h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Now where is time? I am working outside my home again. Have to drive 40 minutes to get there and, of course, 40 minutes back. That is what tires me more than the job itself which is only sitting in front of a computer and translate a whole afternoon long! I wonder if I shall ever be able to 'retire' and sit back without HAVING to do anything ..... Maybe when I am a hundred years old... who knows?

Hi F, Yep! I know what you mean, I used to do a 2 hour drive when I was working at Nigg Bay up in the Highlands of Scotland? Then when the winter came I had to get into digs as the drive was just impossible in the winter time
Then when I was working down south, I used to do a 200 mile drive home every Friday night, and then leave again on the Sunday night to drive back again.
The 12 hour shifts took their toll as well, Ah! but I was a lot younger then
Smudger.

Thanks for your sympathy. Yes, you did have a hard time, but, as you said, you were younger. I am 70 now (I admit), but it is doing me a world of good. It lifted my self esteem, made me feel needed and my work valued. The money is good too, but in the first place was what I knew it would do for me when I was asked and accepted. You see,in my prayers I had asked to be taken out of the house and God found the only crazy person (a man I work at home for since '82) to want me in the office again. After all, look at my age, who would hire me except he? I am pretty happy and don't have to live anymore with all the little nuisances at home, that my daughter and grandson cannot do without. I feel quite myself again. I even got used to driving through the heavy traffic in the city again (which I had avoided for years). The only thing that makes me panic is when I get stuck on a viaduct, on the way up! But I have decided to avoid that in the future. If I see everybody stuck, I'll drive to the right of it, take a way around and avoid getting into that situation again. I will just have to accept that this is my reality and run from it. Why not? Happy New Year to you and your wife! Love, F

Hi F, It must be great to feel wanted and useful again I admire your determination to do all that
I wish I could be more like that, but when I find myself in a crowded area I start to take a panic attack, and have to get away from it all.

I really do enjoy driving though, in fact I always have, trouble is I dont get much opportunity these days. I even thought of going for a job where I could drive, even if it was a van, but then my back problem spoils that Then that other problem I have with them mood swings which are a side effect of that PTSD that they say I have?

As I can only sit still for short periods, and would have to stop and walk about to stretch my spine again. I cant even sit in the same position for long either, that's why I just love this lap-top as I can move around it a lot better than a desk top
Geez! I must stop complaining about my health
Smudger.

Hi Smudger, panic is a pain in the a... as my husband used to say, or pain in the neck, if you wish. I have it too since he died and that was in '79. Nobody has been able to do anything about it. Now we have had all these free days here and there I went and got a lousy cold yesterday. So, to work today instead of sleeping, reading, sleeping, reading and eating. That promptly let the fear come up because I just might feel bad far away from home....(and home seems to be safe, does it not?) Yes, I battle against that too. I do not wish it on anybody. My back is not so good either, but till now I could manage it with cushions and being careful of where I sit and how I sit. Getting old is certainly not much fun, I guess, only if you are healthy and happy, but there are so few people who get all that. I do not want to complain either, I have to think positive, consider myself lucky, much luckier than many people and thank God for everything he has given me and is still giving me. Hope your wife is getting better and, yes, what does PTSD mean? Anyway, lets all wish for 2008 being as good a year as possible! Love, F

Hi F, Sorry to hear about you cold, not much having one of them Yes I make the best of the good days as well, and am looking forward to the good weather so as we can both get away from this house, and the area, (we had a stabbing incident here yesterday, police all over the place, they even took away our video tape, as we have set up a camera ever since last March, when we first got our windows smashed)

Oh! I almost forgot, type PTSD into Google, that will tell you all about it
Smudger.