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Apart from health scares (there's been a couple of these in the last couple of weeks and I'm due for a CT scan next week), an interesting end of this week. I got a call (several calls and a voice-mail message) by this lady who needs a ’Spanish style guitarist’ for a function (her 80th birthday). I said I was not exactly that; I do not play flamenco, etc. She said she was aware that I was a classical guitarist, Would I be free to play (unamplified) at that garden do? How much would I charge? I said £250 and she jumped straight back ‘yes!’ Which made me think I should have said £400, but there you go. I’ll have to prepare a few biz cards to give out at that thing, see whether I can get more custom of that sort. Summer is normally very very slow and I very often just scrape through September, so this is quite welcome.
A different week. It's the small things.. like something called 'plantar fascitis' (if it is that, the doctor's examination was all in prose, words not physical), which is an incredibly painful foot that makes it a challenge to walk. And trying to renew my driving license (as I'm incredibly old by now, twice as old as I ever though I'd be) and the form arrived in the mail says I can do it online. The form online says I cannot do it online because they need to change the photo, go to a post office. The post office says they cannot do it there because. And that I have to send the application by post. With my passport. Hm, that doesn't make me very happy. Will have to investigate more about this and what options there are for me.
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Trying to stay active, walk perhaps half an hour a day (that doesn't make ten thousand steps but it is better than 0, I s'pose). I find it hard to believe I've reached this age, twice as old as I thought I'd ever get to be -but if you're growing up in a place like Caracas those are your expectations.
Sometimes it feels like the universe and my own body are trying to get rid of me. But I'm not planning on leaving the stage just yet. Had a bit of a blood pressure scary moment a couple of weeks ago, which resulted in six hours in A&E and having spent two weeks eating with almost no salt (salt is really bad for blood pressure). Not sure whether it is salt or stress, though. Particularly in the two secondary schools I teach guitar at, which seem to be competing for the most chaos and incompetence.
OTOH, I'm still here and I'm not yet bankrupt. Still reading, writing a little (not much), taking photographs and playing music (be it on my own rather than in public), as well as teaching it. Need to find a few local gigs to play (this is necessary to make myself keep a standard of playing) and a few more private pupils (this is necessary in order to pay the bills and in case I have to walk out of one of those schools). Onwards and upwards.
Sometimes it feels like the universe and my own body are trying to get rid of me. But I'm not planning on leaving the stage just yet. Had a bit of a blood pressure scary moment a couple of weeks ago, which resulted in six hours in A&E and having spent two weeks eating with almost no salt (salt is really bad for blood pressure). Not sure whether it is salt or stress, though. Particularly in the two secondary schools I teach guitar at, which seem to be competing for the most chaos and incompetence.
OTOH, I'm still here and I'm not yet bankrupt. Still reading, writing a little (not much), taking photographs and playing music (be it on my own rather than in public), as well as teaching it. Need to find a few local gigs to play (this is necessary to make myself keep a standard of playing) and a few more private pupils (this is necessary in order to pay the bills and in case I have to walk out of one of those schools). Onwards and upwards.
Not a lot happening here. We seem to have gone from summer to winter without having passed through autumn. Apart from that...
.. Had the two jabs last week (covid booster + flu jab). No side effects whatsoever as far as I could tell. Also had a hospital appointment, another follow-up for the cancer surgery of a year and a half ago. I had many questions but although the consultant was trying to be reassuring his answers weren't, that much.
The two schools I teach guitar at seem both to descend further into a form of chaos. At one, new head of music and new administrator of the dept., new ways of doing things and general confusion for the peris and for the pupils. At the other.. well, new head of music plus the usual.
Private lessons still ok. Have a pupil going to do a Grade 7 electric guitar with Trinity Pop & Rock and we are already preparing his Grade 8. A returning pupil, a new one and generally all good. At least that side of life is going ok.
Health... I don't know. At least I'm finally rid of the bladder infection (it seems), but it does feel like the second law of thermodynamics is catching up with me. I s'pose that's how life works. At any rate, I'm still here, I can still play and teach the guitar and do things.
Last Friday I went to 'The Belfry' at the Albany on Gt Portland St. I even danced (well, you know, I call it 'dancing' although many might not). This week, probably Jodi's housewarming if I feel up to it (I seem to be unnaturally tired most of the time, of late). It's a bit far in South East London; hoping to make it.
.. Had the two jabs last week (covid booster + flu jab). No side effects whatsoever as far as I could tell. Also had a hospital appointment, another follow-up for the cancer surgery of a year and a half ago. I had many questions but although the consultant was trying to be reassuring his answers weren't, that much.
The two schools I teach guitar at seem both to descend further into a form of chaos. At one, new head of music and new administrator of the dept., new ways of doing things and general confusion for the peris and for the pupils. At the other.. well, new head of music plus the usual.
Private lessons still ok. Have a pupil going to do a Grade 7 electric guitar with Trinity Pop & Rock and we are already preparing his Grade 8. A returning pupil, a new one and generally all good. At least that side of life is going ok.
Health... I don't know. At least I'm finally rid of the bladder infection (it seems), but it does feel like the second law of thermodynamics is catching up with me. I s'pose that's how life works. At any rate, I'm still here, I can still play and teach the guitar and do things.
Last Friday I went to 'The Belfry' at the Albany on Gt Portland St. I even danced (well, you know, I call it 'dancing' although many might not). This week, probably Jodi's housewarming if I feel up to it (I seem to be unnaturally tired most of the time, of late). It's a bit far in South East London; hoping to make it.
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On third course of antibiotics. This is getting a bit annoying. Hoping this time it will work and get rid of the uninvited, unwanted guests in my bladder.
In the meantime... not a lot. Went to Reformation at Aces & Eights for a little song and dance and catch up with friends on Saturday. Apart from that, lessons and again supremely tired, presumably as am effect of either the infection or the antibiotic. With that and a few guitar lessons (have a 14 year old pupil who is an amazing electric guitar player so that was interesting) thus went the week-end.
In the meantime... not a lot. Went to Reformation at Aces & Eights for a little song and dance and catch up with friends on Saturday. Apart from that, lessons and again supremely tired, presumably as am effect of either the infection or the antibiotic. With that and a few guitar lessons (have a 14 year old pupil who is an amazing electric guitar player so that was interesting) thus went the week-end.
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UTI has come back, now on a second course of a different antibiotic and awaiting results from further tests. ION, Infest in Bradford was amazing. I'm glad I went but I suspect I still wasn't 100% recovered so that may have had a part in the coming back of the bug.
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Been trapped at home, with a UTI and taking a course of antibiotics, extreme lack of energy and other things better not discussed. In this time I have been listening to Revolutions the Podcast by Mike Duncan, first on the Russian Revolutions (there were a few) and then the Spanish America's wars of independence -his version is a little bit at variance with what we were taught in school back in Venezuela. Very entertaining and informative.
https://open.spotify.com/show/05lvdf9T77KE6y4gyMGEsD
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/revolutions/id703889772?i=1000438832962
https://open.spotify.com/show/05lvdf9T77KE6y4gyMGEsD
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/revolutions/id703889772?i=1000438832962
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Flu finally going away (I hope -cough!)
Teaching in both schools resumed. The one in Islington (not to narrow it down too much) still a nightmare but hey, it is income and work. The other school involves getting up in the dark and a long drive. The world, alas, is not perfect.
Realising I haven't played in public for .. years now. I always found it difficult to 'sell the product', as it were, and it hasn't become any easier as I've got older. But I need to do that -not for any other reason, perhaps, so much as to keep myself able to prepare and perform a programme more or less of the level I feel I should maintain.
Waiting for several incoming money-blows to hit. An unexpectedly large tax bill, a large service charge bill where I live, a hidden threat of a very large one that I thought had been resolved but apparently may not have been. Plus the incoming rises in energy bills and, therefore, in everything else.
In relation to the playing in public, it also has resulted in me not really preparing a full concert programme. I can always play, but perhaps not things that I might find challenging or interesting in that sense.
Dabbled for a bit with AI text-to-image platforms like Stable Diffusion, etc. It is a whole lot of fun although I can see the issues around this sort of thing -I don't think they may replace artists and painters any time soon but many may lose work to these things.
Bibliogoth today with 'Legends and Lattes' by Travis Baldree. I hated the title, came to the book with a lot of anti-hipster prejudice but it was a good reading, light and fun.
Here, have a little bit of me playing an excerpt of 'Usher Waltz' by Nikita Koshkin. If you get a chance.
Teaching in both schools resumed. The one in Islington (not to narrow it down too much) still a nightmare but hey, it is income and work. The other school involves getting up in the dark and a long drive. The world, alas, is not perfect.
Realising I haven't played in public for .. years now. I always found it difficult to 'sell the product', as it were, and it hasn't become any easier as I've got older. But I need to do that -not for any other reason, perhaps, so much as to keep myself able to prepare and perform a programme more or less of the level I feel I should maintain.
Waiting for several incoming money-blows to hit. An unexpectedly large tax bill, a large service charge bill where I live, a hidden threat of a very large one that I thought had been resolved but apparently may not have been. Plus the incoming rises in energy bills and, therefore, in everything else.
In relation to the playing in public, it also has resulted in me not really preparing a full concert programme. I can always play, but perhaps not things that I might find challenging or interesting in that sense.
Dabbled for a bit with AI text-to-image platforms like Stable Diffusion, etc. It is a whole lot of fun although I can see the issues around this sort of thing -I don't think they may replace artists and painters any time soon but many may lose work to these things.
Bibliogoth today with 'Legends and Lattes' by Travis Baldree. I hated the title, came to the book with a lot of anti-hipster prejudice but it was a good reading, light and fun.
Here, have a little bit of me playing an excerpt of 'Usher Waltz' by Nikita Koshkin. If you get a chance.
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Back from Lisbon, still with a coughing flu that just won't go away. Will have to ask GP in case the flu's left a chest infection behind. This hampered the Lisbon experience quite a bit. It didn't help that I was staying in a cold, damp AirBnB (I hadn't booked it, my sister and her kids did). So I didn't see that much of Lisbon in the end.
So, didn't see much. We went for NYE to the main square where there was a show and fireworks. Fireworks were good, but there is a reason why I never went to Trafalgar Sq (actually, I went once and never again), for instance, for NYE. I hate finding myself in the middle of a packed crowd of thousands like that. And having to walk miles when I wasn't feeling at my best. Still, I went out and did something.
So we saw some lovely architecture, walked along the bank towards an amazing sunset, had (inevitably) pasteis de nata at Belem's, arroz con polvo (that is rice and octopus) and cod croquettes. I wasn't in a state to do much more than that, which is a pity. It would have been good to go to some night place where they sang fados, but maybe next time.
Now back. Intending to rest a lot this week-end and try to recover.
So, didn't see much. We went for NYE to the main square where there was a show and fireworks. Fireworks were good, but there is a reason why I never went to Trafalgar Sq (actually, I went once and never again), for instance, for NYE. I hate finding myself in the middle of a packed crowd of thousands like that. And having to walk miles when I wasn't feeling at my best. Still, I went out and did something.
So we saw some lovely architecture, walked along the bank towards an amazing sunset, had (inevitably) pasteis de nata at Belem's, arroz con polvo (that is rice and octopus) and cod croquettes. I wasn't in a state to do much more than that, which is a pity. It would have been good to go to some night place where they sang fados, but maybe next time.
Now back. Intending to rest a lot this week-end and try to recover.
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- health,
- life of flav,
- lisbon,
- nye,
- stuff
Ah, the seasonal flu. I had had the jab but it still caught me. Spent the last couple of nights coughing my lungs out. No, it's not covid -or at least so say the LFTs.
It's going to be a quiet xmas, but for NYE I'll be joining my sister in Lisbon, where I have never been. That should be good.
In the meantime, have a very good Christmas (or whatever you happen to celebrate)!
It's going to be a quiet xmas, but for NYE I'll be joining my sister in Lisbon, where I have never been. That should be good.
In the meantime, have a very good Christmas (or whatever you happen to celebrate)!
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As per the title -I'm still here, even if I've been a bit quiet.
In reality, I have to say that it is difficult to keep sending these words into the void with practically no response back. This applies to a lot of what I put on the internet except, perhaps curiously, Facebook. If I put a picture I took in Instagram or similar it gets fifteen views and four likes. If I put a sample of me playing, it gets fewer views and perhaps two or three 'likes'. It is perhaps in the nature of these things that if you don't do a lot of homework on tagging and keywords you get little response. I have been telling myself that I do these things mostly for myself -it may be largely true but it still is a bit disheartening at times to find that a lot of effort (as it often is) results in ... not very much.
I have been doing a tiny bit more social life of late, been to a couple of small clubs (Dead & Buried, Reformation) and re-connected with a lot of people I hadn't seen for rather a long time. That has been good.
Guitar: no public playing. I have been studying the Prelude, Fugue and Allegro BWV 998 as well as a few minor pieces, plus some that my students are playing. Need a few more pupils but wouldn't want to undertake another school, I don't think I would have the time or energy for a commitment like that. Would like to do some public playing, indeed, as this does kick me forward, forces me to keep to the standard I feel I should be at. Not happening for now, at any rate and haven't been chasing gigs.
Health still is what it is, I'm more or less operational but not all my circuits are functioning perfectly. Will need to ask questions about some of those things at some point.
So that's the state of the flav. Not a lot more happening, apart from scales to a metronome, strange dreams at night, nightmarish (often) teaching days at one of my schools and walks to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts. Hope you are all well.
In reality, I have to say that it is difficult to keep sending these words into the void with practically no response back. This applies to a lot of what I put on the internet except, perhaps curiously, Facebook. If I put a picture I took in Instagram or similar it gets fifteen views and four likes. If I put a sample of me playing, it gets fewer views and perhaps two or three 'likes'. It is perhaps in the nature of these things that if you don't do a lot of homework on tagging and keywords you get little response. I have been telling myself that I do these things mostly for myself -it may be largely true but it still is a bit disheartening at times to find that a lot of effort (as it often is) results in ... not very much.
I have been doing a tiny bit more social life of late, been to a couple of small clubs (Dead & Buried, Reformation) and re-connected with a lot of people I hadn't seen for rather a long time. That has been good.
Guitar: no public playing. I have been studying the Prelude, Fugue and Allegro BWV 998 as well as a few minor pieces, plus some that my students are playing. Need a few more pupils but wouldn't want to undertake another school, I don't think I would have the time or energy for a commitment like that. Would like to do some public playing, indeed, as this does kick me forward, forces me to keep to the standard I feel I should be at. Not happening for now, at any rate and haven't been chasing gigs.
Health still is what it is, I'm more or less operational but not all my circuits are functioning perfectly. Will need to ask questions about some of those things at some point.
So that's the state of the flav. Not a lot more happening, apart from scales to a metronome, strange dreams at night, nightmarish (often) teaching days at one of my schools and walks to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts. Hope you are all well.
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This is for the most part for my own records.
( Health stuff you probably don't want to read. )
I hope I'm not becoming short tempered or angry just yet, although alas, there is plenty in the world to be angry about.
( Health stuff you probably don't want to read. )
I hope I'm not becoming short tempered or angry just yet, although alas, there is plenty in the world to be angry about.
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Ah, all the things I wouldn't post on Facebook.
Not that I'm going to put them here, mind.
I may put more personal things here than there -or perhaps I only think of doing it and never actually do. The post-surgery thing has been heavy in many ways. It is, I'm told, a very common operation but again, I'm told it is not an easy one to get over the after-effects, some of which may be life-changing. Two months on, I'm still having those after effects and some may last a very long time.
Maybe all that, and the futile battle against Shell (Ombudsman ruled in their favour so I s'pose that's the end of the line on that) and the season, the grey days, the cold, the general near-apocalyptic situation (so many people I know have come down with the virus, some seriously), the not seeing my friends, most of whom I have not seen in two years... I've been feeling rather lonely and alone. I know I have friends and people I can rely on but that doesn't feel like it makes a difference. I don't really need anybody near day-to-day, I'm near normal in terms of strength and health other than those after-effects of the op -but that is not how the mind works. Last Saturday when my friends were all at one of two London club nights and a friend had said she would come over and didn't, I was sitting hear listening to Twitch tv streamings and feeling quite alone. This will pass and I know I shouldn't burden people with these things.... and, again, this will pass.
Will go back to short guitar videos and book reviews shortly. You all stay safe and well.
Not that I'm going to put them here, mind.
I may put more personal things here than there -or perhaps I only think of doing it and never actually do. The post-surgery thing has been heavy in many ways. It is, I'm told, a very common operation but again, I'm told it is not an easy one to get over the after-effects, some of which may be life-changing. Two months on, I'm still having those after effects and some may last a very long time.
Maybe all that, and the futile battle against Shell (Ombudsman ruled in their favour so I s'pose that's the end of the line on that) and the season, the grey days, the cold, the general near-apocalyptic situation (so many people I know have come down with the virus, some seriously), the not seeing my friends, most of whom I have not seen in two years... I've been feeling rather lonely and alone. I know I have friends and people I can rely on but that doesn't feel like it makes a difference. I don't really need anybody near day-to-day, I'm near normal in terms of strength and health other than those after-effects of the op -but that is not how the mind works. Last Saturday when my friends were all at one of two London club nights and a friend had said she would come over and didn't, I was sitting hear listening to Twitch tv streamings and feeling quite alone. This will pass and I know I shouldn't burden people with these things.... and, again, this will pass.
Will go back to short guitar videos and book reviews shortly. You all stay safe and well.
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Ok, so it was done. On the 15th I had to go to UCLH Westmoreland St. before the crack of dawn, submit to a number of examinations and questionnaires and finally put on an operating table and send to sleep. And so my prostate was gone.
They estimate six weeks' recovery but there are different aspects of it that take less, or a whole lot longer, or perhaps never entirely. Some of it is a bit gruesome for a family audience such as this. In any case, my sister had come all the way from Venezuela to look after me -and I don't know how I'd have done without her. Now she's gone back and it is a bit quiet here.
I will have a number of follow-up interviews with the medical people, some on the phone, some in person and a number of blood tests and analysis to check whether I'm rid of it. And in some ways my life may never be the same as before. Onwards and upwards, we do what we have to do.
In any event, I'm glad they caught it apparently on time, as I'm glad that we have the NHS. This would have cost a fortune in the USA and even in my so-called socialist country back in Venezuela. There is no way I could have paid for what this operation would cost in either of those places. The attention I've received by the doctors and nurses has been outstanding, by the way.
For those six weeks I won't be able to climb stairs, lift weights (this precludes my work in those two schools), ride a bike or a horse and a number of other things. I'm also asked to walk at least a mile a day -I normally walk more but that wasn't going to happen right after the op. I'm doing it now, though.
They estimate six weeks' recovery but there are different aspects of it that take less, or a whole lot longer, or perhaps never entirely. Some of it is a bit gruesome for a family audience such as this. In any case, my sister had come all the way from Venezuela to look after me -and I don't know how I'd have done without her. Now she's gone back and it is a bit quiet here.
I will have a number of follow-up interviews with the medical people, some on the phone, some in person and a number of blood tests and analysis to check whether I'm rid of it. And in some ways my life may never be the same as before. Onwards and upwards, we do what we have to do.
In any event, I'm glad they caught it apparently on time, as I'm glad that we have the NHS. This would have cost a fortune in the USA and even in my so-called socialist country back in Venezuela. There is no way I could have paid for what this operation would cost in either of those places. The attention I've received by the doctors and nurses has been outstanding, by the way.
For those six weeks I won't be able to climb stairs, lift weights (this precludes my work in those two schools), ride a bike or a horse and a number of other things. I'm also asked to walk at least a mile a day -I normally walk more but that wasn't going to happen right after the op. I'm doing it now, though.
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Haven't been posting much as I've mostly been preoccupied with the coming quite major operation. They hammer into you everything that can go wrong so, inevitably, you fret and stress a lot about it.
Half-way through resolving the issue of what I'm going to do with my two schools during the down-time. One of them has accepted doing online lessons and they should be implementing a way to do that (a new person in charge of those things, this could be interesting) this coming week. At least there is some good chance I will be able to do some remote guitar teaching work while in recovery. Alas, thanks to Mrs T. (as with so much else), when you're an instrumental music teacher you essentially get paid by lesson given; if the lesson doesn't happen you don't get paid. So I need to get that moving forward.
Op is on the 15th. I can begin to seriously worry about that now....
NP: Me playing little piano grade 2 pieces
NR: 'The City We Became' by N K Jemisin
Half-way through resolving the issue of what I'm going to do with my two schools during the down-time. One of them has accepted doing online lessons and they should be implementing a way to do that (a new person in charge of those things, this could be interesting) this coming week. At least there is some good chance I will be able to do some remote guitar teaching work while in recovery. Alas, thanks to Mrs T. (as with so much else), when you're an instrumental music teacher you essentially get paid by lesson given; if the lesson doesn't happen you don't get paid. So I need to get that moving forward.
Op is on the 15th. I can begin to seriously worry about that now....
NP: Me playing little piano grade 2 pieces
NR: 'The City We Became' by N K Jemisin
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So life slowly goes back to normal, or some sort of normal.
Not for me just yet, though. Facing a major surgical operation in a month and a half so still keeping fairly low. Not going to clubs or socials, although I did go to the exhibition at Electrowerkz last night and have met with a friend or two for a pint in pubs with garden, outside.
I do have to go to those two schools to teach guitar, though, which is, at least in one of the two, a bit worrying. But again, we must play with the cards we're dealt with.
Not for me just yet, though. Facing a major surgical operation in a month and a half so still keeping fairly low. Not going to clubs or socials, although I did go to the exhibition at Electrowerkz last night and have met with a friend or two for a pint in pubs with garden, outside.
I do have to go to those two schools to teach guitar, though, which is, at least in one of the two, a bit worrying. But again, we must play with the cards we're dealt with.
Haven't posted much of late as my mind has been preoccupied with the current horror show I'm facing with my health and the hoops I'll have to jump. Funnily, that has made the Shell situation (where a large transnational insists that I'm their gas customer and are trying to charge me some eight thousand pounds as according to them I've never paid -whilst I've been with the Co-Op/Octopus that whole time and I'm reasonably happy with them, insofar as you can be with an energy supplier) -this has suddenly become far less threatening, with something so much bigger on my mind.
Apart from that, I still haven't been to a club night -and very likely won't be until that health issue gets resolved, which will take a fair while. I have been to one friends' picnic which was very good and didn't feel crowded in. And yesterday I met a friend mid-afternoon at the Pineapple, a local pub here in KT. And that was absolutely lovely, to catch up with a friend in person and, apart from inevitably boring her with the gruesome details of my current health thing, hear how she's doing and where her life is going.
Other things: the current book for Bibliogoth I'm liking a whole lot more than the previous one. It is 'A Woman of No Importance', by Sonia Purnell, a biography of Virginia Hall, an American spying for the British in Vichy France during WW2.
Something I never did properly when I was studying music was to learn the piano; had two years of piano as a secondary subject but it was very much secondary and our teacher had 'ideas' and made us spend most of the first year with lid closed, practising dropping wrist and passing thumb under. When my midi keyboard died late last year I decided to replace it with the cheapest digi piano I could find that had hammer-action -a Casio. It probably wouldn't withstand somebody practising a diploma level concert on it but it is ideal for me. So I find myself in the curious situation that I'm quite professionally proficient on one instrument and a complete beginner on another. It is fun, though, and it has taught me a lot about how somebody my age reacts to learning a new instrument. This has already been useful for my guitar teaching.
Apart from that, I still haven't been to a club night -and very likely won't be until that health issue gets resolved, which will take a fair while. I have been to one friends' picnic which was very good and didn't feel crowded in. And yesterday I met a friend mid-afternoon at the Pineapple, a local pub here in KT. And that was absolutely lovely, to catch up with a friend in person and, apart from inevitably boring her with the gruesome details of my current health thing, hear how she's doing and where her life is going.
Other things: the current book for Bibliogoth I'm liking a whole lot more than the previous one. It is 'A Woman of No Importance', by Sonia Purnell, a biography of Virginia Hall, an American spying for the British in Vichy France during WW2.
Something I never did properly when I was studying music was to learn the piano; had two years of piano as a secondary subject but it was very much secondary and our teacher had 'ideas' and made us spend most of the first year with lid closed, practising dropping wrist and passing thumb under. When my midi keyboard died late last year I decided to replace it with the cheapest digi piano I could find that had hammer-action -a Casio. It probably wouldn't withstand somebody practising a diploma level concert on it but it is ideal for me. So I find myself in the curious situation that I'm quite professionally proficient on one instrument and a complete beginner on another. It is fun, though, and it has taught me a lot about how somebody my age reacts to learning a new instrument. This has already been useful for my guitar teaching.
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So the heat wave came and went and the rain returned. Life as normal , then.
Shell keeps harassing me with phone calls, emails, paper mail. Even though the matter is supposed to be in the hands of the Citizens' Advice Bureau. It is so draining, so very stressful.
Lessons have diminished with the school holiday but still almost reasonably busy, a couple of new pupils that are going to make me work hard in preparing material as they are interested in aspects of the guitar playing thing that I've not delved into that much -and they are relatively advanced. This is a good thing.
Had two pupils sitting for grade exams, one was an 11 year old boy doing a classical guitar ABRSM Grade 3, he did very well with a 127 Merit. The other one, a young man in Plymouth who did a Grade 5 classical achieving a Merit with the highest marks I've seen in a very long time. This was satisfying. I do have more problematic pupils that need a different level of attention, though. I also have a little 10 year old pupil, she is about to do a Trinity Rock & Pop electric guitar grade 3 exam, I expect she should do well.
ION, problems with blood pressure, prostate and other things that remind me that time is passing and the second law of thermodynamics spares no-one. But overall well. Have sent the form for a state pension but I already have seen that for some reason that I can't think of there are many years in which NI contributions don't appear as paid so I'm not counting on that. Not that I would want to retire.
Shell keeps harassing me with phone calls, emails, paper mail. Even though the matter is supposed to be in the hands of the Citizens' Advice Bureau. It is so draining, so very stressful.
Lessons have diminished with the school holiday but still almost reasonably busy, a couple of new pupils that are going to make me work hard in preparing material as they are interested in aspects of the guitar playing thing that I've not delved into that much -and they are relatively advanced. This is a good thing.
Had two pupils sitting for grade exams, one was an 11 year old boy doing a classical guitar ABRSM Grade 3, he did very well with a 127 Merit. The other one, a young man in Plymouth who did a Grade 5 classical achieving a Merit with the highest marks I've seen in a very long time. This was satisfying. I do have more problematic pupils that need a different level of attention, though. I also have a little 10 year old pupil, she is about to do a Trinity Rock & Pop electric guitar grade 3 exam, I expect she should do well.
ION, problems with blood pressure, prostate and other things that remind me that time is passing and the second law of thermodynamics spares no-one. But overall well. Have sent the form for a state pension but I already have seen that for some reason that I can't think of there are many years in which NI contributions don't appear as paid so I'm not counting on that. Not that I would want to retire.
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Yesterday apart from lots of sunshine and meeting another friend I hadn't seen for a year and a half (I think), brought two morning calls that were reassuring and must have my blood pressure come down a few points.
The first one was from the Citizens' Advice Bureau. The lady who spoke to me seemed to think the problem with Shell wasn't as coruscated and insurmountable as I have been thinking. I still think it may turn out otherwise and I still woke up in the middle of the night fretting over it (ok, so I am a guitarist so perhaps I shouldn't use 'fretting...' oh, ok, sori about that).
The second one was from 'my' doctor, or a doctor at the local surgery. Will have to go for blood tests and a more thorough examination later on but he seemed to agree that my b/p spike may have been stress related; blood pressure has come down a lot since although it still is rather high.
It's half term week so I can go to bed late and get up late. So a couple of good days.
The first one was from the Citizens' Advice Bureau. The lady who spoke to me seemed to think the problem with Shell wasn't as coruscated and insurmountable as I have been thinking. I still think it may turn out otherwise and I still woke up in the middle of the night fretting over it (ok, so I am a guitarist so perhaps I shouldn't use 'fretting...' oh, ok, sori about that).
The second one was from 'my' doctor, or a doctor at the local surgery. Will have to go for blood tests and a more thorough examination later on but he seemed to agree that my b/p spike may have been stress related; blood pressure has come down a lot since although it still is rather high.
It's half term week so I can go to bed late and get up late. So a couple of good days.
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On Tuesday I woke up very dizzy, room spinning, a tiny bit of nausea. Given other symptoms, I took a blood pressure reading (I already am on blood pressure tablets). It was 180/something ridiculous. Ran to the pharmacy to confirm the reading (since my blood pressure monitor is a cheap thing I bought from Amazon years and years ago) and it was that. So I spent the rest of the morning and a bit more at the local health centre. been seen by a nurse first, who took another b/p reading, then by a doctor who did several things to check that I wasn't having a stroke (I wasn't). They elaborated on several possibilities including, perhaps bizarrely, an inner ear infection (because of the dizziness). I had to go back on Friday and probably later next week. Bit of a scare, 180 is already on the point of being rather dangerous, you could get a stroke. So I cancelled my two days' school teaching and ... mostly slept Wednesday and Thursday. By the end of Thursday I was feeling much better and by the time of my appointment yesterday (Friday) my blood pressure was still quite high but not on those dangerous levels.
I blame it partly on the ongoing situation with Shell, who insist I am their customer, have never paid for gas, owe them £8K which I have to pay right now, have to produce every gas meter reading of the last ten years and ask my current supplier to reimburse me of every penny I've paid them (presumably so I pay them, but it would not be even a third, perhaps not even a quarter of what Shell believe I owe them). I clearly do not want to do any of those things, have gone to the Citizens' Advice Bureau but haven't heard from them, who don't seem to have an email address I can just write to and ask how it all is going.
Trying to avoid salt and caffeine in those three days meant the most boring meals of my life.
I blame it partly on the ongoing situation with Shell, who insist I am their customer, have never paid for gas, owe them £8K which I have to pay right now, have to produce every gas meter reading of the last ten years and ask my current supplier to reimburse me of every penny I've paid them (presumably so I pay them, but it would not be even a third, perhaps not even a quarter of what Shell believe I owe them). I clearly do not want to do any of those things, have gone to the Citizens' Advice Bureau but haven't heard from them, who don't seem to have an email address I can just write to and ask how it all is going.
Trying to avoid salt and caffeine in those three days meant the most boring meals of my life.
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