Here’s hoping you all have a fantastic “Feeling Great” day

more about “Here’s hoping you all have a fantasti…“, posted with vodpod

Here’s a quick pick me up for all my midlife friends.  While watching this video take three deep breaths. Relax and focus on your physical psyche. Enjoy the way you feel and believe you are strong and healthy. Self empowerment is strong within you. This is mind power. The more you watch the better you will feel.  Toe-tapping music too.  Have a fantastic “Feeling Great” day.

Read Full Post »

More than 23,000 midlifers caught red handed every year

New Government figures this week reveal that more middle aged people (over the age of 40) than ever before are being “criminalised” by target-chasing police here in the UK.  How many exactly?  65 of us to be precise, every day.  That’s more than 23,000 “midlifers caught red handed” every year.  Incredible.

Problem is, you see, midlifers are sitting ducks.  We tend not to run away from our beliefs and generally have the courage of our convictions, which is getting us into hot water.

After decades of abiding by the law, midlife people are being deliberately targeted and punished for crimes such as motoring offences or refusing to pay wheelie-bin fines.  These are classed as “solved” crimes and tick all the boxes for the police force.  The Labour government’s targets give the same weight to catching a speeding motorist as to snaring a rapist or paedophile. We’re looking at grossly unfair mass criminalisation here guys.

Not surprising then that complaints against the police have risen, with much of the increase coming from law-abiding, middleclass, middle-aged and retired people who no longer feel the police are on their side.

I’d like to hear from any midlifer who has personal experience of our over-enthusiastic, box-ticking policing system please.  I’ll be sharing mine with you shortly.

Read Full Post »

Armand Van Helden & A-TRAK Present Duck Sauce – aNYway

What a great sound.  And check out the fancy foot moves in this music video – Armand Van Helden & A-TRAK Present Duck Sauce – aNYway.  This midlifer can remember when dancing like this was the norm.  Let me know what you think of it please midlife friends.

more about “Armand Van Helden & A-TRAK Present Du…“, posted with vodpod

 

Read Full Post »

Make It Mine – Jason Mraz

Everyone, even my midlife friends, will be familiar with “I’m Yours” from Jason Mraz.  This track “Make It Mine” from last year’s album “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things” may not be so familiar unless you bought the album.  I just love the instrumentals on it.

more about “Make It Mine Video by Jason Mraz – My…“, posted with vodpod

 

Read Full Post »

New boots?

Me: What would you like for your birthday?

Daughter: I’d really like some new boots please.

Me: Have you got a hole in your wellies?  (She’s a horticulturalist)

Daughter: NO! I’ve seen some lovely black leather ones with huge high heels.

Me (thinking): I’ll not be borrowing those then.

Read Full Post »

Counting my midlife blessings

It’s a habit, a good one I think.  It’s something I’ve always done on automatic pilot; sort of built in, but it’s only as I’ve reached middle age that I understand how important it really is.  My daughter asked me yesterday as we were waiting at a pedestrian crossing in the car, ” What do you think it is that makes a woman’s face look that way when she’s old?”

I was thinking exactly the same thing at exactly the same moment.  The woman crossing the road in front of us had a face all sucked in, turned down and miserable looking.  Have you noticed that about some middle aged and older people?  It looked like this woman was wearing all the troubles of the whole world on her face.  Either that or someone had hit her with a shovel.

It seems to me that the more we dwell on the shit that life deals out to us, the more we look like it.  As a family we’ve had more than our fair share of troubles over the years.  And you know what, I refuse to lie down and just take it.  Bottom line in any dire situation – “Will this kill me?”  Every time the answer is “No, it won’t actually”.

My midlife habit then, in fact my whole lifetime habit, is counting my blessings every day, properly, be glad about all the good stuff, embrace new things, smile, laugh out loud, enjoy every aspect of life.  If you really do believe that life is good then it is.  Simple.

Read Full Post »

It is still possible to live the “Good Life”

Called to see some friends for coffee yesterday afternoon.  They have a new puppy and that was part of the reason for the visit.  I first saw him a few weeks ago when he was a lovely lollopy little thing; can’t believe how much he’s grown since and he’s absolutely gorgeous.  It was, of course, also good to see old friends and catch up with all the local midlife news.

Whilst visiting it occurred to me yet again that the way these midlifers live their lives is amazing.  If anyone remembers the UK TV series “The Darling Buds of May” then you’ll immediately think “nostalgia”, of living in the country, growing your own produce and having a relatively simple yet very satisfying lifestyle.  It’s also hard work!

This time of year is particularly busy for the family.  Cider is made from the apples from the orchard (standing at about 40 gallons right now!), using a home made apple press.  Dozens of jars of plum jam are already stored in the pantry, and wine making is in full production using every type of fruit, vegetable and flower available at this time of the year from our wonderful rural surroundings.

Big baskets of apples stand on the courtyard ready for storage for the winter; I came home with a bag full of Bramley’s which make delicious apple sauce to accompany winter dinners.  But much more than that, I came home with a warmth in my heart.  I always do.  I am transported back to the world in which I myself grew up.  Open fires; big cooking range; healthy wholesome food; huge family dining table; Wellington boots; dogs; cats; chickens and geese.

And the warmth generated in their home is a natural, sincere, relaxed affair, born out of a lifetime of hard work and lovingly bringing up a family.  Many thanks to both of these dear middle aged friends for yesterday’s boost in the arm.  And for the reality check that this crazy midlifer needs every now and again.

Read Full Post »

Spotted this afternoon in local woods – midlife guy on his knees

Now that’s what I like to see – a man on his knees.  It went something like this:

Me: “So, let me guess, you’re on your knees praying to God that you don’t end up gnarled and wizened like that chunk of tree you’re looking at.  Right?”

Midlife Guy: “F**k off!”

Closer examination revealed that he was taking a shot of the dead tree branch for his midlife photo collection.

Read Full Post »

Midlife grump over disappearance of car

You know there’s no hope when your kids fight over which one of them is going to drive your car.  Next time you look it’s gone from the drive on some jaunt.  And they don’t ask if I’d maybe wanted to use it myself.  They think I don’t actually have anywhere to go.  Need some new rules around here.  Need to buy a wheel clamp too.

Read Full Post »

Geek needed to invent Time Machine please

I want a time machine please

It seems only a short time ago that parties were thrown to welcome in this century.  And here we are almost at the end of the first decade of it.  Crazy.  Where did all that time go?  And how will it be remembered?

It will no doubt be remembered like most decades before it for the landmark happenings that occurred:  September 11^th 2001; the Madrid and the London bombings; the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004; the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; 2007’s economic downturn and the current world recession to name but a few.

It may well be remembered as a decade of technological advancement, but in my view most of the new-fangled technology of the 2000s only really helps us to do what we could already do, but at a faster speed or by using an alternative method.

It could go down as the decade in which the masses really did become aware of how vulnerable our planet is.  You’d have to live in a cave not to have heard of “climate change” and “global warming” and “carbon footprint”.

And what name tag will be given to the first decade of the 21^st century?  Don’t think it will be “swinging” as in the Sixties, or “hungry” as in the Thirties.  The decade has already been labelled the “Noughties” – a terrible name, which will no doubt, God help us, be followed by the “Teenies”.

For this midlife writer the “Noughties” have passed too quickly; I’m finding that as I get older time just keeps on speeding up.  We’ve moved house three times.  My children have gone from kids to adults.  Our business has developed, grown and diversified.  And life just keeps whizzing along at one hell of a pace, dragging me with it albeit as a willing and active participant.  It’ll be interesting to see how historians eventually label this small slice of time – “breakneck” or “lightning” spring to my mind.

Over the coming decade I’d like all geeks involved in technological development to ease up looking at how things we already have can be improved further, and concentrate instead on new inventions please.  I’d give good money for a proper, full-on, time machine.  One which goes only backwards in time will be fine; I’m not too bothered about seeing into the future because I’ll get there sooner than I want to anyway.  Even a simple, easy to use, time-pausing gadget would do me.  Just so I can fully savour and enjoy time, and maybe slow it down a tad.

Read Full Post »