New years already !!!

Why does it feel like it just turned 2017? Its weird , I feel a bit sad in a way, morbid in fact. Was thinking about things that have changed and people who have passed away over the last few years. Almost sick of drinking and eating. Not particularly superstitious but I have food in the fridge and presses starting off and did some tidying/clean up as the Organic Farmer thinks you should start the year off as you mean to go on. As in your debts payed and had it out with whoever you had issues with. No point in leaving it fester into the New Year. I owe nothing but started off oddly with some family members as they are going to life changes so can't really be expecting them to still mind me. I should really be over that anyway . Still when you are grown up you still think they should be minding you

Season over

Christmas is over -its sort of a feeling of relief combed with anti climax after all the build up It can be sad too-people are missing. You grow up and realise how much things cost so no longer ask for what you really want. You buy stuff for those you like but also those you feel obligated to. You buy enough sweets and drink in case someone calls but they never eat it all , so you do instead. Gifts you think people will love they dont care about and things that were an after thought are treasured . Hard to know. I wasn't too pushed this year, happy because I have enough , jaded as its the same every year but I don't think I want change it either

Life is ever evolving.People you thought would be together (or tolerate eachother) forever split,unlikely couples get together ,pregnancies are unexpected ,longed for or unwanted.Mummy bloggers are on the rise (I' m using all of the clichés today) .A picture of a poo on a windowsill went viral.A Daily newspaper seems to be gathering most of its topics from these blogs and using it to condemn sthe slummy mummies.I read them,laughing yet cringing .I think I would die or be killed by my family for sharing so much.Lots of these clever women are now monetizating their blogs  through books and merchandise. They usually donate a percentage to a cause.For Part Time Working Mummy it' s a domestic violence charity ,for The Unmummsy Mum it's a pregnancycle loss charity and for Constance Hall it' a home for abused gilts in Africa.And they write in different styles but all well-you can understand their point of view even if you don' t agree with them.

I have been reading Penelope Trunks blog. Some of it 's nuts and doesn't resonate with me at all. She has an editor who has the same personality type as me ( and she doesn't really like people with that type, he's the exception)This I liked though 'An important part of farming is not talking. Farmers don’t talk to each other. They say it’s because animals get more difficult to work with if they hear voices. But really farmers get more difficult to work with if they hear voices. No one chooses farming to socialize.' Its easier to work with animals if you have most of your instructions worked out in advance. Otherwise normally calm people get stressed, which makes the animals stressed. Its a fine line if you are going to tend to them sometimes you and they, will have discomfort eg dosing cows for Liver Fluke http://www.msd-animal-health.ie/diseases/cattle/internal_parasites/liverfluke/information.aspx.

The Life Cycle of Liver Fluke, Phytophthora infestans ,ejaculation /knee jerk are the only two reflexive actions in the body are the only things I remember from Leaving Cert Biology. It was my highest mark, the year the exam contained a now illegal experiment involving Tadpoles and iodine. It was still in the book -we hadn't studied it as it hadn't come up in years.

Opinions and topics. Hmm you ares supposed to pick a topic and wrap whatever you want to write about around it. Even if you offend people and are wrong. Big problem for me. I don't have strong opinions on most things as I find I see many sides of the argument and am sympathetic to many peoples backstory. I'm conflict adverse. If you put your opinion out there you are opening yourself up to criticism and vitriol which often has nothing to with you. It's to do with hitting a nerve or their mood on that day. This occurs in workplace and family situations. It makes me want to hide. I dislike it so intensely that it makes me feel physically ill. Even though its not a life or death situation. I'm not in danger but my flight/freeze or flight reflexes kick in.I used to get gastric migraines ,  like all the time, drinking aloe helped but less stress significantly reduced them. I feel intensely and take things  personally. I test as an INFP in Myers Briggs. Far too idealistic and not really set up to succeed in the traditional sense. I'm not overly motivated by money.

I'm putting together some local history . There was a plane crash into the Skelligs in World war two.Its documented in a book 'The Fatal Echo' and I found a website about it and emailed re using permission to use photos. A very nice man replied saying he had set up the website , it was an eircom one so hasn't been managed for ages. Turns out he is in his 80's , remembers World War Two planes flying over head and is more computer literate than I am

Bleurgh. Thinking about what to write. Seeing too many interpersonal relationships degenerate over one person wanting to be right at all costs. Technically they are but ethically, not so much Why can't we just live and let live? Why do people get enjoyment out of others having to capitulate to keep the peace?it's very short lived. I think the next issue and insecurity resurface quickly. I wish they world wasn't this way. That the meek didn't have to rise up uncharacteristically to defend themselves. They would much rather avoid confrontation. But if won't go away despite your best attempts at appeasement and it starts to affect those in your care that are more vulnerable, then your hackles rise(whatever they are) and your instinct to keep your head below the parapet is over ridden.

216 words is too short for a blog post. 600 -800 is much better. I'm currently reading Penelope Trunks posts about most people not making money directly from blogging even though she is one of the few that does. She could spend up to three hours  on a post and her editor(she is at that level she has one for her blog) could veto it if he thinks its crazy. She still gets the final though. She homeschools her children. If I mention homeschooling to my daughter she tells me they need to get a school because she likes the social part of it even though she is an introvert .  Plus she has a short commute, with lovely bus drivers , kind of enough to drop her her Grandparents if she wants.
Some of the blogs I originally read were on FB. They have started to monetise their pages though selling products with some of the proceeds going to charity. They originally took off due to posts going viral. They tend to blog about their families showing all the bits most Mommy Bloggers don't. Or through satire https://www.facebook.com/peterandjaneandmummytoo/.The Daily Mail does not tend to like them. Even though they have their own version with Liz Jone's column. All of them , including Liz Jones,tend to polarise opinions

I have been reading alot of blogs lately. Mostly because I no longer have the attention span (or don't make the time )for books. Upon discovering one I like I read it surreptitiously any chance I get until I've read the whole blog. Then I'm a bit bored because producing good content takes time and I've out-read the bloggers. I'm fascinated by what people will put out there not so much because I'm shocked at the content but more so that that they open themselves up to such widescale trolling. In fact I tend to just avoid the comments on controversial posts as it just makes me feel physically ill. I used to write but haven't done anything worthwhile in a long time. I've been working on a local history project which I can self publish on Amazon .Then I can say to myself that I have written a book and possibly pretend that's what I've have been doing for the last ten years. I've sent a few short pieces into magazines , readers tips etc and Chicken Soup for the Soul. If I don't hear back from them its as good as a rejection letter. A few more weeks before I will know. Writing is work and I'm not putting in the hours right now