Name something you would like to devote more time to seeing or doing.
Okay, this could be the easiest one in the world to answer, but rather than going with the obvious (writing) I’ll talk about something else.
Guitar.
I was at a wedding a couple of weeks back and ended up on a table with people I didn’t know during the meal. I was worried at first, but it turned out fine because we had plenty to talk about in the end when we all realised that we liked music. I talked about Dave and his band and the chaps beside me talked about their bands. I ended up talking about the fact that I had been learning guitar, but I stopped because I hated having to keep my fingernails short.
Cop out right?
But that’s not the only reason. Yes I like having long(ish) nails and at the moment their painted this really deep, glittery blue and all nicely shaped and whatever. I would have to cut them right down to play anything like I was doing before and keep them that length to continue. But it was also time.
Now that I’ve finished my chunky rewrite of Silk Over Razor Blades (I can’t even call it an edit; I have to call it a rewrite because I did far too much to it) I’m having a break from novels. I’m letting my brain expand again and looking into smaller projects. But that’s given me, suddenly, a huge amount of time. Because I’m not rushing home each evening to sit in the office and type. I’m not spending my weekends in my pyjamas going through text and making it better. That’s all done for the moment.
So there is more time. I don’t want to pick up anything that is too far reaching (more DnD games would be lovely, but they’ll make things difficult in November) and I don’t want it to be anything that doesn’t have a use. Guitar… since I started learning last year, wouldn’t consume all my time and wouldn’t be of no use. I’d love to play an instrument again. I used to play recorder and in primary school I was part of the steel band for two years. I love music. Its just natural.
So. Guitar. Its definitely right up on there on the list of things that I want to do more of, or that I would love to try in a bit more detail. So maybe I will.
In fact… its hanging right next to me. I’ll just give that a go….
My 80 Post Challenge is brought to you with help from Tom Slatin’s 80 Journal Writing Prompts.