The first time I had blood in the stool, it was absolutely unbelievable. I almost passed out from the sight of it. The water had become stained red and when I wiped, just bright red blood all over that toilet paper.

But I haven't had anything like that since. All subsequent bloody stools, I just noticed from blood on the toilet paper. The water was still clear. There might be a bit of blood on the stool but nothing major.

There was also that time where I was dripping blood as I got up to wipe. So that might have been worse than normal.

When you get something like hemorrhoids, it makes you re-evaluate your life. What have you done with your life? Have you done as much living as you should have?

I have to say, given my limitations, I probably have. I've done as much as what I've been given. People who have more have done less.

And really, is hemorrhoids any more of an old man disease than glaucoma? That didn't bother me too much and the average age for a glaucoma diagnosis is probably 75.

And what about the anal fissure when I was about 25? That was pure torture but I didn't view it as a sign of getting older.

I still remember that day. I was in my room sitting at the computer, perhaps on This is Yesterday -- The Message Board, when suddenly my anus twitched. "What was that? Probably nothing." Then a few minutes later, it happened again. Then again. Then again.

I went to the bathroom thinking that maybe I had to take a dump but no dump was forthcoming. Then I passed out. I don't know how long I was out but when I woke up, I was on the floor.

As the days went on, it got worse and worse. The spasms became more and more frequent. I'd try breathing techniques to try to stop it and thought I could do the mind over matter thing but no. Nothing stopped it. I couldn't sleep because of it.

Went on for months. Maybe over a year. It eventually started to get better. Spasms were less frequent. And then one day it just stopped. Never happened again.

Contacted that woman about work in the Middle East today. Told her that I'm not working as much now and I'm in control of my schedule so it should be easier to do additional work. She said she'd get back to me with any work that comes up.

I don't know if it's actually worth it. It pays effectively twice what I'm getting from working directly for the solicitors in this country. But it's way more than twice as big a hassle. And there's no transcripts. Or more accurately, there are but you have to provide them the same day. Although, it's the assistant who does that.

I don't know. If I do five days, which is pretty typical from jobs that they've sent me in the past, that's £2500 right there. Even if I do no other work, that's more than I typically made working four to five days a week for the companies here.

So...yeah, even if I only got five days a month from these overseas jobs, I could still do work directly for the solicitors in this country and probably cut out the companies entirely. There wouldn't be any need to do their jobs just to top up my pay a bit with their pittance.

I made £800 this month from them. I only worked six days but still. It's nothing.

And anyway, it would be good to travel. I mean, why not? People would be thrilled to do a job that involves travel to exotic locations. And there's no real need to do it in these days of technological innovation so take advantage of it while you can.