Staying Focused.

To quote an old dear I chatted to in the supermarket line yesterday, 'funny old summer!'
One morning last week was so chilly, I considered turning on the heater. Today, I'm in my office frantically finishing off odds and ends before the heat forces me to retreat to the air conditioned family room with my iPad.
The problem being?
Focus!
Yesterday in the 39 degree heat, instead of finishing off the very things I am working on today, I escaped to the family with my iPad with full intentions of working through my 'to do' list. After I watched Australian Stories on iView (For research of course, and to warm up to the idea of working!). That turned out to be a two parter, and it was so compelling, I just had to watch part two. By the end of that, which was a harrowing story, I needed a laugh before I could concentrate on work, so I watched an episode of IT Crowd. Now I was ready.
But, before I started, I needed to warm up my brain, and what better way to do it than with a quick game of  Chickionary, a word game my friend very introduced me to, knowing full well I have a problem with game addiction. (Only word and card games!)
By the time I'd finished that - okay, so I played more than one game, it was time to think about cooking dinner.
 So guess what I am doing today? Sweating it out in my office, trying to breathe oxygen from the cotton-wool-like air while I work through that list. 
The worst part is, I spent Friday  emphasising (that's teacher talk for 'raving on at my class') the importance of staying focused. Ahem.
On the upside, I have now ticked off everything on my list of things to do and even a few of tomorrow's jobs.
 So now, I can retire to the family room to continue my work...after I watch that episode of Ab Fab!

Before I go, proof I can focus, the Forget Me Not launch is organised!
Join us, on this 100 year anniversary of theTitanic's sinking, at The Titanic Restaurant, Williamstown on April 1 at 1.30pm.
Forget Me Not will be launched by Red Dog Books' and former Black Dog Books' publisher, Andrew Kelly.
RSVP - March 16 - suzielawson@bigpond.com
 Books availabe for sale through Book And Paper, Williamstown
http://bookandpaper.com.au/contact.php
Hope to see you there...if I can tear myself away from my iPad! ;)

School, writing and win Pan's Whisper

Today is my first day at the computer for a couple of weeks. This year I've decided to cut back the amount of travel I was doing and return to the classroom as a teacher, part time. I've been very lucky to pick up a two day a week teaching job with the most fantastic kids (and fellow teacher!) The last few weeks we've been preparing the classroom and our lessons, so my writing has taken a back seat, as has blogging, Facebooking and even tweeting.
Now school is back, I can start creating a new routine. Monday, Tuesday and Friday will be my writing days, plus the occasional workshop. Wednesday and Thursday I'll be at school learning and teaching with 26 great kids. How lucky am I?

My advance copy of Forget Me Not arrived this week which while exciting has kicked me into action! Today I've divided the day between working on launch ideas and writing and fiddling in my work in progress's notebook.Oh, and catching up on my blog!

Oh, and in case you hadn't heard, you still have a chance to win a copy of Pan's Whisper. Visit
Need to Read This! but be quick!