Regular Words

Hey readers,

I don’t know what to call this, as it’s just a regular blog post sort of thing… but if you were expecting me to list some regular, ordinary, everyday words then you get points for thinking I would do that. I’m not going to do that.

Let’s begin with a short message of displeasure. I have a new laptop! And it’s just over a month old now but the ‘w’ spring/assembly is faulty and my w just comes loose every so often. Acer want me to pay for a full send-away service to see what the problem might be for about £40, plus addition parts/labour etc if they find a problem as it’s not under warranty. Really?! One month old and faulty. Thanks Acer. Saying that, my last laptop was an Acer and that’s been going for about 9 years now -it’s pretty hot and noisy, but it didn’t have a faulty W! Bah. So for the time being I’m having to type carefully -pressing the bottom edge of the W is a sure way to set it loose.

I was brought to my attention the other day that keyboards are all in upper case letters. Some people struggle to see upper case letters, and if you’re looking for shapes then you’re going to really struggle to find these (and probably others too): q, e, r, t, a, d, g, h, and b because they look quite different from the uppercase versions. Why do we have difference shaped letters for uppercase and lowercase? Who decided that? I’ll look into it at some point. I thought it was interesting as I don’t seem to struggle with numbers or letters (yes, i make spelling mistakes, but that’s because I type it and don’t proof it), but for those people that find it difficult then computer keyboards must be tricky for them too. You press the letter A on the keyboard and this comes out: a. Not the pointy triangle letter you expected.

Don’t even talk about different fonts.

Mainly because I don’t know much about typography, words, letters, style, design, etc. I’m just interested to see things and think about what I’m seeing/doing. I don’t always think about what I’m doing. Leads me nicely into something I was doing today: walking. I went for a walk. Yes, it was windy and I mention that a few times in the video (yes, video!) but I also lay on the cliff edge and later climbed down into some chasms (The Chasms, Isle of Man) which, true to the name, were suitably chasmy. Check it out…

So that happened.

In a couple of days time I’m going to be 28 years old. Seriously. Which means that in 72 years I’d be 100 years old. It’s quite unlikely that I’ll be able to say the opposite when I’m 72. I think I’m middle-aged around now, which is below the UK male average of about 35. But the numbers don’t really mean anything. I’m grateful to be seeing another year and that’s more about the thing I wanted to write something about.

Ten years ago I would have been sitting my A-levels and thinking about university. I can’t remember what else I was thinking about to be honest -playing music in a band, motorbikes, revision… I don’t know, it was a long time ago. Ten years seems like a really long time! Some of you may not have seen me in ten years (and some have never met me, hi!) and I know that I’ve changed quite a bit since I was 18. Physically there are some changes, but the biggest changes would me my heart, attitude, thoughts, and faith.

I was going to write a list of things that have happened in the last decade and how they impacted me, but maybe 10 years is still too recent to write about. Well, that’s made this blog a whole lot shorter! But why not take the time to check in the rear view mirror and consider what’s been happening, and then look to where you’re currently heading.

I was watching School of Rock earlier today and I remembered when I was younger I wanted to have a rock-voice and I know I’m no singer, but my voice has certainly strengthened since I was 18 and that’s awesome! You can think what you like about my voice, that’s absolutely OK; I’m just saying that I can hear the difference. I like it. So what am I going to do about it?

And that’s probably a good place to end. “What’re you going to do about it?” The next step. It goes for almost everything in life, once you get a piece of information, or develop a skill, or you become interested in something… what are you going to do? You do not have all the time in the world, even if you think that life is pretty sweet at the moment. It’s short. Shorter than that. Yeah. Have you ever considered some of the big questions in life, why we’re here? How it began? What is truth? What is reality? What happens when you die? Some of these things you need to be really certain about, the last one in particular and I wouldn’t wait until you’re moments away from finding out to start asking the question. If, for example, there is a heaven then what are the entry requirements? If there are any? What do you think?
Don’t wait to explore, wonder and ask those questions.

Hope you’re doing well, and I’ll catch you next time.

p.s. did you like the snail? It was in my way and so I had to wait for him to cross the path before I could get by.
p.p.s. we should talk more often

What Now?

Hi reader,

It’s been a while. Months. If you haven’t forgotten who I am, then perhaps you’re wondering where I am, or what I’ve been doing, or why I’ve not written for so long? Last question first – stuff, just stuff, and I’m sorry for not writing for so long. You missed me, right? I knew it. Okay so where am I now – the Isle of Man. For real. I moved country in early February this year and I’ll fill you in about that in a moment because that all comes under what I’ve been doing.

So firstly I want to give an update of me, generally.

It’s been a year since I had my accident and I’m doing really well now. I’m as able as I think I can be but not as fit as I used to be or will be, I just need to do more. So I can walk, cycle, climb, all that but not as strong or as fast or for the same duration or intensity. That’s amazing right? However, there are some things that bother me -the nerve sensation in my leg is still numbed with occasional intense pain; my back is weaker and my core is less developed (i think if I strengthen my core again I’ll start sorting out more of the back issues); and there are some mental effects still lingering such as confidence in some things, willingness to actually go and do things (well I want to, but I don’t think it’s laziness that stops me from walking outside) and sometimes I get some not-so-good thoughts about myself. I’ve only been out cycling twice in the last year (well in the last month) and on the first occasion I heard two vehicles come from behind that stirred up a bit of a moment for me.

Currently (for the last three weeks) I’ve been having small painful, itchy outbreaks on my leg around the scar tissue. Raised, lumpy skin. I’ve tried to ignore it for the last three weeks but now I’m trying using some antihistamine cream which seems to work. However it’s not predictable which area of my leg will suddenly swell a bit and get itchy because it’s not regular and i haven’t found a trigger for it? But mainly around the scar tissues from last year which I guess are weaker areas of skin? I’m no dermatologist. But good news – I’ve registered with a GP on the island and should be having an introductory registration appointment next week. I thought you’d like to know.

Mm-huh. I’m living in Port St.Mary on the Isle of Man in a shared house on the promenade -and yes I have a bay view from my window. You can check out my Facebook for a few pictures and some videos. I’ve not prepared anything for today – okay I’ll find one. Just for you. The sailing boat was just out in the bay in front of me.

I’m working for SUMT here -which stands for Scripture Ministries Ministries Trust, a Christian organisation which works in almost every school on the island introducing faith and supporting young people in schools in a number of ways. You can check out the SUMT webpage for more info. My role as Secondary School Worker means I’m working in secondary schools, helping develop younger Christians as well as being someone that anyone can chat with about faith, my faith or what Christians believe, and encourage questions and wonderings. Hopefully I’ll write more about things happening here and actually gt back into writing again!

A quick catch up though. Accident in May 2016 in Tonbridge, Kent; recovering and progressing for the following months up until December in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, when I joined a local theatre production company as a production assistant and we toured all over the UK with a version of Christmas Carol. It was epic. Amazing people and lots of fun, we travel thousands of miles – I did keep a record of places we went to but I didn’t list and therefore add up all the miles. Oh well. Also I had a vitamin D deficiency sometime before and during the winter and so I was mega slow and lethargic and not doing well. It’s great, the whole healing and recovering process is not linear at all – it goes up and down, as does my mood, and abilities.

So back to now..?

Okay. So I’ve been reflecting quite a bit about last year. It’s amazing the images and what-ifs that some light pondering can create, and scary what some deeper thinking may bring up. Dangerous too. I’m not living in the past but these scars aren’t going to go away. I’ve been fortunate to be shaped again, I’m clay in the potters hands, and the thinking, prayer and conversation I’ve been having with God has been intense at times and at other times it feels like I’ve been staring at the inside of these walls half-forgetting who God actually is. Yahweh. The great ‘I AM’, truth and absolute reality. If those few words don’t get you shouting out praises, or fall to your knees in awe, then consider what those words actually mean to you. What is truth? What is real? What is reality? What actually is eternity? Where did I come from? Why am I here? What about the Earth and then to the vast expanse of the universe? Do you ever wonder anymore, or are you simply existing? If you cease to wonder, do you exist at all?

I am not back to normal, or back to a place where I was before my accident. But I don’t intend to either. I’m not looking to becoming the past-me, but eager to keep stepping forwards -to be shaped, transformed even, into the person that God intends me to me. However long I have left to do that doesn’t matter, days, years. Sometimes I can walk, sometimes I can just about drag myself forwards and sometimes I know I’m being carried because there isn’t an ounce of strength left in me – it’s totally dependant on God. And that is far greater than being able to run, walk or climb without knowing Him any better.

Go on, get philosophical. Ask questions. Wonder. Do it. Just pause for a moment. Better yet, go and wander and wonder. It’s amazing.

As for a general update this is very short considering the months of silence. There’s a lot I haven’t said, as you probably expected. I don’t want to hold back anything from you – I love sharing with you. So there will more opportunities for us (me) to talk about all areas of life, and my new life here on the Isle of Man. Why not leave a comment?

I’ll write soon.

Peace.