busy, busy, busy...kind-of
Re my last post ...I've been doing lots of stuff over the last few months -
- doing a short course on community arts at Staffs Uni
- applying for Disability Living Allowance - got it!
- getting a Motability car - I got an adapted, easy-to-drive Yaris - which is completely liberating - I can go places again
- getting a blue badge - got it!
- making an insurance claim - not got it (yet)
- challenging the insurance companies decision that they couldn't pay 'cos I should have known I'd got rheumatoid arthritis 11 years ago!!!
- applying to Staffs Uni to study for a part-time MA by negotiated study
- trying to negotiate a programme of study acceptable to me and the university
- trying to get some money to support my study despite a bizarre rule that denies Disabled Students Allowance to anyone who needs to spread their study over a number of years
- volunteering at MAGMH for a few hours a week
- trying to make and eat a bowl of porridge each day (it's good for you)
- going up to the Haywood hospital and to my GPs a lots
- getting involved in patient participation / consultation stuff at the Haywood
- up-ing my dose of methotrexate (because my joints are still bad) - and dealing with the consequent sickness
- trying to perform at least some of my duties as a trustee of N Staffs Mind
- ditto as trustee of MAGMH
- trying to take some half-decent pictures
- designing / setting-up a website for my friend Bernard
- trying to enthuse all sorts of people about my idea for a project which seeks to engage people experiencing enduring mental distress to take photographs as a way of challenging stigma and discrimination
- getting involved with the Happy Man-days project
- thinking a lot about disability, stigma, disablism, mental distress
- learning how to negotiate with organisations who want to buy photographs from me (a good feeling)
- growing food and flowers
- de-cluttering our house, so when we move (sometime in the next year) we don't have to do it in a rush
- not worrying about what I'm going to do for money when I "formally" retire
- keeping this blog going and visiting / commenting on other blogs
- counting the different sorts of birds visiting our garden
- doing bugger-all on days when I feel crappy - as Klahanie says "busy being ill"
- eating lots of ice-cream and cake
- giving love and support to family and friends who have given me so much support and love
- talking a lot, about all sorts of things, with my best friend Pen
- seeing lots of people, making new friends and generally having a good time
I don't know whether I'm coming or going a lot of the time... but I guess it will all settle down sometime soon - and it's better than sitting on the sofa
9 comments:
That's not 'kind of', that's 'definitely'. I agree about the porridge.
Hi Tone-
You certainly are one busy gentleman! You have my utmost admiration. What with trying to be active whilst being hampered with rheumatoid athritis. Well, that does show what great resilience and determination you have.
Glad to see you are getting D.L.A. and Motabality. I know this extra money and the liberating use of a car, will be a great help to you. Well done!
We shall continue to challenge the stigma. Enjoy your ice-cream and cake.(That's, ofcourse, after you have had your porridge) Stay positive and keep smiling.
well what can i say!
so so busy!
funny thing ain't it really, what i mean is, i feel like i've done nothing but if i wrote down everything that i do on a day to day basis i'd av loads to put down.
when i used to be at uni i had a little diary that was my total organizations for dead lines etc, so i'd stick everything down, consequently i'd get a real sense of achievement from seeing how much i'd done.
do ya know what i think i may start again!
right thats me with my out loud thought process!
take care blueshawk!
hopefully see you on Saturday!
purkul
x
Hey tone - wow mate - what a list - I daren't start on mine as I do one each week at work and that's long enough but fortunately it's empty on Friday afternoons or with very little carry over.
I like the sound of ice-cream and cake - though I don't really do either nor the porridge but I do the Weetabix and also the healthy eating and keep trying to convince myself that it's doing me good - rabbits eat leaves and veg and rarely look ill do they?
I'm just getting on - few complications in life - but if we didn't have them, how boring our existances would be!
Take care,
Leigh/RadioMan
Hello Blueshawk,
Just a quick reminder that the Mind Bloggling Online Survey is back on line.
It can be found at:
http://www.mindbloggling.org.uk/-_online_survey_.htm
Or follow the ‘online survey’ link on the home page of the Mind Bloggling Website:
www.mindbloggling.org.uk
Please spread the word!
Thank You
Emma & Nat
Your blog has inspired me to get my arse in gear Tone - as have the comments. Take it easy my friend, ice-cream helps I can testify to that. M x.
Hi Tone,
What a very full and busy life you lead, I'm impressed! Good on you! D x
Im really impressed you do so much. Keep going with all your pursuits. Make sure you eat your porridge. You need the energy.Get out and about in your car and enjoy yourself. You are an inspiration.
Wow, you're a busy bee! Glad about Motability car, Dla, Uni and the rest. Re later posts: perhaps the fact that you've been doing so many stressy things is why you are experiencing brown outs now. Try and chill, you're making me feel guilty for all the things still on my to-do list!!
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