Not!

 

You might have noticed that there is a pretty, big event on the horizon!

 

I must say that the word “not” isn’t indicative of any 



Geddit?


It is simply an expression of hope for a dry day!

 

Needless to say, Christmas will be rather different this year, but I am sure that people will enjoy it anyway.  I certainly hope so - we need, all the compensation that we can get after a pretty bad 2020. After all, ...


No doubt, we have all had a pretty busy time in the run up to the festive period. 

 

Christmas shopping trips have largely, been replaced by a couple of mouse clicks and the lining of Jeff Bezos’ pockets. There is still however, plenty to be getting on with!

 

It might be famous last words, but I think that I am nearly ready, myself - just presents to wrap and some food shopping ...

 

This isn’t though indicative of any particular, diligence on my own part. It is actually a good example of the fact that different is not necessarily worse. Being brain damaged has some upsides - one of which is that most of the planning and preparation, has been done by others, and for that, I am very, grateful. I have also taken some steps myself, to ease the burden - for example, the fact that this constitutes the entirety of my Christmas decorations, is neither symptomatic of laziness nor grumpiness ...




 ... It is an artistic statement of minimalism!

 

But that positivity is only telling a part of the story!

 

Being characteristically negative, there are also a few downsides for me, to the work of others in this regard - and these stem from my perception of the reasons behind its desirability.

 

·      First, I am now burdened with so called, “executive dysfunction”. Broadly speaking, I find planning and organisation to be an enhanced “challenge”. As the run up to Christmas requires a fair amount of this, it is perhaps easier for others to take much of it on.

 

·      By reason of this dysfunction, a sense of routine is very important to me - I am definitely one of those persons who knows which day it is, by reason of the meal that I prepare and eat! Christmas is of course, somewhat disruptive and requires an application of flexibility. I am no longer too good at “thinking outside of the box” and an unusual event tends to leave me somewhat flustered.

 

·      Finally, an indirect result of the bumping of my head is that I no longer, live in the family home. Christmas is for many (myself included) something of a “family time”. Although my two eldest children now, live elsewhere for all or part of the time, I nevertheless feel a little, disconnected and less able to fulfil a conventional familial role, accordingly.

 

A realisation of all of this, rather hammers home the diminution of my abilities - and that does little to raise my mood! 

 

Anyway - that’s quite enough of this. After all, if I am too negative, Santa might fail to put in an appearance!

 

Happy Christmas to everyone, but please, don’t forget ...

 



More seriously, if anybody who is reading this, lives alone (or satisfies one of a small number of other conditions), please don’t forget the possibility of a “support bubble”. These are of course, subject to Government rules and guidance, but for me at least, it is something of a lifeline.

 


 

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