Motivation Today

Wednesday Jan 14th Not long to next Christmas

Again I focused on an important task this morning by writing up this log first thing even though I had both online and offline mail clamouring for attention. There is little rain about so I should get my daily walk in.

David Seaman, the great England goalkeeper, has retired at 40 years old. His place at Manchester City has been taken by the current goalkeeper, David James. James has never lost faith in his ability as a goalkeeper even though during his seven years at Liverpool he acquired the nickname 'Calamity James'. James is now considered the best goalkeeper in England. He does still make big errors occasionally. Don't we all?

We are now nearly half way through January and once through January which will happen soon we are only 11 months from next Christmas. This is stating the obvious but the brevity of life does not really sink in till you get older and the years really do flash by.

I took the short route through the woods. The ground was wet and muddy and it was quite cold. I put in about an hour's work on my book called 'Awesome Acronyms for Achieving your Aims', and then hit the sack about 1 a.m.

Thursday January 15th 2004 Mad As a Hatter

It was cold enough to make your ears ache in the woods today. I didn't take a coat since the discomfort of being cold keeps one on the move. But the sun was out and it was a beautiful winter's day.

A large setter type dog rushed up to me with great energy and enthusiasm. It jumped up and down until I had patted it several times. The owner commented 'Mad as a hatter'

I made my usual comment that I wished I had it's energy. It is notable that any animal or human being who shows great energy and enthusiasm is usually considered mad. Sadly the norm for adults is to be gloomy, tired and apathetic.

About six or seven friends gathered at the oracle by the oak tree. They were all wisely wearing coats so I was the first to leave to avoid catching cold. I was surprised when D's alsatian S came up behind me and nuzzled my hand with his nose. So much for stereotypes about the agressive alsatians.

Friday 16th January 2004 The Silver Lining

I took my sister to the local hospital today in Orpington. There were no parking spaces so I had to park about a mile away. This gave me a chance to get a brief walk in at least.

The lack of parking was a nuisance but everything has a silver lining. I not only got a walk in but was also able to visit a computer shop with what looks to be an excellent book on Web Design on the book shelves.

Sunday 18th January 2004 Bridle path rage

I went for the long route today. I was chatting with one of my martial arts students on the bridle path when a great posse of horses came by at some speed. There was no apology even though horse riders do not have right of way. I expect they were irritated by the number of people out for a walk on a fine Sunday morning who were getting in their way.

The day was beautiful but warm for this time of year. Some young lambs had been born near Tong's farm. Usually they are born later in Spring. Global warming?

Monday 19th January 2004 The energy of youth

I met a border terrier puppy on this morning's walk. It was leaping about and playing with all the energy, enthusiasm and trust of youth.

Funnily, enough a very young black cat (almost a kitten) came rushing up to me on my return home from teaching my evening class. It was just as energetic as the puppy and much more agile. It leapt into my car and started scratching the seats.

As my car is ancient, this didn't worry me too much. It was keen to get into the house but once allowed into the house it might seldom have gone back to his rightful owner so my brother took my martial arts equipment into the house while I fended off the cat.

Tuesday 20th January 2004 Buying is easy

I took my brother to check out the computers at PC World today and could not resist buying a great looking book on html. The layout and graphics alone were enough to sell the book to me. Buying is easy, however; reading and studying is less easy.

We went on to get a lever for a toilet which had recently broken. Amazingly the lever cost only 87p. I fixed the toilet myself. Normally I would have called in a plumber at vast expense but having spent so much money on the net, I had a go. It was far easier than I thought. Maybe I have given up too easily in the past when faced with a do it yourself job.

Friday 23rd January 2004 Mr Argumentative

I took the long route today but went clockwise for a change. It was so cold that it felt like snow might fall. I commented on this fact to a walker I had never met before.

He immediately disagreed with me stating that it was quite warm! As he was wearing a woolly hat, scarf and coat I could understand why he felt quite warm. I was coatless and scarfless and by the time I had finished talking with him (or mainly listening to him talk) was freezing!

He spent a lot of time criticising teachers and vicars or priests. Teachers, according to him were pathetic individuals who could not deal with adults but enjoyed bullying the young. Priests were paedophiles and selfish money grabbers.

I pointed out that few people these days would last long as teachers if they were bullies and that there were many fine vicars and priests. I don't think he took much notice. He did, however, apologise if he had offended me by his comments! His mind was obviously closed to certain groups of people and he clearly loved an argument.

Sunday 25th January 2004 Nothing's Fair!

A lot of families were out and about as usual this Sunday. One little girl was told not to walk through a puddle because she did not have Wellington boots on.

"That's not fair", she said.

"Nothing's fair!" replied her mum. The little girl was silenced!

The conversation reminded me of the death of the first British soldier in Iraq. He was a sergeant on duty at a road block. Earlier he had been told to hand in his protective equipment as there was a shortage. His life might have been saved by that same equipment

That event certainly was not fair. Is the universe fair? Not if this life is all we have to go on.

One of the arguments for life after death is that it is necessary so that justice and fairness can be restored in another life.

Monday 26th January 2004 Maps are not always right

I did the long walk again today but went anti-clockwise. The anti-clockwise direction seems much less effort probably because you go up three small slopes instead of one big slope and another smaller one.

I met the lady who owns what is called Tong's farm on the maps. In fact she told me that Tong's farm is down the hill from her farm which is called Hawkwood farm. There are two other farms in the area. One of these was once called Bird Cage nurseries. There are iron railings in this area which have the same design as Bird Cage Walk in the West End.

Tuesday 27th January 2004 STOP! GRRRR!

I repeated the long, anti-clockwise walk again today. The weather was very cold and arctic weather is on its way. The farmer had brought the premature lambs together into a shed to help them survive the cold. They were all huddled together with their mums and were much warmer than if they had been left out in the field. Hay was available for them to eat.

I met B and C near the end of the walk. B had once worked as a postman. His technique for dealing with aggressive dogs was to command them loudly to "STOP!" He would also growl at them! He had only had to do this once with an aggressive Alsatian whilst doing his postman work. I shall include this incident in my "Animal Attack" book.

Wednesday 28th January 2004 What are you doing with the dog lead?

Arctic weather arrived today. The snow was a great sight. I headed for the woods in the afternoon. I avoided wearing a coat as usual. The slight discomfort of the cold kept me jogging along for much of the walk.

Not many people were about but a jogger ran past at some speed and then I saw a lady down by Flusher's pond apparently whipping her bulldog with her dog lead. The bulldog seemed to have it's nose stuck through the wire of a fence by the pond. She was leaning over the fence swinging the lead at it.

I assumed that the lady had either gone mad or was teaching the bull dog not to go through the fence which had been put there to protect the sheep which would otherwise be harassed by dogs.

As I approached her she asked if she could borrow my walking stick. I had totally misinterpreted what she was doing with the lead. She had been swinging the lead at the dog's ball which had gone through the fence. The bull dog was also trying to grab the ball with it's mouth. It's snout was stuck through a hole in the fence to help it reach the ball.

This is why I thought the lady was whipping the dog's nose! She used my walking stick to drag the ball back towards the dog. Eventually she succeeded and I could go on my way with a great lesson i.e. don't judge what people are doing until you get close and speak to them!

Thursday 29th January Inspiration through walking

There is more snow on the ground today. I must drag myself out into the chilly woods to gain inspiration for my evening class. The class usually goes much better if I have been for a long walk before I take it.

In fact, the class did go really well. We also had a good laugh.

As I came down to Flusher's pond two ladies generously stood to one side to let me pass first. In fact their move was not so generous as they were on the dry ground and my route went through some muddy and uneven ground!

In my haste to move on and let them move on, I nearly lost my balance entirely. It seldom pays to rush when people are doing you a favour. You usually fail to notice some hazard like tree roots or cars (if you are crossing a main road) etc.

Friday 30th January 2004 The Cannibal

No I did not meet cannibal in the woods but I was amazed to hear today on TV that Meiwes, the German Cannibal, had been contacted by about 200 hundred volunteers who wanted to be eaten by him. He interviewed five of them and rejected one man for being too fat. Another changed his mind when he realised he might be hung up on a meat hook! Meiwes killed and eat one volunteer, Jurgen Brandes.

The commentator remarked that some of the volunteers were in fantasy land. Meiwes, on the other hand was in earnest and prepared to act on his plans. He now faces eight years in prison for manslaughter but not murder. It is a pity that his determination was not used in achieving a goal that would benefit people rather than destroy them.

Sunday February 1st 2004 Cut your losses

I took the long route today and saw a young dog (almost a puppy) approaching me. It lost its nerve at the last minute and retreated to its owners.

I saw it again soon afterwards and again it kept clear. Finally I came across it near the WIllett memorial and this time it came up to be patted. Familiariity had finally built some trust.

Below Tong's farm I came to a muddy lane that has recently been fenced in with barbed wire. Having seen a gap in the fence at the far end a day or so before, I cleverly walked outside the fence on the drier farm land.

When I reached the end of the lane I realised I hadn't been so clever as the gap had been closed. I might have been able to climb the fence but didn't think it worth the risk. I cut my losses and retreated to where I had begun my detour.

Monday 2nd February 2004 Look silly in private

Higher up the hill from the muddy lane mentioned yesterday is another muddly lane alongside a bridle path. These two paths runs along the boundary of Cooper's School, a large comprehensive school in Chislehurst. There is a fence between the muddy path and the bridle path. People often use the bridle path to avoid the muddy path but you can look very silly if you try to cross through the fence between the paths.

No one was about today so I practised crossing the fence. The next time I had to cross it with people about I would do so gracefully and swiftly rather than getting stuck halfway!

Most people look silly when they start something new but if they practise regularly they will soon starting looking good and eventually awesome. Remember that the next time someone laughs when you try something new.

Tuesday 3rd February 2004 Every day in every way...

Today was very windy but quite warm. As I walked along I tried some affirmations. Some people say they work and some say they are the beginning of illusion.

It seems logical to me that it is better to fill one's mind with positive thoughts deliberately rather than to allow any negative ideas to roost in there.

Emile Coue's famous affirmation - "Every day in every way I am getting better and better" has helped many people. This affirmation is not unbelievable and if it is believed could change a person's life for the better.

Wednesday 4th February 2004 A lesson in self-defence

The temperature today was 18 degrees instead of the usual 8 degrees for this time of year.

In Petts Wood, it was windy but warm again. Even the muddy paths were clearing up.

The brambles are beginning to reach out across the paths towards the sun. I hit several of them with my walking stick to keep the paths clear. I nearly got a twig into my eye as I was focussing on one of the brambles.

One of the key principles of self defence is to avoid tunnel vision. It is very easy to focus on one attacker while ignoring the other. It is easy then to get stabbed in the back while taking on an attacker in front of you.

I was so focused on hitting the bramble that I did notice the twigs at eye level. It is important in self defence of all kinds to be aware of all potential sources of an attack.

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Walking in Petts Wood and The Hawkswood Estate Page 10