True genius shows itself early – think of Mozart. Well, I don’t want to be too boastful BUT I, too, belong to that select circle. Already at the tender age of two I knew what I wanted: to extend my waking hours. I used to get up at 4am every morning. Sadly, unlike Mozart, I didn’t have the support of my parents for this precocious talent.  

It is true that I no longer get up at 4am. Instead, however, I am on a mission to fight the 24-hour-day. And just in case you are thinking– oh dear, she’s cracked! No, SHE has not cracked. I am totally sane. And my mission is utterly logical, too.

This week, I have accomplished the following things: I had my first ever BBC radio interview, I attended a PR party, the TLS summer party, an evening with women writers and publishers. I’ve made good headway with organizing the next Peirene Salon in September, I replied to over 200 emails, paid a few bills and sent out some more reviews copies. I also had a two hour root canal treatment session at the dentist.  Oh yes, I also gave my kids a wee bit of attention, ran the household, and kissed my husband –only once and very briefly, as I really don’t have time for such things at present.

Because there is another list, of all the things I didn’t manage to do this week: I was meant to write the synopses for the book covers for  Peirene Title No 4-6. I haven’t. I was meant to think long and hard about the content of the now-very-soon-to-be-launched-monthly-Peirene-newsletter. I haven’t. I was meant to read through the finished translation of Maybe This Time, Peirene Title No 6. I haven’t. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

In order to accomplish all my tasks I’d need more hours, or more days in the week. I am easy. If we extend the week to at least nine days, we can keep the 24-hour-day. Alternatively, let’s do 30-hour-days and we keep the seven day week. How about a vote on that?

I could of course just accept the day as it is, conserve my energies, have a good night’s sleep and a lovely weekend and then complete all the outstanding tasks next week with a clear head. But in that case I would have to give up my life-long defiance of the passing of time. In this area – like in so  many others – I find myself courageously refusing to admit defeat.