The Shard - March 2011

Its grown a bit since last year - a focal point of a first date . . .

Holiday prep!

Away shirt

Bonus for season ticket renewal! Will wear soon!

Day Three

Almost there... get the first 3 days out of the way and everything after this becomes a bonus... sleep patterns have been a bit odd and I have been eating like a horse when I get home...but I have not had the strong urge to buy another packet... perhaps parting with 6.52 for twenty was starting to take a toll on my purse, certainly wearing out the leather.

Tonight I will be distracted by ballet - and tomorrow football.. and now I have something else to aim for... smoke free for my holiday...

A picture of intense office life!!

National No Smoking Day...

is the same day as Lent starts - so double incentive.. and so far I have not had a ciggy nor been tempted to buy a fresh packet....

Lots of good/useful websites... and I signed up to Not Smoking Forum - for moral support - it defo worked last time...

I'll use here as a way of recording progress - I know for sure this evening's sleep will be painful... nicotine withdrawal here we come...

Cheats guide to pancake day!

Now to quit smoking for lent!

Pencil lines

My beautiful bulbs

Spring is brilliant!

Monday 7th March 2011

I am supposed to be writing/editing my short story submission. I should also be reading MSP. But for some reason over the last few days I have just wanted to sleep, go for a leisurely walk or immerse myself in fiction related TV programmes... Sebastian Faulks on Fiction was a four hour marathon. Not sure what extra I learnt and Mr Faulks himself was not an endearing fellow. But just to get a sense of classic novels worth reading I did get some enjoyment.. especially as I realised how many I had read and how many more I have now got in a pile waiting to be read...

I then watched South Riding. (the iPlayer is a curse - you can be distracted for hours by programmes you missed through having a full and interesting life)  An adaptation of a novel by Winifred Holtby. It was okay. But somehow dramatisations lack the depth and comfort of being lost in a reading a book. Pity then that I have failed also to do this very much over the last few days...

I cannot help thinking unless I have a deadline or someone badgering me that I just prefer to loaf around. Kidding myself that I am deep in contemplation.. or perhaps I am just mentally letting go of the last two months worth of never ending slog at work.

Spring is upon us and I can't help thinking I want to branch out and meet a companion.. but that too takes energy and drive. Far better to sit and think about doing it than actually do it huh?

Anyway now all my chores are complete. Lunch is eaten and everything washed up I have no excuses.. in fact just writing this is giving me the impetus I need to get back to 'Beggars Can't be Choosers'... my short story which on the advice of tutor and trusted critic I suspect I annihilated last night in an attempt to 'improve' it... editing your own work is far tougher than writing it in the first place... especially when it's on screen and you can't scribble all over it!

Thursday .. 3rd March 2011

The stars aligned and I finally had the afternoon off! First up beer n food - followed by the cinema - a place I've not ventured to for ages. In time honoured fashion the film choice was based on actor participation! Christian Bale in The Fighter. A good film. The trailers all suggest the story is about Mark Wahlberg's character - but the sub plot of mother and son connections blinding them to the truth of the number one son was equally as compelling. An all round treat - pacy and thought provoking. Naturally all's well that ends well...

And so to Camden for a few more beers and to see an artist introduced to me last year... Darwin Deez at the Koko club. Tops venue. Real feel of old music hall! As for Darwin, first song 'Up in the Clouds' - how poignant. The rest of the set was amusing with dance segues and general band banter. Tops music and tops afternoon/evening! I was especially good as when I got in I fought the urge to send any texts or emails as my mind wandered back through the events of this time last year... instead I wrote all my feelings/thoughts in my notebook thus preventing daft stalker like behaviour.... hooray! It's a constellation!

More mad March

Capricorn

No-one needs to reveal to a Capricorn The Awful Truth – the knowledge that each of us is ‘all alone in a terrible world’ seems to come imbued from an early age. Typically, Capricorns learn as they grow older another, less chilling truth; that human warmth and love are as much a part of the human condition as isolation.

This month you likely get a taste of both flavours. Today’s new Moon in Pisces finds a slew of planets in your horoscope’s communications zone, perfect for good company, the shaking of hands on mutually beneficial business deals, or a whirl round the dancefloor with an intriguing other party. For the next couple of weeks at least, making common cause comes easy, and with an exalted in the same zone after the 27th, you have at least one true heart to whom to turn.

On the other side of the equation come heavyweight planets determined to make their point. The ongoing square of Saturn represents the prickly side of business and professional affairs – routine stuff for a Capricorn, though the ringed planet’s clash with Jupiter late in the month sounds a decisive note, especially for birthdays around 5 January. Since Jupiter and Saturn meet and oppose rarely – every 20 years – decisions you make now resonate forcefully. If you have the years, the issues in play now are those from 1981 and 2000.

With home and career now in opposition, the respect due to each has to likewise be brought into balance. Your glorious Capricorn career may have to go on hold while you sort out the homestead. Here, given the uproar at the exact root of your ‘scope at the Equinox, nothing is going to be the same again anyway. Embrace domestic change.

The annual showdown between the Sun and Pluto in late March likewise nudges property and professional issues to tipping point. Mercury’s three week retrograde in April will doubtless strew minor obstacles in the way but for making Big Decisions, the time is now.

The weekend of the 26th/27th is a personal power spot when you can force anyone’s bluff, find out who’s as serious as you. Friendship circles are on the move anyway; the new pattern in your personal life won’t become apparent until summer. Right now, it’s about business.

Mad March...

Lucky Days: 8, 9, 17, 18, 27

Yucky Days: 6, 7, 13, 14, 20

Fashion Icon: Sienna Miller

Colour: Copper

This is not a month to expect firm footing, Goat. It’s certainly not your fault and there’s not much you can do about the pervasive rumblings all around, except to ground yourself as much as possible. The New Moon in Pisces on the 4th may be the mellowest day of the entire month, but things will quickly get wild and wacky close to the colossal Uranus shift commencing on 11 March. This planet rules rebellion and unexpected change. Since the coming shift is rocking the very roots of your horoscope, you’ll get a glimpse into the radical changes that are taking place with material reality as you’ve known it. Your whole idea of home, family, real estate and all domestic issues won’t be the same when Uranus completes its trip through this part of your chart (seven years from now). The Full Moon in your travel sector on the 19th could bring a chance for a getaway. A trip to a restful locale might offer the proper perspective you’ll need to see you through all of the transformations that are only beginning to unfurl. Just avoid last-minute travel plans around the Mercury Retrograde on or right before the 30th of the month. If you must get on the road, give yourself extra travel time and expect delays or re-routing.

Jekyll & Hyde

March 1st 2011 - sees me start my week of culture! It's my first trip to Wimbledon Theatre this year to see Marti Pellow in Jekyll and Hyde. Been ages since I saw a musical. Sets were good and the two leading females had powerful ballard voices. There were some amusing moments - Jekyll's transformation into Hyde was merely a case of scruffing up his hair! All in all a good start to my few months of theatre tripping...

Next up... Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo... which by all accounts is going to be a scream!

Short story...

I have an idea for my next one... but have got a bit stumped by PLOT!! Doh!

Instinct

Am currently addicted to the album 'Instinct' by Mandalay.

Influenced by a c-d single sent to me whilst I was in the US for 3 months in 2000; Matt the Millwall fan sent me 'Flowers Bloom'. A haunting and excellent tribute to love - unrequited.

Pity it has probably taken me until now to realise why he sent to me.. and how my non-reaction to it probably caused the relationship to terminate on my arrival back in the UK.

Strange how music and places resonant.

Spiller Groovejet - takes me back to 10 years ago when I met Hugo Lovegod.. ah funny days, funny indeed. Gills were in the Championship. Not anymore. Oh well...

National Humiliation Month.. and some retrospection.

Lucky Days: 9, 10, 18, 27, 28
Yucky Days: 6, 7, 14, 15, 21
Fashion Icon: Kate Moss
Colour: Denim
Mercury, the messenger planet, leaves your constellation on 3 February while Venus, the love and pleasure magnet, enters on the same day. The switch over offers you a sweet break from the buzzing synapses and gadgets. February’s focus is mainly on your financial sector with the Sun, New Moon (2 February), Mercury, Venus and Mars occupying the money sector of your horoscope. This is a most opportune time to work on your taxes, straighten out any lingering bank balance issues and strategise about new ways to increase your current income. With Jupiter gracing the base of your chart, you’re in the throes of a fabulous lucky period. When the Sun enters Pisces on 18 February and Mars follows on the 22nd, you’ll be less focused on money matters and more interested in more imaginative ventures like creative scheming. Use the first half of the month to get your business brain on so you can relax and dream from the 18th onward.

Capricorn

Well who’d a thunk it? The Goat gets the Valentine prize! Venus, the romance goddess herself, is in your skies for the rest of February – perfect for attracting some up close action, whether from your main squeeze or from more remote admirers. Venus is about enjoying company as well as love affairs, meaning the least you can do is dress up and truck round a few social functions, or put out the best china for friends.

Capricorn doesn’t have much of a reputation for romance, perhaps because practical considerations usually weigh heavy on them (though there is always the traditional ‘old goat’ to take into account). Despite the call to achieve at all costs, the Sea-Goat is, as its watery, fishy half suggests, an emotional creature. Like their Cancerian counterparts, however, Capricorns are wary of revealing their vulnerable side; the appearance of being in control takes precedence.

A visible, hands-on public role is certainly the order of your planet, Saturn, in the short term. Planets this spring emphasise the demands of job and of family – squaring the demands of each looks particularly tricky – rather than tussling with a partnership. Those two ‘relationship planets’, Mars and Venus, slip swiftly through the zodiac zones associated with friendships, play, and fleeting encounters.

May and June are a different matter. Venus, Mars and Jupiter lined up in Taurus, a fellow earth sign, promise a summer to remember, when your emotional attachments take precedence, including, for those searching, a pressing affair of the heart. With Jupiter involved, long distance love may prove part of the deal.

Here in February, aspects to intense Pluto (in your skies for the long haul) come from Venus on the 10th and Jupiter on the 25th; days to consider who truly presses your buttons.

Valentine signs: Taurus and Libra
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Oh the irony of Libra... a year ago I started emailing Paul.. three months of bliss were ahead of me followed by six months of disbelief...and so now a new film is release with the same name and the wheel of my life turns another circle... I am going to try an avoid all encounters until MAY!! Maybe changing the date of meeting someone will help me hold onto them.. I have as it goes also cancelled ALL subscriptions to online dating sites.

Frankly not sure anyone could live up to last years experience and also my spare time is practically zilch. Nada. In fact I am just a Slave to the Wage and not overly enjoying it.

The call of creative writing yells louder at me whilst my brain sits wrung dry from too much effort at the day to day work... I crave some sun shine. A gentle breeze. A loving look. And the space to explore language and life again.

Not emails. Video conferences. Phone conferences. Meetings. Agendas. Notes. Work Packages.

I do also wonder what Mr Yarns is up to now...

Technology

SUCKS!!!

this week...

Your Week Ahead starting Saturday 8 January 2011: Every law has a loophole and every cloud has a silver lining. We often attain greatest success as a direct result of our ability to think inventive thoughts and to read between the lines. Your own talent in this area is about to reward you. To fully engage your creativity, though, you must first disengage the 'emotional gear' you are driving forward in. Your current psychological journey requires you to cover a lot of ground. You care deeply about what is happening all around. That's admirable. But if you care too much, you'll get too caught up in the detail. Keep the broader view in mind. Your Week Ahead - Love Focus: 'Let your yeah be yeah and your no be no.' This was Jimmy Cliff's motto. Usually it is your motto too. It is always comforting to be clear. Indecision is like an icy wind, blowing into a warm house through some crack in the window. It's impossible to properly relax around such a nuisance. Lately, there has been far too much uncertainty for comfort - and even where things have been definite, those definites have not been easy to accept. That's partly why you have been so keen to keep your options open. But current cosmic conditions suggest you can be clear and sure about something that inspires you.

Week ahead...

Week of January 3, 2011: This week may leave you feeling a lot different than when it started. The Solar Eclipse in your sign is going to encourage you to make changes on a number of levels. The supercharged New Moon may sweep away areas of your life that no longer have any real relevance for you and introduce you to people or situations that do. Your brilliance will be rewarded, especially if you follow your intuition and share your ideas with the right people. Money can be made.
Your Week Ahead starting Saturday 1 January 2011 - Love Focus: Take a long stick of willow or bamboo. Hold it between the tips of your finger and your thumb. Now go walking. Keep your eye on the stick. Watch to see if it starts to wobble. The moment it does, stop. Stand very still. As a Capricorn you are naturally in tune with the energies of the earth. It's time to explore your ability to dowse for hidden treasures. As Saturn and Venus begin to align, the year that has begun with a solar eclipse in your sign begins to bring many blessings. You may not be about to find water, oil or gold but you are about to find the source of a very special, long-lasting reward.