Lost: one week

Where did the last week go? I feel like once again I blinked and the whole thing went past

I have to admit, I’ve been so exhausted by the end of the term chaos that I’ve not been wanting to look at a screen when I got home. I’ve been just curling up on the couch and trying to relax.

It was a productive week, work wise though. I got all the grades uploaded onto the system, I invigilated some exams, I talked through dissertation topics, I argued grades etc etc. And now term has ended so I’m working on winding down.

Current plan is relax and enjoy things over Christmas, my birthday and New Year, then once the festivities are over I’ve got a week to get everything prepared for the new term.

I got home on Friday evening to find Jack & Lucy had decorated for Christmas. It was a magical feeling, coming home to that at the end of a stressful week was perfect. If I’m ever too old to find Christmas decorations to be wondrous, I will be going to find my grave!

We went to see Aquaman which was incredible and if I didn’t have enough of a crush on Jason Momoa before hand? ❤

December 2018

I feel like I blinked and it’s December. I’m sure the school year just started and now we’re winding down for the end of the Autumn semester and into the Christmas recess. I’m not going to lie though, I’m thrilled. I love December. I love Christmas and it’s my birthday – not that anyone¹ really remembers it, it’s in that awkward period between Christmas and New Year where it feels like you’ve fallen into a fissure in the space time continuum.

I’m very much looking forward to a couple of weeks of no classes, no students and spending quality time with Jack and Lucy. We’ve got no solid plans other than going to see Aquaman, and a board games afternoon. I’d like to get in some yoga and zumba classes at the gym as well.

Also, in December, I’m going to two Cardiff Blues matches – on the 15th and 21st. I don’t get to go to actual matches in person often enough so I’m looking forward to that.

I’m sure other plans will fall into place as the month goes on. Mostly, though, I’m looking forward to relaxing with my family and enjoying the festive season

^{1 Jack, Lucy, Dad and my brother remember. Sometimes my niece and nephew too, although somehow they manage to forget that their father and I are twins and share a birthday…}

they’re out there…somewhere…maybe…

I came home from work this evening to find Jack and Lucy watching War Of The Worlds. I’m all for a good science-fiction movie, I do enjoy stories of alien invasions and I’ve been half wanting to watch the film for many years. I’m just not sure I can sit through several hours of Tom Cruise. So instead I’m hiding in my office and listening to Jeff Wayne’s musical version.

On the Tom Cruise note, I used to be a fan, back in the late 80s/early 90s. I have many fond memories of watching the likes of Cocktail, Top Guns, Days Of Thunder, A Few Good Men. Jack loves his Mission Impossible movies. But that was before the utter craziness of his Scientology ways. Have you ever actually read about this cult? Jesus, the fuck…? People believe this shit? I mean, the idea of reincarnation is fine, and the whole working towards spiritual and educational enlightenment is fair enough. But Xenu? The galatic tyrant who apparently stacked up billions of frozen bodies and then blew them up with H-bombs, for reasons known only to His Galatic Mightyness? And, by the way, it’s the souls of those dead shmucks sticking to our bodies that causes mental disorders and diseases and shit. Yeah, who knew? Weird fucking shit, I’m telling you

But I digress. The War of the Worlds. So anyway, It’s on Spotify and I’m trying to recall if I’ve ever listened to it properly before. I don’t think I have, not in it’s entirety. It’s… interesting, certainly. Very prog-rock. And I do love the orchestral bits. Dun-dun-DUN! Most of the songs are fairly average, although I’ve always liked Forever Autumn. Never actually knew it was from this.