In which I have been inspired to do the scary... step up and change

Those of you who’ve followed this blog for a while will have seen it go through seasons – and most of you will know how torn I have been about the future. Will I write? Will I follow my love of languages? Should I continue to study, now I no longer have the job that inspired the study? And so on and so forth.

It has been a battle, let me tell you, but I think I have a direction to go in, now.

So, some of you will have noticed I’ve altered the blog description. I did this on Thursday, August 25 – yes, today. And I did this, because I’m ready to admit to my degrees, and all the rest of it. I’ve done this, because I have been inspired to try for something I think might actually be impossible, and to do that I have to accept where I've been. And all this is all because I went to a conference at the ANU (Australian National University).

This conference was about Russia. It. Was. AWESOME!!! There were so many people who were as interested in Russia as I am, who didn’t think learning a language or studying this country was a weirdass thing to do, who were doing something they loved for a living, and it made me think… maybe there is a future in this, and maybe I can combine all the things I love into one path, instead of trying to follow them as two different paths with the idea that, one day, I’ll have to choose. (Shutup, yesIknowIamcrazynowgoaway.) So, I am going to try that… and this blog is going to reflect it.

Here’s an interview with myself, exploring that:

Are you still studying?

Yes.

Do you still have assignments and readings to do?

Yes.

Shouldn’t you be focussed on your studies?

Yes – but they need to have a purpose beyond the piece of paper; that starts now.

Don’t you need to spend a lot of time walking to stay well?

Yes.

How will you find the time?

The same way I always have; the same way anyone does – by prioritising and sacrificing – and I don’t mean family.

So, what’s next?

Restart my language study – Indonesian, Chinese and Russian on a regular basis, but at my own pace and in my own time.

Nutter – and then what?

Write regularly.

Well, duh, aren't you already trying that and not doing very well; how’s that going to change?

Because I’ll be incorporating my language study into writing by writing lesson plans and activity sheets, and actually using that BTeach I have. I am qualified, you know. And because I’ll be exploring my non-fiction interests here on the blog, while I work out how to write books on them… And because I will make time for my fiction. (If I don’t bad things will happen; I need to write the not-real stuff.)

But, what about your assignments?

Yeah, well, you’ll notice when I’m working on those. Those will be the times I don’t get a lot of anything else done, followed by a fiction or language splurge, or a combination of both.

And what about the pokemon and Ingress? Don’t you still need to walk?

I do, but you’ll see less pokemon – I just don’t have time to stop and photograph them all; and Ingress will continue at a reduced rate. The walking will continue, but I’m reducing the reportage weight attached to it.

And when was the last time—

None of your business. If I can’t remember it’s not scheduled.

But you don’t know what I was going to—

It was clearly not on topic. Thank you for your time.

Uh—

Closes door on other self before this conversation gets even further off track.

END INTERVIEW

So, there you have it. I’ll be sorting out some sort of rhythm over the next week of class and the break, and then we’ll see what survives once next term starts, and exams start to loom. I want to succeed… but it’s still entirely possible that I will fail.

I will just have to do my best, and see where it takes me. You’re welcome to journey with me; I could do with the company.

P.S. I will start publishing posts… er… blogging about publishing, again, as a regular weekly thing, just in case any of you are interested in giving the whole independent publishing thing a go. If you’ve seen it before, or know about it, bear with me. If you have anything to add, jump in. Comments are moderated, but, if you’re not spamming or trolling, I just might let it through.