First day back at work - argghh!!! Though actually it hasn't been as horrific as I'd feared. I even got all my emails cleared by about 11.30am, which was nice. A ruddy miracle too! And the blessed Ruth had saved me some small chocolate eggs from Easter and left them on my desk as a welcome back, so I could have married her and had her babies there and then. Not only that but she'd left a large chocolate egg in the fridge, so it's like heaven in Student Care Services at the moment. Chocolate heaven.
I spent lunchtime wandering round the lake and sitting watching it. The trees on the walk to the public carpark are absolutely stunning (and I'm not usually a great nature fan. Nature? Bah! Red of tooth and claw ...) - a riot of pink blossom. I felt quite happy looking at that, and indeed at the lake. Two moments of happiness in one day? And at work? What in the world is happening to me??
This afternoon, we didn't get a great deal done. It was Penny's birthday so we went over to Student Advice (where she works) and had chocolate (surprise!) cake and an hour's chat. You can tell the boss isn't in ... It was great. Penny's actually leaving in two weeks' time and I shall miss her like crazy though. She's the voice of cynicism in a world of niceness. And how we need those!
Ooh, I've just finished reading Paul Burston's (http://www.myspace.com/paulburston) new novel, Lovers and Losers. I really enjoyed it - I loved the characters, and it's a warm-hearted and fun tale. Must admit to thinking that the book cover doesn't do justice to the book, which is far warmer and more humane than the plastic-looking front cover would have you believe. So don't be put off - buy it anyway! It's great!
And the lovely Gillian (http://www.myspace.com/gillian75) has emailed me to say how much she enjoyed A Dangerous Man (http://www.flamebooks.com) and that she's in love with Michael. So thanks, Gillian - much appreciated - and that makes 3 of us now! Michael will be pleased. He never thought that, apart from me, he'd have much of an ardent fan club ... Gillian has also been kind enough (thanks again, Gillian ...) to leave a comment on the Flame Books Myspace site (http://www.myspace.com/flamebooks) so I hope that means they will smile upon me for a while. I can be Good Author sometimes, you know!
Tonight, once Lord H (now happier again and standing at the edge of his cave, phew ...!) returns from the shops, I shall chill with a capital C, maybe with a well-deserved G&T in my hands, and look forward to "New Tricks" on TV. Just the thing to do the ironing to. Dammit.
Today's nice things:
1. Lovers and Losers
2. Chocolate eggs at work
3. TV
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
ANNE BROOKE BOOKS: Independent writer of modern fiction
Showing posts with label relaxation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relaxation. Show all posts
Monday, April 16, 2007
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
First day back
Much better than expected. Not as many emails to sort out from the holiday period as I’d feared and no phone messages. Bliss! Did a lot of chatting with those in the office today (the boss doesn’t come back until next week …) and took down the Christmas tree and decorations. Have decided to book myself into the new UniSport back strengthening course which starts later in January – I’ll find my ruddy inner core if it kills me.
And there’s fame at last for my office fluffy pen selection – my picture of what my world looked like at 5pm one day last December has now finally been uploaded onto the Radio 4 Window on Your World site and can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/pm/galleries/901/63/#gallery901
The other six zillion photos are fun to browse through too, but I think I win on the sad git factor.
I’ve also spent time filling in my work online calendar with the stuff already in my new paper 2007 diary. There are things in there up until September now so the year will happen after all, thank God. Control freaks of the world unite … And last of all, I’m thinking about our March holiday – I think Sardinia might be the one – I got very excited about http://www.justsardinia.co.uk as it seemed to be the one tour operator that actually allows people to have a March holiday. All the other mainstream names seem to think that the year starts in April or, if it doesn’t, then they want to send us to Dubai or Tenerife. Thanks, and one day I suspect I’d probably like to go to Dubai, but the idea of Sardinia is more attractive right now.
This afternoon, we had a team effort focusing on the regular Let’s Untangle the Window Blind Cords crisis. This involved three people, a window hook and a lot of tugging. Goodness know how the cords got like that in the first place – it must have been one hell of a Christmas party. But we are now free and ready for all eventualities over the coming month. At least in terms of seeing the outside world. Phew.
Tonight, I am intending to do more slumping – the emotional rollercoaster of having to go back to work is really more than enough for one day – but I will try to watch the News later on. As per my resolution.
Today’s nice things:
1. Seeing my office photo on the Web
2. Looking at Sardinia
3. Slumping.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
And there’s fame at last for my office fluffy pen selection – my picture of what my world looked like at 5pm one day last December has now finally been uploaded onto the Radio 4 Window on Your World site and can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/pm/galleries/901/63/#gallery901
The other six zillion photos are fun to browse through too, but I think I win on the sad git factor.
I’ve also spent time filling in my work online calendar with the stuff already in my new paper 2007 diary. There are things in there up until September now so the year will happen after all, thank God. Control freaks of the world unite … And last of all, I’m thinking about our March holiday – I think Sardinia might be the one – I got very excited about http://www.justsardinia.co.uk as it seemed to be the one tour operator that actually allows people to have a March holiday. All the other mainstream names seem to think that the year starts in April or, if it doesn’t, then they want to send us to Dubai or Tenerife. Thanks, and one day I suspect I’d probably like to go to Dubai, but the idea of Sardinia is more attractive right now.
This afternoon, we had a team effort focusing on the regular Let’s Untangle the Window Blind Cords crisis. This involved three people, a window hook and a lot of tugging. Goodness know how the cords got like that in the first place – it must have been one hell of a Christmas party. But we are now free and ready for all eventualities over the coming month. At least in terms of seeing the outside world. Phew.
Tonight, I am intending to do more slumping – the emotional rollercoaster of having to go back to work is really more than enough for one day – but I will try to watch the News later on. As per my resolution.
Today’s nice things:
1. Seeing my office photo on the Web
2. Looking at Sardinia
3. Slumping.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Monday, January 01, 2007
Resolutions and revolts
A rather disturbed night last night. God knows why, but Lord H and I were both wide awake at 5am and then slumped again at 8. And not even a neighbourhood party to use as an excuse. Maybe it was the lack of night-time Horlicks? Hmm, I feel an advert coming on ... But at least I had time to think up some sensible resolutions while I was staring at the ceiling.
Which include (a) watching the News more so I at least know something of what's going on in the world, thus lessening the possibilities of looking like a complete dork too often (Iraq? We're at war? ... Still? - no, really, that's just an example. Honest ...); (b) not pushing myself to do stuff too much and relaxing more; (c) doing more of what I enjoy and less of what I feel I have to do. After all, Lord H is the expert at (b) and (c), so I should be able to follow his example fairly easily. So, there you have it. Let's hope that by the end of 2007, I'm a completely informed layabout. Hmm, will there be a test?...
Oh, and Lord H found a news item on the Internet today which said that the French were revolting (please, no jokes ...) because they didn't want to have 2007, as they all thought 2006 had been okay and wanted to hang onto it for longer. Apparently, they held a march to protest the onward movement of time last night, shouting "No to 2007!" (or Non a 2007, more realistically?). I gather the enthusiasm wasn't quenched when 2007 actually turned up, as they then all started shouting "No to 2008!" Marvellous stuff - there's something so quirkily British about it that (a) I wish we'd thought of it first; and (b) it's good to know that the French are finally learning something from us. Vive la similarite, eh? Though this does beg a deeper question of: if we don't like a year, can we bypass it and go onto the next without trawling through a whole twelve months? Sounds good to me, and no doubt our Nanny Government will pass a law about it at some stage. We live in hope.
So, today, I've watched meaningless jolly tv, which has cheered me up, had a nap, which has livened me up and tonight will be opening a bottle of good champagne to toast the New Year again - which will no doubt tank me up. It's good to have a plan.
Today's nice things:
1. Thinking of some low-key resolutions
2. Laughing at the French (sorry - but it is an unsung British activity, and they know we love them really - like a maiden aunt who doesn't fit in but who is family after all ... damn it)
3. Champagne.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Which include (a) watching the News more so I at least know something of what's going on in the world, thus lessening the possibilities of looking like a complete dork too often (Iraq? We're at war? ... Still? - no, really, that's just an example. Honest ...); (b) not pushing myself to do stuff too much and relaxing more; (c) doing more of what I enjoy and less of what I feel I have to do. After all, Lord H is the expert at (b) and (c), so I should be able to follow his example fairly easily. So, there you have it. Let's hope that by the end of 2007, I'm a completely informed layabout. Hmm, will there be a test?...
Oh, and Lord H found a news item on the Internet today which said that the French were revolting (please, no jokes ...) because they didn't want to have 2007, as they all thought 2006 had been okay and wanted to hang onto it for longer. Apparently, they held a march to protest the onward movement of time last night, shouting "No to 2007!" (or Non a 2007, more realistically?). I gather the enthusiasm wasn't quenched when 2007 actually turned up, as they then all started shouting "No to 2008!" Marvellous stuff - there's something so quirkily British about it that (a) I wish we'd thought of it first; and (b) it's good to know that the French are finally learning something from us. Vive la similarite, eh? Though this does beg a deeper question of: if we don't like a year, can we bypass it and go onto the next without trawling through a whole twelve months? Sounds good to me, and no doubt our Nanny Government will pass a law about it at some stage. We live in hope.
So, today, I've watched meaningless jolly tv, which has cheered me up, had a nap, which has livened me up and tonight will be opening a bottle of good champagne to toast the New Year again - which will no doubt tank me up. It's good to have a plan.
Today's nice things:
1. Thinking of some low-key resolutions
2. Laughing at the French (sorry - but it is an unsung British activity, and they know we love them really - like a maiden aunt who doesn't fit in but who is family after all ... damn it)
3. Champagne.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Collation city and Scalectrix mysteries
A day spent collating mounds of paper into smaller mounds, stapling them into even smaller bundles and then paper-clipping them back into larger ones. Ooh, and then redoing it because two of the appendices were wrong. Groan. Actually though, I had a great time! – which just shows in truth how sad I am. I really enjoy doing mindless tasks with paper – much better than grappling with over-my-head strategy or PR stuff. I still hanker after the deep, deep joys of the typing pool …
I had a wind-swept but exhilarating stroll round campus at lunchtime, and sat by the smaller lake for ten minutes watching the coots and the University water feature. Must be nice to be a lake – very calming.
Back in the office, Carol and I hand-delivered the documents we’d spent the morning producing. You can’t trust the internal mail, you know - it’s a dark and dangerous vacuum. Paper delivery involved being loud and raucous in the V-C’s corridor, but hell they must be used to us by now. I never was particularly good at lowering my gaze at the sight of a Professor. Or two. Good job I’m not an academic then, eh?...
This evening, I’m hoping to slump like a 1950s housewife in front of Oz & James’ Wine Adventure, and the increasingly obscure delights of Torchwood. Which begs the question: just what were Ianto and Captain Jack going to do in the office last week with a stop-watch after the hours of daylight and with all those pseudo-significant gazes? Hmm. Doesn’t sound like much fun to me, guv’nor! Lord H’s theory is that the good Captain has a couple of Scalectrix tracks under the table and they were going to play racing demons. Then again, Lord H has always held to the more innocent-hearted view of life! But, heck, somebody has to.
Today’s nice things:
1. Collating paper
2. Watching the lake
3. TV.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
I had a wind-swept but exhilarating stroll round campus at lunchtime, and sat by the smaller lake for ten minutes watching the coots and the University water feature. Must be nice to be a lake – very calming.
Back in the office, Carol and I hand-delivered the documents we’d spent the morning producing. You can’t trust the internal mail, you know - it’s a dark and dangerous vacuum. Paper delivery involved being loud and raucous in the V-C’s corridor, but hell they must be used to us by now. I never was particularly good at lowering my gaze at the sight of a Professor. Or two. Good job I’m not an academic then, eh?...
This evening, I’m hoping to slump like a 1950s housewife in front of Oz & James’ Wine Adventure, and the increasingly obscure delights of Torchwood. Which begs the question: just what were Ianto and Captain Jack going to do in the office last week with a stop-watch after the hours of daylight and with all those pseudo-significant gazes? Hmm. Doesn’t sound like much fun to me, guv’nor! Lord H’s theory is that the good Captain has a couple of Scalectrix tracks under the table and they were going to play racing demons. Then again, Lord H has always held to the more innocent-hearted view of life! But, heck, somebody has to.
Today’s nice things:
1. Collating paper
2. Watching the lake
3. TV.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Reflexology & Kinesiology
Goodness, what an action-packed life I have ... Today was very dull. I read some more about how to be a depressed Christian - and got very pissed off with the author being rather high-handed about things about which he obviously knows nothing. Funny how you can tell a straight, white middle-class Evangelical at 50 paces. Anyway, I now have my doubts about the validity of the bloody book for me, and am significantly less keen about finishing it. Looks like I'll have to make my own ruddy way through the jungle. As per usual.
Still, reflexology (http://www.optimum-fitness.co.uk) was wonderful - as ever - and once again I fell asleep in the middle of it. I definitely need the relaxation time. And after work, I had another session with my kinesiologist (http://www.kinesiology4health.com) and - very reluctantly - have decided to give up alcohol for 3 weeks and see what happens. Annoying - but it does gel with what I've been thinking recently, and if it improves my health - even if temporarily - then who am I to argue?
Ooh, and Ellie on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com) left me a comment saying she'd enjoyed my website and the short stories on there - huge thanks, Ellie - that's really cheered me!
Today's nice things:
1. Reflexology
2. Kinesiology
3. Ellie's kind comments.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
Still, reflexology (http://www.optimum-fitness.co.uk) was wonderful - as ever - and once again I fell asleep in the middle of it. I definitely need the relaxation time. And after work, I had another session with my kinesiologist (http://www.kinesiology4health.com) and - very reluctantly - have decided to give up alcohol for 3 weeks and see what happens. Annoying - but it does gel with what I've been thinking recently, and if it improves my health - even if temporarily - then who am I to argue?
Ooh, and Ellie on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com) left me a comment saying she'd enjoyed my website and the short stories on there - huge thanks, Ellie - that's really cheered me!
Today's nice things:
1. Reflexology
2. Kinesiology
3. Ellie's kind comments.
Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk
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