Wednesday 10 August 2016

PTSD awareness day 1

I have been nominated to do the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) challenge by an old School friend. The challenge is to do 22 press ups every day for 22 days. The reason for this challenge is that 22 service people take their own lives every day.Something needs to be done about this.

You will find the video on YouTube

Thank you for reading
Kind Regards
St.John

Monday 13 June 2016

Difficult times

Have had a torrid couple of months. I learned in May that a good friend had suddenly passed away. Liz was a bright spirit, she spoke her mind but would always seek to do you good. I am told that she had a temper but I am fortunate never to have witnessed it. I will always remember at the one meeting her encounter with my wife which resulted in a big hug. Yes she was a hugger, of both people and trees. If you were down she could usually get you laughing. It was a shock to hear of her passing and then seven days later another shock.

I have been very active in seeking out the spirituality that feels right to me and in this searching I came into contact with a guy called Owen. Seven days after hearing of Liz I saw a Facebook message that filled me with dread. It was a message of support for Owen's family. I immediately messaged a mutual friend to find out the awful truth. Owen had died that morning following post surgical complication. He was 42.

It is a huge regret that I feel that I had not spoken with him for years. Increasing time required with my family and him becoming a father and struggling with work and spending time with his partner, well just life really. A week became a month and then a year.

I still recall our last conversation on the phone. I was at work and gave him a call and we shared stories of how things were in our lives. After that I took comfort that he was out there doing his thing. The truth is I owed him. When we lost our little girl Dannielle in 2000 he was the one that called and kept me going. He'd usually get me laughing and helped me and my wife through that time. For that I am forever grateful.

This has made me consider things. There are people that I consider family out there that I have not spoken with for far too long. It is high time that I changed this.

As always thank you for reading
Kind regards
St.John

Saturday 23 April 2016

Update

Hi all. It's been a while! his is a general update. Following my illness that saw me being off work for several months, I have returned to work. I've been back for two months but have moved. I'm in a different place in a new job. It is taking a while to get up to speed with the new role but I am getting there.

I will be updating this blog much more regularly.

In the mean time if you are into sci-fi then check out my friend's reaction to the up coming Star Wars film Rogue One

Thanks for reading

Kind Regards
St.John

Sunday 7 February 2016

Rising from the ashes

As I posted yesterday there haven't been any posts from me for a while. I think it was an allergic reaction to January, iand a general lack of motivation due to my illness. 

The last five months have seen a thining of the celebrity heard. It is odd that you never realise the effect that some of these people have on you. Both David Bowie and Lemmy Kilmister played a significant part in the soundtrack of my youth, and it would be remiss to say that Prince also had an influence. Terry Wogan deserves a mention for making my mother incapable of anything due to the sudden mirth he was able to impart on those mornings when she was packing us off to school. It is very sad that these people are no longer here.

So I am back at work. There has been a scary learning curve and I think it is safe to say that I am still learning. It is enjoyable though, however given the attitude of HMG to the public sector I wonder how long it will remain so.I am being helped in this return to work by a gentleman by the name of John C. Parkin. I have recently bought his book "F**k It! It is the most profound, profane and entertaining philosophy I have ever read. My wife is sick of my sudden outbursts of laughter and the quotes... oh the quotes! I highly recommend this work. It is available from good book shops and online the ISBN is 978-1-78180-296-0.

Well that's  all for now.

Thanks for reading.
Kind regards
St.John

Monday 18 January 2016

Becoming better

It is a week on from a big company event and I feel reluctant. My apathy centres around of all things reading, i particular self-development books.

Now I know these books or rather the information in them is likely to help me. So what was the problem?

The answer is simple. I had gotten out of the habit of reading, I had chosen to stop. On realising this I had a decision to make. Carry on as I am and stay the same - not really a good idea! Or choose to make the effort and pick up the books again.

I have gone with the latter and recommited myself to read ten pages per day. Sometimes this means reading five pages twice, especially if I find the information powerful like I did this morning. The book, Leading an Inspired life by Jim Rohn, an excellent place to start, the chapters are short and powerful. It covers everything from personal relationships to business, dealing with negativity and success.

So off I go having chosen to make a difference to me.

Thank you for reading.
Kind regards
St.John

Thursday 7 January 2016

I am glad that is all over. Hope everyone had a great Yule tide and best wishes for a Happy New year 2016.

I have to admit that the festive season this year has left me drained (emotionally and well you know). I could do with a holiday - for my US readers a vacation, but that isn't going to happen any time soon.

There is a lot going on this year, but I am most excited by the Marvel film Dr Strange - a childhood favourite. I just hope that they tighten up the origin story a bit. I went back and read the original story and hmm.

There is also an extra day in February and the Rio Olympics later in the year.

That is all for now. I will be writing again over the next few days.

Kind regards
St.John