Contentment ?

Looking back on my little bank of four nights off, I feel quite content and dare i say, just a little pleased with myself, does that sound smug? I've done a lot and done nothing at the same time. I started the weekend feeling a little down, deflated with life's bump and grind, with little to look forward to. Work had been a bind, I kinda regret not doing as much creative writing during my three months stateside, as I so wish I had the time right now, I've thousands, well four actually ideas that I want to explore on paper and by paper I really mean laptop, but you know what I mean. Anyway, I had planned on doing loads of writing over there without work and sleep to distract me, but I had American weather, food, day time TV, Ellen and Matt distracting me, plus I'm not good at self discipline, I need someone to stand over me and say '"Oi knobjockey, get on and do some bloody writing!" Or words to that effect. I'm going to make time soon, plans are a foot for such things - watch this space.

Anyway, I'm getting off the subject now, I'm content with the time off I've just enjoyed, all four nights of it. First I had a day of nothing other than relaxing and reading the newspapers. Plus I've gone to the shops and got a couple of T Shirts that I saw and wanted a couple of weeks ago (pre-payday!) I'm not going to tell you what they are, as one is a preset for Matt and don't want to spoil the surprise, although he probably wont read this, so I could tell you it's a funk yellow number with ........... ahhh nope!

I've managed to catch up a little on my reading, I've finished the first of two Ellen books, it was a good collection of funny essays, from her days when she was doing the Ellen sitcom. It brings my reading wait list down to 6!

I've written to 6 local newspapers, well local to Carterville, Illinois, urging the readers to write to their senator or congressman to request support for the Uniting American Families Act, which would help to end discrimination and gain equality regarding spousal sponsorship immigration rules. I have no idea if they all or even any or them will print my letters, but I'm hopeful, one The Southern Illinoisian, emailed me requesting I shorten my letter to 250 words, their editorial maximum, so ya never know, they may print it up!

I've also written a letter to Matt's ma and pa, they asked me to keep in touch and Matt is reluctant to give me their email for some reason, so it was a traditional paper letter. As I wrote it, it struck me just how far along this electronic age we are these days, it wasn't that long ago in the history of time, that I used to have pen-friends, in the true sense of the word, where we'd write proper letters, with pen and paper, to each other. How I loved to actually get a letter, delivered through the letter box by the postman, and to be honest, even now, a physical letter plonking down on the matt, has an anticipatory pleasure, a slight thrill that no email or facebook or myspace message can archive. There is just something charming about a physical letter in the hand, or maybe I'm just a tad old fashioned and looking back on the past with rose coloured spectacles!

That was not the extent of my letter writing activities, oh no, I wrote another one, heartfelt, long and expressive though it was, I doubt it will be read by the person to whom it was addressed. I'm sure Barack Obama gets many thousands of letters each week, so why would he read mine, I have no idea, but he does read and reply to 10 letters from ordinary folk each and every week, so there is hope. Why did I write to the President of the United States, you may well be asking, so I'll let you ask away. Obviously it's to do with equality and immigration and support for such things, if he replies, I'll post both letters here, for you all to read and enjoy.

I've been for a bloody long cycle ride, as detailed in the previous post, which has done wonders for my mental well being, as had messages from friends, such as James in sunny Scotland. Whilst my future remains so unclear at the moment, I have a more positive and upbeat outlook on it. It could be that I was getting down with reaching the milestone age of 40, missing communication with Matt and work routine depression! But, hey, I'm so over that now!

Today has been spent pottering about with the odd writing idea floating around my head and downloading some tunes, thanks be to Jo and Carolyn who sent me an iTunes gift card for my birthday. So right now, at this very moment of writing creation I am blasting (as loud as the speakers will allow, which to be honest isn't that loud) my new aural entertainment purchases passed my lugholes!

First thing I downloaded was a number of tracks from Bright Eyes, for I loved First Day Of My Life when Matt first played it me. Such a sweet, honest song with lovely lines like, "I'm glad I didn't die before I met you" and "But I'd rather be working for a paycheque than waiting to win the lottery" the video oh soo sweet too, check it out on YouTube here. It's also now featured in one of the Halifax TV ads!

Loads of other good numbers as well, like Waste of Paint and When The President Talks to God, Road To Joy with power ironical lines like "Well I could have been a famous singer, if I had someone else's voice, but failures always sounded better!" I suppose it's simple music with feelings and can drift and wash over you or captivate as your mood dictates, but every so often there are lyrics that make you smile, nod in agreement or sagely ponder reflectively.

Three albums from Death Cab For a Cutie, which is a bad and not a model killing taxi driver, although having written that down, it does seem to have certain kind of glow to it, perhaps I'll investigate that a little, obviously in the creative writing way. I'm not going to become a murdering driver of a taxi cab. Besides I only know one taxi driver, and he's as nice as pie, is old binky. I have to thank Matt for introducing me to Death Cab, as they passed me by the first time round, but hey, I'm an old man these days and not at the forefront of musical fashions, Deidre, pass my ear trumpet!

Also had to download Give Up from The Postal Service, which is another group and not an instruction to The Royal Mail, although perhaps it should be! I'm finding I'm in a rather mellow mood musically at the moment, it's been a good long couple of weeks since I thrust hard trance passed these things on the side of my head that stop the glasses falling off. One of the fabest tracks, from Give Up is Sleeping In, which is so charming, I'm not sure if its the voice, the music or the lyrics, or perhaps it's the realisation that your dreaming about reality, or reality is as good your dreams, which is why I ask, don't wake me, I plan on Sleeping In!

I also downloaded The Killers, Day & Age as my physical cd copy seems to have done a bunk between moving from there to over there to here. Barclay James Harvest was another old time download, but don't hold that against me, I'm 40 for crying out loud, I'm entitled to have a little nostalgia on my iTunes and pod. Talking about old times, isn't it a kick in the rubber parts when 'Old School' is now used to describe tunes of the 90's! I remember when the nostalgia night featured nothing but 70's music, then 80's now it the 90's. I guess very soon it'll be the naughties that we'll all be harking back to and saying they don't write tham like that anymore., perish the thought!!

Be good people, remember, it better to eat a candy bar than stick it up your nose!