Stalking Jane Austen

It will come as no surprise to those of you who know me well that I am going to publicly admit that I have a mild obsession with Jane Austen - or more specifically with Pride and Prejudice, both the book and BBC mini-series. I practically know the words of the mini-series off by heart, which is no mean feat given it is six hours long. Even then, if I put it in the DVD player I have to watch the whole thing through, only fast forwarding through the bits with Mr Collins (I find him excruciatingly annoying). When my younger sister Alison was visiting Brisbane recently, she asked me if she could borrow the mini-series - she still talks of the look of horror that came across my face when I thought she intended to take it back to Sydney. Luckily she too got hooked and managed to get through it before she left. I have withdrawal symptoms if it gets outside of a 10km radius of Red Hill.

When she got back to Sydney, she sent me a copy of the Keira Knightly movie version for when I need a quick fix. Not bad. Except that the best scene, when Darcy is declaring his love for Lizzie against his will and better judgement and she basically tells him to rack off, feels like the producer hit the wrong button and it is on fast forward. Has anyone else noticed that?

Anyway, I digress. The reason I am talking about Jane Austen is not because I am going to try and re-create a modern day version of Pride and Prejudice (unfortunately Helen Fielding beat me to it) but because I am going to follow in her footsteps and go and spend some time writing in England. Which means that the byline of my blog is a total lie - I am not going to sit at home and talk to the cat, I am going to sit somewhere in England and talk to someone else's cat and channel some Jane Austen. Oh, and maybe drink a few pimms, visit the Tate and go to Paris for the weekend. It could become a black hole of procrastinaction.

Procrastinaction is filling up all your time with activities because you are procrastinating from doing something. I am an expert at this. When I was at school studying for exams my room was spotless and got completely rearranged every three months. I suddenly found programmes on TV about rare frilly lizards totally fascinating. And I haven't gotten any better as I have gotten older - I now head into weekends with enough brunch and lunch bookings to put the Queen to shame. For years I have procrastinated from writing through dedicated procrastinaction. So I knew that I was going to have to get out of Brissie for a while to get this book written - I just cant say no to a flat white and poached eggs.

Since part of my book is set in London, it seemed the obvious choice - I have a fair bit of research to do since it has been 12 years since I last lived there. You know the kind of research I mean - what bars the characters go to, what restaurants they eat at, where they stay on weekend trips to Bath, Edinburgh and the Lakes District. I think I might need to apply to the Government for a research grant to fund all this critical research before I go. Procrastinaction red alert.

I have a real estate agent coming over this week to list my place for rent for 12 months. I am going to try and rent it out fully furnished so I can just pack up some boxes and go. I have realised in the last few months while making the decision to do this that I have alot of stuff in my life that I don't really care too much about - even my lovely new flat screen TV. Eckhart Tolle would be proud of me.

So for 12 months I will base myself with Mum and Dad (if you are reading this from your hotel in New York - surprise!) which seems logical given the impending cut to my cash flow, and just head off when I want to. I am planning three months in London, and then whatever else takes my fancy and my bank balance can withstand, either here in Australia or abroad. If anyone has a nice little beach side or country cottage they desperately need someone to look after for a few weeks or months, I am your woman.

And when I have to go back to work next July and I am 34 years old and living with my parents, no comments please.

Footnote: I should reference the term "Procrastinaction" to the excellent Leadership Coach that was engaged by my company to coach us in Leadership skills. I am typing this as a footnote and in very fine print as I used the sessions more for personal life coaching than leadership coaching. I could be fired for improper use of company resources.