I've had a few emails asking how my new job is going. A fair question given how long ago I announced that I was going to join the ranks of the happily employed. The answer is, 'not yet'. In fact not until after Xmas not yet.
This is because I need to be checked by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and then the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) . I heard today that I've been given the okay from the MOE and have just finished filling in an irritating form (another irritating form, grrr) for the MOM and well on my way to being a valid Employment Pass (EP) holder and able to do exciting things like open a bank account and have a mobile phone contract.
So that's the first of today's notices. The second is to answer the question I can already see forming on your lips. As Cilla so well asked, 'Sew, number 3, what do yer do with yer spurrr time?' I have had quite a lot of it now, haven't I?
Well Cilla, I write. I expect that those of you who've heard me whining for the past few years about how 'I never have time to write' will be delighted to hear that I am (largely) getting down to it. Now I can start to see if I can actually do it.
This week I finished a 30 minute long short play and I'm on the second draft of the play I've been not writing for about three years. It's stupidly ambitious in its themes and scope and in stripping away what was lazy writing in the first draft and starting on the second I've realised how much research I need to do.
This is quite fun and extremely interesting. I teaching myself in as much depth as I can what it's like to live in a small village in Southern Sudan, to be a member of the Dinka tribe and then to have to leave it and come to the UK. All this is background for a character. She won't necessarily talk about it, but I need to know it if I'm going to write her credibly. So there you go Cilla.
Third of today's announcements is that I'm going to Beijing next Thursday. Whoohoo! Once again the DFP is going on a work trip and I'm following him on a much cheaper flight and staying for free in his hotel room. (Air China. Cross your fingers everyone).
Initially, (and I can't quite believe how spoiled this sounds as I write it) I wasn't that taken with the idea of Beijing. All that changed as soon as I looked at a map of it. The place names alone are pure magic. The Forbidden City, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the Drum Tower. And then those that conjure a different kind of image like Tiananmen Square. More anon.
So that's everything for today everyone. There's tea and biscuits at the back of the hall. Do remember to put 20p in the jar and if you can help with the washing up it would be very much appreciated.
This is because I need to be checked by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and then the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) . I heard today that I've been given the okay from the MOE and have just finished filling in an irritating form (another irritating form, grrr) for the MOM and well on my way to being a valid Employment Pass (EP) holder and able to do exciting things like open a bank account and have a mobile phone contract.
So that's the first of today's notices. The second is to answer the question I can already see forming on your lips. As Cilla so well asked, 'Sew, number 3, what do yer do with yer spurrr time?' I have had quite a lot of it now, haven't I?
Well Cilla, I write. I expect that those of you who've heard me whining for the past few years about how 'I never have time to write' will be delighted to hear that I am (largely) getting down to it. Now I can start to see if I can actually do it.
This week I finished a 30 minute long short play and I'm on the second draft of the play I've been not writing for about three years. It's stupidly ambitious in its themes and scope and in stripping away what was lazy writing in the first draft and starting on the second I've realised how much research I need to do.
This is quite fun and extremely interesting. I teaching myself in as much depth as I can what it's like to live in a small village in Southern Sudan, to be a member of the Dinka tribe and then to have to leave it and come to the UK. All this is background for a character. She won't necessarily talk about it, but I need to know it if I'm going to write her credibly. So there you go Cilla.
Third of today's announcements is that I'm going to Beijing next Thursday. Whoohoo! Once again the DFP is going on a work trip and I'm following him on a much cheaper flight and staying for free in his hotel room. (Air China. Cross your fingers everyone).
Initially, (and I can't quite believe how spoiled this sounds as I write it) I wasn't that taken with the idea of Beijing. All that changed as soon as I looked at a map of it. The place names alone are pure magic. The Forbidden City, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the Drum Tower. And then those that conjure a different kind of image like Tiananmen Square. More anon.
So that's everything for today everyone. There's tea and biscuits at the back of the hall. Do remember to put 20p in the jar and if you can help with the washing up it would be very much appreciated.
You know Rad lived and worked in Southern Sudan for 2 years-ish, right?
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