Perfect Days


I’ve reflected on yesterday’s blog, the subject of which , seemed to have gotten lost in the telling.
My choice of wording to describe , what I see is the second nastiest condition after MND , stands.
To me, the word cunt is synonymous with the biggest exclamation of hate. It’s “ gender” is immaterial , to me it’s not misogynistic at all, but more guttural .
Anyhow the word stands and if you as readers decide to go because of it , I wish you well 


Today’s blog is lighter though Perfect Days is a film that could be seen as subdued by some. Well worth seeing, it’s a gentle tale of days-in-the-life of Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho) a middle aged toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Hirayama lives a life full of ritual and routine, he reads and listens to Nina Simone, and photographs trees around his never changing work routine.
Very slowly we learn snippets about him but over all, we experience his capacity to see the wonderful in the ordinary.
A shaved down simple world. 

I have no spare money at the moment, it’s a product of shortening my hours at work
It’s not a complaint , just an observation.
Vinegar Tit commentators will no doubt remind me that I do go to the theatre more than the average aging homosexual , but I counter that with the fact that I don’t really live an extravagant lifestyle. I drive an old second hand car, I watch a tv no bigger than large book on its side and I’ve one classy item of clothing and that’s a funeral woollen coat from Marks and Sparks
So, if I was honest I HAVE been worried about paying the second year of my counselling course fees , due in September 
But serendipity has smiled at me once again
And I smile and raise a glass to whoever is watching over me in this , the autumn of my life.

On spec I explored my electricity bill yesterday and realised the bill was estimated rather than based on readings that I was sure I had sent in. 
I rang in
Two hours later I was still “ discussing “ my payments in rather a robust manner until, in a fit of genius ,the call taker suddenly asked me to photograph my meter which lies over the front door.
Moments later, she laughed and told me I was suddenly over 600£ in credit and I told her I could have kissed her. 
600£ into the kitty
Buoyed  up I checked my Welsh Water account and realised I was overly in credit in that account too ! Another 200£ into my fee account!

Then I checked the yellow biscuit jar now pride of place underneath the art wall……this has been my Piggy Bank  since a bought it three years ago,  where cheques and birthday money , and money from eBay sales and the odd tenner found in Jean pants have been pushed, alongside pound coins from underneath the sofa, under the rubber seal in the washing machine and inside Bluebell 
The total amount £196.02
So I’m just shy of a grand 
How great is that!!!!!
Five hundred pounds to find until September 
That’s doable, and I’m hoping for a tax rebate this year too….we shall see

Perfect.
I’ve just taken the Welsh for a walk and we picked up a McDonald’s large white coffee as a treat on the way home. It’s important to treat yourself to one small thing everyday, even if it’s a coffee, or a walk, or joining the Storyhouse film society , which I also did this morning. 

Hey ho

Working later, so made Thai Curry soup and picked the first of the spring blooms in the garden, Jews Mallow, camellia, rebus, bluebell and forget me not 



58 comments:

  1. Crikey! So there is a fairy godmother after all!!
    Onwards and upwards?

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  2. Anonymous9:59 am

    Well done John-I had similar success with our fuel provider Octopus. Catriona

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  3. Hurrah! Glad you found most of your fees! Serendipity rules here.
    Can I just add, the c word is awful and if I use it it means I am finding the person the worst of all. I use it rarely and if I do then I am frustrated and very angry. I am a woman btw!
    The best thing to do with a depressed person is listen, listen, listen. Most people can't listen. The best counsellor I ever had just listened and made pertinent suggestions and usually asked "and how did that make you feel?"

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  4. The money gods have almost always smiled on you in times of real need, thank goodness they are still your friend. Even if you do use words that seem to trigger half your readers. ;-)

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  5. As an Australian I commend you for your use of the word cunt. Sometimes no other word will suffice :))

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    1. Jo in Auckland9:34 pm

      I completely agree with you!!!

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  6. I had to go and read through yesterday's comments. I had missed all the drama. And dear lord, people need to calm down. Your blog, your wording. And they also should take a moment to read up on why using the word cunt takes back some power to women/takes away the nastiness of it. Which I won't go into but have read and found interesting.

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  7. That’s two major boons. That never happens to us!

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  8. Anonymous11:13 am

    Well done you!!! Am so glad the gods smile down every now and then. Have a good weekend and enjoy these special little moments....Ro (nw Italy)

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  9. Well, first of all, thanks for the film review. I shall look out for it. The serendipity (love that word!) gods have certainly smiled on you. All I can say is, good things obviously happen to good people. And anyone who wants to berate you for spending YOUR money the way you want to, needs to get a life! xx

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  10. You seem to belong to the 'build it and they will come' school of financial management! (I do know that's not the exact quote before any film buff corrects me.)

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  11. Investments in your future. Spring blooms, a sign of new life and a happy future.

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  12. Serendipity indeed! You were so smart to check your utility bills for overpayments!

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  13. Anonymous11:42 am

    I also put money aside in case of emergency, but I hide it all over my house instead of one tidy biscuit jar. That habit sometimes defeats the purpose!

    As for people chiding you for your choice of words, I wouldn't give it a thought. Depression IS a cunt, and we all get to define it our own way. I haven't read yesterday's comments but I wouldn't mourn the loss of anyone who wants to censor your words on your own blog.
    Nina

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  14. Anonymous11:54 am

    You've been writing the way you write for years now. If people don't like it, they know how to unfollow you and go bother somebody else. BA

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  15. Anonymous12:02 pm

    Yesterday, I received in the mail, a bill for vacant house tax, $12,000. I sent in the proper form, on time, so I am pissed. There is no way I can pay this and the city says you have to pay then make a complaint. Thousands of people showed up at city hall, mostly old people like me saying they have lived in their houses for 30 or more years. Now the Mayor says it is a glitch and it will be ironed out. WTF i still don’t know what we are supposed to do. I just wonder where the form I sent in ended up.. they are a bunch of overpaid nincompoops down there. Glad you had better luck with your finances. Gigi

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  16. Anonymous12:11 pm

    Delighted for you reference the money you needed John, and Amen to The daily habit of a small treat x
    Alison in Wales x

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  17. Anonymous12:20 pm

    Good things come to good people. WI Dee

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  18. I find it hilarious that the most vociferous commentators on yesterday's post are the biggest cunts of the day.

    One thing to make you chuckle.....on today's post I must point out that cunts don't stand. They slime their way through life.
    {Takes a bow}

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  19. Glad today has been a better day, John. I enjoy your blog and you can say what you want to say. Some people are goofy these days!

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  20. krayolakris1:01 pm

    So happy that the money faeries delivered! What happy news! Your definition of depression is spot on. If I could think of a stronger word I’d use it. Depression has plagued me for many years, despite meds and talk therapy. I am adopting your brilliant phrase Vinegar Tits! That makes me laugh!

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  21. Anonymous1:11 pm

    The soup, the flowers.....wonderful evocative picture. Now if we could just see the lovely Roger.....
    Congrats on the money appearance!

    Ceci

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  22. Anonymous1:11 pm

    I do like "vinegar tit"...such a good descriptive!

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    1. Anonymous3:35 pm

      John refers to himself in the feminine sometimes
      Would a woman hater do that?
      I don’t think so

      Lee

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  23. I have been very low in the past but surprising to me I have the strength to continue - They are my dogs x Ps ( I think you have one of those money Angels x

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  24. It does appear that your guardian angel arranged a savings account using your utility bills. Someone is looking out for you! John, you do know that you will please some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time. It's a given. No big deal. Enjoy.

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  25. I bank all my small change that is under £1..it is surprising how quickly it adds up.
    That is a beautiful bouquet.

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  26. weaver1:46 pm

    The financial workings of Gas and Electric companies defy description! I found myself in credit by several hundreds last year but no-one had chosen to tell me and suggest I lowered my direct debit. Shows how much further South and West you are John. Not a sign of a forgetmenot leaf yet let alone flower. x

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  27. Word use is a great example of “intent vs. impact”.
    What we intend to say may not be how it is received by the heater/reader.

    (We see this played out over and over here in the US with racial terms especially —
    some people cannot see/accept that their harmless *intent* does not guarantee a harmless *impact*.)

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    1. But to your original point—yes, depression is a gaping maw, a pitiless black hole that can suck and crush the life out of you. I have seen it take people beyond the point of no return.

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    2. Anonymous11:57 pm

      I think that word does a different impact in the US. Once I shocked a British friend by saying Bloody hell. Those words don’t faze most Americans at all. Llynns

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  28. Barbara Anne3:00 pm

    How glorious to have the fee money coming back to you unexpectedly due to over-payments, an secret 'bank' of sorts and just when needed.
    A perfect day, indeed!
    May tonight's shift be perfect, too.

    Hugs!

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  29. I just caught up with yesterday's brouhaha. I truly don't understand all the strong feelings about the "c" word, it's not like you called a person (or god forbid, a woman) that! A little salty language to make a point seems like a ridiculous thing to get so up in arms about.

    What great news about all that found money! Good for you!

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    1. It’s interesting the English version is a put down to everything, male and female and in this case depression, the American word is totally concerned with women

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  30. The word "cunt" still has shock value, and I do use it upon occasion when pissed off enough. Anyone who hears it and can't take it can go cry into their whiskers for all I care. Should my husband ever call me that in anger, however, I might turn into a vinegar-titted banshee right quickly and stay that way for a good goddamn long time! -Kate

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  31. Re yesterday's post, I'm still here and not going anywhere! This is your blog and y'all have the right to say what you wish. Nice windfall!! :)

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  32. I didn't see yesterday's controversy, but as I'm sure you're aware, the c-word is much more commonly accepted and used in the UK than it is in the USA (where it is considered possibly the worst curse word). Perhaps that's the source of the drama? (I'll read that post next.)

    I love the description "vinegar-titted"! LOL!

    We have the same issues with our utility company. They keep wanting to fit us with smart meters but when I finally had them come to install them a couple of years ago, there was some reason we couldn't get them. Something about our circuit breaker box, I think. So now we consistently overpay (we're £500+ in credit) and they're STILL nagging me to get a smart meter! Argh!

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  33. Serendipity is wonderful, gladdening the heart and easing the mind. So glad the majority of your course fees have been "found" and you have a good amount of time to accumulate the remainder.
    Lovely bouquet and delicious looking soup!
    Wishing you a quiet shift at work and a lovely weekend.

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  34. That is such good news. I am smiling for you.

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  35. Hi John
    Glad for your financial bonus findings, you have good luck aplenty!
    I don't often read comments on anything, but after reading this post I read the previous post's comments. Good lord...the section read like someone's account of a group therapy session gone awry.
    Anyway, things here are ok, it's trying to be springtime, and the flowering trees are quite nice.
    Take care,
    Mike

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  36. I feel that c*** is a word for female parts which are very lovely and shouldn't be a swear word, I love a good swear, but not that. We'll have to agree to differ.

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  37. Jo in Auckland9:33 pm

    I absolutely love a good story about serendipity... it has happened to me rarely but one good one that comes to mind is I needed some money to repair my denture and wasn't sure where it was going to come from so had been putting off the repair. Anyway I bought a Lotto ticket and 5 numbers came up, the unusual thing first off is I never ever check my numbers in the paper and this one time my SO was reading them out loud and I said hang on a minute I will check mine and the numbers jumped out from the ticket at me. I won 589.99 dollars 569.00 paid the repair bill on my dentures and the other 20 bucks bought me a nice celebratory bottle of wine. The kicker is one more number and I would have won about 5 million dollars! Many people commiserated with me but I was chuffed... I was 589.00 dollars richer than the morning and was able to afford my repair work. So I salute your serendipity in action what financial boost you are having I love it! What fun!

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    1. Jo in Auckland9:40 pm

      Forgot to ask. Which flower in your vase is the Jews Mallow?? I have never heard of it.

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  38. Anonymous9:59 pm

    I am glad today is a better day!

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  39. Personally, I avoid using vulgar swear words in my blog but that's just me. It doesn't mean that you should in any way follow my example. I defend your right to use swear words as you see fit. After all, they are only words. In the grand scheme of things - does it really matter?

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  40. “He prively caught her by the queynte”
    Chaucer.

    For goodness sakes! The furore over use of the old Germanic/Anglo-Saxon C-word - rather like the use of 'bollocks' on a Sex Pistols LP cover for which they were taken to court - and they won, is ridiculous. It was a common term for the vagina - without any association with vulgarity for centuries. Obviously it's usage has changed - rather like the word 'gay' , but I suspect that it is the spelling and harsh pronounciation that people find offensive. If we still used Chaucer's gentler spelling of 'queynte' it would be as harmless as saying 'willy' to describe a gentleman's appendage. I doubt people are thinking of negative connotations of a woman's genitalia when they use the word 'cunt' - I know exactly what John means when he uses it. It's not a word used lightly but in the right circumstances it effectively describes extremely strong feelings. Carry on John.

    On the subject of money, I can empathise. I'm currently just about getting by on an NHS pension, my university work having dried up. .That's a right 'queynte' too!

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  41. I recently found £45 in the back pocket of some trousers that had been through the washing machine. They were all still perfect. I felt like a lottery winner.

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  42. What a charming vase of flowers! Beautiful.

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  43. Anonymous2:59 pm

    Cheques in the biscuit jar? I think in the UK cheques only remain valid for six months. Beware. Be proactive...

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    1. The two I have are in date, I used to be a bank clerk

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  44. The "c" word is considered extremely vulgar in the US. I understand it's more commonly used in the UK. I would never have anything to do with someone who aimed it at me.

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  45. Anonymous7:40 pm

    Woo hoo! Isn’t it great to find a “stash of some cash” that was unexpected! The flowers are beautiful and the soup looks yummy. Wish the other half here ate curry.

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  46. Perfect, I am glad your money troubles have been eased.

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  47. Lynn Marie2:59 am

    The c-word is on the exact same level with the n-word in US. Unacceptable under any circumstances. Understood that it's not so in UK. Just don't use either next time you visit here, which I hope will be someday soon.

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I love all comments Except abusive ones from arseholes