On Wordfull Wednesday

It's Wednesday, and Wednesdays are supposed to  be wordless, or so the Internet has taught me. But how can I possibly be wordless when I've been so for almost a month? My self-imposed hiatus was a much needed break from blogging and internetting and procrastinating (alright - I didn't completely stay away from all of it - I probably would have suffered terrible withdrawal if I had), and it served two purposes. First, to successfully guide me through the final weeks of thesising, and FINISHING (and there was much rejoicing). I'm not entirely done yet - I still have to "defend" it sometime this month - but the main job is definitely done. Done. Over. No more thesis. Never. Ever.

Secondly, my radio silence was a way for me to recover - psychologically - after having exercised my brain for too long, in too many fields. I was so tired. So sick of putting myself, my opinions, findings, arguments out there. In the thesis, I mean. But by extension, also on the blog.

Hence, it felt good to take a break. To spend a few days sleeping. To spend some time with my flesh-and-blood, real life friends again. To buy the first few Christmas presents. To clean my apartment, thoroughly, for what feels like (oh, who am I kidding, it is) the first time in months. It's been more than two years working on this research project, and the relief I felt getting it over with is incomparable to anything I've ever felt in my life (or is it? I thought it would be when I wrote this, weeks ago [yes, I already confessed I didn't stay away entirely...], but in reality it is just another thing that's been crossed off the bucket list. It's another worry swiped from my mind. But there are no fireworks or marching bands just yet). I may not have resurfaced doing everything I've pictures the last few months I'd do the second I finished - I have yet to break open a bottle of champagne or bake a cake or dance on the table, for instance - but just knowing that I can, if I choose to, is glorious. Free will has been restored.

Of course there is the less nice aspects of this as well. Real life catches up. On top of all the cleaning, organizing, catching upping I have to do, I also have to start planning for moving out of this apartment (at the end of this month), and packing everything I'll need in Japan the next six months. There is a million things I need to fix before I leave, and some of them have been put on hold a little too long because of the thesis. Now they are hanging over me instead. I'm also starting to work full time in the bookshop today - I'll be spending about 60% of my December wrapping presents for undeserving customers.

Despite all this, I'm still glad to be back. I'm looking forward to once again writing (non-thesis) regularly. To spew the internet with my opinions and whimsies. To read and write comments, to visit blogs, to explore the many new faces I haven't yet managed to get to know properly. I'll be back at the Burrow, too, trying to figure out our new (and hopefully improved) schedule (you all should visit the Burrow's end of 2010 drabble feature, by the way - it'll be awesome). And all of this, guilt free! No more thesis calling me from the other computer, complaining that it isn't finished yet (because it IS!).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In completely unrelated news, the fabulous Talli Roland is launching her debut novel - The Hating Game - in digital form at Amazon today. In celebration of this, she is also launching a blog splash to spread the word. I could say more, but she really says it better herself:

Help Talli Roland's debut novel THE HATING GAME hit the Kindle bestseller list at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk by spreading the word today. Even a few sales in a short period of time on Amazon helps push the book up the rankings, making it more visible to other readers.

Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/hNBkJk

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/hX2ieD

No Kindle? Download a free app at Amazon for Mac, iPhone, PC, Android and more. Coming soon in paperback. Keep up with the latest at www.talliroland.com.

About THE HATING GAME:

When man-eater Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating strategy. After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £200,000 prize? Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes. Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end? 

I'm really looking forward to seeing if Talli really can take on Amazon - her efforts to spread the word so far has been very impressive, and it would be nothing short of amazing if she really managed to get a debut, indie novel on the Amazon bestseller list. Best of luck, Talli! Also, I am hoping Santa brings me a Kindle for Christmas, and if he does, The Hating Game will definitely be on my list for books to download! 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Finally, or also-also, or alsø wik if you like, and yes, we're still on unrelated news, (and in the process, this sentence is being punctuationally abused,) today is December first. That means 'tis the season of Christmas. It means you can listen to Nat King Cole sing about roasting chestnuts on an open fire; you can eat gingerbread cookies without worrying about calories (for real!); you can open the first door of your Christmas calendar (but only the first); you can light the first of the four advent candles (still only the first); you can start thinking about Christmas presents (boo to anyone who already finished - you're too efficient!); and you can do all the things that pre-Christmastime make. It's allowed. It's almost Christmas! For real! (And it looks like it will be white, at least here in Oslo.)