12 steps to serenity

I have spent every night of the past 3 weeks watching Celebrity Big Brother (fondly known as CBB).

It's Saturday night, the first night since CBB came to a glorious end, and I feel...bereft. I've had to go cold turkey, and let me tell you, it's not pretty. Gone are the shrieks of disbelief as Pete lays into Traci. Gone are the moments deciphering what Dennis is saying. And, gone are the butterflies while we wait for Chantelle and Preston to fall in love.

I need a fix! Give it to me! I'm off to scour the news site for more more more.

Baby, I don't care

This week I've felt a bit like Wendy James. Things have appeared very black and white to me. Usually I mess around with the shades of grey and consider things from everyone's angle. Sometimes this results in a non-conclusion, but ultimately everyone is appeased. Maybe I just don't care anymore? Is this the end of my civility?

In the stars?

I've always been happy to entertain all things astrological. Numerology, birth charts, Kabalarian philosophy, horoscopes...

I've never had a reading, or had a chart prepared for me, but from time to time I try out the free ones online to pass the time. You provide your full name (as on your birth certificate, apparently that is super important), your birth date and time, and et voila, your chart appears, albeit a brief one. $14.95 for a full report of 8-10 pages in layman's language. (Hippies have to earn a living too.)

The best one I've seen is, wait for it, 0800-Horoscope.com

Apparently it's going to be a good year for me. That's what I like to hear.

In favour of podiquette

Now that I have one, I feel quite justified in expressing my annoyance at other commuters iPod abuses.

Definition: podiquette noun: 1. unwritten code of acceptable behaviours when using an MP3 device, such as an iPod.

You, yes you, in the pristine unscuffed, unmarked baby-poo-coloured Caterpillar boots, you know who you are. You tapped loudly with both feet with no discernible rhythm (a generous description) all the way along the District line. You looked around you and mouthed obviously to the words, although you only knew a few of them. You jiggled your knees, stood up, walked around, sat down again, all the while trying to get someone to catch your eye. Make it stop.

Unassembled

It's almost time to go back to work and I desperately need to start reassembling my reality. These past weeks I have allowed myself to forget that my reality is a job, responsibility and paying the bills. For me, time off can be dangerous: I begin to think that things can be different. Monday morning comes, and I have to accept that things are not different.

I've not made any resolutions, only wishes. I wish it were easier. Easier to be good; to give my time freely; to put my dreams first; to not so thoroughly enjoy the material world; to have the courage to make a difference in some way, and to take the time to pursue what I love doing instead of getting up and going to work everyday because it means a pay cheque.

I found the best cushion in a little shop in Scotland. It caught my eye more than once, so I bought it. It says: "Snowmen fall from heaven unassembled". Well, it's not only snowmen is it? I think that's why I took it home with me – kindred spirits, me and that little snowman. Ha ha ha.

Happy New Year.