Clarity

Now, I must say that I usually do not approve of this type of thing. Dressing animals up for the sole purpose of laughing at them (especially when they're easily upset pack animals like domesticated dogs) seems to me cruel and demeaning to our companion creatures.

However.

These ones cracked me up and show an unusual amount of imagination. The dogs look like they're enjoying themselves too.

Despite the fact that The Beloved spent a considerable sum of money on a light visor for me to enable me to have light therapy wherever I happen to be when it's needed:



I've been pretty useless about using it this year, which can only be adding to the problems that I'm having dealing with the darkness and my energy levels. Having a regular spot in which to use it every day has been a problem - as I'd convinced myself that it was largely useless unless it was being used at the time it got dark outside, thereby prolonging my "daylight" day. It sounds logical, until you think that I spend most of my day in an office with "supermarket" strength lighting, which goodness only knows what my poor little brain makes of.

But working out when the light is failing outside and fitting in three-quarters of an hour of visor-wearing into my work regardless of what I happen to be doing at the time is very difficult. Even remembering it when I'm very busy is hard.

So! My work pattern and responsibilities have changed since August so that I can now work 08:00 until 16.30 and can have a whole hour in the morning doing desk-based work, uninterrupted by anyone as most people arrive between 08:30 and 09:30. I have been wearing my visor now since 16th January for three-quarters of an hour every day, and I'm noticing the difference. It is subtle, but I realised this morning that I was up until gone 22:00 last night doing my coursework in a dimly lit room. That wouldn't have been happening two weeks ago.

I probably have already posted this link elsewhere on my blog, but for those who also suffer in the Winter, take a look at Outside In's website, as it contains proper light therapy devices and quality links for further information and medical research on S.A.D. It's worth the effort.

When I was waiting for my vet appointment last night (for the cat, not me, I still consider myself vaguely human) I caught sight of a copy of a local Explorer map with a lot of red lines on it. Recognising Newlands Corner and Albury, just down the road from me, my interest was snagged and I started to read. What I read worried me on several levals, and if it concerns you, I hope you won't mind me bringing it to your attention and asking you if you'd like to make a contribution.

The website concerning this explains better than I can, but the upshot is that Star Energy have a planning permission application lodged to create a 4 acre gas exploration site just off the Common and construct a road across the common to build and service the gas site. This is hundreds of HGVs, a ground flare stack and conversion of existing bridleways to crushed stone roads right at the bottom of Newlands Corner. That'll be nice!

The preliminary work has already begun, hinting to some that the planning approval is pretty much a done deal. If this appraisal is successful, then gas will then be extracted from the site commercially.

It would appear that the mad ripping up of the landscape in the search for more fossil fuel has begun.

If you would like to help, or just are interested in knowing more, please could you visit the website http://www.saveblackheathcommon.com. I'm worried about this as the common, bridleways and Newlands Corner's peace and tranquillity is there for everyone to enjoy, not just those who live there. And we're about to lose it for good.

* SSSI - Site of Special Scientific Interest
AONB = Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
SNCI = Site of Nature Conservation Interest

Once upon a time, in a shining city on the edge of the sea, there was a bar next the Ocean, a Village of those selling curios nearby. A Frigate was close by in which Frogs partied on a Friday night.

I dwelled East of this shining city, in the Leigh nearby, alone but for my feline companion and the two wheels which saw me safe from place to place. I had many good and loyal companions, but lacked the missing piece of my soul, for which we people often spend our lives seeking.

A tall, raven-haired and blue-eyed stranger came to the East of the Leighs just as the feline and I had despaired ever of finding our protector. With fresh fish for the fluffy one and mysterious cheese and vegetable concoctions on toasted bread, he won our trust, and through his silver-tongued blandishments and kind deeds won our affections also.

Before departing the Leighs with our new consort, he and I visited the bar next the Ocean, and sealed our bargain by partaking of an elixir hitherto unknown to me, containing the warmth of the sun and the memory of summer fields and bountiful harvests.



Bottled in the 1960s and now costing GBP200/bottle. Ouch!

At the beginning of the Winter I was all set for battle against the encroaching darkness and to stop living life as if I was waiting for something to happen, wasn't I? Well, three months on I find that in the main, the dark isn't what is stopping me - the damp is! I know, I know, it sounds at best weak and at worst bizarre. But I have no wet-weather gear yet (cash is the deciding factor) and I'm not worried about the cold. I have been out on my bike when the grass and countryside have been freezing around me. Quite literally as well - I've set out with the grass and pavements wet, have watched both start to glitter as I go along, and then the whole place looks like the top of a Christmas Cake by the time I get home. So beautiful. I won't lie - numb feet and face has been an issue, and I've needed a large supply of tissues with me at all times....! But the crunchy, frosted feel of the world is worth it, and the privacy! No-one else seems to want to go out when it's like this - so it feels as if I have the whole area to myself.

The rain and damp is defeating me. So I've turned to another possible area to fill the evenings in which I can't cycle, so preventing me from slipping back into apathy. Ian and I are both doing a three month course designed to increase creativity and to deal with the causes of creative blocks. It's about one working day's worth of work per week - more if you put more into it. We're into Week 2 now, and personally I'm finding it very good. It's not for the faint-hearted though I can tell you - I've been dealing with some personal demons - and they have teeth! In the words of Vinnie Jones, "It's been emotional.".

I'm getting the urge to start making things again already - all I need now is some more sunshine and blue sky during the day like today and yesterday, and I'll be back on track I think.

**Disclaimer - To whomever it may concern, the below was written in a state of high upset and does not necessarily reflect the sane opinion of the owner of this blog.**

Oh deary, deary me. I flounced out of a cycling forum in high dudgeon today, after defending someone I don't even know, from the victorious gloatings of an obnoxious someone-else-who-I-don't-know. And I was actually really upset about it!

This is crazy. These are internet interest forums. They are populated by people I don't know and only read some of the things they say, and get a vague sense of their personalities from their posts.

They are not "friends". It's not right to be getting wound up when one person on a forum attacks another. It is not sensible to get emotionally involved with a situation like this one.

People on forums are not friends.
People on forums are not friends.
People on forums are not friends.
People on forums are not friends.
People on forums are not friends.
People on forums are not friends.
People on forums are not friends.
People on forums are not friends.
People on forums are not friends.
People on forums are not friends.

Time to get on with real life.