I managed to sit down and watch the Queen: Live AT Wembley DVD which I received for Christmas whilst I started the post-move paperwork shuffle.
I won't say too much as most of it has been said over the years. Freddie Mercury was a great performer and entertainer. I consider him one of the best front-men in the business, and he had one of the greatest singing voices to go with it. His early death through AIDS was a great loss, and I still remember hearing the radio when it was announced on the news. At least his legacy as a musician, and in helping to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS lives on. He is ion many ways one of my heroes.
It is too easy to forget the rest of Queen. John Deacon and Roger Taylor are a good rhythm section. Brian May is a underrated guitarist, and in my opinion was the strongest song writer in the group. It was also unusual to have a band in which every member was a good enough singer that they could sing lead vocals if they wanted[*].
As an added bonus, I have finally ejected Nickleback from my head. I quite enjoy them, but it is my wife's favourite driving music and various snatches of their songs have been stuck in my head for about a fortnight. It is a relief to have Freddie and Brian going over 'Is this the world we created?' instead.
*Somebody please gag Phil Collins
26 February 2009
23 February 2009
If only I were a Duck
I could fly to work.
The one substantial downside of our lovely new house is that we are now about four and half miles from my place of work (and my wife's place of study) instead of a little over one mile. Previously I had a gentle fifteen or twenty minute walk to the office. Now my options are:
Bus: an hour, or possibly more in the evening if the traffic is particularly heavy.
Walk: an hour and fifteen or twenty minutes.
Cycle: twenty five or thirty minutes.
Even if I could drive, which I can't, I wouldn't.
I won't catch the bus unless I absolutely have to. Not only does it cost money, but there are other people there (which makes me nervous) and lots of them (which makes me even more nervous). It also grates a little to catch a bus when it is almost as quick for me to walk.
Ultimately, cycling will be a good thing. My general fitness will improve. I will feel less guilty about having an expensive bike which I rarely use. Coming into work and getting home after substantial exercise will tend to improve my short term mood.
I worry that if I wake up and am feeling low, I will be even less inclined to face up to the cycle than I would have been to the much shorter walk. Most of the cycle is on quiet roads or off road cycle paths, so it quite safe, and my usual fear of cycling on roads is minimised.
One of the few things that has always consistently been true from all of my experiences of various health and mental health professionals is that exercise is a positive thing. The short term boost of chemicals may only be short term, but it does boost me for a while, and sometimes that boost can be enough to get me out of the rut for a day. A day that may then turn into a week. All I need is for my body not to collapse in a heap for me.
One thing that irritates me more is the doubling of travel time. I now have even less time to do useful things (and play WoW). At least I won't be catching the bus every day.
The one substantial downside of our lovely new house is that we are now about four and half miles from my place of work (and my wife's place of study) instead of a little over one mile. Previously I had a gentle fifteen or twenty minute walk to the office. Now my options are:
Bus: an hour, or possibly more in the evening if the traffic is particularly heavy.
Walk: an hour and fifteen or twenty minutes.
Cycle: twenty five or thirty minutes.
Even if I could drive, which I can't, I wouldn't.
I won't catch the bus unless I absolutely have to. Not only does it cost money, but there are other people there (which makes me nervous) and lots of them (which makes me even more nervous). It also grates a little to catch a bus when it is almost as quick for me to walk.
Ultimately, cycling will be a good thing. My general fitness will improve. I will feel less guilty about having an expensive bike which I rarely use. Coming into work and getting home after substantial exercise will tend to improve my short term mood.
I worry that if I wake up and am feeling low, I will be even less inclined to face up to the cycle than I would have been to the much shorter walk. Most of the cycle is on quiet roads or off road cycle paths, so it quite safe, and my usual fear of cycling on roads is minimised.
One of the few things that has always consistently been true from all of my experiences of various health and mental health professionals is that exercise is a positive thing. The short term boost of chemicals may only be short term, but it does boost me for a while, and sometimes that boost can be enough to get me out of the rut for a day. A day that may then turn into a week. All I need is for my body not to collapse in a heap for me.
One thing that irritates me more is the doubling of travel time. I now have even less time to do useful things (and play WoW). At least I won't be catching the bus every day.
17 February 2009
New nest
After all of the usual stress and hassle, the Lovely Lady Duck and I have moved into our new nest. We are now home-owners; hurrah. I shall take some pictures soon, or to be precise when we have finished tidying. Unfortunately, after a long weekend for the move, I am now back at work; harrumph.
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