11 July 2006

Walk In The Park



Today I didn't have any employment at all. I started off by going for a jog, in preparation for running the Sport Relief Mile on Saturday 15 July. Following last night's financial frenzy, I decided to file and re-order my bank statements. At 11:30 a parcel arrived that contained (three-and-a-half months after the event) my fund raising gifts for taking part in the Swimathon - I wondered what on earth I was going to do with them.

At lunch I was fed up with being stuck inside behind my computer, so I took my notebook and Log Books and went to the park across the road. I sat under a tree for two-and-a-half hours writing day diary entries (published on this blog) in my notebook. Whilst tenaciously scribbling away, a cheeky pigeon perched above me, took the opportunity to relieve itself on my notebook.

I had previously received a dousing from a pigeon in 1994 whilst on my way to my GCSE Latin exam. Although at first annoyed, I proceeded to take the exam with the small stain remaining on my shoulder. When I received my results a few months later I was gob-smacked to discover I had got a grade A. I never washed that shirt again and wore it to all the other exams I ever took.

So given that I have recently been a bit down about working as an artist, I decided to view this little piece of pigeon poo as another lucky omen - something that would help me through the tough times and bring some good fortune in the future.

I completed my first week's worth of day diaries while I was sat there. With each one I felt the burden lessen slightly - the information was now safe. Removed from an unsecured place (my mind) to be permanently inscribed on the pages of the notebook (and eventually on this blog). All I now had to do was plough on, plough through the days and plough through the diary entries until the whole four weeks had been immortalised.

In the evening we went back to Broadway Cinema to watch an excellent film called Junebug. I like the fact that I can happily spend my leisure time in my place of work. There aren't many jobs where you get to do that.