Monday, 2 June 1997, 10:40 am, Vancouver, BC

Yesterday. Simplifying. I moved away from treating goals as absolute deadlines, and accepted thinking in terms of general interests and likes. I also made to the decision to go for interests over money. Risky, perhaps; but necessary, I think. Thus, I start first with myself, and then go to my environment. Rather, than going through my environment to myself.

It was often overcast and rainy yesterday, but Gloria and I did walk to Siwash Rock in the later afternoon, umbrellas at the ready. (And we did need them.)

Later, I played through the four Brahms symphonies, in the order 2, 3, 1, 4, in the Eugen Jochum renditions. There’s no doubt the concert hall is the best place to hear the music.

An interesting statement in Latham’s book on Brahms. Florence May wrote of Brahms in 1888, that “[h]e now wore the happy, sunshiny look of one who had realized his purpose and was content with his share of life.” Latham adding: “Unremitting labour consistently devoted to a single object had brought him first mastery, then universal acknowledgment.”

The much bruited Bailey-Johnson run sort of happened. But what I found fascinating, yet again, was each man’s concentration of what he could do well.

In the paper this morning Hedy Fry is quoted on her experience as a new MP in 1993, that it was a shock “to discover that the credibility she’d had as a doctor disappeared when she was a politician.” And her advice: “Pick your fights and don’t try to be too many things for too many people. Take care of yourself—eat properly, exercise and get enough sleep.”

Today is sunny and fine. I’d like to go hiking. My blood pressure’s too high. I have a mailing list to convert and print for the editors’ association. I have a writing class this evening and I still need to prepare. I need to write Ottawa. I still have to file my taxes.

I’m organized the wrong way.