This last week has been a bit up and down, but by no means dull.
I worked for the first part, doing my usual work routine, but I noticed that I’ve been getting extremely exhausted of late. The week before, I very nearly burned myself out. Too many late nights and not enough rest, and on top of that I caught the mother of all cold/flu viruses off one of my management team. Usually I can handle colds and the like, but this one hit me like a brick and lingered for quite some time.
Ever since I had Glandular Fever last year, I have always kept a stocked up medical box in my rucksack. Not your regular assortment of bandages and plasters or burn cream, but more like a tablet box packed with Lemsip, paracetamol, neurophen, and a couple of other niceties in the mix. I keep it in my rucksack all the time. Not just for myself – usually I get the odd headache or cold now and then – but also for my work mates. I seem to be the local ‘drug lord’ or chemist that my workmates turn to if they need something.
I say “turn to”; now and then I have to ask them if they DO want something because they sometimes suffer in silence – and there’s nothing quite as disheartening as watching your workmates zombie around with a heavy cold, bunged up expression, aching all over. For starters, I hate to see people suffer, and secondly, the sooner they hit the cold or headache ‘on the head’ the less chance it’ll linger or pass over to someone else. …I’m getting away with myself here. Back to the main plot!
So I’d noticed I’d been getting really exhausted and run down a lot. Quite literally, just by going through my usual morning routine of “getting up, showered, dressed, bag packed, breakfast” would drain me so much that I’d actually need a quick power nap. It’s not physical exertion as much as mental exertion. I’d always look so tired and out of colour. Worrying?
I finished my shift on Tuesday and decided to catch the next train back to Abertillery; partly to go see my family as I missed them, but also so I could book an appointment with the doctors to get myself checked out. Course, my mum was terribly ill too and she managed to pass her sickness onto me. Sigh. The doctor didn’t have much to say either. “Come back in two weeks and see if anything’s changed from then”. Never mind the fact that I’ve been exhausted then. Gotta love these new doctors. Makes me think I wish Joshie were here. I do miss him.
With the sickness I’d caught off mum, I couldn’t go into work for two days, and seeing as I wasn’t in till Sunday that gave me a few more days to actually chill and relax. What did I do with my time?
I watched the entirety of DOWNTON ABBEY: Series One on Blu-Ray, and the first three episodes of series 2. Love that series 😀
I also completed reading the first book of GAME OF THONES!!! It’s taken me a good few months on and off, but I finally got there. I’m taking a break from that series to read other novels. I’ve already seen series 3 of the TV series anyway.
During my time off, I managed to read the “Quick Read” book of YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES: BEDLAM by Andrew Lane. It was only 16 pages, but I still felt satisfying to finish even a short book lol.
I’m currently reading through THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak – a fantastic novel narrated by Death and set in World War 2 Germany. It was recommended to me by Mum, and I figured it might make good character research for Grim: A Tale of Death – the web series which you can see a test clip of in the previous post. I’m actually amazed at the speed with which I’m going through this book. I’m trying to get through a hundred pages a day. If I can manage that, I’ll be through my pile of unread books in no time 😀
In other news:
I’ve been helping out a good friend of mine – James Koash, a fellow Abertillery boy. He’s had a run of bad luck recently and I felt it was my duty to help him. So he’s now crashing at my place on occasion. He’s such a lovely, charismatic character and very humble and kind. He works very hard too – trying to set up his own marketing business company, and I’ll definitely give him all the help I can. Check out his website here if you like 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/seiriagency?fref=ts
We’ve been on a couple of nights out throughout the week and made some new friends and contacts from the student freshers. It’s always good to meet new people – especially if they’re film makers and actors alike 😉
If anything, I’m glad of the company. James gets me out of the house now and then to join parties, and I give him a place to rest, recover and rebuild himself. If ever I had a house of my own, a big house, I’d use it to help the people I love to get back on their feet.
I like to help people, when I can.
John Hutch 