Hello folks, this is my first Sunday Update for ROW80 Round 1 in 2015.

I’ve had a really busy week at work, pulled several hours overtime (on some cases I did more overtime than contractual hours) and I still have a huge pile of work left for tomorrow.

But I want to start off with an In Memoriam, because I lost my granddad Helmut seven years ago today and I miss him more than ever. I can’t believe it’s been so long.

Since Thursday I haven’t written a short story or chapter, but then again I have been writing long articles on this blog including my reaction to the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris as well as a new blog hop I’ve signed up for called Weekend Coffee Share or “If We Were Having Coffee…” which I really like. As both of these are longer than 1.000 words (and my chapters/shorts are 500 words on average, I am counting these posts as part of my creative writing.

On Friday night I went to a Gospel concert by the New York Gospel Stars, and discovered Irish singer Róisín O instead. I managed to have a quick chat with her and interview her about the current and upcoming tour and I now also have a new favourite CD to write to. Result!

My studying isn’t going very well to be honest. I keep getting distracted and that has several factors:

• I’m already limiting my internet access to stay away from the likes of Facebook and Pinterest, but it still sneaks up on me.
• My flat is ridiculously cold even with the windows and doors shut, heating on and draft excluder in front of the doors. The laminate flooring doesn’t retain any warmth, and I end up moving between my desk and the sofa in order to find a spot that’s relatively warm to write in. My fingers and toes are still freezing.
• Every time I make a study schedule I get interrupted and it stresses me out. I can’t deal with lists that are already going wrong on the first day. If the first day gets interrupted I can’t seem to find my rhythm.
• My job might be under threat, which stresses me even more, especially when I try to study and get everything sorted and now have to look for a new job as well (as if I haven’t been looking for 2 years now…). What’s making this even more depressing is that I’m working for my mum at the moment.

The more I stress, the more unhealthy my lifestyle. I know this. The lack of sleep, not eating/drinking enough or eating the wrong stuff for a sugar rush and so on. I know. But I can’t help it. Whatever I do to relieve some of the stress in one part of my life creates even more in another. I feel more alone than ever and really wish my best friend wasn’t living in a different country.

I plan to get up earlier from now on, even on weekends. No more sleep-ins. I used to be able to do this. Used to get up at 5.15am. If I could just get through one week according to my schedule, it would help immensely.

All I want is to finish my studies and to write. Is that too much to ask for?

I’m also wondering what I did in a previous life for me to have all this bad karma coming my way. I just can’t seem to get a break. I think I did something to my back again. It feels like one of my legs is longer than the other and I have an inkling I slipped a disc around L4/L5. There’s also something popping in and out of place around my left-side T3 vertebrae whenever I stretch which is the oddest feeling. Oh, and the next person younger than me who wants to give me life and career advice will get punched in the face. Repeatedly. It’s been that sort of day.

Now I still have to finish a university paper, finalise my first X-Files review for Emily Ecrivaine Reviews, write a short story and organise my blog posting schedule. Good thing then that I do have energy drinks and sleep is overrated.

Check out the Linky Tool to find out how the other ROWers are doing.