Work and where you are

I’m extremely thankful for the direction my career has taken in recent years. Both in time spent working – less time, that is – and in terms of where I do it.

Now, part of that balance has been a wonderful pivot towards church and community leadership; and to writing and publishing – but the specific type of work isn’t the focus of this thought. That said, much of it has occured in my “real” job, which happens to be medicine.

Time for a change

I have decided that the time has come to remove my answerphone message.

It is a bit ridiculous, rather annoying, and completely unprofessional. It is also so long that most of my friends refuse to leave me messages. The time has come for a change. However, before it goes, I am going to tell you how it arrived.

Day Ten – 3am is good at damping enthusiasm

Well, we woke up at 3am, in time to walk up the last 45 minutes of mountain and watch dawn. We looked at each other, gauged our tiredness, and, who would have guessed it, decided to go another time, and went back to sleep.

I had a really disturbing dream. I dreamt you appeared here in Africa, and told me that I had to come home for, I think, Mark’s birthday. For some reason I came, only to discover it wasn’t for another 10 days, and I’d cut my trip short for no reason. I then found out I didn’t have enough money to fly back, and stormed round the house, crying and shouting at you, because I was so angry.

Day Nine – Too lazy to be a slob

Last night was a tiring, long, unsatisfying night, after we got halfway up the mountain, carrying tents, blankets, food, saucepans, etc, etc; when Mohau got called by his angry girlfriend, and we came back down. On the long walk home, I was feeling a bit depressed, as you might understand.

So this morning, I decided to have a massive lie-in. Sleep as long as I want, write off the whole day if necessary. 8:30. That was it. The latest my body could stay asleep for. To my internal clock, still adjusting from the 2 hour difference, I would still say that is around 7:30 in equivalence. Rubbish – I’m clearly getting far too mature for all this lazing around and doing nothing. I blame all the cups of tea I’m drinking out here.