28 Dec 2004, Leeds
I haven't really ever found a place that I call home
I never stick around quite long enough to make it
I apologize that once again I'm not in love
But it's not as if I mind that your heart ain't exactly breaking
I've always thought that I would love to live by the sea
To travel the world alone and live my life more simply
I have no idea what's happened to that dream
Cos there's really nothing left here to stop me
It's just a thought, only a thought
Dido, Life For Rent
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11 Dec 2004, Richmond, Surrey
'Hey, Gordon, what were the police doing in your pub?'
'I had to give them a call. Someone had left her bag under that table, and you can't be too careful this time of year. Could have been a bomb, so I thought I'd better get them to check it out.'
'But it wasn't.'
'No, just a bag. But she had everything in there - passport, driver's licence, everything.'
'How on earth did she manage to forget it? Probably over-celebrated at the office Christmas lunch or something. Silly girl.'
'Yeah. Anyway, the police have taken it away now.'
Half an hour later....
'Shaun, when you moved my coat and stuff from that table to this one, where did you put my bag?'
Ah. 'Hello, officer, you know that bag you picked up from the Cricketers....'
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10 Dec 2004, Clapham Junction
Last night I finished reading Adrian Gilpin's book, [%B00030US2C* Unstoppable: the pathway to living an inspired life%a], a present from my old rowing buddy Dee.
Great stuff - a useful summary of what I learned from the books I read during my retreat in Sligo last March. And thankfully British as well, so without all the Californian claptrap.
A couple of quotes that rang especially true - the first one reminds me of my bad old days as a management consultant:
While I had been climbing up the ladder of success [although, in my case, I didn't get much beyond the first rung], it had been leaning firmly up against the wrong wall.
And another one, more relevant to my current Atlantic rowing project:
There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.
[Napoleon Hill]
Burning desire - blimey. But it's got to be. Rowing an ocean isn't the kind of thing you decide on because you can't think of anything better to do for a couple of months.
Burning desire - that's what's getting me down to the gym twice a day, made me quit smoking (2 weeks and counting) and gets my enthusiasm fired up before I make my pitch to a sponsor.
Burning desire - bit of a corny phrase, vaguely reminiscent of Mills & Boon, but don't knock it. It works.
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09 Dec 2004, Clapham Junction
'Once a year in New York City I dumped everything I owned into the street - a sort of annual cultural revolution. It is the only way to beat the beast in New York. It is the only way to avoid sacrificing bits of yourself to dead things. As soon as it starts to own you, dump it...'
Tristan Jones, Outward Leg
Things - it's frightening how things accumulate. Let your guard drop, and before you know it you're encumbered by them, planning your life around them. I resolved to un-clutter my life, and booked a stand at Battersea Car Boot Sale.
In the days before the sale I had a few moments of doubt. Would it turn out that the clown-shaped teapot I sold for 10p was actually a priceless antique? Would I ever have a need for that vegan recipe book? Might I one day grow into that British Lions sweatshirt that's 4 sizes too big for me?
But no! I would be strong! Inspired by Tristan Jones, I cleared out everything from my storage facility, loaded it into my loyal camper van, Priscilla, Queen of the Road, and flogged the lot. Am now clutter-free and £227.26 richer. Liberated!
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