Phil version 2.0

Perhaps unusually for myself, I will try to  put into practice, something that I resolved to do, in the last pos t.  That is - I’ll try to keep this one, pretty short and simple…   After last week’s reflective ramblings, this time I’m going back to some other ways in which I now fill my days.   For me, this is a really big one and it occupies very many hours – namely music.    In common with many, I listen to a lot of it. I also involve myself in some other music-related activities.  These things can, however, wait for another day. Today I’m concerned with  playing music .  I might not be much good at doing so, but it is an important part of my life.   This isn’t a thing that is unique to Phil v2.0 and it is something in which I have engaged since fairly early childhood. As a boy, I learned piano, guitar and clarinet. In later but nevertheless, pre-accident days, I continued to play guitar and took up playing the mandolin, octave mandola and Irish low whistle. Fairly shortly before the

Planning and precision      And, just in case you were wondering about the fourth item on the list ...   According to Wikipedia (because I had to look it up!) – “Dust bunnies, in American English, are small clumps of dust that form under furniture and in corners that are not cleaned regularly.”     As you will have gathered,  Phil v2.0 is different to his predecessor.   At risk of stating the obvious though, difference can take a number of forms. Fundamental alteration is relatively patent (even to me). It can however be more subtle and might for example arise  from an exaggeration or diminution of prior characteristics.   The change that I am concerned with in this post, is exaggeration and I will provide a couple of examples of personal traits, that have been subject to this.   Before going further though, it is worth stressing  that others will often be more aware of these subtle alterations, than I am  - and I often need for them to be brought to my attention. In this way and in ap

Well – it’s the thought that counts … What prompted the subject matter of this post, was an earlier thought about taking some exercise. Having pondered for a moment or two, I selected the “can’t be bothered” option! But, as I said, “it’s the thought that counts …”   On other occasions though, I am less indolent and do enjoy taking part in some sporting activity.  This is another way in which I fill my newfound time.   My current sporting activities bear similarities to my pre-accident ones. Having said that, they are now somewhat changed:   First, I’ve now got a lot more time to partake. It must be stressed right now though, that taking more exercise has not improved my fitness. There are plenty of other aspects of my lifestyle to prevent that!   Secondly, the fact that I am now visually impaired, has necessitated a fair bit of  adaptation . This should become more apparent as we go on.   Looking now at some of the sporty things that I do:   Pre-lockdown, I used to work out in a gym, t

  This picture could of course, constitute an introduction to another "deep and meaningful" post!  I predict a collective sigh of  “oh no – here he goes, again … ”! You might be pleased to hear that it isn’t one of those. It’s actually, another “what have I been up to” posts. This time it’s about growing (and foraging for) stuff to eat!   There’s nothing of any great significance in this post. It’s just an illustration of something else that is very different to being an international lawyer – and which gives me quite a lot of pleasure.   Growing things to eat, is something that until this year, I have never done before.   Probably in common with a fair few people during lockdown, I decided to give it a go and have been very pleasantly surprised.   I have grown some new potatoes, peas and French beans. Unfortunately, you don’t get a picture as I’ve eaten them all! Currently on the go are tomatoes and stem ginger. The ginger was not started deliberately. I keep root ginger in