This is an actual conversation between me and the husband.

In the multi-storey car park -

Him: Hey, look at that guy! He's going in the wrong direction!
Me: Well, it's nearer for him that way.
Him: That's not the point! It's very dangerous for him to do that, it might cause an accident.

Moments later, round the bend outside the car park -

Me: Hey watch it, the way you're turning, we're on the on-coming lane.
Him: I can't help it, I'm in the middle of a drift.
Me: ...

I've always thought about it that way. Funny I've never voiced it out before.

I love reading not because I'm intellectual. I love it because I'm an escapist. When you have your nose buried in a book, you can actually pretend that nothing else matters in the world except getting to the end of the story. A bit like watching TV. Not too lofty, but that's the truth.

My childhood dream was not to be a teacher, pilot or air stewardess, but to own a bookshop. I wouldn't have to drag myself to and from the library. I would have my own personal collection displayed as 'Not for sale', and I would be the first reader of every book that I sell in the shop. I would stock those hard-to-find titles. Then I would be able to keep reality out of the door, and I would read to live.

Maybe I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed recently, so my childhood instincts are taking over. The dream has been coming back to me, figuratively speaking.

New phone.

Nauseous. Stifled. I feel like I can't breathe. There is an familiar ache I shouldn't be having, a familiar feeling that's almost illegal. What am I to do with you?

I was lying in bed, half-awake, thinking about a scene in a re-run of an old drama I just watched. Wanting to write it down, but not wanting to get out of bed. So I keyed it all down into my mobile. Ahh.. the wonders of technology.

*****

What sights and smells give you a weak, touchy-achy feeling down to your toes?

For me, it's the light at dusk as the street lamps come on. The rev of a car engine in the quiet night. The subdued snoring of a loved one lying next to you. The smell of rain and the sound of rain drops on the roof. The smell of coffee from a Starbucks joint on a cold wintry day.

When I'm unhappy, I think about the sky, the rain, peace in the quiet night, and the smell of roasted coffee. It just makes the day a little bit easier to get through.