Sunday, June 06, 2010

Oh my God - You haven't changed a bit! (apart from the grey bits and the saggy bits) - and by that, I mean me.

No cycling this week, which was a bit bad of me, considering that there are now only 20 days to go till the Reading to Bath run. If you'd like to sponsor, please go to the link on the right. However, I had a perfectly good reason not to. Yesterday saw me go up to meet an old university mate of mine, Jo Halstead, though I suspect she'll object to the 'old' bit of that description. She'd come down to Oxford to stay with her sister (who's a Research Fellow at Christchurch) for a few days, and we arranged to meet for the first time in twenty years.
 You might ask why so long; well, it's a combination of work, life, happenstance and fortune - in other words, just normal everyday thingys. I couldn't quite believe how much time had passed since we'd go together for the UCNW Drama department reunion, an event recorded in my old diary, and I'm sure there may be some of you out there thinking, how is that possible?, but there it is. What seems like the work of moments is a thing of years - and, sometimes, vice versa.
Anyway, Jo and I met up and had what is best described as a Very Pleasant Time Indeed. I have to say, in reference to the title, that I mean me - it seemed to me that she really hadn't changed at all. Actually, this was one of the things we chatted about, along with what had happened to old university friends, who had died, old gossip, reminding each other of who said or did what and possibly with whom, families, and an awful lot about our respective teaching jobs and respective grumbles about said jobs.
In all, a really good day, and one that I hope to repeat sooner rather than later - and certainly sooner that another twenty years!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Paul,

Good luck with the ride mate and well done for raising money as you do it!

I'd sponsor you, I really would, but I'm seriously penniless (baht-less actually) at the moment (you might ask when I am not?!). Sorry. But (a) I'll be thinking of you on the 26th, and (b) I promise to sponsor you next time!

And great cause you've chosen too. I'm very aware of prostate health after some problems (not cancer) a few years ago (all fine now thank goodness) and the more support and research there is into this health area, the better. Thank you!

Allthe best Paul mate,

Marcus

Interesting link:
Green tea 'slows prostate cancer':
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8108831.stm