I’m inexplicably drawn to the online item 10 simple ways to stop you from messing up your life. (This is during the brief hiatus while I wait for the Search facility on my laptop to find the observation form I need for tomorrow.)

I’m quite drawn to Stop being concerned what the rest of the world says about you. Especially the advice that most people are far too busy thinking about themselves (and worry what you are thinking and saying about them) to be concerned about you.

Equally impressive is Don’t worry about your personality. You don’t really have one.

Time, then, to review.

1) I am completely shattered. The local infirmary at 2am on a Saturday morning is no place for any man, let alone one clutching a pregnant woman with acute pains in her chest and an inability to breathe. I’m worried about her.
2) Just got off the phone with my father, which has forced me review issues like not being able to see my third child on his birthday (despite this being his regular contact day), to go with not seeing my second child on her birthday and not seeing my first child on his. And the fact that I don’t seem to get any recognition for 20 years of my life where I did my best all the time. And the parlous nature of the cup final.
3) Despite relations with former partner being quite grim, I finally got a text offering to chat today – for the first time in 6 months – as long as I rang before 6-30pm. I got the text at 9pm, when I found my phone down the back of the settee.
4) I am being observed at work tomorrow, which I could do without.
5) I have a nasty meeting on Friday, which I could also do without.
6) Stories like this one ( British soldier dies after gun battle in Iraq) just slide past, but it’s another human gone, people.
7) I haven’t spoken to my brother for 6 months. He’s travelling the world. He rang up from Delhi at the weekend while I was out and promised to phone back in 15 minutes.
He didn’t.
8) We can’t afford to live in a proper house.
9) Work was exhausting again. I think I can say that.
10) My car is falling to bits.

That's ten then.

Am I down hearted? No. I’ve just helped 6d make a butter bean salad for her leaving lunch tomorrow, and by Friday she can pack in work and plunge us into further financial trouble relax a bit.
I really enjoyed it.
And now I’m listening to Joe Strummer*, and in my head we’re sitting round a camp fire, and you can’t hurt me. I’m not invincible but what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.

He takes a while to load – but it did me the power of good.
Ok – back to work.