OK, it’s Wednesday 25 June 2014, nearly a year and a half into my year off, let’s take stock.  In this post I’ll outline my plans for the next few months.

You may have noticed that I’ve not been writing as much in the last week or two.  The business is teetering on the edge at the moment, with an avalanche of potential railway projects just up above us as we carefully ascend the mountain of Never-rest.  If a few of the projects land, my business partner and I will be rushed off our feet and thinking of inventive ways to get through the workload.  That’s starting now as we try to get as much preparation under our belts as we can.

Which means life is looking more ordinary, with less zooming about saving the world.

I can justify that by realising that Transition Town Berkhamsted is now stabilised, with a number of people committed to the cause and several projects on the go.  I have realised that the most important work I can do is on myself, building relationships within the community of the people involved in TTB and getting to know the people on my street.  The solutions to the big problems can create big problems in themselves, emphasising the importance of a moral outlook.

What shall I write next?  How about going through plans from the inside to the out like I have done in the past.

So, starting with my inner self.  A smidge of mindfulness, especially when I’m stuck in front of a soul absorbing screen, like the one I am looking at right now.  It will be all to easy to get side-tracked when I am overly busy, forget the body in which I live, moment to moment.  I’m getting exercise riding my bike every day, and will be keeping up the early morning jogging.  Or at least I will when I don’t get drawn into staying up late to watch the World Cup.  I’m eating healthily thankfully, now that the diet is 90% vegetarian and I’m still fasting two days a week (or one when I’m into the habit of exercising regularly).

One thing I have to do, no matter how busy I get, is to remember why I am doing all of this.  My children.  Yes, I spend time with them now, but it is often just when getting them ready to go to school, or for bed at night, apart from the weekends.  Yes, we have fun.  I’ll need to prize them away from the telly after school.

For the plans for allotment, street, town, country (including the For the Love campaign and an upcoming visit to the UK parliament) and planet, you’ll have to wait for the next post.

John Bell

Ordinary Bloke