Competitions

I've only got 200 words of a story that ideally needs to be 4000. It's just not fair. When I have to write a short story, I can't cut out enough words, and when I have to write a long one, I can't write enough in the first place. Then again, the 200 words is bloody good. I would turn to writing poetry, because it's shorter, if I wasn't completely hopeless at it. I've got three days anyway. I'm sure I'll get it done.

I have to at least enter, because the prize money is so much.

Dad is moaning that we're not earning any money for going to Australia, but I don't see him being in any way helpful. It's not like he's been awash with practical help. We did put up an advert on a forum, but nobody wanted us. I've seen other people, with similar adverts, who have had loads of responses, and yet I posted ours and we got like nothing. Dad goes on about people wanting summer childcare, but he doesn't get that there are all these people out there with references and loads of experience, and they win hands down over us. Yes, people need someone to watch their kids, they just don't need us, and there in lies the problem. Urgh. It's horrible business.

And then he starts being very helpful by ranting that we won't be going if we don't have any money. Uh, I think we will, thank you very much. It is our trip, after all, not his, so why does he moan so much about it? And anyway, I've got about a third of the money that I've saved up, and another thousand should come soon. Then we'll only need two thousand. It is doable.