Superpowers

I think I shall choose the ability to heal. Mostly myself, sure, but there’s no point in living forever, constantly healing yourself, if you can’t bore someone along the way. I assume that’s how the injections work, anyway . . . just thinking really hard about what your superpower is going to be. I had the second jab a few days ago, so any day now . . . I’ll be a healing monster!

Basically me now. And I can levitate

So, pending my immortality, I’ve been reading, but out loud. Seriously, how sodding hard is that?! I remember doing this easily in school. Sure, I’d fumble my way through tough words, and if the chance arose, pronounce sex imitating Sean Connery just for fun. But reading aloud wassshh sssshiimple. At present, I’m trying to narrate my first audiobook for my uncle – being blind, he’s spared reading my usual rubbish, so am going tactical! I can’t go through a paragraph though without screwing it up, letting forth vile tirades of expletives. I shock myself. The difficulty is pausing on the breath, making sure the audio doesn’t sound like I’m in a phone booth with my pants warming my ankles.

Reading aloud isn’t the only reference to a bygone era. I have the upcoming week off, and considering it’s been 6 months since I had a break, it feels like the lead up to summer holidays. This is more keenly felt with my northern hemisphere chums relishing their summer solstice shenanigans! And here we are, in winter, passing our shortest day of the year. The future though, is bright!! Unless the COVID Gods are hard of hearing and I turn into a gila-monster. Just my luck!

During the month of mostly lockdown, I’ve noticed I’ve become a little more socially distant so will need to change that. During my introversion though I’ve churned through some tomes: In Praise of Idleness & Other Essays by Bertrand Russell; The Naked CEO by Alex Malley and the surprisingly excellent Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen. I hadn’t expected much from the latter, but I learnt a lot, and if you’ve ever needed to provide or receive feedback this book helps – in work, life, relationships . . . basically anytime, anywhere, where there is an interaction with a human. If you were talking to a chicken or a cupboard, this would be next to useless. Do not buy this book! Perhaps go and seek some professional help though. You know, a gila-ing hand.