There’s a sameness about my days that’s comforting, but occasionally I shake up my routine, by taking off on a day trip, to sketch, or photograph scenes to paint or maybe hit the shops. Every couple of months I add a three day adventure to Amed, Sanur or Seminyak. Bayu and I still do our villa work there at the start of each day, but our real focus is on relaxing, dining out and having fun. We also throw in a two-week overseas holiday a couple of times a year. Yes, it is an indulgent life but I never take weekends off.
Private Ubud Villas gets first dibs on my time.
Bayu and I head to the Private Ubud Villas office at 7:30am each morning. Together we confirm new bookings, accept cancellations, update calendars, log in transport pick ups and drop offs as well handle any trouble shooting. I’m usually out of there by 9am. Throughout the day I attend to new bookings that come in. Private Ubud Villas employs 24 staff, so this business must get first priority.
Social media updates
I spend from 9 to 10am (about an hour) doing social media updates on Facebook, Instagram and X. I usually spend much of Sunday doing website updates, blogs and newsletters. The aim is to engage followers and to keep them updated on what’s happening in our business and my personal life.
Painting in my art studio.
I try to devote from 10am to noon to painting in my studio, Splash of Colour. Viktor is my studio manager and also an artist, so it’s a good time for us to chat and compare art ideas. If I’m on a painting roll, then I continue in the studio for the rest of the day. Now and then Viktor and I take off for the day chasing inspiration. We visit galleries, go to the north coast or Sideman and return with heaps of photos that we refer to for later paintings. We critique each other’s work, making suggestions for improvements or for new techniques to try. Viktor and I are both trying finger painting for some of our movement paintings. Wet dog is one and cock fight is another.
Writing and Editing
Afternoons and sometimes evenings and nights are given over to writing, editing, book design and publishing. Visit my author website, www.stevecastleyauthor.com to see what I’m up to with writing and while you’re there, download my free book, No More Dog!
Paint, Passion and Promised is being released on the 20th August. It will be available on Amazon, so I hope you all buy a copy, read it and leave a review. Mor about this in my next newsletter.
Walking.
Anytime after 3pm, I take off for a 30 minute to one hour walk with Lily, our dog. With leg and knee problems, walking stopped for a couple of months, but now these problems are under control, I’m back to walking again. Walking is my think time. I reflect on writing, plots and also the general meaning of life.
What else?
Of course there is dining out a few night a week. Penestanan and Ubud has so many great options when it comes to eating out. And there is also time to socialise with friends and most nights I watch something on Netflix.
So that’s my life. My next newsletter will share information about Paint, Passion and Promises.