Broadens the mind

Hello.

Yes, I know I've been rubbish recently - sorry

First there was a stretch where I was very angry about something work related & didn't want to blog because I didn't want to accidentally post something unprofessional. Short sanitised version: someone I like & trusted, handled a (difficult) situation very very badly. The rug was unceremoniously yanked from under my work life once again. Something I'd worked hard at building and invested a lot in was suddenly and unfairly taken from me.

Since then there's been a longer period where I've just been really busy working & didn't get round to blogging. As you'd imagine that has dulled the sting from the previous unpleasantness.

Work is now entirely in my own hands & going bloody brilliantly. I'm working on exciting projects with really lovely clients. Couldn't be happier.

And so now I'm back to blogging... Except I'm probably not since I'm going on holiday for the next two weeks. I'm writing this on a train hurtling through the (very pretty & sunny) Scottish Borders on my way to Eigg.

Yes. I know Eigg is north west of Edinburgh. I'm going via Keynsham. Yes, on purpose!

My wonderful sister and her lovely daughter live in Keynsham. I'm travelling South to meet up with them, then on Wednesday the three of us drive back to (hopefully still sunny) Scotland, have a few days in a wee house beside a loch in the highlands, and *then* next weekend we meet up with Mum and Dad to get the ferry to Eigg.

To some people this probably sounds a tortuous route. Personally I'm really looking forward to all the travelling. I enjoy it. Lucky that, since without this oddball detour the holiday wouldn't be possible.

Funny how you sometimes have to go the long way round to get to where you want to be.

... upside down

I've never liked that phrase*. Partly because it's an instruction to be seem happy and those are absurd and kind of offensive. But nonetheless that is what I did this morning.

I've been on a jaunt in the Southlands the past week visiting family, friends and (lastly, yesterday) attending an old friend's wedding. I'd booked my trains ages back and until this morning everything went smoothly.

Then after my early taxi ride from the hotel there was a tortuously slow rail-replacement bus ride from Newbury, followed by a delayed train at Reading, and before I knew it, I'd missed my train home. Boo Hiss!

I'd spotted last night that there might be issues with getting to Kings Cross today, but by that point there was little to be done. With hindsight (and without being at the end of a wedding reception - so possibly thinking more clearly!) I should have asked the taxi company how much it would be to drive me to Reading but bolted horses and spilled milk etc.

By the time I finally reached London I was in a foul mood. Magic phone of magic had at least enabled me to look at my options, but they hadn't cheered me: Checking fares on all the remaining trains today they came back sky high, and then a scan for coaches home yielded one, tonight at 11:30pm, affordable without selling a kidney but will deposit me at the wrong end of Princes Street tomorrow morning at 8:10. Beggars can't be choosers though.

So I was reluctantly hauling myself to Victoria Coach station on the tube, storm cloud overhead, but doggedly retaining my manners... until an utter twat of a northern tourist (whom I'd politely asked to move so I could exit the train, and who'd ignored me) objected rudely to being slightly jostled by my rucksack as I passed him.

I think that I really must never ever move to London. I snapped at him. There was proper shouting and swearing. Not masses but it was loud and angry. I was loud and angry. No matter how shitty a day I'm having in Edinburgh I don't think I've ever turned loud and angry.

I think that partly shocked me into a little mental readjustment though because by the time I'd bought my coach ticket, I'd somehow 180ed my mood.

Once on another such trip, Hame and I managed to miss our flight home by moments. We managed to get a standby but on a train at the end of the day and the one we'd just missed was in the morning. I don't remember either of us saying anything, or it being a conscious choice but instead of spending the day fuming at things we couldn't change, we settled in for a happy day hanging out together. Instead of waiting at Stanstead for 8 hours, we hung out at Stanstead... for 8 hours.

So today instead of being stuck in London, I have an unexpected extra day's holiday in London. I've pottered about & seen some sights, taken some photos and now (at Derek's excellent suggestion) I'm using my "useless" first class ticket for the missed train & enjoying the amenities of Kings Cross' excellent new First Class Lounge.

I doubt very much that I could do this sort of mood change consciously but I'm glad I have the facility subconsciously. And I'm very very glad I don't have to commute on the tube.

* that phrase being "turn your frown upside down"

eggs

No word of a lie. I just woke from a faintly disturbing dream where my sister, some friends and I narrowly escaped getting mauled by a rampaging herd of pre-teens wielding chocolate eggs in a 24 hour Tesco.

Odd.

Happy Easter everyone

weather

The past couple of days it's been summer in March here, then today on the way back from collecting a sofa from Falkirk with Phil we passed signs warning of snow tomorrow...

*baffled*

Presumably I should be preparing for a summer of tornados and rains of frogs?

... cruel world

It's OK, I'm not going anywhere.

Well OK I'm going to London next month but that only feels like purgatory, I've no intention of shuffling off this mortal coil.

It is a cruel world though. Or at least it can be.

I had some bad news today from a friend. It's made me angry and upset. It makes me feel the world is a cruel and unfair place.

I have to remind myself that (to date) the balance of my own personal experience has been of world which is a lovely place where good things happen. I have to remind myself to hope for more good things to happen, rather than railing in futility against the bad things which have already happened to a wonderful man about whom I care deeply.

Those of you reading who aren't future me - I promise my next post will be less cryptic, and apologise for rambling incomprehensibly (to anyone who isn't me) but sometimes things need to be marked without the details necessarily being public.

Bad world. No biscuit.

... quite a prize

What a lovely evening! It's been a long time since we did a proper Friday - then a few aeons ago Kim suggested we visit the Royal Observatory now that it's refurbished. Being a somewhat geeky crowd we all went for the plan. Tonight was the visit and I think I'm ok in saying a fab time was had by all. I saw three of Jupiter's moons for the first time in my life, was introduced to a splendid piece of astronomical software (Dad - you want to download that now it's brilliant) held meteorites, laughed at astronomers forgetting which of Venus and Jupiter is closer, and enjoyed splendid views of Edinburgh amongst some of its most striking architecture (a real feat in this city!)

Then we went to Liz's (via Tesco) for brinner and gin. And in mine and Liz's case a movie after everyone else wussed out - lightweights!

Splendid night. Yay for Fridays!

* Title is a reference to the somewhat disturbing fact that I found myself nodding along to Fergal Sharky on the way home as if his lyrics were meaningful. Possibly there is such a thing as too much gin after all?

Networking...

... has never been like this in my experience. Perhaps I need tastier business cards. Or a polecat.

On a semi-related note, off to another Creative Circuit meeting this evening. See some of you there.