It is Thursday evening as I begin writing this post. My first day out in the wilderness with no internet access. Well that is not strictly true, I went to return my cousin’s house key (and dongle) to him at 7pm after my cardio session in the gym and he has let me hold onto to it until Thursday next week (when my own broadband should be connected). However, I have made the executive decision not to install the Vodafone 3G dongle on my desktop, plus I left my laptop in the office.(Pav would be proud of me for going cold turkey!). So much to cover and with the time currently 20:38, I am sure it will take me a while to put everything up here and will complete the entry late tomorrow night when I am back in the more familiar surroundings of home.
How has my first week been, fending for myself? It has not been too bad actually, I have coped and managed to get everything done I needed. Although there are a few minor issues, I will get to them later. It was very strange getting up on Monday morning and wondering where the hell I was! You know that early morning moment when you are stretching to either switch of the alarm on your mobile phone but not quite fully awake. I am trying to get into a routine. Although I must say it has actually got worse as the week has gone by, with me arriving later and later into the office. I got in at 8:15am on Monday and I think 8:45am today. My plan is to get in by 8am and then work until 5pm but always have the option to leave earlier if there is a need. Obviously the ultimate aim is to get up at 6am, get over to the gym for opening at 6.30am and after the work out, shower, change into suit and then either drive direct to the office or drop off the car at the flat and walk into work. There is such a thing as wishful thinking.
Monday evening has become my designated food shopping day, with a trip to Sainsbury’s which is next door to the racecourse (almost). It is a medium sized town centre store and with the help of the list I made over Sunday I got everything I needed. I think I need to make a full list and then go to ALDI for the bulk stuff and Sainsbury’s for the day to day stuff. We shall see how it goes. However I am glad I have not fully stocked the fridge as it has actually been freezing my drinks and food. Not sure if it is a fault or because the freezer compartment will not close but I will have to take it up with the landlord.
Without the internet (or rather limited access) I have tried to fill my time with television shows. I have in fact caught up with Greek and should my third care package arrive in the post tomorrow, I can get fully up to speed with US viewers. Pav has been unable to send me anything as he was on holiday in Maldives and only got back yesterday. He is off on holiday again tomorrow (UK based this time though, no ten hour flight back!) but did confirm he was just off to the Post Office, late this morning to post me something. Greek has been very good, I did not think they could keep it going but the introduction of new characters and schemes has made it enjoyable viewing. I highly recommend it, particularly to those people out there like me, whom wish they had had a chance of an American College Experience.
Might be going into slightly more detail with my routine here but after Newsnight I tend to read my book (less than fifty pages from the end) and then listen to FiveLive on DAB (if my batteries last!). I am missing my audio system and need to get something in my room ASAP. MightyMouse recommended the Logitech Squeezebox Boom, which looks incredible but is a tad expensive. I have my heart set on an Internet Radio device of some description preferably with either DAB, FM or both. Maybe I can get something for my birthday or Christmas. It is strange not having music to listen to in the morning or evening when I get home from work and get changed in my room. I suppose I should be realistic, it has only been four complete days in the flat, I have plenty of time to put my signature on it.
I actually look forward to my cardio programme at the gym on Thursday evenings. It was the reverse at my old gym, when I detested them. I got onto the bike and at first tuned into Channel One (Sky News) but opted to switch to Channel 3 (Chart Show TV). After a few songs, they played Britney Spears – Womanizer. I had the opportunity to view the song online over the weekend but was too busy to got distracted by something else. In any case, what can I say? The Pop Princess is back and good for her! We expect big things from her album Circus when it is released in December. The song is infectious and I am sure it will be killed by radio play before the month is out.
It has just gone 9pm and I cannot think of anything more to write for the moment. I am sure I will think of a dozen things by tomorrow night but for now I am going to watch Fringe. The series I have saved just in case of an emergency scenario like this when I have no feasible internet access.
It is four minutes to 9pm as I pick up this blog post. I am now back in Wycombe and it does feel strange being back. I know I was here exactly a week ago but my room feels rather bare with my computer gone. I suppose it is something I will get used to over time as my visits home become more infrequent. I finished work at 5pm (the day dragged big time, particularly the afternoon) and had my car packed and was on my way out of Newbury just after 5.30pm. Considering it was a Friday night and busy with traffic (a hold up on west bound) I made excellent time and came off the slip road at junction 8/9 at precisely 6pm. I got home, unpacked the car and waited for my family to arrive back from Slough.
I have been listening to a song by Jennifer Hudson, almost non-stop on the mp3 player, the PC and now this evening the car. No, it is not her debut single, “Spotlight”. (You know the rule, I rarely like the debut single by any artist). It was recommended by the fantastic RnB music blog Toya’s World. I agree that the song does share many similarities with Energy but I still prefer the song by Keri Hilson, it is more edgy and raw. If This Isn’t Love is very much the traditional radio friendly pop ballad. I particularly like the vocal during the bridge. It is very infectious but perhaps not ideal driving song. My weekend truly began when I was half way between junction thirteen and twelve on the M4 and had the new MP3 CD I had created on mix, the next song played was Numb (Encore) by Linkin’ Park featuring Jay Z. My weekend could finally begin.
Plans for the weekend, well quite a lot to cram in actually. Haircut in town (yes my hair is quite long but also a shabby unmaintainable mess). Then I need to rush back home and wash the car before then doing some domestic chores. Such as moving the computer from the lounge into my room and then perhaps even moving the router in the process. Then I have a few boxes of things to clear, so I can sort out what else to take with me to Newbury. Factor on top of all this that my cousin is coming over and that we most likely will be having takeaway tomorrow night.
If all that was not enough I also have a care package from Pav, which arrived perfectly on queue this morning in the post. So I have several episodes of my favourite television shows to watch. To mention just a few there is, Big Bang Theory, Chuck, Heroes, The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Knight Rider. So, without any further “ado” I better get on with watching Fringe. I watched the first half of the pilot episode last night but only twenty minutes in did I realise that it was a eighty minute feature length pilot episode. Won’t look as great on my laptop screen but never mind. I will try and post an update again on Sunday evening when I am back at my flat.