Slippage

The state of the world most perturbs Cornelius - and he’s drawn me back into following it all too closely. The Rest is Politics, and the News Agents are good podcasts, but the daily cut and thrust of current affairs does nothing positive for my frame of mind. On the other hand, The Rest is History and Empire are two brilliant historical podcasts that probably shed more light on current goings-on but do so without tempting me into social media and angry blog posts. 

There - an item for the to-do list. Review podcast subscriptions. While I’m at it - social media. I’d allowed myself a new Twitter account, a curated feed, far from the madness and division. Except Twitter doesn’t work that way, does it? Currently, I seem to be targeted by posts pouring out hate on immigrants. If the posts make me sad, the comments enrage me. It’s only a matter of time until the algorithm and wine combine, and I cast myself as keyboard-warrior guardian of the oppressed migrant. Whilst a noble pursuit, I suspect most of the bots will be unmoved by my righteous ire, and my blood pressure could certainly do without the bile. It’s almost as though social media is trying to get us angry…

TV. I’ve been ploughing through Top Boy - a drama set in London. The show was brought to air by Channel 4 in the UK and ran for two seasons back in 2011 and -12. It was cancelled, before being picked up by Netflix, who made three more seasons, ending in 2023. It’s brutal and scary. I like it. Take a look - but probably not with your kids.

Listening. I'd happily listen to Stephen Fry read the phonebook, and having just finished Troy, I'm now on to Jeeves and Wooster. Volume one is a forty-hour listen! That's a lot of kilometres on the treadmill.

Reading. I’m reading Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. I saw the Apple TV adaptation in 2022 and enjoyed it. It wasn’t great, but it was OK. The book is better. Deeper, more nuanced and possessed of some beautiful phrasing. 

Writing. I’m doing precious little beyond corporate stuff. That will change in Q2 when a few corporate projects will move from “creation” to “maintenance”. 

Health. I’m not golfing. The ground is wet, and the weather cool (relatively). In April, it will be warm, the ground dry and the course in better condition. I’ll play then. I’ve managed a whole month at the gym, to the surprise of both the gym owner and me. I go four or five days a week, doing both cardio and resistance. I’m being watchful of the food and the booze, swerving red meat and counting calories. Muscles I’d forgotten I had are hurting, and I’m beginning to lose weight. The beginning of a long, long process. 

Now, where's that treadmill?