pretty much what i thought. am geting more reclusive as the years go on though. will take the test...
Around and About
Monday, October 6th, 2008
I haven’t said much on here for a while. I’ve been thinking about this blog and what to do with it. I’ve been struggling with it for months, but I feel like a break from it has given me the space to think about what I want to write about and how I’d like to write it.
In case anyone’s interested, here are a few personal highlights from the last week or so.
Someone offered me a four-figure sum to buy a website I’ve been developing (not this one). I agonised over the offer for a few days (credit card bill), then turned him down. I decided to keep it going, in the belief that I can make more money from it in the long-term. Since I discussed the whole thing with my parents, they haven’t said a thing to me about being on the computer too much. I guess they can see that I’ve been doing something of value on here.
I’ve been offered some other web work by a friend of a friend, which could turn into a regular gig. Looks like this could potentially be my new path. My current goal is to be able to quit the day job and work 100% online.
On Tuesday evening I bumped into my old private French tutor (from 10 years ago) on the way home from work. We decided to go to a nearby pub to have a proper chat. We caught up on each other’s news (he keeps himself very busy as an advocate for all sorts of people in need). I spoke a little bit about my worries about my lack of direction and the way that I often change interests, but he told me not to worry, that he’d been the same in his 20s. He also advised me to take up volunteer work, which is something I’ve considered a few times but haven’t pursued. He’s definitely a force for good.
One of my favourite authors is Valerie Martin. I’ve read several of her novels, but there are a few left for me to discover. A few weeks ago I found 2 of her earlier novels in a discount bookshop near my workplace. I bought them both happily. I started one of them, A Recent Martyr, a few days ago. On the train to work on Friday I reached the end of page 34, which was looking like a really critical scene, and found that the next page was the author’s dedication. After that the novel restarted from page one. I was a bit baffled but just turned to the second “page 34″ again. However the next page was 83, meaning that I’d lost nearly 50 pages! Downcast, I put the book back in my bag and turned to look out of the train window. I’ll go back to the shop with my receipt tomorrow in the hope that they’ll have a normal copy. This reminded me of an art project where this guy left a box marked FREE BOOKS in the street, but anyone taking one of these books would have eventually discovered that the last few pages had been tore out.
I started the second Martin book that I’d bought and discovered that I’d already read it. 
I’m still re-reading it now as I’ve forgotten most of it. It’s a constant feeling of déjà lu: I recognise the scenes as I read them.
I bought four tickets to the NKOTB concert in January, but decided to resell two of them on ebay because most of my friends weren’t interested. I made about £20 profit, but I was happy to just cover my initial expenditure. A couple of people asked me to end the auction early, but I declined as I usually make more money as a lot of people (smartly) wait til the end to bid. There are loads of people selling tickets for the concert at crazy prices, but I think I did well because my start price was reasonable and I have great feedback.
I also bought tickets to see Robin Thicke in a couple of weeks. I was really gutted to have missed out on his concerts here last year, but I’m looking forward to seeing and hearing him in person. (Just realised that he’s got a new album, how did I not know that?!)
Over the last few years I’ve been cultivating interests that aren’t compatible with my existing network of friends, so I’ve decided to go solo when appropriate. I’m fed up of missing out on things because I’ve been reluctant to attend on my own. As Henry David Thoreau said: “The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.”
6:55 pm on 8-Oct-08
Smart girl. As Judith Viorst wrote in Necessary Losses: We’re all friends in spots. We lose some when we grow in other directions, or we maintain them, but stop expecting them to meet us at all points.
I remember the days when I wouldn’t enter a restaurant alone. Now I not only eat and vacation alone: I enjoy it. I would travel anywhere alone, and have. I’ve lived alone. Not having company must not keep you from doing what you want or need to do.
You grow, girl!
8:35 am on 10-Oct-08
Thanks, Liane. You know, I’m happy to do a lot of things alone, but sometimes I get too concerned about other people will think of me. When you go out alone you can draw more attention than when you’re with other people, and it makes me uncomfortable sometimes. But who cares, right?
9:42 pm on 11-Oct-08
Good for you. I’m glad you kept us up to date on some of the positive things in your life. I knew a smart good looking gal like you would find a way to make it and hopefully with the online work offers you be doing just that. It’s hard to go your own way sometimes but more often that not your own way is the best way. Have fun at those concerts and keep writing and being you, you know all your blog buddies are rooting for you.
11:55 pm on 23-Oct-08
Busy busy! Sounds like the web work cold really pay off for you (did I just say pay off?). Glad you’re alive and well. An excellent call on leaving the friends out of things and not missing out. It took me a while to figure out that that works just fine and you usually end up chatting with people who are wherever you are because they want to be too.