A little late into 2020, I know. Sorry about that. I was going to send you a little missive in January to try and cheer you all up, but it felt quite dull and just went on about the weather and ‘Hey, I guess global warming has some benefits. Guys? Guys?’. Luckily, I didn’t.
I’m not feeling particularly optimistic for 2020 but then I am English and in my late forties, so its par the course. I think my best plan is to carry on and act natural until things go too far south. Maybe I should move further north in order to try and combat the inevitable in some way.
I’ve been vegetarian now for 6 months and that seems to be going well. I haven’t gained any super powers or anything and I haven’t really felt any better but I feel like I’m doing something for the planet, at least. The family are struggling with the influx of vegetables and outflux of all things meat but hey, they need to realise that I’m a righteous lone eco non-cowboy and they will need to up their game to get to my standards.
I think if I’d tried vegetarianism when I lived in Bexhill then I would have struggled, but now I’m in Lewes it feels like I’m well catered to. Not sure I can do the whole Vegan thing as I like cheese too much but I’m doing what I can. I feel my son could make more of an effort, what with him being part of the generation we’re all supposed to be saving, but I don’t want to push him into it. Well…I do but I’m not really supposed to, am I? So instead, I just go on about it 100 times a day.
So…to writey type stuff. On a positive note, I got my first couple of book rejections last week. Ok – that may not sound too positive but I’m just happy to have had the acknowledgement that somebody took a little look at least. I’m planning to send the thing onto at least another 25 agents before I sit back and take stock of the situation. I’m hoping for a little more interest, of course, but happy to see where this long and winding rabbit hole leads.
I’m due to reread The Sceptre that Trembles next week. I’m excited as I’ve left it so long now that I can’t even really remember what happens, but I have some trepidation as I’m a little worried its going to be unsalvageable rubbish. I know all writers go through this and I just need to take a deep breath as I decide what to excise. All being well I should start the second draft at the end of Feb and finish up before Easter.
The other positive thing (which really is a lot more positive than the book one – that’s just a rolling snowball of anxiety) is that after much prompting from the boy about my D&D manuals I’ve managed to get myself onboard a campaign in Lewes which has been really good fun so far and very rewarding group therapy.
D&D really seems to be a massive thing at the moment as we hit the next wave of the geeks inheriting what’s left of the earth. There are masses of youtube videos and resources suckering suckers like me in and I have become a little overly obsessed. I’m not sure how unhealthy that can be but have been assured from the other half that if I ever dress up then I’m being divorced. So at least I have visuals on the line I must not cross (or ‘shall not pass!’).
Anyway, D&D has become my social life for the time being. I can’t physically go out anymore than twice a week or I’ll literally explode into shards of sheer panic. But its good. Everyone is a fair bit younger but we’re all equally enthused and adept at making simple things seem really complicated.
The next step will be to step into the comfy slippers of my own DM and get the game going for my son that he wanted in the first place…as long as he promises to eat a few more carrots.