Getting to know my brother again

I spoke to my brother on the phone this morning. That's not something that happens every day. In fact it only just happens every year. I get the impression that this latest course, in which he lost two stone, has left an indelible mark on him. From a typically short email he sent me: "the army's not worth getting your legs blown off for ... I've put myself in harm's way enough in my time already." That's the first time he's ever come out with something like that. He's got a new girlfriend, Heidi, six foot tall. I figured she must be German but apparently not.

In the last few days, everything has been getting me down. My to-do list that keeps getting longer. My phone conversations with Dad where I feel he's judging me. The online poker - win or lose, I feel guilty about playing. And yesterday I got a phone call from my uncle about a possible actuarial job. Please, no! I'll have to apply for this job which will only put me back in the industry I so desperately wanted to leave, just to please my uncle and my parents.

I saw my counsellor this morning; this was good timing. She told me I really don't have to apply for a job I don't want just to please other people. This of course is true.

I spoke to Bazza this evening. On Saturday we'll be partnering each other in interclub for probably the last time ever.

A few months back I suggested that Scrabble's word list needed some serious weeding out. Well I heard today that they plan to do quite the opposite by allowing proper names. So if, for instance, someone plays the word QUART, I can (using a blank of course) make QUARTZ and BAZZA, scoring roughly a squillion points. Yuck. The good news is that these new relaxed rules only apply to a special new version of the game, and the rest of us can carry on playing as normal. Which makes me wonder, what's the point in the special edition? People can play under whatever rules they like, so long as everyone agrees, with a normal Scrabble set.

Tomorrow lunchtime I'll be seeing Mandy, the only real friend I had at my old job. She's still there, and still wishes she wasn't. Before then I'll be catching up with Andy. So we've got the Andy and Mandy show.