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- Category: Blog
- By Stuart Mathews
- Hits: 2232
I don't even know where to begin really. I've had everything happen in these past 2 or so weeks. I moved: moved stuff between my old and new apartments; arranged for my TV to get picked up, arranged a professional cleaning company to tidy up my old apartment, started studying for my exam tomorrow. I arranged accommodation for myself and my guests in Dorset in preparation for a wedding I'm to attend. It's felt like a whirlwind and unless I hadn't planned for it and taken the days off, I guess it would have been a lot more difficult and stressful. I think I've picked up some good practical experience: Start early and you can pace yourself later or during it.
I posted a job online via an auction site for the transport of my TV and got it for £30 which was great - the dude arrived and we just put it in the truck and we were off. It was only 2 minutes. That TV is the least flexible/easily-movable thing I have in my possession but put that together with xBox and sky box(all much more manageable) and it makes it a killer thing to own(even though I didn't think that at the time of TV acquisition...).
Been doing some good runs, several quite long ones and am feeling really good about it.
The noteworthy thing about today was meeting an old acquaintance on the train platform today and talking all the way home, filling in a year's worth of gaps, I guess. Random. But, nice. Especially interesting is finding conversation about somethings we vaguely had in common although because we don't know each other well enough was fairly pleasing. Talking to strangers is waay better than talking to normal people. How is that? I guess it the kick of unfamiliarity and newness of it all.
Just made a Stir Fry and im piling into it now and have subsequently found its my tummy that's making funny noises.
Watched a documentary done by Louis Theroux and I have to admire his way. Because it is a way. An almost brutal, selfless, exposing yet innocently honest way. Last night I had a late night. Silly really - watching YouTube - that can be a bad exercise in dithering and general procrastination before going to bed, I can tell you.
I'm having a fairly regular bowl of Cherios in the morning because I sit down in my kitchen in the morning and well, today was the first day at work with a morning pre-work routine being in my new place. Bit strange. Superbly awesome I have a shower through.
I was just thinking that apart from the physical exercise you get from going out running on the Street, it also let's you clear your mind and prepare it for some interesting thoughts and reflections that perhaps I'd not have otherwise : I went for a long run 2 days ago and the whole run was just playing with thoughts and ideas and stuff and felt that after the run, it was an exploration well worth having had. It's good thing, I think.
So that's pretty much about it from me.
I posted a job online via an auction site for the transport of my TV and got it for £30 which was great - the dude arrived and we just put it in the truck and we were off. It was only 2 minutes. That TV is the least flexible/easily-movable thing I have in my possession but put that together with xBox and sky box(all much more manageable) and it makes it a killer thing to own(even though I didn't think that at the time of TV acquisition...).
Been doing some good runs, several quite long ones and am feeling really good about it.
The noteworthy thing about today was meeting an old acquaintance on the train platform today and talking all the way home, filling in a year's worth of gaps, I guess. Random. But, nice. Especially interesting is finding conversation about somethings we vaguely had in common although because we don't know each other well enough was fairly pleasing. Talking to strangers is waay better than talking to normal people. How is that? I guess it the kick of unfamiliarity and newness of it all.
Just made a Stir Fry and im piling into it now and have subsequently found its my tummy that's making funny noises.
Watched a documentary done by Louis Theroux and I have to admire his way. Because it is a way. An almost brutal, selfless, exposing yet innocently honest way. Last night I had a late night. Silly really - watching YouTube - that can be a bad exercise in dithering and general procrastination before going to bed, I can tell you.
I'm having a fairly regular bowl of Cherios in the morning because I sit down in my kitchen in the morning and well, today was the first day at work with a morning pre-work routine being in my new place. Bit strange. Superbly awesome I have a shower through.
I was just thinking that apart from the physical exercise you get from going out running on the Street, it also let's you clear your mind and prepare it for some interesting thoughts and reflections that perhaps I'd not have otherwise : I went for a long run 2 days ago and the whole run was just playing with thoughts and ideas and stuff and felt that after the run, it was an exploration well worth having had. It's good thing, I think.
So that's pretty much about it from me.
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- Category: Blog
- By Stuart Mathews
- Hits: 2310
I find myself in familiar territory of late. I'm back in my weekend breakfast restaurant. I guess, as a bachelor, you get that a lot. The regulars.
I've just woken up, put on my British flag t-shirt, the one I got from my cousin the last time she visited me. Speaking of which, I'm delighted to have her visiting again. It's small little things like seeing people that mean many things to you throughout many times of your life that I treasure the most. I suppose that's why when someone passes, that's the things you remember and miss the most. I remember my dear aunt, that way I suppose.
Well, after getting up an having a shower, which is worthwhile noting as showering for me, right now is awesome. I've been somewhat of a bath boy of late, as that was part of my limited but nice previous setup. I'm half way through the process of moving, almost like one leg out of the bed - which accounts for me now sleeping in my new apartment but still having certain duties that still new carrying out in my old apartment. Things like clearing out what's still to be moved, having it professionally cleaned and fixing an unfortunate mishap to a kitchen window which I might add was due to natural causes, for I'm certainly not a party animal or destructive in nature at all. It's still a little bit new waking up in a new apartment. I sometimes wake and its unfamiliar, other times I walk onto the kitchen and feel surrounded by an audience of cupboards, with the washer/tumble dryer taking centre stage and the oven looking on from the rear left-side. I now have great fun sliding on my socks across the passage on the wooden floors, that I particularly like. I haven't quite fully moved as I still have a few unaccounted possessions but last night I put a plastic container of blueberries along with a small bottle of drinking yoghurt in the fridge and munched on a packet of bacon rashers which made me feel rather more at home than most recently.
Anyhow, I'm still stirring having my breakfast this morning, wearing my British union jack t-shirt in commemoration of the Queens Diamond Jubilee, which is rather momentous. Even myself, not being a native Britain, I'm still drawn in my the British spirit. It's wonderfully British weather though, rather dull, grey and an always determined sensation of rain always teasing every few moments. It's rather wondrous really, I do love the rain, the dull grey and the cosiness of it all. I'm superbly nestled in, having my breakfast here. Its ever so glorious. I'm rather happy today. And why not?
For the last 3 days, I've been rather casually moving items to my new apartment - I have a superb travel backpack, probably in the order of 45L or so - really magnificent and very practical and effective - which has seen many of my possessions travel through it in these past days. I've been working real hard, even though it's a short walk from my old apartment to my new one. I think of which, has resulted in my falling ill for the last couple of days. I really shouldn't have done any moving as I scheduled, and took time off, to do so in about a week from the point I started naughtily moving things.
It's quite pleasing that even though everything in my life seems to have moved physically, my website still is there and hasn't changed. Tremendously psychological, I guess. Is that strange, maybe.
Now I guess, it's back to the regulars...Oh what marvellous bliss the journey of self discovery is. Solitude is bliss!
I've just woken up, put on my British flag t-shirt, the one I got from my cousin the last time she visited me. Speaking of which, I'm delighted to have her visiting again. It's small little things like seeing people that mean many things to you throughout many times of your life that I treasure the most. I suppose that's why when someone passes, that's the things you remember and miss the most. I remember my dear aunt, that way I suppose.
Well, after getting up an having a shower, which is worthwhile noting as showering for me, right now is awesome. I've been somewhat of a bath boy of late, as that was part of my limited but nice previous setup. I'm half way through the process of moving, almost like one leg out of the bed - which accounts for me now sleeping in my new apartment but still having certain duties that still new carrying out in my old apartment. Things like clearing out what's still to be moved, having it professionally cleaned and fixing an unfortunate mishap to a kitchen window which I might add was due to natural causes, for I'm certainly not a party animal or destructive in nature at all. It's still a little bit new waking up in a new apartment. I sometimes wake and its unfamiliar, other times I walk onto the kitchen and feel surrounded by an audience of cupboards, with the washer/tumble dryer taking centre stage and the oven looking on from the rear left-side. I now have great fun sliding on my socks across the passage on the wooden floors, that I particularly like. I haven't quite fully moved as I still have a few unaccounted possessions but last night I put a plastic container of blueberries along with a small bottle of drinking yoghurt in the fridge and munched on a packet of bacon rashers which made me feel rather more at home than most recently.
Anyhow, I'm still stirring having my breakfast this morning, wearing my British union jack t-shirt in commemoration of the Queens Diamond Jubilee, which is rather momentous. Even myself, not being a native Britain, I'm still drawn in my the British spirit. It's wonderfully British weather though, rather dull, grey and an always determined sensation of rain always teasing every few moments. It's rather wondrous really, I do love the rain, the dull grey and the cosiness of it all. I'm superbly nestled in, having my breakfast here. Its ever so glorious. I'm rather happy today. And why not?
For the last 3 days, I've been rather casually moving items to my new apartment - I have a superb travel backpack, probably in the order of 45L or so - really magnificent and very practical and effective - which has seen many of my possessions travel through it in these past days. I've been working real hard, even though it's a short walk from my old apartment to my new one. I think of which, has resulted in my falling ill for the last couple of days. I really shouldn't have done any moving as I scheduled, and took time off, to do so in about a week from the point I started naughtily moving things.
It's quite pleasing that even though everything in my life seems to have moved physically, my website still is there and hasn't changed. Tremendously psychological, I guess. Is that strange, maybe.
Now I guess, it's back to the regulars...Oh what marvellous bliss the journey of self discovery is. Solitude is bliss!
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- Category: Blog
- By Stuart Mathews
- Hits: 2646
I had a pretty happening day today. The sun was extra special today, it was hot. It was really hot and the sunshine shone with a brightness I only really recall from back home.
I had a list of stuff that I keyed into my iPhone calendar yesterday. First I went to the Bank and registered a change of address. Tried to do the DVLA too but they were closed. I strolled around like there was eternal music in my mind, nothing really phased me, not time, not performance, not the traffic or the people, nothing. I was walking on a cloud the whole day, so comfortable.
So then I decided to do something about the gash in the wall at home that I put there by banging the ironing board, i think, against it. Anyway, I figured that when I moved out, the Landlord would not appreciate that. I headed to the hardware store and bought some wall filler and a filling scraper tool. I dithered a bit around the tools section contemplating if I wanted or needed and toolbox bag since I'm amassing a collection of tools now. Lets see. I've got the electronic drill, screwdriver, measuring tape, level and rogue screw driver and well now wall sealant and some scrapers. Thats not mentioning the odds and bits that I'll collectively call 'screws and nails'. Actually when I thought about it, even though the toolbox/rucksack thing that I was eyeing out was cool, i thought that I didn't have enough tools to warrant a cary case. These are the kinda stuff you can pack into any backpack.
On the way back I was getting real hot and walked passed the cinema and saw that Men In Black 3 was playing and I pretty much made the conscious decision yesterday that this weekend that I was going to watch it, so I did - still had my wall filler and scrapers in the hardware stores plastic bag with me. It was a good movie, bought some popcorn and a 7up sugar free and watched the whole movie.
After that I went home and did the DIY that I had planned to to 3 hours earlier. I did a great job, doesn't even look like there was a gash there. After that, well I knew that the stuff had to dry for like 3 hours, so I figured that while the sun was out, I should take the opportunity to divert my attention to something more serene and calming - I decided that I'd go to the park and read my book. So I did, pretty much walked all the way there - it was such a great day, so I didn't mind. Found a packed Wimbledon common so I walked further up into the wooded area that is a bit more isolated but in my opinion nicer and it was quieter and I didn't have to share my tree with anyone but the sunshine, and the grass that ticked my legs while I lay there. I bough a litre bottled water, a sandwich, a cool drink and a yogurt along with my book. I continued reading Dostoyevsky's the Idiot again. I didn't feel like i made much progress because its getting rather boring but I'm adamant to finish it. At times I'd just put my book down on my chest and look up into the bright green leaves starting don at me as my head rested at the foot of the tree that was looking after me. After a while, I started feeling a bit cold and that signalled a good time to start moving, else I might have slept there under that tree in the common, and might have been woken up by a savage squirrel or worse.
I walked back, and as I strolled towards my place, I popped into the gaming store and bought a new xbox game which I intended to plug in as soon as I got home. When I did get home, i did just that, only I wasn't mesmerised by it like I thought I might be, so after while I turned that off and pretty much wondered what else I could do in this glorious day… i figured that I should do myself a favour and run to gym and do a chest workout…
After the 2.4km run to the gym, I gymed it a bit and headed home again, which perhaps was for the 3rd or 4th time today, not before grabbing a protein shake though for the journey back. That was pretty busy, but it was my busy no one else's and that was great, calm and therapeutic.
When I got to the train platform, I got on the train, it was 22:00 now and the weekenders were on the train, you know, that raucous bunch from school hanging with their mates shouting and laughing. I was like, 'oh god' I hate people that think the are cool because the tend to prove it either my saying silly things, making others laugh or making others feel that they have more right to be on the train than everyone else that isn't part of their crowd, A lady and i stood opposite each other - I didn't sit, there was not space to sit. I was in my gym kit, and I kinda felt out of place as everyone else was fashionable - well sorta - they were dressed for the evening. I was dressed for the rowing machine or a soccer match or something outdoors. I tried to not make eye contact with anyone, not really i make eye contact but momentarily just to register my general curiosity and identity, i guess, with everyone but nothing more than that(especially with this crowd). The train signalled that it was approaching my stop and I turned around and faced the door that was now opposite me and adjacent to the lady who was now next to me, who also made the shift to aim herself at the door in a way indicating as i did, that this was her next stop. We did this almost exactly at the same time - we ended up next to each other, side by side, both of us realising the synchronisation of our little moment. She wasn't particularly good looking, but was dressed up for the evening. We stood both looking at the door momentarily, then I looked up at her and i shouldn't have because then she looked at me and when i realised this I looked away to which she moved in towards me and then out of nowhere said something to me. I was sorta struck unaware and i just smiled and nodded - I didn't hear a word she said because I had my music ear phones in but she spoke again. This time I removed my ear phones and leaned towards her and she said, 'I used to teach these kids'. She said something else but I can't recall exactly but I remember she said 'plants and biology'. It was clear that she was dressed for a night on the town. She was young looking, probably my age or not…She wasn't younger than me. She was alone, I don't know perhaps she was meeting up with friends or something but we couldn't have been more unalike in dress. I nodded and then I said, 'you planing to have a good evening?' I didn't know what else to say. She kinda agreed with me but then mentioned that she thought it would be tough because she thought she looked like a prostitute to which I became suitably embarrassed when she said this, all I could do was smile and say, 'not at all, you look great'. Then she mentioned that she had an interview on Monday which was again, like the comment about how she thought she looked, seemed a little weird - so much information, so up front, so willing. I said, 'don't worry you'll be fine' and then the doors opened and she continued to say something as we walked out, I nodded and while she was talking I waited for a gap in her sentence and said, 'well have a good evening' and then followed by a 'see ya' and that pretty much we it for me - I guess I evaded. I was avoiding her. Then I thought as I was walking back maybe 5-10 minutes afterwards that, that situation where she was around all past students on the train might have been uncomfortable for her and she was alone so perhaps she felt intimidated by that or even embarrassed. I thought perhaps If my mind was thinking 4 or 5 frames quicker, I might have said to her, because she would have said yes, that she should just come with me, I could have put my arm out for her would have escorted her to the nearest restaurant. Because I can do that, I'm a confident man. That would have been nice for her. I felt kinda bad that I missed that opportunity to make someone feel better about themselves. And she would have seemed that she'd use been picked up by a guy and that would have kicked everyone in the face, who perhaps was aware of her solitude, being her past students…But hey sue me, perhaps I'm just a hopeless romantic... that didn't happen but I was polite, I know that, I was in my gym stuff and really I not wanting anything like that anyway. Maybe if i was in the mood for a relationship or more friendly I might have been more susceptible to the idea but I am not and it wasn't. Oh well, my potentially admirable and helpfulness went unused and I'm really bummed about it. Now that I think about it, i might had just been plain weird anyway…
That was all yesterday, today is Sunday and all I did was sleep. When I did wake up, I figured that I thought too much about the train episode. Well, I did decide to have a look at the old looking church that I always see from the view of my apartment but have never been to. It was brilliant and only 400m away from where I live. I also decide to check up on my new apartment and went to visit the empty new apartment. I also made a video of it and stuck it up on YouTube.
Ordered some Italian, played some Xbox and that slowly consumed my Sunday...Not bad. Not bad
I had a list of stuff that I keyed into my iPhone calendar yesterday. First I went to the Bank and registered a change of address. Tried to do the DVLA too but they were closed. I strolled around like there was eternal music in my mind, nothing really phased me, not time, not performance, not the traffic or the people, nothing. I was walking on a cloud the whole day, so comfortable.
So then I decided to do something about the gash in the wall at home that I put there by banging the ironing board, i think, against it. Anyway, I figured that when I moved out, the Landlord would not appreciate that. I headed to the hardware store and bought some wall filler and a filling scraper tool. I dithered a bit around the tools section contemplating if I wanted or needed and toolbox bag since I'm amassing a collection of tools now. Lets see. I've got the electronic drill, screwdriver, measuring tape, level and rogue screw driver and well now wall sealant and some scrapers. Thats not mentioning the odds and bits that I'll collectively call 'screws and nails'. Actually when I thought about it, even though the toolbox/rucksack thing that I was eyeing out was cool, i thought that I didn't have enough tools to warrant a cary case. These are the kinda stuff you can pack into any backpack.
On the way back I was getting real hot and walked passed the cinema and saw that Men In Black 3 was playing and I pretty much made the conscious decision yesterday that this weekend that I was going to watch it, so I did - still had my wall filler and scrapers in the hardware stores plastic bag with me. It was a good movie, bought some popcorn and a 7up sugar free and watched the whole movie.
After that I went home and did the DIY that I had planned to to 3 hours earlier. I did a great job, doesn't even look like there was a gash there. After that, well I knew that the stuff had to dry for like 3 hours, so I figured that while the sun was out, I should take the opportunity to divert my attention to something more serene and calming - I decided that I'd go to the park and read my book. So I did, pretty much walked all the way there - it was such a great day, so I didn't mind. Found a packed Wimbledon common so I walked further up into the wooded area that is a bit more isolated but in my opinion nicer and it was quieter and I didn't have to share my tree with anyone but the sunshine, and the grass that ticked my legs while I lay there. I bough a litre bottled water, a sandwich, a cool drink and a yogurt along with my book. I continued reading Dostoyevsky's the Idiot again. I didn't feel like i made much progress because its getting rather boring but I'm adamant to finish it. At times I'd just put my book down on my chest and look up into the bright green leaves starting don at me as my head rested at the foot of the tree that was looking after me. After a while, I started feeling a bit cold and that signalled a good time to start moving, else I might have slept there under that tree in the common, and might have been woken up by a savage squirrel or worse.
I walked back, and as I strolled towards my place, I popped into the gaming store and bought a new xbox game which I intended to plug in as soon as I got home. When I did get home, i did just that, only I wasn't mesmerised by it like I thought I might be, so after while I turned that off and pretty much wondered what else I could do in this glorious day… i figured that I should do myself a favour and run to gym and do a chest workout…
After the 2.4km run to the gym, I gymed it a bit and headed home again, which perhaps was for the 3rd or 4th time today, not before grabbing a protein shake though for the journey back. That was pretty busy, but it was my busy no one else's and that was great, calm and therapeutic.
When I got to the train platform, I got on the train, it was 22:00 now and the weekenders were on the train, you know, that raucous bunch from school hanging with their mates shouting and laughing. I was like, 'oh god' I hate people that think the are cool because the tend to prove it either my saying silly things, making others laugh or making others feel that they have more right to be on the train than everyone else that isn't part of their crowd, A lady and i stood opposite each other - I didn't sit, there was not space to sit. I was in my gym kit, and I kinda felt out of place as everyone else was fashionable - well sorta - they were dressed for the evening. I was dressed for the rowing machine or a soccer match or something outdoors. I tried to not make eye contact with anyone, not really i make eye contact but momentarily just to register my general curiosity and identity, i guess, with everyone but nothing more than that(especially with this crowd). The train signalled that it was approaching my stop and I turned around and faced the door that was now opposite me and adjacent to the lady who was now next to me, who also made the shift to aim herself at the door in a way indicating as i did, that this was her next stop. We did this almost exactly at the same time - we ended up next to each other, side by side, both of us realising the synchronisation of our little moment. She wasn't particularly good looking, but was dressed up for the evening. We stood both looking at the door momentarily, then I looked up at her and i shouldn't have because then she looked at me and when i realised this I looked away to which she moved in towards me and then out of nowhere said something to me. I was sorta struck unaware and i just smiled and nodded - I didn't hear a word she said because I had my music ear phones in but she spoke again. This time I removed my ear phones and leaned towards her and she said, 'I used to teach these kids'. She said something else but I can't recall exactly but I remember she said 'plants and biology'. It was clear that she was dressed for a night on the town. She was young looking, probably my age or not…She wasn't younger than me. She was alone, I don't know perhaps she was meeting up with friends or something but we couldn't have been more unalike in dress. I nodded and then I said, 'you planing to have a good evening?' I didn't know what else to say. She kinda agreed with me but then mentioned that she thought it would be tough because she thought she looked like a prostitute to which I became suitably embarrassed when she said this, all I could do was smile and say, 'not at all, you look great'. Then she mentioned that she had an interview on Monday which was again, like the comment about how she thought she looked, seemed a little weird - so much information, so up front, so willing. I said, 'don't worry you'll be fine' and then the doors opened and she continued to say something as we walked out, I nodded and while she was talking I waited for a gap in her sentence and said, 'well have a good evening' and then followed by a 'see ya' and that pretty much we it for me - I guess I evaded. I was avoiding her. Then I thought as I was walking back maybe 5-10 minutes afterwards that, that situation where she was around all past students on the train might have been uncomfortable for her and she was alone so perhaps she felt intimidated by that or even embarrassed. I thought perhaps If my mind was thinking 4 or 5 frames quicker, I might have said to her, because she would have said yes, that she should just come with me, I could have put my arm out for her would have escorted her to the nearest restaurant. Because I can do that, I'm a confident man. That would have been nice for her. I felt kinda bad that I missed that opportunity to make someone feel better about themselves. And she would have seemed that she'd use been picked up by a guy and that would have kicked everyone in the face, who perhaps was aware of her solitude, being her past students…But hey sue me, perhaps I'm just a hopeless romantic... that didn't happen but I was polite, I know that, I was in my gym stuff and really I not wanting anything like that anyway. Maybe if i was in the mood for a relationship or more friendly I might have been more susceptible to the idea but I am not and it wasn't. Oh well, my potentially admirable and helpfulness went unused and I'm really bummed about it. Now that I think about it, i might had just been plain weird anyway…
That was all yesterday, today is Sunday and all I did was sleep. When I did wake up, I figured that I thought too much about the train episode. Well, I did decide to have a look at the old looking church that I always see from the view of my apartment but have never been to. It was brilliant and only 400m away from where I live. I also decide to check up on my new apartment and went to visit the empty new apartment. I also made a video of it and stuck it up on YouTube.
Ordered some Italian, played some Xbox and that slowly consumed my Sunday...Not bad. Not bad
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