Thinking Time

I've had a lot of thinking time, having spent the last eight weeks or so doing half of my formal adult education teaching qualification, continuing to support three learning disabled groups voluntarily and teaching creative writing; all of which have been immensely life enhancing and entertaining in different ways. Everyone has been so supportive and friendly towards me, it's encouraged me to accept three classes (all paid!) in September; my own Beginner Readers class, a brand new venture of teaching a Publishing and Reporting group for the Learning Disabled to encourage them to brush up on 'Writing For Meaning' and Literacy skills as well as a Creative Writing group along the same lines as I'm teaching now.

My birthday was lovely but as the months ticked by it dawned on me that the year of 25 was shaping up to be the year of drastic change, I'm no longer content with just typing away on the computer and watching Deal or No Deal with Mum and Dad. I resolved to save up and look into other employment opportunities between my Adult Education work to supplement my earnings and make it more feasible in the long term, to move out and reclaim the youthful exuberance that I once displayed at University with no more to worry about than an irritating spot or being a penny short for the £1 bus back to the Lawns in Cottingham.

I've made friends with fellow trainee tutors which include Polish girls, a rather shy but very nice blond Latvian, an overworked care worker Romanian girl with a wannabe poet husband and rediscovered my love for dance and nights out by going to a Salsa night and lapping up the role of joker and fashion guru at a 70th and Golden Wedding Anniversary in Dorset - it was a scream, bitching about Ronaldo, rabbiting on about "when Trinny and Susannah snuff it I'm taking their job!" and all the rest of it, just got back and I'm firing on all cylinders, all sorts of thoughts are filling my head, ready to explode with excitement, planning to sell some of my home made cards, thinking of painting some more intriguing canvases to 'flog' I adored the Apprentice - as Lee said, 'Now that's what I'm talkin' about!!" and still like Dragon's Den, I think I fancy myself as the next Peter Jones, the female version of course! (IN MY DREAMS!)

As for a certain Mr Smith. Lets just say we are slowly mending bridges and I'm confident that our friendship has got bouncebackeability, to coin an old phrase! Leeds well, they just weren't good enough and Bates has alot of grovelling to do after putting the season tickets up. Onwards and upwards folks.......!!

I'll leave you with this thought provoking poem...Given what has been happening in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as at home with the knife killings, stumbling across an old poem I wrote whilst at University almost five years ago seems to me more poignant than ever.



Time

Time stops for no man
Neither the irate football fan
Nor the young lad in the trenches
Or even the soon to be parted lovers hugging passionately, on one of the local park benches
Life is too short we have to enjoy and embrace every passing hour
There is no time for the grave's weeping flower

Once beautiful red and orange like th setting of the sun in the sky
Now it is slowly perishing as a mother looks on and asks why
Time is relentless, cruel and swift
Rach second for the sick and opeless is a gift
Don't worry about yesterday it's too late
Look forward and take up tha toffer of a date

Listen to your heart not just your head
Share your problems, it halves the time
Spent tossing and turning in bed

Love yourself, love your life, you have more than you think you do
Remember all this is true, even when you're sad and blue
Time can also be a healer if you give it a chance
Go out, forget your troubles and have a dance

The boy in your class might like you too
Take a chance and rest our mind, maybe hide away and wonder all day? (time's ticking so what are you going to do?)
Live life to the full and do what you will
For no matter how much you plead or cry, time will never stand still.