Saturday 26 February 2011

Spring has sprung (ish)

On Thursday I walked the 3 miles/1 hour to walk along the Nottingham Canal.  It was the first day of sunshine in a long time, and it was also warm.  Oh my days!!  It felt so good!  I felt the warmth of the sun on my face and sooth my soul, which tends to struggle in the dark days of winter.  I saw ducks chasing each other for a bit of spring-time love.  One particularly amazing thing was as a gaggle of geese took flight along the line of the canal.  I looked back as I heard them coming, and as they were at my head height, for an instant as they swooped past me I felt like I took a little part of the flight with them!!!  I also saw a few purple and yellow crocuses poking out of the brown deadness of the woodland floor.  My day started as a black dog day, but by the time I'd marched to work I was high as a kite, having a sun-kissed white stallion kind of a day!!!!  The power of nature and the human body working together!!

Music in me

After meeting up with an old old friend, with whom I shared some very formative years and experiences, I went through a turmolt of feelings.  This was good really.  I had a few things to get out of my system, which I did by talking to my old friend, by having a good cry - letting go of feelings I've been holding on to for years, and by spewing my feelings into some song lyrics.  

I've not written any lyrics for years, which has been weird for me, so it felt like I was finding a part of me again.  I also played my guitar and sang my heart out, which also made me feel better.  Music is a huge part of who I am, but in recent years I've not expressed it, so recently I've been rediscovering my musical spirit and soothing it by playing, singing and writing.  I'm always surprised at how much it boosts me.  And I'm starting to remember more often now.  It's the thing that makes me feel the best, heals me the most, but the thing I do the least.  It's like it's a bit too much of a luxury, too indulgent, and I should be doing more practical things first.  But it's probably the most effective and cheapest form of therapy open to me!

I'm aware how cheesy it must sound to say the healing power of music, but for me it's what keeps me sane.  

Thursday 10 February 2011

Why TV Ruined My Life - no more

I watched the 3rd episode of this great series by Charlie Brooker.  He articulates so well what I have felt for years about TV and lots of other things.  All three episodes, but especially this one, just say everything about why I got rid of my TV 5 years ago.  I used to feel physically and spiritually sick from a lot of the shit on it.  And people just lap it up, think it's real and can't see they are being conned in so many ways.  Since having a TV I feel so much better about the world and myself.  I hope I don't sound too smug.  I just don't want to do things that make me feel bad. Now I get the best of both worlds - I just pick the few things I really want to watch and can ignore most of the other crap (altho' I do have a guilty pleasure in some crime drama!).  Joe and I talk to each other more, I read more, and just do more stuff. I can thoroughly recommend it.  Your life will improve if you shake off the shackles of TV and face the fear of being TV-less - it's ace.

You can watch the programme here

Wednesday 9 February 2011

I tried coffee from a coffee shop for the first time today.  I've only had coffee on my honeymoon.  It was decaf and quite nice, but left a strong coffee taste in my mouth all day.  A boy on the bus gave me some chewing gum, and I got paranoid that my breath was smelly. I don't think I will drink coffee very much in the future, but I am pleased I tried it.

I went for a wonderful walk around the lake at University Park today.  It was sunny at times.  There were plenty of people about and I always love to see people enjoying open space in the city.  I saw two heron and many magpie.