Got to keep moving

It’s seven o’clock in the morning and the sun is rising. It’s near the end of January, so I think this is probably standard for this time of year. I never noticed before, so I cannot say otherwise. Whether it is, or is not, it is nice to observe.

It’s a brisk morning though and one can feel the chill in the air. I like it. I find that the colder air is also the freshest air. I found this to be true wherever I lived. Although, I only lived in two provinces and three cities. But I would think, discussing this with others, it is much the same anywhere in Canada. It was why I enjoyed shoveling snow as often as I did when I was much younger and in my twenties. I liked the cold fresh air that winter brought that’s a strange think I know for one to enjoy shoveling so much. But I did.

By shoveling snow, I discovered that it gave me time to reflect on the day, or how I was doing or feeling. It was good exercise too. I felt tired but re-energized too (exercise does that – it revitalizes you). When I used to workout in the gym, I would hit the zone. I was tired, but I would get in the groove and I found I enjoyed exercising.

Unfortunately, those days are gone. On cold and/or wet days, my osteoarthritis prevents me from much movement, but I discovered that I need to fight the urge not too move. At the very least, I should walk more (Others with cerebral palsy have warned me of the urge to be stagnated and not wishing to move more). I am trying, but I find it tiring and frustrating. Still, I must prod on and keep moving. Perhaps the coming warmer temperatures will help motivate me. I should at least try a little bit every day.

I guess that’s good advice for anyone, “Keep moving people.”
—Robert Confiant 29 January 2019

My cat gave us a scare

My partner called me at work to tell me Terra, my cat was throwing up a lot yesterday. I have to say, “I was a bit worried.” However, when I returned home, she was eating and then she went to lie down. The stuff in her litter this morning told me there were no issues in that department. Still, I will keep a watch out for the next few days and take her to the vet next week if I need to.

Terra block

Terra is not a lap Kittie. She’s never been one. She likes having someone around, but other than a few moments of affection, she just doesn’t her thing (mainly sleep). She is getting older and she is a bit more affectionate than when she was younger, but that’s it.
I can t we Lloyd she enjoys having someone home because she is a different cat since my partner came into the picture almost seven and a half years now. She seems more comforted (I worked long days with a fairly long commute and if I went out, then I wouldn’t get home until 8 or 9 pm, but this was only once or twice a week – sometimes three). That’s a long time for a cat to be alone. That has all changed now and Terra seems happier.

Terra is getting older one day she will get really old and possibly sick. I know that day is coming. I am not looking forward to it, but it is in the back of my mind. Hopefully, it is still a long way off.

Terra may not be the most affectionate cat, but she’s a good girl. I would miss her if she were gone.
—Robert Confiant 24 January 2019

I couln’t sleep

solitude I awoke from a dream last night, and try as I might, I couldn’t get back to sleep. I cannot even remember what the dream was about. I am forty minutes from the alarm, and I have been awake since 3:30 am. There is no sense going back to bed. I will pay for this lack of sleep later today. Oh well, I am not going to worry about it. I figured I might as well write.

Yesterday was a busy day at work. I am still trying to play catch up. I have put a good dent in the amount of work I had to catch up on what with the Christmas closing for a week and me taking the following week off. My co-worker returned on the same day I did – the 7th of January. We came back to a lot of work. I have caught up on the important stuff, but the everyday menial tasks; well, that’s another story. I did complete one part yesterday and it felt good to have completed the task (Sorry dear reader, I am being vague here I know, but it is just part of the everyday clerical task of informing clients they need to obtain a business licence). I hope to tackle the current outstanding payments and the returned mail in the coming weeks by doing a little bit of each everyday until they are complete while staying on top of all the new stuff coming into the office on a daily basis.

The work load has been extremely busy because my co-worker and I have been doing more of the load than usual. We’ve been short-handed for seven months and they just re-posted the vacant position before Christmas, so the process of hiring someone has to being again. I am finding this frustrating, but it’s beyond my control. I just do what I can do and try not to fret about it too much. It is strange though, usually we have two slow periods throughout the year to catch up and catch our breathes, but there was only onetime last year and it only lasted two weeks. It hasn’t slowed down since September. I don’t see it slowing down in the near future.

None of this was what I dreamed about, but it is on my mind this may be indirectly keeping me up. Who can say?
—Robert Confiant 22 January 2019

Nothing special

I have a buddy who once stated that I should write about my life, but my life; well, it’s boring. Truly, I am not understating here. Most days are the same, I get up, go to work, come home, surf the net or write, and then I go to bed. On weekends, I generally get up with my partner, have coffee, and go back to bed after he has left for work, then I get up again, surf the net most of the day or write, or clean the apartment. See, my life is boring.

leaving

What my friend really wants me to write is the real story. The struggles and preservation to achieve my goals. If you are a regular reader to my blog, then you already know I have spastic cerebral palsy (CP) which affects my legs, but more so my right leg. I have had 10 operations on my legs with 3 on my left leg and 7 on my right leg; sometimes I had the operations on both legs at the same time (3 times to be exact).

Life with CP hasn’t been easy. It’s been a struggle at time. I have had to work harder than most people just to do the simple every day life things like putting on socks and shoes. For me this is a biggie, putting on socks and shoes, it takes me more time than the average person and sometimes I get the shakes which make it worst and it makes me have to do numerous attempts at putting them on.

I have learned much by being a person with CP. It is this that my friend wishes me to write about. I could write a whole volume about overcoming one’s limitations, about never giving up easily (perseverance), and doing all this and remaining humble, happy and well adjusted. I don’t believe I am that spectacular. We all have our issues and no one said life would be easy. I feel the same as everyone else. I don’t see myself as any different than anyone else. I have a physical disability which I cannot hide; others have issues they maybe able to hide, but they are real whether they be psychological, emotional or spiritual. Most of us are dealing with some issue or other. We are all humans just trying to make our way through life the best way we know how.

It’s nothing new, life. Life is what it is. I struggle sometimes, but there have been great times too. Life is what it is. We can only prod along the best way we can. See, there is nothing special or extraordinary about life. We all have one and we all are just figuring things out as we go along.
—Robert Confiant 19 January 2019

What have I been up to?

What have I been up to? “Really I haven’t been up to much,” I am afraid to say. Until this week, I was off work and I did nothing but watched too much YouTube. Normally I would feel guilty for this; however, it was much needed down time as work had been very busy and we were doubly short handed with one position being vacant and another person being away on vacation.

Awake and writing

It’s a new year and a new start. I need to grasp this chance while I can. We are still extremely busy at work, so until we catch up, I find myself not wanting to do much when I get home.

In the next few weeks, I hope to get back into writing more seriously than I have been. Some of the stuff I will publish here while other stuff I will try to get published. I am planning to retire in three years come April and I hope to make writing a new career sort of speak.

That’s it for me now. I hope you all have a blessed and good year. If you’re struggling currently, there is no shame in asking for help even if it is only to vent to a sympathetic ear.

Lots of love.
—Robert Confiant 9 January 2019

Getting philosophical

Thinking

For every query there is an answer, although that answer maybe a long time coming. Some answers are easily Googled; while some require life experience, whether from learning through experience, or by asking someone else. Some questions maybe answered through learning; while still other questions maybe answered in another life (near or at the time of death). Full acknowledgement here, I grew up Catholic and then went Christian, and I currently state that I am “Spiritual,” in that I don’t practice any religion, but I believe in God. Hence is why I state, “Near or at death.”

I have always believed one should strive to better oneself, either from learning, reading, or asking questions. I think this is our main purpose in life. I have never stopped question – Why are we here? What is our purpose? What is the meaning of life? In my journey of self improvement, I have employed many resources. There is schooling, reading, the “School of hard knocks,” which seems to be my go-to method, to be quite frankly about it, and seeking answers from others either though discussion, or debate. The internet can be a great resource, but one must weed out the B’s by referencing, and questioning and weeding out the illegitimate answers.

I read a lot. The news, philosophical articles, fiction (a lot of Sci-Fi and Fantasy). One may be surprised just how philosophical Sci-Fi books can be. I actually took a course at university which discussed the philosophical issues mentioned in Sci-Fi novels called, “The philosophy of Science Fiction.” We discussed such issues as: Sentience, cognizance, the meaning of life and death, morality, time travel, etc. I t was an enjoyable and interesting course, although I read a lot, and wrote numerous long papers on these subjects.

But in self improvement, one cannot limit oneself to just learning. One should consider how one interacts with other people. We are a social being after all – No one is an island. So, interacting with others is an important aspect of life. I strive for the motto, “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” This notion is not easily lived by, but I do my best to keep this tenant. For someone of little patience, this is not an easy task, but I keep trying to improve. Trust me, sometimes this is difficult to do as I am not always patient with others. Still, I have to keep at it. I am good at keeping at things.

I will be on the journey of self improvement until my dying breathe. It is how I have lived my life. I do not see this changing at this stage of life.
—Robert Confiant 17 December 2018

I don’t like asking for help

RobertConfiant

Three days ago, I wrote about work load and stressing out. It occurred to me afterwards that the reason I take on such unrealistic amount of work, or why I hate to quit something I am doing is that I don’t like to ask for help, or I don’t want to admit I can’t do something.

One might think this is due to pride and/or stubbornness and these reasons are probably somewhat valid. I take pride in what I do. I work hard, so why not? I am also very stubborn. I like my independence. There is nothing wrong with it.

The real reason I am stubborn is due to my Cerebral Palsy (CP). As a person with CP, I must be stubborn. Stubbornness is the one trait which keeps me going, or keep me at something. I don’t think I would be as independent, or have accomplished as much if I wasn’t as stubborn as I am. I message with other persons with CP on-line and most of them share this stubborn trait. It is what keeps us trying new things, or staying with doing difficult tasks. For most of us whose CP affects our legs, even something simple as putting on socks and shoes can be challenging. There are studies out there that prove people with CP use more energy to do every day task than people without physical disabilities. Most of us take this in stride, this is our “normal.” We don’t know any differently.

Stubbornness can be a good asset.
—Robert Confiant 15 December 2018