Saturday, April 30, 2011

Geez Louise...

I'd forgotten I had this blog here. Oops!

I thought it was abandonned enough that I would never need to come back to it. So if I ignored it for long enough, it would just go away. How silly.

I sort of want to delete the previous posts altogether but they represent me at that time and serve as a reminder. I don't really think they're for anyone else to read. Not anymore, anyway. I don't think I'm writing now for anyone else to read. It's just a bit of 'me' time.

So much changes in a year, doesn't it? I feel like I've become quite a different person in that time. I've gone from a social, highly interactive person who needs to have other people around me, to a hermit who barely needs contact with the outside world. Not to say that I'm not sociable, lively or engaging when I am with others. And I do plenty of interracting online. I've cut out 'chatting' online so much with some old friends though. The difference is, I don't feel the need to be with people, I don't have that pull anymore. I'm quite happy in myself and on my own. I've just had two weeks off work (holidays) and only went out once (socially) in that time. I've seen family once or twice too. And I did a grocery shop once. But that's it. I didn't walk out the door for any other reason.

It's quite a change for me. No internet dating sites, no large social gatherings with new or old friends. I just meet up with small groups of friends for dinner, maybe a movie or a show about once a month.

I guess this didn't all happen by accident. My lower back went from some mild pain a year and a half ago, to excrutiating pain about 12 months ago. I didn't see it coming. This started to limit my ability to go out. I'd only go if I knew I could get a parking spot reasonably nearby and if I knew I wouldn't have to stand or walk for more than 3-5 minutes. Added to this, my last romance ended in early Feb 2010 and I just couldn't muster the energy to go through that again. I thought I was just taking some time off from dating but here I am, 14 months later, still disinterested in the concept.

For a totally random change of heart, my belief in God has totally done a 180. I'd been a strong believer for many, many years and had even worked in ministry for a few years. Now I simply don't share those beliefs. So I don't go to church and I don't see church people much anymore. I'm still in contact with some but if I decide to go to church (eg at Christmas) it's only for their sake, not mine. Having felt totally abandonned by God after years of 'faithfulness', I started to see the world through different coloured glasses. Science and logic totally won me over. I'm quite happy in my attitude, though I know it pains many of my friends. That's the only part I'm really disappointed about.

So having all this time to myself (apart from ridiculous hours spent working) I set some goals for myself this year. I decided to do a bit on an 'audit' on myself. Fitness had become a completely dirty word, unable to walk for any decent length of time. I couldn't even wash up dishes in one go. I tried various remedies and had some tests. Finally I found a physiotherapist who teaches pilates. I now go once a week and, after 4 months, am finally started to see some results. This has meant I can do some things around my home that had become impossible (like putting clothes away or cleaning). I'm hoping I can start walking around the block in the next few months- or even 10 minutes at a time would be good.

I started a post-graduate degree in psychology. Twenty-two years after graduating from university, I am back to studying- online, of course. It's going okay but certainly not taking the mere 10 hours a week stated in the recommendations. It's much closer to 20-25 hours per week and I'm not doing all the parts listed! I tend to take my books/laptop to a local club and work for 6-8 hours at a time. I need to do some of it at home, but I work better out of the home. Besides, I can get drinks, food and table service when I'm out. And I'm very good at blocking out other noise and distractions when I'm out. At home, it's way too easy to get side-tracked with reading blogs, etc.

Anyways, that's where I'm at currently. It might be good to come back and reflect on this again... in a few months!

1 comment:

  1. Just thought I would stop by to answer your question about my Christmas greens. Yes, they are all fresh. The garlands and wreaths are sold at the same garden centers where they sell the Christmas trees. Perhaps we're lucky that we live so close to the country where they grow all these plants. I've heard from other people around the world that have told me they don't have these things available and if they were, they would be extremely expensive. Real trees do certainly make a mess in the house but nothing can compare to the scent of a real tree in the house.

    Thank you for visiting!

    Steve

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