Interview tomorrow

Posted on by gizzajob

I have a job interview tomorrow in Belfast. I have ironed my white shirt, and shined my shoes, for tomorrow. Fortunately, tomorrow’s interview is in the afternoon. So I can tie some loose ends in the morning.

Tomorrow is also the last day before a fortnight of a severe Lockdown in Northern Ireland. I feel like Number Six from ‘The Prisoner’ at times, recently. And Belfast normally resembles ‘Dawn of the Dead’ at this time of the year. Imagine tomorrow.

And happy Thanksgiving to the USSA. 😀

Tunes:

Getting agitated

Posted on by gizzajob

Today, I was on the Community Bus home, whenever a news headline triggered me, and I began tapping the back of the seat in front of me in agitation. That seat happened to be the driver’s, and she said it was ‘distracting’ her. I got home safely, but I still feel wired.

Yesterday’s shopping trip was a bit of a blow-out. However, I bought Christmas lights at the branch of Dobbie’s Garden Centre outside Lisburn. We stopped for breakfast there. I wasn’t aware that they provided breakfast for us, and I had already paid for one. But I got both breakfasts, and this morning I lost a pound in Slimming World. 🙂

I did buy a twelve-inch single in Belfast, during the trip. It was from Flowered Up – London’s answer to the Happy Mondays. Music was coming into my life around the end of the Baggy era. I once got a bicycle bell for Christmas, with a smiling yellow face. Being a good Catholic boy, I took it off for fear of the drug connotations. 🙂 A misspent youth, with hindsight.

I’m also listening to a Van Morrison LP, a friend lent to me. Also, I’m trying out the Vivaldi browser; developed by Opera, but emulates as Chrome. Good on the MacBook. Not so good on the Android.

Tunes:

 

An Tour Mór (Sonnet I wrote about driving across the Sperrins today)

Posted on by gizzajob

He who rides a tiger is scared to dismount!

Not like the fear I had driving to Aughabrack via Feeny

trundling up the hills on the road from Moneymeaney

until I approached the crossroads dissecting the Park to Dungiven road!

Heading to Aughabrack I noticed ‘Road Ahead Closed’ signs

the road towards Plumbridge was closed!

Mrs. Kerlin said it’s due to a stretch of road being widened!

Blade heading towards Plumbridge showed me a detour

where I nearly drove into a hole on the right-hand road edge!

But I got over safe thanks to that Angel sent from Heaven!

Drove back home via Greencastle

nearly missing a sharp turn and almost into a side road

as well as nearly witnessing a collision at Kildress!

“Holy Jesus! Thon’s some journey!”

Heroes must suffer

Posted on by gizzajob

http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2017/04/make-your-hero-suffer-2/#comment-132469

I have realised that we must all suffer at first to live a fulfilling life in the end. Diamonds are simply million year-old trees. It seems that artists in particular – be it painters, writers or creative types in general – have a pretty tempestuous life. But we come out stronger.

Yesterday I drove to Plumbridge as a trial run drive in preparation for a job I applied for to see if I would go for at least an interview. But I was going through a road past the Sperrins I had never been on before and was so consumed by fear; driving new places these past few years has been a forced exercise for me. But in the end, when heading back, I realised that driving on a road I wasn’t comfortable with for a part time job wouldn’t be worth it. The juice just isn’t worth the squeeze.

However, today, I went to the place in Magherafelt I used to live at and went gardening this morning and early afternoon. It was good to muck about with my old posse. I even heard from the gardening expert there that the soil contains serotonin. No wonder I felt better. 🙂

Now this evening I’m not attending the art class. I need to slow down the pace a bit. My uncle had a suspected heart attack and is in the Royal Hospital in Belfast. My health is my wealth, for now.