Weeding

[nedd]

Bit of this

I have been having weeding out bits of my life recently. Letting go physically and metaphorically things that I once did but no longer do! And have decided to get shot of my photographic enlarger. I haven't been in the dark room for over 5 years. I never seemed to have the energy, and wielding the camera induced the dreaded flare up. I enrolled in a photography course at a very dark period of my life and it became the reason to get up in the morning. What I lacked in technical ability I made up for with enthusiasm. Me and the big boy lens have fallen into all sorts of adventures. From Polo matches to animal rights demos. And we really did fall out of a book shop straight into the middle of the latter. For 8 years of my life we were joined at the hip. Hours were used up listening to the radio and messing about with chemicals in the dark. I can honestly say that I was never very good but it was the process. The right therapy at the right time. Hobbies can be such a huge asset to life. God knows what retired man would do without his shed. I once read that cross stitch is good for mental health. Now I am casting around for a substitute. Got to get the mind off the body.

Bit of that

The photo for this blog is one of mine and rather apt as I feel as if I am teetering and trying hard to find my balance.

This lass was featured in the last issue of Pain Matters. She is an inspiration. Although I won't be joining the lycra brigade.

limpingcyclist.wordpress.co...

[colboy]

I know just what you mean you have to have something that gets you up and out of bed in the morning. I to just like yourself enjoy taking photos we have just come back from North Wales on holiday and I took 191 photos these have been loaded onto my desk top and will be touched up and sorted for use I print Photos onto Canvas Paper and then frame them to sell it's ok and it keeps my mind active and takes me away from the pain I have 24/7 it is very bad today I sweeped up some leafs yesterday and today i can't move so I am resting you have a gift use it. I have enquired about a photo course at college in the new year then I want to upgrade my Camers from a LUMIX Panasonic DMC-TZ4 with a Leica lens it's great for a start camera. My wife has promised me that at Christmas she and my children will purchase a Digital SLR camera, Keep going go onto Digital and use a computor to print and process you shots you can make Calenders and Pictures for the wall. Well Nedd I have to go now you take care and pace yourself it will be ok all the best Col Boy

[nedd in reply to colboy]

Hope it didn't rain all the time you were away in Wales. What a fantastic xmas present may you be very happy together and have lots of exciting adventures. I swear my camera attracted exciting happenings like a magnet. We stumbled across a Bolywood type production once in exotic Henley on Thames.

Post the best of you Pictures I would love to see some.

I have a photo idea that is swirling around in my head I just have to pull my finger out and get snapping.

It's a bugger when the smallest of tasks knock you flat, we have to keep on moving though or we will seize up.

Nedd

[colboy]

I know just what you mean you have to have something that gets you up and out of bed in the morning. I to just like yourself enjoy taking photos we have just come back from North Wales on holiday and I took 191 photos these have been loaded onto my desk top and will be touched up and sorted for use I print Photos onto Canvas Paper and then frame them to sell it's ok and it keeps my mind active and takes me away from the pain I have 24/7 it is very bad today I sweeped up some leafs yesterday and today i can't move so I am resting you have a gift use it. I have enquired about a photo course at college in the new year then I want to upgrade my Camers from a LUMIX Panasonic DMC-TZ4 with a Leica lens it's great for a start camera. My wife has promised me that at Christmas she and my children will purchase a Digital SLR camera, Keep going go onto Digital and use a computor to print and process you shots you can make Calenders and Pictures for the wall. Well Nedd I have to go now you take care and pace yourself it will be ok all the best Col Boy

[superannie]

What would we do without hobbies? I am in a knitting mode at the moment, am just finishing off the nativity scene, am looking forward to turning an old box into a stable, varnishing and adding fairylights and straw, it is going to be a bit modern! Only a small thing but helps to keep me calm and sane. I read that knitting is being used as therapy now, in group sessions etc, trying to get my husband involved so he can give me a hand with a blanket I am doing, he seem,s to think it is a womans craft. Men were knitting years ago! What about male chefs? Male nurses? Met a guy the other day who crochets beautiful garments and I believe he cannot keep up with all the orders he gets.Whatever interests you, give it a go! Have a good day everyone, cheers Ann

[nedd in reply to superannie]

I love the idea of a knitted nativity scene complete with fairy lights. I read a letter in a magazine years ago. Little lad had drawn said scene with a plane circling the stable. Teacher: "Um son what's that",

Lad: "Thats ponchos pilot". (I am sure that's is miss spelt) Obvious really. It is amazing what interpretations some children put on things we take for granted.

I clean for an old lady and her house is full of knitting and tapestry "Arthur did", I agree men seem to have a hang up about some crafts. I would love to join a knitting group and have been looking but they all seem to when I work. Apart from the social contact I could do with a few tips. Have just started knitting baby booties for the dollies at work. I have started but will I have the ability to finish them?

Hope this finds you on a good day.

[teadrinker]

I knit as well, though nowhere near as clever as Superannie. A few rows of blanket in the middle of the night have kept me sane before now.

Then there's the creative writing. When I can commit to it I have enrolled in the occasional course (the short ones are best). No one knew about the pain at the last one I did - it was great being someone else for a few hours each week, and fun travelling on the bus with all the proper students (although I'm old enough to be their mum!). Mostly I write things for family or for myself. Keeping a diary about my pain back in the dark days was very therapeutic, but isn't something I feel the need to do at the moment.

I gave up my weekly keep fit class a couple of years ago because the pain was over-riding any benefits. But then a few months ago I joined a Zumba class. I'm finding that (with the occasional exception when it's a bad day & I just can't do it) the exercise actually loosens up the stiff muscles and eases the pain. There are some things I just can't make my body do, but no matter, it's a big laugh. (Absolutely no lycra involved, I like to wear my London 2012 t-shirt and pretend that maybe I am a little bit athletic. Dream on...)

The main thing is to do things for you, that make you feel good. And to use the brain in a different way so that the bits over-processing the pain keep quiet for a while.

[nedd in reply to teadrinker]

I am impressed that you do Zumba. I have seen the ladies coming out of the class in the village all sweaty and red faced. I did line dancing for a bit but when we were in our second term people were getting a bit fed up with me because I was still turning right when everyone else turned left. It was a laugh to start with but I felt I wasn't up to anything more than the basic stuff.

Your right about trying to find a way to divert the brain away from over processing the pain.

Re creative writing: Did you hear Poetry Please today. They were featuring a work shop. I think it takes courage to share your creations with others. Keep on with the writing I enjoy you posts. And how is the hot desking situation going? I have wondered.

[teadrinker in reply to nedd]

A small victory with the hot desking! Although we may have to share (& I don't object to that, provided my chair gets left alone) and keep the desk tidy, the clean-desk-before-you-go-home thing has been dropped, as has the bigger hot desking thing.

[missrat]

I am just astounded at the power of many very small high-end digital compact cameras these days - in fact, not necessarily that high-end, as a retired photographer friend took excellent-quality pictures with his wife's low-spec one! Digital manipulation, montage-making, converting to sketch or painting-like images are addictive, and RAW amendment is now possible even in Photoshop Elements! (Something I keep meaning to experiment with when I have time. I must also photograph the 25 pet rats and do an up-to-date montage.)

[nedd in reply to missrat]

I do have a basic digital camera. And if you knock it off auto you can do some really creative stuff, I seem to lack the energy to take this out and about. I have given up taking a handbag out as it seems to aggravate the shoulder, and just travel with a light purse. I love the idea of digital manipulation i would do me good to start the learning curve.

Post the montage if you get around to doing one. By the way do you have name for all 25 rats and can you tell them apart.

Have a good week.