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This really feels kind of stupid...
Feb. 25th, 2007 09:50 am...but, I have to admit, also kind of exciting. I haven't written anything in this journal for more than 1 1/2 years, not because I never felt like it (quite the contrary, actually), but because I was feeling too tired, exhausted and burned out to contemplate anything besides food and sleep after coming home from work.
For such a long time?, the friendly reader might ask. Well, yes, almost.
After I came back from a 2-weeks summer holiday in August 2005, things at work somehow developed their own dynamics, and I was unable to do anything but try to keep my sanity during weeks and weeks and weeks of 13-hour working days, stress and constant demands from lots of people I couldn't very well refuse. Exactly the kind of thing, to make a long story short, which I'd always been warning friends about, telling them that such situations just don't exist, that you always have a choice, that you can always back out. Well, it turns out that either I was too weak, or that, at times, there really are situations where your own choices are so limited they seem nonexistent.
Anyway, I caught myself just in time before losing my friends (or at least pissing them off pretty badly), and when, totally out of the blue, the job of consul at the Austrian Embassy in Ankara became available, I applied and here I am. Have been for 6 months, to be exact.
Of course it was a total mess in the beginning, as I had to work my way through the backlog my predecessor had left (some of it going back to2004), and yes, I had to put in some weekends, but now everything is running quite smoothly. I didn't regret the decision for a single moment, even during the messy start, because I'd expected that, and mostly because I have these lovely colleagues, and I like the city, and I found a really fantastic flat, which is hugely appreciated by ze boyz (of course they've come with me, what did you think??). All in all, I'm really enjoying myself.
So, during the Christmas holidays I thought I'd have a peek at LJ and immediately had this kind of homecoming feeling, though I wasn't (and still am not) so sure abut my welcome. Which somehow explains why I'm posting only now. Of course this isn't just about being welcomed back (although that would be extremely nice), it's mostly about keeping a journal which I'll be able to re-read later etc.etc. Ha. As if. It's very much about having met and wanting to hear again from people such as Shiv and Kalina and Madamsprout (sorry, not using tags, have to get back into the habit, but you know who you are), to name but three.
And I think it even might be about trying my hand at writing again. Because now I'd have time for that, certainly not in the way I did 4 years ago, but a bit of writing from time to time would be really lovely. If I can still do it. Is it like riding a bycicle? I have no idea. Or rather, I hope not, because I hate cycling.
Plus, with book 7 coming up in less than 5 months (did anybody like the title, by the way?), there might not be left much to play with in the end. No Lucius, no Snape - just to get used to a worst case scenario - where'd be the fun in that? Because I still refuse to write time-turner fic, but who knows, I might have to try even that. Desperation does strange things to convictions and principles, provided one has any to begin with.
Looks like I've rambled enough, doesn't it? But it feels good to be back, and I'd really love to hear back from old friends out there. Now I'm going to make myself some late breakfast, and in about 1 1/2 hours, there will be sun on the southern balcony (I have 3 balconies, isn't that great?), and I'll let the boys out to enjoy the sunhsine and sniff the almost-spring air. (Don't get wrong ideas though, Ankara is high up -1000 to 1250m - on the Anatolian plateau, and winters here are quite cold. But this far in the south, and this high up, the sun is quite strong already)
So, let's see how this second return to LJ is going to turn out. Have a nice Sunday, everybody who reads this! :-)
For such a long time?, the friendly reader might ask. Well, yes, almost.
After I came back from a 2-weeks summer holiday in August 2005, things at work somehow developed their own dynamics, and I was unable to do anything but try to keep my sanity during weeks and weeks and weeks of 13-hour working days, stress and constant demands from lots of people I couldn't very well refuse. Exactly the kind of thing, to make a long story short, which I'd always been warning friends about, telling them that such situations just don't exist, that you always have a choice, that you can always back out. Well, it turns out that either I was too weak, or that, at times, there really are situations where your own choices are so limited they seem nonexistent.
Anyway, I caught myself just in time before losing my friends (or at least pissing them off pretty badly), and when, totally out of the blue, the job of consul at the Austrian Embassy in Ankara became available, I applied and here I am. Have been for 6 months, to be exact.
Of course it was a total mess in the beginning, as I had to work my way through the backlog my predecessor had left (some of it going back to2004), and yes, I had to put in some weekends, but now everything is running quite smoothly. I didn't regret the decision for a single moment, even during the messy start, because I'd expected that, and mostly because I have these lovely colleagues, and I like the city, and I found a really fantastic flat, which is hugely appreciated by ze boyz (of course they've come with me, what did you think??). All in all, I'm really enjoying myself.
So, during the Christmas holidays I thought I'd have a peek at LJ and immediately had this kind of homecoming feeling, though I wasn't (and still am not) so sure abut my welcome. Which somehow explains why I'm posting only now. Of course this isn't just about being welcomed back (although that would be extremely nice), it's mostly about keeping a journal which I'll be able to re-read later etc.etc. Ha. As if. It's very much about having met and wanting to hear again from people such as Shiv and Kalina and Madamsprout (sorry, not using tags, have to get back into the habit, but you know who you are), to name but three.
And I think it even might be about trying my hand at writing again. Because now I'd have time for that, certainly not in the way I did 4 years ago, but a bit of writing from time to time would be really lovely. If I can still do it. Is it like riding a bycicle? I have no idea. Or rather, I hope not, because I hate cycling.
Plus, with book 7 coming up in less than 5 months (did anybody like the title, by the way?), there might not be left much to play with in the end. No Lucius, no Snape - just to get used to a worst case scenario - where'd be the fun in that? Because I still refuse to write time-turner fic, but who knows, I might have to try even that. Desperation does strange things to convictions and principles, provided one has any to begin with.
Looks like I've rambled enough, doesn't it? But it feels good to be back, and I'd really love to hear back from old friends out there. Now I'm going to make myself some late breakfast, and in about 1 1/2 hours, there will be sun on the southern balcony (I have 3 balconies, isn't that great?), and I'll let the boys out to enjoy the sunhsine and sniff the almost-spring air. (Don't get wrong ideas though, Ankara is high up -1000 to 1250m - on the Anatolian plateau, and winters here are quite cold. But this far in the south, and this high up, the sun is quite strong already)
So, let's see how this second return to LJ is going to turn out. Have a nice Sunday, everybody who reads this! :-)
