I Have Confidence in Baklava...

'I have confidence
 in meeeeeeeeee'

It's been a good week. For me, at least. Because at no point over the past seven days have 41% of my family, friends, or casual acquaintances voted that they have no confidence in me. So that's great news. In fact, in the absence of a VONC on my life, I'm going to assume anyone that's met me in any capacity whatsoever, has FULL confidence in me and my endeavours. Such a reassuring feeling! How lovely to go out into the world with that secure backing. Thanks, Gang.

Writing News

Let's talk stats. I've written five chapters of a twelve chapter novel. I've done 26360 words, (I'm aiming for 5000 words per chapter max) and I've been writing the story since February. It's slowly but surely coming together. Two lovely things happened this week: 

• My writing group continued to respond well to the latest excerpt I read. But their perspectives were useful too - I'm thinking of changing a plot point based on their comments.
• On Tuesday I wrote the first scene/bit of chapter that I properly love. Like, really love. It involves feelings and friendship and young romance and I've reread it several times, because it's great. 

I'm not getting carried away. It's a drop of good writing in the midst of not-as-good stuff. But as I keep reminding myself, it's the first draft. Anything goes as long as it goes. 

I cannot wait for this.

Culture

I get right grumpy when blockbuster films take up all the screens. Tom Cruise is still plastered all over the listings and now a Jurassic Park reboot (or is it a sequel?) has come along to fill the gaps. I'm giving the cinema a swerve right now, until a witty, character-led, gem of a script is filmed and shared with the world. (I'm desperate for Good Luck To You, Leo Grande to rock up. It looks AMAZING.) Meanwhile, I'm ploughing on with The West Wing rewatch. Starting last Autumn, it's been a marathon not a sprint. And whilst the twenty-three year old show doesn't hold up so well to more progressive thinking, the characters remain my favourite fictional friends. 

Sticky as all get out!

Food and Drink

My mate Gill went to Turkey and bought back baklava. It is the most beautiful, delicious, moist-as-frig baklava in all the world. I've been mostly eating that. Also, I made Nigella's Sweet Potato Macaroni Cheese which was lovely. Plus, I've got a new BBQ (the old one rotted after years of adverse weather and burger fat) so the world of outdoor cooking has opened up to me once more.

Out and About

I can't lie, it's been a busy one. Beers with a mate in Liverpool, hotpot with more mates the following day, a ton of personal (not that personal) grooming appointments in the week, all leading up to a weekend wedding for my Uni pal. Congratulations Paul and Jenny! It really was the best fun.

But now? It's Monday morning and we go again. Can I build on the writing momentum I've got going? What shenanigans will the government get up to this time? And will I be ever be able to watch a news broadcast without giving the finger to the telly? Who knows, who cares? All we can do is crack on and see what happens.  

 
Have a lovely week, folks.