dailyprompt

Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc.

My first day at university was one of the most exciting days of my life. It was Wednesday 31st August 1994 and I was registering to do a B.A. ( Hons ) in humanities at Queens University, Belfast. I had already been accepted and it was time to fill in the paperwork.

As I was driving there I heard an announcement on the car radio that the IRA had called a complete cessation of military activities, in other words a ceasefire. It was only to last until February 1996 but it gave some hope that a permanent ceasefire could be achieved.

I was 45 at the time and my course would be part time, over 4 years, as I was working full time.

I couldn’t believe I was actual there, I had left school at 16 due to friction at home which you may or may not have read about in my Memories blog.

I had supported by husband though his degree and PhD and now it was my turn to fulfill my dream of going to university.

We were shown round the various lecture theatres and given a list of subjects for the first semester. I couldn’t wait to get started.

I had seen Educating Rita at least three times and could picture myself asking extremely probing questions of my lecturers. I walked round the quadrangle picturing myself at the garden party after my graduation. I had been at my husband’s so I knew the drill. I also made many good friends on that first day and we supported each other through the years.

I graduated in 1999 having had to take a break for a while as my mother had a stroke and my mother in law developed dementia but I persevered and got there in the end.

It’s never too late to follow your dreams.

What’s your favorite cartoon?

I’m really showing my age now but my favourite cartoon back in the day was Top Cat or TC to his friends. His cat friends and part of a gang had names such as Fancy-Fancy, Spook, Benny the Ball, Brain, and Choo-Choo.

They were constantly being chased by Officer Dibble as they created chaos in the Manhattan alley where they lived.

I just checked and can’t believe that this series was first shown in 1961/ 62 when I was only 12 so I’m surmising it was probably shown in the UK many years later.

Also it had a very catchy intro. See below. Loved it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=top+cat+theme+song&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:68920de0,vid:6fvhLrBrPQI,st:0

What could you do less of?

That’s an easy one to answer.

I could do much less of scrolling through social networks, mostly X and Facebook and to a lesser extent Bluesky.

I panic if I haven’t my phone and can’t check if there is any breaking news.

Once I start scrolling I find it hard to stop.

One tweet leads to another and the tweet may contain a link to an interesting article and I’m engaged for quite a while.

I used to reply to tweets but there are so many trolls on line, I’ve cut back a lot and so I just compose a tweet but rarely send it. Elon Musk has a lot to answer for.

I could also do less worrying. I worry about my family when they are out at night. I find it hard to sleep until I know they are home safe. I’m better not knowing when they go out. I’m sure the last thing they think about is granny lying awake wondering if they’ve got home safely.

So I could do less scrolling and a lot less worrying.

What positive events have taken place in your life over the past year?

I made it to my birthday on Valentine’s Day. A positive event.

As I’m retired most positive events are lived vicariously through my children and grandchildren.

However I walked 100k during the month of June and raised over £1000 for Dementia UK.

I started writing ✍️ again.

Every day is a positive event when you get to 75 so I’m enjoying wakening up every morning and looking forward to any more positive events the day may have for me.

Do you ever see wild animals?

No except on the television.

We don’t have wild animals in Ireland, although some of our human inhabitants could on occasions be likened to wild animals.

We have a zoo but I don’t like seeing wild animals in captivity so I haven’t visited a for a long time.

I am very happy watching David Attenborough and is wonderful programmes about wild life.

Share five things you’re good at.

I’m not very good at blowing my own trumpet but I consider myself to be quite good at blogging and telling stories. Over 60000 have watched my video blog on YouTube and 30000 have read my blogs so I must be doing something right.

I’m not a bad cook, not cordon bleu but good wholesome tasty food.

I’m a good photographer. I’m just an amateur but manage to produce some very interesting photos.

I’m good at cleaning. My house is always spotless although my husband is a great help and is a mean hand with a hoover, well actually a Sharp.

Finally cause I’m running out of things, I’m a good wife, mammy and granny and I’m a good friend who will do my best to help out when the need arises.

What is one thing you would change about yourself?

I don’t think there is anything I would change about myself. To change anything would take away from who I am.

But …

I could be less trusting but then I wouldn’t have learned who my real friends were.

I could say no more often to the many requests to help out when others need me but then I’d feel guilty and I do like helping others.

I know I’m over generous to my children and my grandchildren but I love to see them getting the things I didn’t get as a child.

I probably could lose about 2 stone but then I would look gaunt and I do enjoy my food so I wouldn’t change my eating habits as long as I stay healthy.

We are all born with flaws and these flaws form our personality. Changing anything about ourselves might be for the better but it could also take away what makes us unique.

I’ll stay as I am. Too late now to change. It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. 🫢

Are you more of a night or morning person?

Already answered this promt so in case you didn’t see it ;

Not a Morning Person

What technology would you be better off without, why?

I’d be a lot better off without my iPhone.

I spend far too much time on social media. It keeps me awake at night scrolling through tweets on Bluesky and X. I even check it when I wake during the night.

In fact I’m constantly checking for messages, news and just generally checking.

I come from a generation that queued up outside a red telephone booth to make a phone call and you only phoned home if there was an emergency. I managed perfectly well until the birth of the iPhone. I was actually able to go places without my parents knowing where I was.

I think being so easily contacted can be a good thing but can also feel suffocating in that you can never get away from the hustle and bustle of life.

Hold on my phone is buzzing, have to go!!

What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? Why?

I think the hardest decision I had to make was not returning to work after my first baby was born. We only had one salary coming in and in those days it wasn’t enough to keep us. Husband was doing overtime to boost his salary.

I had signed on as available to work and was sent for interviews by the employment office. I was allowed three refusals and if I didn’t take the next job my money from the state would stop.

I was offered all three jobs and turned them down and then it was decision time. Did I take the job and not have to worry about the money or did I turn it down and choose to stay with my daughter.

I decided to stay at home and be with my daughter. Money was tight and more so when baby No 2 arrived but it was the best if not one of the hardest decisions I ever made.

Well that and having all my bottom teeth out, but that’s another story which you can find in a previous blog.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. Sorry you have to have Trump as your President.