Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Escape to the pub

Sling the "new/old" laptop in the day pack and walk a mile to the pub to escape from the confines of my room for an hour or two. I've long given up the idea of trying to keep the laptop pristine, as the inevitable scratches have appeared on the casing, with no apparent cause. The DVD/CD combo is now just a DVD player, refusing to read CD's and the screens diagonal smudge of dark in the middle never actually was dirt, it was likely a defect I didn't pick up until a few weeks after purchase.

The "silver" touchpad left click button has worn away it's "silver" coating in one small section and I realise that all the reviews in the world never prepare you for the reality of life with a laptop.

It's served me well so far and was most definately instrumental in landing me a job, so I can't complain too much. What's more, it's capable of playing Quake4 and Half-Life2 and thus a great multimedia development platform. In a few months, I'll send it in to be fixed as party of my warranty, so no harm done.

Today is just one of those extra days that wasn't really required, except to perhaps rest after festive excess. Of that I'm glad, for I certainly felt like I'd been stretched a bit thin this morning, quite literally in fact.

The weight loss is now noticable to myself and a 3 mile walk is a light stroll I don't even notice, although I've long stopped trying to figure out how far I walk on an average day.

The budget I've set is functioning to a reasonable degree, this pint isn't really essential and I realise it's the small purchases that you never account for which can have the most impact on spending. My desk lamp globe went last night, so I need to factor in another £2 to get a new one into tommorrows budget. All the usual humdrum boring purchases have new meaning when your counting pennys.
Yesterday I spent £2 under budget and today as well, even after a pint, but the budget is worked out rather tenuously, on the premise that I get 50% up front on the last 6 days contracting I did. It will be paid, but will it arrive on time ?
Will I be stranded with no way to get to work next week ?
Nothing else for it but to tighten that budget a bit more, so no more pints until that money is in my account.

I hope it arrives soon, because a Pub really is a relaxing place to spend time writing.
The very idea of a pub is that of a haven, either after a long journey, a long day or to get out of the house for a while. That feeling is still very much alive in this country, the public house.

I have mixed feelings about the UK, but it's fairly obvious how it can be a great place to live - it all boils down to the quality of your lifestyle and what you want out of it.
To escape from the "rat race" requires an above average salary. To set up home in the countryside requires significantly more. It can be so damn irritating when you spot a small bedsit in the country village where your working that you just know you could afford on a first months salary, only to know that it will soon be taken. It's still advertised for £600 a month, right on the high street in Odiham, a stones throw from the offices. What a tease life can be.

For now, London is still an exciting place and the fact that I can explore the city for a few hours, have a pint and return with some food, all for just £10 including transport is something really quite remarkable.

The other day I found myself hanging around Jubilee walk, between Black Friars and London Bridge and beyond taking in the sights. Skateboarders and cyclists, mime artists and dancers, street markets, book sales, museums and cafes. The Thames rolled on by, crammed full of boats as Saint Pauls looked on and the eye slowly turned.

These moments make it worthwhile.

From tommorrow, it's down to hard graft to forge ahead into my career and the unknown.
It's an odd feeling to not quite know where I'll be living in February, but I really do hope it's my own little space. I can handle a few more months in shared accommodation if needs be, but I'd rather get settled, at least for longer than a month.

But let me not get ahead of myself, I still need to negotiate a deal with the partners of this small design company. While it's 90% certain there's an offer, that 10% in the gamble can always be a turning point.

And the long term plans ?
They still stand, now seeming so far in the distance, a small house near the sea in a sunny country with good prospects. To get there will require a lot of effort. Best not to think about it.