A day in the life of the Monsta Reader!

 

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I start the day, as I imagine many people do, by reaching for my phone. I can tell myself that I am just checking the time but, as I scroll the notifications, I am aware of the pull they have on my attention. The desire to indulge for a while in everything the algorithms want to feed me. But I resist, ignoring the suggested topics in which Google thinks I might have some interest, and instead I do a search on a conservation charity I had made a note of some time ago (Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust). It's a tiny little act of rebellion, to resist the algorithms and instead follow my own interest - maybe it's an empty little act too. I don't know.

My bedroom is not tidy, and it is small. A few clothes are strewn on the floor and a coffee mug that has found its way here, empty and the bottom stained with the residue of yesterday's caffeine fix. I remove some of the mess and make some room. When I have done this, there is space, between the bed and the chest of drawers, where I can workout on the turquoise-ish rug. The room is cold and I am not particularly keen on the idea of exercising, but I have made the promise to myself and my body could definitely do with the attention.

"Hiya, and welcome to Lean in Fifteen . . . "

Joe Wicks, The Body Coach, is talking to me from the screen on my television. Not me specifically, but anyone that might have bought this DVD and - I am willing to bet that not everyone who made the purchase necessarily made it this far - actually popped it into their player. Joe is an advocate of HIIT (High-intensity interval training), a form of exercise that alternates short periods of high intensity exercise with short periods of rest. For the most part, I can keep up with Joe. But his lumps and bumps are in all the right places, whereas mine stick out in all the unattractive places. This is why I can't go to a gym - all the pretty people that actually look good working out, and not like some dying mess.

I am wearing vest and shorts, despite the room being cold, because the workout is pretty intense and, as the exercise progresses, I work up a sweat. I feel exhausted but good during the post workout stretches. And I am glad it's over, and I look forward to a hot shower.

I have a copy of Veggie Lean in Fifteen by Joe Wicks amongst my small collection of cookbooks. I wish I could say that I only eat healthily and mindfully but, I'm afraid, I love pizza and making noodles just a bit too much. Still, this cookbook is a nice addition to any shelf, whether or not you are trying to lose weight or stay in shape. The recipes are good and the food is tasty. 

Damn him for being good looking (Wikipedia tells me he is two months older than I am - for f**k sake!), a nice guy (the "PE with Joe" videos he made for kids when the schools closed during the lockdowns), and also his range of cookbooks full of delicious recipes!

Not that I am jealous or anything . . .

*ahem*

You can buy Veggie Lean in 15 : 15-minute Veggie Meals with Workouts by Joe Wicks here.

Showered, I make myself a coffee. I boil the kettle. Meanwhile, I make sure that my cafetière and mug are clean, washing them and drying them off. I then spoon three teaspoons of ground coffee into the French press. By now, the kettle has boiled and has been sitting for a minute or two. I then pour the hot water into the press, over the coffee grounds. I stir a little and then I put the top on, pressing the plunger down so that it just touches the dark brew. It already smells delicious. Then I leave it for four minutes, watching a YouTube video on my phone. When the four minutes is up, I pour the coffee into my mug, topping it off with coconut milk. A stir, a little honey, and I am done.

I do a little research into SEO (search engine optimisation) on my phone whilst drinking my coffee. SEO is all about the ways in which one can improve the quality and quantity of traffic to a website or webpage from search engines. Handy to have some understanding of these things when you write a rather bookish blog!

(Remember, dear reader, that if you have any bookish friends that might enjoy my little ponderings, I would very much appreciate your sharing my humble little blog in the relevant places.)

Two packages arrive today. Books, of course. The first is The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and the second is Summer by Ali Smith - they are added to the ever expanding TBR pile and the ever expanding guilt of spending money I don't have on this bibliophilia of mine. But it was my birthday not too long ago and, thanks to some kindnesses I am not sure I deserve, I had a few quid to spare.

You can purchase The Help by Kathryn Stockett here.

And, you can purchase Summer by Ali Smith here.

I spend most of the day in my bedroom. I like it here, where I can read and listen to music. The Clash. Bob Dylan. The Cure. David Bowie. Eminem. Example. Foo Fighters. Garbage. Green Day . . .

And, as the music of these various artists fills the room, as does the aroma of the coffee, I immerse myself into the pages of a book. I am reading The Age of Extremes : 1914 - 1991 by Eric Hobsbawm. From wars to the beginnings of a new millennium, this book is a review of both the creative and the destructive powers of the twentieth century.

I will write more on this book soon, in a post dedicated especially to this non-fiction work, and if you would like to purchase The Age of Extremes : 1914 -1991 by Eric Hobsbawm, you can do so here.

I haven't eaten all day and in the evening, probably undoing all the good work I did in my morning workout, I have some chips and curry sauce. I chew away happily enough, watching Black Spot on Netflix (I recommend this supernatural thriller if you haven't seen it already). Now and then I look at my laptop, wondering what to write about in my blog post I today . . .

Thank you for reading. If you would like to support my writing, you can buy me a coffee on ko-fi.com - writing is hard, but the caffeine gets me through the day, and when I still have the energy left I drag myself to the keyboard and write all about my bookish wanderings and ponderings here! Thank you to every supporter!