October observations
Happy Halloween (bah humbug!).
October has been a mixed bag. I’ve been feeling a lot better - mentally and physically - but that has meant I’ve started to get antsy and a bit bored without work or a major project to spend time on...which I’ve been disinclined to start because I’ve been a bit worried this is a false dawn.
I’ve been spending a LOT of time thinking about life post-sabbatical and while I haven’t come to any real conclusions things are coming into focus and hopefully the next few weeks will lead to some decisions.
I do feel like this extended break was the right thing at (almost) the right time. Probably should have downed tools earlier in the year but live and learn. With nine weeks remaining - four of those in New York - I already feel the best I have mentally in a few years and while I am not raring to go back to work I am certainly starting to miss (some of) it.
All that said the explosion in Covid cases in Bristol and the surrounds has definitely sent me scurrying back indoors a bit - not entirely but over this month my risk appetite has flip-flopped massively.
So what have I actually been up to?
I started the month in Swansea catching up with my best friend from uni and her daughter - weather wise it was a bleak weekend but I had a lovely time.
I also caught up with Sally over a beer on the marina while I was there.
In Bristol we managed to finally have our much postponed Twixmas gathering (every year for many, many years a bunch of us have one out on either the 28th or 29th December - last years took some rescuing!). There were guest appearances from London, Bromsgrove and Barcelona as someone attending for the first time in seven years. It was a fun night and only one person came down with Corona after...though I thought I was going to die of a hangover.
I saw the best movie of the year so far (Dune) and one of the worst (Venom).
Met up with colleagues from TPX (Olivia and Olly) to gossip about the current goings on.
Read Giles’ new book and then met him for a catch-up in Bath.
Had a normal and diabetes eye-test (not all good news with the latter so I’ve had to get my house in order again around my diabetes behaviours.) Bought new specs - though nobody but me can tell apparently.
Finished my ER binge.
Booked tickets to see basketball in Brooklyn, ice hockey at Madison Square Garden, ‘football’ at New England, some of Wu-Tang in Manhattan, Sorkin’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ on Broadway and the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.
Realised I’ll be in Boston for Thanksgiving (which I suspect will limit my options) and DC for the ‘National Tree’ lighting.
Read ‘It’s Better to be Feared’ about the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era at New England, Shaun Ryder’s ‘How to be a Rockstar’, ‘Misfits’ by Michaela Cole, ‘Win’ by Harlen Coben, ‘The Killer Collective’ by Barry Eisler and the aforementioned ‘Agile Comms Handbook’ by Giles. Also started ‘Widespread Panic’ by James Ellroy.
Lots going on in November.
- Meeting my boss to discuss ‘stuff’.
- Few days in London.
- New windows being fitted.
- New kitchen being designed and paid for (for fitting while I’m away).
- Getting my Covid booster and flu jabs.
- Seeing Sara and Sean (my work-ish meet-ups seem to be alphabetical).
- Coming to America.
Looking forward to it.