Batteries not Included

So, as the more astute of you know, I've been back in Norwich for a while. At 3pm on the 22nd of April, it'll be a whole week. Yes, that's right fact fans, an entire week. The weather has been nothing short of excellent, and I have spent a lot of money on...well, the usual, really! Food, food, some more food, lots of booze, a laundry trip, books...last but not least a Transformer as well (about bloody time), the Cybertronian Optimus Prime, made famous by War For Cybertron, a videogame I still aim to own and play.

This last week, and it's logical extension to Sunday night, has all been in aid of my Choral Scholarship at the Church of the Parish of St. Peter Mancroft. I refer to this establishment through a number of terms, usually focussing on the fact that the offical contraction is "SPM", just one vowel short of the name of a canned meat product. Oh yes. It's Holy Week as you know, which is of course christened "Unholy Week", to commemorate the fact that a) I needs must be here and b) it has been an official part of #Banter2011. I have been immensely amused by the visit of one Toon; the mini-Marian tour we took, the Seaside Visit, the Norwich Crawl and the Towering Inferno that all happened while he was here. Good show!

And of course, at the beginning of the Easter Holidays, I went home for four days. I actually broke line and went home because you know what? Because I bloody well wanted to. Hah! No, seriously. The long and winding road that lead to the eventual completion and hand in of my dissertation almost (but not quite) finished me off. I had to go home or I would have buckled under the strain. The bigger man knows when he's beat, and I sure am in retreat at the moment. I wrote a total of 12021 words for my dissertation, 1857 words for my project, and then notised the bullshit numerology game I managed to play, as 12021 is what you get when you multiply four thousand and seven by three, and if you add the separate digits of my project total together you get 21, which also happens to be my age. BONG. I am crazy.

Without those who believed in me and backed me up every step, I wouldn't have been able to do it. But also, if not for those who do not believe, care or indeed, actively look for me to have failed, I wouldn't have been able to do it either. One of the most dangerous things you can say to me is "I bet you won't..." or associated similes. I have some sort of psychological need to prove people wrong. I almost lost that last year and gave up on everything. And I mean, everything. How I feel about it, and the way I tell it is unsavoury to say the least. I am managing to recharge, however, and claw little bits of myself back.

Now, of course, the weather is on the up again. One of the funniest things about going back home was the climate difference: double figure temperatures and shorts in Norwich somehow turned into chilly evenings and closing the windows at night to keep the warmth in. Also, it rained. Not exactly copiously, but enough. Funny really, as I do love the rain. It's getting a little dry round Norfolk at the moment, so a small shower would be most welcome. Especially with the after-rain smell. Oh yes. I know this is asking for trouble, but touch wood it'll be fine! Right?

Right. Rain is only a problem if you don't want to get wet.

I'd love to segue into some sort of relationship commentary, but I think I could only do so by being vulgar. Looks like I just marked my own blog with blue pencil. I really want to buy flowers again. Like, a lot. Seriously! I don't know if I will before I go back. I mean, maybe I ought to, but then disappearing for a week and a half isn't exactly the best idea, um, right? And anyway, if I leave it til after I get back, maybe I'll have managed to talk myself out of it. Who knows? Maybe I'll even have decided. I mean, there are a couple of people I have some major crushes on, and things will stay that way if I use my time-honoured tactic of doing naff all. Maybe it's still not time though. This is positively the most laid back I've been about things For the Longest Time. Maybe I shall have the patience to wait for my very own Uptown Girl. Dinner? A film? Whatever. There's time. Flowers though. Oh yes.

So what's left? Well, the sun's finally come out, and the air temperature is finally approaching sociable. I've sat outside and soaked up the rays, sometimes with and several times without alcohol, to great effect. I've said for a long time that I'm solar powered. IF ONLY WE COULD HARNESS THIS ENERGY. I've managed to catch the sun on my face and arms, but my legs remain as white as ever. Ho ho! I'm wearing my 'long' shorts at the moment. While they are shorts, they keep the majority of my arctic-hued legs away from public gaze. Sandals are in full operation, and I managed to get away with wearing them at Eucharist earlier. Hey! I turn out in a suit for every service, so I think I deserve a little consession every now and again. When the summer comes properly though, I will turn out in my whites, just like last year. I much prefer white to beige linen, even though a jacket will actually cost me the Earth. Literally.

And then, after all is sung and done, I'm going home again for a week and a half, to get the real R&R sorted. I'm really tired, and I don't mean physically. Metaphysically. Emotionally. Technically. Musically. I am drained. I need to take time off, and step out of the game. Just for a little while. If I really remove myself from this dread arena, I will lose the pulse entirely. Hopefully I'll be able to reboot my brain while I'm at home. The week's almost over, and it's almost time to go home, and have an actual rest. Oh yes. Deep joy.