Was it 2 nights ago that I finished writing The Flame at 6am? I can't remember. Motherhood does that to you. I remember falling asleep last night at 10pm while nursing Jack to bed (and meaning to stay asleep). That was after a long day out to my sister's and then for a swim, and not forgetting a long traipse around the block looking for a pay phone because I thought I dropped my phone in my Dad's car (which I did). All that drama... and I was out like a light.

Of course I felt rather accomplished for the week. I finished my first short story and not just a short-short which I used to write - those are on average 1k. This one is slightly over 10k and it is a combo of SF and horror. I'm beginning the edit today and do not envy my job of sifting through for plot holes, laggy parts, illogical bits, and everything else that drags a story down. It is easy with poems but for stories, I think most of the accomplishment is in finishing it.

I must apologise to all my online friends. I haven't been very involved lately. My personal time starts at eleven to midnight till anytime from 2-5am and during that time I read, surf, and reply emails. I have also been spending unproductive time on Facebook!

Lately I have started writing again, on this story and working on some poems. Blogging, which I did rather actively for a while, has taken a backseat but I will blog more in time to come. Everything has a season. Now for me, the reading season has just passed but the writing season has begun.

Also with the subprime crisis I have become interested in the stock market again. I picked up a handful - literally - of Google (GOOG) stock when it dipped to 628 and is now on the rise again. It has strong fundamentals although I am still watching their management closely. It'll be around at least for the next 5 years.

Boy has taken to howling at night, which I fear will annoy my neighbours too much. Tux stops after a while, but the old guy has been rather disturbed at night. Removing him from the company of the other cats has had great advantages but I am sure, although he sees them still, he feels a little lonely at night.

Today Jack said his first 2-word combo spontaneously while standing outside our home: papa car. We were enthralled. His papa was not around but he was looking for his car. I realised something - although he understands both languages, when it comes to vocabulary, he still labels one word, whether in English or Mandarin, to one item. That will change in time, but for now, horse is ma3 and duck is ya1.

Technorati: 18 month old baby two languages, short stories, poetry, Facebook, blogging, Google