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First Draft: Becoming - Mystical Realisations

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First Draft: Moon of Change

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Category: Understanding Health

The First Time

It’s daunting, sitting here typing away the first piece of writing I’ve done in -what feels like ages.  It’s  been like months since I last wrote to you…so much has happened since then; my life warped in-front of my eyes as different lifestyles were thrown at me.  All of which I loved, yet was not enough for me to stay…  I have become my own martyr -my own hurdle.  Where stepping-stones tried to lead me home, I veered off the path, distracted by the many facets of what could be.  A Red Riding Hood losing track of time.  A child in a candy store.  A flightless bird left at sea.  A void in a bottomless pit.  A nothingness in the sea of digital living.  Life’s mysterious endeavours tried to overthrow me. Life did not succeed.
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Mind Matters – Isolation is a Terrible Beast

Dearest readers, as some of you may already know, I am fascinated by the workings of the human mind (always have); with my previous employment (Support Worker) I was fortunate enough to work with and support adults with numerous health conditions -including mental health. I witnessed, first hand, my own prejudice to mental health and also how ‘healthy’ people (within a professional field or not) overlooked (and still do) the simplest of needs these individuals have. Confused? Over the next few weeks/months (let’s see how I feel with my schedule), I hope to shed some light on human nature and how our mental state can develop or falter in certain situations/circumstances. Today I will attempt to analyse how isolation can be detrimental to your health and how a little outside influence can make a difference. Curious to know how? Let me explain.

Before we start, I do hope you have watched the video above (it’s about 6.30 minutes long and worth every viewed second); not watched it yet? Well, we can wait a few more minutes until you do. Ready? Ok then, here goes…

The video is a great example of how the human psyche can deteriorate without any stimulus. I hope in this article I will be able to explain this with clear evidence and insights from my observations on the job and my chance encounters in life with people I’ve met or those who are within my close family/friends circles.

During my time as a Support Worker, I have worked with many elderly and vulnerable adults, all with varying needs (some less, some more); however, what I noticed during my 5 year career-span was that they all had a common need, the need to not be isolated.

Isolated?

Yep, I too used to think that was absurd, surely they have loved ones who look after them and those care homes, they must be great…


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Roll-up, Roll-up, (My) Instacanv.as Gallery is now Open

Helloooooo to you all, hope you are well and are on target (for whatever it may be -seriously, I’m curious now, what are you all up to these days?  Leave a comment below and let’s have a conversation :D ).  If you all are asking about moi, these past few weeks I’ve been busy spending time with my family/friends (and Megan), writing, resting and snapping away taking pictures and editing them to my hearts’ content and then sharing them on instagram and here (when I have the time to do so).  This has fuelled my creative drive somewhat and other than the odd spurts of dizzy spells (which forces me away from my laptop and any long-burst of writing) I have been feeling rather positive about what is in store for me.  Getting back to my art and photography has become a blessing in disguise (as had my writing last year); being able to visualise and bring together images and create imagery which people appreciates’ has been extremely satisfying -as well as it has reminded me how much I missed just doing arty stuff.  So, this is me -in addition to my writing; I will be designing visual artworks when I cannot write anymore due to my dizzy-spells; hopefully my art will spur on my writing and vice-versa.
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Making Sense of Scheduling

Image linked to its' original source.

As you all know I have been struggling with keeping to my blog schedule –I’ve changed it a few times; but it’s not turned out quite to how I’ve envisioned it to be.  External factors (laptop problems & internet connection issues) and internal factors (my anxiety & bouts of low moods) have stepped in and hindered me somewhat –it’s been pretty depleting and has made me feel like quite a failure (which I know I am not) –therefore, I REALLY hate it.  For this reason I’ve come up with a cunning plan which will hopefully allow me to breathe and have fun with creating fun, thought-provoking and creative articles again –all with an element of surprise.  I’m DITCHING the pace of the schedule, what this essentially means is I will post articles when they are ready and not to a predefined schedule.  I am hoping this will help with lessening the anxiety I put on myself as I normally focus on trying to finish an article on time and then post it when I feel it’s not ready and needs more work.  By taking out the time-constraints I hope to not feel pressurised and in turn be more forthcoming with my article.  The only aspect of the schedule I will be keeping to is the themes.  This means when an article is ready for posting I will schedule it to be published on the relevant themed day. –so when you see a post on a Monday you will know is a Meandering Muse, Tuesdays will be challenge orientated and Flash Fictions, etc…I’m sure you get the idea.
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Guest Posting over at Rance Denton’ The Action Prose

Heya to all you lovely readers and wanderers of the blogosphere; today I’m guest blogging at The Action Prose as Rance Denton’ guest.  What a fabulous honour it is and a great opportunity to have a rant on a subject that I have been thinking about for some time now.  Please follow the link below by clicking on the title to read the article and say a quick ‘hello’ to Rance too (who is an awesome person, writer and blogger).

Opinions and Assholes: “Trust me, I’m a Doctor.”


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ROW80 Goals-A-Starting & NaNoWriMo-A-Decisions-A-Planning

Tricky Tuesday’s Treachery:  

Dearest readers/visitors, as you are aware I have been (and still am) busy with spending time with my family who have flown over from Turkey to see me; this has limited my time and therefore I have been unable to do my regular writing sprints.  This pattern is likely continue until next week.  (Apologies from now).  I will aim to do my best -though today I have noticed I am coming down with a cold/flu, have a sore throat (so annoying!) and my brain just wants to sleep (I’m doing my best to keep my eyes open whilst writing this).  Anyhoo, the reason for this post is to a) let you know why there may be some silence at my end (as explained above), b) what to expect and c) ROW80 has started too… :)

(As always, there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

ROW80:

ROW80 has started this week (Monday October 3rd 2011) and I have been sooo looking forward to it.  Due to my unexpected busy past week I have been unable to finalise my goals; therefore, I want to loosely write it here and once I get back into my routine (and feel a whole lot better after this pesky cold/flu) I hope to make more sense of the goals in my head.  In the meantime, if you want to take part in ROW80 but are still unsure what it is all about then head on over to the ROW80 webpage, follow the instructions (not that complicated) and sign up. :D

that complicated) and sign up. :D

My ROW80 Goals (for now):

  • Write at least three blog posts a week.
  • Write and edit at least one short story a week for the short stories book I’m planning to publish by the end of the year.
  • Start studying Tiffany Lawson’ (The Triple Threat Behind Staging A Scene, Oct. 2 – 30) online course.
  • Read at least 3 chapters per week of the book I’m doing for the beta-reading.
  • Start working effectively with my critique group.
  • Think about how feasible it will to take part in NaNoWriMo this year as I may have to go abroad in November to see my gran (unexpected plan).
  • Visit at least 5 blogs per day and comment on at least 3 posts.
  • Attend the ROW80 Twitter Party on October 5th 2011 (health permitting).  Why don’t you join us -further details can be found on Jenny Hansen’ blog.
  • Take two days off per week for family, friends and ME-time! :D

I will amend these goals in the next two weeks as I feel better and I fall back into my normal routine.

What to Expect…

I plan my next blog post to be on Friday (the final stage of the Fun Game: In Your Head), following that my 100th post should make an appearance on Sunday.  I am hoping to focus more on writing my stories, and getting them published more than just writing blog posts as I have done in the last round.  For this reason, I wanted to take part in NaNoWriMo this year but it seems the whole family will be coming together in Turkey to see my grandmother early November and I really want to go and see her.  This will mean I will have to forfeit NaNo as I am unlikely to have a space to sit down and type away (family gatherings are always so hectic and demanding) therefore, I am totally undecided and torn, any insightful suggestions will be gladly considered.  If I do take part in NaNoWriMo another thing I need to evaluate is my username, I signed up back on May 2011 with my alter-ego doodllz and now am wondering if I should use yikici instead.  I held it to a vote and the final count came to doodllz 4.5 and yikici 7; I am thinking if I do take part I could always sign under doodllz as yikici’ doodllz -what are your thoughts?

I best end this post here, I need to take herbal remedies, get ready and be prepared to do some more sight-seeing: Natural History Museum & The Science Museum.

Have a fabulous day.

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

***

What are your plans for this week and ROW80?  As you already know, thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as ‘all good discussions start with just one word‘.

Pdf document:  ROW80 Goals-A-Starting & NaNoWriMo-A-Decisions-A-Planning

If there is a topic you would like me to look into and explore in my own yikici-kind-of-way then please feel free to leave a suggestion in the comment box below or for those of you who are a wee bit shy drop me a line via my contact page or email me at admin[at]yikici[dot]co[dot]uk

Care to join me for some collaborative work or want to be a guest blogger?  If so, email me at the above address.

My Weekend X Factor Muse

Monday’s Meandering Musical Muse:

I’m going to have a Monday moan today (well in this section at least), my laptop is playing up (keeps switching itself off at the slightest move), the power connectors seems not to be connecting effectively so I have not been able to get online for a little while (yes Saturdays and Sundays posts have suffered because of this).  I am unsure how many attempts I’ll get to complete this post (fingers-crossed not many).  I have invested in an external hard drive (just in case) and as soon as it arrives I will be backing-up all my documents for safe-keeping (I really do not want to lose all the work I have done up until now).  This has made me realise that the things we have on our ‘to do list’ (like backing up valuable work) always on the backburner -a case of I’ll do that soon -and here I am hoping I’m not too late…

(As always, there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

My Weekend X Factor Muse:

Image sourced from: http://x-factor-2009.blogspot.com/

Since my laptop has been sidelined, I have taken to catching up on what’s on ‘the box’ (AKA the TV); it’s that season where Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor hits our screens.  Of the two programs, I am more of a Strictly Come Dancing fan than The X Factor.  However, this weekend I really got into the auditions of The X Factor (the new judges also brings a breath of fresh air); then when my laptop played ball, I YouTube’d the rest of the auditions and a few good candidates caught my eye.  The 2011 contenders (in my eyes) to keep a watchful eye out for are (I have linked all the names to their X Factor auditions via YouTube -click to view): Derry Mensah (funny interactions with Kelly Rowland), Luigian Paala, Craig Colton, The Keys, Frankie Cocozza, Michelle Barrett, Johnny Robinson, 2 Shoes.  My personal favourites (there’s a few) are: Lascel Woods, Amelia Lily, Sami Brookes, Misha Bryan (OMG), Luke Lucas, John Wilding (OMG); (my top three so far) Bradley Johnson, Jade Richards (OMG and then some) and Janet Delvin (OMG and then some and some more -I absolutely adore Elton John’ Your Song and Janet’s version of this fab song is totally spine-tingling).  If you have the time, please take a moment or two to click on the links above and watch some amazingly talented people (both young and old); their personal stories are extremely  inspiring as well as emotional.  For those of you who have less time here’s my two favourites (both very different yet very endearing in their own ways), I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

This year’s X Factor looks to be tough and entertaining -whilst pondering what is to come, I began to think of the past finalists; there has been some successful stars like, Will Young, Alexandra Burke, most recently Matt Cardle and who can forget Leona Lewis?  Then I remembered a past favourite of mine, Olly Murs -turns out Olly has had a successful first album (not been following the music industry as much as I used to -ooops).  His next single out from his second albums sounds like a chart-topper; with its upbeat reggae and ’90s influence, it is something special –I have been listening to it over and over and over again, -therefore, I had to share it with you too.  Get ready to tap your feet to the beat -and for those who prefers the acoustic version (equally as good), I’ve added it below.

My Questions to You

Have you had a difficult week?  Feel a little bit uninspired or just under the weather?  Has technology hindered your progress or are you just ploughing through regardless of the difficulties?  Whatever your week has been like I hope to at least put a smile on your faces with a few good tunes (break time listening) and some giggles and tears (it’s good to let it all out once in a while) with The X Factor contestants stories.

Enjoy this Musical Monday Muse session of mine, I’ll (hope) be back on Wednesday with an interesting Flash Fiction piece I have been working on as well as a new storyline over at DiRosaYikici.  Plus I hope to provide you with a ROW80 update (sorry I did not show on Sunday).  My mood has been low due to this problem with the laptop -fortunately, The X Factor and Olly Murs have put a smile on my face and a spring in my step so until Wednesday have fun, stay safe and smile always.  The world is as good as you make it, so live life to its potential and cherish every moment.

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

***

As you already know, thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as ‘all good discussions start with just one word’.

***

Pdf document:  My Weekend X Factor Muse

If there is a topic you would like me to look into and explore in my own yikici-kind-of-way then please feel free to leave a suggestion in the comment box below or for those of you who are a wee bit shy drop me a line via my contact page or email me at admin@yikici.co.uk

Care to join me for some collaborative work or want to be a guest blogger?  If so, email me at the above address.

Sabotage the Community – Sabotage your Work

*Stop Press News* 

Before continuing with the actual post, I have some exciting news to share with you:  I have been blessed with being interviewed by Mindi Anderson over at meanderfit.com -aptly titled ‘Ozlem Yikici – The London Novelist‘, if you want to find out how the interview went please pop over to Mindi’ blog and have a read -as well as a wander…

My ROW80 Update will follow the article below –scroll down to the end if you do not want to read the next bit (I won’t take any offence –well, I’ll try not to :P ).

*Continue* 

Just a quick note:  I apologise for the silence -I’ve had a tough couple of weeks with low moods and then I was encouraged to mingle with family and friends and babysit Ava therefore; I have been away from my novel, my blog and the social media circuit.  Whilst I was away, I hoped my first article back would be on a positive note (about developments on yikici) but I had to speak, silence in a time like this is not good to anyone, here’s my voice, here’s my thoughts…

(As always there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

Image sourced from: http://www.thetimes.co.uk

SABOTAGE THE COMMUNITY – SABOTAGE YOUR WORK

It has been over a week since the chaos hit the streets of London and then the rest of the UK…  As I sat safe indoors, these were the thoughts that transpired…

I sit in front of my laptop (yes I have solved the issue with the broken adaptor); I listen to the sound of the police sirens as they drive past through the streets, in pursuit, in preparation; I hear the helicopter up above, tracking, reporting; I feel helpless…  Will a repeat of last night endure or will our Police force prevail…  There are plenty of speculations, some have hope, others do not…  Is this where humanity has come to -a bunch of youths demolishing, uprooting people’s livelihood -communities trashed, local businesses ruined and homes burned…  I ask why…?

I never thought I’d see a day when such violence could violate our streets, our communities; it was like a free-for-all -no rhyme, no reason -although there are others who would have you believe otherwise…where do you stand, what are your thoughts?  This topic is vast and may have many underlining reasons behind it and for this purpose; it needs to be discussed to be understood –if possible.  This is a tough subject to analyse and for the purpose of this blog I will look at it from an alternative artistic angle as well as it’s gritty form.  In some odd ways this has made me think about how we; as artists, writers -creative-beings, how we sabotage our own works -be it intentional or not and with this in mind I plan to tackle this vast, macabre topic and try to mirror it with how we bring that into our works and possibly into our lives.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

When the news of the rioters hit the screens, I immediately thought it being a little too ironic; what with Rupert Murdoch, the Government and our Police force being questioned.  I may have come up with a million and one conspiracy theories in that small space of time (ok maybe I’m exaggerating that a wee bit –possibly a million theories :P ).  It was highly amusing to note that the three key figures, who were needed to address the country and tackle the problem at large, were on annual leave (holiday) and it was uncanny that our Police force seemed outnumbered against the unruly youths.  These alone just prompted questions in my mind as I watched various parts of London ransacked, demolished and/or go up in smoke.  This all happened as the nation watched.  There were various accounts through the media (and reliable sources I know) that certain communities came together and chased the rioters off their streets.  Dalston saw a group of Turkish and Kurdish men (young and old) guard their shops/restaurants; Green Street’ Muslim residents said enough is enough as the time for breaking their fast came (it’s the month of Ramadan), they stood firm –the yobs did not linger.  By day three of the riots all three key figures returned to the UK and the Police force was strengthened –soon the calm came.  With it a beautiful sense of community sprung up; they call themselves Riot Clean Up (follow them on twitter @riotcleanup or their hashtag #riotcleanup).  A bunch of volunteers took it on themselves to organise a clean up where needed –a tear came to my eye when I heard; kudos to all who took part and still are spending valuable time in maintaining it.  From the chaos a calm settled, from the grim a glorious day -my only hope is that this will get better as I cannot see how this will fare if it gets out of hand.

Image sourced from: http://www.guardian.co.uk

SABOTAGE THE COMMUNITY

‘We’re getting back our taxes’ they said to bystanders/reporters as they trashed their neighbourhood; did they not think of the local independent businesses who would suffer from the damage they’ve caused –not to mention who would be pocketing the price of their mayhem.  If only ‘getting tax back’ was that simple –I am certain there would have been more riots if it was the case, but sadly it is not and in the end taxpayers will be forking out extra to meet the extra expenses.  It angers me, it really does; I understand that maybe some –or maybe the vast majority of communities have been affected by the budget cuts; youth clubs and social enterprises for youngsters has been withdrawn, university fees have rocketed to unmentionable amounts of money; all this does not condone what they did.  The more I think about it the more it seems like an act of opportunists jumping in, to riot, loot and rampage.  Acting like yobs is not a way forward; all this has done is cause fear in some communities and create a negative impact on independent businesses.  What part of this is an admirable feat?  It saddens me that our children are part of this ugly episode; they still fight against the police, our society and us.  Where they believe they attacked the Government and hindered the tax system –they, in actual-fact, sabotaged our communities and hindered our growth in this slow economic farce.  Not to mention how this will affect their family, friends and themselves.

To this day Police sirens can still be heard and it seems that it will continue like so for some time.

Here are some interesting links I’ve stumbled across whilst I was researching information on the riots: British use Social Media to Coordinate Riot Clean Up, Muslims Defend London During London Riots, Communities Rally for Riot Clean Up, The Guardian’ Blog on the Riots, Turks police own district amid rioting.

SABOTAGE YOUR WORK

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

The act of sabotage is a nasty bit of work –especially the intentional kind like I’ve mentioned above, but what about the unintentional ones –the ones subconsciously created by you…  You know, when you’ve written over 10,000 words on your novel and abruptly decide it is pants and so you throw it in the bin –or, like me, you take up a painting project and become annoyed that a part of the painting does not work, so you decide to trash it (see examples above and below -brownie points for those who notice the apt ‘The End’ sign?).  This also can be evident in your life, your relationships, your business, your career –how many times have you ruined it and thought ‘ooops my mistake’.  We are prone to sabotage all aspects of our lives and works –even our health.  Think of what you may have sabotaged or witnessed as acts of sabotages and let us know your findings.

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

ROW80 UPDATE

I have been extremely bad since my last update and not achieved much (just this post –it’s over 1,500 words so I guess that counts for something).  I have decided I will create a ROW80 page under the Social Interactions tab and organise my goals there.  For the time being I will stick to my goals as planned and any adjustments I make I will make public this Sunday (hopefully).  I hope the rest of you ROW80 stars are doing a better job than me –keep the good works going!  :)

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

***

As you already know, thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as ‘all good discussions start with just one word‘.

Pdf document:  Sabotage the Community – Sabotage your Work

If there is a topic you would like me to look into and explore in my own yikici-kind-of-way then please feel free to leave a suggestion in the comment box below or for those of you who are a wee bit shy drop me a line via my contact page or email me at ozlem@yikici.co.uk

Random Thoughts A Plenty…

Monday’s Meandering Muse: 

Two weeks ago today I posted an apology; today I want to provide you with an explanation (my ethos in life is very close to honesty is the best policy -see yesterdays post and my comment in Patrick’ post Radical Honesty & Relationships for a better(ish) insight to my ethos).  Following this explanation, I plan to have a discussion on how I am finding the blogging world; what is working for me and what is not and in turn, I will be picking your brains to see how you are finding this experience as a reader and/or blogger.

(As always, there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

Relapse vs. Lapse

Some of you already know about the recent panic attacks I have been suffering from (I have mentioned them in various posts; you can find them under the category of Health); well, I guess it will come as no surprise that I had a mini-panic attack two weeks ago –I have to say it was a huge surprise to me!  Something rather silly triggered it off and I will not go into the details of that right here as I do not believe it will serve its full purpose here –and besides all involved are aware how I took to the situation and how I tried to deal with it.  So what aspect of it do I want to talk about?  Well, I want to talk about the two terminologies that are associated with all forms of mental disorders (be it mild or severe), lapse and relapse.  Until very recently I would not have been able to give you an accurate distinction of either, to me they both meant the same thing –or so I thought.  I soon found out that, after my panic attack two weeks ago, I have had a lapse.  What this in actual effect means is that the panic attack hindered my recovery and set me back a little on my progress to overcome this pesky disorder.  However, unlike a relapse (where you would find yourself back at square one and have to start all over again), I was able to continue from my recovery point two weeks ago (so it was a temporary setback) two weeks later (I’ve been on better form since Friday gone).  This I am chuffed to bits about; as these setbacks really try to force you to become a recluse, which I really struggled with.  Nonetheless, I still put up a fight as refused to let it take me back.  Fortunately, my friends, family, my blog and my ROW80 goals for my WIP helped me stay focused.

Blogging

When stepping out into the blogging world I ummed and arrred quite a bit; I couldn’t quite decided how many blogs I wanted and if I should separate my individual interest and delegate it out to the respected blogs.  I initially started out over at blogspot –it’s a bit scatty and underdeveloped as you can see.  The themes were limiting and I was still learning and taking baby steps.  I stumbled across wordpress after getting into discussions with fellow tweeps on Twitter (mainly Emlyn Chand at Novelpublicity) and checked out all the comparisons made between blogspot and wordpress.  I crossed over to the other side muhawaahaawaaaa…  I started to get my head round the wordpress set-up and began to get carried away.  However, there was still that niggly thought in the back of my head ‘do I need more than one blog?’ –I am still at two minds with this.  I am beginning to think this is one of the main reasons I have still not started my self-hosting project (though my health and mindset that went with those moments surely did not help).

So what are my current dilemmas in all of this?  Well, I am undecided if I should have one blog/website for everything –my random thoughts, my writings, artwork, sketches, doodllz, ideas etc or should I separate what I classify as more polished and refined works/articles in like a professional blog and have another blog for sketches, doodllz, ideas; a blog for the carefree, silly me…  I come and go between those two thought processes so much so that Ian (see Self-Hosting – My Trials and Tribble-ations) believes he is off the hook in terms of helping me and pointing me in the right direction!  (You can go and ask him if you do not believe me!)

My Blog Posts vs. Readability

Another reason I am considering a second blog is because the way I write; I am partial to write in cascading thoughts –sometimes jumping from one thought to another with no rhyme or reason (well there is always reason behind it –I sometimes just like to exaggerate –it’s fun! :P ).  I wonder if the readability is easy for you or just a tad confusing.  In one post (take my last post) I start off with my current mindset, then I delve into explaining challenges and present you with a flash fiction story; then I update you with my ROW80 goals and finish off with what to expect in the next few days.  Is there just too much going on?  How do you digest what I write; do you find it to the point, a tad meandering, acceptable or totally confusing?  Therefore, separating the blogs as professional and personal seems feasible and sensible –then I just throw it all in the air and argue that I should not separate the two aspects of me; one blog with a working schedule will have a better visual and overall presence…  My conundrums’…always playing havoc with my mind!

Blogging & Social Media

There are many aspects to discuss here; how the two intertwine with each other, the various Social Media networks and how they work and how they will benefit you…  I am still experimenting and finding these out (I’m on Twitter , Google+ , LinkedIn , Goodreads and Facebook –I’m not very versed in most so maybe you should pop by and give me a heads-up so I understand it all better).  When I get my head around these I will share my newfound wisdom with you in a future post, until then, have fun.

My Questions to You

What do you struggle with?  How do you overcome these situations/moments?  What are your experiences with blogging?  What works what does not?  Do you find you are constantly evolving and your ideas changing from one day to the next?

As you already know, thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as ‘all good discussions start with just one word’.

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

***

Pdf document:  Random Thoughts A Plenty…

ROW80 – Up, Up and Away!

Frivolous Fun Friday: 

I’m baaaaack! :D   (Albeit slightly behind schedule –please accept my apologies.)  As promised on Wednesday, I want to give you a quick update before delving into my post today.  Therefore, this will be structure of my post today:

  • Update on ROW80 goals this week and a revised goal schedule.
  • A wee amendment to the blog schedule (just so the ROW80 updates are not random affairs -I’d hate to confuse you all -I confuse myself plenty so no need to share that experience all the time).
  • Some frivolous fun thoughts, ideas that hopefully will be enjoyed by all. :)

(As always, there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)


ROW80 – Updates & New Goals:

As you all know, I have had a tough week this week and did not set off on my goals as I had planned (you can read about it here and here).  Having said that and as many of you know; the beauty of ROW80 is that we can make it fit into our lives (no matter how many little surprises life throws at us!).  So here I am, standing tall and updating you with what I have managed to do despite my pesky low-mood trying to take away the joys of my life.   -I refuse to let it win -I hope you too are not letting negativity rule you -come on let’s just get up from our seats and have a little dance *looks at each reader* come on then let’s do it *switches on iPod and starts to boogie* :D

-oooops (I got carried away) *blushes*; now back to my update…

  • On Wednesday, I decided not to take any prisoners, so I started to get back into the swing of things with a blog post (word count 1,409 – woo hoo what a start!).  Feeling good about that achievement I opened my WIP and began reading it from the beginning.  I began working/editing on the prologue(s) -I have two (I know -I have tendencies for trying different things -I bet you have noticed that by now!), I then added 350 words towards my 500 word goal then got stuck (and also extremely tired -it was past midnight, therefore I decided to call it a day).
  • Thursday was another challenging day; I really struggled to get motivated (I even lacked appearances on Twitter!) -regardless I still prevailed.  I decided I needed time away from the screen so I printed off my draft manuscript (I could not believe how many pages I had written -my self-esteem rose somewhat at that moment and I may have also done a jig of some sort -just for the pure elation of it all!).  I started to edit on the page and tried to amend those dreaded chapters (1, 2 and 3).  I managed to write a measly 150 words towards my goal (I suppose that is better than nothing -though I have to admit I was still annoyed with myself -I am a harsh critic; I am very aware of this trait in me!).  I realised I was not happy with how I was tying the prologue(s) with the remaining chapters; therefore I stopped reading and writing -I started to think and brainstorm my ideas instead.  When my sister joined me in the evening, I discussed my concerns about the WIP with her.  We talked about the possibility of going back and starting again (the prologue(s) and chapters work well separately  but together it just seems iffy -this is where I find it difficult to move on as it needs to feel right and complete before I continue).  I then had a brainwave, I decided to take this issue and present it to my BETA readers.  I plan to ask them to read all I have written up to now and ask them their honest thoughts; which parts work for them (if any), where I can develop the story more (if needed) or do I have to have a re-think and which bits in particular.  I will be emailing them after I have written this post.
  • As for today (Friday), once this article is written; I plan to start work on another idea I had a while back (initially it was an idea for a screenplay; but now I’m considering it as a novella as well (otherwise I would be doing the main character a huge disservice).  I went over the Main Characters’ psychological make-up with Manon Eileen* and Allie Wilde* on a special psychology discussion session on twitter hosted by Manon Eileen: Character Psychology Tweetchat – #writepsych); I will re-work the outline for this new project.

*Just a quick THANK YOU to you both –you both have helped me make my MC have more substance –I understand him a little bit more therefore, hope to build a more believable story (well I guess the proof will be in the pudding once it’s completed and put out there).

ROW80 Goals:

Here are my previous writing goals (as quoted by me):

  • I will rework the first three chapters (oooer feeling panicky already -guys step in at any moment).
  • I will write a minimum of 500 words per five days a week -aiming for 27,500.00 words (take a deep breath (I did) -yep this is manageable).
  • Each day I will set aside a 15-30 minute editing session, before I start my writing; reworking the previous day’s works (also a ploy to get myself back into the flow of things).

This is my now amended ROW80 Goals:

  • Email BETA Readers my current WIP (for feedback).
  • Start outline for new project (novella/script).
  • Try to write 0-500 words per day towards WIP (a reality-check was in order here –pressure taken off in order for my muse to roam freely).
  • Should I feel stuck with point three I will consider how well I have done with my blog posts –as a means to stay positive –any achievements’ considered for acknowledgement right? *looks up expectantly*
  • Each day I will set aside a 15-30 minute editing session, before I start my writing; reworking the previous day’s works (still a ploy to get myself back into the flow of things).

THEN (When responses come back from my lovely BETA Readers:

  • I will rework the first three chapters of my WIP.
  • I will start to contribute towards the above set word goal (maybe alternate with the WIPs for a bit of variety and also it’s good my muse can just tackle something different every once in a while).

Amended ROW80 Blog Schedule:

I know I said in a previous post that I would be updating you with my ROW80 goals on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and/or Saturdays.  I have had a rethink and believe that is too unorganised therefore I have narrowed the days down to Wednesdays and Saturdays (it will tie-in better with the actual ROW80 check-ins; hopefully no confusions there!).

With Hindsight Comes Clarity –Well So They Say…

Why do I say that?  Well, I have realised that after writing the above, I have lost my trail of thought for what I wanted to write here; so now I will share you some random thoughts –just for the sheer heck of it!  Let’s see what you make of the concoction of thoughts that will fly off the page and into your mind…  What you do with it is entirely up to you; bite, chomp, chew, churn, gulp, digest, stew, rip it apart, knock a nail through it, toss it in the air –or the bin, swish it, squash it –the list is endless; I suggest you enjoy the blast and then share your angst with it (if any).

  1. In my last post I was kindly reminded (by a few thoughtful souls –you know who you are, I will not be naming any names) that the plural for sheep is sheep and not sheeps or sheep’s as I have written…err hellooooooooooooooo guys I know that already!  What do you take me for?!!!  I just felt it sounded as if it was missing something therefore, I went with the overall sound quality rather than the correct spelling (pah humbug to that!).  Did I not already mention I rather be an individual than follow the norm?  -What’s that?  Are you recollecting your thoughts back to what I wrote in that last post?  Now are you quietly nodding you head in acknowledgement?  Hmmmm… Well, like I said there was some rhyme and reason to why I decided to ignore the etiquette of spelling in that particular scenario (if you want to scream or shoot me or just give me a crash course in spelling and grammar –you can’t –I’m vetoing that decision –why?  I’m in that kind of mood so tough!).
  2. I cleared the door of my fridge-freezer yesterday and found a few Chinese proverbs (don’t ask); I thought I’d share these with you (just because I can & because I find them witty and quite true).
    1. A sharp wit is better than a harmful weapon.  (I’d love to see those in the line of fire apply wit and see if it does really abode well in all circumstances –in theory it is great but in reality…?)
    2. Money dishonestly acquired is never worth the cost.  (I have no qualms with that –I even touch on it briefly in a poem I wrote about Life <— check it out :) )
    3. He who laughs last did not get the joke.  :D (Lol!!!!!  I have been in this predicament plenty of times –sometimes it’s true I laughed out of politeness but other times –maybe I was just a wee bit slow –now now there is no need for such comments! *sulks*)
  3. Finally, on a very warm day like today (the sun was out and beaming today!) we all enjoy cool drinks, which quench our thirst.  With this in mind I wanted to share a favourite drink of mine that is really simple to make (you may have come across it in some shops already); it’s a well-known yoghurt drink in Turkey, it’s called Ayran.  What you will need is natural yoghurt, water (bottled or tap) and a little salt for flavour.  I will give guideline for one cup; you can add the ingredients to apply this for greater quantities.  In a clean glass spoon in some natural yogurt (I prefer to add enough to meet half of the glass –you can add less accordingly to your tastes).  Then top up with water, add salt for taste and stir the mixture until it all blends in (I guess you could mix it in a cocktail shaker so it becomes fluffy); add ice for extra coolness and then enjoy its delicious taste.  It’s a good, refreshing and healthy drink with all the goodness of all those friendly bacteria’s –you know the ones that go “hello, hello, hello, hello…etc…”   :D

So after all those hellos it’s time for me to say adios, taraaa, goodbye etc…   –It’s time to tackle that all important ROW80 goal –wish me luck :)

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

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Thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as all good discussions start with just one word.

Pdf document:  ROW80 – Up, Up and Away!

Are We Individuals or Are We Sheep’s?

Wishful Wednesday Wanderings (one-off theme for days like today):

Following my apology on Monday, I wanted to also apologise for not showing up at all yesterday (I planned to post Monday’s article as part of Tricky Tuesday’s Treachery (another one-off theme)).  Unfortunately, my low moment hindered my plans -these moments can hit you in the middle of nowhere and can last longer than you really care for.  :( I am still not 100% (I’ve had 2-3 mini-panic attacks these past 3 days; my motto is still as I said in my previous article).  I am determined to at least write something today -be it my blog post article, my WIP to meet my ROW80 goal, a flash fiction piece or even a follow-up storyline for Our Story Begins over at DiRosaYikici (or a combination of the above).  Any success stories to be heard will be shared on Friday (hopefully) as part of Frivolous Fun Friday.  Before I continue with the article I planned for Monday; I want to say a HUGE thank you all for the lovely comments and warm encouragements.  I really appreciate every single one of them (I will do my best to respond to all as soon as I can); you cannot guess how much your positivity and empathy has helped during these tough two days.  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

Just a quick note:  The below article is a continuation from Monday -which means I have not changed any part of it; I will just continue from where I stopped writing it (that will be from: ‘I was truly amazed.’); I hope you all enjoy the read despite its delay.  Oh and before I forget –yep the bookshelf is assembled and adorned with all my books/files and random stuff that was eating into my space!).

(As always there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

The long awaited: :D

Monday’s Meandering Muse:

All this changing of rooms and creating space for my office/art space has limited my time and hence why I am now sitting amongst piles of books and files awaiting the delivery of a bookshelf which I hope will ‘magically’ bring a calm to the current chaotic space.  This disarray does not help me think clearly or indeed make me feel if I am on time…right now I feel like I am running behind schedule with the blog -oooer!  My only solace is that you are all very understanding of my predicament *looks ups with a marvellous/timid grin* -you are right? :D   Of course, you are -that is what I love about all you lovely visitors/readers of my humble blog! :)

Ok, now let’s get focused and see what my muse wants to discuss today…  Oh and by the way, if there is a topic you would like me to look into and explore in my own yikici-kind-of-way then please feel free to leave a suggestion in the comment box below or for those of you who are a wee bit shy drop me a line via my contact page.

ARE WE INDIVIDUALS OR ARE WE SHEEP’S?

Image sourced from: http://cache2.allpostersimages.com

I have heard this (and or similar) terminologies throughout my life and it always made me ponder how much individuals we are as opposed to being a sheep.  I even recollect a very vivid memory from my childhood, which visualises this whole idea to another level; maybe this is why it has stayed in my minds-eye throughout the years.

I must have been in my early-mid teens (or maybe even younger; I cannot quite remember); as part of our family holiday (which incidentally was always a trip to Turkey) we visited family in Tokat –a region in the Northern part of Turkey.  There I was gazing out of the window, which was looking out to the main street where a river (or maybe it was a stream) was gushing through it (not freely flowing onto the roads silly!  It was below the roads surface, barricaded with walls and a bridge was available so people/animals/and all forms of transport could cross over it).  Whilst marvelling at this sight and wondering the dangerousness of the rapid flow of water, I spied a shepherd with his flock of sheep moving along towards the bridge.

I hear you say that there is nothing fascinating about that; bear with me, there is more…

When they reached the bridge, the sheep, scared by the sound of the water I assumed, refused to cross over; the shepherd tried many tactics –one of which worked.  He held one of the sheep by its two front legs and gently pulled him/her across the bridge so he/she sheep-stepped over the bridge.  At this stage; I’m with you here -I was thinking ‘what is he doing!’  Then something amazing happened and in turn, that occurrence gave me the epiphany that was to stay with me throughout my lifetime.  The remaining sheep started to follow the shepherd and the poor (two-legged) sheep –they all crossed the bridge; blindly following the semi-captive sheep up-front with the shepherd.

Soooo that’s where the terminology ‘sheep’ comes from.

I was truly amazed.  To think all it took to sway the remaining sheep to cross the bridge, against their better judgement, was to hold ransom one of their kind and then et voila!  I guess the term ‘lead by example’ also takes an interesting form when thinking of it in this context.  Are you really leading by example or are you forced to do so?

Let us think some more…  Hands up those of you who have been in the following situations:

  • Your manager calls a meeting and in that meeting, they introduce a new protocol (or something similar); instantly you know it is flawed but fear of your job (or any other threat) you stay quiet.
  • You have a great bunch of friends who you meet with regularly; your only complaint is what their idea of fun is; you would like to introduce them to your favourite hobbies/pastime but you don’t.
  • You are shopping online and have placed an order, you continue to browse when the website starts making suggestions to what you should buy based on your preferences and also other shoppers buying habits.
  • You are at work/school/some college –they have rules you need to stick by (you just do) –depending on the place and its severity you are not allowed to wear your hair a certain way, speak freely, confront your peers, go outside and beyond the lines of conformity…etc…

Did you raise your hands?  I have for all four scenarios (in the past when I was younger).  I remember once writing a poem for a poetry module at university; the tutor insisted I separate my poem into two; convincing me, it would be a better read and more evocative (well according to her).  I refused (I did) and I guess my artistic temperament took centre-stage at that point –I submitted it as one piece; my argument, the two themes were a necessity for each other.  Was it a sound judgement call?  I believe so –despite being marked down for my refusal to conform to the tutors ideal; I felt good for standing up for my belief in my work and my vision –that was the day I became aware of my individuality and realised a difference of an opinion should not deter you from speaking up.

Guidelines are great; but these should not force you to carry out tasks/create works of art/novels in a style that has worked for others –why must we copy others?  Why follow in their footsteps when we are all unique in our own little way?  We have been born into this world; created as individuals –all with our own unique DNA (our fingerprints are good examples of how individual we all are physically; is this not a good indication for what also is within us spiritually?).  –I know this is a vast topic we can get lost in; but for now let us just think of our place in life; are we individuals or are we sheep’s?

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

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As you already know, thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as all good discussions start with just one word.

Pdf document:  Are We Individuals or Are We Sheeps

Apologies…

Monday’s Meandering Muse:  I am really sorry for not being able to send out today’s post.  I have lost all enthusiasm for it (had a semi-low moment).  I think I will call it a night for now and continue a fresh tomorrow.  This has totally ruined my plans for ROW80 too :(  -if I can cheer myself up before the end of the day, I will start my ROW80 goal; but right now, I am not feeling it.  I am truly sorry my lovely visitors/readers.

I will hopefully post Monday’s Meandering Muse tomorrow -maybe it’s best to think of it as Tricky Tuesday’s Treachery -seeing something has tricked me out of completing the post today!

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

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Thoughts and comments are encouraged as always.

 

Relationships, Friendship & Attraction

Savvy Sunday Salutations:  Welcome to another week with guest blogger Patrick Tulley; we had a great response last week (thank you for your interest).  Patrick talked about Bullying, Self-Attack & Panic Attacks and toyed with the idea of how these individual elements can be linked (based on personal experiences); this week Patrick talks about Relationships, friendships & attraction and the reasons we get to interact with people.  I am fascinated how people engage with one and another and always try to understand what is going on behind the scenes -so to speak; so it is no surprise I found this an interesting read.

(As always there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

RELATIONSHIPS, FRIENDSHIPS & ATTRACTION

An interesting conversation I had with a friend this week reminded me of a very difficult aspect of myself that I have began to surmount over recent years.  That is of recognising my own qualities and weaknesses when interacting with other people, in particular with my friends and more importantly, my motives for having a relationship in the first place. Of course, the obvious reasons are for fun, sharing, intimacy and eventually love. However, there are quite a lot of historical and psychological decisions that go into choosing friends, more than I ever imagined at first. This is perhaps even truer when it comes to romantic relationships. Actually romantic relationships are probably the best and most fertile area you can explore about yourself and your choices in friends. I have talked about my time in therapy and so understanding my motives for relationships in the past has led me to having more fulfilling relationships now. I will add of course, that I still often struggle with these issues. So I am, for all intents and purposes a work in progress still.

Attraction

What attract us to others are many things of course and often seemingly complex. They can be historical reasons that stem from our childhoods, but they can also be cultural too. Lastly of course being beauty, often the strongest aphrodisiac when it comes to choosing partners, but often a feature we can apply to our friends as well. These I would argue are the three factors that tend to govern our choices of friends and partners.

attraction

Culture

So what of culture? Well of course, there are many strands within culture itself. It might be religion, politics, music, language, clothes, lifestyle, national identity, sport or any combination of these things and more. Our inclusion within any of these cultural groups is often a reason why our friends choose us above others and vice versa. So what is culture? Now here is where perhaps I go out on a limb. Partly because I understand how important culture can be for people. But please bear with me, as I attempt to apply some philosophical thinking to it. All culture is made up and imagined. Culture only exists in our minds. It is neither tangible nor real like that of an object. It is quite simply a concept as such. Now that’s not to say that culture doesn’t have a big impact on people’s lives, it clearly does. Take any football stadium throughout Europe and you will see tens of thousands of people cheering manically for their football team. All of those fans at one stage in their life had to say, ‘I support this team’, but why? Well for many of them it was possibly an accident of birth. For instance if you were born and raised in the suburb of Moss Side in Manchester you’re likely to be a Manchester City fan. However, many fans made their choice of team based on their parent’s preference. Although I was born in Ipswich in the UK, I never recall living there, as I left within 18 months of my new life. My father carried on supporting them, so when I was of age, I too would become a supporter of Ipswich Town. An unlucky choice many of you may be chuckling. In all cases with all culture, we have to make a choice about which parts we like and which parts we don’t. More often than not the prevailing culture of where we live and whom we interact with, often dictate those preferences, but many of them we choose deliberately from our own predilection. Football teams, nations, fashion style, music genres and political ideology are merely concepts and do not exist as objective reality, say like the tree in your backyard does or the sand in the desert. Although I don’t think there is anything intrinsically wrong in making friends based on these concepts. Sharing a language has a practical application, but if we share a different language by choice but also have different languages culturally, how important is that a feature for our friends or lovers? So whilst culture may have some practical aspects to them, its worthwhile remembering they are just merely constructs of the mind. Finally asking yourself, how important is the concept I have in choosing great friends.

Beauty

Now much is claimed when it comes to beauty, so I want to be brief, as much of it correlates with what I said about culture. Beauty is certainly a powerful attractant in of itself. Much of this has to do with biology and a person’s capacity to bare or rear children. Biologically we are programmed to make sure our offspring have the best chance of survival. So having a beautiful partner will mean the same for our children. Like culture though, beauty is just an accident of birth. Either you have it or you don’t. Whatever the biological benefits, which really only apply to partners themselves and not friends. Whilst I don’t want to ignore its potency, how important a factor is it, when it comes to choosing a lifelong partner and in particular friends?

History

I touched on this topic in last week’s blog; in the final paragraphs about my relationships and how my childhood experience had influenced those choices. Without repeating what I said there again. If we are not aware of the impact our childhood experience had on us, we are likely to be making poor decisions, detrimental ones even, when it come to our own relationships of all kinds. Now this may not be strictly true, since if your experience was a good one, then you will be probably making better choices. The trouble with childhood experience though, is that much of it is unconscious.  Very often, the child dissociates from incidents in their lives in order to cope better with traumatic events that happen to them. There is one way you can discern whether you are ignoring that history.  Ask yourself how much does ‘culture’ and ‘beauty’ influence your choices’ in friends.  Whilst I agree it is not empirical, it might provide you with some useful clues as to where your choices are coming from. If either or both of them dominate your choices’, I would suggest that you are indeed ignoring your childhood history. A history that probably doesn’t bear repeating itself, either for you, but especially for your children.

Culture and beauty tend to have this ability of patching up great holes in our lives that we acquired in childhood. Having said that, I am not suggesting we should be without culture or beauty entirely. I enjoy watching an exciting football match as much as I like wearing nice clothes too. I also like to be physically attracted to my partner as well. It’s only that, if we seek our life’s ‘value’ in only these areas, we are surly missing out on friendships of great depth, warmth, intimacy and joy. There are aspects to this that I would like to discuss further another time, but for now, why not explore this area of your life. I have posted links to two great books that can help you explore your childhood past more effectively. By no means are they definitive, but they will lead you to a better and more clearer understanding of yourself. As always, best of luck.

Homecoming Drama of a Gifted Child

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Copyright © Patrick Tulley 2011 – All Rights Reserved.

Thoughts and comments are encouraged as always.

Pdf document:  Relationships, Friendship & Attraction

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PATRICK TULLEY: PHILOSOPHER, AMATEUR WRITER

My name is Patrick Tulley. I am primarily a philosopher and an amateur writer but also have been a painter and sculptor in the past.  My background has been quite varied, as I have lived abroad on and off during my 20′s, been in a number of different professions throughout my life. More recently, I have been working as a private consultant within the public sector.

Since philosophy is my preferred interest; it is always something I rigorously apply to all my thinking and writing. Whilst I am knowledgeable about abstract philosophy, I am not particularly interested in taking that route.  Philosophy is about the search for truth, it was always meant to be understandable by everyday people -this does not mean dumbing down the ideas of course.  It just means I do not allow myself to get sidetracked by too many inconsequential arguments, often referred to as lifeboat scenarios.  I tend towards the more Aristotelian and Socratic methods of philosophy, but I also have interests in Hume, Nietzsche and Rand.  Philosophy has been a wonderful and fulfilling part of my life; it’s often been a very misunderstood subject -which I hope to discuss in future posts.  I also enjoy reviewing art, literature, music and passing comments on culture, news and personal experiences that I have found both interesting and enlightening.  I do not have a particular interest in politics –however; I may discuss my reasons with you sporadically throughout this blog.  Overall, this is hoped to be a journal about a philosophical life.  I hope you will enjoy my outlook on things and look forward to hearing your comments and thoughts along the way. I would also like to thank Ozlem for giving me this opportunity to have a voice on her blog.

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Disclaimer; whilst we (guest bloggers and I) do not set about to intentionally upset visitors to the site; I understand some of the topics discussed/raised may touch nerves.  Please note I will do my utmost to screen these posts before I post them however; I do believe in freedom of speech and I would hate to limit someone because they think differently to me or have different values from mine.  Therefore, I urge you to have some understanding and an open mind before jumping in and causing a scene without it being constructive.  Like I said, Patrick and I do have difference of opinions and on most cases we agree to disagree but at the same time we also respect the others’ thoughts and views -after all we do live in a civilized world; with this in mind I hope we will have more cultivated and engaging discussions.  One last note to all:  Here on yikici I have aimed to keep posts and discussions clean; I am not a fan of words that are disrespectful and disparaging therefore, I will not condone its’ use here on yikici; I do hope you share my views on this –if not, at least can respect them.

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Thoughts and comments are encouraged as always.

Pdf document:  Relationships, Friendship & Attraction

Bullying, Self-Attack & Panic Attacks

Savvy Sunday Salutations:  Welcome to another week with guest blogger Patrick Tulley; last week he talked about Art and how it intertwines into our lives and society; this week Patrick talks about Panic attacks and some of their causes.  Enjoy!

(As always there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

BULLYING, SELF-ATTACK & PANIC ATTACK

A lesser known affliction I had for some years, known only to a handful of close friends and trusted confidants, was that I suffered with panic attacks. At its worst I would get them monthly and at other times two years had passed without one. But off and on I have had these attacks since I was around 16/17 years old. I was extraordinarily adept at covering them up. I think it was only one time that I was so terrified that I actually shared the experience with someone; because I was so scared I actually thought I was going to die. Ironically she was my landlady during college, who herself suffered from agoraphobia, so she had some experience of what I was going through. She taught me breathing, sitting and standing exercises that you can do in order to alleviate the terror. Since then I played computers games into the early hours, desperate for sleep, but knowing that the moment I closed my eyes and hit the pillow I would get this crushing claustrophobia hitting my mind. This would wake me instantly and I would need to take a walk, regardless of the weather, as a means to shaking off this feeling. These were primarily management techniques, which gave me a rudimentary coping mechanism, whilst I was experiencing them. Of course they did nothing to stop them from happening altogether. However, you’ll be happy to know that I haven’t had an attack now for over 18 months and the attacks that did occur the two years prior were largely bearable. This was thanks to some awesome techniques and insights I developed and learned with a therapist at that time. I am quite sure they are behind me now, since rather than learning about management techniques I have come to understand their root cause. Which is why, I might add, I have no difficulty telling complete strangers about it now.

Bullying

So what have panic attacks and bullying got to do with each other? Hmmn, good question. Well, this will require breaking down the experience from the event to that of its root cause. This is what I will attempt to do by the end of this post, albeit anecdotally from my own perspective. I do happen to believe that much of it is universal for many victims of panic attacks, but appreciate that some of the reasons are perhaps more complex and personal for each sufferer. Much has been said in the media about the ‘supposed’ recent bullying phenomena amongst children, whether by mobile phones (happy slapping) or with web applications such as Facebook, Yahoo, MSN, Youtube or Twitter etc. All these technologies are entirely about communicating with each other in new, easy and more manageable ways. So what is particular about these new tools, regarding bullying, that weren’t apparent before? No one as yet has been able to give me a rational explanation frankly. What is particularly novel about these new technologies is your ability to regulate who has access to them. In other words, within a few mouse clicks a bully can be removed, job done. Personally, I find these are often excuses from adults who I believe are experiencing ambivalence, as to the causes and personal experience of bullying itself. I think that when particularly children engage in bullying that this excuse displays an anxiety in the adults that proffer it.  Apparently 19,000 children attempt suicide in the US alone according to the Cyber-Bullying Research Centre, who directly attribute these attempts to web technologies alone. This just doesn’t seem plausible, since as I said earlier, most bullies can be removed fairly quickly. Bullying has to be going on elsewhere, or they are just not being educated enough on how to use these tools properly by their own care givers. Bullying, as far as I know has been prevalent all my life, since I was conscious of the world around me. Not to mention there is significant evidence that suggest bullying of one sort or another has been around for a very long time and amongst children as well. School itself is often cited as the first place people experience it, but I wouldn’t suggest it’s the only place it happens and not always the first either. However, I think I can safely say we have all experienced bullying of one sort or another, but perhaps at different stages within our lives. We have all developed various strategies to deal with it, some good, some less so.
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My Encounter with Fate!

Monday’s Meandering Muse:  I am sitting looking blankly at the screen; I am unsure what to write -well I know what I want to write; I just don’t have a clue how to write it (it seems my inspiration muse has deserted me -not the best moments for my muse to do that; let me see what I can come up with without her).  Maybe I should start with a prompt…

(As always there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

“Fate – everything happens for a reason. And when fate happens look for the good in it as it is there.”

This is very true; I try to remind myself of this all the time.  Sometimes when something happens beyond our control and it is not the desired outcome we become disgruntled and moan about how life is unkind to us.  We rarely think of what it is fate has presented to us; we do not look with unclouded eyes; we do not allow the haze to clear so we see the other possibilities -we do not see clearly until the very last minute and then when we do, the relief sets in; wouldn’t it be great if we did not worry about what has happened; but embrace what opportunities are ahead of us?  Why think the cup is half empty when it could be just half full.

You may ask why I am talking about fate…  Well, asides from the fact that I am fascinated by the concept of fate I have had to look at it a bit more deeply than normal recently, why?  Well I have recently just been made redundant due to the recent Government spending cuts; I know the news sounds terrible when you hear it like that but; there is a silver lining behind it; this development has enabled me to think more clearly with what I have been living through the last few years and I believe I have had an epiphany with this current upheaval in my life.  All the missing pieces of the puzzle finally(ish) fit into place and makes sense -please note, it is not my intention to say anything untoward to my past employers; I enjoyed working there heaps (see fact no 6 on post Awards? -Aww *Blushes* -You Shouldn’t Have!); it has given me insight to a lot of things and helped me understand myself and my needs.

In brief; I started work, part-time, as a Support Worker about five years ago (bizarrely; July 24th 2011 will be five years to the day -talk about coincidences!); I loved it -the variety; being able to find solutions for those who really needed it; being proactive and above all having a wonderful team to work with!  So when I was offered a full-time post think of the joy I felt -I was ecstatic!  I never saw it coming; my attention to detail; my ethos in life: give %100; ensure the work done is perfect; my empathetic nature -they all were a concoction of potions waiting to become a disaster; individually they are great but collectively it was to undo the essence of me -I would only realise this three years too late.  At this point, a normal person would just despair and worry to what will happen next; maybe we just need to have a fresh outlook on life…

“Do not worry about the future for it is not yet come. Live each day in the present and make it beautiful.”

Stressing about what could be, how things may work out; rarely does any good -other than cause your health serious harm!  So if you do not want to be well, then maybe you should just continue the way you know best; keep worrying…  -I am not saying that to be mean; it’s just a true fact -we are all guilty of it (including me).  I am a huge worry wart; if I can worry about anything -I do so without thinking; it automatically sets in (well I am trying to kick that habit; but having empathy does not help -especially in the line of work I have been in; my mind rarely switched off I was constantly thinking of what might happen if I was not about).  It’s tough -I know!   By worrying we forget about the most precious gift we have: today -with today we can do anything and things happen; things fall into place or a wheel of motion is set into action; so why do we fail to utilise this day?  Let’s not forget and try and enjoy the precious moments we have today and make it beautiful.
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