It's Me ... Again

 Welcome to South Manchester on a cold and wet November morning. On days like this I think of Guns ‘n’ Roses song November Rain because that’s what it looks like outside. The rain is cold, the sky is overcast and it looks dark despite the fact that it is midday. 

We are descending inexorably towards winter like a runaway train, which means long cold nights, dull overcast days and lots of rain and stormy weather. 

I hate winter, I really do. 

Nevertheless, there are good things on the horizon. Christmas is just around the corner and I get to escape the inhospitable weather in late January because we are off to Malaysia and Hong Kong. It is all booked and paid for and we are off for jabs next week. 

Last night I was at yet another gig, this time I was with Mrs PM and we saw Heaven 17, a pop band from the early 1980’s who were big in the UK (not sure about the rest of the world). It was a real blast from the past and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Here is an example of their work. 

Let’s dive in and answer some silly questions from Sunday Stealing. 

1. Has anyone ever told you "I love you" but you didn't say it back?

I have no idea. I hear people say “that’s why we love you” sometimes, usually when we are making fun of each other and it is nothing more than platonic tomfoolery. 

It’s a rare thing to hear somebody say “I love you” while staring deeply into your eyes. On those occasions I have actually said it back because they have been romantic situations. 

2. Do you consider yourself organized?

I am fairly organised but I can be totally disorganised. I usually know where everything is even in the chaotic parts of my house. I have several storage boxes in my loft clearly labelled to state what is inside (for example “University stuff”) and I have an “in tray” of sorts on my desk that looks disorganised but really is in a sort of chaotic order. Every so often I sort through it and put things in the places they belong. I know exactly where all of my important documents are and, for example, when I am going on a trip, I usually make sure that everything I need is ready at least a couple of days before the trip. 

3. Where do you look first when you go clothes shopping?

I tend to do my cloths shopping online these days and I usually dive in every couple of months to do this with a clear list of what I need to get. There is an exception though. My eldest son is getting married in December and I bought a new three piece suit specifically for that, which meant a trip to the shops. It was relatively easy but I realised when I was trying the thing on why I hate cloths shopping so much. 

4. Do you often reflect on your past in terms of eras or milestones ("it's been 10 years since X happened")?

I do this all the time. For example, we had a university reunion in Liverpool a couple of weeks ago and all of us were saying “It’s 41 years since we left university” and “I’ve known you for 45 years – how scary is that?”

It’s been 41 years since I started work and I retired exactly 40 years later to the actual day. You can probably work out with simple maths that I have been retired a year now. 

I will probably continue remembering my past life in terms of milestones. I think it’s the way my mind works. 

5. Were you more recently ill or injured (flu vs. twisted ankle)?

I was more recently ill – but not that ill. I had a cold a couple of weeks ago, the first one of winter. It was irritating but it didn’t stop me from doing anything. I’ve noticed a couple of people coughing recently so I imagine that another will appear in the winter months.