The long and winding road that leads to your door, will never disappear - I've seen that road before (The Beatles)

Wie geht's?

Football season is upon us again, with all the usual hope and expectation. 

Arsenal F.C. (officially, the greatest team the world has ever seen) have started this one well enough - 2 wins from 2, but Manchester City are already seemingly imperious and top of the league on goal difference (amazingly, only Arsenal, Liverpool, Brighton and City have 2 wins from 2 games).

Early days, yes, but De Bruyne and Haaland (an outrageous freak of the player) are a deadly combo. I watched them destroy poor Ipswich Town.

Hope and expectation, sure, but the season is a long and winding road.

Fingers crossed.

Love and peace - Gooner Wozza

It's ruinous for the soul to be anxious about the future and miserable in advance of misery (Seneca)

Photo by Dibakar Roy on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Recently, I mentioned to Keegan that I start each day with a passage from The Daily Stoic (by Ryan Holiday) and his reaction was along the lines of - reading the stoics is very popular these days. For instance, his close friends and Adam are reading material by Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus etc.

He's not wrong, but the stoics have been popular for a long time. It's had revivals at various points since 300BC - the current popularity is merely the latest.

Stoicism is about experiencing a well-lived life, so it's obvious why it experiences these revivals, and why it's popular now.

The post title above was today's quote. Ryan's commentary is spot on, too - let the news come when it does. Be too busy working to care.

Love and peace - a very busy Wozza

Again renewed by the vessels of Isis you're ready to fly (Steve Hackett)

Photo by Adrian Swancar on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Today was a right-off thanks to a migraine. I would have much preferred to be at school.

Thankfully, I don't get them as frequently as Jacky does - this is my second for the year, which is about right.

When I was younger, I got them a lot, starting when I was about 15. I remember the first one pretty distinctly still. I was playing football, and I suddenly couldn't see the ball or the players clearly, thanks to jagged lines in my right eye (it's always my right eye).

An eye test showed I needed glasses (I had to keep playing without glasses until I got contact lenses in my early twenties), and the migraines would be severe and much more frequent than these days. Always started with tingly fingers, then the jagged lines, then the massive headache. A dark room and time were required. Usually, two days later I'd be able to function again.

The trick was always to take some meds as soon as possible and it would help a bit.

These days they are far less scary things. I no longer get the tingling warning, just the half vision. Jacky's migraine meds work quickly but leave me feeling sleepy and foggy for the day (I've now had a sleep, hence being able to write this).

Back into it tomorrow.

Love and peace - Wozza

P.S. there are many other migraine sufferers out there - take solace from what my dad, bless him, told me when I was a teenager -intelligent people are more likely to suffer from them. There's no evidence for that, according to Google, but it made me feel better, so I'm sticking with it.

Yellow tigers crouched in jungles in her dark eyes (Cream)

Wie geht's?

I'm in awe at the pursuit of perfection that is Olympic competition. Sport is high drama. Many are called by few are chosen.

The stories of glory and seeming defeat come thick and fast over the Olympic Games weeks - dropped batons/balls/hoops, missed jumps, off timing, human error and so on.

Of course, a lot of focus is on those who have a podium finish - the ultimate symbol of success, and Olympic or even World Records, but I prefer to celebrate any Personal Best (PB).

As the stoics know, in the end, the victory over one's self, the triumph of one's principles is what counts. The satisfaction of not only giving your best but being your best.

As Dame Lisa Carrington says, it's all about a constant pursuit of growth and learning.

So, here's to all of the participants who learnt something about themselves and their skills, who made an incremental forward movement, who bettered their previous best effort. Hurrah!!

My hat goes off to you!

Love and peace - Wozza

Reach out, just look over your shoulder, I'll be there to give you all the love you need (Four Tops)

 

Wie geht's?

Can't beat those Air B'n'B family get togethers!

We've had three so far. First was in Noosa for Jacky's 60th, second was in New Plymouth for Kerry's wedding, and the latest was in Taupo for Keegan and Jennifer's visit.

The photo shows most of the weekend's participants, Chris had to return early for work on Monday.

The chance to relax in each other's company in a house, sharing meals and playing games is a rare one, so all the sweeter.

I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Love and peace - Woz

Come on, people, now it's time to go, go to where a man can dwell (Arlo Guthrie)

Wie geht's?

I'm dipping into Maktub again for this one...

In the Bible...it's God who commands Moses: "Tell the children of Israel to go forward." And only once they have started moving does Moses raise his staff and divide the Red Sea, because only by having the courage to follow a path will the path reveal itself.

This is also the message delivered by Natalie in an episode of Monk, when she says, "Jump and the net will appear". And it's an indirect link to Joseph Campbells' 'Follow Your Bliss' aphorism.

I love this idea, and I've loved the last two weeks of going back to teaching English. One week at Woodford House, and this week at Hastings Boys' High School, where I'll be for the rest of the year. 

Being part of an English department again has proven to me anew what a wonderful bunch of people English teachers are. So helpful, so warm, and so much fun.

This is the current path, and it also explains why we keep failing to win Lotto.

Love and peace - Sir