Friday tomorrow.

Which means it'll be back to work for me and I'm really not looking forward to it at all. I was also phoned by my Russian companion and asked if I could do Sunday.

I agreed.

Namely because there is no one else for it and I only have to do a couple of hours. Not too bad at all.
The only thing that bugs me is that she tried to explain all i had to do for Sunday over the phone. Which I forgot was paying to receive the call for. I'd swapped networks and didn't realise it. So we were cut off mid conversation and I haven't recharged my phone yet.

Hopefully it'll be reasonably simple and the two hours flies by. I don't want to work, but I want to show a good face back at work. I'm filling the gaps they need filled.
Always the good face is shown.

Anyway, I'll be right back in the swing of it soon enough. No trouble.

So in the time folowing my return to work I'll be busy finding those things to keep me happy. Like upcoming movies (Transformers, coming out really soon...) Seeing friends and playing games on the xbox.

So, those are the things to keep me going. While I become strict with myself and start saving money properly. I want, each time payday rolls round to put 500 away in my isa. With the rest of the cash, I would mean only to spend a minimum of 100 a month. On food and stuff. I can allow myself a maximum of 200 if need be. For example a friend comes to stay or something.

I need to save, otherwise in two years, I'll stilll be maintaining the status quo and not acieving much else. A shame I would feel.

I'm nearly thirty. Nearly half way to sixty. I must start getting a good financial bit of security behind me. It bothers me greatly that I don't have it now.

Anyhow, matter not. All needed will be.

I'll chat later, probably back in London town. Back to work I go...

Meh.

Ireland.

I'm still here and as the weather has gotten worse the last day, it's probably about time I wrote a post. Even if brief.

What have I done with myself?

Firstly, enjoyed the craic. As you do when in Ireland.
I've been for a good ol' ball and chalk round town. Also enjoyed a nice one out of town toward some wind farms. The countryside in Ireland cannot be beat. It also has some of the cleanest air of anywhere I've been. Love it.

Had a round of golf thew first day here and got a little sunburned. It was really that hot, quite unusual for this part of the world.

I've also been indulging in eating plenty of food. Yum yum yum... It's my holiday and I'm allowed.

This particular town has also finally gotten it's own Indian restaurant. To which I've heard some of the locals say various things.

"I've never eaten Indian food before."

"I don't think I'll have any, it's too spicy."

"It'll be better than the Chinese."

To me though, as a London lemon squeezer, it's old hat. I love a good Indian. I love a good anything. We are fortunate to have it all. Well, a great deal of what the world has to offer.

Yesterday I went out with me mates bird. No, not that "out" just enjoying the craic, which meant sitting at the pub drinking. I was reasonably sozzled after 5 pints. Thought I might lose my dinner because of it, but I didn't. I've not been out drinking like that for ages.
One of the things that is immediately apparent to me as an outsider to these parts is how many people know each other here. I walk out the door with me mate and you'll stop at least a half dozen times to talk to people you know. That never happens in London. Never. You just stare at your feet and if someone does talk to you, they either want money or their a bit mad. But that's London.

One of the other interesting things is how quickly you discover the dislike of the English round these parts. In almost every other thing they say, it's a dig at the English.

"Can you spare us a fiver for a drink?" Some one will ask.

Replying, half jokingly a gentleman from the south said "I don't have any of the Queens money, I use euros".

It's interesting. Although something I'm used too, I lived and worked with a large man from Cork for two years. "English pricks" he'd say with utmost affection.
I miss the old boy I do.

Although, I often feel that the Irish like a bit of a scrap and they say these things, half because they really don't like the English and half because they want to have a bit of ruff an tumble. You've just got to chuck it back in a good sport kinda way. But those are merely my observations.

I would love to travel Ireland and see if there's a place here that I would feel comfortable moving too. It really is a lovely place and I do love the people. Genuinely friendly and welcoming, even to those they can't stand. Which says buckets I think.

It's a grand place, sure. Great craic.

I might even be out drinking again tomorrow with my mates bird. Although that would depend on her now. But she's Irish so likes a drink. So do I, my time in China saw to that indeed.

Anyway, ciao a tutti.

Leaving for Ireland.

I'll be gone in about 15 minutes.

My mate as trying to get his internet connection sorted out the other day. I don't know if he's succeded yet. So I might not be blogging or anything for a week. However, I'll try and get some pictures of Eire whilst I'm there.

Erm... what else?

Not much really. I've got packing down to an artform now. I'm done in about 20 minutes. It's only a week anyway.

One I inted to enjoy. Work will be far far away and all the other hassles of life. Touch wood.

Right. Probably be back here on Friday the 15th.

Ciao regazzi. civediamo.

The five year old in me.

Is very excited today. I caught some new clips from the Transformers movie, out in less than 30 days, I'm buzzing.



I like the way I can still get excited about simple things. It very much reminds me I'm alive and well. I never want to get old. Much like the mate I'm going to see in Ireland tomorrow. Yay! Holiday...

I just read my horoscope from Jonathan Cainer. It seems to reflect this well.

We all struggle to be sensible. We all strive to be safe. Yet we all aspire to be inspiring. How are we supposed to find reason in a clearly crazy world full of glaring inconsistencies. Or experience security on a planet that we have arrived on suddenly, without explanation. And from which, in theory at least, we could suddenly depart at any moment. If we are not here to enjoy the colour, the atmosphere and the silliness of it all, What have we come for? Worry less. Enjoy yourself more today.

Yeah.

Realistically, there's not much for me to enjoy. But, there are still things I can enjoy. By George I will. Dunno who George is, or why 'by him', but there you go.

I feel like someone without a specific sense expecting it to apparate on him. Suddenly wake up and see. Even though the realities might be a little different.

But I still have my faith.
Everything is change, I'm sure the human race is due for a sluffing of the old skin soon.

Anyway, my plan for today.

Get my bag ready for tomorrow, I'll finish work come home and change and head off to the airport. My flight leaves at about 8pm. I'm really looking forward to seeing my friend again and getting to play xbox.

Thankfully, with xbox live and the current trends showing themselves it looks soon that we'll be able to participate in online story mode, rather than just team battles, together either though we're not in the same room.

We might get to play Halo3 the way we played Halo2 together when he lived up the road from me. Those were good days. I'm looking forward to having some more of those soon...

The five year old in me is buzzing deep within. Glee...

Simple pleasures...

Transformers spoof.

I adore these. If you loved transformers and enjoy spoofs or stuff like robot chicken.
Go to DrSmoov's profile and have a look. There's about 5 in all. Dead funny.

Watch them, you wont regret it. Genuine laugh out loud stuff.

Sunday...

Didn't get up to much today, had my walk. A long walk. It was nice.
I decided to pop into hmv and buy a dvd.

I had a long look and found Ice Age 2, picked it up, queued, was nearly my turn to be served. I reached into my bag for my wallet and found...

No wallet.

Ah.

It then hit me I'd left it in my jacket which was hung on the back of a chair in the house.
So I had to walk back past everyone behind me, replace the dvd and leave. Feeling silly.

I've never in my life forgotten my wallet before. Never.

It was a first. I hate going home and then having to go out again, especially for forgotten things.

Step by step.

Where have you walked to today? Did you walk to the car? Did you walk down the road and see a friend.
Where will you be walking to? A day from now, a year and on.
Where did you walk when you were little? To the beach? To the front room? To a friends house?

It occurred to me yesterday, something quite simple. You've probably realised it yourself at some point in your life.

But I am literally walking to my last day on this planet. My last day of life. My life is all the footsteps, either side of the sit downs, I will ever make. We all walk to our very definite future.
Every single step I take, is like one little piece of sand falling into the bottom of the hour glass. Each and every step.

We walk to destinations. We will walk to the finite place of our being.

It's interesting. It's inescapable. My feet are carrying me to the end of my life. I'd never really thought of it as being a destination. I don't even know how I will get there. But I will get there.

I've left a trail of footprints behind me, some I can see still, others are long gone from view and forgotten. With an invisible unforeseeable track ahead of me.

I cannot stop it either. I will walk, regardless if I'm going to fall, regardless of where I'm going. I will walk. It's the inevitable focus of our being. We will all go somewhere.

Even if it's to and from the same place like clockwork. I walk to work and back from work everyday. Each step is one less to the end of me. When I get up from my desk I will continue my march, to my very last step.

I am connected to the beginning and end. A passage, a hallway, with pictures of things and happenings. Such is life.

I suppose it's plainly obvious really. Each thing we do, is one step closer to whatever.

Whatever. I don't know where my feet are going to take me. But, I know where I stand now and perhaps, I should take a moment and sit down. The inevitable of my life will happen. So perhaps I should really make the most of now. This moment and not worry about what place I will go. I am going somewhere, that will be formed of the steps I take now. Maybe I should choose them now, rather than throw my thoughts far to the future, far into the unseeable. I cannot know my last step. I can only choose the ones I'm going to make now.

Step by step. Piece by piece. Letter by, yeah you know. Meh... idiosyncrasies of being me.

I've got a day off tomorrow. I need to take care of my back, it's in a bit of a bad way. So I'll go for a long walk tomorrow. I'll also, soon, be getting back to swimming. Yay... Probably after my holiday.

4 days before I jet off. Can't wait...