Last Blog of July ?

Well, I guess it would be, being as it's July 31st.

There's something really strange happening at the moment. I feel rather calm, and balanced, and well... like I know what to do. Sure that's me ? Lots of things to do at work, lots going on. But lots and lots getting done. I think I'm taking hold of the reigns more, and not shying away from the things that I need to do, or say. The unreleased frustrations aren't then able too build up and explode like some sort of petrol filled balloon being pricked by a lit match.

People seem to be responding better to that, they seem to know where they are more, and what it is that they have to do, and well, on the hole.. they do it.

I'm not getting everything right, but the things or times that I'm getting things wrong don't feel so overwhelming.

Maybe I feel better because I've got something to aim for (the flat). All the legal stuff is proceeding as much as it can until Taylor Wimpey send the legal pack to my solicitors - which isn't very much. They haven't exchanged contracts on my Mum & Dad's place, and they are due to be moving in October. Perhaps this will be delayed. So here I am, all mortgaged up and nowhere to go - just yet.

I really want to get started on the choosing things stage. The fun of decorating, without having to do the decorating. Fantastic.

The area of my life that is taking a knocking at the moment is the writing side. Haven't completed any new scripts for ages, and got seriously behind in needing to prepare scene-by-scenes for the new series of 'The Adventures Of Stephen Brown'. This was also not helped by the fact that in my head, I was only doing one story in the coming season, when actually, according to the email that was sent out - an email I WROTE ! I was doing two. Read your own emails. Note to self.

That's now changed a bit, so there is only one story this year, and mine is the end of season. Still. Need to get off my arse and write more, as can be seen by the not unusual lack of entries in the blog. I am also due to finish a story, which is 70% done for 'The Ninth Man' - another Beacon thing. I have been rather lazy of late on the creativity front. There is no denying it.

Time is precious, and I have been squandering it. I have been watching far too much television. To my eternal shame, I have been watching Big Brother this year, it being the last one I wanted to see what all the fuss is about before it disappears off our screens forever. (Only to be replaced by some other inane reality TV show). Just like in reality, people refer to how one years' BB is better than another, how one year was the best, or particular years were rubbish. Although there is a certain amount the tasks being set, or the house environment has to play in how interesting the show is, the greatest motivator and shaper of good vs bad television has to be the housemates themselves. If they are a boring bunch of bastards who don't say or do anything remotely interesting for 12 weeks people are going to turn off their TV sets in droves.

If however, like this year, they are a reasonably diverse mix of people, who after some fluctuations in who they do or don't get on with have all managed to pretty much get along. Fascinatingly enough though, there have been three people that have walked this year, which must be some sort of record, and one contestant that has been taken out of the house because they twisted their ankle in a task. I can see the adverts now..'Have you been injured whilst completing a task in a reality TV show..... then you should call BigLawyers4U...'

There is a core of people, the surviving members from the original crowd, but also there have been new housemates along the way. The dynamic of how the group has evolved is actually quite fascinating to watch. To see it change every time a new person enters the house is intriguing to watch. Some of the characters are interesting, lovable, fun and a pleasure to watch. The key thing, is that not one of them is absolutely marvellous, or perfect. They are humans after all, and everyone has their faults. They've all said things or done things at time that are either really stupid or very annoying, or both, but you can't help but love them all the same.

But this is the reality of human interaction isn't it. Everyone annoys or pisses off everyone else at some point or another. To think that you can remove that entirely, or that it's a disaster if people do get upset with each other is just plain unrealistic and stupid. I think I learn the most from other humans when either their or my boundaries are being pushed. People that you never disagree, row or fight with just don't teach you anything, because they are either so much like you it's like talking to yourself or looking in the mirror, or they are fundamentally uninteresting.

Was my Daughter's and my Mother's birthdays this week. We all went out for a family day out on Tuesday, which was lovely. Off to Staunton Country Park, to see the animals, spend money in the gift shop and then back here for some food. Quite amazed that the offered choice of salad with some cold meats and french stick was taken up on by the kids, had really expected them to want a McDonald's or at the very least something from the fish and chip shop. Very enjoyable day.

Time to get on with the day I think. The flat looks like some sort of mess making bomb has gone off... I guess that'll be the effect of having three kids around earlier in the week. I must keep better control over my time, I am going to have less free time now due to getting signed up for overtime so that I can have more money prepared for the move.

My daughter and I go away on holiday in two weeks time. Off to sunny Devon. I look forward to our time away every year, and have made sure for the last 4 years that we have been somewhere different each time. It's probably the only way I would get to see more of the country, not being one of those people with a car. I would like to go abroad at some more of the rest of the planet, there being of course so much of it to see. I like the idea of travelling, I do actually like travelling, but I'm not ever overly impressed with getting there. Like so many other things in life, it's about the journey not the destination.