And so it was when the alarm went off at 5.30am this morning, promptly followed by a “get your ass out of bed” phonecall from S (she knows me too well)…my day began. Given I was rising before even the heating had woken up, I knew it was going to take nothing short of a minor miracle to get me up, dressed and travelling northbound to the land of the Beatles and Cilla Black.
Thankfully that miracle came in the form of an iPod shuffle that treated me to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack at a million decibels. My morning started to get better when I glanced out my dressing room window to see the two old men on the window cleaning gantry opposite laughing and doing the Travolta move. ”Cheers love…” came the shout across the alleyway. Although saying that, it might have been less the music to dance to and more me prancing about in my underwear to “night fever…’ Trust me, I can wriggle my bottom disco style like no other although sadly more Marks and Spencers frilly boy shorts than gold lame hot pants!
I am now on the train heading back south again after a wonderful day with one of my biggest clients. All exhaustion gone and a faint sensation of elation settling in as I nurse my giant coffee and nibble on a few nuts – more work won for the next month and a resounding success from my all day workshop, all leading to one very big bit of good news;
I can go to the BRITS snow and music festival in Laax, Switzerland in March with zero guilt or worry about missing fee earning days. Given Action Man from Kili climb has kindly invited me to join him and a male friend in Monte Genevre (Claviere) at the end of this month – in truth I invited myself, he just said I could tag along (poor bloke) – not only will I be able to enjoy the music and the party but I should actually be able to snowboard down a slope without stabilisers by then. All good given I will be surrounded by free riders etc. Given an old flame who used to be sponsored by ONEILL is also going to be there….I need to not look like a muupet on a giant flat board.
It’s something of a shame re the BRITS as I had hoped to take the Italian Ex last year as an Easter treat but moving him to live in another country got in the way and now it’s come around again and its time to get a group together….I just need people who won’t mind me being bruised and concussed most of the time! Although….if Action Man can put training wheels on me later this month, I may be flying down them like a Bond Villainess.
Yawnnn…. goodness I am tired. So much for elation outstripping exhaustion. Six coffee’s, a diet coke, half a gingerbread biscuit and a few nuts do not a healthy diet make. That said it’s not about to be improved on, I have been fantasising about pizza for dinner, especially given the marvellous new wood fired thin pizza place just opened up round the corner. Heaven in the form of dough, mozzarella and Salame Piccante. No guilt however as tomorrow sees me heading for both a run AND a proper training session.
In fairness I did actually finally break the seal and tackled my first training session on Wednesday and other than looking like I was about to have a heart attack when I left, it was all good. I discovered Virgin Active are trying some psychological tricks to keep you going. Just as I was about to climb off the treadmill having walked uphill for miles and then run for a good few more, the giant screen in front of my eyes suddenly started playing a promo for the olympics showing race-fit athletes. Needless to say none of us stepped down and we all looked around sheepishly before adding on a few more minutes. in fairness if it hand’t been for Lady Gaga’s Edge of Glory, I’d have been walking at a snails pace rather than actually breaking a sweat. Tomorrow is 2 hours of disco classics so if you see a somewhat hyperventilaty woman running along embankment with a touch of Barry White moves to her…you know you’ve found me.
I am so glad today went well, in truth I’ve spent most of the past 48 hours fretting about it. Added to which it is Friday 13th today. Although in truth that concept bothers me less since I learned the true origin of the saying last year whilst studying the history of Jerusalem. Did you know that Friday 13th superstition stems from the demise of the Knights Templar? On Friday October 13th 1307 Pope Clement V, in collusion with King Philip IV of France, ordered the simultaneous arrest of all Knights Templar in France. After being falsely accused and then tortured, most of them were executed. I was explaining this to the taxi driver this morning as I headed into downtown Liverpool. ”So you don’t need to worry about it meaning bad things happen, it’s not really a superstition, it’s just history” I said.
“I don’t think that was the case for them Templars now was it?” was the reply “I’d say that was some friggin bad luck for them”. He has a fair point….
For those interested I can recommend some amazing books on Temple Mount, Jerusalem and the history of De Molay and the Templars….is fascinating reading. It does make you wonder why we are always so ready to ignore and dismiss what history teaches us…over and over again.
Anyway, moving on I believe I should stop rambling and get to my highs and lows.
Thursday 12th January 2012
High: Moving further along in setting up the charity. Receiving a call from my friend in Peru out of the blue (I cannot wait for her to come home next week). Laying in bed trying to sleep and deciding I needed a cat to snuggle with, called out their names and within seconds they had appeared from around the house, and were snuggling next to me – instant affection at the call of a name – love it. Realising I really don’t have to do anything I don’t want to at the current time and suddenly realising how absolutely lucky I am to be in that position. I get to choose what I do every day, and with whom. Getting a lovely message from the aforementioned person who I thought had disappointed me/let me down. Seems I just needed to be patient.
Low: Feeling hormonal and grumpy and wanting to intermittently cry and then scream. Cheering up my mood no end by watching a training video for more coaching about the post addiction counselling of meth addicted teenagers…seriously not for the faint of heart. Trying to reconcile what I feel with what I know about a man…never easy and only one up from the meth addicted teens.
Friday 13th January 2012
High: Great client day and winning more work. A new business enquiry landing in my inbox this morning from a very nice sounding client without me having to do a thing (when does that ever happen?!) Knowing I am definitely going to the BRITS and get to become a true snow angel (if a hungover one). Waking up to discover I have a flat stomach and pronounced cheekbones (now if only the second chin would disappear!) The aforementioned moment with the window cleaners and Saturday Night Fever soundtrack…keeps making me smile as I think of it.
Low: Being forced to wake up and get up at 5.30am. Not being on a plane to Rome with S at this precise moment in readiness to celebrate her birthday tomorrow (very sad – although am seriously thinking of just heading to Heathrow first thing and getting the first BA flight out there to surprise her). Feeling sad about a lost opportunity.
And finally, I want to share something beautiful and moving. On Wednesday evening when I read it after accidentally stumbling across it, I was inspired and actually chose to act on it. The item in question is a letter from the writer John Steinbeck (author of East of Eden, Of Mice and Men etc) to his son Thom who was away at boarding school. The year was 1950. Thom had written to his father to tell him that he had fallen in love with a girl named “Susan”. The following is John Steinbeck’s letter back to his son. I hope it touches you and makes you smile as it did me.
New York
November 10, 1958
Dear Thom:
We had your letter this morning. I will answer it from my point of view and of course Elaine will from hers.
First—if you are in love—that’s a good thing—that’s about the best thing that can happen to anyone. Don’t let anyone make it small or light to you.
Second—There are several kinds of love. One is a selfish, mean, grasping, egotistical thing which uses love for self-importance. This is the ugly and crippling kind. The other is an outpouring of everything good in you—of kindness and consideration and respect—not only the social respect of manners but the greater respect which is recognition of another person as unique and valuable. The first kind can make you sick and small and weak but the second can release in you strength, and courage and goodness and even wisdom you didn’t know you had.
You say this is not puppy love. If you feel so deeply—of course it isn’t puppy love.
But I don’t think you were asking me what you feel. You know better than anyone. What you wanted me to help you with is what to do about it—and that I can tell you.
Glory in it for one thing and be very glad and grateful for it.
The object of love is the best and most beautiful. Try to live up to it.
If you love someone—there is no possible harm in saying so—only you must remember that some people are very shy and sometimes the saying must take that shyness into consideration.
Girls have a way of knowing or feeling what you feel, but they usually like to hear it also.
It sometimes happens that what you feel is not returned for one reason or another—but that does not make your feeling less valuable and good.
Lastly, I know your feeling because I have it and I’m glad you have it.
We will be glad to meet Susan. She will be very welcome. But Elaine will make all such arrangements because that is her province and she will be very glad to. She knows about love too and maybe she can give you more help than I can.
And don’t worry about losing. If it is right, it happens—The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.
Love,
Fa
Source: Steinbeck: A Life in Letters; Image: Thom and John Steinbeck with their father in 1954, courtesy of UC Berkeley.)
And on that note, happy weekend folks. Lx
