Jobs not career

What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in?

I’m not a banker, politician, doctor, vet. I’ve done jobs that have lasted weeks, months or years, but none I would call a career. This is the Internet, so I’m not going into details. Why should I tell all and sundry? I did think of taking up a career, but it didnt work out (I failed the interview) I might be rich or at least well off. I didnt follow that path, so in ended up with a series of jobs.

But through it all I’ve been creative, I make art, it might not be the best, but I love painting and drawing, taking photos, making pottery, experimenting. Who needs a career if you have the freedom to be yourself?

Whatever you do, be open to chances, take care, I wish you luck

In better news

My leg, that was wrapped up like this several weeks ago, is finally healed! Yippee! No more waiting for it to be re-dressed. No more washing it carefully. I can have a long shower (in the daytime when the bathroom isn’t freezing). I can start going for walks again. Probably in the rain. It’ll be small steps to avoid knocking it, but, Yippee!

The Moon landings

What major historical events do you remember?

It was the summer of 1969. My dad got us up from bed so we could watch the moon landing on TV. I remember Patrick Moore explaining what was happening excitedly. Micheal Collins filming the moon lander from his vantage point in the command module, it was dropping down towards the surface of the moon, then the landers own camera as it seemed to creep down toward the surface, it’s retro rockets blowing away the lunar dust as its shadow started to fill the screen. Then “the Eagle has landed”….grainy black and white TV pictures…

Man had landed on the moon after a journey of about 250,000 miles. It doesn’t sound that far when you write it down. Did it only take 3 days to get there?

Then after a while Neil Armstrong climbed down the ladder and stepped onto Lunar regolith. “it’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Nowadays there would be a proper speech, but it was fantastic to see both Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moons surface. I don’t remember any more than being utterly amazed….

Pain

Pain attacks from different directions

Trundles like an army on alternative fronts

I need to relax

Let my body un-tense

Then the pain flows away

Fear and stress exacerbate

Anxiety cramps me up

But starting to understand

I can calm my impulses

Like a frozen bag of peas

Soothes the army of pain

Descalating aches

Deflating anguish.

Eighteen

When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?

Yes, actually 18. I left school and I was in the real world. I had to leave my old life behind. It was a shock. I felt like I was falling off a cliff.

It’s a long time ago, but I remember fighting to get into college. I had to choose between that and staying in the job I had. It was the biggest decision of my life and I’m glad I made it!

When I was older I thought about life and that your feelings and world suddenly changes. You have rights and responsibilities. You still have support but it’s up to you to follow your own path (if you are allowed to). I realise that I am lucky as a woman to have rights a lot of other people in different cultures don’t have, and seeing the way governments can change, or bring in restrictions, I don’t always feel those rights will be maintained.

I was lucky to grow up and become an adult during feminist times. I hope those becoming adult now continue to have those rights.

A lot of people

If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?

I’ve actually thought this through. I would give some to family and friends, it turns out you can gift someone £3000 without having to pay tax. But I would give more than that and gladly pay it. Then I would think of acquaintances to help. I would try and share a reasonable amount. Having done that I would buy a small house and garden, a bit bigger than mine now, but not huge. Enough to neatly fit paintings and books with a warm studio with plenty of light to paint and draw in. A natural garden with pond. It would not be too far away from family and friends. Obviously the cats come along too.

I would have to ensure I could pay all my bills each year.

Finally I would try and donate to charity… I would have to support local as well as national charities.

Completing a college course

What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?

I realise that sharing information about what course I did isn’t good on the Internet, too much info gets stolen or misappropriated.

I’m giving a rather obvious clue without, stating dates and times. It was a big leap up from what I did before. But it gave me confidence to do other things. My goal was to get a good qualification and I did. I have done other courses since and sometimes I’ve done well and other times not so good. But you have to do the best you can and try and work out where you went wrong so you can rectify your mistakes.

All I can suggest is try and gain the best qualifications you can. Don’t let people tell you off or try and talk you out of it. The world is a big place and having qualifications can hopefully make it a little bit easier to live in.

Painting

What is your favorite hobby or pastime?

This was a painting I did a few years ago, it’s of the upper story of Cheddleton Station, in Staffordshire, England.

I still love painting, but my health is affecting what I can do at the moment, I really want to do more. And somehow the anxiety over it is making me struggle to start. Because I’m worried whether I will be able to do a good enough job. I know I’ve been doing a lot of digital art, but it doesn’t have the same quality to me as actually painting.

I’ve spent years being an artist and I don’t want to stop. I admit some of my work isn’t as good as I’d like, I paint fast and rely on my skill to pull things into shape. I’ve certainly put in the hours to get to a good standard. But I wish I could go back in time and make better decisions about my art.

I haven’t stopped, but I might not do as much as I used to, I’m just hoping the physiotherapy I’m due to start will help.

Early morning

Early morning, looking up from the settee where I’m currently sleeping, I can look over at the ceiling and see the shadow cast across it by one of the living room lights. It’s in black and white because the colours were washy yellows, and I thought this looked more dramatic.

The fact you can see the woodchip patterned paper on the ceiling which is not very flat shows the poor decorating skills of the builder who put it up there almost 30 years ago! I’m never going to take it down, it’s hiding a multitude of sins including bad plastering and cracks I think.

This was around 6am or maybe later, I just liked the stark, long shadow.

Blue to Red

What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?

At 18 I voted blue (Conservative). That was how my family had always voted, we spoke about it, and I was supporting our first woman prime minister. How I regret it now!

After the election I moved out and started to learn more about the world around me, how people struggled and how the new prime minister was making things worse for people not better.

I went through several general and local elections over the decades but I never voted blue again. I had completely changed my mind. Sometimes I don’t like Labours policies, they can seem to be Tory lite, but I’ve never not voted for them. Sometimes they get into power. But for the last thirteen years Conservatives have been in power. They have had five prime ministers, some of which were not elected by the populace but by their fellow MPs. They make promises but they don’t keep them. Cancelling projects which were expensive and that have been massively over hyped. All blue policies…. From privatisation to selling peerages…

So I’m Red through and through. I think I always will be. The biggest change of mind and direction in my life.