Being 5 days away from a big change in my personal circumstances and having two major work-related deadlines before then, one would think I can knuckle down and get stuff done. Oh, no, no, no, sweet summer child. With due dates looming and a flight halfway around the world waiting, I am twiddling my thumbs and faffing with writing the first draft of The Trials of Ata. Not efficiently, I might add – very little actual progress is being made with Chapter 2.

As with other master-level procrastinators, I’ve perfected the art of the ‘distraction undertakings’ (or ‘unrelated task completion’). The Assays of Ata owes its very existence to the fact that I was avoiding finishing my master’s dissertation (one of those looming due dates I mentioned earlier).

As thrilled (and proud) as I am about achieving the milestone of writing and publishing a book, I must confess: the imminent submission of this research dissertation will be one of the greatest reliefs of my adult life – it has been hanging in the wings since I started it in 2013, after all.

After 11 years of postponements and administrative misadventures, as well as a hiatus due to a seven-year teaching stint in the Middle East, it seems to finally be on the horizon, promising a much-needed reprieve from unyielding guilt and emotional self-flagellation. To say I am looking forward to submitting is the understatement of this decade (literally, as far as my life is concerned).

Not content to just let my two due dates arrive with decorum and at a calm, steady pace, I naturally thought it would be a good idea to start a 6-month German language program (in its native land) the same month, not to mention booking my flight on one of the actual due dates. There is no question: I am the architect of my own stress-induced misfortunes. And, as is my way: instead of getting on with my mission, I am blogging instead.

All the self-awareness in the world, it seems, cannot make up for an inherent character flaw… I might as well have the same capacity for introspection as a turnip for all the good it does me,

Luckily, though, like all ‘filler’ activities, this one is also winding down, (hopefully) resulting in my return to hysterically collating the last of my data. Wish me luck! And may your oddness be ever in your favour 

K.I.S.