This week would have been my turn to give a short ‘thought’ at the end of band rehearsal and given that we are not having rehearsals at the moment I have been asked to deliver it at our zoom get together instead. This is a new experience!
Health
A Modeller on Modelling
My previous post was a little bit away from the norm in that it really did draw on my knowledge and experience more than it tried to expand it. I am going to do that again – because “models” are seemingly all the rage and, to be honest, I am seeing so much that is familiar from my days using (and justifying) models at work that is being reflected in the current situation.
Facts Not Fear
This is a first for this blog – a version of a “re-tweet”. The following open letter was written by an Infectious Diseases Specialist in response to the relatively uninformed response by many to the Covid-19 pandemic. I have republished it here because it is bang on topic of “feeding my ignorance” and it reinforces the sort of message I was trying to convey in my previous writing on the subject.
Every Little Thing They Do…
….is magic! The coronavirus pandemic has triggered two different posts – this being the first – which are not necessarily about the virus itself, but comment on some aspects of life that the current outbreak highlights rather well. We hear a lot these days about invisible illnesses and – whilst covid-19 is not always such, sometimes there are no symptoms and neither the person who is ill, nor their friends and relatives will have any idea that they are carrying and spreading the virus.
More On Making Memories
My musings on making memories was triggered by a reminder of just how limited our life span is. The inevitability of death is something that everyone must acknowledge, our time is most definitely running out from the moment we are born. Its OK – this isn’t intended to be a morbid post to the blog – simply a working through of some thoughts related to a heightened awareness of our own mortality.
Overcoming Adversity
I have previously written quite a lot about the effect of music on my emotions – specifically that “tingle factor” that appears at times and places that bring back memories – good or bad. Another thing that is guaranteed to stir my emotions is anything where people are “overachieving” – the underdog coming through to win – the great champion smashing his own record – the “mere mortal” achieving something outstanding.
More Talking About Mental Health
The recent news about the chronic underfunding of treatment for those suffering from mental health issues may well have completely passed me by had I read it a decade ago. This sort of shows that it is very true that what catches our attention is predominantly the things that are ‘close’ – I have written elsewhere about how we are affected by the way in which the news is reported and “what catches our eye”.
Time To Talk
Today is “Time to Talk” Day (as well as World Cancer Day) and I think that writing something on the topic is near to essential for me. It is shocking to think that the figures show that 1 in 4 people will be afflicted with Mental Health issues in their lifetime. Once upon a time that sort of thing was taboo to talk about – not now, when it seems to affect everyone – one way or another.
On Despair
Its OK – I am not “despairing” – its just that my thoughts over some recent days have led me to think about the concept of “despair” and the fact that it is not surprising that many people find themselves dropping into that particular pit!
Memories – Story Telling
I couldn’t help making the connection between the theme of the meeting and something that I heard on TV a couple of days ago.