Back to reality

 

 

Well, after a lovely “almost” week in Gotland it was time to face reality again. Back to work.

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My last day in Gotland

So apart from taking writing-classes I have been going to seminars and having a great time! I even met some new people that I hope I will stay in touch with.

Learning to write

Yesterday I took a full day of writing classes at Crimetime. I don´t write crime but I figured that did´t matter too much, since writing is writing after all and you need a story, characters etc in any kind of genre-writing.

Entering the world of Crime

So today was my first day at the festival and it started off with a bang, an all-day writing-class. Quite fun to listen to the speakers, even if I don´t write crime. I write about luv, as some of you may know. But writing is writing after all, and the same rules apply to all genre-writing I guess. Good characters, fast pace, and a great story are all ingredients to make the perfect book.

It was a good five hours well spent, and after that I went to listen to a few other speakers. Isn´t it funny how your perception of a person can change as you see and hear them irl? There were writers I immediately decided to buy, and some I decided to pass on now and probably forever. Marketing can not only make a book, I´m pretty sure it can break it too, if the person promoting it does´t come on as sympathetic or even likable. At least thats the way I work…

So I came back to the hotel with a bag full of books and a t-shirt.

I decided to have a decent meal and went next door to the hotel´s own restaurant. I have eaten in other locations of the same chain, and know the food is good.

But what bothers me is the way you are treated as a single eater, and mostly as a single female guest. I was immediately told I could only have a table until 19:30, but was welcome to sit and eat in the bar. A not very subtle hint that they wanted to keep the tables for couples…but of course I took a table. I´m a bit obstinate that way. And the table was nice, the meal good but afterwards when I asked if I could book a table for Friday evening I was told the computer was broken, and so they couldn´t book…Excuse me?

Well, they took my name and number and told me they would get back tot me if they could´t get me a table. I´m sure they will.

This is really a common phenomena when you eat out as a single lady, and it is really annoying.

I have learnt to ignore the fact that people see me as a very strange person when I eat alone, but I´m sorry folks, I don´t intend to starve because you guys find it strange that a single lady eats alone. I like to people-watch and so I rarely pick up a book or a phone to keep entertained these days. I just enjoy my meal. But I don´t enjoy the bad service you get as a single eater…

When are restaurants going to understand that some good service just may generate good tips? Even from a single lady.

 

In the city of roses for a bit of crimetime

I´m in Visby, a small town on the island of Gotland on the east coast of Sweden for a festival. Crimetime is a festival for booklovers, and of course especially crime-literature.

I noticed at the airport that most of those crime-lovers are middle-aged or even elderly ladies (think miss Marple) and already on the plane I got into conversation with a lady who was planning her Primetime-experience the same way I have done the last week, with a program and a pen…

Dinosaur-hunting, and I´m not talking about me!

When my son was younger he was a huge dinosaur-fan, like I guess most little boys these days. His favorite museum was of course the Natural Science museum.

When I was a kid and we went on school-trips to Stockholm (from the country town where I lived), going to this museum was a nightmare. It was full of stuffed, moth-eaten creatures, butterflies on pins and glass-jars filled with intestines, brains and worms…

In my hoods

I have had the Teenage Mutant at home all summer. He´s not actually a teenager anymore, he goes to University, but when he is home over the holidays he is regressing. So Teenage Mutant is still appropriate…

French Bohemian Chic?

Me in jeans!!!!???? That has not happened for a long time. And the reason I’m doing it now is simpel. Comfort and the fact that I’m embracing those curves!

To match my jeans I’ve chosen a Breton Top and Low key makeup.

I need a touchup on my haircolour, but that will be a Project this week. 

Have a lovely Sunday all!