New Year – New Start (2024)

I decided to allow my other paid WordPress plan “memory-jar” revert to a free plan this morning. I can’t keep up with a regular blog and so a paid plan is just a waste of money. Instead, I have decided to use “bibbysmith” as a general record of what’s happening in my life (albeit it will be hit and miss when I post) & “memory-jar” as a place to record memories from my past (again I won’t set myself a target date for regular posts).

The only paid WordPress plan that I retain will be for my business venture – Mayfin IP. I’ll use this site to post work-related updates (when work allows).

“Unruly” by David Mitchell (audiobook)

U-tube video of David Mitchell talking to himself about the book “UNRULY”

As well as reading my Kindle book described on my WordPress ‘memory jar’ site (link provided below), I have also been listening to this audiobook which has the sub-title “A history of England’s Kings and Queens” – an unusual choice for me. As I am neither a lover of history nor particularly interested in Kings and Queens, you might ask why I made this choice. Simple – it’s the comedian David Mitchell, who is funny and this book was no exception! If only history had been taught in this compressed and amusing fashion with modern side notes and comments, I might have found it a bit more interesting. It also has the advantage that it is coming to a close just after Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and into the lead up to the Tudors and Stuarts.

Michael the Giant: An African in Greenland

Fortunately, my history education at school ended before the exams (O and A levels) at the Victorian era and I was never very good at it. I say fortunately because both the O’ level and A’ level syllabuses got STUCK in the Tudor and Stuart’s era that I found least interesting. So as soon as I could make a choice (at O’ level) I dropped history and instead focused on languages (French & German), maths and the sciences. Although, I was not too keen on English literature, the modern poetry aspects were interesting and although not enjoying the Shakespeare etc. at school I did get to read lots of French, German and Russian authors at home. OK, I liked to be contrary and do the stuff that others didn’t enjoy and I had lots of other interests like sports & amateur dramatics that I continued well into adulthood.

I was surprised by how many of the early names I recognised in my audiobook and just wish that my school memories of history lessons could have been a little more similar and fun to David Mitchell’s rendition! Aah well, maybe it also has something to do with the fact that I am older now and therefore have a wider experience and perspective by which to judge all the supposed “FACTS” that were rammed down our throats at school.

Desiderata

As this is my final entry for 2024 bloganuary, I’m not writing it all out again but instead have posted the link to my ‘Memory Jar’ WordPress site below.

Desiderata

Everything!

Bloganuary writing prompt

What’s the thing you’re most scared to do? What would it take to get you to do it?

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Since becoming ill, I seem to be scared of doing almost everything alone these days, except work because that can be done online from my home. Now that would be a major problem, if it weren’t for the fact that I use a wheelchair meaning that there is always someone (normally my partner) pushing me around.

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And what would it take me to do things?

Well that is fairly obvious to anyone that knows me because …

• I can be stubborn, but this also means that I am fairly determined.
• Talking to people has never been a problem for me as I am very extrovert. Therefore, I would set about making contact with people who could help me do the things that I still enjoy. I might even employ a personal carer.
• Suddenly, I would just have to start using buses, trains and if necessary taxis to get around.
• Probably, stop my job because of all the things that need arranging. Oh, and maybe employ a professional chef to prepare my meals as I do like very good food.

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So nothing is impossible, but it does remind me how much I rely on my partner. Some things would be much better, because much of my anxiety comes from not doing things that might upset my partner (who is an introvert, control freak and wants to do everything himself).

I’d really rather not consider the possibility, but what will be, will be and I will just adjust my life accordingly.

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The cold

Bloganuary writing prompt

What do you complain about the most?

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I never used to field cold most of the time, but now it is a standing joke that I am “a reptile”. Lots of people say that it is because I am in a wheelchair and therefore not moving about as much as normal BUT that just infuriates me, because it’s not like I never do anything as I tried to cycle on my indoor bike almost everyday and the people usually saying this are sitting down reading or doing a puzzle or similar at the time. I know lots of people in wheelchairs who are not cold all the time!

It’s not even as if I live in a particularly cold climate (it’s temperate) in southern England. Sure it’s not Mediterranean or continental, but I don’t live near the coast and so even living on an island I am as near as can be to a more central position in the southern part of my homeland. Unfortunately, I’d loved to visit Scandinavia and even take a boat trip to see the Northern Lights, but I don’t see that as my holiday destination any time soon!

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Amazed!!!

Bloganuary writing prompt

What would you do if you won the lottery?

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Why amazed? Well, I never play the lottery so winning it is even more improbable than the oft quoted sentence: “The odds show that your more likely to be struck by lightning than you ever are to win the lottery.”

The simple fact is that I’m just not interested in the lottery concept – it’s just boring!

But OK somehow I managed to win a lottery – so let’s put on my imaginary thinking hat. Many have said that they would choose to remain anonymous if possible to avoid all the attention and people asking for a share of your winnings. I agree that I would choose to remain anonymous to the general public. So now I have to think about what would I do with all that money? It’s actually not too hard for me to decide, because I would use a tactic that was used by old lady that I used to know who lived alone and was careful with her money. She decided that rather than die and just leave her money to her grandchildren in her will, she would rather give them her savings now and have them come to see her and tell her how they proposed to use the money – that way she got the pleasure of finding out all the good things that her money was able to provide.

So here is my list:

• Put aside a fairly substantial amount for myself e.g. £100,000 – that should be enough to ensure that I could afford the expensive disability equipment that I require/would like (disability equipment is always so much more expensive than people expect). It may even mean that I could sell my house and afford either an already completely accessible and wheelchair friendly home or I could build something that specifically met my needs.
• Approach my friends one by one (even those I haven’t seen for ages) and ask them to come and visit me, because I have a proposal for them – that is a very simple solution to the loneliness that I sometimes feel.
• All those who do turn up, I would simply ask are there things that they really need and can’t afford. I’d want to know exactly what they were, so that I could reject the merely frivolous stuff.
• Then depending upon their need and how much a financial boost would mean to them to achieve whatever they needed – I would give them the money with the sole proviso that they must come and either show me or tell me in some other way how my money has improved their life.
• Any money leftover, I would then invest in my “pension pot” to be divided as per my “Last Will and Testament”.

This sounds a little “controlling”, but those that know me wouldn’t be offended because that is how I have always been! It would be nice to say that I would just leave the money to charities, but unfortunately I don’t believe that all charities spend the money they receive to benefit those for whom the charity was setup. So many seem to operate like large companies with large overheads & salaries for their senior staff.

So that’s what I would do with a mythical lottery win. I won’t waste any sleep over it though!

An un-invention?

Bloganuary writing prompt

If you could un-invent something, what would it be?

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I found this promt quite unhelpful – particularly seeing as it specifically asks for “something” that you would want to un-invent and yet invention is something that is inherent in us as a species. Now if the prompt was posed as: “If you could CHANGE something, what would it be?”, I expect that many of the answers would still be the same.

So, what would I change? My answer is not a “thing” but rather a state of empathy or feeling. I would like to change the disconnect that has occurred between peoples and their connection with nature and their surroundings. Our world seems to have descended into “US” and “THEM” with very little respect for those who don’t share our heritage or opinions. I would like this mentality to change and for everyone to listen to, discuss and learn from other’s experiences.

Don’t immediately be judgemental and instead if you do not agree with another’s point of view, try to enter into a reasonable discussion with them about why you don’t agree, be willing to change your mind and/or try to change their perspective. We are all different, have different experiences and there is so much that we could learn from one another to make the world a better place.

“Where have I felt loved?”

Bloganuary writing prompt

Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?

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This will be a quick answer, because I can’t immediately think of “a positive example of where I’ve felt loved?”. At least not recently, as I am now more of a burden than someone that even I would love!

In my youth and even into my early 30s I have felt loved by my parents and my partner, but as I say, since I have gradually, slowly become ill and less able to do things – I feel rather more of a burden than someone who is “loved”. I had and still have lots of friends, but I don’t think that “love” is really a term applicable to friends.

Where can you reduce clutter in your life?

Let’s start with the “physical” clutter and by that I mean all the medical aids that have been provided and/or bought yet no longer required.

I am fortunate enough to live in a house with large rooms, but that has the disadvantage that the medical professionals with whom I interact and to have (with the best of intentions) provided me with lots of pieces of equipment. Some I use almost every day, but others just sit in a corner with no way to return them easily, as they have no identifiable labels giving details of who it was that provided them.

There are also the eBay purchases that I just can’t get rid of no matter how hard I try – Freecycle, eBay etc.

• The motorised wheelchair that is just too small for me and came as an added extra with the electric stair climber that is still in use for my parents house in France where there are both stairs to get into the house and internal stairs.
• The manual standing frame that I bought of eBay to try and practice standing, but is hard to operate/quite uncomfortable and since the purchase of my standing wheelchair just before Christmas is simply no longer required.
• The lightweight wheelchair that I bought years ago and sits in our shed. At the time it was great, but it doesn’t fold easily and again is simply not required any more.

I could go on, but I think that is quite enough for the physical objects!

To expand the concept there is also the “mental” clutter that is part and parcel of my condition. The sudden depression and uncontrollable crying and feeling useless – but I don’t want to dwell on that as it is self-perpetuating!

Considering my limitations I shouldn’t really complain about my life, because I have been very lucky and still enjoy an awful lot of opportunities that I have. Going to festivals, visiting relatives both in England and France and (although I haven’t done it for a long time) having the opportunity to get out and visit the local Arboretum.

So, let’s just put on a happy face and smile, smile, smile.

14. In what ways do you communicate online?

Primarily via e-mail – my preference, but otherwise I tend to use the online communication channel preferred by the people with whom I am talking (albeit virtually). There also many different choices available and I tend to use most of them, except where their operation or lack thereof are not available to me because they either have security measures that operate so fast that I just can’t access them in time due to manual dexterity difficulties and the need to use voice dictation software rather than typing on a keyboard.

When I want to engage in a ‘proper’ conversation with those distant from me, including my parents, I use Skype for my personal contacts. It’s just nicer to be able to see them whilst speaking naturally. And then for special occasions I tend to use Zoom as we can group together and it just provides a different “party” feel.

I deliberately restrict posting to Twitter (now X – stupid name) for things like petitions and/or keeping up-to-date with the activities of the various ‘health related’ contacts that I have made since being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and using a wheelchair.

15. What is your favorite animal?

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As a juxtaposition to my previous post on my WordPress ‘memory jar’ site – I have also had a number of pet rodents as I was growing up, from mice to gerbils to my pet rat “John” (the name gives you an idea of my age at this point) and finally hamsters whilst at college. John rat was one of my favourites and a rescue from my mother’s school, where he needed too much attention as his teeth would not grow straight and hence had to be cut regularly.

So yes, I love both rodents and their nemesis cats – who knew!

My current cat “Charlie” likes mice and rats – he doesn’t kill them and/or eat them he just likes to “play with them”. Although I love the sound of birdsong and birds in general, they just don’t have the intelligence of mice and rats. I am particularly impressed by the ‘clever’ ways that mice just seem to run rings around cats and how canny they can be. We’ve even had a mouse (caught by a previous cat) who managed to hide underneath his food bowl – now that’s smart!

The problem with Charlie is that far from removing mice from our home, we’ve had to resort to mouse traps, because he is forever losing them. So unlike my parent’s cats in France where they really noticed the increase in mouse population upon the death of the last of their 2 cats, we have the opposite problem. I can’t help thinking that we have more mice than we would have if we didn’t have a cat.