Looking ahead

Well, I sorted out my assignments for this round of units, and there is going to be more of less, in that there will be more assignments, but on average they are smaller. Indeed, I will need to be ticking off about two a week for most weeks to get there in the end. Getting behind will not be an option. On the other side of the coin, I am really looking forward to getting into VIS14 and VIS15, which is fantastic.

On campus will become silly again after tomorrow. "ADD" and "PL" need to be sorted out, and I am not supposed to be doing all of the work, but for that to occur I need to develop a system whereby others can take on some of the work in a coordinated way. I'll figure it out during the break tomorrow.

On the creative side, I can use SU-MC1 for WCH13, which is brilliant. I can edit chapters one and two, and get onto three and four. Ideally, I would love to get up to the meeting between M and his father, but that would be well beyond the requirements. V. is the project that really requires action now, rather than SU-MC1.

Furthermore, I really need to get my name out there. There are several literary journals that publish short stories, poetry, and essays, plus there are also competitions. I think I should polish up some essays for them, and get some short stories into both the journals and the competitions. Polish polish polish, that is the key. And when a story is taken out of the competition circuit, put it in to be published.

In a way, I think this may be squeezing my time, but I need to do it. If I don't get out there, I won't get anywhere. As M. and I were discussing tonight, with seven children, to give them the education that we want to provide them with, as well as other things in their lives, I will need an extraordinary income, more than my studies will give me anyway. So therefore, to a certain degree, time expended on getting there now is an investment for the future. Having said that, I only get one time with my kids, so I cannot put my time with them at risk, because I will never get it back again. It is a balance, and I constantly need to re-sort my priorities, and when I have to work I have to let my children know, "I would rather be with you", and it has to be true! And when I am with them, I have to reinforce it, "I would rather be here with you", so that they can say, "Hey, dad is with me because he wants to be", and, "Dad is working at the moment, but he'd rather be with me". After all, I also have to give them the role-model of a man who works, as well as providing the role-model of a Dad who cares and spends time with them.

Balance, balance, balance........

So, I guess I'm feeling relatively bouyant today. I suppose so. I didn't stun myself with everyting I got done, but I am happy with what I got done, and I went to Melia's kinder thing, and she gave me Father's Day things and was so terribly excitedly happy that it has brought me such a fierce proud joy, and the realisation that I love having a large bunch of kids as mine.

I am a truly blessed man.

FOR POSTERITY'S SAKE:

As per normal, the kinder ladies asked Melia some questions and wrote down the answers. Here they are.

My dad is 5 years old; because he has already had his birthday.

My dad's favourite food is liver, strawberry and cupcakes.

My dad's favourite thing to do is cleaning up the rooms.

When my dad is busy he is doing the shopping and it's a bit hard vacuming.

My dad's favourite T.V. show is "Monsters Inc." and watching the "news".

My dad gets angry when the children do the wrong thing.

My dad is happy when the children do the right thing.

Liver?!?