Rome wasn't built in a day!

I feel happy with progress, really I do, but I can't help feeling concerned about the list of 'to do's' that just doesn't seem to be getting any smaller.  It is, I know it is, I'm just impatient and I'd like everything done last week!

Before starting this venture I worked out how I would set out my diary.  The first half of the week concentrating on my writing and related work, the second half in my "real" job, leaving the weekends to relax and enjoy.  The part I'm having great difficulty with is the relaxing and enjoying!  I have so much energy directed towards my writing related jobs at the moment, I find I cannot just spend time having fun on a weekend.  Okay, I managed relatively well on Saturday but by Sunday I was itching to get on with tasks, so that's exactly what I did.

Over the past few days I've managed to:

1. Create my very own Writers C.V.  Its actually 1 and a half pages long already!  Mainly due to all of the performances I've done in the past year.

2. Applied for a writing opportunity at Roker sea front.

3. Applied for a writing fellowship at University of Norwich.

4. Sorted out paperwork for a job I started this month.  My first official paid job as a poet!  Yeay me!!

5. And finally ordered a new phone.  Its taken me so long to order one, goodness knows how long I'll take to figure out how to use it!

I also attended Scratch Tees last night which is a monthly meeting for local spoken word artists to get together to practise readings and receiving positive feedback.  This is run by Apples and Snakes North East.  An excellent organisation to get involved with if performace poetry and spoken word is your kind of thing.

http://www.applesandsnakes.org/

Back to the real world tomorrow although I will have to fit in a bit of practise for my next performance which will be at Take Ten, The Cumberland Arms in Newcastle on 26th Jan.  Hm, I may also have to get in a bit of creative writing, something I haven't been doing an awful lot of either.  Oops!!

Must Get Fit!

2nd week into my new role and easing myself in gently.  Last week, after such a productive first day, I decided to take stock of my stock!  I wrote out an inventory of all of the equipment I possess (for use in my office space) including stationery, IT equipment, furniture, etc and a list of items I'd need to buy.  The list didn't take a lot of time to write and is one side of A4 in length.  I then sorted out files I will be keeping records in such as mileage, timesheets, correspondence and so on.  Finally I made a list of everything I need to sort out, such as bank account, insurances, etc. which I will work through over the next few weeks.

Has anyone guessed that I used to be in admin?!  That obvious eh?!

Getting all of these little officey type jobs out of the way now will help me to keep organised when all of the work starts flooding in.  Well, it's good to be optimistic about these things!!

My first on-line interview is now available to read.  See below for link:
http://rachaelhdixon.webs.com/writershowcase.htm

I have also received the paperwork for the writing walks with Durham County Council.  I travelled to Durham this morning to do a recky of the walk I would like to do for them and discovered that perhaps I could do with a little fitness training before Summer comes.  The actual walk will take 2 hours with stops along the way for writing exercises.  The walk I took today lasted 1 hour and I've been in desperate need for a siesta since.  I am therefore blaming my exhaustion for any spelling or gramatical errors in this post!

And finally my plans for the week ahead - Apply for Red Nile Factory Night at Roker (opportunity for funding), homework from the Advanced Writers' Group I attend in Middlesbrough, eagerly await response to 3 writing competitions I entered months ago, enter more competitions....but first of all, before I do any of that, I really must......POWER NAP!!

My First Day

Hi everyone and welcome to my Blog 2012.  2011 was an extremely exciting year for me which let to my graduation at Teesside University with a Masters Degree in Creative Writing.  This year will be my first as a part-time freelance writer.  I have therefore decided to create this blog to write about all of the highs and lows that I face during this new venture.  Hopefully as well as entertaining you this blog will help you to realise your own dreams and wishes.

Day 1 in 'the office'.
Money earned - not a bean!
Money spent - £1.24 on a 12 minute phonecall.  Note to self - must get a contract i-Phone immediately!
Achievements - contacted DCC re guided walks this summer.  Possibility of me leading writing themed walks as part of their programme.  Also completed interview for feature about me on a writer friend's website.