> [stuff on writing]
>
I don't see myself as a particularly good writer (I'm obviously better at it in German than in English, but that doesn't mean much), but perhaps I can offer some advice on this. In my experience, limited as it is, the hardest thing to write is serious fiction. If I look back at the stories I wrote when I was about 8, they're without any doubt all completely worthless - but the "serious" ones even more so. In fact, they're so horribly stupid and ridiculous that I have never yet dared to try again, although I've decided to slowly work towards it via half-serious stories (after the many silly stories I've written mainly as exercises in style). I don't know if that'll work for you, but it may be worth a try.

>Aside: I always hate it when I think of life having "direction", like I'm a case study in a self-help manual (if that is the case it's definitely *not* on the bestsellers list. "How to feel insecure about your position and future in 3 easy steps!", only 15.99 from Amazon.)
>

I bought that one. If it's what you're looking for, I can reommend it. I didn't even need the third step.

> It's strange - the more you try to forget about things and lose yourself, then the more concentrated in your mind it becomes.
>

Ah, the Purple Rhinoceros. I suppose almost everybody is familiar with this. I personally lose a lot of sleep to it; it leaves me alone when I'm working on something, and strikes unexpectedly and viciously when I try to get some rest.

> Bourne

Fuzzpilz