The Adventure of the New Life

Previously on The Adventures of Dysfunctional Dan: I bought a flat and began a new life...

Hello and happy New Year to you all. It's always an odd time that week between Christmas and New Year but for me it's felt especially strange. It's the first full week I've spent in my new flat and I'm started to get used to the idea of living on my own. 

Having a completely new start adds all sorts of complications. It meant that whenever I went to do anything I'd have to grapple with how to work it, from the front door to the heating to the oven to the TV. I'm drowning in a sea of instruction manuals. Then there was the sea of admin to organise various utilities bills. I spent an hour one day trying to find my gas meter because when you live in a house that has been converted into two flats things just end up in random places. 

After a while though things I began to feel a familiarity and it started to feel like my home rather than simply the place I was sleeping. I quickly began to gain of the sense of freedom that living on your own brings. It's so lovely not having to worry about other people and being able to go to bed and get up when I want. I've been sleeping really well thanks to this despite the fact I've only got a mattress on the floor until a bed arrives next week. I can also eat whatever I want without someone telling me I'd have enough. This is not particularly good for my health in the long term, especially given I now have the temptation of hundreds of deliveries. Deliveroo don't even operate where my Mum and Dad live! 

I've inherited a concrete donkey from the previous owner in the front yard- my immediate thought was that it needs getting rid of but I my neighbour told me it's been there for over thirty years and so it feels like I would be removing a local landmark. Instead, I've christened him Dominic and have pledged to dress him up for the season. He's had a Santa hat on for most of the time since I moved in but as of yesterday he's now wearing a Muppets facemask, an extra precaution as we've just entered Tier 4. Occasionally he is joined by Dave, a neighbour's cat who looks like a stray but in reality has a loving home and a strange affinity for my doorstep. 

I have yet to have Wi-Fi installed and quickly ran out of data which has added to the weird feeling of disconnect and isolation. I've missed social media but at the same time not being tethered to my phone the whole time has felt like something of a relief. With the constant barrage of doom and gloom in the news it's quite nice to be blissfully unaware of it- I only caught the announcement we were moving to tier 4 my accident when looking for the weather forecast on teletext. The news has a way of adding worry and anxiety to our lives when actually what they are talking about rarely has any direct affect on us as individuals. 

I've also had great joy with exploring the local area, especially given the beautiful frosty mornings we've had this week. In four days I walked thirty miles, not that it felt very far at all, as I wandered down unfamiliar streets and through some lovely little nature reserves I hadn't previously known existed. What a wonderful way to spend my first proper week in the flat. 

I've entered a strange, zen-like state. My smartwatch measures stress levels and I've never seen them reach so low. I wish things were better so my friends and wider family could actually come and visit me (it's about time someone signed the guest book) but at the same time spending time on a quiet street without a stream of news and content coming through the digital airwaves has been so calming. It's an excellent way to begin the new year. 

This year I'm not too worried about setting massive targets for myself. With everything that's going on in the world, my goal is just to get on with things and try to stay happy. I do plan to get a bit healthier, which I'll discuss in more depth in a future instalment. Though the thought of living on my own remains exciting, at the back of mind there's a concern that it might feel quite isolated in the longer term but we'll have to see how that goes.

Wishing you all a happy New Year and thank you to everyone who comes and reads this nonsense every week and for all those have encouraged me. I'll continue writing throughout the year and in the meantime you can see my everyday adventures on Instagram where I'm @zotwot.

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