It’s easy to bow to the norm. To become weighed down by the way things are and therefore, surely must forever be. Easy to allow one foot to fall in front of the other, as you trudge down the well-worn path of the everyday, the hum-drum, the normal.
What’s a little more difficult is to break free of these self-imposed patterns, but as with a lot of things that require that bit more work, doing so can be so liberating.
What am I talking about? Well, it all boils down to two very simple things. Films, and coffee.
Part Of The Furniture
I think it’s fair to say that we’ve all had a rough ride over the last year or two. Covid has barged its way into our lives and changed just about everything. I’m understandably speaking for myself here, but sometimes it feels like some incompetent burglar has broken in, moved all the furniture around and hidden the cutlery. Everything’s still there, but it’s different and harder to get hold of.
Covid has changed all of our lives, to one degree or another. It has taken loved ones from some, impacted the long-term health of others, but for those of us lucky enough not to suffer either of those calamities, it’s still left its dirty footprints all over the clean carpets of our lives (and I’m stopping right here with the tortured analogy. It has suffered enough).
So, what do we do? How do we go about reclaiming our normal?
For me, it has to be a relatively slow start. I am, by no means, a social butterfly at the best of times, and quite capable of more-or-less forgetting to go out. Covid and the less than sparkling health of both myself and my wife, Tina, has exacerbated this tendency in multiple ways, making me (to quote Pink Floyd) comfortably numb to the status quo but, now that both of us are triple-jabbed, that situation has to change and that change has to start somewhere.
So it started with a coffee.
So, what do we do? How do we go about reclaiming our normal?
For me, it has to be a relatively slow start. I am, by no means, a social butterfly at the best of times, and quite capable of more-or-less forgetting to go out. Covid and the less than sparkling health of both myself and my wife, Tina, has exacerbated this tendency in multiple ways, making me (to quote Pink Floyd) comfortably numb to the status quo but, now that both of us are triple-jabbed, that situation has to change and that change has to start somewhere.
So it started with a coffee.
Bean To Screen
Those who know me will be aware that I’m a fan of coffee, and specifically, good coffee. I like a well roasted and well brewed cup of Joe, be it an Americano, Long Black, or Filter (milky drinks need not apply). My interest was, therefore, piqued by the recent opening of a local establishment called Tamp & Steam. It seemed the ideal place to start a new tradition. That of the weekly pop out for a brew.
Those who know me will be aware that I’m a fan of coffee, and specifically, good coffee. I like a well roasted and well brewed cup of Joe, be it an Americano, Long Black, or Filter (milky drinks need not apply). My interest was, therefore, piqued by the recent opening of a local establishment called Tamp & Steam. It seemed the ideal place to start a new tradition. That of the weekly pop out for a brew.
Thus far, we’ve only been the once, but I can already tell you I’d be more than happy to make it a regular outing. The coffee was good (a tad dark for my ideal preference, but balanced with a very pleasant sweetness), and the place had an airy, spacious, and welcoming feel, helped by the well-spaced tables and the fact they encouraged people to bring their dogs with them. I also noted that, as well as a coffee shop, the place doubles as a bar, which opens up a completely new angle of attack to a prospective patron who lives a comfortable, car-free, trundling distance away.
So that was one regular get-out-the-house-free card noted down and ticked off. All that remains is to decide whether the weekly coffee will fall on a set day of the week, but that’s a small thing. The next idea, floated out way by my sainted sister-in-law, Jen, was signing up for a cinema pass.
This allows us a months worth of unlimited access to the flicks for the princely sum of £15 (each) and with the glut of upcoming films I actually want to watch (Bond, Spiderman, The King’s Man, Matrix, Morbius), coming out over that time, I think it will be well worth it. There are films I don’t want to watch too, like West Side Story (much kicking and screaming would be needed to get me to see a remake of a film I wouldn’t watch in the first place, and most of it would be mine), but Tina and Jen can go together for that, leaving me to suffer only the weeks of Alexa abuse, as the poor smart-speaker and I are tormented by the catchiest tunes being played on an endless loop.
Feature Film
Of course, the films may not be a weekly thing. There are simply not enough watchable films to do that, but it will still be another reason to get us out of the house. A trip to the cinema, with all the trimmings of popcorn, overpriced pic-n-mix, and teeth meltingly sweet ‘blasts’, feels like a proper trip out too, something to get excited about.
We’ve already been once, to see ‘Eternals’, but I think I’ll save my recounting of that particular adventure until next time (it's worth the wait). Suffice it to say, it was a good trip out, a couple of hours in new surroundings, and something that, as soon as we arranged it, I looked forward to.
Now, has anyone seen a spoon around here?
Until next time…
This allows us a months worth of unlimited access to the flicks for the princely sum of £15 (each) and with the glut of upcoming films I actually want to watch (Bond, Spiderman, The King’s Man, Matrix, Morbius), coming out over that time, I think it will be well worth it. There are films I don’t want to watch too, like West Side Story (much kicking and screaming would be needed to get me to see a remake of a film I wouldn’t watch in the first place, and most of it would be mine), but Tina and Jen can go together for that, leaving me to suffer only the weeks of Alexa abuse, as the poor smart-speaker and I are tormented by the catchiest tunes being played on an endless loop.
Feature Film
Of course, the films may not be a weekly thing. There are simply not enough watchable films to do that, but it will still be another reason to get us out of the house. A trip to the cinema, with all the trimmings of popcorn, overpriced pic-n-mix, and teeth meltingly sweet ‘blasts’, feels like a proper trip out too, something to get excited about.
We’ve already been once, to see ‘Eternals’, but I think I’ll save my recounting of that particular adventure until next time (it's worth the wait). Suffice it to say, it was a good trip out, a couple of hours in new surroundings, and something that, as soon as we arranged it, I looked forward to.
Now, has anyone seen a spoon around here?
Until next time…
Hey, folks! If you would care to take a look at some of my more creative writing, then the links below will transport you to the magical worlds of two anthologies my short (and in one case, very short) stories have been included in. Feel free to check’em out.
Death Ship
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/9198684140/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_TWEMTA3KWK7T89QEZPF6?fbclid=IwAR322Fx5nfgVUQAA62ZZ6CUsNnBm8pbSxPanzz6Qkjg3vAv4ESipq7iKKhs
https://www.waterstones.com/book/death-ship/david-green/s-o-green/9789198684148?fbclid=IwAR2gP4CXHSG7wTccO39wOqXFtI81k0259Ep8DUM48Ki6kTUdlKoF3yafojA
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9198684140/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A2XZ7JICGUQ1CX&psc=1&fbclid=IwAR2Wa6sGxb82_VCsC7l1CGXwHjsSwTheqba6jDX_G8EDsywZoGpC93nXr2w
Reaperman
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reaperman-Drabbles-3-Legends-Night-ebook/dp/B099NNPTQ1A
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