Girls in the Basement - Week 1

I'm currently doing an online course called the care and feeding of the girls in the basement, run by Barbara Samuels, the keynote speaker at the Romance Australia Conference this year. On the blog, with Barbara's permission I'll be chatting about how I'm finding the whole things, what lightbulb moments I've had, and which parts are beyond me

Spent yesterday evening creating my writing space (whilst hubby lectured me on looking after my back.

BEFORE


AFTER

That's my collage for the Bunker on the wall behind the computer. On the left, behind the Cavvy calendar (that's Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, which is what Ella is) and Miss Beanie's handprints lives my constant companion. Our boy possum. Yes he is a boy because a) he snores and b) when he isn't snoring he is scratching himself. We have a love hate relationship. He loves living in our wall, and I hate that he wakes up anyone sleeping at the spare room at around 4.23am. EVERY DAY.

Anyway, back to the Girls in the Basement.

We've been underway since Monday, and already Barbara has opened up a whole new world for me. First she has introduced me to Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert, an amazing book about a woman's 'search for everything, across Italy, India and Indonesia. I highly recommend it to everyone. Its funny and readable and I could so relate to it. It, and the other reading she has suggested has taught me to regard my own creativity as something that needs to be nurtured and cared for, and not taken for granted. Given my busy life; creativity, and frankly anything to do with writing come a very distant last to, well, everything and that is a constant source of frustration to me. But then, if I don't put it first (or at least higher up the list, given I have the small screamies), how are the people around me going to understand that it is one of my priorities?

So the desk is tidy, the filing is done, and I'm making changes.

Excellent.