Luxury

Punctured, paused, projects popped, work brings in money but nothing else gets done. Nothing else gets done, it’s depressing but maybe I shouldn’t drink more than the recommended three small glasses of wine a week, then I’ll have more energy and more time. At least my car doesn’t breathalyse me, yet. The radio says this is coming and, thinking about it, this may be the answer. “Sorry, I can’t drive in to work this morning, the car won’t start. I had half a bottle of wine with dinner last night and, whoops, can you believe it? I failed the breath test.” Oh, the irony of it. Sadly, the truth is that discipline in private is, or will become, part of your job. You’ll never be truly off duty. If you like the odd drink you may have to wait until you’re on holiday, then you’ll have to hammer it hard to make up for lost time. Or time gained, in this instance. Make up for time gained, it’s so confusing. I sometimes wonder what I’m really saving for? That's money, time...or the environment, even. Where has fun gone? Messages are mixed. I suppose it depends where you start. It becomes easier if you do it, whatever it is, for your kids, or something like that. An external driver that you believe in - something like god. Business can’t do it alone, can you imagine, staying sober for business’ sake? I offer my sobriety to my boss, so that he may be able to live in luxury and splendour. It just doesn’t wash. But business sets its own rules and you either play by them or you don’t, you get ahead or you don’t. You become a boss before you get to wash your lunch down with a glass of claret. Again, this is irony, bosses probably can’t drink even more than the rest of us. One boss on the radio recently said that he valued a clear mind more than a good time – in fact, a clear mind was his good time. It’s an interesting point of view. Probably the best anti drink driver I can think of. A clear mind helps in all areas. In this scenario, work just happens to be included. But if I do it, it’s for clarity’s sake, not for profit, let’s just get that straight. This is one of those moments when I defeat myself, making my head spin with my own reasoning. I suppose it’s the difference between shoring up a bunch of familiar, if threadbare values and growing up in synergy with the zeitgeist. And let’s face it, in most of the rest of the world it’s a form of luxury to even have the time and space to posit the question. What is work doing to me? I mean, am I really doomed to be cash rich but culturally and spiritually impoverished? Jeez...pint? Anyone?