need for them. Once I tried the ocular elixir, I understood my co-worker's wanting to have access to the stuff. So I brought some back for her, and I brought some back for me. I think it contains witchhazel, and for some reason, that ingredient doesn't pass US standards. Go figure!

So much for my tangent... I loved this post, and I also appreciated your dropping by to read the first installment of my Jack essay. I hope you'll come back next Wednesday and the one that follows!

From my minions to yours...

The Kid In The Front Row said...

Your thought always turn to stationary? I love that.

Mise said...

Maybe have a Senior Minion and a Junior Minion so that the Junior Minion has a promotion to aspire to and eats cupcakes all the more efficiently?

Maggie May said...

I'm not ready for Autumn yet.

Those seats can be a bit hard on the old bottom...... especially with my kinda problem. I can't sit for too long these days...... but writing does beckon! So I keep going back for more!
Maggie X

Nuts in May

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Hey, I want a minion too! :)



♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥
Can Alex save Winter from the darkness that hunts her?
YA Paranormal Romance, Darkspell coming fall of 2011!

Unknown said...

I love stationery. I spend hours choosing exactly the right notebook and pen. Then, of course, I do everything on the computer. (I keep squirting my eyes with that stuff too - it doesn't work.)

If you want to a minion to eat cupcakes, I'm your woman!

Rachel Brooks said...

Ooh, I want a minion to eat cupcakes with! Brilliant idea!

Also, I’m a new follower—wonderful blog! Stop by my blog and follow me too? :) http://rachelbrookswrites.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

I could use a minion! Particularly if they are yech savvie. I get myself in spool much trouble!

Ed Pilolla said...

if i were an author (who got paid) and had a minion, i would have it made. such sweet thoughts!
:)

D.J. Kirkby said...

Not so sure about the type writer and tippex but love the idea of being able to drink wine every evening! Sounds as if you need your eyes checked by an optomitrist as you may need celluvisc instead of just palin old saline drops.

Jeremy Bates said...

i would pay big bucks for a minion! lol
followed u over from karen's bbq... brought whiskey and steak! enjoy! and great blog--following!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Oh, to have a minion.
Or two.