must sleep

the last couple of weeks have been manic, research proposal, presentation, application for centre for drawing, my job, my other job, oh and my other job... and it doesnt look like letting up in the very near future. But I'd be lying if i said i didnt like it like this, the pressure is really good for me as long as it doesnt go on indefinitely.

i'm really excited (and also a little nervous) about getting on with my collaborative project. We got three weeks in the end, but mostly based in the postgraduate research room (don't ask me where that is) and Avis Newman's office. Only the last two days are in the centre for drawing, but moving around is no bad thing, since the whole thing is about the journey.

I'm also really excited about some possible progress in my own research. We had an old friend round for drinks and late-night poker (!) yesterday and he was telling me about recent developments in the world of cyberspace - his brother is a programmer. Apparently the latest thing in M.U.D.s (Multi-user dungeons) is that people are trading in real money, buying virtual property - houses, cars, space ships, works of art etc. Supposedly there's something like £1billion dollars currently invested in virtual property. Of course, this means there's all kinds of new dilemmas about ownership and fraud etc. Anyway, ed and i figured this all sounded kind of fun, so we are going to try and get on the virtual property ladder! Watch this space...

Real work is quite exciting too. In the new office, building work is almost complete and it looks great. We got delivery of our lovely new IMacs and have spent several hours just stroking them and saying "oh but its just so beautiful". We have a couple of great projects on the go already (including a refurbishment of an amazing Art Deco house in central London) and more in the offing. Work on the next play at Richmond (Midsummer Nights Dream) has also started. There's a lot to do, but it's so nice to be able to have a break from using my head! Kirstie and I pretty much finished the design work over the holidays, so I'm just making donkeys heads and walls and fairy costumes (dungarees!) etc.

Finally, thanks to everyone who presented last week. It was a fascinating day - no, really! It was really interesting to see how Amitesh's research has progressed and I am intrigued by the way his research translates into his pratical ideas - can't wait to see it. Lushan blew my mind (almost literally!) with her intensive research and I really hope she can pull everything together for the interim show because her ideas are so lovely. Karen, wow, what a performance - i learnt so much and enjoyed every minute. I am always fascinated to see how different Kirstie's approach is to my own, because we so often see things in a similar way. I love the way her research is so personal.

ok enough, i'm going to bed