Last time I checked, the new Formula One season was still something like 80+ days away. The beautiful off-season stretched luxuriously ahead of us and there was all the time in the world to knuckle down to some projects.

Then I blinked.

Now there are 20 days left.

That’s like, three weeks.

The off season is all but over and what do I have to show for it?

Well, actually, I have a book. I wrote a new book all about the upcoming season. We’ve publicised it all over the place, but if you haven’t heard about it yet, do check it out - Pocket F1 Handbook: Guide to the 2012 Grand Prix Season

It covers all the things you need to know about this year’s F1 season, including driver and team profiles, a quick look at each circuit on the calendar, what Pirelli are doing with the tyres this year, and any regulation changes you need to know about.

It was great fun, if hard work, to write.

I was put on the back foot over Christmas, when I had planned to really sit down and get the structure all sorted and the notes on all the known drivers and teams gathered.

Then, of course, this happened:

Nevertheless, I reorganised my schedule and worked away on it evenings and weekends until this month. Pulling it all together was really fun and I was even stoked when HRT announced their driver earlier than expected - the only unknown of the season.

Of course, the minute I said I was all done, and I dispatched it for proof reading, well then this happened:

We’d always said along the way that the minute I published the book, a team would fold, or a driver would quit or something would happen. That’s life, right? So in a way I was grateful that the Petrov news came out when I still had chance to do a hasty rewrite. I can’t pretend it wasn’t fun to remove all but one mention of Jarno Trulli from the book.

Even if something did change now, when it is already there for anyone to buy, the beauty of the digital publishing model is that I can easily submit a second, third, fourth edition to Amazon and update the book as it goes - without waiting for a costly and delayed print version. Fabulous.

For the last month or so, when we were in the final stages of releasing this book, I’ve also been doing this:

I’m loving my job at the moment, which is not something I’ve said in a very long time. It’s tough, and exhausting, and I literally will be doing two people’s work in a matter of days, but I’m feeling really good about it.

I don’t remember being this tired since the days we first started the podcast and pushed ourselves to the limit, and sometimes I feel so happy and sleepy at the same time that I get a bit emotional.

I don’t know if life has ever been this hard but good. I’m working a lot, I’ve published four books (with more on the way), the F1 season is ramping up, our new projects are taking shape, and Petrov will be driving again. What more could I possibly ask for?