One for the record

Well after a week of tossing and turning, feeling the burden of debt and unemployment and isolation in Bury, I have realised something which I thought I ought to write down before I forget (actually two things).

The first is that I want to run my own business - not a startling revelation but something I always forget that I've resolved to do and get stuck in spirals of 'what am I going to do for a career', where every job seems unappealing.

The second one hit me a moment ago as I sit here bursting with energy from being around friends (and it has hit me several times around South America, but I keep forgetting it, hence writing it down now) - actually that has made me realise something else. Hmmm which mind shattering revelation to write about first? I'll start with the one that just hit me and is something that only I would find interesting (because it relates to me - gosh have I got to the stage of psychoanalysing myself in public? Must be the influence of the Iris Murdoch book I just finished - apparently he is a psychologist/psychiatrist, which I found out after finishing the book and explains quite a lot about how it was written. How long can a sentence in brackets last for?). Where was I - the recent thought I just had. Back when I was a young lad (a good start to any auto-analytical [just made that word up - is it real?] babble)...actually I'm getting bored of typing now - in general I have become more of an extrovert (def: one who gets their energy from being around other people). Hence the hysterical feeling I have now after a week of isolation from my friends.

The other thought I had this afternoon revolves more around the 'meaning of life' (I can hear you think 'oh god here we go'). I only say that because I can't quickly imagine another category such a thought might slot into. Anyway - I had been thinking to myself - what is the point of travel and new experiences and money and careers and having children and all those things that we are supposed to do at some stage in our life? If I am the only person benefiting from these experiences what is the point? Some of them aren't even that enjoyable - being stuck in buses for 300+ hours in South America, scraping by with a couple of pounds in my pocket in quiet Bury. Isn't the whole goal of doing all these things to be a happier person? Or to use an economics term - maximise our utility. But what maximises utility? I suppose it depends on the person, but in general (and from scientific studies of brain chemicals related to happiness) the apsect of life that gives people the greatest feeling of lasting happiness are loving relationships - such as those with family, friends and partners. But maybe in order to be able to develop and nurture these sorts of relationships as best we can we need to acquire a whole set of skills (and a belief in ones-self) that allow us to be less selfish and more understanding, thereby creating the capacity to have genuine relationships with people and have that love, trust and support returned.

As you can see I have just been having one of those 'I love the world and everyone and everything in it' afternoons. Hence the drivel, but do remind me of it if I complain about anything.

Anyhoo - the plan for the next couple of weeks is this:

Leeds - London - Paris - London (for Job interview - yay!) - Bury - London (for good)

Have a great week everyone, I miss you all!

ps. this guy has stolen my identity......

http://www.nicholashirst.com

Paint dries faster than grass grows

Careful analysis over the past few weeks has lead me to conclude that paint does in fact dry faster than grass grows - I have watched each process like a hawk.

Besides the exciting scientific experiment above I have been spending much of my time at the Library (not stuck in volumes of educational material however- using the internet) and have started going to the gym again. The early morning running with Beth (eldest female cousin) suddenly improved this morning as I finished our two mile run faster than ever before, with a sprint finish and was barely puffing - looks like the gym work is starting to pay off (I have started a bit of muscular endurance work on the legs in preparation for Nepal - still a long way to go). So I'm feeling a bit good that my old fitness levels are starting to return, I was worrying that after such a long lay off it would be difficult to get back into it.

The weather had a cold snap last Friday which was expected to come eventually, but I wasn't welcoming it with open arms. But the change in weather has suddenly made me realise my severe clothing shortage - any cold weather in South America was counteracted by wearing 4 t-shirts under my jacket and carrying a big pack around. So unless I load my backpack with rocks and carry it around the tube in London - I'm going to have to invest in some new apparel. Thats where my newly employed personal shopper can step in, a perennial bargain hunter, ex-Monsoon employee of the year and the only person I imagine might have an interest in which rags I choose to drape myself in, Emma. She is however, no longer with us, she is in a new place now, a better place where she will be happy - that would be Uni in Leeds.

The last piece of news is that I'm going to head over to Le Paris (et mange escargots) for a weekend in the near future - £35 via bus, and I'll be sleeping on Rachel's doorstep (that would be Rachel Davies, aka DEST Budget Adviser, AFL star and serial alcoholic - is she still on the DoFA website anyone?? Her proudest moment, awarding herself the PUMA award, for those that remember).

A couple of links

CORNWALL PHOTOS

http://www.lucas.intercate.net/gallery/Cornwall


Just discovered a couple more photos in the gallery - Lucas's visit to Bury to Edmunds (where I'm staying with family) and his adventure at Notting Hill Carnival.

http://www.lucas.intercate.net/gallery/aug05

I've also just had the most obvious brainwave that my cousin Sophie probably has a website and a quick google later I located her at:

http://www.sophieraymond.com

Have a look.

I'll also try and get the Cornwall photos into the gallery in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime I'm praying that the rain will go away so that the Aussie cricketers can clean up the poms and keep the ashes where they belong. The other fallout from the heavy rain was the basement of the pub (I feel somewhat of an honorary employee at the pub - whereas all I do is sit around and sip pints of cold water) being totally flooded yesterday afternoon - the bravest wore garbage bags as they waded knee deep through the grey filth that had poured up through the drains during the torrential downpour. It took almost three hours for the London watertable to subside and for the grey liquid (I dare not call it water) to return to whenst it came.

A bit of excitement.

Cornwallian paaasties

Some time since my last plunge into the world of blogging. And after a few moderately uneventful weeks I have managed to dapple my life with events worth describing.

After the skull crushing frustration feeling I was having in Bury I suddenly felt much better - partially because my planned trip to Cornwall drew ever nearer and also because I was paid a visit by Emma, a one-legged toothless slapper from Newcastle (far north England...). Not really, for those who browse the galleries you will have noticed her lovely Oxfordshire face popping up in some of our nights out in Cusco. Well since arriving in England we have been seeing each other on a regular basis and have upgraded the relationship from 'reminiscing travellers' to 'reminiscing girlfriend/boyfriend travellers'. You may also recall that she was on her gap year (ie. aged 19). A controversial age gap that some people believe a little too large, but my father and role model has already set precedent with an unbeatable age difference with mum ('Do as I say not as I do' is drifting back to me from childhood years). There is never a moment when I feel older or more mature and only find myself justifying the age difference in anticipation of any possible raised eyebrows from concerned morals police. Anyway, the important thing is that I am happy.

In other news I am now in London for a few days of extra job hunting and house searches. Looks like accommodation will be easy enough to find - but a job will still take a little longer - but my first dole cheque should be through next week - woohoo! God save the Queen and her Jobseeker Assistance.

Oooh I am also praying to every god of every religion that we win this last Test Match - making all sorts of promises to them so if I come home with one of those Muslim contracts on my head (what are they called again - like Salman Rushdie?) then I wouldn't be suprised. Let us pray that someone other than Shane Warne contributes. Durka durka jihad.