While working through the pile of ironing that had accumulated during the week, I realized that I am, essentially, a solitary person. I'm not sure if living with another self-sufficient person has developed this or merely revealed it; either way, I don't feel any great need to be with or talk to people (other than my co-mortgagee). I have periodic spates of social activity, but I wonder whether these are largely to prove that I can do it - have friends, throw parties, engage with the world around me. In fact, I have a great week in Boston lined up for later in the month, with nearly every evening booked with different friends (a shoutout to Cathleen, Darcie, Jess, Amy, and Erin!) - which is a sad reminder that I have more friends in a city I've never lived in than I have in the one in which I've spent the past 4 years. So maybe it's the place that has encouraged this enjoyment of solitude, the result of living in the center of the largest city in the most densely populated country in Europe. And tall, loud people at that -- always shouting "Dooi!" at each other from a great distance and smoking. That's better -- yet another reason to blame the Dutch for my state of mind!
The repetitive nature of ironing also led me to ponder where I'd like to live next. Somewhere remote, Northern (we don't "do" hot weather and bugs), angry seas providing driftwood for fire on the beaches. A simple stone building with whitewashed walls -- an almost monastic decor (Pawson-esque, ideally). Of course, there are a few more detailed prerequisites: broadband and satellite TV access; scheduled weekly deliveries from Waitrose and Amazon; an excellent local pub that offers a quiz on Tuesday nights; a top-notch chippy; and a delicatessen with an extensive selection of Asian foodstuffs -- this is a middle-class idyll, after all. It seems unlikely that I am going to find any of this within easy reach of the M4 corridor and Silicon Thames Valley. Time to start buying lottery tickets again.
I'm listening to: Party shuffle on the iMac. Muleskinner Blues by The Cramps doesn't exactly support the meditative state I was in. Time for some Aphex Twin.
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2 comments:
thanks for the hello! and what does "dooi" mean? It's fun to say. I may adopt it.
"Dooi" is what poorly educated Dutch women say instead of goodbye - well, that's what my Dutch teacher told me. It's pronounced "dooo-eee" and, as mentioned, is usually shouted at each other as you cycle in opposite directions - or when standing under my balcony. Bastards.
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