Personal Blogs

So, on my way back home to Hereford, after a week walking and cycling in the mountains around Xabia. It was so good to be in the sun again, even though some days, and certainly in the evenings, was chilly. Blue skies are the key!

Had a burst of work last night, and somehow, within about 30 mins, managed to get 500 words down on my Faustus assignment. Not perfect, but just seemed to be able to write it. I think after studying it for three weeks, and thinking I was stuck, it just seemed to burst out! A purple patch!  Gives me something to edit now, as I have another week before it has to be submitted.

Going over the Cezanne section again and may take my time a bit more as I want to get a really good look at some of the paintings. I know Cezanne is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve got a weather eye on the future, and may think about studying Art History... depends on where I want to go with my studying….

Just finished reading The Bone Clocks, by David Mitchell, a fascinating and mundane book, that displays both normality and complete fantasy. Certainly, an intelligent book, that has you thinking and a bit of a Tour de Force on your thoughts. Loved it though, even though some of the fantasy sections are hard going. Will certainly read some of his work again, but not just yet! I’m now a fan!!

Being a member of a book club does that though. The books selected to read, not by me, are often those that I’ve never heard of, or wouldn’t choose from a library. But they do seem to be worthwhile reads, and have included Howards End (E.S. Lewis), A month in the Country and The Wine of Angels by Phil Rickman.

Have managed to fit in Goldsworthy Antony and Cleopatra as well, interesting, but heavy going...did enjoy it, but takes a lot of concentration, and quite hard to process the time scales involved. Seems to me that the Roman Empire was a momentous time, but then it was a long time, and we only ever read about the elite, and the famous, never what it was really like to live at the time. Love the idea that if you were a Roman Citizen, peasant or not, you had some rights

One of life’s true pleasures… reading

So now sat at Alicante Airport (AeroPuerto) people watching and drinking tapas coffee. Reading and thinking about Cezanne and wondering if there is an art expert amongst the thousands here, I doubt it, as most are fat drunken brits, but I’ll bet there is…. Somewhere

Trying to keep a schedule for my retirement. I think it’s important to have goals and aims, and for me these needs to be both long term and day by day.

I have about 9 weeks before heading to my apartment in Spain, so lots to do, but next week want to get back to my gym routine (kept very fit during my weeks away), complete my TMA assignment due in on Friday, go to the cinema at least once. Planning a trip to the Ashmolean in Oxford one day this week, and will attending a discussion group session at some point!

Obviously, my weeks are busy! Planning a visit to the North East of England in March, as a friend of mine works on Holy Island and has promised to show me around the land of St Cuthbert. Can’t make my mind up whether or not to drive or get the train. Will be dependent upon costs and do I need to have a car for my visit.

Hoping to get a glimpse of Hadrian’s Wall on my visit too

Still staying news free, as far as I can, and don’t feel like I’ve become a bad person, more that I feel like a viewer, or spectator, in a great game, with those in Facebook land having these sure-fire entrenched opinions which must be right, and everyone either agrees, or disagrees in an outrage of personal abuse….

I am diluted by my non-participation, and it is a great thing, and brings me peace… but I do have a view always, but somehow feel that not sharing is the way, and brings strength to my convictions… I’ve become a watcher, an observer, of this great shambling minstrel show that is my home country….

Managed to get 500 words down on the Cleopatra assignment today, after procrastinating for a few days, just sat down and banged it out! Nowhere near the finished article of course but it seems the hurdle is to get past the blank page. Once something is there it seems easier to work with. Almost like you could write complete rubbish just to get going....glad to get it going though and feels like progress..

Still on holiday in Adelaide, returning to the UK next week and not at all looking forward to it. As a regular traveller I always have the same feeling going back, one of disappointment, embarrassment and anger at what our country has become. Something I have learned to live with over the years, and Im ok as long as I live in my own little bubble. Lots I love about the uk, but always outweighed by the crap climate, racist ignorant fat people and the rip off attitude. Ive tried all ways to deal with it, but now I couldn't give a f*** about it... so sad..

One thing to be positive about though, is the visible history, wherever i go, there is always something interesting to see, every village has a very old church etc, and many things go back a very long way.. interesting to see here in Oz "vintage" can mean 50 years old! All relative I suppose...Lots of plans to visit venues related to my course.. a Cezanne film, theatre ( I going to see " the importance of being Ernest"), and a Beethoven concert already booked... also am going to try and get to the British Museum to view the Egyptology there, and someone has told me about a more specific museum just up the road from there (The Petrie?), so a trip to London is on the cards....

Still on holiday in Adelaide with my family and certainly enjoying the fine weather as its the height of summer here. 

It seems I have been saying a lot that I am struggling with Faustus, and although I find it fascinating and quite brilliant, I have decided the stop / start / study approach is what is making it difficult. So have decided to listen to it all of the way through in one go, and also try and find a you tube version of the play. Now I have some sort of semblance of understanding I think it would be the right time....

One thing about being so far away from the UK is the lack of news from home, quite deliberate. Am I a worse person because of it? Doesn't feel that way, and the world keeps on turning, so makes me wonder why I take such an avid interest in the news and politics. Quite refreshing for it not to be all around me, and for the constant subliminal messages that the media surrounds us all with.

Great to be with my kids though, who I literally see once a year, since they have emigrated..but Oz seems an expensive place to me..

So spent most of the last two days in the skies of the world.. travelling from Birmingham to Adelaide to see family for four weeks...

This means Ill be on the other side of the planet when this course starts, which I am seeing as an interesting dynamic, but not off putting. Probably, to be realistic won't make the early tutorials but Ill manage somehow.. all worth while to be in blue skies and sunshine, and all of my family whom I only see once a year if Im lucky..

Spent the flight listening to Faustus (which meant i slept a lot!).... only joking. Took the opportunity to listen and read the whole play. I can thoroughly recommend this way of studying. Being able to read the script whilst listening to the performance made the whole thing much more interesting and fascinating, because you can listen to the nuances and tempo of the spoken words....

Completely jet lagged now though.... so a bit stuffed until my brain turns from the mush that is..

Im in Adelaide, in fact Seaford, a town to the south, and have been here many times. Getting used to the Aussies can take a while bit always great fun.. and I love it here 

.Its hot, Im jet lagged and all over the place. Will try and get my notes down on Faustus tomorrow, maybe when Im thinking a bit more clearly...