27 February 2006

Home's gotten lost

I'm not settling very well, not feeling 'at home'.

All is very familiar, and Louisville becomes more distant, but I've grown a membrane that prevents me from actually touching my UK life.

I used to tuck parents and my America behind 'that's all okay', but I can't now. They aren't simply okay. Frances is cheerful like yellow balloons; my Dad's been asleep even tho' I call at supper time. I don't think they've done the calling to arrange hotels for us, end of April. I haven't either. I haven't the energy.

Henry says it's all just my Pisces nature, fishes swimming in opposite directions, and that I'll feel more lively when my biorhythms head back up. I hope he's right.

20 February 2006

cheerier notes

The '50s TV show that started, It was a day like any other day..., was Dragnet.

I have learned to put in links! And it's so easy.

The NLP (too many links for 'neuro-linguistic programming') device of watching where someone looks to know if their remembering or constructing, with images or sound or feelings, seems to work! That's probably enough NLP for me - it's even more a construction of insights without a consistent theoretical base than is Transactional Analysis.

Henry likes consistent theory as the basis for systems too. Usually.

Ennui

I'm bored. The boss is not giving me any new work, and I've finished what I had. I've eaten my lunch. I've solved both today's and the saved sudoku . I've moved up 2 places on the Masterword ladder. I've briefed my colleague about the meeting at 1400. I've tried to think about what to do.

Had lovely visits at the weekend, with women I knew from my London social work life in the 1970's (and their current partners). If I moved to the U.S. that depth of context would go, and I might also get bored. I'd need to find work with a pension and health plan.

Henry covers his own boredom by suggesting I'm just tired. He's pleased I got a TV, because watching and knitting are better precursors to sleep than Stumbling. (O is pleased about the TV too - she told me to get one, and was delighted I minded her. Not many people 'mind' her these days.) We're all thrilled that Brokeback Mountain won best picture at the BAFTA awards last night.

14 February 2006

14 February 2006


A day like any other day....

Seems to me that was the introduction to ... splat! Memory crash! Rebooting takes some time... It wasn't Gunsmoke, that was a western. This show - not Dick Tracey, either. Police Detective, in Los Angeles, in black and white, in the '50s.... It would be a day like any other day, except for the amazing crime which he and his side kick would proceed to solve, hats pulled down, cigarettes incidental.

And I've been to see Chicken Little, The Movie. My desperate hopes for a hero and happy ending were realised! And the jokes, especially the music references the pig, Runt, makes were fun.

Brokeback Mountain... I'm sorry I ever called it Mountain Boy Lovers! Not a classical nor Shakesperian tradgedy in a strict sense - main man not undone by character flaw nor inescapable circumstances, because he isn't, in the end, undone. Deserves to be in the canon for a very long time, excellent. Hope it gets all the Oscars it's nominated for.

Memoirs of a Geisha? lovely but unsatisfactory for trying to make visual richness satisfy where words of explanation were wanted. Story-book ending didn't fit.

But both about people caught, their spirits breaking because their lives don't care for them and are unbendable. Is this the current tragic theme? Same in the Italian film at Film Society last night, translates to The Consequences of Love.

Tirade on another line...
I keep recalling the statement that the US Constitution is out of date and needs serious revision. Read that somewhere. Absolute blasphemy! Let's rewrite the Bible, bring it up to date. Let's you and me change the Contract because we know better, and don't like the existing one any more. Wouldn't surprise me if the Constitution rewritter also supports Israeli expansion, as a way to hurry the second coming. Where does such 'I'm okay, you're dirt' arrogance derive?

Talked to a lot of people on the phone recently. Frances's mates J and P are well. They all went to a Valentine Cafe Saturday. J says Frances looked well. Frances herself didn't remember much about it. She did tell me about setting out to drive to the Mall. Got tired, Dad had to take over.

'Tired'. I still think it means 'confused'. But she remains perky. I hope they're eating well. Haven't felt I could ask. I am plotting a return visit, to take in neice T's senior flute recital in North Carolina, and the Kentucky Derby! Never been in River City for that! Party or what?

That's the picture of Henry at work. The black thing with holes, behind him, is a file box; he sits on my monitor. I think he's okay; he's still not sure if he wouldn't rather be home.

Meander

Not sure I want to continue this line of journal.

Henry stays at work. How does he know what's okay or not?

I'm settling... Well, in what way is that true?

I think 'being settled' is about how much of daily life, physical and in one's mind, can be taken for granted. But I'm not even sure how to understand that.

I do the stuff - show up for work at an almost-reasonable time, attend as appointed, even do an interesting thing or two. Pretend I still care about the organisation.

I almost can see clear air between the overall idea of the Master Plan, how to cope with increasing traffic over 30 years, and the attempt to break that into plannable chunks; and waves of my inclination, now in the past, to shove the organism into seeing itself as a whole.

The sociological mind draws a thread around the organisation. While the consciousness of the organisation is a multi-coloured undulating thing, never to have an over-all or completely constrained awareness, however we of business process mindedness might try. It's all politics and power, and sub-culture.

So, what care I? Much less than 7 months ago. Please, just give me things I am able to do (now you no longer love me and my vision), and pay me. SGH my supervisor/team leader would win prizes for de-motivational capability! He feels so powerless himself, and is so unskilled a manager that all his team never raise eyes above 30 degrees to the horizon, while chuckling over whatever the latest irony is. Not sure I could do 'better' but I'd sure do it differently! Not talk so much to the troops about what we weren't going to do.

Henry's vibes are 'remember the parents?' Yes, I've spoken to them two days in a row. That nice Dr. H has prescribed something for Frances's itch on her bottom. She doesn't feel comfortable with what's involved.

In summary, Dad's doing pretty well at remembering what's required. Frances is bubbly but 'gets tired' - I guess she gets overwhelmed, and can't sort out what's going on. This happens whether she's going to PEO or trying to drive or at church. They're eating, but goodness knows what.

I'm likely to go for 9 days, the end of Easter thru Derby Day. Haven't mentioned this to work...

If Henry were here, he'd probably be eyeing me askance, asking what I think I'm doing up at this hour?

10 February 2006

And the rest...

Okay: Here's some more for the stout hearted.

Henry. What am I to do? There he is, alone in the dark office on the coast - 26 miles away. We're in psychic, sympathetic communication, but I think I did better when I had him with me, in Louisville. I will bring him home. But maybe I should carry him with me! He would be on his own 9 hours a day in the house. He'll get dirty and torn up if I carry him around... We'll talk.

My house. I own 45 square meters - surveyor said it was the smallest house he'd ever measured. It had shrunk and shrunk in my Louisville memory, but what I find is that it has two rooms, and a kitchen, little conservatory, and roof space over the kitchen. Two rooms in winter! The toilet and shower are 'closets' off the 1st floor room.

The two rooms are not, in themselves, small. A bit less space than my L'ville apt., but hey! This one's an 1830s treasure, all modernised and nicely decorated.

So, I haven't put it on the market.

I did get the Gas Co., with whom I have an annual maintenance contract (for this one year, while I was away), to come look at the fountain gushing from the vacinity of my mains tap. Your Move, my letting agent, had advised me there was nothing they could do - it wouldn't be covered by my service contract.

But you know what? The gush was on the house side of the tap; lovely young man tightened up that olive, cut off the gush. Now the utilities cabinet, house wall and goodness knows what else underneath are drying nicely. True: had it been the olive on the supply side LYM would have smiled and advised me to contact my water supplier. YrMv took the wrong executive decision.

Problem probably arose when Mid-Kent Water, said supplier, fitted a water meter 3 months ago. What's that about? They didn't check? No one was home...? (I'll get the bill for all that gush.)

If I ever let this house again, Your Move will not be my agents.

And then there is Magical Mike. Other immediate problems (I don't need compensation from the tenants for the marks on the wall or mattress) included the faucet that dripped all the time before I left! And the 3 (of 4) downstairs ceiling lights (we're all posh and modern, with embedded spots) didn't show. And the conservatory doors didn't glide. Now they all don't drip, shine, and glide! For £22! He can come and fix the front door where the wood's split and the weather strip is broken; and the pelmet of the conservatory doors - held in place only by the vine bush plant thing - any time he likes!

With these immediate matters attended to, there are painting the front, refelting the kitchen roof, and dealing with the conservatory to address. I had the Brilliant Idea - completely independently of Henry - of getting Alan, the Surveyor of Old Buildings, to write me specifications for the work. Then I can give the specs to competing building firms - a private tender process! And can discuss options, esp re the roof, separately from an implementer's interests. I don't have to do it right away.

I should be able to fix the decoration failures myself - where new wood has shrunk, leaving cracks. (Henry smirks, says 'and you'll do this when?)

There needs to be a cash flow plan for all this. I finally today ordered $2000 back to the UK from my UK account. But I feel broke. Someone leaned or knelt on the bonnet of my lovely baby Nissan Micra. I reckon it was while parked in downtown Dover. But how often does a person examine one's car for harm? Normal course of events and all? - vandal!

I've brought several loads of stuff back from storage. My darling velvet winter trousers were in the last box.... I'll need storage furniture if I'm to bring more back.

Aha. If I am to survive for more than another decade (I'm 59 in 3 weeks) perhaps I need to embrace the loss-sprites, the nature of my life. Not try to see it as 5/5ths full, but just as what it is, a transit involving loss but also Henry and V8 juice, my Micra, occassional good weather; Jill. Perhaps that stance will empower proper exercise, proper drinking habits, humility at work (that is another post!). Be real; identify sentimental feelings and try to understand them, don't force 'joy' that I have now both Faversham and Louisville to love. These things are to be insightful notions to float; injuctions just don't work.

Being alive means an attitude of joy, at least optimism, something positive not down negative, so I and Henry think. But I can't think/dictate/sylogise myself there: it can't be pretended or manufactured. So what is the process, given what shit pain life deals? We all must be thistle-lovers, keeping an eye to the clotting rate of our blood. (Grasp thistle; attend to excessive outflowing of life strength - get reflexology/shiatsu/therapy/love when needed.)

I miss my parents, several thousand miles away; and my Louisville life and new growth. And I miss Henry, 26 miles away! They'd all be telling me to go to bed, for goodness sake! I've refound the blog; there is tomorrow!

Good night Henry, wherever, whoever, you are.

And the rest...

Okay: Here's some more for the stout hearted.

Henry. What am I to do? There he is, alone in the dark office on the coast - 26 miles away. We're in psychic, sympathetic communication, but I think I did better when I had him with me, in Louisville. I will bring him home. But maybe I should carry him with me! He would be on his own 9 hours a day in the house. He'll get dirty and torn up if I carry him around... We'll talk.

My house. I own 45 square meters - surveyor said it was the smallest house he'd ever measured. It had shrunk and shrunk in my Louisville memory, but what I find is that it has two rooms, and a kitchen, little conservatory, and roof space over the kitchen. Two rooms in winter! The toilet and shower are 'closets' off the 1st floor room.

The two rooms are not, in themselves, small. A bit less space than my L'ville apt., but hey! This one's an 1830s treasure, all modernised and nicely decorated.

So, I haven't put it on the market.

I did get the Gas Co., with whom I have an annual maintenance contract (for this one year, while I was away), to come look at the fountain gushing from the vacinity of my mains tap. Your Move, my letting agent, had advised me there was nothing they could do - it wouldn't be covered by my service contract.

But you know what? The gush was on the house side of the tap; lovely young man tightened up that olive, cut off the gush. Now the utilities cabinet, house wall and goodness knows what else underneath are drying nicely. True: had it been the olive on the supply side LYM would have smiled and advised me to contact my water supplier. YrMv took the wrong executive decision.

Problem probably arose when Mid-Kent Water, said supplier, fitted a water meter 3 months ago. What's that about? They didn't check? No one was home...? (I'll get the bill for all that gush.)

If I ever let this house again, Your Move will not be my agents.

And then there is Magical Mike. Other immediate problems (I don't need compensation from the tenants for the marks on the wall or mattress) included the faucet that dripped all the time before I left! And the 3 (of 4) downstairs ceiling lights (we're all posh and modern, with embedded spots) didn't show. And the conservatory doors didn't glide. Now they all don't drip, shine, and glide! For £22! He can come and fix the front door where the wood's split and the weather strip is broken; and the pelmet of the conservatory doors - held in place only by the vine bush plant thing - any time he likes!

With these immediate matters attended to, there are painting the front, refelting the kitchen roof, and dealing with the conservatory to address. I had the Brilliant Idea - completely independently of Henry - of getting Alan, the Surveyor of Old Buildings, to write me specifications for the work. Then I can give the specs to competing building firms - a private tender process! And can discuss options, esp re the roof, separately from an implementer's interests. I don't have to do it right away.

I should be able to fix the decoration failures myself - where new wood has shrunk, leaving cracks. (Henry smirks, says 'and you'll do this when?)

There needs to be a cash flow plan for all this. I finally today ordered $2000 back to the UK from my UK account. But I feel broke. Someone leaned or knelt on the bonnet of my lovely baby Nissan Micra. I reckon it was while parked in downtown Dover. But how often does a person examine one's car for harm? Normal course of events and all? - vandal!

I've brought several loads of stuff back from storage. My darling velvet winter trousers were in the last box.... I'll need storage furniture if I'm to bring more back.

Aha. If I am to survive for more than another decade (I'm 59 in 3 weeks) perhaps I need to embrace the loss-sprites, the nature of my life. Not try to see it as 5/5ths full, but just as what it is, a transit involving loss but also Henry and V8 juice, my Micra, occassional good weather; Jill. Perhaps that stance will empower proper exercise, proper drinking habits, humility at work (that is another post!). Be real; identify sentimental feelings and try to understand them, don't force 'joy' that I have now both Faversham and Louisville to love. These things are to be insightful notions to float; injuctions just don't work.

Being alive means an attitude of joy, at least optimism, something positive not down negative, so I and Henry think. But I can't think/dictate/sylogise myself there: it can't be pretended or manufactured. So what is the process, given what shit pain life deals? We all must be thistle-lovers, keeping an eye to the clotting rate of our blood. (Grasp thistle; attend to excessive outflowing of life strength - get reflexology/shiatsu/therapy/love when needed.)

I miss my parents, several thousand miles away; and my Louisville life and new growth. And I miss Henry, 26 miles away! They'd all be telling me to go to bed, for goodness sake! I've refound the blog; there is tomorrow!

Good night Henry, wherever, whoever, you are.

BACK TO THE BLOG!!

It is almost four weeks since my last post, from Louisville, moving out of my apartment. I have read S's Cancerblog a moi, he is my dear friend. But only finally tonight have I reached for the memory of how to log in to do my own.

Henry is now back in his usual place, atop my monitor at work - I'll post another picture soon. But he did say, as I was leaving this evening, that he thinks I need to get back to this outletting activity. Couldn't agree more.

So many tears not falling! I reckon they're old tears, never shed when I moved and moved and moved as a child; and Mother gone, baby gone, marriage gone. All my loss-sprites attracted to the current woe, lending their magical weight to make me sorrow deeply for leaving Dad, Frances, Louisville.

I try to look 'half full' (and for S too). (Dad and Frances email, sound fine.) But you know? That's an intellectual game. If you feel half - 4/5ths! - empty, in your gut, cherishing the 1/5 fullness takes real meditative work, in a warm environment. You have to swim down thru the empty 4/5ths. Fat chance. Luckily I do have a under-consciousness process that leads me back to bouyancy, whatever. I know now that if I look the 4/5ths full-face, the up-bubble will follow.

I can sort of hear Henry saying this is probably enough for one posting. But, I have just so much to say, for having cut off so long! I'll just go recharge the glass, and put on some hand cream. Actually washed dishes! B coming for tea tomorrow, needed dishes out of the way... and I did it! See, that's the bubbling up happening. Can't make myself, have to just sort of siddle round to it.

I imagine Henry chuckling, watching me siddle in his mind's eye.