Training and a scattering of poems

Still no luck on BT mending my home email problem, sigh – no matter who we speak to! Poor Lord H spent 45 minutes on the phone with them before work this morning but they couldn’t solve it. They’re going to look at it today and ring us tonight to discuss the situation. Double sigh – don’t wait up then … Mind you, I doubt that huge numbers of publishers are frantically sending me offer emails or begging me for my next book, so I’m maintaining my inner calm. Ho ho.

At work, I’ve spent the whole day on a training course learning about Embracing Cultural Awareness – sounds very management-y but actually it was really very good. The trainer was great and we had a fun time chatting over loads of issues to do with culture and asking questions and celebrating life. The most fun I’ve had in a training course for a long time, I have to say! Mind you, we were a pretty lively group, so that certainly helped.

I also surprised myself by doing a presentation in the afternoon on behalf of the group I was working with, and actually sounding like a normal human being, rather than a gibbering, blushing idiot (which is my usual presentation style). We were all so relaxed with each other by then that it didn’t feel threatening at all. We had some pretty hot points to make too, hurrah!

And the other lovely thing about these courses with external trainers is they always give you a decent lunch rather than the usual University curly sandwiches. Mmm, bliss.

I managed to write two quick poems during lunch too, one of them including something I’ve learnt today about Sikhism. So there you go – training does sink in on occasion.

Training day break

The space between sessions
is filled with sunlight,
the gliding of pens,
low conversation,
pouring of tea,
quiet breathing, contemplation,
peace.



The Five Orthodox Ks of Sikhism

Today I learn about
uncut hair, the small
wooden comb,
steel wristbands, loose
undergarments
and the sharp and subtle dagger
of life.


So there you go. Tonight, I’ll be popping into see Gladys at hospital in a desperate attempt to manage my hours and then it’s home for pancakes – bliss! Hasn’t Lent come early this year? And I’m planning more editing of The Gifting of course. Last night I managed 10 pages in just under 2 hours, so it’s slowly, oh so slowly here at the coalface …

However there’s good news on the Thorn in the Flesh PR front – Writers’ News are going to add the book information to their Members’ News section in their April edition, so that’s a nice response and might, with a bit of luck, encourage one or two extra sales. You never know!

Today’s nice things:

1. Training
2. Poems
3. Editing.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers