On writing, escapism, chaos, being a mother

One of the many things I enjoy about writing is the fact that you are able to travel to other worlds without leaving the comfort of your home (well, the degree of comfort of my home is debatable, but that's another issue). It's sheer escapism in a sense and very comparable to reading or enjoying a good movie. At the moment I'm working on several modest writing projects: for one of those, I imagine living on one of the Aran Islands. Nothing could be further from the truth, as I live in the urban jungle of The Hague, the Netherlands, but it is definitely enjoyable to image another life, lived in a stone cottage with a thatched roof, amongst green fields and near the ocean. The Internet has made it so easy to find information on places you've never been to yourself, it's amazing. Although I must say...I am becoming so interested in the island of Inis Meain that I probably will travel there in the not too distant future.

For another project I get to imagine being a small boy (which, again, requires the necessary imagination, as I am a woman, and forty years old at that) for some parts and an old bum for others (another leap of the imagination).

The other perk of writing is that you set your own hours (which, as a mom, is an invaluable advantage!) and that the investment requirements are very limited. A notepad and a pen. A computer. A few dictionaries and grammar books.

To-day I am not writing anything, I am being lazy. There is a huge amount of tidying up to do as chaos is thriving in my home. But what the heck, to-day is for relaxing and for reading. I am reading 'The stress-free home' by Jackie Craven. A nice book. Inspiring, well-written and with good pictures. I am figuring, I will probably never be stress-free, but perhaps I can get started on making my home stress-free...