Thinking About Tomorrow

REHAB: THE IDEA is still growing on me. After getting up early I nearly ran slap-bang into my loathesome landlord at five past eight this morning. His very presence is so disagreeable that instantly I was set to thinking, "Surely I cannot live out the rest of my life like this here ..." &c, &c, &c ...

Entering rehab just to get away from it all, I think, is a bad idea. Though the idea of retiring from the world seems unbelievably attractive to me at the minute.

If I did begin the process now, I could enter in August-September. And commence 2008 with a genuine fresh start ...

I have indeed been pondering this quite a lot. But I'm not going to make any rash remarks or implied promises here. And the vague idea of entering Treatment means nothing. You must make up your mind precisely WHERE you intend to go. And considering that place becomes home for 3-6 months (or more) an awful lot of seemingly petty things - like House Rules - must be given some thought. More thought than I gave them last time. (Which is why I get annoyed at being told I "think too much". All too frequently I don't!)

I suppose it would also be handy to have at least a vague view of where I want life to take me afterwards. That I can answer in two syllables: abroad. (But where? I don't know.)

OK. Oh well. We'll see ...

***

NO TV FOR A FORTNIGHT! What a terrible punishment. Am I "grounded" as well? I think that's the consequences Paris Hilton expected for driving without a valid licence. Though I hope she is not being abused by fellow inmates (it's not as if their lawyers wouldn't pull all the same stunts if roles were switched - is it?) I still think the message sent out by that soft-headed "Sheriff" was outrageous. Confirming at the highest level that there is indeed one law for the rich in America. The judge did right to overrule him. Justice and injustice should not boil down to how much you can pay. Hardly an original sentiment but I'm stewing like my lamb and margarine dumplings just thinking about it.

Want to see George Bush's phantom wristwatch theft in Albania?
The Evidence!
President Bush's Watch stolen - click here.
President Bush's watch not stolen - click here.

I have not watched any television for over two weeks. And more to the point I've not missed it. Five channels of 24-hour rubbish. Soon to be replaced by thirty for everyone once analogue transmissions are finally terminated in 2009 ... I hope I'm in a place where TV doesn't matter as much by then. Like busy doing something worthwhile!

***

BLAST FROM THE PAST: a book I saw at the clinic two weeks ago was still there last time I called. They can be borrowed by anyone as long as you do bring them back. Don't laugh: it's If Only by Ginger Spice, Geri Halliwell. I don't know how she's viewed elsewhere (if anyone really remembers her) but here she is seen a little bit as an annoying attention-grabber with an empty publicity-seeking existence.

Having said that, she always was my favourite Spice Girl and once she left my interest in them flew to the four winds. Yes - I liked the Spice Girls. As did so many others in this country and across the world in 1997 and 1998. Cast your mind back. They were the biggest pop phenomenon to come out of this country since the Beatles. Easy to turn back and laugh now. But there was a time when "who's your favourite Spice Girl" was on everyone's lips. In a recent poll (about 4 years ago) they got the dubious honour of most unpopular group. The anti-Spice backlash is probably the biggest in popular culture I've ever seen. One moment they were riding high. The next, Geri left, nobody was that interested anymore, the group disbanded and five irritating solo-careers were launched.

I'm just enjoying reading about youth and success and thinking back to a time when things seemed a lot rosier for me as well. In 1998 I wasn't "happy" but was at least doing things ... Sometimes I wish I could get some of my old self back again.

Hmm. I'm shutting up now. As for the future: we shall see ...