I'm slightly heartbroken to announce that these aren't mine anymore. After 8 years in my job (and most of the last 18 years with the company), I unlocked for the last time this morning. 

My job was made redundant, and unfortunately when roles go, people have to go too. 

I'm dissapointed to be leaving. They were a graet company to work for. But, I'm leaving with some amazing memories, and more good friends than anyone deserves. 

To those of you still there, good luck for the future, it's an exciting time for the company, and I'm looking forward to watching the progress from the sidelines. Xx

Playing with perspective

My friend and I did each other a favour on Tuesday. I picked her son up from Meithrin (Welsh nursery) and babysat him for a few hours to give her enough time to be able to do something she needed to do. In return, I got to have one of my favourite honorary nephews to myself. It worked out perfectly for both of us.

While there's nowhere in the world I would rather have been that afternoon, I'd left a behind a to do list at work that was longer than I would have liked, and had a similarly long "life admin" list that I needed to tackle once my wee friend had been handed back to his Mama. Both of these lists were swirling around in my head as I left work, drove to the neighbourhood, then walked at near lightspeed (I hate the mere possibility of being late anyway, but when I'm collecting a child I'm ridiculously obsessed with being early) to the nursery. I was still mentally prioritising things (they all felt like they were either "urgent", "important", or both) when the kiddos were released, and Jumping Bean (Not his real name)! trotted over to me. 

He was done. I could tell just by looking at him. Nursery is exhausting when you're 3 1/3. 

Being 3, Jumping Bean only has little legs. Little legs that don't walk particularly quickly on a normal day, and that slow down to a metaphorical crawl when they're tired. The change in pace was notable to say the least. 

It could have seriously frustrating. But thankfully, it had the opposite effect. I had little choice but to slow down, both physically and mentally. And as I did, I started to appreciate the way Jumping Bean sees the world every day. 

We stopped to talk to a very exciting looking digger parked in the street. It didn't talk back, but that didn't matter. We stood on the railway bridge and waved a train as it moved away from us. The train driver didn't see us and didn't beep the horn, but that didn't matter either. We stopped to watch a worm wriggling. We found the house key that mama had left for us, and called it a treasure hunt.
We ate lunch and were excited that there was a new packet of yogurts with a choice of ALL the flavours.

We spent the best part of 45 minutes playing with a box, purely because we could.

Little things to an adult, but marvellous adventures to a small child. I was rather sad when I had to give him back.

Do you remember those lists? The ones that had occupied most of my thoughts a few hours earlier? The ones that were full of "all the urgent and important things"? Suddenly, nothing on them seemed critical anymore. Perspective is wonderful thing. I love talking to people with different life experiences to my own, but I'd forgotten how wonderful and exciting the world is when viewed through the eyes of a small child, and I was grateful for this timely reminder.

Is anyone else a fan of Myers Briggs testing?

If you've not heard of it before, Myers Briggs is a type of psychometric testing that looks at personality types. That sounds a little intimidating, but it's really not. It's just posh sounding way of assessing how you view and interact with the world around you.

I found out my MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) about 7 or so years ago, and it has really helped me to understand myself, why I respond to situations in the ways I do, and how I interact with the world and other people. I can really recommend it if you're remotely interested in stuff like that. Or if you're like me and just nosey.

Does anyone else know their MBTI?

(For the record, I'm an ISTJ).

You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.

People often say that "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone", and I've certainly been reminded of this over the past fortnight. Two weeks ago, I tool a VERY undignified tumble down the stairs at home. As well as denting my ego, I bruised my coccyx (tailbone). I've been unable to sit 'straight' ever since, and as a result, have also been unable to drive.

I've always loved my car. It's nothing special, it's 12 years old and third hand. It doesn't have air con, sat nav, MP£ connectivity or anything fancy. But it's MINE, and to me it's always meant freedom. Freedom to take jobs in neighbouring cities, or (in the case of my current job) on 'off the beaten track' industrial estates. The ability to visit friends who've moved to other parts of the country on the weekend. A safe way to go anywhere I want early in the morning or late at night. Basically, an easy way to transport anything or anyone I want to to wherever I might want to go whenever I might want to go there. I hadn't realised quite what a part of my normal routine this had become.

I'm trying really hard to use this as a life lesson, and to keep a good attitude. Firstly, it's a temporary situation. Healing is likely to take a number of weeks, and although I'd have preferred 'days' over 'weeks', it's still a temporary situation, and will heal eventually. Some people aren't as lucky with their health and mobility.

Secondly, I have a car to call my own. Again, not everyone is so fortunate.

Thirdly, it's reminded me that I have great friends, great colleagues and a a great partner. I've struggled to get to and from work a couple of times, but it's always worked out in the end, and it's been lovely to have seen how willing people have been to help me out.

I've ordered a coccyx cushion that I hope will make my desk job more comfortable, and as a result, speed up the healing process. Does anyone with any experience of Coccydynia have any other advice?