It has been an unpardonable length of time since I last wrote. What can I say except that pregnancy is hitting me hard? I had not anticipated feeling quite this tired. But I suppose one is supporting another human being inside oneself. In my fourth book, one of the main characters is pregnant throughout most of the saga, and all I can say is that it's a good thing I made her a somewhat supernatural being called a Secra, because if I hadn't I would find her feats during pregnancy unbelievable. Mine are limited to (1) getting up in the morning, (2) making the bed, (3) doing some form of exercise with remarkably less energy than I am used to, (4) teaching some students, (5) feeding and cuddling my dog, (6) having coffee, food, and naps, and having more coffee, food, and naps. And of course (7) writing. Writing I find substantially easier than music practise, because singing requires a great deal of physical energy, which I don't always have.
However, my research on hypnobirthing has taught me that the diaphragmatic breathing used with singing is actually supposed to be helpful for getting your child out eventually. So I continue to do some form of music practise too, in the hope that it will help me get this child out.
I am nearly 36 weeks as I write this. Hopefully not long to go.
In the meantime, I am 60,000 words into a new project, all about a girl in her late teens in South Australia, coming to terms with what she believes after coming from a strong conservative background. The only trouble is, I don't know swags about what South Australia is like, but it felt right as a setting for the story. If any of my readers have photos or stories about South Australia and its climate, counties, regional towns, and culture, feel free to share them. Always happy to learn more.
Of course, I intend to travel there one day, but my current situation doesn't permit great deals of movement, and all the state borders are currently closed, I believe - or most of them are. I know Queensland is stubbornly keeping her borders closed, because apparently New South Wales has cooties. Of course, I shouldn't laugh about it, but it is rather amusing how terrified everyone is of germs in the present time, when we have lived with germs and pathogens for thousands of years, and our immune systems are actually boosted by coming into contact with them in a reasonable manner.
I predicted personally that our Coronavirus cases in Australia would peak between 10,000 and 15,000 before the outbreak slowed down. It is interesting that our outbreak appears to have slowed down at 7000. But I believe that as we loosen restrictions, the inevitable second wave will occur. There is nothing we can do to stop second and third waves, because even a vaccination will not have a one hundred percent success rate. We shouldn't necessarily be terrified of second and third waves either, because they are necessary for our people to gain some sort of exposure and immune response to this new disease. The only way we will overcome the virus is by learning to fight it. It cannot be avoided. I do feel that much of the western world is behaving like a medieval town in a siege at the moment - nations shutting themselves inside and hoping the enemy will magically go away by the time they emerge. But food and work shortages, mental health and economic distress will eventually drive us out again, where we will find the enemy waiting outside our walls as before. A head-on fight is inevitable at some stage... good treatments and gradually strengthened immune systems are likely the answer.
But perhaps I just say that because I own a sword and I'm that kind of girl. I'm aware of course that I am immuno-compromised, being pregnant. And I don't know what would happen if I caught Coronavirus. But I also refuse to live in fear. Life must be lived, and it must be lived courageously.
Thankfully, restrictions are easing somewhat around Australia, and we are beginning to move about more normally again within our states. There seem to be two categories of people responding to the easing of restrictions - those for whom it can't come soon enough, who are outside basking in the sunshine with friends and having take-out coffee; and those who are still downright petrified, moving about in surgical masks and gloves and calling obsessively for everyone to stop being so selfish and "stay home and save lives!". But before one develops deep convictions about how one should respond to easing restrictions, I would like to remind everyone that even the experts know very little about this virus and what sort of course it will take over the next five years. Many people like to say "I'm listening to the science! I'm taking my advice from the medical experts!" But at the moment, there are no true experts when it comes to Coronavirus (barring perhaps the mysterious researchers in the P4 Wuhan Lab) - there are simply those who are making educated guesses and those who are making slightly more educated guesses. But a guess remains a guess, and hard and fast policies and ways of life should not be based on hypotheses. And lastly, I always find it amusing when people cry "science!" as if it is an objective standard and the final word. Science is only as objective as those who practise it. And even in the scientific community, there are differing opinions and those with agendas. So "science" is seldom an objective standard. It is something that someone practises - a bit like singing technique or origami. Neither of these things are objective standards in themselves - their merit is dependent on who is practising them. So a healthy personal investigation of all things seems to be the prudent way forward.
Here ends my pontificating for today. I shall have to have a nap if I continue too long.
In the meantime, my seventh book in the Fledgling Account series is currently being revised and edited for publication. And for the first time in eight and a half years, I am winding down my music studio for a bit of a break while I go on maternity leave soon. It feels bizarre to be on the cusp of finishing work for over a term, but there it is. My child needs me too, and I will need to learn how to keep another human being alive.
My poor dog was violently ill a week or so ago, and I was able to nurse her back to health gradually. Hopefully I am as successful at facing trials with my child. Who knows.
I am in denial about my size being encumbering, so I have still been kayaking when I can with my husband. We were even able to see sea eagles on Chinchilla Weir again. I will include some pictures from the past couple of months with this post for your amusement.
And if you want to read something less political by me, don't forget: Rafen is cheap as chips and an eye wallopingly crazy read for those who are game.
However, my research on hypnobirthing has taught me that the diaphragmatic breathing used with singing is actually supposed to be helpful for getting your child out eventually. So I continue to do some form of music practise too, in the hope that it will help me get this child out.
I am nearly 36 weeks as I write this. Hopefully not long to go.
In the meantime, I am 60,000 words into a new project, all about a girl in her late teens in South Australia, coming to terms with what she believes after coming from a strong conservative background. The only trouble is, I don't know swags about what South Australia is like, but it felt right as a setting for the story. If any of my readers have photos or stories about South Australia and its climate, counties, regional towns, and culture, feel free to share them. Always happy to learn more.
Of course, I intend to travel there one day, but my current situation doesn't permit great deals of movement, and all the state borders are currently closed, I believe - or most of them are. I know Queensland is stubbornly keeping her borders closed, because apparently New South Wales has cooties. Of course, I shouldn't laugh about it, but it is rather amusing how terrified everyone is of germs in the present time, when we have lived with germs and pathogens for thousands of years, and our immune systems are actually boosted by coming into contact with them in a reasonable manner.
I predicted personally that our Coronavirus cases in Australia would peak between 10,000 and 15,000 before the outbreak slowed down. It is interesting that our outbreak appears to have slowed down at 7000. But I believe that as we loosen restrictions, the inevitable second wave will occur. There is nothing we can do to stop second and third waves, because even a vaccination will not have a one hundred percent success rate. We shouldn't necessarily be terrified of second and third waves either, because they are necessary for our people to gain some sort of exposure and immune response to this new disease. The only way we will overcome the virus is by learning to fight it. It cannot be avoided. I do feel that much of the western world is behaving like a medieval town in a siege at the moment - nations shutting themselves inside and hoping the enemy will magically go away by the time they emerge. But food and work shortages, mental health and economic distress will eventually drive us out again, where we will find the enemy waiting outside our walls as before. A head-on fight is inevitable at some stage... good treatments and gradually strengthened immune systems are likely the answer.
But perhaps I just say that because I own a sword and I'm that kind of girl. I'm aware of course that I am immuno-compromised, being pregnant. And I don't know what would happen if I caught Coronavirus. But I also refuse to live in fear. Life must be lived, and it must be lived courageously.
Thankfully, restrictions are easing somewhat around Australia, and we are beginning to move about more normally again within our states. There seem to be two categories of people responding to the easing of restrictions - those for whom it can't come soon enough, who are outside basking in the sunshine with friends and having take-out coffee; and those who are still downright petrified, moving about in surgical masks and gloves and calling obsessively for everyone to stop being so selfish and "stay home and save lives!". But before one develops deep convictions about how one should respond to easing restrictions, I would like to remind everyone that even the experts know very little about this virus and what sort of course it will take over the next five years. Many people like to say "I'm listening to the science! I'm taking my advice from the medical experts!" But at the moment, there are no true experts when it comes to Coronavirus (barring perhaps the mysterious researchers in the P4 Wuhan Lab) - there are simply those who are making educated guesses and those who are making slightly more educated guesses. But a guess remains a guess, and hard and fast policies and ways of life should not be based on hypotheses. And lastly, I always find it amusing when people cry "science!" as if it is an objective standard and the final word. Science is only as objective as those who practise it. And even in the scientific community, there are differing opinions and those with agendas. So "science" is seldom an objective standard. It is something that someone practises - a bit like singing technique or origami. Neither of these things are objective standards in themselves - their merit is dependent on who is practising them. So a healthy personal investigation of all things seems to be the prudent way forward.
Here ends my pontificating for today. I shall have to have a nap if I continue too long.
In the meantime, my seventh book in the Fledgling Account series is currently being revised and edited for publication. And for the first time in eight and a half years, I am winding down my music studio for a bit of a break while I go on maternity leave soon. It feels bizarre to be on the cusp of finishing work for over a term, but there it is. My child needs me too, and I will need to learn how to keep another human being alive.
My poor dog was violently ill a week or so ago, and I was able to nurse her back to health gradually. Hopefully I am as successful at facing trials with my child. Who knows.
I am in denial about my size being encumbering, so I have still been kayaking when I can with my husband. We were even able to see sea eagles on Chinchilla Weir again. I will include some pictures from the past couple of months with this post for your amusement.
And if you want to read something less political by me, don't forget: Rafen is cheap as chips and an eye wallopingly crazy read for those who are game.
