End of Book 1

7 out of 37 baggies done. Book 1 of 4 completed. A pretty productive first day at Hogwarts!

A Year to The Day

I just realized that it's a year to the day (+/- 1 day) since I last posted on this blog. I could blame COVID but really I've struggled. It's hard being away and it's hard not having that sense of security. I still feel like it is all a bit temporary, and a few health issues haven't helped things.

Anyway, I treated myself to a very stupid birthday present - which will form the basis of my blog over the next few weeks until I've done it. Probably not every day (and I'm in Korea next week I think so I won't be doing much then) but I intend to keep it semi-regular.

So, enough of the expense. I am going to attempt the 6000+ Hogwarts Castle Lego set. I picked it up on a nice little sale, fueled by some of my winnings from the ongoing Euros! Consisting of 37 individual bags of lego and 4 (yes, FOUR) instruction booklets we'll have to see how long it takes. The box is bigger than I expected to start with and it looks like this is going to really keep me entertained.

Day 1 - let's see how we get on!

Days 100/101 - The next 100

So yesterday completed my first 100 days of my great adventure. I can safely so that no-one out there  would have seen it panning out the way it has when I finally agreed to it about 9 months ago. It is also pretty safe to say that even after I got here and started to settle in, it has definitely taken a turn for the worse.

Looking Forward

But this year was always supposed to be a positive so instead of looking back and reminiscing about the first 100 days, I want to look ahead to the next 100 - and set myself some goals. 

A lot of these are obviously pretty dependent on the lockdown being lifted and life returning to normal, but not all of them. Some are ambitious and may take the rest of the year, some should be quicker!

Get Katie over to visit

Do a skydive

Learn at least three songs on the banjo without needing to refer to the music

Join a martial arts group

Complete another 10km

Drop another 2 stone

Learn one song on the drums well enough to play along

Have a half-decent conversation in Spanish with someone

Go on a date (I'd even take an unsuccessful one!)

It's all about looking to the future, setting goals and working towards achieving them. If you look forward to what is to come, and set good targets, then it can really help you to work through those crappier times and take the positives out of things.

I'll keep you updated on progress, and let me know what else needs to be on the above list. Anything will be considered, provided it is legal of course!!

Till tomorrow,

Tom

Days 81&82 - Keeping Busy

The last week or so has definitely felt like a transition between things. It is no longer feeling like a short-term trip and more and more like I am here for the year (which obviously I am). I'm not sure why it is now that this has suddenly happened - other than the amount of time I've had to spend in the apartment due to the virus has gone up drastically in the last few weeks. 

I've also made more and more touches around the apartment which are making me feel like this is a more permanent home. And I think this is now the longest single trip away, so maybe that has contributed too.

Part of those "touches" has involved getting myself on with some new hobbies. As well as taking up Spanish, jigsaw puzzles and rediscovering my PS4, I've also branched out into gardening (well, the long-term Bonsai plan) and, more recently, music. As you can see in the video I have decided to embrace my complete lack of musical skill and try to learn an instrument - actually several. The first one to arrive is the banjo, so good luck to the neighbours!

The Office

I find it so important to keep busy. Time can be so fleeting and I think I owe it to myself to try and use it as productively as possible. Plus it helps take my mind of things going on around the world, not to mention some things about my life that I prefer not to dwell on. But it is also important to have variety. To have different ways of relaxing. Some that challenge the brain, some that don't. Physical ones, mental ones, a combination of the two - variety really is the key to keeping anything interesting and fresh.

It's not easy with the restrictions that are in place, and don't seem to be going anywhere soon, but there are 100s of ways out there to keep yourself (and others) entertained. And with modern technology it is becoming more and more practical to spend that time with others as well. 

Katie and I have been doing her schoolwork together the last few days - hopefully freeing Nat up to get on with her uni work and wait for the inevitable call to arms from the NHS. And that's the other key, working together to keep others engaged and entertained through this difficult time takes team-work and some level of sacrifice. 

Tasty Chilli

Being busy is all part of modern life. It's being the right kind of busy that I've been working towards over the last few weeks. Now where did I put the banjo?!

Till tomorrow, Tom

Days 79&80 - Calm amongst the storm

Have you ever looked at the night sky? I mean REALLY looked at it. It is staggeringly beautiful and mind-blowing at the same time. There are officially 88 modern constellations according to the IAU (International Astronomical Union) but the view is so much more than patterns and billions upon billions of twinkling lights.

Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences as cultures as far back as the Babylonians and Maya recorded observations of the night sky (and put their findings to practical use in most cases). In fact, almost every civilisation there has ever been has looked to the heavens and tried to understand the universe or simply marvelled at the beauty of it.

As a scientist by nature, the way the stars and planets interact and the "celestial dance" they perform across our night sky is fascinating, but today I want to get away from the mechanics and look at the aesthetics and the "feel" of the sky. Because it is contains a beauty and serenity that is all too often overlooked.

The night sky is slow - I don't mean that literally as we travel through it at something approaching 30km per second. But things seem to happen slowly. Yes the stars will move over time, but the movement as you look at them is essentially undiscernable. And the light from some of these stars has taken so long to get here that the star is long gone. Everything about gazing at the night sky is an exercise in patience and relaxation.

We in the built-up areas of the Western world don't get to see the sky in all its glory due to light pollution but it is truly magical sight. On a cloudless night and with the right location you can stare for hours at the majestic beauty of the cosmos and still only see a fraction of a fraction of what there is to see. You can go back every night for a lifetime and see something new each time.

That is another aspect of staring at the sky that I find so appealing, the sense of scale. Some have great difficulty in understanding their place in the universe but I take great comfort in being (as Gargravarr in the Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy put it so succinctly) "An invisible dot on an invisible dot, infinitely small".

There is something, for me, so relaxing and soothing about the night sky. It is hard to convey in words but it is a kind of enjoyment in the infiniteness of it. The knowledge that the universe is so vast and old puts our short, small journey through it into perspective. As I said before, some don't like to think of life as essentially a blip on the radar of existence but personally I take great comfort from the sense proportion it gives me.

It is a difficult time for the world at the moment. There seems to be so much wrong, so much to fix, so much to lament :-( But every time I look up into that sky I still retain that sense of wonder, that understanding that everything is possible and that sense of serenity that comes when you realise that all your struggles can be forgotten in the grand scheme of things. It doesn't make problems go away but, for me, staring up at the night sky helps me to remember that problems and stresses are only as important as I decide to make them and there is so much more to life than that.

So next time you get a chance, pick a spot in the sky, stare at it and remember the first time you ever looked in wonder at the universe out there. Remember that time when the sky was a place of beauty and amazement. If you are anything like me then you might be amazed at how much better your own little universe feels afterwards. Especially in these trying times.

Stay safe. Show love.

Till tomorrow, Tom

Day 73 - A bit of a mish mash

Today's blog doesn't really have any theme or direction to it. I've noticed that most of my recent ones have (quite rightly) focused on the coronavirus and the almost overwhelming sense of helplessness I've been feeling this far away from home, and those I love. 

It has been so difficult, watching developments back home and not being able to do much about it. I know you can't do it all now, but there should be no reason not to spend time with those that you love, those that you care about. Friends and family. Don't neglect them, don't take them for granted, make that call. Being 4000 miles away sucks at times, don't use smaller distances as an excuse. It frustrates me when I see people not taking opportunities that not all of us have (for whatever reason).

Anyway, now that I'm locked down for the next 3 weeks (minimum) there was a real worry that I'd continue on the same vein and forget the purpose of this blog - to stay in contact with folks and give them some insight into life in the USofA. 

Once this clears I'll be back on the road again and hopefully giving you a broader sense of what it is like down here on the banks of Old Blue. But form now I hope you'll indulge me some "me me me" time as I take you through what life looks like for Doctor Tom at the moment!

I've not managed to quite keep up with my 5 things I wanted to do, primarily as two of them involved being outside. But I have still been trying new things (and trying to re-invigorate old things) as I've been pottering along.

Spanish

I've been at this for a while now and I'm getting competent enough to be able to read bits in Spanish magazines and newspapers. Which is nice. Only bits though, and my vocabulary is still woefully short of poor even! But I can pick up sentence structure and I'm beginning to get the hang of written Spanish too. The big test is obviously going to come once I get out and about and begin to meet people who speak it. That'll come after the virus clears.

Gym/Yoga

The gym is closed now. But I've readjusted and got myself a daily exercise routine - plus a couple of runs a week. The weight is coming off slower than it did at the start but I'm losing inches all round (well, not ALL around) so that's good. I've also recently taken up yoga with the brilliant Adriene. I'm doing the 30 days of Yoga one at the moment and am already noticing the difference in flexibility. Though my knees do make noises they never used to!

Take up a new hobby

I have a couple of exciting developments on the way here. 

As well as becoming a full-on 3D jigsaw addict (check out Winterfell now, the main castle is done) I'm soon to be frustrating my neighbours as I try to learn to play the piano. I've got no music talent whatsoever, but what the hell eh? Problem is that the delivery is delayed for coronavirus so it might be a few weeks before it arrives. As long as I can play something recognisable by the time I come back I'll consider it a success. Hopefully you may even get a Katie/Daddy duet when I get good enough - but not yet.

The other one is a secret. Till it arrives on Saturday. Can't give all my secrets away in one blog. But I will give you a hint. Think small. And cute. And no, it's not a pet.

Challenges
Two 10km runs done. And I'm itching for another one. But I'll have to wait until the virus looks like it is clearing up before I commit to anything serious. And the sky-dive is still on. As soon as I can confirm the date I'll be after money for Christie. So be prepared :-) I'm still hopefully I can get 6-10 in this year, but again we'll see.

Other post virus stuff
Once I'm allowed out again I've got even more irons in the fire. I've joined the Baton Rouge Sunday Social Running Club (here), just waiting to get out now. And I've got plans to join a few of the local disk golfers for a round or two. Plus when sport comes back I've got my eyes on a baseball/softball league and a bit of over-40s soccer when I finally pass the milestone.

So despite everything, life is busy. In these uncertain times it is the best way to be. It hurts to dwell on the past, so I'm trying not to. And the future has so much going for it. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Till then, Tom

Day 65 - St. Patrick's Day

So today is St. Patrick's Day. Traditionally a celebration of all things Irish which predominantly (from my experiences) involves drinking a lot of alcohol and generally watching a ridiculous amount of sporting events - some professional, others less so shall we say.

According to the web, somewhere around $5bn is spent on St. Patrick's Day in the US alone. That's a staggering amount of money to be spent on a day which is only officially a holiday in one county (Suffolk County, Massachusetts - long story, google can explain). Except this year obviously. 

But instead of dwelling on the virus and it's worldwide implications I thought I'd take a more light hearted look at things and share some of my research into Patron Saints (with St. Patrick of course being the Patron Saint of Ireland). Turns out there is almost a Patron Saint for everything you can imagine. I wonder though, whether some of these are really prime jobs or not. 

St. Drogo for example got the job of Patronising (right word, wrong context?) unattractive people! Definitely not one of the jobs that everyone was interviewing for. Clotilde got "disappointing children" and Vitus picked up "oversleeping". I wonder who selects these. I mean I know the church typically does but is there a committee that sits round every month or so, pulls out a list of things and just starts assigning.

"OK folks, on today's list we have Bats (the flying type), Asparagus, Flatulence and Mime Artists. Do we have any nominees or shall we just dive right into the hat and pick out names at random?"

And I love the groupings that some Saints ended up with. St. Arnold just got "beer", clearly a very important thing that required his full concentration, whereas St. Genesius picked up "Clowns, Movies, Actors, Plumbers and Torture Victims". I can see the similarity and reasoning behind the first three or so but we really go off piste for the last couple! And sometimes pure laziness kicked in (or maybe it was knocking off time on Friday) and they just thought, "sod it Catherine of Alexandria can add it to her list". From the page I got all this information off (the very excellent one here) her list stands at:

"Unmarried girls, apologists, potters, spinners, archivists, dying people, educators, girls, jurists, knife sharpeners, lawyers, librarians, libraries, maidens, mechanics, millers, hat-makers, nurses, philosophers, preachers, scholars, schoolchildren, scribes, secretaries, spinsters, stenographers, students, tanners, theologians, University of Paris, haberdashers, wheelwrights, Philippines and Greece".

Did we miss anyone at the back?! That is some list!

What this does show is that somebody, somewhere cares about pretty much anything you can imagine. And somebody else somewhere, is championing those causes with as much gusto as they can. I'm not sure they are all fully up to speed with everything they are responsible for though. St. Isidore for example has the internet, despite him dying in 636AD. Imagine him trying to make that powerpoint presentation at then monthly Patron Saint lunch and learn!!

On that note (the mention of food) I'm out of here.

Till tomorrow, Tom

Ps - Still a day behind. More for my benefit than yours!

Day 64 - The answer is.....

......42. Well, according to Douglas Adams's seminal work The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy it is. The problem then switches to one of finding the question that fits this answer! Another of Adams's quotes from the same work goes further and implies that humans are, in fact, missing the point of life somewhat:

"On the planet Earth, man had always assumed he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed they were more intelligent then man - for precisely the same reasons."

Does Adams have a point here? Have the dolphins, in fact, got this whole existence thing spot on? Life is so staggeringly complex, impossible to work out and completely beyond normal levels of comprehension that it might simply be a better approach to not get too caught up with the why's and wherefores and simply make sure we live our lives to the fullest with the cards we are dealt.

Life has been around way before any of us, and will be around long afterwards too. It doesn't really care whether we understand it and frankly we would probably only find an answer devoid of context anyway. Every time I get close to understanding my life something comes by and blindsides me so applying that to the whole of existence seems and coming out on top seems unlikely.

I do feel that sometimes we worry too much and can tie ourselves in knots trying to understand why things happen the way they do. In fact I have it on good authority that this is one of my abundant character flaws! It can be difficult for sure, but is the best approach actually too just accept the fact that the answer IS 42, the question is unknown and you might as well enjoy the ride?

It is often said that the journey is more important than the destination, and nowhere is this truer than life itself. I know it is our human nature which pushes us to question, explore and understand - and striving for knowledge in itself is no bad thing (something I always encourage Katie to try and do). But maybe there is a line to be drawn, a point beyond which it is not worth pushing for fear of growing insanity taking over.

We often spend so long looking for answers that we often either forget the question we asked or, more likely, would have no idea what to do with the answer if we found it, In that respect, may mucking around in the water having a good time is precisely what we should be doing. Well played dolphins, well played indeed.

Till later, Tom

ps- I know I'm back behind again. I'm getting there!

Day 55 - Love your life

13 years ago today (maybe yesterday) I started at Simon Carves. Zero engineering experience, freshly finished PhD just about in the bag and no idea what the future was going to bring. I often talk about how lucky I am to love my job, and the opportunities it gives me. I also am aware of the good luck which I have been blessed with which has resulted in me (more of than not) to be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of those opportunities. 

There were many times during the years when I was (often without realising) teetering on a knife edge between two choices. And I have been so fortunate that almost every time I have ended up coming down on the right side. But I'm also proud of what has been achieved so far, and I'm proud of how hard I work to continue to achieve things. During my school and university days it is fair to say I was "efficient" - just doing the bare minimum to achieve what I needed to achieve to reach the next step. Don't let work get in the way of fun.

But as I've got older and matured I've started to realise a real sense of worth in doing things properly, to deliver more than people expect or than you've promised. If there is one thing I try to take pride in daily at work then it is the attention to detail and the quality of product I put out (OK, that's two things!). It is important to take that pride in what you do, it helps you to enjoy it and also fills you with a greater sense of satisfaction. That comes from Mum and Dad and I thank you both for instilling that in me, over a longer period of time than maybe you meant it too!

So that is today's takeaway. "A job well done is its own reward" they say. And I see what "they" mean. If you can enjoy something and take pride in it so much that you WANT it to be well done, then that is the real reward. You love what you do, and want to keep doing it better. We can spend upwards of 50 years our life working. I hope you get as lucky as I do in finding a career (and hobbies too) that you want to succeed at, that you love to do and that you take great pride in.

Just an update on my charity drive. I've been neglecting to mention them in my blog but I've got 5 (by tomorrow it'll be 6) great charities that I want to tell you and about and that I hope you can help me in supporting. 

I'll make that the subject of tomorrow's blog as I won't have too much time to think of something else. I'm off to the airport to collect my dad and then head back over to BR. Tomorrow night is New Orleans so Sunday's blog will be telling you all about the delights of the Big Easy!

Till tomorrow, Tom 

Day 51 - The Human Spirit

Having already posted once today I was scratching around for something to write about today. I wanted something bright and breezy as, well to be honest, I've had a few beers and a bite to eat and I'm feeling sleepy! Messing about on YouTube I found myself - yup that's right, me. 5 and a bit years I did a thing called an Ignite Talk.

The basic gist of this event is that you get 20 slides over 5 minutes to talk about any topic of your choosing. Each slide is on for 15 seconds before automatically advanced so you have to keep it snappy and interesting. My topic of choice? The Many World Championships of Finland.

6 years ago (I think - Poppy was born when I was away and I think she is 6 #baduncle) I spent about 2 months in Finland with my work. 

As I've already talked about in a previous blog, I love to absorb as much of the culture as possible when I'm away - and it was this that lead me to discover just how many world championship events Finland hosts. Included amongst those "sports" where you can be crowned world's best are: Mobile Phone Throwing, Mosquito Squashing, Swamp Football, Air Guitar and (my personal favourite) Wife Carrying!

It seems to be an interesting function of humankind that we can make a sport (or certainly an event) out of almost anything. Even the most humdrum activities can be "jazzed up" by making a competition of it. Toe Wrestling for example is now an event with its own world championships.

I love the human spirit when it comes to these kind of things. It reminds us all not to take things too seriously and to remember that most of the stresses we bring upon ourselves (especially in the Western world) are relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things. So next time you find yourself faced with a task or a situation that you aren't too keen on, my advice is pretty simple - invent a "World Championships" for that task and bask in the glory of success when you beat all comers.

Of course the trick is to find something that no-one else can beat you at, but that is probably all part of the fun. I remember being a child and wanting to be World Champion at something. I thought that opportunity had passed me by but I have new hope now; there is bound to be something I'm better than everybody else at! Surely?!

Till tomorrow,

Tom

Day 41 - Running late

I appreciate it might be almost Day 42 for you guys back home. But in my defence I had a long week, followed by a late flight. I got home at 10pm and had to set my alarm for 4:45am so I could get half an hour talking to Katie! She and Nat are so busy (especially at weekends) that if I want to catch Katie then I have limited windows. 

And of course I was greeted by a smiling face right? Was I hell! Little Miss Moody-Ass-11-going-on-13 was in full effect!! A gentle reminder that timing is crucial, young girls don't like to be distracted from Tik-Tok and parenting is a game you can at best draw at for a good 5-6 years in the middle. Hats off to all those that do it, either their own or with back-up.

As I fully intend to do another blog later this evening  think I'll cheat again and delve into my box of previous blogs. I found this one, from almost exactly 6 years ago. It talks a bit about time, but also place. And I think it has some relevance still, particularly with the very nature of this blog being related to relocation/dislocation. Hope you enjoy.

Have you ever noticed how people never seem to be in the "right time" or "right place"? How often do you hear someone say they wish they had lived 200 years ago or 1000 years in the future, or the other side of the world? It is a very odd phenomenon that afflicts a significant number of us. But why do we do this, why do we frequently overlook our current existence and covet a different one in which to live out our lives? 

Personally I know I am just as guilty as others of this. The books and films I enjoy are generally not contemporary and those that are set in the present are often far from here.

Which is odd really because there is no obvious logical reason why this desire/drive exists? Is it perhaps an extension of the "grass is always greener" situation or is it something more basic than that? Are we humans simply that way inclined, always looking to be somewhere (or "somewhen") else?

Or is it that we like to imagine how are lives could be different IF we were somewhere or somewhen else? It could be that we prefer to counter our mundane (as they often seem to us) lives by pretending to be back in a "golden" time period, or off somewhere idyllic, or in the future which we can sub-consciously shape to our own preferences and make it the ideal place to live.

Whatever the reason I sometimes wonder if we are missing out on something by looking so desperately to be anywhere else. All around us there are fantastic experiences to be had, places to see, people to meet. And they are all within touching distance.

We don't need to imagine or dream about being elsewhere, we just need to look more closely around us and see that, actually, you are quite possibly exactly when and where you should be.

Till later, Tom

Day 39 - On the road again

Today started with a ridiculously early 0245 alarm call and is finishing with me sat in a very nice hotel room after three beers, a steak and a good evening spent with a good friend. 

It is however a hotel room with one of the most bizarre features I think I've seen - and I've been in more hotel rooms than I care to count in my my life. Just have a quick glance at the photo and see if you can work it out? Did you get it? No?

You can see the shower from the bed! Literally a clean view straight through the shower into the bathroom from the bedroom. Might have been pretty cool if I still had someone to share it with! As it is, it definitely goes onto my top 5 of odd things I've seen a bedroom (see if you can guess the other 4!).

It can get a bit tedious when you travel a lot, particular when it is short durations for work and you barely get your stuff out of your suitcase. But every now and then you see something funky like this and you realise that you haven't, in fact, seen it all! 

That's a good thing, keeping it fresh. Getting into too much of a routine (a bit is OK) isn't great, and it can often numb you a little bit to the little things. You miss them if you aren't looking. And sometimes you aren't looking because you've forgotten to pick your head up every now and then.

Anyway, it's been a long day. That big comfy bed is calling. And tomorrow is another day, hopefully with something new and exciting too.

Till tomorrow, Tom

Day 38 - Tips for Travellers

It's 2030 and my flight leaves Baton Rouge for Houston at approximately 0530 tomorrow morning. So already I'm at somewhere around 6 hours maximum sleep, if I go now. Right now. This second. So for that reason I am going to shameless reblog my second ever post - from October 26 2011! 

Back when this was a blog about me. When I wrote this I was yet to be married, yet to be divorced, yet to begin my career in any real sense. My daughter was only 3 and we had no idea our paths would cross. So much has changed, but I think this blog may still be relevant. It was called Travel Tips for the Jet Setters. Enjoy.

• Sometimes at security checks I have been asked to remove my belt and sometimes I haven't. Luck says that you will ONLY be asked to remove your belt if you have baggy jeans on which are relying 100% on said belt to keep them up.

• NEVER EVER EVER try to humourously engage immigration staff at US airports. Particularly when you have a UK passport although you were born in Germany (apparently that means you are probably a member of the Third Reich). Also don't ask the immigration staff  "what would you recommend?" when they ask you "what is your reason for entering the US?". In my defence it had been a 10 hour transatlantic flight sat between an asthmatic elephant and a screaming child.

• No matter how many times you've seen an episode of (for example) Family Guy, you WILL laugh like a tit at the really funny bit when watching it on a plane, resulting in (a) large numbers of people looking at you strangely (b) potential spillage of drink or food when you knee the tray table in your amusement.

• It ALWAYS rains upon arrival in Manchester, ignore whatever the captain says and keep your jacket with you at all times. On the off chance it isn't raining when you disembark, it will be when you finally leave the airport.

• If you can get them, the best economy class seats are generally at the front of the cabin sections by the emergency door. For extra leg room (and no-one in front moving constantly during the flight and disturbing your drink/meal) you have to agree to be the one to open the emergency door if you have crashed, which seems an excellent trade. Curiously you need to be able to speak English to sit in these (or maybe the native language of the flight) but not sure why that is relevant. A big red arrow showing either a clockwise or an anti-clockwise turn doesn't really need a label does it?!
• Or try to swing Business Class!

• Budget airlines are cheap for a reason. The food/drink/service/entertainment is shoddy because you basically haven't paid for it - prepare for this and stock up with whatever you can before hand or you will be crying when you have to pay £4 for 10 Pringles and a slightly moist Mars bar.

• Always look as if you know where you are going when you are in a city that is new to you. You can still consult a map (although preferably not every 2 seconds) and still look at road/street signs, but don't walk around gormlessly looking confused. I suppose there is nothing wrong with this, you just look very, very silly.

• Don't fall into the (generally) British trap of speaking loudly and slowly at a foreign person without checking if they speak English first. It always helps to learn a bit of the language for where you are going - the most important phrase to learn however is "I'm sorry - I only speak a little <insert language here>, do you speak English?" because I can guarantee that whatever little you manage to learn will be woefully inadequate if the response comes back in the native language.

• Do your research. Don't turn up in a city on one of its holidays or in the middle of a festival/carnival without planning it. I mistakenly did this in Budapest (I think) once, I arrived on a Tuesday into the main train station and asked when the next bus to my hotel was. Friday was the helpful response, same for the trams and trains. About £50 later my 3 mile taxi journey was complete.

• When camping, don't camp on an ants nest. They get really arsey and have been known to break into your tent to voice their displeasure.

• Also, your tent probably isn't waterproof - but you won't find out until it rains. If it is waterproof, don't leave it unzipped. 

Till tomorrow, Tom

Day 37 - A good ramble

Day 37. Just over 5 weeks since I started this great adventure - almost exactly 10% of the way through my assignment. 

And I've got nothing to say. 

Admittedly an 11 hour working day will do that to you and I pretty much burned up my grey-matter allowance for the week today. 

So in keeping with a lot of my blogs I'm just going to start writing and see where I end up. No plan, no editing, just empty my brain and pick the bones (hopefully none!) out of what ends up on the table - metaphorically.

In some respects my time here has passed so quickly. In others it feels like I can't remember being home. Though that might be because the three weeks I spent at home were amongst the hardest I have ever been through. Looking back it doesn't seem real, it feels like I watched someone else's life for that period of time. 

But when I look at where I am five weeks after arriving I'm amazed I fit it all in. I've touched on this before, but time really does play silly buggers with us on occasion. Who knows what else will have changed in the next five weeks? 

That lack of pre-cognition at least keeps things interesting. As much as it might be great to know what greets us just around the river bend (oh that has just given me a great idea for another blog post!) sometimes it is the excitement of not knowing that drives us forward. 

I have no idea where I will be in days, weeks, months, years. No-one does. You think you do. You plan. You strategise. You line up your ducks as you want them. And then they f*ck off in multiple different directions. Little assh*les. Never assume you have life figured out, because life finds a way to prove you don't. 

But life isn't about figuring it out, not really. It is not about the smooth ride. It is not about the destination. It is about the bumpy journey. The ups and the downs. It is about having everything you thought you knew taken away. But at the same time presenting you with another opportunity if you are brave enough. Sometimes it might turn out to be a terrible opportunity in hindsight, but you've got to take those leaps otherwise you'll never know. And then it is on to the next.

I used to believe I had complete control over my life. I now know, that simply isn't true. 

All I can control is moments. Individual moments. Hopefully those moments add up to something more substantial, but the second you put all your eggs in that basket you are doomed. You simply don't have all the information to control the chaos.

Moments are all I think any of us can realistically hope to control whilst retaining some semblance of sanity. So embrace that uncertainty. Grab the fact that you have no idea what is coming with both hands and cling on for the ride. What is your alternative?

Till tomorrow, Tom

Day 36 - Productive in PJs

 I've had one of the those great days where I have barely left my apartment (aside from a quick early morning gym session) but still managed to achieve loads. I love days like that. Days where, on the surface, it looks like you might have wasted them - but actually you were a productive little bunny!

It is all "routine" stuff, not high excitement. But doing it today sets me up for this week and frees my evenings up beautifully. Now the evenings can be devoted to more interesting diversions and activities. It also turns out that I'm likely to be in Houston Wed/Thur/Fri so getting my sh*t in order today will definitely help the week go smoothly. 

From this

Sometimes we forget that the simple things are just important. I'm on this big drive to make every second this year count. But realising that not every second of every day has to be exciting has been an important thing for me to get right. Too often we equate inertia with wasted time. We worry that if we aren't doing something fun then we are wasting that moment.

But to be able to fully enjoy yourself you've got to take care of the nitty-gritty - the oil to grease the wheels as it were. It is not often glamorous but needs doing. And the trick is to find a way of doing these things that don't equate to feeling like a grind. Because then you'll just find ways out.

To this

Today I've prepped meals, changed my bedding, washed a ton of clothes, ironed everything for next week, dusted everywhere and cleaned the kitchen and bathrooms all over. All while dancing around like a first class idiot. In my PJs. With my new noise-cancellers on. Singing at the top of my voice to some of the best tracks that have ever existed. And just like, a chore stops being one. That Mary Poppins had the right idea!

And the sense of satisfaction is real. It feels as good as that 10km last week, or finally finishing that book I've been circling for a few weeks. 

So find yourself a way to make those routine activities fly by. You've got to do them. Might as well stick on one tunes and show the world why you should never be allowed to sing in public. 

Hope the weekend has treated you right. And hope the week ahead is full of the wonder that we all know is out there.

Till tomorrow, Tom

Day 33 - Learning new things

I know I know. No electronics tonight. Well I didn't have time to blog at work, plus I am trying not to leave myself two blogs to do in a day. So tough. I'll make up for it tomorrow instead, a nice bottle of wine and a relaxing bath with a book might be a better way of spending Valentine's Day than fighting the throng.

So, those of you who know me will know (I think) that I love to learn new things. I'm pretty willing to try most things once, even stuff which scares the crap out of me - see future sky dive. When I'm at my best and most positive/energetic I'm all about trying my hand at something different. That is when I know I am in a great place, when the juices are metaphorically flowing with the challenge.

The current focus is Spanish - and I am absolutely loving it. It is taking me back to simpler times, such as University when the focus was simply on learning things and partying. I won't lie, I miss it. I miss the way of life, people and I miss the variety that came from those days - which I admit sounds contradictory with learning and partying being essentially the only things on the agenda!

But you never knew what was going to happen next. You would go out for an evening with a vague plan for a few quiet drinks and a game of pool and would end up chatting completely rubbish in a random person's kitchen at 3am in the morning sharing a bottle of Buckie (low number? 1? aye perfect). 

It is that sense of randomness and adventure that has always fuelled my desire to try new things. A new challenge opens new doors, it shows you parts of life that maybe you hadn't known were there. And it makes you challenge your self, your beliefs, your limits and your comfort zone. 

It's a part of me that sadly drifted into disuse recently. I know I let certain things (mainly losing my mum) numb my sense of wonder about life. Which should never have happened. It was criminal. How can a daddy with an amazing daughter (plus two awesome nephews and a fantastic niece) lose that drive? I realised you should strive every day for the new, the exciting and the unknown. 

There are things that by nature are less exciting, less fresh. I'm lucky that I love my job (and there is always something new to learn there!) but there is still a routine about it. New things help to keep spice in life. Even routine things can be jazzed up by introducing a twist to it, an element of chaos into order. You won't always be inspired, but trying is at least half of the fun.

So do something new before the end of the month. Something maybe you've been thinking about for a while, or something completely spontaneous. Tell me about it in the comments - either here on the blog or on Facebook/Twitter. 

Hopefully we can inspire others to greater things, or share our happiness around. 

Till tomorrow,

Tom

Beginning afresh

I seem to do a reboot like this every so often, usually every few months or so when I realise all I've been doing is book reviews and I haven't volunteered an opinion for a good long while. And I have SO many opinions that it would be rude not to share them all with you. So I'm back. Just like Spiderman, rebooted and (I hope) improved,

Last year I didn't set resolutions, merely goals to achieve. For those of you who are interested they were the following (I'm claiming 2 and a bit out of 5):

1) Write something on this blog every day - FAILED
2) Read at least a book a month - PASSED
3) Get my short stories published - FAILED

4) Tick 4 more European Capitals off the list - PASSED

5) Complete 14 Friends of Serenity challenges - FAILED (barely though, I did 13 and I'll do 14 from 10th Jan 2014 to 10th Jan 2015 inclusive)

It has been a crazy, strange year from start to finish - looking back at where I was twelve months ago to where I am today it feels like a lifetime ago. Those five goals don't seem to even scratch the surface of the adventure that was 2014. It's been a rollercoaster; emotional, psychological and physical and there have been both  unimaginable lows and breathtaking highs mingled together.

Looking forward 2015 looks to be no different; with 12 races booked so far, more books on my shelf than you can shake a log at and 31 european capital cities still requiring my attention. Not to mention a fantastic new relationship, complete with a new 6 year old "daughter" who I am sure is running rings around me for fun!

I'm sure you'd agree that this is shaping up to be one of the best years I've had. It'll be interesting, challenging and eye-opening but I can't wait for every single minute of it.

So without further ado I present 2015's goals to achieve;

1) Beat last year's total of 24 books (I'm aiming for 30)
2) Complete 15 Friends of Serenity challenges
3) Get a publisher for my kids stories
4) Start at least two new hobbies (one of which must be out massively of my comfort zone)
5) Spend more time with those people who matter

6) Enjoy every moment

I don't think I'll have any problems with #5 or #6 but I do welcome any and all suggestions for #4!

Have a great 2015 everyone and take care of those you love.
Till next time,
DT

Living up to expectations - hopefully

Sunday sees the next in the long line of Tom's Silly Adventures - Challenge #16 would you believe?! It's been nearly 16 months since the first one and I didn't think I'd still be doing them. This one is a bit different though, there are four of us doing it and two of the four are OCR "noobies".

It's a weird feeling but I really desperately want them to enjoy it. I love OCR (despite my mid-race grumblings) and I'd be really gutted if I said to someone, "come along you'll love it" and they really don't enjoy. You feel responsible because in you've talked it up and it somehow can feel like your fault if it doesn't live up to expectations.

I've found it to be a common feeling though, a sense of nervousness and excitement on behalf of whatever it is you are essentially the representative for. I'll find myself worrying for the whole of the event probably; just hoping we get to the end and our two noobies say "that was AMAZING, let's do it again". You want people to have as much fun as you, but you also want people to feel the same sense of enjoyment out of something that you do.

So this Sunday's Challenge will be a multi-edged one. Hopefully I'll get round in one piece and  the after party will be epic - involving lots of booze and a parmo. But even more importantly, it'll live up to all the hype and we'll get a couple more converts to the brilliance that is Obstacle Course Racing.

Bring. It. On!!

Till next time,
DT

A plea for some assistance

I'm looking for a bit of help here folks. A few months ago I started to write a series of children's stories about the adventures in space of two children and a cat (played brilliantly by my nephew's Charlie and Oscar and my niece Poppy). They are guided through their escapades by a star called Luke, named in memory of Jo and Mark's baby - who is the main reason Friends of Serenity exists in the first place. 

The idea is to publish these and sell them to raise funds for the charity. I know there are huge hurdles to overcome but I also know there are some fantastic, generous people out there and with a bit of hard work we can make this happen.

I've essentially finished the stories now and am hoping to get my sister to do the editing, on the basis that she has three kids under the age of 7 and therefore knows what a good book for children looks like! Jo is hoping to do the illustrations but I know she is exceptionally busy at the moment so they are on the back-burner. 

There are still a bunch of other things that we need to get sorted in the meantime before we can get this project moved on. We need to find a publisher who is interested or if not we need to locate somewhere where we can layout and print our own books. I'm sure there are plenty of other things I've not even considered either.

If you know anyone who may be able to help in any way at all then I would love to hear from you. 

You can drop me a line at doctortomowens@gmail.com or you can get me via my twitter handle @tomthedoctor. There is also a Contact Me page on my Silly Adventures Website or you can find us via the official Friends of Serenity Site too. 

Also, if you can share this around then it would be magnificent. The more people who hear about the project, the greater our chances of finding someone who might be able to help and the more likely it is that this will eventually see the light of day.

Thanks for reading.

Till next time,

DT

Rediscovering past glories

I've recently rediscovered the beauty and enjoyment of whisky. Proper single malt whisky from Scotland. I spent a total of eight years at university in Scotland (St. Andrews) and I had never touched a drop of the stuff before I went. However, a friend of mine was a member of the whisky tasting society (the "Quaich Society") and he suggested I come along and try it.

I loved it, it was certainly a different experience to the thoroughly enjoyable pints of Tennants I had been enjoying up until that point. Over the years I consumed a lot of the amber nectar, though not very "intelligently" if you know what I mean? I enjoyed it but I didn't really know why; I couldn't really tell the difference between the different types and the process of making it confused me a lot.

Over the last few years I've stopped drinking it for some reason that I can't put my finger on, I know its definitely not a conscious decision - it is one of those situations you suddenly realise where you are without being aware of getting there.

Anyway, a friend of mine has recently gotten into whisky in a big way and he has been kind enough to share some with me. It reminded me of how much I loved it and I couldn't believe that I had stopped! I don't know whether you describe it as nostalgia but it kind of falls into the category of things you look back wistfully at and say "ah, remember the good old days".

We seem to do it more and more as we get old, things that were a huge part of our youth drop away and fade - replaced more often than not by "real" life rearing its head. Then there is inevitably a "retro" era when everything comes back into fashion and you remember all the things that you used to love. It find it a very curious facet of human existence.

Rediscovering my love for whisky has got me thinking about all the other things I used to love doing but simply don't make the time for anymore. Cooking, reading and playing cricket have already been rekindled this year but there are so many more things that are waiting to be refound.

So give it a try. Have a think back at the things you used to love doing, pick one and see if the love comes back. I bet you a good glass of Islay that it does.

Till next time,
DT