Restless

I realised today that it's been almost six months since my last post. The last few months have been a little challenging from a writing perspective. In part, this has been a bi-product of a major distraction in the 'day-job' - seeing irreparable damage done to a suite of people (myself included) from a world-class bully doing their thing. I won't say more of the specifics of that issue beyond it definitely being a factor that has contributed to a feeling of restlessness that has permeated the last few months of this year.

I have been writing less of the novel than I would have liked.  It's not unusual for me to experience a bit of writer's block when I get to the point in the story colloquially called the "middle bit".  Driven at the start, on a frenzy at the end, the bit in between is always difficult.  Normally a bit of discipline helps - for example, spending every Sunday committing words to the screen - good and bad (for later editing).  But, after several Sundays of writing barely a sentence, and staring at a blank screen for hours, I am seriously contemplating taking a longer break on the drafting of the current manuscript.  See if a winter sojourn will clear away the cobwebs.

Not travelling. Doctor would not sign off on my medical all clear. Apparently five long haul flights and a couple of cruise ships was the equivalent of a 'death wish' and, an hour long lecture later, I was instructed to choose countries with reciprocal medical agreements with Australia, affordable health care, and to limit my long haul flights to business class only. And allow at least enough time to spend my first few days of any travel in a hospital at the other end. Definitely narrows the options.  Stay-cation for the foreseeable future.

I have been writing a lot of poetry over the last several months.  Nothing like intense emotions to inspire this particular art-form. I've been playing around with the theme of nostalgia for my monthly contributions to the e-publication iPoetry on Medium.  

• https://medium.com/ipoetry/nostalgia-d8ea2547d39d
• https://medium.com/ipoetry/hiraeth-99471919c080
• https://medium.com/ipoetry/a-thread-of-life-d194a796c994

The restlessness is manifesting in certain ways.  A desire to move home. A desire to change jobs. I know - it's the wrong reason to do any of these things. It's hard to resist the urge, though.  Expect the poetry will feature heavily in the year to come.