Friday 10 September 2010

Apologies, explanations and updates

I'm sorry for disappearing from the face of the internet. Real life has a way of keeping one occupied to the point that one's head feels like exploding sometimes. Thanks to those of you who mailed me to check that I'm still alive. That motivated me to come and put up a post again. The next step is to try to catch up on everyone else's blogs, although I am honestly not sure how long that will take or when I'll get there.

I missed blogging. I've been very tempted to lift my self-imposed ban on it for the past while, but I know myself - if I have as much work on my plate as I currently do, and I am working on a PC that is hooked up to the net, opening Blogger or WordPress is not a good idea. It's a magical porthole to procrastination paradise.

Thankfully, all 10 chapters of the book I'm ghostwriting are now written, so it's now only the editing that has to happen. Hah! Only the editing... It could take forever. But the ball is not in my court at the moment - the work is all with client - so I can resurface to take a deep breath.

I still have too much other stuff on my to do list for my comfort, but one of the tricky bits of this fulltime freelancing jazz is that I have to make enough moolah now to get us through the very quiet December / January period. So I have taken on more work than I'm sure I can handle, but it does mean that come December I'll be able to take a break without stressing so madly about money.

I'm also working on two articles for a new publication, which keeps things interesting, in between my crazy-making retainer clients, a website and the occasional dry but mammoth projects I do for another mag.

When I'm not sitting in front of this PC, I am scouring my new roadmap of South Africa, trying to figure out how TSC and I can be somewhere nice for our 4th wedding anniversary (16 Dec) and then be in bloody Upington for his sister's wedding two days later (18 Dec). The problems are that a) there appears to be nowhere nice near Upington, b) flights to Upington are insanely expensive and only run on certain days, c) driving to Upington takes eight hours and e) we have a seriously limited budget.

Any suggestions?

In other news, our Casino Royale party was great (IMO). Will put up pics when I can use the other PC (photos have been uploaded to the laptop, which TSC is using at present). I also took TSC on the Gautrain for an early bday surprise last Fri (his bday was this Tues). We did the whole shebang - the bus from Montecasino to the Sandton station, then the Gautrain from Sandton to the airport and then a sushi lunch at the airport before making our way back in the same fashion. It was good fun and he was impressed with his first ride on a high-speed train.

K, that's all I have time for now, I'm afraid. I could happily type away for pages more, but I have some telephonic interviews scheduled now.

Have a fab weekend, everyone.

5 comments:

Cam said...

Hell Tam you and Julius have been scarce :)

Glad to have you back.

Why don't you guys try the Kalahari? Somewhere like Tswalu, or Augrabies?

po said...

Yay Tamara! Hectic you are so busy my head is still spinning. Am impressed your ghostwriting is done, you write fast!

Helen said...

I'm with Cam, Tswalu and Augrabies are both amazing (I'd got for Augrabies, it's cheaper, prettier - IMO - and close to the Orange River wine Route). There's also a town called Keimoes inibetween Upington and augrabies. I've never stayed there, but I always thought it was the prettiest town I'd ever driven through.

Alternatively there's a place near Postmasberg called Witsand that's supposed to be really nice. If you're driving its midwayish between Joburg and Upington so it could be a nice option, it's a long drive.

So sorry I missed your party, I really wasn't i a place to be going anywhere that day, and I only foudn out I'd be here quite late on the friday. I will send a present along next time I run into a certain pool-playing mutual friend!

Hayley said...

Agree with the others, Augrabies is great!

Glad to hear from you!

AngelConradie said...

I so hear you on the scheduling! If I don't plan my week and my day properly I can happily while away a whole day doing next to nothing... :(