Augustine musings

That title has put Patrick Wolf's "Augustine" in my head, which is annoying as he sings "Oww-gust-een". Brilliant. That will be in my head all night. Preferably to Vanessa Paradis' "Joe le Taxi", which I've entertained all afternoon. Akira's fault.

Post well due. Here are thoughts of recent times.

As a result of recent correspondence with the MET I have mistakenly been appointed to a position of Senior Lecturer. Wonder if they'll realise the error. I won't inform them of course - as punishment only.

My sunflowers are not as tall as everyone else's. Rah. But they are quite lovely nonetheless.

I caught Steve schmoozing with some passers by the other day. I felt betrayed and as if the politics I have become involved with in his defense* has been a waste. The tabby who lives nextdoor has started talking to me, which is nice, but I do still remain loyal to Steve. Dave is well, thanks for asking, as is Cromwell, despite being a little upset that I shut him in the lounge on Saturday night so he couldn't come to bed. I was in bad books.

I've finished thesis draft 1. It even includes pretentious poetry as a preface (not self written, though). That is quite try-hard, I admit, but I quite like poetry these days. Especially the therapeutic quality of writing limericks instead of working. Limerick competition postings to follow shortly.

A product of spending a lot of time writing, lately, is that I occasionally have ideas about sleep and dreaming that I think are revolutionary. I feel like everything fits into place and that my thesis is worthwhile. That spurs me on work-wise, so I just write write write. I become so immersed in what I'm doing that I forget to ensure that I should remember any of it, so the next day I will honestly have no recollection whatsoever what I have been doing. Some days later I will come across whatever I was writing about and realise that it was a bit wanky and, surprisingly, not as revolutionary as it felt at the time. So I start again. I am going to blame this cycle for my current frequent amnesia, which is actually becoming quite troubling.

I've joined a fantasy football league for the first time and I am enjoying it immensely. It's not too late to join, in case anyone's interested, although team Moon Dreams and their aubergine strip finery may kick your ass. Please enquire if interested.

So the nation warms to simple, honest individuals, if BB is to teach us anything. People of brain are boring, snobbish and unable to entertain themselves by joining in with pool-related "woohoo"ing.**

This has been mentioned in a previous post (by Lord G, I think): sleep paralysis. It's happened a few times lately. The plus side is that it's a good excuse for a lie-in (as I physically cannot get up). The downside is that it's quite terrifying. I know I need to wake, but am unable to. In this hypnopompic state (in a weird dream state whilst waking) I can't let go of the dream, but am trying to. This results in partial lucidity, whereby I know I ought to wake and move, but I know I can't, so I have to return to the dream. Quite an odd one.

Sun's been nice then. However I think we've had enough. I'm ready to welcome SAD with open arms. Pretty much. I had a lovely weekend lunching with friends in the sun. Now all my weekends are booked until October, by which time there will certainly be no more sun.

I have become an evangelical vegetarian again, as opposed to a silent vegetarian which I have been ever since about the age of 18 (when sitting next to someone at formal dinners in Durham would likely result in the vegetarianism debate, and them finding it amusing to put steak near my face. Wankers). Eating meat is wrong wrong wrong. At least if you ever pay <£3 for a chicken, as it costs at least that to fully rear a chicken in semi decent conditions. I dread to think where nandos and Tesco get their chickens from.

I feel that finishing the PhD and starting a new job should be a good excuse to make a fresh start in terms of lifestyle. I am going to learn to drive at last, but I fear two things: 1) that it won't be as enjoyable or freeing as when I drive in my dreams, where I'm actually quite good, too. And 2) that I might want to get a car if I manage to drive. I like being an eco-warrior without one. I suppose if National Express make it unaffordable to travel around as of December (when they take over GNER, not because I am partial to the coach) I'll reconsider. However my senior lecturer's salary should soon remove concerns over transport costs.

I think that's plenty for now.

Moon.xxx


*Politics includes encouraging sweet tabby who lives nextdoor not to fall out with Steve, even though tabby lives nextdoor (therefore have privileged garden access rights) and Steve lives nextdoor but one.

**Source: BBLB, 14th August 2007.