Day five at QUT, and it just gets better... I am grateful for the following:
1. MY MUSE THE CHEF: Well, the absolute cracker development or revelation for today was that I learned my gorgeous muse is a trained chef. Oh, how my already delicious residency just got more indulgent. He's off preparing a delightful menu for dinner soon... more 'research'! Oh how I am grateful!
2. TIME TO THINK: I write fast, very fast. People think it's strange that I can knock up a draft novel in eight weeks, but the truth is I first spend a lot of time researching, developing my character profiles and arcs, working through the plot and drafting up chapter breakdowns. But to do all that I need time to think about concepts, ideas, storylines and so today I am grateful that this residency has given me some head space and real time to do that. I had an incredibly productive day on the novel.
3. PADDINGTON: One of my characters (still being developed) is going to live in Paddington, so today I toddled off there with colleagues from Creative Industries and did a quick reccy of La Trobe Terrace. Taking in the aromas of the upmarket cafes and restaurants, and window shopping the dresses that will never fit me. I think I'd get one boob in a top I saw in one window. Not to worry, I just tucked into a Lindt brownie and forgot about it immediately. I'm grareful for the opportunity to 'research' in Paddington. I'll be heading back there on Sunday!
4. AIME: I'm grateful I had the joy of addressing school students from around Brisbane involved in the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) program. The Year 9 and 10 students were working on speech writing, so I gave them some tips on owning their words and believing in what they chose to tell their audiences. Seeing them with their voluntary mentors reminded me of the positive future we will enjoy as a national community of Indigenous peoples.
5. A NIGHT WITH A GOOD BOOK: I'm exhausted. Writing is tiring. As you can see it's not just logging onto the computer and punching the keys. That's the easy part for me. It's the thinking and planning that does my head in most of the time. So, tonight after a long week, I am grateful to be able to crawl into bed with a good book. I'm loving Marie Munkara's Every Secret Thing and wonder why this isn't yet a movie. It's brilliantly crafted, and while hilarious in it's depiction of the missionaries attenpts to 'civiliase' the bush mob, it goes a long way to helping many understand the impacts and consequences of assimilation, 'protection' and abuse within the system designed to 'improve' the lives of blackfellas in the Northern Territory.
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