Ice cream and beauty

I don't really understand what's going on, but I've been here a month now, and I've been so busy almost every second. And almost always doing fun stuff. But my blogging has suffered as you've probably noticed.

The weather is mostly wonderful as well. The day before yesterday I could walk around in a T-shirt, and I sat on a bench by the ocean eating an ice cream (which wasn't particularly tasty).

I've been to the hospital to meet my doctor (not that I was sick, only to get acquainted), so now I'm enrolled with the NHS. Feels good. I've also open a bank account and joined a football team. Joined and joined, I've played one game. We'll see if I stay with it. It was great fun, but my poor body aches now.

I'm still not all settle, even though I feel like I lived here all my life or something. The one thing missing is a Scottish mobile phone. Maybe I'll get one today. Otherwise I've done pretty much all that I've been meaning to do.

There's a lot of film pf course, watching it, reading about it, writing about it. But there hasn't been all that much talking about it, and I like that. My friends here at Deans Court are devoted to other subjects, like radar, Jane Austen, birds, philosophy or biology, and I prefer to talk about these things. There's enough film in my life anyway. We've covered many important topics at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The concept of self and whether or not there's truth in beauty and art (well, we even discussed whether or not there is such a thing as beauty.) I argue that there's no objective truth to beauty and art, but some argued that there is a kind of psychological truth to it. I do argue there's such a thing as beauty, but that different people have different ideas about what is beautiful. Then I got tangled up in an argument for the existence of beauty which was depressingly close to one of those silly arguments for the existence of God (arguments which are all very unsustainable). I have to do better than that, but I was caught off guard, it's my only defence.

Chocolate

I was supposed to be at a jazz concert now but that didn't really pan out. Instead I'm home, eating chocolate and drinking tea. Organic.

Today was an exemplary day. For the first time since I moved her I felt like I really knew what I was doing, no longer feeling like a fugitive, no longer ambling around. I've developed a routine, I've got connections, I've got a Costa Coffee Club card or whatever and I've got ideas. It's all coming together.

And every time I walk through town I ever so often stop and wonder at the beauty of it.

I'm in control.

Weekends away

Since I quit my job I've had far too much to do at home. Both necessary things and things that are not really necessary but which I've decided to do. So apart from three days of leisure I've been keeping myself busy. Far too busy. But I'm coming to the end of the pile.

And I shouldn't complain, not really, because all of these things needed to be done. And I've had time to see my friends. What I haven't had is time on my own, just me doing nothing. But that time will come. Maybe tomorrow? Thursday? Oh, whatever. (Or rather, whenever.)

Next week I'm finally flying to Paris. Long overdue. But before that I think I should turn of my phone, pull down the curtains, and idle away.

The Long Day Closes

The week in Britain was so very quick and so very rewarding. I met all the right people and did so much fun. Whilst going from one place to another, always in a hurry, I thought that it's typical that I don't have time to see or do anything Londonish, and no time for musicals or plays. But then I remembered that I will soon go back. And be very close to London for three years. I hadn't thought about that before, but when I realized it the strongest feeling was, I think, a feeling of relief.

This week has been warm and summery, but my idea of not be at work didn't really pan out. As it turns out, there's a lot involved when quitting your job. It's in itself a fulltime job. Rats! But soon, soon, I will actually be able to experience something of this summer before it's over and long gone.

But it hasn't been all work and no play. Yesterday was actually rather decadent with a two and a half hour lunch with the very lovely Sue, followed by a couple of hours with Maeby and Lisa. Maebs was more intense than ever and this time she already had her ball in her mouth when she greeted me so as not to waste any valuable time before we went out in the park.

And now I'm at home, listening to the music of Georges Delerue and thinking that maybe I should have some tea before bed.

Night of the Hunter

Today I've been playing balls with Maeby in the rain. I think it's fair to say that she was more amused than I was.

I've also been listening to four actor students do a reading of a film script. The first time I've done that and I liked it. Script developing is something I think I might like, and also be good at.

I've been so stressful lately it's made my neck and upper back stiff and it hurts slightly. Need to relax, need to get a massage. A long warm bath would also help. That at least I'll have tomorrow. And there shouldn't be any reason for me to be stressed tomorrow. But I don't always need reasons for that unfortunately.

I'm thinking a lot about what I will write when I get to St Andrews. The thesis is of course the main thing, but I have so many other ideas. Ideas for articles and essays. It's going to be so much fun and I think it's safe to assume I won't be able to wait until September. As soon as I quit my job in three weeks I'll probably start writing. I'm already writing down ideas.

It's a shame about the election in Iran. Ahmadinejad has not been a good president, neither for Iran nor for the region. Too much hate mongering and bad economic policy. They all deserve something better. Or did they all actually vote for him? I had a look on his blog by the way but it seems he hasn't written anything since 2007.

No, it's too late now, my political musings will have to wait.

The Wind, the Wipe and the Wit

What's with the wind? It's a perfectly nice summer evening, sunny and warm. But you can't be outside because the wind is too strong and ruins everything. Especially if you're trying to read a paper or a magazine.

I've for some time had a list of things I needed to do. But I've been procrastinating, for no apparent reason. Today I decided do to all the things that were on the list, and it took my maybe an hour. I could now either complain about the fact that I didn't do it before, one thing at a time, or applaud the fact that I did it all at once, in a focused and effective way, and that I did everything before deadline. I settle for the second choice.

I'm this very minute listening to The Hollies on Spotify. They are very very good, and I wonder how wellknown they are today. Bus Stop, We're Through, Hard Hard Year, Stewball, Very Last Days, It's You and the somewhat cheesy That's My Desire are among my favourites.

Yesterday I got very good news at work, moneywise. Now I can really relax during the summer, and possibly do that Malmö to Brussels to Louvain-la-Neuve to Paris-trip I'm thinking about. That would be something.

And now I want my tea and chocolate.

(Oh, yes, The Wind, the Wipe and the Wit was a catchy title I came up with many years ago for an essay about David Lean (the wind), Akira Kurosawa (the wipe) and Joseph L. Mankiewicz (the wit). But should one write an essay just because one is ridiculously pleased with the potential title?)

Keyboards and such

It's comparatively quiet at the office, but for the constant clicking of human fingers on computer keyboards. I'm going through my inbox in outlook. With only a month left there's stuff to sort out, get rid of. Most e-mails serve no purpose any more, but some should be saved for future references and so go into my little archive. Some kind of monument over what I've done here the last years. But I'm glancing at the window. Is there sunshine on the outside? Should I take a manuscript and proofread it by the waterside? Should I stay or should I go? What would Clash do?

India's election and personal stuff

Yesterday I had breakfast with Lisa and Maeby, lunch with the deputy prime mininster and dinner with my cousin, the children and the cats. In between I got a fee waiver scholarship from St Andrews. £11 000 or something. I hope they will find it was money well spent.

Congress (and the alliance UPA) won the elections in India, and that's a relief. There are many parts of BJP (the main opposition party), such as it's close links to RSS (an extreme hindu nationalist organization) which are downright scary. Hopefully this election will lead to a more powerful government, with Congress less dependent on the communists for support, because there's so very much that needs to be done in India. Reducing poverty, expanding infrastructure, making peace with Pakistan and in Kashmir and reforming the political system (for example getting rid of the overwhelming number of harden criminals in parliament and in regional politics.) India may be the world's biggest democracy but it is also deeply flawed.

Now I'm listening to Gustavo Santaolalla and wondering what to do today. Low-key is the theme. I recently got up. There are two options. Either return to bed and read the latest issue of The Atlantic, or go on a biking trip with a book. But why choose, there's time for a bit of both.

Remembrances and trilogies

There never seems to be enough time, and I'm always thinking about all the things I want to do but never actually get around to. Like write an enchanting blog in English. But I just realized that since I actually already have one; albeit one I haven't written on for quite some time, why not continue the good work I once started.

So here I go again. Let's see for how long I manage to keep it up this time.

Tomorrow I'm going to the film festival in Gothenburg with my friend Lisa. It's a business trip but I'll try to see some films of my own choosing as well. The film festival is always one of the highlights of the year and I see no reason why this year should be different. It's also the first time me and Lisa go on a trip together and it'll be interesting to see if that pans out. The longest we've been alone together before is a couple of hours and now it's for four days.

I've just begun reading Unconditional Surrender, the last part of Sword of Honour, Evelyn Waugh's trilogy about the Second World War, or rather about Guy Crouchback's experiences during said war. The first two parts were amiable enough and I'm looking forward to finishing this one as well.