So, we have gone ahead with the flat purchase, at least verbally, and have taken steps to bring over the money etc. It’s the more sensible one in the end. I’m feeling a rather strong feeling of sadness and dread, which is distressing to the GF I think, as he is quite pleased and excited, […]
Inching forward
We are inching ever closer to the Galata flat. I am still very double minded about it, but continue to mistrust my own feelings, as my head is very clear that it is the right decision. But I do have a vision of a life in a beautiful place and buying this one feels like […]
Like a blow
This morning I came up with what seemed to me a very clear way to decide whether we should buy the fixer upper flat. This was: to imagine oneself living in it, doing the days of day to day life, and then considering whether it was right. If not, to consider it as an investment […]
Determination
I closed my Metafilter account today, and deleted all the bookmarks. It had been increasingly clear to me that I was not getting much pleasure out it, only a lot of irritation. This was before I listened to a Talking Politics episode in which Jill Lepore appeared and talked about social media. What she was […]
Loose ends
A number of loose ends tied up today, around work, which was a relief. And a return to following my life improvement plan, with less faffing and more doing things that actually matter. My study of raags is going particularly well, although I remain as unmusical as a sundried turnip.
Shameful ripoff
Business degrees, especially those offered by private universities, especially those offered online, and most especially those in Switzerland are a really shameful business. I have recently come across one of these via a student, an African fellow who has shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to one of these to do an MBA online. […]
Job done
I returned to the consulate today to get the document attestation. It took rather longer than I had hoped. First, there was a wait – no one at the desk. Then there was another form to fill out. Then papers to sign. Then I was told to come back in an hour. I came back […]
Waste of a day
A terrible day and a terrible night before it, much of it awake and in pain. Woke up and got dressed, and threw up out of pain, then felt too drained and weak to even make my tea in the morning. When the GF woke up he made me some tea and a slice of […]
A minor correction
The night before this Eid is not, technically chaand raat, which means ‘moon night’, referring to the sighting of the new moon, which one sees before the other Eid. This Eid takes place on the 10th of the month, so the moon is heading towards fullness, but I still think of it as chaand raat, […]
Slip of the tongue
This evening, over dinner, the GF observed that I was less grumpy than usual, less prone to become annoyed at my usual bugbears perhaps (leadership was today’s). Without thinking, I said “maybe I’m happy” and then he blushed and I blushed and we both avoided each other’s eyes. Did make me wonder, though, as I […]