Semi retirement beckons

It’s been a weird few weeks. Since the problem in Exeter sorted itself out (fingers crossed), I’ve been wondering where to go and what to do with my life. Until now, I’ve always worked. For the past ten years, my job has been writing stories. I’ve had to write  what editors wanted. Now I have a financial cushion, the pressure to make money is relaxed so I’ve decided (at least I think I have ) to semi retire, once everything’s sorted. Loosely translated that means instead of working all the hours I could squeeze in, I’ll cut right back and work for three, maybe four days a week and spend the rest of the time doing other things. I’ve recently been taken on as a tutor for the Writers Bureau which I’m already enjoying more than I thought I would. I always wanted to teach and finally that dream is starting to come true. Not having to worry about money also means that I can write more of the stories I want to write rather than having to stick to ones aimed at the best paying market (for me, that’s Fiction Feast).

I took another big step today. I arranged to go and see a hairdresser and get some advice about what to d with my hair. Right now it’s a mess as I’ve been letting it grow. I’m not one of these people who likes to spend an hour each morning, doing their hair and make up, so I’m hoping the hairdresser can come up with something that’s easy to maintain.

I can learn lots of things easily, but anything remotely fashion related is a mystery to me. I was never taught or shown or encouraged to take care of my appearance when I was young, and had no sisters to practice on either. I am, frankly, lost and it’s not just my hair.  My entire wardrobe of clothes needs to be dumped, but I have no idea what I should be buying. What’s too old/too young/too short and so on, I haven’t a Scooby doo.

While I’m at Swanwick, my friend Rae, who knows about these things, is going to take me out on Tuesday (that’s my day off) and give me a crash course in what to wear. I might even let her loose with my make up too.

My plan for the next couple of hours is to have yet another clear out. I have piles and piles of cuttings from papers and mags, and piles of magazines. I squirrel them away against the day when I can’t think of ideas for stories, even though I know perfectly well that coming up with ideas is easy for me. If it did ever proves difficult, I can always read my own book! (for details see my web site www.akacatherinehoward.weebly.com )