Over this past year, I’ve taken 60 flights (both international and domestic), 2 helicopter rides, and 2 jetpack trips. Tanya and I have also moved approximately 4,000km west from Sydney to Perth. Half of my belongings are at the new house in Perth, the other half are in storage in NSW awaiting transport across – oh, plus there are a few boxes at Tanya’s folks’ place, where we’re currently staying. To say my head is fried and I’m a little uncertain where I am would be an understatement.
My itinerary over the past couple of months went like this: 4 weeks in PNG on a rig, 1 week home, then 3 weeks in Maitland (SA), 2.5 weeks at home, then 2.5 weeks in Perth, 5 days at home, then back to the rig in PNG for 3 weeks, then home with 2 days to pack up the house, 2 days to clean the house, then off to Perth to sort out the new house, 9 days there and then off to Brisbane for the weekend, then back to Newcastle for 5 days, and now in PNG again for 4 weeks.
Yes, I’m shot, worn out, buggered and exhausted. I’m actually looking forward to this hitch as it will at least provide me with some stability and structure. When I get home this time, I’ll be spending about a week in Sydney before driving across to Perth (that will take about 5 days). But fortunately, that will then be followed by about 2 months without the need to jump on another plane, and man, I am so looking forward to that.
I’ve done pretty much no writing for months now, and need to get back into it on a regular basis. But I’ve been so worn out and flat out busy that my head hasn’t been able to cope. Here’s hoping the new year brings more structure for me, so I can get back into my routine of night time writing. I hope so – I plan so – because I have a rocking new mentor at the HWA, someone I’m super-stoked to be working with and this new partnership has already boosted my enthusiasm, commitment, and desire.
Somehow through all of this insanity, I’ve managed to get 4 short stories accepted for publication in 2015, so that’s kind of cool, too.