Here we go, it’s Meerkat Muse time!

After the off-pattern experience of the holiday, are we back to a routine? Yes.

Back to Normal

Well, I say back to normal, but things have changed a bit at work. We now have a system of targets, which I guess was inevitable, as the company grows, and becomes a more established presence. It gives us something to aim for, and offers a form of motivation, even if it’s not always the most enjoyable form of said motivation. Beyond that, a normal working life has been firmly re-established. I’m not too upset by this, for however much it’s nice to break routine, sometimes, going back to it is beneficial.

I can’t say that a lot’s been happening. The return to the routine has been quite thorough, though work has brought a complication. The company is building a new store, not too far from ours, and they need assistance with preparing the store for opening. This means we’re helping. Because we’re helping, this means on occasion, we have to lone-trade. Lone trading is not ideal, but it is what it is. If I have to spend the day on my own, so be it. It won’t be fun, but I’ve had days working on my own before (albeit during one of the lockdowns, so there were no customers).

The Titans Clash

Manchester United and Liverpool are arguably two of the biggest football clubs in the world, yet their encounter at Old Trafford on the 22nd, was a clash of two teams that, after two games, had not won in the league. Man Utd had lost at home to Brighton, and then got hammered by Brentford. Liverpool had drawn away to newly-promoted Fulham, and then drawn at home to Crystal Palace.

The expectation was for Liverpool to win. The Reds might have made a sluggish start to the season, but on paper, their team was superior to Utd’s. However, football is not played on paper, and in a high-stakes, fiercely-contested derby, between implacable foes, anything is possible. Utd started brightly, and placed Liverpool under a great deal of early pressure. They even rattled the woodwork!

Then they took the lead.

I wasn’t happy. Liverpool’s poor start to the season was continuing. Defensively, they were all over the place. Utd were up for it, and the Reds weren’t. In the second half, Utd scored again, and the game was effectively over. Utd won 2-1, and that’s the end of a title challenge for the Reds.

Yeah, I know that sounds pessimistic, but honestly, this season is going to be about being flawless, and that isn’t us.

Strange New Worlds

I’ve not had the opportunity, until very recently, to indulge in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. This show continues on from Discovery, and serves as a new conduit between the era DSC began, and the TOS era. It follows Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the Enterprise in a pre-Kirk time, and will lead into the original series. I was tempted to declare Strange New Worlds as one of the finest Trek shows. This is a beautiful show, well-made and beautifully written. The principles that Star Trek encapsulates are at the forefront of this series, as is a sense of optimism and determination in the face of adversity. I highly recommend this show to any and every Trekkie!

Aching Legs

I’m not great at physical labour, and after a day spent washing down dusty walls at the new store, my body reminded me of this. My legs hurt, especially around my knees, which is a direct consequence of going down a lot. Why are you sniggering?

The new store is a gargantuan beast. It goes on for what feels like forever, and it’s hard to imagine it being anything less than a huge money maker. Will there be consequences for my store? I don’t see how there can’t be, but as with all things, we shall find out. The direct consequence to me is unrelenting pain right now.

Water Water Everywhere, but Dare not have a Drink

If you follow the news in the UK, you’ll be thoroughly aware of the problem of sewage. It’s being pumped into the seas and rivers at some of the UK’s most iconic destinations, ruining them. There are a few legitimate occasions where the UK’s sewage system needs discharging, in order to prevent sewage from backing up into people’s homes, but what’s going on right now is nothing more than a crime. We’re destroying our coastline, and all to help water companies save a few pounds.

I’m so tired of our government and its wastefulness. The failings are many, and the sooner they are ousted, the better.

Musing about Musing

Sometimes, my brain freezes. Figuring out what to Muse about, during a slow spell, is challenging. What can I draw inspiration from? It’s proving difficult. The purpose of the Muse is to recap the last couple of weeks, and honestly, they haven’t served up much material.

Work is the dominant element behind the last couple of weeks. Lone trading is a combination of boredom and stress, a strange pairing, but such is the very nature of working alone.

Preparing for Pride

My little town of Basildon is gearing up for a Pride festival on Saturday. Cue a trip to a local craft shed to prepare. My idea (well, my daughter suggested it as a joke, but it sounded awesome) was for Timon and Pumba to kiss, but I suspect copyright laws would play a part in scuppering that, and it would very difficult for me to draw!

However, a weird meerkat creation for Pride did take shape. I apologise for the colour scheme, I didn’t think it through.

Overall, this feels like a shorter Muse than usual, but I just can’t grab hold of any ideas to write with! Hopefully the next two weeks will be a bit more interesting!