There’s a lot to be grateful for this week:

1. OPRAH TIX: What a way to start the week. I woke up at 5.30am on Monday to find an email telling me I’d won tickets to the December 14 taping of Oprah and the Opera House. I have to admit it took a minute for it to sink in, but when it did, WOAH! Another degree closer to the Queen of broadcasting! I am so excited, and the envy of too many friends. I’ve never seen so many blackfellas a shade of green before. As a result of the lottery win I also got on the Channel 10 news that evening. If you wanna check out the excitement, you can watch it on-line here. (just scroll list and click ‘Oprah Lottery Winners’) I've been pinching myself every day. I must be the luckiest girl on the planet this week, really.
2. THE LATE SESSION: I’m grateful for the opportunity this week to be part of taping a new program for SBS called The Late Show. Over ‘dinner’ with academic and commentator Waleed Aly, literary hero Tom Keneally (pictured below), deadly muso Lior, cheeky comedian Akmel Saleh and filmmaker, Josie Emery we discussed the issue of ‘identity’ - our own and the national. An interesting experience, you can watch it late night come January 2011.

3. CLEAR CONTENT: I’m incredibly grateful to work with Josh Goodswen and the deadly TV production house Clear Content on a number of potential TV projects. This week I’m grateful they put together my show reel http://vimeo.com/16712362 for me. Thanks guys!
4. DANCING QUEENS: I don’t get out much, as you can tell by my blog, so when I do, it’s a bit of a treat. I was grateful for such a treat on Friday night when I donned my dancing shoes, grabbed a couple of Female Faborigines and headed to the dance-floor at the Bristol Arms Retro Club. A couple of hours busting moves to Vanilla Ice, John Mellancamp, Salt’n’Peppa and Boy George meant my skinny Koori ankles and stilettoed feet both had dancing hangovers on Saturday morning. But it was well worth it. What a workout. Can’t wait for the next dancing queen session.
5. EDITING: I know I sometimes complain about editing when I’m working on novels, but the truth is I love the process of making my work better. The past two days I’ve spent in the office working on final edits of Paris Dreaming which is due for release in April, 2011. I’m, grateful that Random House Australia has always provided me with some of the best editors in the industry. Having said that, I’ll also be grateful when this particular process is over so I can start the new novel, set in Brisbane.