Joke Request
I was a bit low at work yesterday because it was quiet and the usual Monday blues.
I sent out a joke request by email to a few folk and spent the next wee while laughing.
So if you’re feeling down, ask a friend for a smile. You’d be amazed what they have on their computer files.
Murder Mystery and Bad Accents
I haven’t stopped all weekend so am only getting a chance to write this now.
Smile, I nearly wet myself on Saturday night! We were at a Murder Mystery party and spent the evening in character acting out a script from a not strictly PC game.
Our friends all stayed in character too so the evening was a scream.
Wigs, make up, hats, false teeth, shorts, a dog collar, bible and feather duster were all present. It was after eleven before we finished and actually spoke to each other. I can’t remember laughing so much in ages. I even sang and I don’t sing.
On Sunday I went out on my bike for the first time in over two months, my eye was a little sore but within minutes of leaving the garden I felt great. Cycling is freedom to me.
So-
forget yourself, pretend to be someone else for a few hours and you won’t believe how much fun you can have.
And find your freedom.
I’ve ate too much home made bread…
I made bread for lunch today and have to confess to a little binge, I’ve just ate five slices with jam and butter…
I don’t feel so bad as I never over eat and it was delicious.
Overeating never makes us feel good but it is something we can’t stop ourselves doing. I have no idea why and I’m not clever enough to theory on it but do we act the same with other stuff?
Probably,
speeding
drinking
smoking
watching TV
or should I just write the seven deadly sins?
The old argument that if it’s bad for you you’ll enjoy it works here for sure.
I have done something enjoyable that is good for you today though. I went for a facial massage to help my recovery from Bell’s Palsy.
My beautician is called Sharon and she is lovely, patient, friendly but full of common sense, not what you might expect. She does a massage on my face that sets all the nerves tingling and really makes everything feel alive. If you feel stressed or down get yourself a massage. Go for a head a massage if you can’t do someone touching your body but I would recommend that too.
After the bike and hike last year (over 52 miles without petrol) you got a free full body massage, I got a bloke, a big burley bloke and it was brilliant. From my feet to my head he rubbed away the strain until I felt calm and relaxed.
So get yourself a rub down to feel good!
Walk to Work
This morning as I walked to work in the snow and ice I remembered that I was supposed to be looking for something to smile about, so I started looking.
There was an old guy on the park behind Holyrood training his three well behaved dogs. With the slightest hand movement they sat, the stayed and they waited. When he was done he signalled for them to wait and headed off to the car.
Here’s where I smiled. They all remained on the ground for a moment but as he got further away they all started to creep after him, one at a time but each trying to stay behind the others in case he turned around. In the end their desire to be with him got too much and they dashed after him crowding his feet, and for a second looking like normal mutts rather than the trained robots he had moments before.
On Holyrood Road a little boy was walking to school backwards and I had to jump out his way because he never saw me, oh to just decide to walk somewhere backwards.
I saw a mum and son I notice most days, she is walking slightly ahead with mad hair controlled by a brilliant hat while he follows on, this morning eating toast and jam.
There were three French men walking along the street each pulling a trolley bag and arguing about directions. It was just funny.
The Cowgate isn’t the cleanest street and it would be easy to focus on the dirt, but this morning I was looking beyond that so I noticed the people I passed and the buildings I usually ignore. Bannerman’s has plaques on the outside that I haven’t noticed before because I’m always looking at the cow’s behind.
This was just the walk to work.
Learn Something
I started Italian lessons last week, it was hard so tonight I was dreading going. I’ve been listening to linguaphone all week -every time I went out but I wasn’t sure anything went in.
Some of it must have because tonight was better, not easy but better. I feel really satisfied that the work I’ve done has paid off. If I keep this up I’ll be able to speak to my family properly for the first time when I visit this summer.
So for a feeling of contentment and satisfaction learn to do something new. It doesn’t have to be much, just a new skill or even just a new fact, but something that wasn’t in you before.
Don’t expect this to be written in Italian though, I just want to speak it!
Sleep and Cartoons
I love my bed and I love sleeping but not when I have no choice. I woke up this morning and just couldn’t get up, I was so tired, I think it must be a remnant of Bell’s Palsy as I went to bed at ten last night and fell asleep right away.
I slept on till nearly eleven, then got up to face the day. Now I find this a waste of time but as a student I hardly made mornings during the summer. When I started working I maintained the relationship with my duvet and liked a long lie every weekend at least once if not twice.
But being unable to get up is horrible, I saved the day though.
Made risotto with left over chicken and watched cartoons for an hour…well it was too cold to go out and how can you resist the Road Runner! And I want to get rid of whatever little bug is lingering around my system.
Not now, there’s too much life to be living I usually get up and out
Cup Cakes, Haggis and Curry
As a parent you get used to being home a lot but for the first time in years I’ve been out the past three nights having fun…
Adam’s 24th birthday, feeling a bit old but welcome we attended the tea party for our ‘Young Adam’. His wife had made the most amazing food, home made sausage rolls, sandwiches cut into perfect triangles, skips, millionaires shortcake and loads of cup cakes. Add jugs of vodka mix some bubbly and a great night is the result.
Burns Supper at the Whisky Society in Leith was just pure dead brilliant, Jock the poet was superb and I never realised Burns was so dirty. We sat listening to poetry porn with not the slightest flinch -it was in Scots so was more than acceptable. I’d recommend reading some if you want a free thrill.
Curry at Kushis, bring your own booze, select company and a good night is set. The food is so brilliant there and the waiters are friendly but don’t force the nan on you.
I’m very tired out of practice at nights out and about to watch District Nine with the family, the end to a perfect weekend.
I have also been to the hospital about my resident lump, it is being removed, again can’t fault the good old NHS. St John’s hospital was very clean, all the staff friendly, no waiting for my appointment and the operation explained. The only downer was the fact that I need a general and not a local but hey ho.
Being Happy Everyday Is Not Easy
How are you meant to be happy every day? When I set the goal to see something or feel something good every day I hoped it would help me more positive and up beat. It’s worked to an extent but it’s hard when you have real life to deal with.
A normal day in the office is filled with routine and jobs that demand attention when you don’t really want to be attentive. Today I am struggling due to my eye, I have to take lots of breaks away from the screen and I can’t get into anything so I’m restless.
As I am more aware of my feelings I recognise that being bored and restless can make you down or miserable. Every time I am away from the screen I throw something out, my bin is now full. I’ve had two cups of tea this morning and half a scone. Boredom has a lot to answer for, they say it makes you eat, it makes you down so it could make you drink, I suppose.
Looking around for something to be happy about is not helping. There’s nothing catching my eye, on the other hand I’m listening to Teenage Fan Club and other old tunes that evoke memories.
But actually -I got an email from someone I haven’t heard from in a while and a funny text, now The Jesus and Mary Chain have come on and I’m feeling better, it’s nearly lunch and I still have half a scone to eat….
Shop Shop Shop Stop
I used to love shopping in the sales, now I couldn’t care less if I shopped or not. I don’t need a bargain to feel good and I probably don’t need another pair of shoes.
We did go shopping yesterday though for presents that we know we need to buy soon so we thought we’d get them now. I spoke to a lady in the coffee shop, she had a little girl and we had a chat about villas in Italy, a pleasant way to spend time waiting.
We bought loads of stuff and then the girl messed up the transaction. I had to go back twice to get it fixed.
That is annoying but it made me walk up past Edinburgh castle to get back to the office and I wouldn’t normally pass that way. On the way up Johnston Terrace I remembered a date I went on way back in 1986. We walked up Johnston Terrace and sat on a bench for a while, I remember thinking at the time it was the most romantic ‘necking’ session ever!
The bench is gone now, but I still think it’s a great location for romance.
Today’s other smile is helping some one, I did today and it felt g Stopreat.
The Smiths
Loads of my friends hated the Smiths but I loved them from the first time I saw the skinny guy with the flowers dance strangely on Top of the Pops. My Dad thought it was a load of old rubbish but he didn’t make me turn it off.
I’m listening to Hat full of Hollow just now and cooking dinner for friends and I realised the music was making me feel good.
It would have been my Dad’s birthday this week and even though he’s been dead for twenty-five years I still miss him and can still imagine him right here.
As a sixteen year old girl I couldn’t really cope with his death, neither the crap before as he slowly died or the event itself. After he died I was barely holding it together but as a family we coped as best we could and one way was to through out everything that reminded us of his illness. His artificial leg went in the bin and all his clothes got chucked. I kept a pair of pyjamas and a checked shirt that I still use for painting.
We also swapped rooms around and I ended up in his room. We got wallpaper with black lines and I painted the radiator red. Then I went in, closed the door and listened to the Smiths for months, occasionally coming out to eat and go to school.
People often say the music is miserable and sad, but there is so much meaning and humour in the lyrics that it got me through it. I had other albums, Echo and the Bunnymen were my favourite band and I liked Depeche Mode but the Smiths got played again and again.
Now my teenage daughter is into them.
For twenty-five years a £3.29 album has made me smile inside, good value really and never stops being worth playing loud.
