Probably worse than running out of milk when you live on a farm is running out of the chemicals your brain produces to cope with stress. Worse than depleted water tanks is depleted resilience. Last month I had what they would have once called 'a nervous breakdown’. In an era unwilling to openly discuss mental … Continue reading One in 4 people will experience a mental health condition this year – I was that one. And this is what it was like.
No wonder leaving things to the last minute is so popular
At uni, we used to stay up all night to study before an exam. My friends and I lived in a farmhouse and if we were 'pulling an all-nighter', we’d make each other instant coffees until we were buzzing and delirious. One night, we got in a car and drove to another farmhouse, turning off … Continue reading No wonder leaving things to the last minute is so popular
And that’s a wrap. Thanks Daisy.
Today I’m googling ‘how to talk to kids about the death of a pet’. I have til school finishes today to prepare. With a bit of luck, my tears may have slowed down enough that I can actually speak. Get the words out. Tell them that Daisy died today. I wrote recently about losing our … Continue reading And that’s a wrap. Thanks Daisy.
Count your blessings
They say nothing teaches us more about life than death. It’s a paradox, isn’t it? Death reminds us of what’s important and beautiful in life. Lately, we’ve been slapped with a reminder to count our blessings. Sit down and count. There are many. Whatever you were whingeing about earlier doesn’t seem like such a big … Continue reading Count your blessings
Just start
‘I can’t. We’ve just got so much on right now, I’ll start next month.’ ‘I’d love to, but I’ve really got to get this done. Maybe tomorrow?’ ‘I want to, but what if it doesn’t work?’ ‘I can’t actually be bothered. I’m exhausted. I got up to the kids three times last night. Maybe I’ll … Continue reading Just start
I think I just emerged from a chrysalis
It almost seems too strong a word. Grief. But I can’t think of any other way to describe how I felt for the entire first term of this year with both girls now at school. For the first two days of term, I was all excited, springing around the house talking about how I was … Continue reading I think I just emerged from a chrysalis
Bring back the spiral perm
In Year 8, no amount of mousse (or gel for that matter) was giving me the tightness of the Nicole Kidman curl. So I had my hair permed. Source for photo 1: Sticky-paged photo album full of really dorky shots of my friends and I patting kangaroos on a school camp. All with the same … Continue reading Bring back the spiral perm
For all those who are wondering how my novel is going
'If this jigsaw was easy, it wouldn’t be any fun. Because it’s a challenge, we feel really proud when we finish it.' 'Doing magic tricks isn’t easy. If it was, we’d all be magicians.' These are the types of things you’d hear if you were a fly on our lounge room wall. On Friday, I … Continue reading For all those who are wondering how my novel is going
So quiet at this time of year. Not much on at all. Said no-one ever.
In one of the writing courses I did last month, I learned that there are two types of writers: plotters and pantsers. Plotters plot out their story before they start. They probably have an outline for the book, detailing the twists and turns so that they know what happens before they even write the first sentence. … Continue reading So quiet at this time of year. Not much on at all. Said no-one ever.
Writing by Larissa Patton 