Well I survived my first week at my new job, but as for the work-work-life balance thing....

...that didn't go so well. I wasn't expecting it to, though, not in the first week. I'm going to need to get used to my new routine before the going to work thing stops playing havoc with my writing muse. I didn't manage any writing this week (except this blog), but then my head was just full of the project I'm taking on, the new folks I'm working with, and all the little start up things I have to do, like getting a security pass and setting up my remote desktop.

However, after my first week, I do think I'm getting to grips with the new project and all the new university terminology (well, actually, that's going to take years, but at least I understand half of the conversation now ;P). I also know practical stuff like: when the buses run from across the road to take me to and from work; where the cafes and loos are; how to log on to the university network. There are still a few hiccups I have to sort out next week, like my email not working and uploading a photo for my security pass, but I have been ruthless, my hours are done and I have cut all ties with work for the weekend so I can concentrate on my other job, i.e. author.

Well, actually, I'm putting on my publicity and networking hat today and finishing the set up for the FB3X Drabble Cascade, which is a new game/blog hop that I and my sis are setting up over on the Fantasy Boys XXX blog. It's going to be running once a week, on a Tuesday (first one is 12th March) - we picked Tuesday, because nothing ever happens on a Tuesday ;P. We're asking folks to give us one-word inspirations over on this post, and each week, we'll kick off the cascade with a drabble (a story of exactly 100 words) inspired by the word of the week, which we'll be picking randomly from the list of words folks have given us (we already have a few dozen words to select from thanks to our readers). Plus we'll be adding a linked list to the bottom of the post for other folks to post links to their own drabbles and join in the fun, or for those who just want to go and read the creative waterfall of 100-word stories!

We'd love to see the cascade grow, so please spread the word and join in the fun: add our button to your blog/website, or share it in a post by copying the code below
<div align="center"> <p align="center"> <a href="http://fantasyboysxxx.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/drabblecascade.html" target="_blank" border="0"><img src="http://www.wittegenpress.com/images/fantasyboysxxx/drabble%20cascade%20button%20150x150.jpg" border="0" alt="Drabble Cascade at FB3X - Every Tuesday" title="Drabble Cascade" /></a></p> </div>

We've found a great, free linked list tool for implementing the cascade, it's called Simply Linked. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of something like Linky Tools, but we don't need anything really heavy, it just does what it says on the tin, allows folks to add their posts to the linked list and if they want to share the linked list with their blog followers, all they have to do is copy the javascript code that we provide above the list: truly simple. I've just been testing out the script (I set up a private test blog to be able to check out these kind of tools and make sure they do what we think they can do without having to post to one of the public blogs) and it all appears to be hunky dory.

So now, I just have to go and use the Google Spreadsheet random number generator to pick a word, come up with a drabble to seed the cascade (although, come to think of it, I think Tash has volunteered to write the first drabble for FB3X - I was getting fed up of typing Fantasy Boys XXX, so I've come up with a shortening to save my fingers ;P - but I still have to write a drabble for this blog as well, because, if I don't join in with it, I can't expect anyone else to). I may write a fanfic drabble for this blog, because it's been a while since I indulged my penchant for fandom.

So, hey ho, onwards, I think I shall need this weekend when it finally arrives! I really have to get used to this office-work thing again! ;)