Entry for 29th November, 2007

Sadly, my uncle passed away and I've had to spend a lot of time at his flat this weekend, helping my dad clear up his flat a bit. I've had to do this job a few times through my job, but it's always more difficult - more personal - when it's a family member. So, I frankly feel a bit melancholy. It'll be a bit of a relief to get back into work tomorrow.
By co-incidence, I've been reading Tom Hodgkinson's book "How to be Free" . It's frankly a rather annoying book. The author advocates an alternative lifestyle, with less time devoted to traditional working and, with time released, he suggests we should become more self-sufficient - in terms of growing our own food, making our own entertainment, and generally interacting and co-operating with one another. This all sounds very nice and good, but Tom H does rather awake certain latent right wing tendencies in me as I read the book. I find that I have an internal monologue as I read it, and the voice seems to be a Daily Mail reader from middle England. He says things like "Yes. And I suppose you expect me to work to pay tax for the NHS so that idle gits like you can get free health care when you fall on hard times". He also says "Get a haircut" and "A short spell in the army would sort you out son."
However, I think I am mostly annoyed because he advocates a life which sounds rather pleasurable. It is not a book to read in January, when you are having trouble stepping back on the 9 to 5 treadmill.
Anyway, the book struck a chord today as I was trawling through my uncle's stuff. Tom H reminds us again and again (albeit in a bit of a smug way that makes me want to punch him) that we rely on possessions too much to make us happy. And he's right about that. Buying stuff is often a bit of a short term fix. What makes us happier for longer is love and friendship and absorbing activity. When we are gone our possessions will be packed off to the landfill. All that will be left is what we have done and how we are remembered.
I shall try to be less serious tomorrow. Stay tuned to see if I can lift myself out of this mood, or whether I spiral into unstoppable depression.