2024-09-12
It's getting to mid-way through September, and the days are getting noticeably shorter. The temperature has dropped from about 21 to about 14 degrees C. It's a sudden drop, over the course of less than a week, and is very much noticeable. In a way, it feels very cold, but of course 14 degrees is not that cold in the grand scheme of things; then again, I do live in England where it does not get much past zero degrees in the dead of winter. That said, it's been a strange year; we didn't get the same kind of heat we should have early in the year, and it was incredibly wet, and so we got a lot of mozzies (mosquitoes).
I wonder how it will be this winter. I of course have the orange tree I'll need to think about bringing in soon, and the garden is going to come to an end soon for the year. Next year will be better, I'm telling myself. I am struggling to get a lot in these days now, especially considering how short the days are (I may just have to bite it and work in the dark, as I think I did last year a little). Fun. The allotment this year has not been impressive, but such is life; I'm not overly concerned. I've learnt some this year, and can put it to use next year.
All fun stuff!
So, preamble over, let's start.
I'll have an amount of maintenance to do over the coming weeks and months. I will need to try to prepare things for winter, e.g. the fuchsia that are still very small and weak (maybe just bring them in? I feel as though fuchsia are too delicate, and I can't really handle them that well) and various other bits and bobs. Sort the strawberries out before winter comes (though they don't care), etc. Generally just try to tidy it up and get everything sorted.
I've been neglecting bike maintenance again. The thing sounds in a pretty poor state, and frankly I feel as though I should actually just replace the whole drivetrain. It would be good for me to work out more to replace a chain, etc. and put it all back together. That said, if the bike is out of action for any amount of time I'm in a tricky spot about getting to places. I can use the other bike though, much as I don't really like it... I ought just sell it, if I am totally honest. I don't use it, nor do I exactly like it. It might be better if I worked farther from the office, but honest I think the problem is just that it is not a pleasant riding experience: the tiny wheels make it difficult to get enough power in. I worry about it in terms of potholes. Maybe I should just use it and get used to it?
I had, last night, intended to go to the gym to do legs (for once! I don't normally do legs but have figured that I ought place more focus on them and on core/obliques) but my mum made me dinner, so I didn't end up going, and just had dinner and sorted out the cherry tree. Today I'll go; I'll also go on Saturday (and hope my wrists have recovered by that point, if I'll be doing push exercises) and will, also on the Saturday, study and finish the RHS M4, write up a little cover letter to my tutor to inform him of my intention to not take the exam until Feb and if I can continue to study in that time, then go by the sea and draw/sketch a bit. I'll cycle up there so I can go about if I need to, and try find things to draw. I think I should try to do it every Saturday if I can, but plans always fall through and inevitably, I know that I am putting a lot on my plate and don't really have the time, or at least, that I struggle to do all of this. I'm still not really doing any guitar, even after writing that wv a few days... I'm finding that time is slipping away from me at a surprising rate, and likely it's just because I'm going to bed at a reasonable time (half nine) because it's so dark at that time).
That said, work feels a bit more manageable, though I am not sure on it still. I am getting to be a little less behind, and am getting better at scheduling I feel like; that said, I've a long way to go, and will need to try to work out systems a bit better.
Rambling, but returning on topic, I will at times, even due to factors outside of my control, need to amend my schedule, and suppose that is no terrible thing; I must do, I guess. (Is that all I have to write on it?)
This year, I am realising I am behind on just about everything; I am allowing the allotment to get by with the bare minimum, but want to improve it next year; gym is getting sufficient progress but could be better; guitar is paling; drawing is still barely at the starting block. Of course, I speak of this kind of efficiency, but realise the previous mentality (which I fear I am slipping back into) is bad for the actual progression of these things (I need to not only be flexible in terms of time, but also in terms of actually not being lazy at all), but also is bad for my mental health; as such, I need to also schedule in time to be almost counter-productive, in terms of giving myself room to watch films if that pleases me, engage in media generally, as well as doing various leisure activities. I don't feel a focus on raw productivity helps me at all.
I also think I cannot be too specific about the shape it takes, only the form, if that makes sense; if I try for too much rigidity, I get bored of it and return to nothingness; if on the other hand I relieve all requirements I end up in the same place. I need to have form that the activities must resemble, but in their specifics and in the mindset behind it a freedom should reign.
What are my goals for the next year? I see a lot of blog posts recently about setting specific goals and measuring for them; I think that would be good to do in a way, though potentially I have little way to measure exactly what progress I make. I could just count through each week and then sum it up, using the diary as my base. I wonder if writing each evening in the diary would act as a form of "reset" in that it allows each day to be ended (and, written off in a way) in the same way, allowing the next day to be not a continuation of that, but a new day in itself, so to speak.
My goals will be largely those which I am thinking of now: I want to:
So much to do and think about! That's a pipe dream, though, Italy.
It will be difficult work, as there is a lot to do. The above list is not even everything; for instance, I want to continue to write wv, almost every day like I have been. I should set goals and see how many I accomplish. For instance, I could say that from Jan-25 I want to write 150 wvs. See if I manage that, or not; really, it's a matter of how busy I am and whether I have anything to write about or the inclination, so it's difficult in that way.
As a general trend, I want to spend more time doing leisure activities, being social with people I don't know, and being out of the house. As such, I should try to either make my activities the kind that don't have to be done at home, for instance writing wv can be done on the train (as I am doing now), or at the park, a cafe, etc. Studying can be done at a cafe - and I shouldn't limit myself to the one I always go in! Drawing and sketching can be done just about anywhere with enough skill and imagination. Guitar is an at-home thing. Opera is outdoors, watching a movie each Friday is an at-home thing. So it's not like I'm not spending any time at home, but spending *less*, and more elsewhere. I can even decide where I want to go at the time, and go there to do any activity I please. I can explore, in other words, and reduce a certain monotony in my life that comes from being in the same place all the time.
As for work, I currently work at home in my room, but do need to find a good solution to that, where I can make/receive calls, as well as getting done what I need.
That kind of thing. I'm going to try to make the changes this year, and then carry them through next year as well.
The train is almost arrived and I want to stop and think a bit, so I'll call it here - have a good one.