Day 44: I learn about Lakshmi, Goddess of Unlimited Abundance

Last night, I renewed my energies by taking time out to hear my friend Sadie www.myspace.com/sadiejemmettmusic who is an excellent singer and guitarist. The evening was great and even though she was busy talking to her manager about a recording deal, I was happy that things were going well for her and delighted to hear five tracks I never heard her sing before.

The friend I went with is a poet and also a film maker, having made a documentary about her special experiences in India. Recently, she met the love of her life, so she is very happy and that was wonderful to hear. She said she prayed to an Indian Goddess and then it happened! She tells me if I pray to the Goddess Lakshmi (by downloading a picture from the net and praying to it whilst lighting incense) that she can help provide abundance. Lakshmi is the Goddess of material energy and unlimited abundance that is available for everyone; the fruits of the earth, she explains. I'm going to try and get that photo, because she seemed to manifest a man super quick with the help of the Goddesses so they must be worth a go!

After the gig, I went on to a club but it was a bit jarring so we all went home. On the nightbus, I finally read a few more pages of Dickens before a craving overtook me for a lamb kebab and I indulged before going back to bed. Tomorrow I may not have time for blogging as I am helping out at the jumble sale for my choir along with my great friend Ania.

Day 33: Started writing articles

Last night I stayed up all night getting carried away with linking in my blog to the wider web community and found a great site that just now I spent forever trying to find you the address for! The internet is great but diversionary in the extreme! Anyway, it was something along the lines of blogging for dummies and had some very useful stuff for bloggers. I wrote an article for an online site and reviewed a bunch of stuff. Again, good to have done it, but it was time-consuming as I found myself reading messageboards and a lot of stuff that was captivating but not essential to read! My plan now is to see if I can get a regular contributor position on a magazine whilst continuing with the online reviewing and article-writing. As a result of all my work researching and writing on the net, my reading plan is delayed, so I hope to read solidly for four or five chapters today or tomorrow (from David Copperfield, Dickens's favourite child, you may remember) . My friend from choir is coming over soon so perhaps we'll watch a dvd or something. We had a day off last night so it will be good to catch up with her and gossip. I think I need a blog manager to do all the boring widget things for me and to fire this blog to the outer reaches of the known and unknown universe. However, just as writers don't usually relish having to do interviews and create a business-like media platform, when all they want to do is write, needs must! The sun has come out in London just now, after endless rain. Fabulous!

Day 22 & 23: Friends and Family then a Photo Shoot

Yesterday, I went to Sussex and went to another choir briefly with my mum, which was far more exposing as it is very small; however, it was also enjoyable and they were friendly and their music beautiful. Afterwards, we went to the end of a storytelling evening at the college where my mum works, given by a class she taught. It is highly entertaining, with one woman speaking parts of both a Rose and a Snail with courage and great humour - the Snail didn't care for the world and was very self-contained whereas the Rose was pretty and bright and unsettled by the Snail's talk. I heard about three stories and enjoyed them a lot, the room packed with lively (grown-up) students. Later, I worked on my book - so much minor work like perfecting font size and page numbering size, that was slow and really not designed to be done by humans! Where are the next generation of human computer programmers who will make page numbering a doddle? Anyway, I made some progress and also read a chapter of Dickens. I saw an old friend and had a valuable time with them but later could not sleep as it gave rise to many work-related issues that we discussed.
Today, I learned that my brother's wife is due two twin girls by caesarian on the 28th of June. I will be a double uncle overnight! My mum always wanted a girl to balance out the three boys she received and now she has two - as her granddaughters: much the easier task to be a granny than than a mother! I spoke to my older brother, too, who is coming down from Scotland on Friday for a family reunion so I am very happy about this. Then, after arriving back in London, I went to my photo shoot. The session was free but I pay £25 for one photo from it (normally a lot more) and can buy 3 for about £45 or £30 each if I want more. It was a bit of a rush to get back and iron the shirts for the session (they told me to bring several outfits) and I am not genetically designed to iron shirts but I did it and got there on time.
I will return to view the photos next week and select those I want to purchase. You might see one of them here soon! I am very optimistic about the future and today; there is just always so much to do! Hopefully, I will have the time to blog tomorrow.

Day 19: Too Little Time, Too Little Time!

Too little time and so much to do! I got a haircut and thought I was getting a free photo shoot with it as free but this was due to talking at cross-purposes and I must come back later for the photo shoot which may be reduced from £90 to £25 or £30. Most confusing, as they had an ad saying the photo shoot was free! Still, some things must be done and I need the photo for professional purposes now - for the website, which I must still get to grips with! I have a completed author profile - now I must do all the other things too. Need a holiday! Saw my friend at choir yesterday which was good and read another friends short story today which was touching. That reminds me, I want to start doing some newspaper reviews and magazine reviews of books - may even do so on the net. However, may go down to Sussex for some fresh air and a brief break. Finally finished the book I've been reading from the BBC Big Read Top 100 Best Books of All Time: Swallows and Amazons. Now I will begin David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I think I already read it when I was a kid but may have given up half way as it a long one! Only about fifty books left to read and I will have read the whole list.