50 Shades of Grey

Happy New Year!  2023 has started, like all other years, with false promises, fireworks and exuberance, followed by the slow realisation that January seemingly lasts forever.  January is the greyest of months (aside from Blue Monday).  The gloom is real.

OK, I'm exaggerating a little.  Our birthdays fall in January - 5 days apart - so cake and presents provide a welcome boost.

This year is a landmark birthday.  Having been knocking around for half a century, do I feel any wiser?  Perhaps.  Judge for yourselves.  I woke up 2 days before my birthday and decided that what needed to happen that day, was for me to have my hair cut into a "shag" - a follicular return to the decade of my birth.

One impulsive phone call and 2 hours later, ta-da!  Nice and wavy in this photo.  It won't last.  Hopefully not a case of act in haste, repent at leisure.

The hope is that my unruly hair with its tendency to frizz, will respond more positively to this cut with its movement and texture.  My hair has always occupied the awkward middle ground between my Mom's poker straight hair and my Dad's (and paternal grandmother's) naturally wavy hair.  A little insight.  I have a section of hair, hidden from view, that looks just like corrugated iron when first washed.

Anyway, off the top of my head, here are 50 things I've learned (I'm sure there are more, but I'm at that tricky age and the memory isn't what it once was):-

1.  If everyone secretly pocketed a piece of Hadrian's Wall at the age of 5, where would we be?

2.  Camping sorts out problem sleep.

3.  No matter how hard I try, I will never like olives, or Sting.

4.  Work smart.

5.  Be a good listener.

6.  Smiling opens doors.

7.  Respect should be earned, not demanded.

8.  Drink more water.

9.  Don't expect too much from others.  Humans are fundamentally flawed.

10. Don't wash your hair too often.

11.  Walking in fresh air - rain or shine - is a great leveller.

12.  Parenting is hard.

13.  Take care of your spine.  Try not to sit down for longer than 20 minutes.  Ice not heat packs for injury.

14.  Friendships are possible at any stage in life and no less valuable the later they are formed.

15.  People aren't all good or all bad, but they are often surprising.

16.  I often prefer the company of animals to humans.

17.  I am a mass of contradictions.

18.  Dogs love you no matter what.  Cats however, prefer to keep you on your toes with unpredictable behaviour, an obsession with boxes, stealing your body heat and frequently thinking about killing you.  

19.  Time goes faster the older you get.

20.  Ignore fashion rules, but don't ignore your instincts.

21.  We all turn into our parents.

22.  Be curious.

23.  Books are like little worlds we can inhabit for a time.

24.  Sulking is futile and a little dull.  Let it out; air your grievances, but try to be kind.

25.  Don't underestimate a quality pillow.

26.  Our islands are beautiful.  Our leaders are not.

27.  Politics isn't a calling, but a career option.

28.  Our personalities and tastes are always evolving.

29.  Poetry is a wonderful form of creative expression and there really is something for everyone.

30.  Paranormal activity is real.

31.  Graveyards are endlessly fascinating.  

32.  Appreciate and embrace patina.

33.  We never learn from history, but it's important to keep trying.

34.  Take vitamin D from April to October.

35.  Brushing teeth and gums at night, as well as being hygienic, reduces your risk of heart disease.

36.  Always have lemons and garlic in store.

37.  Cherries are good for the pancreas.

38.  I much prefer geeks and weirdos.

39.  Don't discuss or make a god of money.  Don't be a bore!

40.  There is always an element of luck in success.

41.  Be frugal with advice and generous with your time. 

42.  People are generally rubbish at keeping secrets, so if you wear your heart on your sleeve, do so with eyes wide open.

43.  Make room in your life for the people who make you laugh.

44.  Be creative...find your thing.  It helps keep you sane.

45.  Be bold and say "yes" more often.

46.  The thrill of discovering am amazing second hand bargain or vintage find, surpasses any other short lived shopping thrill.

47.  The thing I would now prize most above all else is the secret to not worrying.

48.  In my head, I'm still 19.

49.  It is what it is.

50.  Cillian Murphy's eyes really are that blue.

If you're still with me, thanks for reading.  I'll be back with a more substantive post very soon.