Thursday, October 12, 2006
So my 6 hours a day commute to and from work has finally come to an end.....for now. The last couple of weeks I've felt very tired much of the time so it will be good to get an extra 2 hours sleep each day.
Feeling very philisophical at the moment. Lots to think about and do. Under Helen's guidance I've been setting myself some new goals the last few days. She's wasted as an ill person - has always so much to give to others, and seems to know so much. One of the goals was to join a gym by the new office. Managed to do that Monday - less than 5 minutes walk and it has a small swimming pool. I haggled a lot over the price as not sure how long we will be in the area. In the end I got a very good price. Looking forward to a new fitter, slimmer version of myself! I've also decided I need to play the guitar more. Picked it up for the first time in 3 months this week. I used to always be writing songs but I've written nothing new for at least 2 years. So this week I've driven Helen crazy by experimenting with a 3 chord, 3 word song that is basically the same 3 chords constantly repeated with the lyrics made up of 3 word phrases - it can actually be quite fun trying to work out sufficient phrases that have a meaning, and then putting them in a sequence that allows each phrase to interject with the next. I should add that I've thrown in a few minor chords part way through to try and keep the listener awake and to stop Helen killing me.
This time last year I was just back from New York having seen U2
Spamalot
Bruce Springsteen
U2 again
Wined and dined with Michael McDermott at his favourite Italian restaurant
And watched Blobs dancing in the street.
Will go back the the States sometime but hard finding the time. I had the chance to see Michael play couple of nights in Chicago in November but it will clash with an appointment Helen has so not right to go. I also have an invite for next February but expect work to be too busy for me to escape for a few days. Michael's been playing a few times recently with Buddy Guy and he's got a Christmas date lined up on 22nd December at Buddy's House of the Blues venue - wonder if Helen would miss me if I disappeared for Christmas?
Work is gearing up - still not worked out how to turn the lights on at the office, being a "modern" media building we don't get strip lights, instead we have flood lights which seem to light the walls but not the desks. There is a whole bank of flood lights not switched on that would help me see what I'm writing, but will probably turn the place into a sauna.
I'm waiting to be told what I will be doing this time round - I get the impression they are not sure where to use me and it may depend on consultant costs and whether I should do their job instead. My area last time round got the top marks (but we still lost!) so I expect to do something similar again, albeit better.
On the home front, brother is off to Baghdad again to see if Saddam Hussain trial comes to an end - suspect it will be a wasted journey. I've asked him to try and persaude one of his ex colleagues and personal friend to come and speak at Greenbelt next year. No names at this stage, but if he does agree then I'm sure Greenbelt will be very keen to have him.
Like Pip I will be looking forward to reading Willie William's U2 blogs over the coming weeks. His ability to turn high-tech drama into something closer to an old Amstrad PC never ceases to amaze me - he's very much the man of under-statement. Everywhere he goes though he appplies his magic and turns an empty stage into the inner most thoughts of your imagination. The recent George Michael reviews went on the lines of - singing OK, lighting wonderful. Maybe I could get him to sort out the office lighting?
Feeling very philisophical at the moment. Lots to think about and do. Under Helen's guidance I've been setting myself some new goals the last few days. She's wasted as an ill person - has always so much to give to others, and seems to know so much. One of the goals was to join a gym by the new office. Managed to do that Monday - less than 5 minutes walk and it has a small swimming pool. I haggled a lot over the price as not sure how long we will be in the area. In the end I got a very good price. Looking forward to a new fitter, slimmer version of myself! I've also decided I need to play the guitar more. Picked it up for the first time in 3 months this week. I used to always be writing songs but I've written nothing new for at least 2 years. So this week I've driven Helen crazy by experimenting with a 3 chord, 3 word song that is basically the same 3 chords constantly repeated with the lyrics made up of 3 word phrases - it can actually be quite fun trying to work out sufficient phrases that have a meaning, and then putting them in a sequence that allows each phrase to interject with the next. I should add that I've thrown in a few minor chords part way through to try and keep the listener awake and to stop Helen killing me.
This time last year I was just back from New York having seen U2
Spamalot
Bruce Springsteen
U2 again
Wined and dined with Michael McDermott at his favourite Italian restaurant
And watched Blobs dancing in the street.
Will go back the the States sometime but hard finding the time. I had the chance to see Michael play couple of nights in Chicago in November but it will clash with an appointment Helen has so not right to go. I also have an invite for next February but expect work to be too busy for me to escape for a few days. Michael's been playing a few times recently with Buddy Guy and he's got a Christmas date lined up on 22nd December at Buddy's House of the Blues venue - wonder if Helen would miss me if I disappeared for Christmas?
Work is gearing up - still not worked out how to turn the lights on at the office, being a "modern" media building we don't get strip lights, instead we have flood lights which seem to light the walls but not the desks. There is a whole bank of flood lights not switched on that would help me see what I'm writing, but will probably turn the place into a sauna.
I'm waiting to be told what I will be doing this time round - I get the impression they are not sure where to use me and it may depend on consultant costs and whether I should do their job instead. My area last time round got the top marks (but we still lost!) so I expect to do something similar again, albeit better.
On the home front, brother is off to Baghdad again to see if Saddam Hussain trial comes to an end - suspect it will be a wasted journey. I've asked him to try and persaude one of his ex colleagues and personal friend to come and speak at Greenbelt next year. No names at this stage, but if he does agree then I'm sure Greenbelt will be very keen to have him.
Like Pip I will be looking forward to reading Willie William's U2 blogs over the coming weeks. His ability to turn high-tech drama into something closer to an old Amstrad PC never ceases to amaze me - he's very much the man of under-statement. Everywhere he goes though he appplies his magic and turns an empty stage into the inner most thoughts of your imagination. The recent George Michael reviews went on the lines of - singing OK, lighting wonderful. Maybe I could get him to sort out the office lighting?
// posted by Dave @ 10:30 PM 
