We arrive at 9, so we should have lunch in Torremolinos and then get into our hotel room. And the relaxing can start in full.
Some good things:
- I got a Starbucks rewards card. Bring your own tumbler: tall filter coffee (which is actually taller than tall in your own tumbler) with shot of hazelnut (and, in the future, whipped cream) £.75. That’s right. Reward me.
- I started work at Middlesex yesterday. Strange returning, made especially strange by my lack of jitters. I had none. Very happy to be back with students and we have (fingers crossed) a good group this year.I took the long way down yesterday too: Ran in the morning and then rode Yoko’s bike slowly to the station. Opted for the slower train over the late train. Got coffee on Euston Rd before going up to Trent Park. Took a leisurely walk to the campus. Did everything slowly, deliberately. Finished Murakami stories. Spent £1.55 on coffee and an apple: not nearly the £5+ I was spending last year on tons of things I shouldn’t have been buying during the trip. If I spend £2 instead of £5 every time, I will save £60ish. That’s enough to buy to fix a damaged door (see below).
- The guy who’s car Naomi’s car door damaged called back, which isn’t especially good, but he said the damage was only £60. I asked him to send me the receipt via e-mail and I would reimburse him. Receipt still hasn’t come. He’s doing it all wrong, but what can I say: £60 is not the £300 I was worried it might be.
- My writing really took off this week. I have been working on my literature review: the real one that goes into the real thesis. Working on the scripture interpretation section. Need about 3,000 well-packed words. Have about 2,000 loose ones now. I will finish drafting it and then condense it down. Up to 4,000 down to 3,000
- My weight is coming back down after three days up. That was frustrating, but I stayed on course. I will maintain, I promise you that. Promise. I noticed that although my weight went up, my body fat percentage fell, meaning the weight fluctuation was water retention/ normal body cycle. As my weight goes down, if the fat percentage comes up, then I am doing it right.
- We are spending so much money this month and I found out yesterday that due to a dumb glitch in the payment system at Middlesex, I won’t get paid this month. This is a bad thing, but I was almost completely unaffected by it: a very good thing. It will all work out, like the weight. Keep the principles right and the numbers will work themselves out by the end of the year.
- Naomi and Mei wrote all over the wall (bad thing), but it was all cleaned up with an eraser (great thing). More importantly: didn’t get angry. Yoko scolded them and Naomi helped clean it up. I need to have more stories that end with ‘I didn’t get angry’.
- It’s getting cold, which I love. Coats and sun going down at 6 and not 9. I will hate it in a couple of months, but at this moment, I love it.