Someone, somewhere, sometime and What you thinking? Writing by Darren Hood

Someone, somewhere, sometime.
Someone can hear me
Someone can see me
Friends till the moon sets and sun rises while the oceans continue to break all around
When I dream I hope you may dream of walking in the grass in the soft rain
Someone, somewhere, sometime.

 

 

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What you thinking?

 

What you thinking? Really? Well here goes. This is a ramble – you were warned. They, whoever they are say try a keeping a journal or a diary. Too much hard work I would normally say and that is what a phone is for. But, let me try and put some words down. I am not going to discuss the immediate nonsense and injustices ongoing but take a breath and wish the world the best. Just looking at my place in this wonderful planet and thinking about what’s important and what’s next. Most of you know me as some sort of planner – City, urban or transport but I see myself as an environmental police person of sorts, 50 years young and I have given some 27 years to trying to do my best while making a tonne of mistakes along the way. I am a proud Scotsman on lockdown in a foreign yet wonderful land I have called home for over 10 years of my adult life.

I am like a hairy David Brent in reverse at the moment as I having been working from home and living on a diet of Zoom and virtual quizzes to keep my sanity levels borderline. No staplers in jelly as yet.

However, a few life lessons and/or questions have come to the fore in the additional hours of lying on the couch in an air conditioned hoose ( along with my love of lists). Here goes:

1. I really love lists – I can hear you – me2.

2. Family first – I have a great family and while I miss them terribly we have been communicating a lot and managing to laugh a bit, well some more than others. The methods range from phone to Zoom and is based on generational preferences… you know more Alex Bell than Bill Gates for some… Just joking, but I did have to buy 1,000 international hours for my phone. Laughter is a great medicine.

3. Friends next- loving virtual catching up and chatting (good luck to those who have been trying the virtual chat up too – you know who you are – we are watching ! ) – we are in one big love boat boat bailing out together in a sea of pandemic advice and new ground waves of sorts … loving our essential workers and home educators… the dodges I am hearing in home schooling and home working would make Mr. Chips and Mother Superior blush.

4. Mother Nature, exercise and outside the doors – looking out a window and a wee walk outside warms the cockles of one’s heart. Swimming and cycling are also the new black if you hadn’t noticed.

5. Work – a rebalance is happening, the big picture, your place in the jigsaw and how Netflix can rival a work/ After Life balance is occurring. (Miss the BBC a lot. ) Do you like what you are doing, is it a worthwhile career and do you want to go back after lockdown? Essential that. Am I am contributing in my small way ?

6. The joys of cooking and eating … time to plan, prepare a shopping list to be bought whilst being dressed for surgery and then prepping food and the need to spice up everything … can I use turmeric here really ? How ripe can an avocado be before I bin it ?

7. What do you miss the most – I miss my Hash Harrier friends ( well most of them), the gym and watching rugby – either live – shout out to Abu Dhabi Harlequins – bunch of jesters – or rugby on the big screen in the pub with my mates … Dubai7s or British & Irish Lions to happen? Can I get my mates from Hove RFC over to Dubai to play in a 10s team ?! A blast in the desert . DTB.

8. How big is too big for home screen tv …p.s. how good is home ( and garden ) now the DIY is finished ?

9. The joy of reading and having time to mull over what you just read.

10. My front doormat went missing …typical Ali-Baba came to my door and I missed him … magical.

I could go to 20 but 10 is plenty….

Peace and love, EID Mubarak

I want to send a positive vibe, the hippies were right.

 

 

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Darren Hood is a 50 year young dreamer from Scotland on lockdown in Abu Dhabi.