Been a while

Morning all,

Been a while since I did any blogging of any kind. This morning I discovered that I am moving desks from my current desk of prime slacking position to one in full view of the senior managers. With this in mind I have decided that this morning is indeed a moment where a good last slack is required and being unable to think of anything interesting to write about I have gone with the topic of me.

Love Life

I have one! Its made up entirely of a very nearly Scottish lass called Jayne. Not that she told me that for the first 6 months I was talking to her... During that entire time I innocently called her "Michelle" which is her stage name. That initial confusion has been dealt with and I must say things are going rather well. :D Given that she lives four hundred and fifty fuck mothering miles away I am more chuffed than is usual. I am more chuffed than is usual in any case. We just seem to do that "clicking" cliche that people rattle on about. With this in mind it is my intention (economics permitting) to up sticks and move to the grand city of Edinburgh in the summer of 2011.

OU Life

I am getting towards the end of my first year with the OU. I am studying for a BA in politics philosophy and economics and I fucking love it! I mean I expected to enjoy it but not this much. It's rewarding and have given a structure to the random musings that my head engages with on a regular basis. So far I have done rather well getting good grades all over the show, which is nice. 2 more essays to go for this year, one on the concept of knowledge (literally how do we decide that we *know* something) and then 3000 words on what we've studied over the year to date. Next year will be pure economics so I should start to have more of a clue about where the money goes in general.

Kinetic Life

I've been working with the poi for 2 and half years now and seem to have actually got to the stage of not being shit with them. :) Working on a series of base motor skills has really started to pay dividends now that I am trying some more technically challenging tricks. Aims for this year are to improve still further and actually get some more gigs! I have 2 under me belt so far but the more the merrier! If you know of any event that would benefit from a fully insured and competent fire spinner let me know! ;) I also work with a few other props, staff which I picked up last year, a weird looking thing called a levistick which is good fun and a rope dart which has yet to break any windows... In itself this should not be to shocking but it is 14ft long!

The other side of my kinetic life is martial arts. I gave up Tai Chi in May last year for reasons of no longer having a car and it being fucking miles away... Shortly afterwards I tried a Kung Fu club just up the road from me who were shocking, seriously awful. A few weeks ago I was looking for a 10 week course for the summer to keep me entertained in the OU down time and instead found an Aikido club just up the road (same place as the Kung Fu). I've been to 3 sessions now and can report that it is utterly brilliant! There is a real sense of everyone working together at the club, the teachers are exceptional and funny as hell (3rd dan black belt walking up the dojo doing an impression of a thunderbird funny). The 5 years of Tai Chi I've done has given me a platform which has made elements of Aiki easier to pick up. Its also made some bits a proper bastard but I am unlearning old habits and enjoying getting into new ones.

Real Life

Enough has been said here about the situation with regards Yell. All I would add to that is that appear to be safe for the time being and I intend to ride the wave for a while yet. That and going to a leaving do for 10 long serving people was a weird experience.

My Grandad died last week, he was an old fella who had a cracking life. I've been pretty upset about it at moments, but mostly I've just been excessively happy to have known the piss-taking, kind, relentless and grumpy old fucker for the time that I did. His funeral was by some distance the best attended I have ever been at which shows just how involved he was with the world around him. That is really what I hope to take away from the experience, its an easy thing to shy away from the world and sit merrily in ones own comfort zone letting events tick by. This forum is populated by people who don't do this, who seek to improve themselves and actively aim to be doing "shit" at every available opptunity. Its a fine thing and one I hope to carry on with until I end up in my own box.

Take it easy all.

C