Resolution to drink more water

Blogger is still talking to me in German. Most odd.

And a warning now, to not watch TV willy-nilly whilst eating dinner. The only bearable
thing I managed to find involved me watching some woman use a pig stomach to do demonstratios about the digestive system, them reveal a box with authentic looking poo for the amount of faeces we should all be excreting every week. Delight. And so I should be drinking lots more water to stave off IBS or worse. It is true though, I really need to drink more water.....and so I shall endeavour to do so.

Shoes require fixing in the morning, and so it'll be an early start. I shall sleep well tonight since I've been to the pub after work for the first time in a very good long while - I'm such a lightweight these days - and have to get up early to go drop off said shoes and then go help finish off the last touches of set. So a full day for me!

Groggy

Murrrrr......far too early in the morning, I'm sat here with the light on for the first time during the getting-up rituals and it's an unpleasant reminder of the irresistable march of winter.....soon I'll be shovelling snow off my path, eh?

Realised quite how whiney I've been sounding in these latest blog posts. Well, not much I can do about it now, but we'll try and keep my chipper up for a while. Shouldnt be too hard at the moment with apple cake for breakfast and the prospect of a fishy lunch. And this evening will be spent conjuring marvellous things from nothing (because I have nothing).

Re-signing contracts this weekend to stay in my lovely batchelor pad for longer, also required for further little touch-ups of our set. Play is in a very short period of time, looking forward to it for the first time since yesterday we got into costumes for the first time. Always gives everyone a lift and breathes new life, I find, and we really did need it for this!

No amusing stories for you at the moment, but I'll try and blog a few more random thoughts as I go.....

Thinking of those in Myanmar

Shocking events of the past few days, filled with hope and despair. I can but wish for all things to be at their best, but I do hope there is no undue unrest, and that none are hurt. Sadly, I think this will not be the case, but......

Washing-up

This is an act I detest. Regardless of whether satori is to be found therein (see below), I still hate it, doing it lots at work (though less than previously) and then even more at home. Vile. I suppose the motto is: clean your stuff before it becomes encrusted. How true in organic chemistry as in cuisine.

Barely enough time left tonight to nibble the last of the lasagne and play six hours of Warcraft!

Someone is going to appreciate this one.....

Cribbed from the usual source;

"Most of the time we don't really do things, but rather think about them. That's why zen-masters often stress the point that enlightenment is to be found in things like dish-washing, soaking in a bathtub, and going to the toilet."

A very nice idea.

One other note.....

Blogger has decided to start talking to me in German, for no apparent reason. Good job I understand it, eh? No idea why, it hasnt asked me about a language change.....

Grumbles

Just had to install a new version of MSN messenger, since my comp wouldnt let me use my old one. It now has a new layout, which is far worse, in the 'lets miniaturise everything so no-one can see it'-a la-mobile keys, which is very annoying. There was nothing wrong with my old version, so I dont see why I should be forced to upgrade it. In fact, I find it very suspicious that I have to updgrade it.

Brings to mind the couple of episodes I've had with cold colding recently. Orange (my network) phoned me up with desperate corporate fervour to ensure my continued custum by offering new packages. Whilst I resent cold-calling, the lady who had the luck to be calling was quite understanding. I in no uncertain terms stated that I didnt want a phone upgrade; mine works fine, and I find it a disgrace that so many upgrades get offered, creating the current mountain of mobile phone waste we currently see and fostering a disposable culture (when not everything can be replaced by buying a new one). This assertion of mine meant that I could not make any changes to my plan; it was impossible for this company to offer me a new service (that's service, not product) without forcing a new phone on me. How ridiculous; surely it would save them both postage and a handset by not sending me this. So bascially it was dropped, what I secretly had hoped in the first place.

This didnt stop me receiving a second call a few weeks later to the same purpose. But I'm getting the hang of dealing with them and was very polite and firm in rejecting all offers. It's a total destruction of everybody's karma that poor people are forced to call as part of their work, causing we the call-receivers to feel inately bad at having to be rude to get them off the line! The worst tale yet to come was a cold call on my home landline from an unascertained mobile phone company (I never was told which), who called me to ask if I was satisfied with my mobile package. I replied yes, and then told them upon asking that I wasnt prepared to tell them how much I paid for my mobile bill (how rude!). And then asked them how they knew I had a mobile phone; I then said that I didnt. In amongst the entire sales pitch, I had to the keep clearly stating that I didnt want their service; hanging up is so bad.....

I have to indicate here, bloggardes, that all should point-blank refuse to enter discussions with cold-call selling. Economics tells us that they only keep doing it because it is to some extent profitable; hence they must be making some kind of sale in this manner. Hence a blanket refusal will be the only retort that will be understood; if the selling technique doesnt work, it'll stop. I live in hope. But sometimes I feel like ringing up all these people to ask whether they'd like to buy some lovely hand-drawn art by myself for display in their offices, or if they could use a dancing clown for their board meeting (i.e. me). But that's my vindictive nature.

Back to today; set build half accomplished, owing to a booking cock-up and the hall caretakers booking in a kids party for this afternoon, so we packed up at half three. Rest of day has been spent trogging and nearly overflowing the bathtub. Now watching one of those crap programmes about some kids who need a good arse-beating, in the dock this week are an American family (who else) with six boys, who the mother home-schools. Now I've not been paying so much attention to know if there's a reason for that, but....six kids? Have these people not heard about over-population and dwindling global resources? Contraception, people, it's there for a reason, the clue is in the name......that's gonna be one messy and god-awful smelly household in a few years once puberty kicks in for them all, one year after another.....bejaysus.......

Full to the brim with rice this evening. Tomorrow will be spent doing quite a bit of cooking, to whit; lasagne, some banana bread, and a small ham. I'm looking forward to it. Also to do is the laundry, lots of it, much less fun.

Bikey gone

Well, it's been picked up and there's a lonely parking space that's empty outside, and I've got the cover back inside (and hopefully not covered in snails). I've got a good feeling about this, guy was very friendly and obviously cares about his work, thanks to Steve for tipping me off about him (:-), I owe you a cuppa! Hopefully wont be too long and I can be back on the road.

Thanks must also go out to T for giving me lifts in the morning, most generous. I shall have to get her a little present, but I've got no idea what. Suggestions welcome, bloggardes, possibly not food related.....have to have a think.

Busy watching some House Doctor derived crap TV, rather endearing. All these programmes about property should be depressing, but they arent remotely; they're all just rather hideous, hideous rooms, hideous residents, hideous presenters....all adds up to what could be a bitch-fest, but I actually feel a bit 'awww, rub the cheeky kid in his messe-up hair' about it. Obviously I'm still suffering from lack of sleep and need to go to bed! This will of course not be happening, as I need a big dose of WoW tonight, having kept away all week thus far.

Tomorrow holds the delight of a brisk trot to Windlesham, and then banging nails and lark. Quite looking forward to it. Less looking forward to walking home again, but hey. Such is life!

Midnight

Not quite, really. But time enough for me to go to bed. Had the most delicious sleep yesterday (if you'll permit the synaesthesia), my theory that I wasnt getting quality sleep obviously holds. I dropped right off and didnt wake up until just before my alarm went off at half six. Not even stirred by the guy revving up his Yamaha - *jealous mumblings* - or the first train of the day. So I shall be repeating that one tonight, and be fresh as a proverbial daisy come tomorrow.

Rehearsals, meh. I'm feeling a bit odd about it today, since we dont actually seem to do very much actual work at them, just go linearly through the script without repeating any bits of it; so I only hope we do get second runs at it at some point! I do feel, though, that I'm getting a little bit of stick since I've got my lines almost down, whereas others havent, and so my performance can be directed, whereas there's not much you can do with someone still reading from a book. It's all about the posture, and I can pull that somewhat....still, I suppose I'm only whinging, and it's not like it was ever going to be a perfect piece.

Getting ready for bike pick-upage tomorrow, means I have to screw my fairings all back down again. Battery has also to be replaced, for which I'm tip-top charging it overnight and probably all day tomorrow. So when I get home I can just plonk it back in and get it carted off. I shall be slightly glad not to have the reminder sat outside for a while, but shall be even more glad when she comes back nice and revvy and I can ride again. I'm totally missing being on the road, even without seeing riders everywhere.

Work seems to be going quite swimmingly at the moment, which is always nice, but I'm quite certain that something is going to bite me in the arse sooner rather than later, which is never a good sign.....I'm still grinding my teeth, which is not good......meditation? Would be good, but I've pretty much lost hope that I'll ever get back down to it. So much for stream-entry, I've crawled up the bank and am towelling myself down with each passing tick! Anyhow, life is full of ups and downs, one thing that you can be sure of.

Time for snoozage. Goodnight, bloggardes, and may you dream the sleep of the pure in mind. If not, may you have a bloody good breakfast instead!

Tray muffin, and the perilous of crystal salt

Being as there were plenty of apples that were progressing towards rotting - that stage where they arent so appealing to eat but are still perfectly good, I decided to cook with them. Plenty of nice apple recipies, and an easy favourite of mine are apple spice muffins. Now, I cant remember if I abandoned my muffin trays in Leeds (since I didnt use them the whole time I was there and thought 'get shot') or whethere they are lurking in the back of a cupboard. Either way, I decided to make the batch and just cook the whole lot in an oven dish a la tray cake. Works quite well, tastes nice and lovely.

Only trouble is, the only salt I have is the natural crystalline salt, perfect for pasta boiling and general usage in stews, but unfortunately it does not dissolve into muffin mix, so I now have localised pockets of extreme saltiness in my muffin. Not unpleasant, but a bit of a shock! Wont stop me wolfing it though (:-)

Enough!

Had a very odd dream last night. Keira was telling me how my blog has been far too depressing and concerned with food, so hopefully this will be a lighter post. Unfortunately I'm practically wilting all over the keyboard, so tired I be; it seems like I'm not getting decent sleep at the moment. Lack of proper deep sleep or something, so tonight I'm going to get home early and go to bed at half ten on the dot, rather than trying to stay up making the next level in WoW or getting beaten up by zombies.

Rehearsals seem to be going swimmingly, but also a bit pants at the same time. Very thin on the ground yesterday, several people ill (which you cant blame them for) and hence not there, but it's getting to the point now where I'd like to do all the stuff properly with people in place. And repeat and repeat. This is probably not going to happen, since my part is a diddy one (no sniggering). At any rate, it's set build this weekend (earliest I've ever known a set build to happen, there are obviously bonuses to having a permanent theatre!), so I should have some fun doing that. Must remember to take along my adjustable, just in case.

Other news: finally have arranged to have bike taken away to be looked at. Keep your fingers crossed, bloggardes, since I dont want to pay too much, but at the moment I just want my ride back. I miss it way to much.....god forbid I should ever break my back and not be able to ride.

Ah, now the caffeine is kicking in and I'm starting to wake up! Clearly, being at work is no bar to wasting time, but I should really think about getting on now......

2-D people

Have I been utterly shallow myself? I think I've been seeing people as resolutely 2D in recent past. Being a bit wrapped up in myself (proof below, bloggardes), I think I've forgotten somewhat that others are in the same situation. Pffft. Cant be considerate all the time, eh?

It's early morning, and I really dont want to go to work today. This is a freakish occurence, but we'll ride it out. Coffee is a wonderful drug, peps you up and turns your pee a funny colour......

Kick up the arse, please (:-)

Evening out

Well, this is a surprise, no? I've not posted as much as this in a long while! Perhaps returning to writing as of form of mental purging? Could be a worthy explanation, but it does mean that my mind generates one helluva lot of crap!

Off to the theatre this evening, glad to be going though admitedly I've no idea what it is I'm going to see anymore. Agreed to buy a ticket in a fit of assent one night at rehearsal, so we'll see. Do me good to get out of the house and go somewhere that isn't the station, the supermarket or work. Have been revolving in my little, eingeschraenkt world for far too long. Difficult to get out of a rut though. This will make a difference, since I'll have to talk to these people both before performance, after performance and in the interval. A performance of my own? *grin* Now that makes me sound either deeply shallow or deeply schizophrenic, eh? Well, bloggardes, most of you know me as a person, so you can make your own judgement.

Am missing having plenty of people to talk to about anything and whatever. Some people at work I can be entirely comfortable with, but not all; mostly because there is something about them I dont like, or get the feeling they dont like me. I'm good at making large expansive mountain ranges out of molehills, but I'm also good at hiding that fact from other people. Still waters, people, still waters......

Jeez, what blather. But the rule is, once typed, goes undeleted! So you'll have to put up with that ramble.

Exchanged a few messages with Martin today, seems like the man is having a bit of a rough time of it. Always sad to hear that, and as I regularly resolve, I should go and see people a lot more often. He's only down the road, and so handy for so many other people. Any other Southampton-ites fancy a visit? Or you could all come up the smoke and I'll see you for a change? Ditto to anyone else out there.....come and visit me before I come and visit you!

Mooooooooo

'Nuff said.

Strange coincidence

How bizarre. Little moment of clarity, realised that in the recent past there are three Chris's and three Steve's in life....as if there were no other names! Funny, that. Totally unremarkable, but it is what I was thinking this morning, waiting in the cold. For yes, it is cold in the morning, enough that the air-con in the building feels warm rather than cold.

Onto work! 'Tis what they pay me for.....

Eventide

What is a boy to do? Evening is now starting earlier all the time, and once night has actually fallen, it feels like the day is totally over and all I should do is go to bed. I'll never get anything done this way, eh? And since SurreyChris has just popped over and gone (nice chat, man would talk hind leg off donkey), it really is time to go to bed! However, for some reason I start to feel guilty about getting my bike fixed when he's about....as if I'm selling out my biking heritage, such as it is. Ah well. It's rot, really, I should just get the thing looked at and have done with it; as Steve B would say, if it were a car I'd have no qualm in the slightest. Have to look at it like this.

This was going to be a longer post of greater interest, but I've run out of steam. Such is life! Seems to be my catchphrase of the moment! Blub blub blub......off to sort out my bag for tomorrow and bloody hell it's a moth! Great big one flying in the window....always good for a shock!

Bedtime the noo.....laters.....

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness

Welcome to September! Although it's actually far less autumnal than the preceeding months, best to welcome autumn with a smile rather than a frown, because it only gets worse from here on in, eh? It'll be dark mornings and evenings before you know it, bloggardes.

The past week has been a bit of an emotional flip, must be the months playing havoc with my hormones. Been very silly when I should be sensible, but we all do from time to time, methinks. Anyhoo, that's what I tend to blog about, so we'll move back to the biting observation, shall we?

Even though the weather is rather nice, we seem to be infested with slugs at the moment, so much so, that it has even made it into the national press. So I feel honour-bound to report my witnessing of the rather gruesome cannibal slugs, feasting on one of their number who had expired, exploded and leached slug-innards all over the road. Circle of life, people.

Does actually bring back vivid memories of my one-and-only gardening task throughout my teenage years. I'm sure it's because my mum was just as revolted by it as I came to be; emptying the garden beer-traps of dead slugs.

Now your average slug is somewhat of a pisshead. It's an old gardener's trick, you dig a little hole in the ground and place within the hole a small receptacle containing beer. For preference, the worst possible lager money can buy (that'll be Stella Artois, then). Slugs are then so befuddled in their frenzy to sate their alcoholics cravings, they crawl headlong into this pot of beer and drown in the contents, a sort of invertebrate pickling jar a la Nelson in his brandy.

I had the delightful task of emptying these every day, and considering the infestation out garden seemed to suffer under, every day there were at least ten slugs in each. In the interests of fertillisation, I was to bury these inebriated corpses into our ground, however after very little time it was an effort to find diggable spots that werent already full of dead slugs. Not very pleasant to turn up the earth with a little spoon and dig up nothing but rotting, beery slugs, but did this I did for week after week. Our garden, the mass-grave of slugs.

Enough of the memory-lane trip. Back to the present day! Rehearsals for play roll ever onwards and I have a few more pages of lines to learn and then I'm onto bookless. Should be alright, since I dont actually have all that much to say, but it is proving to be a pain in the arse, more so than usual. I guess I've been away from it for long enough, and the regular act of learning for exams, that I'm getting worse at it. Time for me to start learning pointless lists of things again, eh? Or the Shakespeare speeches, that was quite fun. Enough to occupy the mind a little.

Since I'm at work, I guess I'd better get back to it, eh? I'll perhaps tap out a bit more later, but we'll see, eh?