Absolutely Positive

One of the prettiest watering places on the south coast. The situation is delightful, the air is delicious, and the breezy hills and downs, carpeted with wild thyme and decorated with millions of wild flowers are, on the faith of a pedestrian, perfect. Charles Dickens on Folkestone. Folkestone may... Sign in to see full entry.

No, I'm not writing about a sexual technique, but about self-discipline! The theory is that every sacrifice we make today will be rewarded in the future. Rather than spending money now on having a good time, and ultimately ending up in debt, we should be trying to develop the habit of delaying... Sign in to see full entry.

I have heard an explanation for why time seems to go more quickly when we get older. When we are very young we are constantly exposed to new experiences, each day we learn something new, do something we never did before, or go to somewhere we have never been, so a few weeks can seem to last forever.... Sign in to see full entry.

Today I noticed the winter flowering cherry trees already beginning to blossom. It was a mild and bright day. A late butterfly flitted by. The seasons seem to be confused. I have calmed down now and stopped screaming. I am actually quite relieved that I won't be moving on Friday. Everything is going... Sign in to see full entry.

Nearly every day I want to scream out loud, because I hate all that is going on in my life right now. I HATE IT! It is only 4 weeks since I started the process of selling my home, but somehow feels like months. I just want to pack my bags and go, but never seem to get to the end of packing and... Sign in to see full entry.

Don't be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success. John Keats, English lyric poet (1795 - 1821) Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm Sir Winston Churchill, British politician (1874 - 1965)... Sign in to see full entry.

I first read Don Quixote when I was 20, and was amazed at how much I enjoyed it and could empathize with the Knight of the Sorrowful Countenance. Many of the characters in Cervantes' book regard Don Quixote as completely mad and make fun of him. Readers can laugh at his antics, but should decide for... Sign in to see full entry.

After next week I will no longer have a home of my own, so I am spending much of my time clearing out, recycling and donating my possessions. I have a few collectable and antique pieces to sell, but am donating most of my things to various charities. Magazines, papers and textiles go into recycling... Sign in to see full entry.

I am reading a biography of Denton Welch, whose writing I have long admired. I can relate to much of what this remarkable English author writes about loneliness and isolation, though his life was very different to mine, and he died over fifty years ago, at the age of 33. He is someone I often think... Sign in to see full entry.

Studies show that being deprived of social stimulation cuts years off your life. Apparently being social and mixing with others is a vital ingredient to a long life. Today I went to a Farmers Market, which is held on one Saturday each month in a local park. These markets are becoming very popular in... Sign in to see full entry.