23.01.1976 Paddy

Snowed for the first time this year and this winter. Snow is about the only pure and untouched thing that arrives round here – how symbolic of our society that it only lasts a very short while!
Finished an essay for Paddy [history teacher] actually to be handed in on time! I then waxed all the blank spaces, so he can’t write on it. What a silly thing to do! Just a sort of compulsion that’s been developing in my head for the last couple of days. I must be developing some sort of neurosis!
Watched about as much television as I could stand – not very much at all – and began reading some of my Marxist literature. I find that if I take parts of the theory in small parts, I can extend everything and more easily apply it to contemporary society. Now, I’m really studying all aspects of communism, rather than reading a few books quickly then achieving a state of great enthusiasm as I did before (The first communist phase – August 1975).