New Year, New Cliche

I swear I didn’t set out to be one of those New Year resolution guys. I’ve always thought that if something needs doing or changing then you either do it when it needs to get done, or you don’t, and why should a date on a calendar be the boss of me etc.

However since the New Year I’ve just felt in the mood to change things up. I lost a lot of weight last year and want to carry on making progress, and just in the last couple of days I felt an inkling to get back to the gym. I’ve been rising earlier than ever and getting to work about 2 hours earlier than I need to and so I’ve decided to spend one of those hours in the gym near work.

Which of course necessitated joining the gym, buying some new clothes to work out in (since all my old stuff is now far too large) and so on.

Today was my first session and it felt good but tiring as you’d expect. I doubt I’ll be able to raise my arms from the desk by lunchtime.

Other stuff that feels good – I’ve decided to start meditating again. I did a period of mindfulness stuff using the Headspace app (recommended) which helped me out a lot, but then I kind of drifted. I feel it’s time to start up again and I’m going to be using these things as a meditation aid – since I tend to see the world in terms of Story (capitalisation deliberate and pretentious) these cards show archetypal figures devoid of faux historicity. I’ll feed back how it works out.

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U.P.G.

Loaded with metaphor, a seed signed and ready, Or clever code to upload, Somewhere in an abstract pocket, or third eye squint Or heart-glow or something It’s time to lay back and dark the eyes, and don’t think About the process (but you do) The veil isn’t some gauzy temple thing Or symbol rich tapestry It’s a rug, much swept-under, and all the sweepings wait And ambush with What If? and Why? and Arguments (in hindsight easily) to win, and Memories, and Tasks undone, and Snatches of old songs, and New ideas – so sneaky- much more interesting than This But press on without trying Don’t listen, don’t engage, as they take your hand And lead you through the streets till undone To Memory Lane, or Could-Be-Would-Be Land Pass on, pass on, pay no attention to the man The men, the women, the many, Behind the curtain Which is a rug much swept-under Until the noise subsides And images arise for you, to view, Distracting no longer, but odd Alice odd, not no but yes Od

Last Train Back from Trancentral

Back in 1988 there was novelty record called Doctoring the Tardis by a band calling themselves The Timelords which blended a ridiculously empty set of lyrics over a sampled bit of music, with a bizarre video of a car blaring out music and running over a bargain basement dalek. It was the number one selling single in the UK and New Zealand. Shortly afterward the people behind it released a book called The Manual (How to have a Number One the easy way) which was a cynical but accurate explanation of how the music industry works and the ingredients needed to game the system and get a number one hit. They’d followed their steps with Doctoring the Tardis and it had worked. Then the KLF began releasing a string of catchy dance hits, the lyrics and videos of which heavily referenced the lore from the Illuminatus Trilogy and firmly placed the performers on the Discordian team. As a long-standing, newly-sitting, sometimes lying-down Discordian sympathiser myself I was duly amused.

ICARUS TRIUMPHANT

I never dreamed of flight until the dawn called me And lit up endless leagues of worlds anew And then I stood each day upon the edge And dreamed and dreamed and dreamed, what if I flew? I dreamed of freedom in the endless sky And lands to find, new lands and tales untold And so I laboured daily in my forge And dreamed and planned creating wings of gold The came the day, the day I planned to leap And soar in triumph, freedom now complete, But then I looked aloft and felt the sun Its glory, and its power. And its heat What if that heat would melt these wings of mine? What if they’d fail, I’d fall from wings untrue? And now I’m old and dream no more My wings shine still. Alas, I never flew.

Tempus Ascendit

My son has recently taken up climbing. At first via an after school club but now he’s got a membership at a local climbing centre. This means he can now go scrambling up awkwardly shaped walls on weekends as well as schooldays which means I get to accompany him. Today was my first chance to do this. He went off suitably corona-masked and equipped with a chalk-bag and his new climbing shoes into the depths of the building while I grabbed a coffee and went to find a place to sit. Suitably armed with caffeine I looked into the open area with the climbers and I saw a young man scrambling with ease up what looked like a tricky section of wall. Perhaps one day my own son, when he is a little taller and stronger, will be able to do that, I thought. And then I recognised him behind the mask. My son was already taller and stronger than I realised and it took seeing him unknowingly to realise that. Lovely moment but astonishing too. Seeing someone everyday means the little changes turn invis

Wisdom

Cattle die, kindred die, Every man is mortal: But the good name never dies Of one who has done well Havamal, stanza 76

Otherworlds

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