There is something that everyone who lives in the shared container environment here suffers with, of which I am sure, I refer to it as "Container Condition".

The 10x8 feet of limited privacy can get to the most hardened "conflict junkie" trust me.

I have been giving this some thought recently. My personal living space is far less than awarded to a convicted man who has been found guilty of the most heinous of crimes (back in the UK).

I move around like a scared church mouse so as not to disturb my container mate. I have given up listening to music through loudspeakers (iPod buds are the order of the day), if we all used loudspeakers the cacophony would kill us. I try to whisper when skyping. And trying not to talk "shop" really is the acquired skill. The alternative is outright ignorance of the other persons presence :(

At present my container mate is on leave and so I have that privacy. 2 weeks! Deep Joy! Orgasmic! I now find myself confined voluntarily inside for as long as possible just to overdose on solitude. Self imposed solitary confinement.

Not only the above to contend with, I find myself indulging in watching films on the laptop that I am familiar with. You know, those great classics? The Sunday afternoon BBC TV repeats? AND/OR albums on the iPod. The ones you buy now because the original LP was never given back after you lent it out?

So it's all nostalgia that overwhelms and the mind starts wandering all over the place. I am sure this can't really be healthy. BUT every morning we greet each other as if we are living a "normal" existence. Instead of a neat row of terraced houses it's neat white containers we emerge from.

Why I am I writing this? Well just listening to Pink Floyd and identifying with the words to "Shine on you Crazy Diamond". I know the song is about the late Syd Barrett but it's me in a way at the moment.

"Is there anybody in there?"

Not sure, but he's definitely "out there" lying on his scratcher, coping (just) and counting down the remaining 70 days or so till the jailer opens the door to "Ford Open"