After two weeks of being back at my parents' house in Manchester, I was feeling really relaxed and ready to take on anything...
And then what happened, well, happened. I've deliberately refrained from saying anything because I wasn't directly involved, but then when I went back again this weekend it made me realise - not for the first time, but it brought it home more I guess - just how something like that can affect a city and how it reaches out and touches everyone around it. And it hurts (well, of course, it does).
I might not have been there, but a friend's little sister was. I might not have been one of the emergency responders on one of the worst calls of their career, but my neighbour was. I might not be one of the staff at the hospitals across Manchester treating the life changing injuries which people sustained, but they are people I have worked with.
The best thing I got to do, I firmly believe, was to add to the field of flowers that is covering the square, fight with the wind to light a candle and spend a few minutes in the relative silence. It was to walk around the city with a friend that I haven't seen in a long time and not let this take my city away.
Yes, it is true that we could be scared, but that's not Manchester, it's not Mancunian, and it certainly isn't me.
It says something about the buzz - and yes I do use that word deliberately - that we created this weekend with tattoo artists across the city, across the country - heck I think some American places even came on board in the end!! - throwing beautiful events to unite us under a inked banner of Manchester bees, the buzz created by the runners who still got up and smashed a 10k to raise money for all kinds of charities, and also for the buses, proudly displaying the #we<3MCR message across the city.
31 May 2017
14 May 2017
The Cold,
As I wrote yesterday, this past week I have done a fat lot of nothing much, and whilst that has been great I seem to have acquired a cold. Well, a sore throat and sinus pain, but those do seem to be the pre-warnings of a cold for me.
Whilst that is quite frustrating, I guess that it is better for it to happen while I can sit at home and take it easy as opposed to push myself to go into the office and feel crappy whilst doing it.
Unfortunately though, I had hoped to get through some writing or editing or something whilst I was back at home and one week in, I have not really done that. I haven't really felt like it. Granted there is the usual issue of urgh, I wish I had a laptop with everything collated so that it wasn't so much of a mess about, but still, I have access to a laptop, I have my netbook with me and a couple of notebooks, but aside from one brief scribbling session, I haven't really touched any of it.
Oh God, I just sneezed and it truly upset my dog. I think I need a hot tody.
I'm not sure how it has come to this because I would have thought that having an abundance of time would be just what I needed, but apparently not. Too much time with absolutely no structure is possibly - well, no, definitely - not productive.
I think I needed something like NaNoWriMo in order to keep me on target and unfortunately that wasn't going to be a thing. Also I think that I would be tempted to go for another fifteen thousand word day, which, whilst very beneficial, would be pretty painful and probably would have brought on another nasty dose of NaNoFlu, which is never enjoyable!
Anyway, I should probably put some effort in while thinking about it.
Catch you later.
Whilst that is quite frustrating, I guess that it is better for it to happen while I can sit at home and take it easy as opposed to push myself to go into the office and feel crappy whilst doing it.
Unfortunately though, I had hoped to get through some writing or editing or something whilst I was back at home and one week in, I have not really done that. I haven't really felt like it. Granted there is the usual issue of urgh, I wish I had a laptop with everything collated so that it wasn't so much of a mess about, but still, I have access to a laptop, I have my netbook with me and a couple of notebooks, but aside from one brief scribbling session, I haven't really touched any of it.
Oh God, I just sneezed and it truly upset my dog. I think I need a hot tody.
I'm not sure how it has come to this because I would have thought that having an abundance of time would be just what I needed, but apparently not. Too much time with absolutely no structure is possibly - well, no, definitely - not productive.
I think I needed something like NaNoWriMo in order to keep me on target and unfortunately that wasn't going to be a thing. Also I think that I would be tempted to go for another fifteen thousand word day, which, whilst very beneficial, would be pretty painful and probably would have brought on another nasty dose of NaNoFlu, which is never enjoyable!
Anyway, I should probably put some effort in while thinking about it.
Catch you later.
13 May 2017
The Calm,
This past week I have been back at my parents' place in Manchester except for one epic trek out into Derbyshire. Whilst that trek gave me a new appreciation for Pride and Prejudice I am by no means falling over myself to do it again. The rest of the time I have been at home with my pup doing a fat lot of not very much, because this is kind of my holiday.
Although I was terrified before I came up that I was going to get bored, it has actually been nice to go walking with the dog, get chatting to the other dog owners and vegetate in front of the television with no responsibility. (Yes, it is a bit like reverting back to my teenage years, but with the addition of the canine component.)
Much as I love my dog, and I really do love the little guy, it is weird living with him, because prior to this week I never have before. Every time I sit down to eat, he wants to come in the door or go out of the door so he can pee in the garden, every time I get snacks (and I really like my snacks) he's looking at me with these big, puppy eyes as though he hasn't eaten in weeks and wants everything that I'm having. Seriously, this dog will play at being starving even when his favourite food is in his bowl! And then there is a the exercise issue.
I am well aware that I am neither the most motivated, nor the most proficient at exercising, however when trying to run through YouTube exercise videos, he kept putting his butt in my face, when I, finally, finished an abs video, he jumped onto my aching abs making them hurt even more. And then there was the run. Deciding that he needed to be tired out slightly due to the insane amount of beans he was displaying and needing to have a run myself, I took him along with me. All seemed to be going pretty well, until he decided, with no warning to cut across the front of my path directly where my feet were, then stared at me as though I had stood there and kicked him on purpose.
That being said, when I returned from Derbyshire yesterday, feeling pretty sick and tired and just wanting my bed, it was lovely to be able to cuddle him and give him a kiss. His, almost, unconditional love (much more reliable when plied with treats) made me feel better when all I wanted to do was crawl into my bed and sleep for a week.
Anyway, the additional wonderful thing is that I have another week of this. Although puppy wouldn't be too happy if he knew that his parents were away for another week, he thankfully understands that I am better than nothing, which is a plus point.
Catch you later.
Although I was terrified before I came up that I was going to get bored, it has actually been nice to go walking with the dog, get chatting to the other dog owners and vegetate in front of the television with no responsibility. (Yes, it is a bit like reverting back to my teenage years, but with the addition of the canine component.)
Much as I love my dog, and I really do love the little guy, it is weird living with him, because prior to this week I never have before. Every time I sit down to eat, he wants to come in the door or go out of the door so he can pee in the garden, every time I get snacks (and I really like my snacks) he's looking at me with these big, puppy eyes as though he hasn't eaten in weeks and wants everything that I'm having. Seriously, this dog will play at being starving even when his favourite food is in his bowl! And then there is a the exercise issue.
I am well aware that I am neither the most motivated, nor the most proficient at exercising, however when trying to run through YouTube exercise videos, he kept putting his butt in my face, when I, finally, finished an abs video, he jumped onto my aching abs making them hurt even more. And then there was the run. Deciding that he needed to be tired out slightly due to the insane amount of beans he was displaying and needing to have a run myself, I took him along with me. All seemed to be going pretty well, until he decided, with no warning to cut across the front of my path directly where my feet were, then stared at me as though I had stood there and kicked him on purpose.
That being said, when I returned from Derbyshire yesterday, feeling pretty sick and tired and just wanting my bed, it was lovely to be able to cuddle him and give him a kiss. His, almost, unconditional love (much more reliable when plied with treats) made me feel better when all I wanted to do was crawl into my bed and sleep for a week.
Anyway, the additional wonderful thing is that I have another week of this. Although puppy wouldn't be too happy if he knew that his parents were away for another week, he thankfully understands that I am better than nothing, which is a plus point.
Catch you later.
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