Omar

I can’t remember where I first heard this Kurt Vonnegut quote but I think about it a lot. It’s a reminder, for me, to focus on the small things that make life good. 💬

One of the things [Uncle Alex] found objectionable about human beings was that they so rarely noticed it when they were happy. He himself did his best to acknowledge it when times were sweet. We could be drinking lemonade in the shade of an apple tree in the summertime, and Uncle Alex would interrupt the conversation to say, “If this isn’t nice, what is?”

So I hope that you will do the same for the rest of your lives. When things are going sweetly and peacefully, please pause a moment, and then say out loud, “If this isn’t nice, what is?”

Watched and enjoyed the the first episode of Tales from the Loop. A series based on the work of a Swedish Illustrator Simon Stålenhag. 📺

The townspeople who live above “The Loop,” a machine built to unlock and explore the mysteries of the universe, experience things previously consigned to the realm of science fiction.

This video is titled The Human Bean: 40 days on a tin-bean diet. I’ve always enjoyed watching the videos he makes. Partly because I like the way his mind works and partly because I’m a little jealous of how he lives. He makes and does stuff with his own hands, is active in a very natural way and is big on an true.

Eating tinned beans for 40 days is ridiculous but the idea that someone might do something like that really appeals to me. Just like when he run a marathon by running a mile an hour (plus a couple extra obviously) and then spending the rest of the time doing stuff.

Elise and Lyra talk about Paw Patrol.

We talk about the time Elise fell off a swing.

We, briefly, talk about salad and vegetables. Which is apparently our families favourite food! Who knew?!

Yesterday was rubbish.

Today, I’m __ trying__ to not try and do everything at once and then beating myself up for inevitably failing.

Today, is one thing at a time. Exercise, not exercise and send work messages and trying to decide on the optimal music. Eat breakfast, not eat breakfast and check work emails and decide on what music.

Just one thing at a time

A discussion of Room on the Broom by Julian Donaldson, both the book and film.

I think I’ve realised that, in week 12 of e-learning and 14 weeks since this started, since I started working from home, that I’m recalling struggling to do things that aren’t work.

Before this I rarely worked at home.

Now, it’s all I can do. It’s the evening and the kids are in bed, kids are out with their mum? I’m writing up lesson plans or making resources.

I can’t, won’t maybe, make time to things for me.

First time recording outside and not at bedtime. We went to a ‘theme park’!

Elise deviates from dinosaurs and talks about airplanes and cars and her grandparents.

I was due to get my haircut during Chinese New Year but obviously, that didn’t happen. So it’s got longer and longer. This has happened before. I’ve had long hair because I didn’t get it cut and I didn’t get it cut and so then I had long hair. I didn’t get it cut for a few reasons. These reasons have sprung up again.

1. Communication issues.

I still remember the first time I got my hair cut in China. I think this is because it was a traumatic hair cut. Back then my Chinese was even more limited than it is now. So I had to show the hairdresser a picture and hope for the best. I don’t like doing this so I don’t go on my own.

2. Glasses issues

As well. I wear glasses and there’s something about not quite being able to see what’s going on that always makes me anxious. What are they doing, are they cutting it too short? There was a time, this wouldn’t have bothered me, I’ve bleached my hair and shaved it pretty close to the scalp. However, those times are long gone.

3. Darling wife issues.

My wife and I have quite different views on my hair. Often, I will accede to her views because, honestly, I don’t care that much. Obviously, since she is a native Chinese speaker she talks to the hairdresser.

So, today, my wife and the hairdresser spent a decent amount of time talking. They were both in agreement that me wanting a short back and sides wasn’t the best option. So, it’s stayed long.

However, issue 2 came into play today. Today was a particular traumatic haircut. However, I don’t like to make a fuss, so I waited…

It has turned out ok, I think. It’s growing on me, I think but I won’t going back in a rush.

So. I have too many photos. I don’t need that many. Lots are there because I never curated them. So they’ve accumulated over time. I’m slowly, ‘pruning' them and it’s a slow process. I’ll get there, eventually.

With that said, some of the photos suddenly brought up a lot of uncomfortable memories. Things I haven’t thought about for a long time. Yeah, that wasn’t great but the memories did make me prune a few people out. I don’t need those photos/memories. Do I?