Could I find Jesus??

Some times things are meant to try us, and try us they do.  I've documented how the week began for me.  My legs are getting better I can actually touch them without it feeling like I've grated them and then set them on fire.  I've been able to look at them and think the brambles are bloody incredible, one has drawn an iron with go faster stripes and another rocket shooting up my legs.  Way better artwork than anything I could have done.  My only upset is that at no point did any of them draw me a picture of Jesus.  His image has been found in lots of things, but I'd have been very impressed and might have converted had I found him amongst the scratches on my legs.

I digress and wander off into the bizare.  To compound the issues of earlier in the week things went slightly against the planned yesterday and whilst I put that to one side and moved on, it was to be my undoing this morning.  On getting up, the pc went on and a whole array of problems came with it.  No security software, things weren't loading properly and I just couldn't get anything working.  After calling the tech desk for help over the security issue, I plodded on, and through instruction found how much my bill was for last month.  I sort of expected it to be big, but not that big.  I do accept though that an hour and fifteen minute call to Canada didn't help much.  Still I paid some of that off, raher than getting into any trouble, but still my pc was playing up.  

They suggested I uninstall the software and reboot, which I did, but that caused even more issues and so a second call to the help desk and even on a remote access help they couldn't solve the issue.  So with the promise of a call back, and further investigations at there end I was left trying to wonder why so many things weren't working.  This was begining to stress me out, after everything that had gone on this past week, I was not happy.  So I thought sit down make breakfast and move on. Breakfast made, cup of tea made and I sat down to consume.  I would have done, but the tea was rancid, my milk had started to go off.  I don't know why, it's been in the fridge it's in date and I still had over a litre left.  So that spoilt my breakfast.  

It took till lunch time and a freak accident to notice that my date on the pc was something like 3 months in advance of today's date.  I recall using the calendar to look up a particular date, but I never apply that, I always shut it down.  So I corrected it, and things started to work as if by magic.  Then the pc crashed, so a re-start, and an attempt to re-install my security software, and 95% of the way through it the pc froze again.  I wasn't happy something was the matter, so after going out in the afternoon to a meeting, I came home and it wasn't till 6pm that I got everything back up and running properly.  However, it's left me a little drained, a little sad and in need of some positive attention.  A hug, a message etc or something else, just to cheer me up.  None has been forthcoming, but I will try to find something to cheer me up.

The past, the present and the future.

An update from yesterday's post.  I got to the doctors late yesterday afternoon to see the nurse.  She took one look at the legs and gulped.  However she's given me some cream, essentially to help alleviate the itchiness and to help reduce the redness of the scratches.  If I walk, or go outside for any period during this hot weather my legs (since Sunday) have glowed red.  However this morning they seem to be showing the first signs of healing and the weather is way cooler and actually is a bit over cast.  Hello the English summer...

The itching though not as extensive is more actute in specific area's so I'm having to really concentrate on not attacking either my legs or the bites on my arms.  It's taking a lot of mental restraint not to go hell for leather and scratch all day.  I've got creams and lotions galore, and it will certainly remind me to think twice when out walking again.  However that may not be till the end of this week, as my thighs are a bit sore, as if I've strained them slightly, which wouldn't shock me the amount of work they put in, in the woodland.  I'm not wanting sympathy, I took the decision to proceed and I'm paying a heavy price for it.

On to other matters, and the use of social media.  It's been a matter of debate with myself and a few other people of late in terms of football transfers.  However it translates to near enough everything these days.  I know this is the earliest form of social media, but what it has created is a news hungry society, with the expectancy that those in the media spotlight will inform us of anything and every thing sooner, rather than later.  Be it a football transfer, a new album by a pop star, a new film etc, people are watching and waiting eager to learn as if they are the first to see the news and transmit the thing to all there friends or followers.  

Years gone by, we were kept up to date by news bulletins, news flashes if the story was important enough, the news papers and either/or ceefax or teletext. We'd perhaps have no idea of anything happening till we watched the news, or the papers arrived in the morning.  We'd learn our news from the papers with there own political slant, perhaps chaniging them every so often or using the same paper for years.  We were a patient lot then, now however if we haven't got the breaking story before the news networks we seem to be unhappy and rather shocked by it.  We make up our own opinions on people based on how they use social media, not that we atually know them, but behaviourly we thin we know them.  Why is that?  How can we know them from how they tweet or blog?  How when the only contact with them is written text?  Yes, you may cross reference them with what others are saying about them, but often it's all positives or all negatives.  No middle and often the middle is where the true person is.  

No matter what though social media is now part of our culture, it's going to shape how we live our lives and it will help evolve it.  When by the time the first generation of tweeters are retired (as if that will ever happen in the UK at the rate they putting the retirement age up), things will have moved on so much from where are today, and I wonder how many of us (if I can include myself in that, though I've only been on twitter a few months), will hark back to the good old days, as our parents did?  How many though will keep up to date with allt he technology quite the opposite of our parents I guess?  That's the thing that will interest me the most, and certainly from my own perspective will be something to watch.

Pride Dented

I have to write, I've promised people that I would explain yesterday and here is the place to do it.

Yesterday morning I set off for a walk, now I had an idea of where I wanted to go, I had a new route and had marked it out on the maps, it was very circular which is to my liking and meant I would only have to retrace my steps towards home at the very end.  So off I went taking my time, not rushing as it was a hot day, I had plenty of time and was going to take photo's.  I followed the route till a certain point, when it appeared I could go no further, though I did see a route around what was blocking me.  However that went further out than I thought, and then I found myself in some woods.

Perhaps I should have turned around, but I presumed I'd find a path way in the woods which would lead me out and to the point where I should be.  That didn't happen and soon I found myself in the middle of a wood, with no path and the return route was as difficult as continuting.  However, I remained positive I was going in the general direction.  Yet, later rather than sooner, I realised I was in trouble.  I was struggling not only through the dense woodland, but I was running out of water, I had shorts on, in an area where it was thick with nettles and brambles.  My legs were cut to ribbons, stung to high heaven and were swelling up.  They were becoming sore and the amount of stings I'd taken was making them tingle.  My phone battery was getting low, which meant my ability to get me through the woods in the direction would be lost.  

I myself felt lost, I had little or no idea how I was going to get out, I was fearing I'd not get out and so I rang for some help, I then got the police calling me, asking where I was, and telling me to fiind some open space so the helicopter may be able to see me.  It wasn't how I intended the day to go.  I was thirsy, sore, frustrated, disorientated and tired.  What should have been a nice 8 mile, 2 hour to 2 hour 30 mins walk had turned into 6 miles over 7 hours the last mile of that was over 2 hours battling through the wood land.  Then to get out and away I had to jump over a brook that looked vile and smelled vile, which as only yesterday could go I failed by inches to clear.  

So far I've gone through a tube of savlon since about 8pm last night to sooth the legs, it is working but they feel like they've got an extra skin on them, when I walk it feels like the skin is jiggling, it isn't a fun feeling.  I've posted pictures of my legs from last night on facebook.  They are not in a good shape.  My pride has taken a dent, I was going in the right direction, but to get so lost and so fearful wasn't nice.  I'd already nearly lost my footwear through stepping into thick mud and sinking down.  It was foolish I guess to go into the woods, but I know where I intended to go and I was sure I'd find a path of some sort, how wrong I was.  Being a stubborn so and so I went forward, rather than backwards and I paid dearly and still am.  

When I look back on the events I'll remember the bad parts, the horrible parts of how I felt, and yet the start of the walk up the tow path of the Worsley caanal as was wonderful, it was a beautiful day, a beautiful walk.  I wish I'd decided to alter the walk, which was something that I had in my head, just before I turned down the road where I'd planned.  I was going to surprise a friend, as I have been known to do, but I didn't and look where it got me!!

Sensible is scary.

The weather is wonderful, I'm melting in the heat, this is not normal for the UK.  However, you won't find me moaning to much, I think I'd rather have this than bright but cold.   So since the burst at the start of the week, what has taken place?  Well nothing to be frankly honest.  I've done very little.  

Earlier today I finished a course that I'd been attending and that felt good to come out of that with some knowledge and though it wasn't anything to enhance my chances of getting a job, it has given me a few things to think about.  I guess one of the things I've got to consider is first impressions of people.  Earlier this year and I don't know if I noted this in this blog, I attended a training day with through the same company (City West Housing Trust).  During that session I felt quite uncomfortable with the actions or comments of another participant.  I didn't feel I could say anything to them, as apart from himself, his wife, daughter and her partner was in the group I was working with.  So I kept quiet till the end of the session and passed on my feelings to the persons running that training.  Now the same husband and wife have been on this training course with me for the 4 sessions it's ran over the past 5 weeks, and I have a different picture totally of them.  So if I did say something, and it's possible that I did, then that first impression has been blown away.

On a pleasing note, I seem to be able to play my music on my PC again, it isn't perfect in that it isn't playing everything and on occasion I've got to give it some encouragement, however I can listen to the music and not get frustrated by it. This is good as it gives me something other than just reading off the internet and sitting in silence.  I can now stay up late and not worry about draining myself because of boredom.  Music does in some way releases some of the crap that builds up in my mind when I am not doing anything, other than reading stuff online.  I can't sit and type in here every day, I know that, it would be worse than it already is due to the inane drivel that I would end up writing.  Half of this is odd, and that's due to my boredom etc.  Perhaps tonight is different, it's been a wonderfully hot day and I've a bottle of wine I'm going through.  I'm relaxed and am letting myself do what ever, and not bother about it.  I could almost go grab some money and goi into Manchester and wait for the clubs to open.  I know it wouldn't be the most sensible idea, but it would be fun.  

I see something is happening to me, I'm becoming senisle, when did that happen?  If anyone has the answers please let me know, as it scares the bejesus out of me.