Post #129 - The City Lit

Now, if you know me then you'll be aware that I am one for self-improvement. I attended a one-day 'A Taste Of Journalism' Course today at The City Lit, which is an extra mural-type seat of learning institution based in Covent Garden, central London. It was hard work, but I think that I got quite a lot out of it. I am aware that I don't really feel comfortable about going up to people and interviewing them though. That's probably why I didn't choose journalism as a career when I was 18.

That said, I love to write and plan to continue for as long as my fingers remain supple. I am a legend in my own lunchtime.

Post #128 - Four Years On ... A Lift In The Gloom

Next month will mark four years since that eureka moment and I finally realised that I am autistic.  So much has happened during this time and I think that, finally, I am coming to terms with it all.  Recently I seem to have emerged from a fug of gloom and even reduced my Fluoxitine daily intake (an SSRI anti-depressant medication) from 30mg down to 20mg and I hope to be able to decrease it further down to 10mg during the next few months.

I'm not really sure what has happened in my brain recently, but it feels so much lighter and I'm more cheerful as a result.  Usually once the clocks go back in late October I am depressed as hell and used to think that it was related to the lack of sunlight or Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD), this may still be so, but I really couldn't say.  I am also looking forward to Christmas(!) which is bizarre.  Bring on Macca singing Wonderful Christmastime I say.  In the video he's seen, with the other remaining members of Wings (namely Linda McCartney and Denny Laine) buying drinks in a festively-decorated Sussex public house.  Nice.

I am always grateful for supportive friends; a chosen few have stuck by me during the 'wilderness years'.  I cannot really say that I have a great deal of time for most people, but there are some truly wonderful people out there.

Post #127 - The Curse Of The Ten-year-Old Liar

My son Master Logic has morphed into a compulsive liar over the last six months or so. His cheeky insolence and sarcasm is also grating on me as well as his father, Mr Logic. Two weeks ago there was a bit of a disturbing incident in the kitchen which led to a raft of shouting and tears.  This afternoon I found him reading Bob's WhatsApp messages on the latter's smartphone.

About 10pm tonight I decided to have a shower and get into bed to read Peter Davison's autobiography (which is excellent by the way ...) I placed my phone on the bedside cabinet and popped next door to the bathroom. Master Logic interrupted my ablutions by knocking on the door pretending to be his teddy bear, Samuel (don't ask ...) when I emerged, wrapped in a towel, I found that my phone was gone. After the whole palaver of Bob ringing the phone (unfortunately it was on vibrate only ) it was found under the (dusty!) bed. Master L then admitted to hiding it there.

I despair, I really do.

Post #126 - The 'B' Word

Yep - it's 'bullying' and my son, Master Logic's to be exact.  The trouble is that Master Logic isn't the most truthful or honest person in the world, so getting to the bottom of what is, or isn't happening is nigh on impossible. We have emailed his class teacher a couple of times and she assures us that it is being dealt with. Maybe the kid in question is being deceitful, but we just don't know?

Post #125 - Charity Twittering

This morning I attended an 'Introduction To Twitter' course which was run by my local volunteers' centre. It was really great to be able to help set up BridgingAutism's new Twitter account and to finally start Tweeting in earnest. Call me Mrs Sadcase, but I really enjoy doing comms work; granted that I'm not the greatest communicator on the planet, it's nice to feel useful and to be able to make a difference, however small.