work. inspriation. recuperating. art.

ManOman its been a tough coupla weeks.  I am pooped.  Proper drained out of energies. Recently I have delivered 2 productivity workshops AND some follow ups.  It has all gone WELL.  But I am sooooo tired!!  The first one really took it out of me.  I was so nervous about it beforehand, and the energy it requires on the day is really quite phenomenal. Especially if you are also nervous about it.  You are preforming, concentrating, delivering ALL day.  Of course I did it after a slightly nerve induced bad nights sleep, and a really early start to get up to London.  Probably a slightly unnecessarily early start, born of fretting about trains not being on time and all.  It proper wiped me out.  However, the next day, instead of resting and getting an early night,  I had a big night out. I drank too much, perhaps because I was a bit too tired to be out I guess. But that didn't really help me get restorative on my arse.

The night out was brilliant at least.  Really inspiring.  I went to the launch of something called The Brightoneers which is all about making the economy in Brighton make the world a better place.  Or getting businesses to make the world a better place.  At one point Tom Nixon (one of the organisers) got on a table and delivered a rousing speech about "why we should be asking what can the economy do for us" to much cheering.  About 150 people were there.  I met a really nice bloke called Dave (also an organiser or the event it turns out ) who helps people start cooperatives, the guy who started the campaign for his community to buy Exeter Street Hall, and a man who is running the buy the Bevy campaign for his estate to buy the boarded up pub in its middle.  I was very inspired by the lot of them and bought shares in both the hall and the pub.  I love these ideas.  Exeter Street hall as already worked, and 800 people are buying the community hall and I won't ever be taken away again.  The Bevy (of Bevendean) is an even more worthy cause as its in an area that really could do with some community spirit.  In both cases though, what has been amazing and wonderful is how it has brought the communities together to fight for their cause.  I so believe that you need to feel part of a community to feel happy.  And its power to the people.  I hate it when things get closed down and made into 'luxury apartments'.  They are usually actually shoddy and overpriced and don't really help anyone but the developer.  hmmm. could rant a lot about that..  but rant over.  It was a good night.

So the next week was more delivery of workshops and 2 days of 121 follow ups for the first lot.  It went better, mainly in terms of it didn't take so much nervous energy beforehand or during.  Not that it wasn't tiring, but just not quite so exhausting and draining.  I am really enjoying it, though I can see, that this work is proper hard and you cannot do too many days of it in a row.  My reserves are down to very very low.

So today I wasn't working.  Oh thank god.  I pootled.  I had a long hot bath.  I gave myself a pedicure.  I listened to radio 4. I COOKED.  Oh I love cooking.  I find it so so relaxing and grounding.  Chopping up vegetables.  sigh.  And I managed to recreate a dish I used to make all the time, and wasn't quite sure I remembered.  Its a kind of vegetarian north african stew, with root veg; carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and onion, with cumin, chilli and garlic.  Its super nourishingly delicous.  AND I made some of my favourite ever risotto (fennel, tomato, beefstock and goats cheese.  It ROCKS.)

SO tonight I was meant to be driving up to Felixtowe to a mini art retreat.  I am instead heading up tomorrow morning.  I am still so so very drained.  I wouldn't be safe on the roads and while I could have done it, it would have been over doing it.  And I need to recuperate not down a hypercharged coffee and hit the road.. NO.  Early night. Get my energies back.

I shall be heading off in the morning and in the daylight for 2 days of art making amongst some fabulous friends.  SO looking forward to it.   2 days of art.  Now that will bring some sparkle back.  Hurrah!