3 April, 10:50 p.m. - 11:07 p.m.

Right, here we go. First meditation session. I am in my girlfriend's old bedroom in her mother's house. There's a bit of background noise; woman downstairs speaking loudly, dogs barking outside the window behind me, my dog playing with squeaky toy. Girlfriend is studying, turning the pages of her manuscript which are grating off the duvet. (I'm sensing irritability here!).

Feeling quite tired, I sit in the 'Burmese' position(because I cannot do Lotus, or nothing resembling it!). Basically, I am sitting on three cushions, with my legs folded back, kneeling. I settle my body, and keep my spine straight, and....relax....

Thoughts are coming, and coming, and coming. I hardly can meditate at all! I find myself becoming mildly irritated at the sound of the loud woman downstairs, and the dogs barking......let it go.......it's gone!

Mind wandering again........back to breath......gone again........still gone......back to.....gone again.....sleepy.....bed....I want to go to bed.....*meditate!*....no, that didn't work.....i'm struggling.

Well, I was expecting alot of 'turbulence' from my mind starting off.

15 minutes have past, and I cannot keep my eyes open anymore!

I resolve to be more organised about it tommorrow. Also, as my legs felt quite stiff after the practice, I think streching beforehand will improve things.