Caring at Christmas
"Alright" he said as he approached the urinal next to me in the pub toilet.
I reciprocated. I didn't know him but we'd both had a few and it was nearly christmas.
"I'm really pissed off", he said "I've organised a solstice party back at my place and they're all going up St Werburghs Hill for a memorial to their friend who killed himself."
"How did he do it?" I asked.
"I don't know" he said "And I don't care - he wasn't my friend and as far as I'm concerned when people do that its their own fault".
"Have a good one" I said as I dried my hands.

Secret Santa
We were visited by Secret Santa at work today. I find him much more beleivable that the non-Secret one. He comes every year and delivers without fail. He doesn't appear to be a fat beardy old man who likes small children sitting on his knee. I don't know what he (or she) looks like but his gifts come in a black bin liner and never cease to amaze and amuse. This year I got a "Radio Pen". Secret guessed correctly - as he always does - that I'm fond of gadgets and I particularly liked this one.















I was impressed by the tag line on the box. "An easy way to listen to the radio". I hadn't had a great deal of difficulty doing this before - but I'm looking forward to it being even easier with earphones attached to my pen as I write.















Not satisfied with bragging about its listening ease the makers of my new radio pen seem to have installed an invisibility feature on the headphones. I quote ""Without disturbing anyone else - or anybody else even knowing that you have a radio!"















What will they think of next?

Anti-blog
"Whats it all about?" he said
"What?"
"All this blog stuff...whats the point of it?"
"There was an article about it in todays paper", I said
"What paper?" he said " I bet it was the Observer.
"I'm so obvious" I said. He said he was too.
"I think I might get a blog" he said "but it'd be an anti-blog".
"It'd still be a blog" said I.

You've either got it or you haven't
Been back in work full time this week. It's been OK mostly- but I feel grumpy about it now 'cos friday was a dog. Hard not to overdo it.

Having a bit of stylistic dilemma about this blog. It started off all observational and over the course of my recent incapaciatation it has become more confessional. I think I'll stick with both.

I was least bothered when I thought that no one (apart from the two of you) was reading it. Now I have become foolishly confident and I keep telling more people I know about it. I find that I'm affected by who I perceive my audience to be - and as I see them to be varied - I don't know which me to be.

Also a lot of people who did into this don't comment - which is fine - but occasionally I wonder what they are thinking. (It's OK guys - you only have to sign up for a blog to make comments - you don't have to use it).

I think I'll leave this insecure train of thought for at least twenty seven days.

Pain in the...
I'm so unbelievably pissed off. I've done my neck in during the night. My wound was hurting so I turned over to sleep on my front with my head to the side. When I woke up I could barely move my neck - not at all without pain. I was going to try driving again today. I was going to go back to work full time tommorow. I was becoming myself again - not having to ask people for help all the time.
I hate it. It's not funny. I'm so fed up.
When will I be better?

Trainspotting
We found a table at the big Wetherspoons in Corn Street.
"You have to get a table number before you can order some food" she said
"I know the routine" I replied.
As we were looking at the two for £6.99 menu the air was cut with -
"WHO THE FUCK'S TAKEN MY CHAIR!" in a scottish accent.
The woman in her sixties at the next table to us started to move the chair back apologetically. Scotsman looked surprized and said he was sorry several times. He may have thought that the group of loud lads on the table behind us had done it.
He returned to the bar and the main talker of the group of lads said
"It was me. What the fuck are you going to do about it." at a volume loud enough to make his friends laugh but not for the scotsman to hear.
The woman came back to her table with another chair rolling he eyes at us and saying
"So rude - I would have responded but I'm too much of a lady."
I made jokes about Trainspotting and avoided the scotsmans eyes for the rest of my meal.

Public
Been back to work for a few days. Only doing mornings and not driving. Public transport has been a bit of an adventure - if thats what you call hanging around for hours doing nothing. I did feel more a part of the public though and enjoyed watching people. I would have enjoyed listening to them too - had I not chosen to listen to my own music instead.
It took me 2 hours to get home this afternoon. The first bus filled up before I reached the front of the queue. If it hadn't I wouldn't have bumped into my friends' son - which was nice. He was a bit concerned about the queue and was considering going for the train instead - which I thought made no sense - but I didn't say so. Just then a bus turned up - followed by another.
"I'd better let all these people in the queue get on first" he said.
"OK maybe see you in a minute" was my reply as I climbed aboard.
I didn't see him - so I assumed he had got on the bus behind which was more empty.

Festive
Doorbell went again tonight. I was caught off guard a bit. Thouhgt it mught be my friend who calls sometimes on his way back from the offie.
"We wish you a merry christmas, we wish you a merry christmas....."
Maybe it was the shear surprize of it, or maybe I was in a random good mood - but you're not going to believe this - but I gave them some money.
Now that I've collected myself a bit and I'm feeling better I've reslved not to answer the door again until boxing day.