halfway through January
Did you make any resolutions for this year? I didn't. Having said that, I am mindful of needing to make a few changes to help me cope better with work. It has taken over my life and I need to change that, starting with working to contract.
We are slowly recovering from the Christmas lurgy, that we took turns succumbing to. It started with the youngest two and I think I was the last one to fall. Some nasty bugs making the rounds, that's for sure. I think there was a sick person in the house since mid December. I have a lingering cough and dizzy spells but I am on the mend.
Despite the lurgy, I went for my first run in a long, long time. I thought it was going to be awful but I suppose walking an hour each day goes some way towards fitness. I jogged 3.8 km. I think I had another kilometre in my legs but I didn't want to cripple myself. My thighs were hurting for days and I have not repeated the experience since. Maybe tomorrow.
When you think about something, let's say a nice cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, do you have a mental image of it? Do you actually see it? Please do tell. I have found out this week that I am one of about 4% of the population without mental imagery. No tempting images of steaming mugs of hot chocolate, or anything else. I had never thought about this previously but a podcast I was listening the other day talked about this and I thought wait, do people actually see things when they think about them? I have asked everyone I met this week and they all do. Am I missing out? Maybe but I don't know any different and I seem to be just fine.
I may not have mental imagery but I do have excellent views through my home office window. I spotted an unusual bird on the bird feeder a few days ago. Unusual in the sense that I had not spotted on of his kind before. I am fairly certain that it is a male lesser redpoll. It was sharing the feeder with a chaffinch, also not a common visitor to our garden. It is not a rare bird in Scotland but a first sighting for me.
Our internet has been awful. In the past few weeks, I have been experiencing problems, particularly when doing online tutorials and podcast recordings. I am not pointing fingers but certain members of the family did not believe me, possibly considering incompetence. Alas, on Monday, the non-existing problem took a turn for the worse and on Tuesday, it was so bad that I had to decamp to the office on campus so I could run my online workshops. An engineer was summoned and confirmed that indeed I am not delusional but there was a real physical problem. I feel vindicated.
The older children have returned to their respective homes and the remaining are settling into a routine of school with intermittent strike days, another 22 all in all. It is going to be an unsettled few weeks, maybe longer. My own union has just announced 18 days of strike over the coming months.
In other news, I posted my poo sample for bowel cancer screening. I am always a bit reluctant to scoop up a tiny bit of poo but needs must.
I also wanted to share with the wider world that my jewel orchid is flowering. CJ of Above the River sent me a cutting a few months ago and it is thriving. Thank you CJ!
And now I shall continue to listen to my audio book while outside a January storm is raging. I am listening to Lark Ascending by Silas House. I am immersed in a dystopian future that is not all that farfetched.
Thanks for visiting 😊
Hi there, yes I do see the images of what I think/imagine and I didn't realise there were sighted people who didn't. So that is really interesting, can I just ask when you are listening to or reading a book how this affects you? When I read or listen I have the movie playing out in my head so I was just wondering. The bird is very pretty, it is always a treat when you get something new in the garden. Just recently we have started getting a pheasant and that is new to us in the sense of being in the garden, obviously I have seen them out on walks but they don't usually come and spend time scooping up all the food from beneath the feeders. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting thought! I only realised recently I function best when I rehearse things in my head before doing them. I don’t “see “ what I’m about to do but i need to run through the process in my head to get myself organised. Good use of shower or loo time! Talking of the latter, I didn’t realise the tests were a 60th birthday thing. Mine arrived a few weeks ago… not returned yet- thanks for the reminder. Oh and that bird is beautiful. Have a nice week.
ReplyDeleteHurray for flowering orchids, mine is too. Well done on the run. I have given up all thoughts of running. I've tried it several times but it never sticks, although I would like to be someone who runs. I could indeed see that hot chocolate with marshmallows. Quite vividly as it happens :) Sorry you have all been unwell, I hope you are back to full strength now. It's nice to have them all packed back off to school/uni isn't it, I am far more productive! CJ xx
ReplyDeleteI am sure that some people see very vivid and detailed images. I get pictures, but I don’t think they are as specific as they are for others. I don’t have a great mechanical aptitude (for want of a better word) because I have trouble picturing things that aren’t really there’re. I know that seems opposite so saying can have an image of hot chocolate, but I think it depends on complexity and familiarity with the subject. I think it also depends on whether a picture comes to me unbidden compared to if I am trying to force it. If I try to force it, it tends to evaporate. So, I do think there are degrees of visualization.
ReplyDeleteWhat a mess of words I just typed. I think I am still trying to figure it all out.
I am glad you are beginning to feel better now. There were so many viruses around over Christmastime, that anyone who managed to avoid catching something was incredibly fortunate.
ReplyDeleteGently ease yourself into the new year. And working to contract is a good start, although easier said than done I imagine. X
Curious about the visualisation. Yep I can see what I’m thinking about! Gorgeous Redpoll and wintery photos. Blue sky too. Miserable here sadly. So grey.
ReplyDeleteWell done on the run. Lots of walks here at the moment. My running mojo has disappeared. Hope everyone recovers quickly. So many nasty bugs. Where do they all come from! B x
I think we were listening to the same podcast, I was totally fascinated by the whole thing. I do see images. Lovely picture of a redpoll I have friends who have them in their gardens all the time so maybe you will see it again. I hope you can find a way to make work feel less overwhelming and life consuming this year.
ReplyDeleteNo for myself, so you are not alone, Christina. I prefer to "see" a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows on top when it is in front of me awaiting a taste. A mental image is just not the same thing! Glad you are all feeling better as we also had post holiday colds and after a week and a half of sniffling and nose blowing are finally not needing to fill our pockets with tissues. We also stayed home and vegged out which helped. The internet issues are unfortunate especially for those wuch as yourself who need to work from home.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has no mental imagery - A source of disharmony when we were organising home renovations last year. I couldn’t understand why he couldn’t “see” what was planned. Thanks - I have an explanation now. Very glad to hear you mailed off your “poo” test. Life saving. Here in Australia, the national bowel screening program is every 2 years ( used to be 5 yearly). The test regime has changed recently so sample & packing very small now - great news for those a bit squeamish! Cheers, Anne
ReplyDeleteYes, I definitely visualize. I was a professional storyteller for 25 years and assumed, apparently wrongly, that every listener could visualize as I told tbe story. For example, if I somestimes asked them if I said "dog", what dog did they see in their head? Everyone seemed to be able to answer, but now I am wondering if some just made it up!
ReplyDeleteThose are gorgeous shots...I love the bird. It sounds like you might have arthritis. Before having my hips replaced, my legs used to ache horribly. It's very painful.
ReplyDeleteIt was the same in this house with the lurgy thing, at least for two of us. Hubby seems to have avoided it for now. Glad you are feeling better and were able to get out for a run.
ReplyDeleteExciting to have a new bird visit your feeders in the garden.
Glad your new jewel orchid is flowering and making you smile. Have a lovely week Christinax
Yes, lots of nasty bugs doing the rounds but good to hear you're feeling better. No NY resolution here, either, but I've come up with a guiding word for 2023: optimism. Seems I like a challenge. Good luck with the work/life balance thing.
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