work | Karavansara

The forecast says rain and possibly snow for tomorrow, and I am boarding a train early in the morning to go to Asti, the provincial capital, in what promises to be the last adventure of this year – braving weather and public transport to meet some people for a writing job.
One more little step to a better 2020, hopefully.

So I am taking along book to read on the train, Kay Kenyon’s At the Table of Wolves, plus pens and a notebook to take notes during my meeting, plus a pocketful of coins for hot drinks machines along the way.

As it usually happens when public transport is involved, I’ll spend most of the day waiting for trains and buses, but that’s part of the game. I’ll keep warm and read a book about Nazis and superheroes – could be much worse, and I like Kay Kenyon’s writing, a lot.

Of course this unexpected last trip of the year will provide me with the opportunity of spending Christmas and New Year’s Day in bed with a cold – but when one is trying to make a living writing, this is part of risks of the trade.

And really, it’s sort of fun.

It’s a busy season.
My research work is picking up speed again – while my University engagements force me to 36-hours/1000+ Kms trips week in, week out.
I’m learning to work on trains, which is something I was never good at before.

In the meantime, in the extracurricular department, I’m pleased to say I’m working on a scenario for a roleplaying game -something I hope I’ll see published late this year. My brother is also involved in a the project with a work of his own, on which I’ll act as revisor/editor.
The Mana Brothers ride again.

I’m also working on an instant book of sorts – a short’n’sweet non-fiction ebook that could be the first in a series should sales impress the publisher enough.
Let’s call it an experiment.

AND I’m working on two translations – one of which is due for tomorrow morning!

And finally, I shood rebooth my online course in Taoist Culture, which should have restarted last month, but I was forced to put on the afterburner due to bad health and other problems.

The mystery remains – how comes I do so much work and still I struggle to make ends meet?
Which boils down to the basic problem with Italy where creative work is concerned – creative work is not considered “serious” work.
It is underpaid, or – if they can get away with it – it’s not paid at all.
I’ll have to make a post on this subject.