Given that with December comes a plethora ( a word I love to hate) of listings — the best this-and- that of the year, plus this December we get all those best-of-the-decade lists, too — I thought I’d put my week’s thoughts into list form, just for fun. So, in no particular order:
1.  Michelle McGrane at Peony Moon has collected people’s favourite poetry collections of the year here and in several other postings.  Lots of people contributed their ideas, including me, although I found it rather difficult to decide, mostly because several that I wanted to include came from 2008 instead of 2009.  I’m always a bit behind things, I guess….But there are still plenty of wonderful collections to choose from.  Something for everyone, as they say. May your Xmas shopping start with poetry.

2.  I’m finally teaching myself to touch type.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  I type on a lap top which I have sitting up and forward in a special holder in order to save my neck from craning down as I peer at the keyboard.  But while I’ve been helping my neck I’ve been pulling my shoulder out of whack.  So, I’m teaching myself (with the help of Mavis Beacon) to touch type.  Did my mother tell me to learn this back when I was in school?  Yes.  Did I listen to her?  No. Now 40 years later…..

3.  I’m off to Anam Cara on Monday for a week’s writing retreat.  When I booked it, I thought I’d be there to complete my new poetry collection.  But no, that’s done and in the hands of the poet, Katy Evans-Bush,  who has agreed to edit it for me before I start looking for a publisher.  Exciting.  Scary.  And for now, done.  So then I thought I’d go and start work on the new novel idea I’ve been hinting at.  But no, I’m not doing that either.  Why?  because:

4.  I’ve been commissioned to write a play for 2 actresses I know and their production company!  Very, very exciting.  I promised them a first draft by the end of February (gulp).  They want to produce it in the autumn 2010.  I do believe this might be the most challenging writing task I’ve ever taken on.  I must be fearless but not sensational, visual without sacrificing the poetry we find in everyday language.  Thankfully, there’s no better place to write this, I think, than Ireland.

5. It’s all about theatre right now, because besides my new play, CurvingRoad is really heating up with it’s new production of 2 new one-act plays, which we have just confirmed will be presented for a 3-week run this June in London.  The ink is not yet dried on the contract with the venue yet, so no details for you today.  But very, very soon.   I promise.

6. For those of you who may be wondering about my second novel, the Cambodia novel, “A Clash of Innocents,” it is still sitting in one agent’s office waiting to be read.  This will be a long process, no doubt, but we’re here for the long haul.  As long as I keep busy with all my other projects, I shouldn’t be driven too crazy by my natural impatience.  As they say, watch this space.

7.  And make sure you come back here on Sunday — there’ll be a prize give-away and a quiz for you.  All I’ll tell you is that it will be scratching my science itch…

And speaking of Ireland.  This is for you.  Forgive me, but I couldn’t resist.