Had a blissful journey to the shops today - I hardly ever go any more so when I do it feels like a treat. I cycled up with my daughters, and the journey was a pleasure in itself. Then I set the girls free for half an hour while I went to the bank and a few other places. They love being set free - and are very careful to obey all the rules, such as to stick together like glue and to keep in mobile phone contact at all times. So sweet - they are learning independence but I can still keep them close enough that I feel happy. Precious times.
After the bank I did a bit of shopping - the best thing I bought was a pair of Geox trainers for Toddler, reduced from £44 to £5. Then when the girls and I met up we went to buy some nice food for lunch, as we had a friend and her daughter coming over. I crammed everything I could in my backpack and balanced the rest in carriers on my handlebars, and then had a very hazardous ride home, due to the high winds and the fact that my backpack kept opening and ejecting sundry items onto the road behind me. Eventually we got back - the raspberries were crushed, the cream was spilled onto the pavement, but we at least got home in one piece.
I had a lovely afternoon chatting to my friend (and Paul) about various things, mostly to do with mental health. She then insisted on buying twelve of my paperbacks to distribute to her book group, friends, and work colleagues. How amazing is that? In fact, although it was lovely it was also a little embarrassing (I felt as though I was taking advantage of our friendship in some way) but she insisted.
There is a huge difference between people's attitudes when it comes to buying things, and it is interesting to be able to observe this from a different angle now that I have a product to sell. There seems to be no correlation between people's relative wealth and their willingness to spend money. And the closeness of their relationship to me seems to be irrelevant too. Quite good friends ask to borrow the book rather than buying a copy - and I feel awkward selling them anyway, so I don't mind lending. I have also given quite a few copies away - I prefer to do this rather than try to sell them.
And yet other friends (well, one so far) buy twelve copies! I think it is to do with people's attitude to money rather than to me - some people are just very careful about what they spend money on. It is interesting...makes me want to err on the side of generosity, it is just a so much more attractive personality trait. I like spending money anyway - I suppose that it what it comes down to - some people just don't like spending it. Or not on books.
It must be nice just to write without having to market or sell your work. I suppose that will come in time, when I have written more... I hope.
It has been a nice day today, as I said, but exhausting. I had another friend arrive this evening as the first one left, and it wore me a bit thin - I desperately needed peace and quiet by the time everyone had gone. I had already walked the dog early this morning, but I took her again this evening - it was very nearly dark, but I was out for almost an hour, because my brain needed the opportunity to unwind, which the exercise endorpins provided.
Now I am home, and realised that I have various writing tasks to accomplish. Little daughter is desperate to go clothes shopping and spent several hours last weekend sorting out her wardrobe in preparation, so that tomorrow's leisure time accounted for. So tonight I must write. Time to get to it.
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