dextromentalism

I have been a little remiss and have not submitted anything for at least a year. I have been so busy i just don't know where the time has gone.

Anyway, as a precis of my year of absense i have:

- got a new job;
- my wife and i have had a lovely new baby girl called Sen Mei;
- I have joined a Cricket Club and subsequently been elected Club Secretary;
- got a new allotment and am currently becoming an expert in killing vegetables;
- turned 30.

There's only 5 things on my list but it feels like a hundred.

Looking back over my prvious posts i realised that I have missed writing the blog as it helps me reflect on the little incidental things in my life that I would otherwise just file away in my head as 'review later'.

I have resolved to write in my blog at least once a month to capture little events, thoughts or feelings that i can loo back on and smile (or whince!).

bluurgh,

this is the third day in a row i've been stuck in bed with this damn flu thingy . I think i may just be coming roud though (no hallucinations so far today).

So anyway i rang up work today to tell them i couldn't make it in and found myself saying 'sorry my flu's not cleared yet' and i have been lying here thinking about that word ever since. How can a three letter word that sounds so innocuos describe the terrible fever i have endured over the last few days or the pain in my joints and my muscles? When i phoned in my sickness to work and i said 'flu' it sounded like one of those all purpose skiving excuses like... migraine, stomach bug or the dog ate my homework.

I really think flu sould have a more dramatic name or a least should be called influenza more than it is.

sorry if none of the above made any sense, i'll review this article when i've stopped seeing double.

My birthday has been a little unkind to me this year.

Even though i had a great time
with some cool presents
and a wicked night
@ hospitality.

I was having my usual bout of existential dread after a heavy night on the town, but it seemed to go on a little longer than i had expected. I couldnt

even write
a post in
this blog.

So i decided that it was probably best to escape into my geekiness mode for a while. So i have been reading

Dan Simmons: hyperion and the fall of hyperion (geekiness!)

playing

with virtual dj (geekiness - i should be using records!)
star wars lego on the game cube (using an obselete machine - super geekiness!)

watching

Battlestar gallactica and GITS 2nd gig (need i say more?)

anyway i'm not feeling so withdrawn atmo, birthdays are really not good for my health. The same thing happens every year and the feeling intensifies the closer i get to 30. it's my 30th next year... i hope once i'm over 30 things might change.

I think that Abi and I have finally settled on a draft baby name shortlist for the next addition to our little tribe.

Firstly here is the list of names that have been tested but found wanting.

Boys

Lars
Ives
Evan
Raul

Girls

Willow
Sorell

Here is the latest draft of names in contention

Boys

Orrin
Oren (my personal favourite)
Soren

Girls

Suki (Abi's Favourite)
Yumi (my favourite)
Fern
Bracken

Anyway i'm sure these will change as the big day looms closer (We gave Sol his name on the day he was born because it was a beautiful sunny day (he was due to be called Devon or Tien)).

Mmmm

I'm puzzled?!! What to do?

For the past couple of months this girl has been starin' at me, when
i'm readin',
at the bust..
op
in the mornin'.

It feels really quite strange (i am not usually that sensitive, but it feels really weird) and this morning things got a bit stranger. I was getting up to get off of the bus when stalker girl turned round sharply

and smiled,
all toothy and said

'wouldyoulikemetoringthebellforyou? (gasp)'???

What? do i look like i can't ring a bell? anyway i said
'err.. no thanks.. i think i can manage'
and smile nervously.

I thought that might be it, but no.
Whilst walking to the bus stop after work i aspied said stalker girl standing at the bus stop.

Staring,
Smiling.

Mmmmm.. I thought and put my head down and walked to the next stop further into town. I got out my book (the reluctant fundamentalist - really good book btw) and started to read.

Here comes that,
feeling,
again.

Yes there she was standing a few feet away from me..Mmm

I spoke to Abi about this and she seems to think that maybe i should start up a conversation with her? eh? I think i'll stick with my avoidance technique for now.

I am really getting a bit fed up with these windy wet mornings (I know, it's winter, but it's annoying).

I turned upto an important meeting this morning looking like a and spent the entire meeting sub-conciously playing with my hair trying to stop it looking so bedragled.

I wish i had worn a minus the
to work this morning.

(no goldfish were harmed in the making of this post)

unfotunately we have a pesky BNP (British Nobber Party) problem in our area. It seems the problem is beggining to esculate and recent events have led me to feel very concerned.

1) The BNP Candidate in our area is a member of my son's schools' fundraising Committee - despite several letters to the Schools Headteacher voicing concerns, there has been (and doesn't look like there will be) any response.

2) The BNP Candidate in our area is married to the local Bobby - I am sure that it is illegal for Police Officers to be related to the BNP in anyway - despite letters to the local police authority nothing has been done.

3) At a local Parish Council meeting th BNP candidate brought a pub full of local thugs to force out a Councillor who is in opposition too her. (luckily she still managed to lose the vote). No one did anything to try and stop her bullying.

Why are people just burying their heads in the sand. It seems that people are either afraid or just too apathetic to want to do anything about it. I am sadend to think that our society would let the ignorant views of a bunch of brainless thugs to infiltrate our local community.

On the weekend we went to see a friend over at Southease. After Sol's usual faff getting ready we found ourselves standing at the station waiting for a train. After ten minutes or so i noticed the large pile of bags we were

lugging,
around.
2 shopping bags
1 car seat
two rucksacks (choc full of toys and spare clothes),
one camera bag,
two hand bags (one a man bag) and
two bags for wellies.

Maybe its beacuse i'm approaching my might as well be 30th birthday, but i couldn't help nostalgia of 6 years ago when i first met Abi. I remember going to see her for a whole weekend and just

packing,
(if you can call it packing);
one toothbrush,
a book to read for the train and
my cash
card (i didn't even own a wallet).

i certainly didn't even have
even one bag.
not.
even.
a.
Pair.
of.
Pants (much more economical to go commando).

I have surmised from all of this a mathmatical equation. That the amount of luggage i have is directly proportional to my age:

NO LUGGAGE <22.......30> OODLES OF LUGGAGE.

Here are some old photos i finally pulled off of my camera

after my last rather morose post i have had a rather sudden change of demeanor (maybe something to do with the onset of the weekend). I found myself sitting on the bus on the way home thinkin'

'appy thoughts of
cold beer,
sunny, day
blue
skies, night
time frolics.

the haywire, moonstruck
fields of lunchtime
liasons, and the
mispent currency of my youth.

I'm not manic depressive (or bi-polar depending on what newspaper you read), but i guess my sub-concsious reminded me that if i can't change the weather i can certainly change my mood.