stufffromthemouse

[stufffromthemouse]

Boys

I feel like writing, but I don’t have anything particular to say. I’m putting the boys on a plane shortly, sending them up North to meet their dad so they can spend their last school holiday roaming the countryside with him. Hard to believe they are so close to finishing their school life and so close to beginning whatever it is that will follow. Still so many questions to be answered, neither of them is that sure on what direction they will take. D is thinking university, though what and where are still to be defined. J is not sure at all, he’s options between learning and earning swing between each other on a regular basis. And they have so much to decide - not only how they will spend their days, but also where they will base themselves. The agreement between their father and I that we will have them 50/50 will, more than likely, cease to be once they finish school, so it’s time for them to chose whose abode they will base themselves at. Their is the other option of moving out and into rental accommodation with friends, but financially I don’t see that happening for a while. 

I’m trying to be supportive of their decisions, it’s hard to make such important life choices at the tender age of 17 - but it must be done. All I can do is support them and let them know I’m here for them if needed.  

So many decisions to make, but boys being boys they aren’t in a rush to define their path. Whatever choice they make will be the right one for them at this time in their life. Such a big world of opportunities await them - it’s going to be exciting to see where they go on their path to self-fulfilment.

#motherswords

[stufffromthemouse]

Sharing the Knowledge

I had an interesting discussion with my teenage son yesterday regarding the social impact of online gaming - something he submerges himself in on a regular basis. He made some interesting observations that really go against the common held belief that participation in this form of entertainment can lead to isolation and poor social skills.  On the contrary, J claimed that his social networking skills have been encouraged by his commitment to gaming and he was keen to explain how.

As a high-school student J is in a pretty cohesive cohort of classmates. The majority of his friendship group have been together for about 10 years and they function extremely well as a supportive team, both academically and socially. J pointed out to me that if it wasn’t for online gaming he probably wouldn’t communicate with his friends on such a regular basis. It’s not uncommon for the group to ‘meet’ online while playing a game and enter into discussions about a wide range of things - certainly not restricted to the game they are participating in.  Discussions about chemistry assessments, driving tests, maths equations and the like are just a few of the topics that feature in their group discourse.  As J said, if it wasn’t for gaming they wouldn’t be in-touch with each other away from the playground so often and therefore these often in depth discussions wouldn’t take place. Apart from lunchtime catch-ups, and the ten minute bus ride home, there previously wasn’t the arena for these discussions to occur.  It isn’t unusual for me to walk into J’s room to see him immersed in a multiplayer role playing game, while using the audio link to discuss homework requirements with his co-players.  Even when the games stop, the conversations continue.

This aspect of shared knowledge is a huge benefit when it comes to problem solving. Gone are the days of completing homework in isolation, where if you were stumped for an answer you had to wait till you got back to the schoolyard to discuss it with your peers - now your peers are just a click away, and the process of problem solving as a community of learners is easily accessible. The ability to discuss, clarify, support and justify ideas with classmates at any time certainly assists the learning process for today’s youth and equips them with a skill that will support their future learning process.  

The fact that J and his mates are so willing to participate in these online discussions demonstrates their willingness to mix work with pleasure. If, as his parent, I was to instruct him to ‘turn of the game and do your homework’ I can be assured that I would receive a negative response - however, giving ownership of the process to my son allows him to schedule his learning to suit his needs.  Coordinating online meetings with his friends to discuss schoolwork is now a regular occurrence, and is worked around the group members  chores, work commitments and such. I’m impressed with the organisational skills that are occurring on a regular basis amongst the group. 

Team work, shared knowledge, group organisation ... all  skills that are paramount in functioning in future work environments, and all being enacted seamlessly by a group of teenagers who have managed to incorporate learning into their gaming time. The rise in popularity and accessibility of communities via online gaming has given today’s youth access to a medium that they are moulding in ways we as parents need to respect and encourage. It harks back to the old adage ... “while they are playing, they don’t even realise they are learning.” 

#youth culture #educational technology

[stufffromthemouse]

Learning Skills for Tomorrow

So, I’m looking at heading back to Uni next year. I’m intending on doing a Masters in Educational Studies - Majoring in Youth, Digital Culture and New Learning. Basically I see this as a way to incorporate my two interests - education and technology. 

I’m on the hunt for some relevant blogs to read up on before I start to get myself into the academic groove. I’d appreciate any suggestions. 

From the reading I have done so far I’m pleased to see that the focus has shifted from simply getting pieces of technology into the classroom, to one of realising the importance of actually teaching students the skills and attributes required to function in a tech-savvy world.  Often called 21st Century Skills (Robinson.K 2015)  and including skills such as computational thinking, virtual collaboration, sense making and adaptive thinking, society has turned to teachers to impart media literacy skills to students in a seamless, embedded manner.

 I am interested in looking at the way schools, and more specifically teachers, are skilling themselves to meet these requirements.   Because 21st century homes are often equipped with more technology than most schools there is often a disconnection between student’s thinking and the demands placed on them in the classroom. To successfully impart new media literacy traits to students it becomes necessary for schools to keep up with technological changes, and for teachers to show an active interest in gaining the skills to successfully embed new technologies into their teaching. This is certainly a big ask of teachers who are already required to juggle so many balls in their position.

That’s not to say that every new piece of technology, or newly developed application, has it’s place in the classroom. Knowing what to introduce and what to leave out is part of the process.  This act of decision making  in itself requires that teachers possess a level of current understanding and flexibility regarding evolving technologies and their capabilities.  

I’m interested to know where do teacher’s turn to to gain these necessary skills. Is it something they are expected to do ‘in their spare time’, or are schools currently offering teachers training in areas of new technologies and new media literacies? If we expect students to effectively grow into skilled workers and global citizens then it is necessary to provide them with opportunities to discover and develop Media Literacy from an early age.  Schools are at the forefront of this task - I’m curious to find out if they are taking their responsibility seriously.

#education #technology #21st century skills

[stufffromthemouse]

2.

At first it amazed her, the way their minds were connected.

The way he would finish her sentences and she his.

And there was ‘the look’. 

It was never talked about between them, but it existed.

(Existence isn’t justified by verbalising,”he said)

They could be in a crowd and communicate just with their eves.

(Yeah, I know what your;re thinking, he wouldn’t say)

It wasn’t sexual, it was deeper than that.

Sex is here - then gone, a pleasant yet temporary attachment of bodies.

What they had was on a higher, yet deeper, level.

An attachment of mind and body and soul.

He taught her much about how to explore inner landscapes.

it was often messy, she often stumbled, 

But he was always there.

Not just as a support, as external scaffolding...

More like scaffolding from within, 

For after all he was within her, as she was within him.

Connected, conjoined, one ib body, mind and soul.

She could never explain this relationship, which confused and baffled many, often including herself.

She lost many surface connections in her commitment to keep the deeper channels flowing.

And she taught him...

To trust, to admit, to talk of emotions.

To open the door occasionally and let someone in.

He had never let someone get as close as she, 

But when you have found yourself you cannot deny it entry.

Even when they were apart, they were together.

United as one.

“You are me,”she said,

“We know,”he answered.

#depression #friendship #deep connection

[stufffromthemouse]

1.

Once upon a time....

In a galaxy far, far away

which existed deep within her mind, 

Existed a girl.

She appeared happy enough,

She lived quite comfortably,

Or so they thought.

They didn’t see the sleepless nights, 

The twisted, knotted confusion within.

The secrets deeply hidden. often denied.

sometimes, like little chinks of light escaping from beneath the bedroom door, her denial would waver.

Those closest to her would catch a slither of illumination - a shaky voice; a tear; a runaway and hide.

But still the door remained closed; it was only the thin shafts of light that sometimes got through.

Until he barged in.

Grasping the handle and thrusting the door open upon her.

No “May I come in?”; 

No”Do you mind if I join you?”.

Just a statement of ... “I am here with you, I always have been.”

He didn’t shield his eyes from the painful intensity of her light...

She didn’t turn away in denial.

He held open his arms,

She found comfort there in, 

And together they shut the door and remained within the room.

“I feel like I’ve lost control” she cried to him

“Did you ever have control?”he asked. 

#depression anxiety denial

[stufffromthemouse]

“A”is for Avoidance

Avoidance -it seems to be the only thing that I can commit to at the moment. I find myself avoiding so much in life but I’m not sure why.  I complain that I have nothing to do, no clear goal to achieve - yet when an opportunity appears that may give me a purpose I avoid it at all costs. I just can’t commit. 

It’s like being stuck in a deep, dark hole. There are people staring down at me from above, calling down to me to make sure that I am OK - showing me they care. Offering suggestions on how I can get out. Some of them are even passing down ladders, giving me the means to escape this mess, but I simply acknowledge their actions, thank them politely, and continue to sit curled up in my hole.  It’s not that I can’t escape ... it’s that I don’t. 

Some of the ladders look tempting so I tentatively move towards them ... inspecting their structures, assessing their ability to hold my heavy (mental) weight. Some of them look familiar - I know  I’ve used them before. Activities that in the past have provided me with a sense of worth, a sense of purpose ... maybe they will again... maybe.  

For some reason the act of actually grasping onto a ladder and allowing it to take my weight scares me, makes me hesitate, leads to questioning of the journey about to be undertaken.  Is it worth the effort required to pull myself up and out of this hole?  Will it actually work? Am I ready to commit? Will the destination be any better than where I am at the moment? 

Uncertainty envelopes me like a thick, heavy fog rolling into fill my hole, pushing me further down, preventing me from moving upwards even though I know the ladders are still there waiting for me.  

#depression #verbal diarrohea #random thoughts #avoidance

[stufffromthemouse]

Depression’s a Bitch!

I look around me at people living normal lives ... those that go out to work each day, who socialise with family and friends, those who have a purpose to their days. I am so jealous of their existence. The ease with which they ‘live’ their lives taunts me and makes me feel even more withdrawn.  I would love to be able to get on with life, to have positive forces surround me. To shut out all the negative thoughts that creep into my mind-cracks on a regular basis.  To have a sense of purpose... to exist with reason.  

Depression is so draining! It eats away at my sense of worth, it erodes my confidence and strangles any positive thoughts that attempt to enter my mind. It suffocates me and leaves me gasping for air ... for fresh air, for air that will give me new hope. 

It’s a bit like floating out at sea... all alone. Being able to see the shore but not having the energy to swim towards it.  Boats pass close by me, search lights catching me in their glow,  people throw ropes for me to grasp, calling out to me to hold on, to swim towards the light but try as I might I never make it all the way. The ropes slip from my fingers and I am left floating aimlessly, watching the vessels travel on without me.  

I’ve come to the realisation that as I float I am surrounded by life boats, each one left behind by well meaning people for me to climb aboard at will. Boats that will take me away from this mindless existence and will aid me in charting a new course.  The lifeboats are there, waiting for me - taunting me with their proximity, practically yelling in my face that all I need to do is chose one and pull myself up into it.  Take hold of the oars that are laying within and put in the physical effort required to steer myself out of this mess.  It seems such a simple task when you put it that way ... 

But for some reason I just can’t. Oh, I’ve tried ... I’ve climbed aboard many a lifeboat and started rowing. Eager at first ... too eager in fact. I put all my energy into steering myself out of this mess, I jump in over my head ... investing myself fully to the task - only to tire early into the journey. Without the stamina to go on I find my slipping away, losing my grasp, as if the lifeboat is deflating with me in it - and then, once again I am back at sea - floating, drifting, lost.

and such is life. A constant ebbing and flowing of emotional turmoil. A mix of rare highs with regular lows. And as I let myself be washed out by the tide yet again I watch others swimming with confidence all around me and wonder ... will I ever be that way? 

#depression #random thoughts #verbal diarrohea

[stufffromthemouse]

Wise words sent to me from a friend. 

#anxiety random thoughts

[stufffromthemouse]

Vacant Space

I want to write but I don’t know what to write about...

I feel uninspired, stale, stagnant - I just can’t find the motivation to push me too putting words together in a creative way.  I’ve been reading over my past writings - stuff I put down when I was in a really mixed-up headspace years ago and even though I feel the writing was cathartic at the time it doesn’t really have the same emotional buoyancy now.  In some ways it feels it was written by a different person entirely. A person who had so much ‘stuff’ running around in their head that it just ached to spill out and be recorded.

That’s not how it is now ... my head feels so empty. So vacant. Uninteresting and uninspiring to say the least.  I want to write, but I have nothing to write about. 

“Write about what you know” they say. Well at the moment I feel that I don’t really know very much. There isn’t really an area of expertise in my life that I can focus on. Even my relationships (which is what my previous writings focused on) have become sedentary - uninspiring - lacking in any motivation.

And whose fault is that ? Well mine obviously. I have allowed myself to exist in a rut that has no clear passage ahead. I sail along aimlessly, not taking ownership of my direction, instead I just let the tide carry me in and out, in and out ... repetitively touching the shore but not actually grasping it, allowing myself to be washed away with the receding tide, back out to the depths where I feel lost and alone.  Treading water once again, waiting for the next wave to decide which way I am heading. In or out ... who knows?

Sometimes I see lights on shore and I start to swim towards them, I entertain the thought that maybe, just maybe, this idea will pull me out of this mental rip that I am trapped in. But the motivation doesn’t last long. The ‘what if’s” and “I can’t” soon extinguish the lights and I’m left surrounded by the same darkness that has cloaked my mind of recent times.  Try as I might to move on, I just can’t seem to sustain the effort to reach a goal. Instead I drift along, cursing the tide that directs me where I don’t want to go, but not bothering to put in the effort required to steer myself to bluer skies.  

And so I am back at the beginning, wanting to write, keen to put words together in a way that will aid me in making some sense of my mixed up emotions, but lacking the content, the basis on which to form my words around. 

Maybe the act of just throwing words randomly into the wind might allow some of them to take flight and create their own pattern, after all this discourse started from nothing and ended up here - wherever that is. 

#verbal diarrohea #bi polar #anxiety #depression

[stufffromthemouse]

A few words before I begin...

Many years ago I did a correspondence writing course. At the start we were given the direction to “Write something, anything you like.” A very vague instruction - this was my response. 

I can almost see the examiner start his stopwatch and say ÖK....start. Write something, put it on paper. It doesn’t matter what it is just write something.” Performance on command.  I’m afraid that isn’t an area I excel in. I have a tendency to ponder, to facilitate, to get so worked up in my mind about what I might do, that in the end, actually the beginning, I tend to do nothing at all.

Oh, the writing bit is OK - I know I can write a good story, and poetry is a genre I fall into easily, it’s just that I need the push to get going. Now if you had said “Write 500 words on blah, blah, blah”I could have shot off a piece of prose in no time. Or “Describe a scene where...”easy, no worries. I could detail scenarios so well you would swear you smell the smells and taste the tastes. You would be there in an instant. What about “Give your opinion on ... ...”That’s a good one. I can analyse and criticise, hypothesise and sympathise with the best of them. I can rip a piece apart and put it back together so that you would believe my life depended on it! 

But “Write about anything.”leaves me with vacant sheets.

It’s not that my mind is vacant, quiet the opposite really - there is so much stuff squished in there that it hurts.

For me writing is like removing the ring-pull of a can of Cake that has been shaken so much that the sides of the can are swelling, and anyone caring to hold the can in their hands can feel the pressure within, bursting to escape, needing to be released.

When the pull is removed it can be very messy. I warn you. Poems, prose abound. They may not appear connected but they are the juices from one life, experienced by me. 

Writing releases my mind, it helps me to confront life and all its intricacies. All the gas filled sugary stuff that is building up the pressure becomes confronting when it’s down on paper. The fizzy Coke makes more of an impression when it is spilt over the white sheet. It’s out there, it’s not pretty but you can’t ignore it. You work on it, you try to remove it or improve it, you act on it or you may just let it soak in.

And that’s my writing. When the can is swelling and the pressure is building, my writing is my release. It may be messy, it may need work, but it’s out there. 

So teacher, I will write from within, and there will be a thread of continuity within my work but it may not be visible, to you or me for that matter, but I have learnt not to believe in what I simply see, but what i experience. 

My can has been shaken, released and consumed many times. But life goes on, as will my thoughts and words.  Confused? Well why shouldn’t you be? I am.

But rest assured you will be entertained, you may well be shocked, you may associate or retaliate, but I will leave my mark. Wether you wish to let it stain or wash it out is up to you. 

#creative writing #verbal diarrhea

[stufffromthemouse]

Where to begin?

To write or not to write ... that is the question.

To pick up a pen and start to pour out my thoughts on paper, or to sit and type - letting the words just tumble out as they fall - or to deny the urge and just let the sentences in my head move on into the past unspoken.  I can’t decide.

Writing has always been an outlet for me.  A way to clarify my thoughts, to allow the verbal diarrohea to fall onto the page and create patterns, images and outlines of what’s going on in my head.  Writing would allow the jumble of thoughts to form a type of coherent mess and to be honest, they sometimes turned into beautiful prose.  

Reading back over my past purges I am struck by how logical some of them are - considering the headspace I was in when I threw the words down on paper- they actually create a depth of imagery that bubbles to the surface and allows the reader to see the naked, often messy truth.

So that being said I feel I should write again. I should allow the mixed up emotions that are tumbling around inside my head a method of escape. Give them the opportunity to become a visual representation of my complex mind.  

But where to start?  

I think I will start with the past, with what has gone before. Taking some of my past writings and typing them out - committing them to file (I only have them on paper at the moment and the thought of losing them, as I have nearly done before, concerns me).  Looking at where I have been before, where my writing took me might help push me along to create anew.  

So, that being decided let me begin...

#verbal diarrhea #creative writing

[stufffromthemouse]

Told To Write

gOne year on and I find I am still in the same place as my last post.  Mixed up headspace and being told that I should restart my writing.  Not too sure what the hell I am going to write about but we shall see what lands on the screen I guess.

I’m thinking of doing some studying ... again.  I’ve always thought it would be great to work in a library - I enjoy researching things; helping other people find what they are looking for. It’s something I was thinking of doing back in 2010 but I never followed it up.  I’ve done a bit of investigating and found I could do a Diploma at TAFE which will take 1.5 years and cost a heap .... but I’m not sure I am in the right headspace to be committing to it. Let alone the financial commitment it would take.  Something else for me to ponder I guess.

anyway... I really need to get up and do something active. I tend to sit around at the computer or the TV way too much lately. Though saying that I have started going to the gym - basically my psychiatrist gave me two options ... increase my drugs or get active. I am finding it hard work as I am so unfit  but I am enjoying the challenge.  I just hope I can stick to it and not give up.

Well hopefully next time I come to write something it will be more coherent, but for now this will have to do. 

Until next time...

[stufffromthemouse]

So Long since I wrote

It just occurred to me that I have not been writing my erratic train of thoughts down over here for ages.  That may well explain why I have been a bit all over the place of late.  I have days when I am very focused on my work, and other days where things just aren’t really happening for me. Sadly it’s more the later of the two, but hey, that’s how life is for me. 

I’ve started seeing a business mentor to assist me with clarifying my business goals - something I really need to do.  I often tell K that this whole idea of setting visions and having goals is like being in a train station.  I see all the trains coming in and leaving around me, but I have no idea which one I should catch.  We’ve worked out that my non-committal to actually get on board a train stems from being afraid that I will miss a more exciting journey that could be available. Pretty much fear of not knowing what you don’t know...

K told me to not think of my goals as final destinations, but more as stepping stones towards a destination that remains vague. Just because I set my sites on achieving ‘A’- doesn’t mean that I have to then progress to ‘B’... I still have options to decide what my next step will be, but if I dont at least strive to get to (achieve) ‘A’ , then I am going no where. 

As my ever wise eldest offspring said to me. My new mantra in life needs to be “Just get on the bloody train!”  ... I think I need to Papier Mousify that and place it on the wall in my office. 

Anyway... that’s it for today.  Just a short diatribe of where I am at the moment. I will try to get back in here a bit more often to put thoughts into words. 

#verbal diarrohea #goals

[stufffromthemouse]

Rocking on the floor moment

 i haven’t actually felt the need to curl up into a ball and rock backwards and forwards aimlessly on the floor for quiet a while - hut for some reason that is the way I feel today. 

It actually started last night. There was a number of yucky moments during the day yesterday that made me feel a bit down and by the time I went to bed and was actually trying to  not think yucky thoughts... well you know the results of ‘don't think about the elephant’ kind of moments.  Needless to say i didn't get much sleep last night, which makes a yucky day even worse. 

I’m seriously thinking of chucking in the whole Papier Mouse Design biz/  It’s causing me way to much stress for something that realistically is not worth a cent.  I mean, lets be honest I am earning zilch from it, so why keep stressing out about how I get more customers, how I can market myself better and all that crap. 

I can’t even look after the handful of customers I have at the moment.

....  (insert phone call)

Ok that was weird! I just got a call from a business growth mentor that I know and he basically told me to stop procrastinating and get with the program! He wanted to know what has been holding me back from committing to moving my business ahead.  Talk about ringing me right when  i needed it!! 

I did warn him not to ask me how I am feeling... but he did.. and he got the tearful brain dump that i was going on about at the beginning of this post.  He basically wants me to sign up with him so he can help me move my business forward.  I know I should.. but something is holding me back and whatever it is has a pretty tight hold. 

Work, personal, financial, relationship...geez, so many aspects of my life are up in the air and messed about at the moment. No wonder I feel totally blah. 

OK enough totally useless and random verbal diarrohea - I’ve been set a task to go and read Kevin’s post then to call him back with my answer.  It’s weird that even being given just that level of instruction from him has actually calmed me down a bit. 

I actually don’t feel like rocking on the floor anymore... 

who knows, maybe committing to this business mentor thing may actually work... 

#verbal diarrohea #random thoughts

[stufffromthemouse]

I’m in that  stage again.  The  “I could do that if I put my mind to it “ stage.  I see some gorgeous things in my tumblr feed, beautiful pictures of beautiful crafts... and I know it’s all about how they are pictured and stuff.. but still.. I could do that. 

So why don’t I?

I should do so much more that I am doing with my life. My work is barely occurring, my crafts are going along slowly, the thing I do the most is procrastinate here on the computer - I do ‘busy stuff’ , I spend time find answers to questions that people I don’t even know are asking out there in FB land.  I research and write articles for a blog that no one reads and I think I even craft things that no one wears. 

I guess these are things I need to talk about to my psyc tomorrow - another day that I will get nothing ‘real’ done. 

don’t feel like writing much at the moment.. so that’s it for me today.  

#procrastination #brain dump #nothingreally

[stufffromthemouse]

Listen to Yourself

I learn’t a few lessons last night, and the funny thing is the majority of the things I learnt were things I have been teaching about to others for nearly thirty years!  

I had some yucky stuff happen to me online, nothing major... just a  number of people for a number of reasons, didn’t like something I did and this fact really hurt my feelings. 

I had spent hours working on what I thought was a project that people would be happy about - and as it turned out - it had the complete opposite effect on some people, to the point that they picked up their bat and ball and totally left the game! 

I was shocked to say the least! Firstly I apologised, I admitted that my actions were not meant to upset, they were in fact meant to assist! I had assumed that what I was doing was what everyone else wanted  - based on their previous actions.  and there it was - I had broken Rule Number One!  Never assume!! (insert graphic of  “when you assume you make an ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘me’ ). 

 After continuing to listen to (well, read actually) the squeaky wheels that were extremely vocal in their criticisms of my actions - my emotion started to turn from saying ‘I’m sorry’ and more towards ‘You have no idea what you are talking about!” ... basically disbelief that these neighsayers could criticise my innocent actions, and time consuming efforts, in such a negative way.  I was accused of doing something wrong - when I actually had spent hours trying to help these people! So ‘sorrow’  departed and frustration at peoples lack of understanding took over.  

By this time I was pretty pissed of with the whole situation. I had been drawn into the position of defending my actions ,  thankfully alongside a couple of others who choose to stand by me, however my frustrations and angst was coming through in my tone - so I choose to actually heed my own advice for a change and walk away from the argument. It didn’t stop festering in my head but I could see the situation would only get worse if I participated in the argument. 

A few hours later, still feeling bruised and battered, I had a quick peak to see if the battle still went on .... I was quite pleased to see a number of ladies had rushed to my defence and a few had gone to the trouble of sending me messages to let me know they had my back - which was nice.  I voiced my appreciation to them and skulked away to lick my wounds in silence.  Therapeutic creativity involving wool always make me feel better. 

So this morning I had a good talk to myself about the whole situation. I acknowledge that stuff that happens in the virtual world of Facebook is really not important enough to get stressed over.  Nor is it an honest representation of people's opinions.  I chose to keep the positive comments I had received as ‘pats on the back” and to release the negative ones out of my head. 

I scorned myself for breaking the most important rule of all .... don’t take it personally!! 

It was my actions that were being criticised - not me! And they were being criticised by people who have absolutely no ownership to any part of my life - so my choice to allow them the privilege of effecting me was my own stupid mistake. 

So...in closing, what have I learnt from this brief and totally over analyzed experience?  Well, like I have always said to my kids -

Never assume what other people think/know/feel or how they will react to your actions,

Don’t be drawn into an argument defending your own actions/feelings

Don’t take other people's opinions personally.

oh ... and most of all .. take notice of the advice I give to others, because it’s good advice and that’s all that matters in the end.

#verbal diarrohea

[stufffromthemouse]

Verbal diarrohea in action.  Straight from my muddled head to the screen. 

#brain dump