The right time to write is 2010

I always think of Australia Day as the official last day of the summer holidays.

During the Christmas break lots of Sydneysiders leave town, most for the coast, and it's not until January 26 that they're all back and poised to jump onto the treadmill for another year. In the interim Sydney has a relaxed laid-back feel to it as if those who've stayed around have infused it with their good-holiday vibes.

Sadly, it's all come to an end. I heard a traffic report on the radio this morning and it's back to normal already - endless traffic jams and accidents signal the return of the peak hour (which runs into hours and sometimes all day).

I've got another week before I return to work, which is a relief as I've been delaying the inevitable preparation work. I did quit my job at one of my workplaces last year but was asked back to do a less-stressful job. I couldn't say no. Money is a strong motivator. Sigh.

But I'm determined to write, so I've moved my office and computer into the spare room. Now it's time to sit down at the computer and do some serious writing. I wrote a short story and entered it in the Little Gems contest, so that's a start.

Next on the list is ironing out all the rough edges on my ms and entering it in the Valerie Parv comp.

It's all systems go. Stress is back big time.