Mal's Gherkin Pram

I am a Beatleholic

2026-10-11T06:55:36.318+11:00

Ever since I was 1 year old, I have been a big fan of all things Beatle-related.

My 10-years-older brother played their 1964 LP album "A Hard Day's Night," and I—barely walking—would pull myself up on the little wooden barricade between our bedrooms and rock back and forth while he played this—so I'm told.

This doesn't surprise me at all (laffs).

I physically wore his 1964 vinyl Black Label Parlophone label copy of this album out over the years - played it to death - true!

Things kicked-in in my younger High School days, when I wrote an (albeit terrible) Beatles article in my school newspaper.

It wasn't long before I had them all—all the officially vinyl-released albums, singles, and EPs as well! (Still have)

An early childhood memory: I had an old 4-stringed squash racquet, and I used to pretend to play along to other records, whilst watching myself in the mirror [laffs]. I had no idea then why it had 4 strings, only that Paul played a 4-stringed guitar!

I learnt guitar by chugging along to all of those albums. Thanks, John Lennon. I could play them all by ear forever.

Come this digital age, now I have everything PLUS! Official and bootleg versions of songs, concerts, jams, outtakes, different versions, DVD's & videos. And books... plus now with the internet, you can find practically anything. Pics, vids, music, videos, DVD's... amazing.

If it had been possible, I could have easily earned a [wholly useless] University Masters Degree in Beatles (if it existed then). Random thought: such a thing exists NOW! How bizarre!

Trivia Nights etc... guess who knows all the most obscure Beatles facts?! [laffs]. I've seen a few brilliant cover bands, and I'm usually the only one in their audience that can answer a random question they may throw out; like, "Who was the stand-in drummer for Ringo in their June 1964 Tour?" Jimmie Nicol, of course! [laffs]

➽ Meanwhile, on the Abbey Road Crossing (London) Live Webcam

→ https://bit.ly/Abbey-Rd ←

#TheBeatles #AbbeyRoad

Of course, I love other 1960's-type harmonic music like Crowded House, XTC, Pugwash, The Byrds etc (cf. "My Favourite Bands" and "Favourite Albums")

https://bit.ly/Beatle-Mal

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Thoon and Katia - My Goldfish

2026-10-04T04:46:34.026+11:00

5 years old! wOOt!

💕💐🍾🥳🎂🎁🎉🍭✨

(“Born”: September 20, 2021)

20 Sept 2024

11 February 2024

2 years 4 months old!

Katia is now about 5.9 inches (ca. 15 cm) in length, and Thoon is c. 5.1 inches (ca. 13 cm).

Monty Python “Find the Fish”

(View on YouTube)

Katia and Thoon, 4 October 2023

Katia glowing in the sunlight

Thoon & Katia; “Yo! Human! Wassup?!”

14 January 2024

How the heck do you measure the length of an active goldfish? [laffs] Katia is now about 15 cm/5.9 inches in length, and Thoon is c. 13 cm/5.1 inches.

11 October 2023

I bought Thoon and Katia a new tank-cleaning vacuum, and it works like a charm! I just run the emptying hose out the front door, which empties onto the front lawn - no problem! Now cleaning/changing the water in their tank is much easier and simpler for lil' ol' me [yay!]. It even came with its own video, tho my machine is red [which, of course, we all know, just goes faster! lol].

Now their tank looks clear and pristine every day... sure, they don't appreciate the intrusion while the cleaning is taking place, but they do after it's all finished. They've never thanked me tho, either, ungrateful buggers [laffs].

I have to laugh . . . Cleaning the tank mid-summer is better than mid-winter, as their water is BLOODY FREEZING! 🥶

(Watch on YouTube)

"Me happy... fishies happy..."

15 August 2023

I caught myself making an unconscious Spoonerism today - instead of 'Thoon and Katia', it came out as 'Thatia and Koon'... I made myself laugh.

24 April 2023

I gave their fish tank a jolly good cleaning out today, including rinsing out the gravel etc. Poor Katia was NOT happy when she got momentarily stuck in the vacuum hose nozzle (she's fine)... plus neither of them was happy being placed in a small bowl during the cleaning process. It took them a while after it was all done to look me straight in the eye again [laffs]]. Sturdy buggers they are.

28 March 2023

I think I saved the life of one of my goldfish today. Katia got a small pebble stuck in her mouth; she (I should not assume the gender of my goldfish, huh? lol. As it is, I have no idea what either of them is!) would have starved to death, as she had been unable to remove it!

I grabbed my small net, and of course, being the feisty Alpha fish she is, she put up a fight while I tried to catch her and try to do something to help. Thankfully, in her moment, the small pebble popped out all OK! Phew! No harm done.

10 July 2023

I know it doesn't sound like much, but I enjoy my two goldfishies. I've been enjoying this pair's company now for 1 year 10 months [grins]. Their "Birthday" is 20 Sept 2021.

Thoon & Katia

28 March 2023

10 March 2023

Katia 10 March 2023

💥 If anyone has any practical tips on how to get a good fishie photo, pls let me know! 💥

Answer: get a bloody better camera [laffs]

My freshwater tank measures

600mm wide x 300mm deep x 400mm high

23.6 in x 11.8 in x 15.7 in

Tank Volume: 70 litres / 18.5 US Gallons

(Originally Posted: 23 Sept 2022)

I attempted to take a picture of one of my two goldfish, "Thoon", because he's a bit of an oddity: he is a normal Comet, but he has three tail fins!

"Thoon's 3rd fin is a superpower, and he doesn't know" - SB

It doesn't negatively affect him at all, thankfully.

(NB. It's not easy taking a photo of a goldfish with a little 'point'n'shoot' camera!)

I kinda like the irony that I have a unique common goldfish! Thanks, Thoon! 🐠

Here's the tank and Katia putting on a show, whilst Thoon is shyly poking his head out from behind a plant (lower centre)

➽► So, why "Thoon"?

Short answer: it's a fun, silly, random name (very me...).

Long answer: In a band many years ago, we used to invent words for sounds (for silly fun)... 'Thoon' was "the sound of a cricket ball bowled just past off-stump..." 🏏

Much later, I discovered that 'Thoon' was the name of a Giant in Homer's "Iliad"! 😄

I know... It's bizarre, random and absurd... perfect!

➽► So, why "Katia"?

Basically, I honestly liked that name for many years!

(View on YouTube)

Answer: YES!

It's when they start talking back that... er um... [laffs]

(Not my tank, unfortunately! Thanks to @BrownsFanGurl for the vid!)

Relax with this video of Goldfish

(Not my tank tho!)

(Source)

➽ Also see: 2 New Fishies

Bookmark this Page

Also: Thoon

Peas be with ewe
Mal

How To CURE Any Illness

2026-10-04T00:23:36.795+10:00

How to get rid of any illness...

Your fail-safe Miracle Cure is only a few simple steps away!

Secrets Revealed!

1) Drink 15 litres of organic apple cider vinegar every day. Everyday.

2) Rub unprocessed coconut oil into your eyes counterclockwise (important).

3) Stick kale up your bum. Chew vigorously.

4) Snort 5 gm of quinoa each morning.

5) Shower in herbal gluten-free green tea.

6) Put turmeric paste on your wrists.

7) Cannabis... lots of cannabis.

8) Avoid meat, dairy, water, oxygen and people.

9) While standing naked in the middle of a motorway with your eyes closed, bathe in ice-cold Kombucha.

10) Facing due West, repeatedly jump on one foot, on the night of a full moon, at exactly 12pm on the first day of the month, when the wild wolf howls in the key of C#, juggle one of your kidneys with your left hand, whilst whistling Beethoven's 9th, wearing someone else's false teeth and holding magic moon crystals.

60% of the time, this works every time.

And remember! A glass of bleach a day keeps the doctors away.

Thanks to Chronically Sarah @potsiegirlsarah for the original post!

➤ Note: Having MS myself, I have witnessed so much distorted unverifiable misinformation, baseless crap and outright quackery out there online, that I am entitled to be wholly cynical with any new claim to a "miracle cure", "treatment" and/or "reversal"!

Debunking Bull$#it 'Cures' for #MS

youtu.be/u47mCA8eUBw

Bookmark this page: How To Be Cured

Also: Be Cured

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Very Slight/Mild Autism

2026-09-29T19:11:27.634+10:00

I would be nowadays classed as having Low-Stream High-Functioning very slight-mild Autistic traits.

They just did not diagnose this stuff during my childhood/youth in the 1970s/1980s! I'm now 62-yo.

The funny thing is: my middle son and I are identical in the way we think/react/respond — yet he has been diagnosed with very mild autism!*

Common Signs in Adults (for me)

Social Challenges: Trouble reading body language, missing sarcasm, or feeling awkward in group conversations. (NB. A life-long issue for me — missing social cues).

Focused Interests: Deep, extreme focus on specific hobbies, topics, or collecting detailed facts. (For me examples are: making lists, the Beatles).

Many adults who reach their 30s, 40s, or beyond without a diagnosis are highly adept at “masking”—unconsciously mimicking neurotypical behaviours to fit in.

Chronic Social Exhaustion and “Autistic Burnout”

The “Social Hangover”: While you might manage to navigate a party, work meeting, or dinner, it requires an immense amount of deliberate mental effort. Afterward, you feel completely drained and require days of isolation to recover. [1] [2]

Severe Burnout: A history of cyclical, unexplainable physical and mental collapses. This isn't normal workplace stress; it is autistic burnout—a profound loss of functional skills and a heightened sensitivity to the world caused by years of masking. [1]

Misdiagnoses and the “Missing Handbook”

A History of Unresolved Mental Health Labels: You may have been diagnosed with generalised anxiety, depression, social phobia, or borderline personality disorder, yet therapies for these conditions never seemed to fully address the root cause of how your brain operates. [1] [2]

The “Alien” Feeling: A persistent, lifelong sensation that everyone else was handed a “social curriculum” or handbook for life that you missed out on. You might feel like an outsider looking in, even when surrounded by friends. [1]

Identification Through Family (see with my middle son [above]!)*

The Diagnostic Mirror: Many adults only realise they are autistic when their child (see above)* or relative is diagnosed. As they read through the criteria and developmental milestones for their child, they recognise their childhood and current coping mechanisms perfectly mirrored in the description.

Rocking & Autism: “Stimming”

Repetitive body rocking is one of the most common stimming behaviours in autism. Here's what you need to know:

What it is:
Rocking is a type of self-stimulatory behaviour (“stimming”) — rhythmic, repetitive movement. It may be (for me):

- Back-and-forth
- Done sitting, standing, or lying down
- Often happens when focused, stressed, bored, or overstimulated

Why it happens

- Regulation: Calms the nervous system during stress, anxiety, or sensory overload
- Sensory input: Provides comforting vestibular (balance/movement) feedback the brain craves
- Emotional expression: Happens when excited, happy, frustrated, or upset
- Familiarity & predictability: Feels safe and controllable in an overwhelming world

It is NOT a “bad habit” — it serves an important purpose.

What helps?

Don't just try to stop it — support it instead
Accept it: It's their way of coping; acceptance builds trust
Offer alternatives: Swinging, rocking chair, trampoline, dancing, walking, fidget toys
Don't punish, mock, or restrain — this increases anxiety and makes rocking worse

Rocking is not something to be “cured” — it's a (subconscious) tool the person uses to feel okay. The goal isn't to eliminate it, but to help them feel supported so they can choose what works for them.

Stimming = short for self-stimulatory behaviour — repetitive body movements, sounds, or actions that help regulate emotions, focus, or sensory input.

Why people do it

- Calm down when (subconsciously) anxious/overwhelmed
- Release extra energy
- Block out too much noise/stimulation
- Help focus

It's super common — but everyone does it occasionally! Like (subconsciously) bouncing your leg when nervous or twirling a pen while thinking.

It's only a concern if it hurts you or stops daily life — otherwise it’s just a natural coping tool.

Some resources:

https://www.thrivingwellnesscenter.com/blog/levelsofautism

https://theautismservice.co.uk/types-of-autism-explained/

https://alterbehavioralhealth.com/blog/signs-of-autism-in-adults/

Bookmark This Page or Atsm

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Various Online Radio Stations

2026-09-26T19:27:38.622+10:00

Various Online Radio Stations

(NB. a small eclectic selection...

in no particular order...)

Listnr

Heart 60s

60's Love

1972

APS Radio Oldies & Classics

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Soft Rock

Totally Radio Rock

The Best of Blues

Buddy Guy

Bessie Smith

The Penguin

Jazz 24

APS Radio Jazz

Mellow Smooth Jazz (Jazz Radio)

Mellow Smooth Jazz (AccuRadio)

Mellow Smooth Jazz (Radio Tunes)

The Best of Smooth Jazz (you.radio)

101 Smooth Jazz (radio.net)

Mellow Smooth Jazz (hearme.fm)

101 Mellow Mix (OnlineRadioBox)

Triple M NRL

2BS

B-Rock FM

(Old Links here)

Bookmark this Page or Various Online Radio Stations

Peas be with ewe
Mal

I Am a Classic Introvert

2026-09-26T18:54:58.494+10:00

I am a Classic Introvert
And that's quite OK by me!

"Just because I'm being quiet doesn't mean I'm mad, anti-social or depressed, sometimes I just don't feel like talking".

As Andrew said, trying to explain what it's like being an introvert:

"...I can cope in social situations. It is just absolutely exhausting though, as an actor might feel after coming off stage".

I get this... I remember coming off-stage after gigs, feeling physically and psychologically absolutely spent, and then having to socially mix with people afterwards... that was a difficult Catch-22 situation for me.

People naturally assumed I was an Extrovert, because they had literally just seen me jumping around on-stage, and just assumed I was an Extrovert... but that was a really big 'Mask' I would slip into, for that stage persona! After a gig, I just had to keep that 'Mask' on for a while to socially mix. It was OK with close friends because I could just 'chillax' with them afterwards, but when random strangers would come up to me and want some of my time, etc after a gig - that was kinda awkward for me, but it was OK... part of wearing that 'Mask', I guess.

But when I got home, in private, would literally just 'hibernate in my cave', until I could rest and emotionally re-energize again (let alone physically - I would sometimes physically lose up to 10kgs of weight in just pure sweat at some of those band gigs - seriously!

Also, when I used to do a lot of public speaking, the same was true... while not exercising the physical energy, the emotional/psychological energy was tough on me, as an introvert. People would assume I'd be an Extrovert, because I'd be up in front of people, looking calm, composed, fluent and confident as a Public Speaker; but it was a well-practised "Mask", I assure you!

Extroverts vs Introverts

Bookmark This Page: I Am a Classic Introvert

Also: Introvert

Peas be with ewe
Mal

A Profile

2026-09-26T12:04:29.457+10:00

A Personal, More In-Depth Profile

Who-What-Why-Where-How Am I?

Some random views of myself...

(PLEASE NOTE: This post is not a "pity-party/woe-is-me" thing, as I'm simply sharing a very brief insight into some of the reasons as to why I may act so "up-and-down" from time to time).

► NB. Also, see the "Q&A" and "Who Am I?" pages.

🔳 I'm a 62-yo Aussie divorced dad (happily single) of three handsome sons, & enjoy a great sense of absurd humour ie. The Goons & Python!

🔳 I love listening to and playing music as well, especially British '60's stuff like The Beatles.

🔳 I used to perform live acoustic solo music as "Lancelot's Pram", and have released a music CD album in 2009 as well.

🔳 I enjoy listening - to the sounds around me (taking a moment to stop and 'listen' to the roses?!?).

🔳 I am a classic Introvert, and an 'INFJ'/'INFP' ("INFP" - introverted, intuitive, feeling perceiver [ie. Meyers-Briggs]), and a deeply flawed human being,

🔳 I also love to read a good novel, biography, or Robert Lowell's poetry.

🔳 I used to socially sail.

🔳 My dream was to spend quality time in Hydra, Greece.

🔳 What makes me "tick"?

🔳 My Personal Life Motto: "Live and Love Beyond": I'd rather "be" me first, rather than "do" something that makes me "be" me.

I am a flawed human being

I used to believe in happiness, the joy of life - an idealist

... nowadays I am but a hollow shell of the person I once was...

... I've always tried ... tho a lot of who I am has been misunderstood, stolen or rejected...

... my heart & spirit have been 'taken for a ride' too many times...

... I feel scooped out until virtually nothing of value remains...

"She was told, when she was young, that pain would lead to pleasure,

Did she understand it when they said,

That a man must break his back to earn his day of leisure?

Will she still believe it when he's dead?"

Lennon/McCartney 1965

🔳 Age: 2023 will be my 59th year on this planet - gosh! Time flies when you're...?

🔳 Eyes: Blue; Hair: Dark Blonde; Hair Length: shorter than it has been in 10 years! By the end of 2001, I had cut 14-inches off its' length! 99% of the time it's kept in a short clean neat'n'tidy ponytail. When I used to play in Surprise, it would take me an hour to crimp it! Currently wearing glasses (I'm classically short-sighted) and a long beard and mo. No tats. No piercings. My left testicle is the larger one, as is my left ear lobe.

🔳 Born in Paddington, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 1 month after The Beatles had toured out here, in the Chinese 'Year of the Dragon'. I was conceived 1 month before JFK was assassinated (right on the boundary between Baby Boomers and Baby Busters!) Altho I don't 'believe' in the Zodiac, I'm told I'm a "Leo".

🔳 My Favourite Things: My family - my 3 most precious sons. I love you guys endlessly! Yes, I'm one proud papa.

🔳 Sex: Yes please (D'oh!)...true-blue 100% Heterosexual Aussie Male.

🔳 Weight: Sits around 101-ish kg / 22 lbs. I'm happy even with a few extra pounds... no, not really...but hey, I'm not 25 anymore!

🔳 Height: 5' 10" - in metric? Hmmm...let me try to convert that...7,429.95 cm - does that sound right to you?!? Or is it 178 cm?!?

🔳 I'm now officially a 'divorced dad' as from 18th November 2002 (Decree Nisi 19 December 2002) - singleness not being something I had anticipated nor planned on becoming at the age of 38.

🔳 I'm happily single.

🔳 I've spent 22 of the last 28 years living in Bathurst, NSW, Australia (about 200km west of Sydney). Over the past few decades, I have lived in Warwick (Qld), Gosford, Narara, Bathurst, Ilford, Sydney, Manly... tho I grew up in Allambie Heights in Sydney. I never want to live in a big city ever again.

🔳 I have a fun highly-warped yet playful sense-of-humour that loves to delve into random absurdity. This aspect of me is a huge part of my psyche. "You've gotta laugh, otherwise you'll disturb the neighbours with your screaming..."

🔳 I don't drink alcohol (personal choice), don't smoke, don't do drugs nor gamble (boring old fart, huh? hahahaa). I'm not a "gamer", either.

🔳 Favourite Food: Cheese sandwich and strawberry milkshake (a childhood and life-long fav); Hot chip butties; cream-centred Lamingtons; Tacos - thanx Drew (but - not all at the same meal!) Yes, I have simple tastes... my 'gut' doesn't appreciate such diversity as it once did, dagnammit.

🔳 Favourite colour: Orange - it's a bright, joyful, happy, refreshing and natural colour. Totally useless to use about the house for anything tho... but it has a delightful vibe. It's the MS Awareness colour too... I must have subconsciously always known!

🔳 I adore watching lightning-storms light up the night-time sky. Heaven's 'fireworks'...

🔳 I still adore laying on my back in the middle of a pitch-black paddock or deserted beach in the middle of nowhere, gazing up into the stars and into infinity... I did this with my partner in her backyard in QLD one night, and she fell asleep [laffs].

🔳 I appreciate times of isolation - I need time by myself to emotionally 'recharge' after being surrounded by lots of people (yes, I am a classic introvert), but I also adore company - to be entertained by peoples' natural talent to just be themselves.

🔳 I am a loyal team player and not necessarily a good leader. I am a facilitator of others. In other words, I thrive best working with a group of people striving towards a common goal. That's why I really enjoy playing music in a band because it's a team situation.

🔳 I find it strangely difficult to be as open and honest and to make new friends - unlike I used to be. I highly value 'trust', yet I have experienced the painful agony of a few key people in my life who have let me down relationally big-time. Ouch.

🔳 I'll be honest... I am very slightly Autistic (low end of the Spectrum). I'm not diagnosed, tho; they just didn't diagnose stuff like that in the 70's & 80's.

🔳 My 'best man', who I rarely speak to (rather, I can never reach him!), has very keenly observed (correctly) that I only let people know what I want to let them know about me. This comes down to my loss of trust in people. I am either a highly-complex individual or a very simple person - I swing between the 2, I think. No, I think I am an intelligent simpleton

🔳 As you may gather, altho it fluctuates, I struggle with a poor self-image sometimes. Although - I like me. Yes, I do like me.

🔳 I've been suffering various debilitating health issues on and off over the last few years, mainly thanks to my body's inability to cope with the long-term stress it underwent over the 2000s. Ongoing current health issues include MS, continuing depressive episodes, anxiety/panic attacks, Ulcerative Colitis, nasal polyps, sleep apnea, eight (so far) kidney stones... that'll do...

🔳 I have spent most of my life reasonably healthy overall... these recent setbacks have come as a heart-breaking shock to my psyche.

🔳 I have some physical scarring after a severe case of eczema bought on by the whole stress of events early in the 2000s. Yes, there are some bald patches up there, as a result... and the long beard is a subconscious thing to hide the scar on the left side of my neck...

🔳 Experiencing a wholly-random blood clot in the lung in early 2010 (and another in early 2016) was NO fun either... nor was a debilitating heel spur (both now cleared, thankfully)...

🔳 On 22 January 2017, I was diagnosed as having "MS" (Multiple Sclerosis, a disease of the nervous system).

🔳 I'm under ongoing medication for clinical bipolar depression since 2001-2002. (I'm on 'Effexor')... I continue to seek regular professional medical assistance in this area of my life.

🔳 After suffering the horrible personality effects of depression for most of my adult life, plus seeking (debatably-ineffective) prayer ministry and counselling - I NOW find out it was all caused by something as simple as a 'chemical imbalance'! D'oh! 25 years' worth of grey hair, sleepless nights and wrinkles all for nothing...

🔳 The effects of anxiety and panic attacks have slowly started to become more acute for me, over the past few years, which have decreased my ability to be as open and available as I used to be. 99% of people will have absolutely no idea that I suffer from this, as I usually just have to wear a 'mask' and battle on, appearing as 'normal' as I can.

🔳 The deliberate emotional bullying thrown at me, from an un-named radio station in QLD, has negatively affected my psyche. Yes, it was that nightmarish. My partner at that time was solid, thankfully.

🔳 If I have ever contemplated suicide, the main reasons that have stopped me are i) the boys and ii) that someone has to 'discover' me afterwards. Neither option is fair or just for anyone else. 'nuff said.

🔳 Sometimes, my horrid manic-depressive episodes have seen me contemplate the awful mechanics of suicide in a very harsh black-and-white light. The last episode saw me spending some time in a Mental Health Care Centre for a short while. Scary times that most people don't know how to cope with as my friends, understandably. I have always been told that it's always better to seek help with these things - and I have... even tho other people have walked away from me as a result of me seeking help in these matters at critical times.

🔳 I often make things hard for myself - I am often my own worst enemy when it comes to making some decisions. I am continuing to work thru this as I get older. It's one of the 'side-effects' of the crippling depression and anxiety, which is a right pain-in-the-ass sometimes...

🔳 I often act lazy. It is not my intention to be so, tho. (Note: I didn't say I 'am' lazy) ...

🔳 And yes, I am a sensitive son-of-a-bitch! It can only take one negative word to bring me right down - yet one simple word of encouragement can propel me upwards and onwards for a whole week! I've discovered that most people (of all shapes and persuasions) can be right @$$holes when it suits them. I've always assumed there is good in people, however as I grow older in years, I've observed less and less 'goodness' in most people. Very unsettling.

🔳 I'm not enjoying feeling as though I'm turning into a "grumpy old fart" somedays! ... can I just blame the MS for this? [laffs]

🔳 I've only travelled outside Australia once, as a c.11-yo to New Zealand with my parents for a 2-week package holiday.

The only 2 Australian states I haven't been to yet are WA & Tasmania.

🔳 The most remote place I think I've been to is Lightning Ridge, or maybe Silverton (near Broken Hill), or maybe Ularu and The Olgas.

🔳 I plan to watch a sunset over the ocean sometime before I die - being on the east coast, I've seen scores of sunrises over the ocean! I've always wanted to do that with someone very special...

🔳 One of my all-time fav places is a spot in the middle of nowhere, just north of Port Stephens in NSW, called Mungo Brush. There is nothing there (which is why I like it), except a lake, sand dunes and a c.20km beach! But, a close second is Rainbow Bay & Snapper Rocks, just on the other side of the QLD border!

🔳 I would love to travel and spend some time on the island of Hydra in Greece. It looks absolutely gorgeous, plus my favourite authors spent many years living there. Altho, the practical reality is that it will not happen. But it's nice to dream.

🔳 While I don't mind travelling to visit new or familiar places, I'm usually quite content to be a 'home-body'.

🔳 Favourite Car: Datsun 120Y - my very first car, with a top speed of 85 km/h!!! Until recently, I have been driving a blue '93 Mitsubishi Lancer. My last was a Ford Telstar. I don't have a car at the moment... financial reasons, basically.

🔳 What form of transport did my family have at the age of 12?

Dad had a white (tho rusty) Holden Kingswood Station wagon; before that, he used to have a pale-green VW Beetle - a car-load of 12 boy-scouts physically bent the chassis! Poor "Herbie"!

🔳 Most Painful Experience: Separation - and now divorced - from my wife of 10 years - absolute purgatory. BUT - there is light afterwards - purgatory does not last forever...future happiness is possible now..." leaving the past behind, and pressing on towards the goal..."

🔳 Continuing Painful Experience - being physically separated from my three precious sons (a "Divorced Dad"). I miss so much just being with them 24/7. I am trying to have an (external) continuing relationship with my sons, as hard and painful as that is at times, and as difficult as that is being made for me to have. I have lost my mind thanks to this.

🔳 I have a sense of inner peace, despite this, that I know my sons are living and surrounded by a loving, caring, nurturing and supportive family environment, and I simply couldn't be happier for them. I simply adore and treasure my sons. They are my joy and delight.

🔳 Thank goodness, it is easier now they are their own adult young men now.

🔳 I was once bound and gagged by my older brother, and shoved under my bed when he was 'babysitting' me when I was a young kid. I have always felt slightly defenceless and helpless ever since. (Oh, I have long-forgiven him for this). And no, I do not have a BDSM kink as a result [laffs].

🔳 Two very special, precious and positive years of my life were spent alongside someone who was, in so many ways, my soulmate. Alas, twas not supposed to be. "Better to have loved and lost, than to have never..."

🔳 I bailed out half-way-thru my HSC final High School year in 1982, hence only achieving my School Certificate in 1980.

🔳 I enjoy researching information, but often it's of no practical worth - ie. forms of trivia. That's probably why I enjoy studying so much... and researching for the radio programs! Haha.

🔳 I completed a 3-year A.C.T. (Full) Diploma of Theology (Evangelism) in 1996 - a very personally-satisfying achievement for me (the sociology aspects are still relevant, yet most of the rest is now useless to me).

🔳 My 'passion' is to "help and facilitate" other people - I'd love to teach adults (ie. Adult Education and Training). I was beginning to move towards that... I was formally accepted, thru the University of New England, to do a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education and Training full-time in 2003/04.

🔳 The 'plan' (after Uni in 2004) was to become a workplace trainer or assessor - assisting people to fulfil their work potential more effectively. Teachings' still my 'passion', plus it'll be 'helping' people - that'll be something based on job satisfaction, not just the bucks! Whoo-hoo!

🔳 After a hiatus in 2005, I undertook a Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training - Nationally Accredited training.

🔳 I'm emotionally devastated that, due to an awful situation back in the mid-1980s (in combination with negative aspects of my current chronic health situations), I'm not able to teach. This is a life-debilitating blow for me.

🔳 Favourite Band: The Beatles - any 1960's British pop/rock, really. I can't go too fast past Crowded House, either... but here's a list...

The Rolling Stones
The Who
Bob Dylan
Pink Floyd
The Byrds
Led Zeppelin
Neil Finn
XTC
Pugwash
Sherbet
U2
Mozart

🔳 Favourite Music Albums

🔳 I enjoy playing music 'with a passion, including guitar (acoustic, classical, electric), bass (electric, fretless, acoustic and double), piano/keyboards, drums, vocals, and arranging too. I've written a few songs... I taught myself to play the guitar after locking myself away in my bedroom as a teenager, chugging along to all those Beatles' LP's.

🔳 I finally recorded and released my first solo album "Lancelot's Pram" in mid-2009... it only took me twenty years to be able to do it!

🔳 I have a natural gift/talent for being able to play music 'by ear' - I can listen to something once or twice,, and usually play it. I have an annoying 'habit' of usually being able to tell the pitch/key of a song or note! I'm a really-rusty sight-reader tho - I can 'read the dots', but it's a slow and arduous process nowadays (Every Good Boy Deserves Fruit & FACE) - D'oh!.

🔳 One of the bummers about having MS, is now I am unable to play stringed musical instruments! I have now retired from live performances - which is pretty bloody awful (Read: massive understatement).

🔳 I've collected over 500 music CD's these days... listening to music is a big part of my psyche. I've over 4,000 music albums digitized in my collection as well.

🔳 One of the joyfully-unexpected upshots of all this is that I was involved in presenting live-to-air/internet radio programs. This is something I wish I'd been doing 20 years ago - it's come to me very naturally, which is quite surprising to me - I lived with a rather awful speech impediment as a young child. Mum would have been proud.

🔳 Thanks to my various chronic health issues, I am unable to present radio any longer... fvck!

🔳 I love to create, including creative writing with poetry, short stories and novellas. The whole MS Short Attention Span stuff usually stops that dead for me - extremely frustrating (understatement!)

🔳 I loved to sketch, and wish I'd learnt how to 'paint'. I'm enjoying rediscovering the lost 'art' of colouring-in - when my dizzy fingers allow me, that is.

🔳 I love to read... a good novel, autobiography or modern history. My mum instilled a passion for reading in me at a young age, for which I'm eternally grateful. I have an eclectic library of books, and local libraries are fun!

🔳 Favourite Authors:

George Johnston (1912-1970) - ('My Brother Jack', 'Clean Straw For Nothing', 'The Far Road' - you MUST read 'The Far Road' b4 you die!!!)... I must be the only person in Australia (outside of the National Library) who possess his entire published works.
Charmian Clift (1923-1969) - ('Peel Me a Lotus' etc)
Douglas Adams
Homer ('The Iliad', 'The Odyssey')
Now having re-read Tolkien, I have the greatest respect and admiration for his work.

🔳 Some Favourite Books

🔳 Favourite Poet:

Robert Lowell (1917 - 1977) - 'Life Studies', 'For the Union Dead', 'Notebook', 'The Dolphin'... I have 'em all!

🔳 Being a 'visual' person, I love movies, but strangely - I don't watch much TV. I'd prefer a documentary, or something blatantly silly, rather than suffer thru a lot of current rubbish mindless TV programming.

🔳 My Favourite Movies

🔳 My only brother - 10-years-older than me - told me in 2002 (and again in 2013) that he didn't want me as part of his life anymore "This makes me very sad" (an understatement!) We had both suffered nervous breakdowns' within months' of each other.

He is a good man, he just needs his own space at times, and I respect that. It's difficult, after becoming very close over quite a few years.

STOP PRESS! The thaw is complete, and we are in positive communications and a 'good place' again... we are "Besties" now - yay! It's great that they moved the 3,000kms to be just 60kms away now!

🔳 My brother's pet hobby is genealogy/family trees - I have a direct relative who arrived in Australia on the 2nd Fleet in 1789 as an Irish convict. The family were originally from Scotland, then Ireland. My great-great Grandfather's name was 'Cornelius' - poor sod!

🔳 I miss my dad very much. Even tho we didn't talk all that much, we had a very close 'connection' - we had so many things in common, and he was always 'just there,' you know? Is it really 27 years already?! Love ya, ya ol' coot! I miss my mum too (of course) - 18 years. RIP.

🔳 It's a very surreal situation to be in - having both your parents no longer here, and seeing their ashes/memorial plaques side-by-side! I'm an orphan.

🔳 My parents tried to do everything for me growing up [that was their way of showing they loved and cared...] - hence I have had some difficulty accepting personal responsibility with some things sometimes. BUT - I've "grown-up" now...!!

🔳 After my wife had been in labour for 32 hours, and JD could've died before he was even born, I finally went home and wept uncontrollably - I had felt so utterly helpless.

🔳 Then there was 4-month-old SJ in hospital for 16 days with meningitis, with a central line going straight into his heart... unspeakable ouchies inside for a helpless dad...

🔳 JD was falsely-diagnosed with Perthes Disease when he was 8-yo.

🔳 All three of my sons are happy healthy young men now, thankfully.

🔳 I caught my dad's passion for sailing - 'wet-bum sailing'. I used to race 16' Skiffs out of Manly in Sydney Harbour every Saturday arvo for years... I had a season skippering a Flying 11 as well... we even won a few races!

🔳 Until recently, I'd been socially sailing every Sunday at Carcoar Dam NSW, a 14-foot one-man sailing dinghy [a Laser] I called "Wyreema II". Well... I did, when there was water in the dam! That's the nasty side-effects after seven years of the ongoing drought. Tho after all the recent flooding at the end of 2010/early 2011, the dam is almost full again - the first time in over 10 years! Tho I unwisely sold it [in retrospect], before I moved to Qld in 2012.

🔳 The little sailing dinghy I had before the Laser was a "Solo" (also called "Wyreema"), which was one of the best little boats I've ever had the pleasure to get wet with! I regret having parted with it, but such is life.

🔳 "Wyreema" was the name of my dad's boats, which is simply a name he liked, with no huge connections, my brother and I found out years after he'd passed!

🔳 I've broken most toes on both feet (incl. left big-toe twice!) - thru sailing as a teenager! There's not a whole lot they can do for a broken toe, except let them mend themselves! I never realised a toe had broken when I was out on the water - until trying to get out of bed the next morning and fell over in pain! D'oh!

🔳 My left knee has become a little 'creaky' these days, so my time out sailing on my own is fairly limited, unfortunately. Riding a pushbike again (after a break of 35-ish years!) is also a bit of a daunting prospect as well, with a funny knee... then there's the whole MS thing...

🔳 Because my MS hands don't always 'co-operate' for me, I'll never be able to go sailing on my own again. *&^%!

🔳 I vaguely follow Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the NRL Rugby League and watched endless games at Brookvale Oval as a young teenager. #ManlyForever

🔳 I've always followed the NSW Blues in the Rugby League... living in Qld for 18 months (2012-2013) saw me, cop, a lot of friendly $#it as a result.

🔳 I am a self-professed CRICKET TRAGIC!

🔳 I enjoyed rowing as the bowman in an 'Eight' at school. We were Public Schoolboys (ie. scum), and absolutely whipped the GPS (ie. Private School snots) boats! Apparently, my 'technique' of dipping in fractionally early was our coaches' preferred action for his bowman - I found out years' later - thanks Gibbbo! Great visual and aural memories.

🔳 I used to play soccer. I cannot believe that Zalai was still playing soccer with "The Slashers" - continuously since 1982 right up to 2002!!! Wow! Memories of Bathtub Parties at Gents haunt me - lol. We had a team mascot called 'Vomit the Pig' - what a worry! I haven't played soccer in years (I used to play left-half), but I enjoy watching a few games a year.

🔳 I mastered boogie-boarding in a major way at Tweed Heads/Gold Coast in the summer of 2001/02 - yeah! Tho I managed to fall off just two waves on my $35 5th-hand surfboard... Thank you Rainbow Bay.

🔳 The only stitches I've ever had were on the outside of my left knee after I fin-chopped myself with my surfboard at Freshwater Beach as a teenager, c.1980. Needless to say - I was never very good at surfing! But - sitting 'out-the-back' is one of the most blissful/peaceful experiences I have ever experienced!

🔳 There's fairly limited access to the surf/ocean, living 200 km/125 miles inland from the ocean... I miss the smell and sound of the sea. Thank goodness for local dams and lakes... there is something very special about "being beside the water"...

🔳 I used to inadvertently get badly sunburnt at the beginning of each summer as a kid - somehow, my skin is still reasonably alright. Altho we lived within walking distance to the beach, when I was a child/teen, I rarely went to the beach.

🔳 I have a 'dent' (no, not 'Arthur' Dent...) in the middle-top of my head, after getting my head stuck between the rails of a neighbours' front-gate as a 4-yo - sitting in an empty cardboard box being pushed along on a skateboard at 6 o'clock one morning. (The stoopid thing we did as kids, hey?!)

🔳 Best Friend in Primary School: Glen Barry - he had flaming red hair, and had a little brother, Russell. I randomly bumped into him again on Facebook a few years ago.

🔳 It was wonderful reconnecting with an old Primary Schoolmate again after 26 years, back in the early 2000s, and seeing how different lifes' journeys make of people.

🔳 Best Friend in High School: Ahmed Y - I was his best man on his wedding day in 1983. I met him at the bus stop on the very first day of High School. He's moved on now, sadly.

🔳 Richard Bodle - Vale. I still can't believe you've gone. In our late teens, he was one of our "Famous Five"!

🔳 I wore braces on my teeth for two years as a teenager. I sucked my thumb until I was about 10(?), and my teeth stuck out terribly as a result. I wore the nickname "Buckkie-Beaver" for a long time - and naturally, I hated it.

🔳 No nickname has ever really stuck with me.

🔳 I have an illogical fear of falling over backwards - being tripped at ankle height. I also have an unreasonable tendency to avoid walking across large manhole-covers as I'm walking in the street. Of course, this is illogical, and 99.9% of the time I just walk right over the top of 'em nowadays! Yes, I know it's nutty...

🔳 I always had an illogical fear of Dobroyd Heads' Bombora - even when we sailed right on top of it once. Yeeeesh!

🔳 I've had 2 non-malignant but feral 'warts' removed in the last 30 years' - one on my left side, the other on my right shoulder/neck. All clear nowadays, tho.

🔳 I have nearly accidentally drowned at least twice - once in rapids whilst white-water rafting in the Upper Shoalhaven River c.1988, the second time in the surf at Tweed Heads 2001. "It's peaceful."

🔳 I've suffered two terrifyingly painful "Pulmonary Embolisms" (blood-clot in the lung, or PE's) in six years, the last one in 2016 (aged 52). And no, they did not know what caused it!

🔳 My last PE I thought I was going to die; the pain was that intense (it came on very quickly), but at that time, sitting up in my bed, I felt a whole peaceful, reassuring, releasing a sense of "It's OK... there's nothing I can do about this, and that's OK... if it's my time, then it's my time". Not a 'religious' experience, just a feeling of calm and peace.

🔳 Death doesn't scare me at all, thanks to both of these experiences.

🔳 Click here for a full-colour photo essay of my latest nudist swingers party, complete with live Volleyball-Net Cam feeds.

🔳 Jesus Christ WAS my Lord and Saviour, but "Christianity" and "church-life" are - as I've experienced it - disappointing and shallow. "Grace"? (Sounds great, but in practical reality...?)

🔳 If Jesus is who he says he is, the church has a hell of a lot to answer and account for...

🔳 Three years of Bible College taught me some great sociological translation skills... but now I have no use whatsoever for all the theological input I received.

🔳 My first Christian role models were: Greg Stigter, Barney Miller, Baden Wynn - all of whom still worship (Thank you All Saints Anglican Church, Balgowlah. Good memories). Thank you, John Capper. My now-long beard is in tribute and memory of you.

🔳 I spent c.4 years as a full-time Protestant Evangelical "Evangelist / Missionary" around NSW, during the late 1990s. Most people think I am joking when I tell them this about me. These days, I do not believe or follow such a line of thought.

🔳 I've experienced that some of the greatest hypocrites and destructive gossipers proudly stand up and count themselves as 'Christians', much to their eternal shame.

🔳 I have never fitted into anyone's "box". (I am sure I would have been diagnosed with a form of 'very mild lower-spectrum Autism' if they did that back in the late '70s etc).

🔳 I am not journeying with a (mainline evangelical) Christian church presently (or any organized religious group). I am 'learning to view the world through a different pair of glasses, and it's a refreshingly different experience from what I have ever known before. Some of my previous churched associates would be horrified to know that I have a practising pagan as a good friend nowadays, as well as some agnostics and atheists, and even Liberal Christians too! I haven't had the 'religious' freedom to mix with non-believers freely in this way in 17 years! Loving it!

🔳 I'd describe myself as a "Pragmatic Agnostic" these days as well. This is a long way from mainstream Protestant Evangelicalism for sure...

🔳 Please don't offend me by trying to 'preach' and 'convert' me, or by trying to make me one of your "pet evangelism projects". Treat me as a normal flawed human being, and I will respect you.

🔳 I won't willingly detract someone else from their own distinct spiritual journey, nor shove my own stumblings upon others.

🔳 I remember where I was when:

The Bold Street Bridge in Granville (Sydney NSW) collapsed
I saw the Bear cry at the Moscow Olympics
John Lennon was shot
Australia II won the America's Cup
I proposed to MJD (turned-down), and later to M (accepted)
I first saw and held JD, my first-born (actually - all three of my precious boys)
I first heard my father had died
September 11th 2001 (9-11)
I unhappily mailed away the signed divorce papers
'Having a beer' with my only-brother for the very first time, only after our mum had passed away a few hours earlier.
I first heard that my oldest son was engaged.

🔳 I remember being in Infants' School at Manly West (NSW) and watching the 1st moon landings on a large black-and-white TV in July 1969. I also remember throwing up outside that same room too - I can still see a picture in my mind of the sawdust being spread from a red metal bucket all over the wooden floor.

🔳 Three years of taking 'recreational drugs and binge drinking as an older teenager has stuffed my short-term memory. I do not remember my 19th year, anyway - it was one big blur of continual partying... I have not done any of that crap in over 30+ years. Learning by repetition has become the standard rather than the exception! Just as well I enjoy 'study' and research...

🔳 I once hand-paddled a small white dinghy from one side of a possibly-shark-friendly Middle Harbour to the other in the middle of the night, as the tiny battered craft slowly sank underneath me. Ahh...those all-nighters at Clontarf have a lot to answer for! I often wonder how we got away with and even survived some of the stoopid things we used to do together!

🔳 I am personally aware of having a possibly addictive personality - I do enjoy having a relaxing drink now and again. I very occasionally drink... altho it ruined my life as a 20-yo. But - there is a huge difference between 'relaxation' and 'excess'... Being on strong medication sees me abstaining from alcohol these days - and that's fine.

🔳 Anyways, I've 'gone off' alcohol nowadays, and I don't miss it - just from pure personal choice, really.

🔳 I spent 3 1/2 months in the MRC at Long Bay (Sydney) in the mid-'80s 'Gibbo' was the first 'Christian' I think I'd really met. A lot of self-confessed 'Christians' distance themselves from me after they find about out my past background. Delusion caused by excessive personal drug use is very very uncool, the end a result of this incident will have a continuing negative effect for the rest of my life. Psychological counselling and a practical involvement within church life changed me 1,000% for the better as a person.

🔳 Sometimes I find it hard to honestly forgive myself - sometimes for things that have passed like 8-years' previously!

🔳 My passion for poetry and appreciation of literature came from my Year 11 High School English Teacher, Rod Leonarder - I dedicate Robert Lowells' "Skunk Hour" to you - thank you! (A group of us, [his students] even attended his Wedding Service - he meant that much to us; a great bloke).

🔳 My passion and joy of appreciation of all types and styles of music came from my High School Music Teacher, Antoinette Jameson - thank you for pushing me!

🔳 The High School Maths' Master who dropped me, three classes, at once was a drunken ignoramus after lunchtime alcoholic binges at the RSL Club. My actual Maths' teacher looked on in horror and pity - unable to do anything - as it was announced in front of all my peers that I was being dropped three classes - thank you for your look of compassion. Dignity is not something to be thrown away.

🔳 The torturous situations that have happened to me/around me/because of me over the last c.8 years have left me quite emotionally scarred. I physically aged 15-20 years in just four years. In many ways, I am just a hollow shell of the person I once was. This distresses me.

🔳 I used to think I didn't give a shit what other people thought of me - but "there's one thing you can't hide when you're crippled inside." If people don't like it when I wear my heart on my sleeve - that's their problem, not mine! It's hard for me these days knowing quite when to share and not to share my heart, as people have taken my heart/spirit for a ride one time too many.

🔳 I also feel sorry and sad for the people who would think I am making this stuff up for my own ulterior motives or hidden agenda. I am NOT. (Fvck you!)

🔳 I also don't expect anyone to ever read this far into this page! Contact me if you have and/or want to leave a comment with the word "Asparagus" or observation with me! (NB. I've only received one 'asparagus' so far! lol).

And to round things off...

"ON KILEY'S RUN"

A.B. "Banjo" Paterson

The Bulletin, 20 December 1890

The roving breezes come and go

On Kiley's Run,

The sleepy river murmurs low,

And far away one dimly sees

Beyond the stretch of forest trees --

Beyond the foothills dusk and dun --

The ranges sleeping in the sun

On Kiley's Run.

'Tis many years since first I came

To Kiley's Run,

More years than I would care to name

Since I, a stripling, used to ride

For miles and miles at Kiley's side,

The while in stirring tones he told

The stories of the days of old

On Kiley's Run.

I see the old bush homestead now

On Kiley's Run,

Just nestled down beneath the brow

Of one small ridge above the sweep

Of river-flat, where willows weep

And jasmine flowers and roses bloom,

The air was laden with perfume

On Kiley's Run.

We lived the good old station life

On Kiley's Run,

With little thought of care or strife.

Old Kiley seldom used to roam,

He liked to make the Run his home,

The swagman never turned away

With an empty hand at close of day

From Kiley's Run.

We kept a racehorse now and then

On Kiley's Run,

And neighbouring stations brought their men

To meetings where the sport was free,

And dainty ladies came to see

Their champions ride; with laugh and song

The old house rang the whole night long

On Kiley's Run.

The station hands were friends I wot

On Kiley's Run,

A reckless, merry-hearted lot --

All splendid riders, and they knew

The `boss' was kindness through and through.

Old Kiley always stood their friend,

And so they served him to the end

On Kiley's Run.

But droughts and losses came apace

To Kiley's Run,

Till ruin stared him in the face;

He toiled and toiled while lived the light,

He dreamed of overdrafts at night:

At length, because he could not pay,

His bankers took the stock away

From Kiley's Run.

Old Kiley stood and saw them go

From Kiley's Run.

The well-bred cattle marching slow;

His stockmen, mates for many a day,

They wrung his hand and went away.

Too old to make another start,

Old Kiley died -- of broken heart,

On Kiley's Run.

. . . . .

The owner lives in England now

Of Kiley's Run.

He knows a racehorse from a cow;

But that is all he knows of stock:

His chiefest care is how to dock

Expenses, and he sends from town

To cut the shearers' wages down

On Kiley's Run.

There are no neighbours anywhere

Near Kiley's Run.

The hospitable homes are bare,

The gardens gone; for no pretence

Must hinder cutting down expense:

The homestead that we held so dear

Contains a half-paid overseer

On Kiley's Run.

All life and sport and hope have died

On Kiley's Run.

No longer there the stockmen ride;

For sour-faced boundary riders creep

On mongrel horses after sheep,

Through ranges where, at racing speed,

Old Kiley used to `wheel the lead'

On Kiley's Run.

There runs a lane for thirty miles

Through Kiley's Run.

On either side the herbage smiles,

But wretched trav'lling sheep must pass

Without a drink or blade of grass

Thro' that long lane of death and shame:

The weary drovers curse the name

Of Kiley's Run.

The name itself is changed of late

Of Kiley's Run.

They call it `Chandos Park Estate'.

The lonely swagman through the dark

Must hump his swag past Chandos Park.

The name is English, don't you see,

The old name sweeter sounds to me

Of `Kiley's Run'.

I cannot guess what fate will bring

To Kiley's Run --

For chances come and changes ring --

I scarcely think 'twill always be

Locked up to suit an absentee;

And if he lets it out in farms

His tenants soon will carry arms

On Kiley's Run.

Bookmark this Page: A Profile

Peas be with ewe
Mal

About Me

2026-09-26T12:02:44.748+10:00

What is this blog all about, Mal?

A “blog” is like an online journal/diary, a "weblog".

This is more a 'personal' blog... for me, blogging is just like 'thinking aloud' (thinking "allowed"? 😎 )

"This blog is simply some insights into my alleged thoughts, ideas, comments, pictures, observations, editorials, musings, rantings, ravings, ramblings, and current 'Objective Critical Relative Subjectivism'... my fun random verbose bull$#it, in other words... please take it all with a large pinch of happiness and salt..."

As Don says, "(Tis') just a spot to lay down thoughts, complaints, ideas, interesting websites, and anything else that crosses my mind... and if you find something in error, remember it happened between keyboard and chair."

Who am I?

● I'm a 62-yo Aussie divorced dad (happily single) of three handsome adult sons (plus one gorgeous daughter-in-law)

● I live in Bathurst NSW Australia.

● I enjoy a great sense of absurd humour ie. The Goons & Python!

● I love listening to and playing music as well, especially British '60's stuff like The Beatles.

● I used to perform live acoustic solo music as "Lancelot's Pram", and have released a music CD album in 2009 as well; I've played in a few bands.

● I enjoy listening - to the surrounding sounds.

● I love a good movie but rarely watch TV.

● I am a classic Introvert and a deeply flawed human being,

● I also love to read a good novel, biography, or Robert Lowell's poetry.

● I love sailing, cricket, football (soccer) and rowing.

● I love the Greek island of Hydra.

● I have some ongoing health issues.

► About Me: An In-Depth & Detailed Personal Profile

► Very Briefly: Who Am I?

► Q&A: About Me

► For more info and the blogposts index, go to the Site Map

► So... what's the “Gherkin” thing? I used to have a little lime-green sailing dinghy, and the other sailing club people jokingly called it "The Gherkin"... nowadays, I have a similarly coloured electric guitar, that still carries that moniker. Yes - it's silly fun.

► What's the whole “Pram” thing about, too?

► Why I use Social Media

► To view older posts, either...

i) go to the bottom of the page and click on the link "Older Posts"

... OR ...

ii) On the right-hand-side menu, click on the "Blog Post Archive" scroll box and click.

Bookmark this page: About Me

Also: About Me

Site Map

2026-09-26T11:57:16.925+10:00

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Peas be with ewe
Mal

Misheard Song Lyrics

2026-09-26T11:53:07.856+10:00

When I was presenting radio, I always got a fun response from these little musical snippets I'd highlight.

↠ kissthisguy.com

↠ Misheard Lyrics

↠ misheard-song-lyrics

↠ misheard-lyrics

https://youtu.be/0ukn2YT5jeM

Bookmark This Page

Peas be with ewe
Mal

The Goodies

2026-09-23T00:17:00.978+10:00

With the recent passing of the brilliant Bill Oddie (Bloddie), so many happy, positive, absurd memories of The Goodies come flooding back. Perfectly suited to my sense of humour.

In Australia, their show was repeated on TV every weekday early evening for 20+ years. Every Aussie child in the 70's and 80's watched and knew The Goodies devotedly.

My three children (now adults) still adore The Goodies! Oh YES!!!

https://youtu.be/dDC7vy6Jmac?si=7sK78xOJ3fA1RFvT

I cannot name just one positive, hilarious, absurd moment.

"Bellamy!" 😄

OK, the personal story...

I would have been about 16, c. 1980, when the episode "Animals" aired. Everybody at school watched The Goodies. I mean everybody. This episode would air at about 6pm on a weeknight.

The next morning, on the bus to school, the call of "Bellamy!" echoed up and down the bus, for the entire 20 minutes!

It was unspoken, but everyone. on. that. bus. knew exactly what it meant. We'd all seen it. Popular kids, poor kids, dork kids etc. Everyone... Men. Dressed as rabbits, trying to hide from rogue animals... of course [laffs]

https://youtu.be/Tz524KEe-kg

(The episode parodies nature documentaries and presenters—including David Bellamy—while exploring themes of animal rights and the economy running on animal power.)

Twas a truly classic childhood memory. A community event. Brilliant.

cf. from 2:14 to 3:00

https://youtu.be/k2-fH4bLJDA?si=7AWXwWhVf7CQxoS_

I loved to make reference, while I was presenting on the radio, to "And now... 'A Walk in the Black Forest'..."

https://youtu.be/dgb2hrjJXRk?si=Ul-zsljzbWMCkCAZ

https://youtu.be/4dGVNAvc-eg?si=jJcJdHEz5e8x6KwK

I still have their books too.

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Asparagus

2026-09-22T23:44:06.953+10:00

I know nobody will read this, but sometimes when I'm bored and tired, I get myself wrapped up in my frilly pink satin tutu, and luminescent ballet tights and put a giant golden horn on my head, thickly lather day-glo sparkles all over myself, and slide around the soapy wet kitchen floor pretending I'm a magical unicorn, singing Italian Opera tastelessly in Biblical Greek.

😸🤭😺😀😃😄😁😆😂😜

➽ Reply "Asparagus" if you read this post. Thanks.

My Sense of Humour...

Bookmark
Also: Asparagus

Peas be with ewe
Mal

MS Misconceptions - "Stupid Things People Say About MS"

2026-09-19T23:17:27.896+10:00

These are things that other MS-ers on Twitter have heard from friends/family/strangers when it comes to MS awareness. (No, I'm not making these up... a lot of people simply don't understand what MS is, and/or how it affects everyone differently).

People often are sincere, but speak out of pure ignorance.

"Debunking Bull$#it 'Cures' for MS"

youtu.be/u47mCA8eUBw

"MS is a little old lady's disease..." Nope.

"What should I call you? Disabled? Handicapped? Crippled? Gimp?" "Mal", thanks, same as my parents did.

"I read somewhere that there is a cure for MS!" No, no there isn't... yet... but there is plenty of ongoing research.

"You get MS from drinking diet soft drinks/Diet Mountain Dew/Diet Coke..." This is a mind-warpingly stupid comment someone received - seriously!

"You get MS from using a mobile phone..." Nope, just your stupidity.

"If you have MS, why aren't you in a wheelchair? It can't be that bad?" MS affects everyone differently.

"You don't look sick... you seemed fine the other day... are you just faking it for attention?" Can I punch you... lovingly?

"You don't look sick enough to park there!" (Video)

"Awww, don't worry, your MS will get better..." No it won't, actually.

"How do you want me to treat you?" As you would want to be treated.

"Just take a pill, it will fix your headache/take away your pain..." If only it were that easy!

Just stand on one leg while eating a carrot and your MS will vanish! BOLLOCKS!

"MS is caused by eating red meat" Wha...?!?

"Why are you poisoning your body [with medication] when you can go natural?" Why do you still eat processed food?

"Being high is a cure for MS." Medical marijuana is still illegal here (in Australia), and it's not a cure, but can diminish some pain symptoms for some people. Plus you don't get "high" from MM.

"Try this herb... it helped my cousin’s-uncles’-sister’s-friend who has MS." orly? Like I keep saying... every one with MS is different.

"Why do you have a disabled parking sticker/permit? You don't look disabled?!" Zark off.

"It must be great not having to go to work/being on the pension..." Thanks for making me feel like a worthless unproductive member of society...

"It's all in your head!" Funny you should say that...

"You seem so lazy!" It's nothing fvcking deliberate, believe me...

"Stop using MS as an excuse… you can’t feel that way all the time?!" Actually some days are better than others, but yes, MS is 24/7.

"Don't kiss/cough/bleed on me! You might give me MS!" MS is NOT contagious!

"Are you contagious?" I just told you... MS is not contagious... you don't "catch" MS.

"How did you catch MS?" By talking with a twat like you...

"Oh, I get tired too..." Oh yes, that must be awful for you... moving on...

"Maybe if I wore makeup too, I could cover up my fatigue."

"Why are you so clumsy?" Just to annoy you.

"A good sleep will cure your weariness/lethargy!" I wish!

"Oh, you're just having a 'bad day'..." Every day is different, that's what is so 'bad' about it!

"You need to think more positively!" I wish it were that simple somedays.

"My friend's, uncle's, window cleaner's, the next-door neighbour has MS and they are fine. Have you tried positive thinking??" (expletive deleted)

"Too bad you won't be able to have children/breastfeed, now you have MS..." Wrong.

"You should just exercise more..." It's different for everyone.

"What did you do to get MS?" Absolutely nothing.

Woman: Why are you limping? Me: I’ve got MS. Woman: Oh... as long as it’s nothing serious.

"A friend of mine has had MS for the last 10 years and you would barely notice. I'm sure you will be fine."

"Oh! Sorry to hear that. My friend had MS once."

"How did you get that? You must’ve had Mono." Ummm... nope.

"What about your kids?! Isn't MS a genetic thing?!" No. No, it isn't.

"How could they [doctors etc] possibly find out you had MS? How can they be so sure it's MS?" They discovered a fetid chicken laying scrambled eggs in my brain... that was enough evidence.

"I feel a bit sad sometimes too..." Depression isn't just 'feeling sad!'

"I know someone who has MS and she has an injection once a week and she’s fine." [Rolls eyes] MS affects everyone differently.

"I know someone with MS, and they do things you don't..." MS affects everyone differently.

"Just push through it..." It's not so easy, when you feel like you're wading through treacle blindfolded somedays, physically and emotionally.

"How can you feel lonely?" MS can be a very socially-isolating disease.

"Why do you keep forgetting things?" I don't remember...

"I forget things sometimes too..." If only it were 'sometimes' for me... like, mid-sentence...?

"You daydream a lot in the middle of a conversation, that’s rude!" No… it’s cognitive issues.

"Why are you taking such-and-such medicine? You should take this natural/herbal/essential oil..." I'll stick with my officially-prescribed meds from my trained, specially-skilled and medically-experienced doctors, thanks...

"Why don’t you try a different medication, that doesn’t cause so many side effects?" A lot of it takes time to take effect, and it's different for different people.

"It must be great experiencing drunk-like dizziness for free!" Zark off...

"Shouldn't people with MS avoid going to the gym?" Why? You can't catch MS!

"Haven't you tried such-and-such new treatment/magic cure yet?" No, because there's a lot of unverifiable outrageous crap out there when it comes to people claiming to have "cured" MS, is why.

"Such-and-such a diet will help/stop/cure MS..."; "A Keto diet will cure MS"; "A diet change would eradicate the smorgasbord of symptoms". No, it won't.

"You should be gluten/dairy-free." Thanks so much for that...

"OMG! This vitamin will leave you symptom-free! I read about it on the internet!" orly?

"I knew a friend-of-a-friends'-mothers'-vet who died from MS..." MS won't kill you.

“Do you have the kind of MS that you die from, or the other kind?” (See above!)

"At least it's not cancer". Gee, thanks...?

"I know someone with MS... it doesn't seem so bad for them..." No two people with MS share the same symptoms.

"I know someone with MS who didn’t need a wheelchair until they were 50, so you’ve got time yet."

"That ringing in your ears is obviously caused by listening to loud music wearing headphones." No... no, it isn't, actually.

"Are you nervous? Why is your hand shaking like that?" I'm terrified I might clobber your ignorance out of you...

"When you talk about your MS, aren't you're just complaining/whinging/attention-seeking...?" Perhaps I'm just raising MS awareness for the less-informed?

"Let me pray for you..." Gee, thanks, but words spoken into the air really won't practically help... could you come over and mow my grass or hang out my washing instead?

"Oh, you are just drunk..." Oh, I wish!

"Why couldn't you just get to the toilet in time?" No comment needed, surely.

"Vaccines cause MS!" No. No they don't.

"I hate hot/humid days/sudden temperature changes, too!" Oh, that's just awful [rolls eyes and sighs].

"If the heat bothers you, don’t be in it… or move…" Oh yes, that's practically feasible...

"Wear fewer clothes if you are that hot..."

"You just need to get out more..." If only I didn't stumble-trip down the stairs, just checking my mailbox, then maybe I would.

"Yup all mothers are tired. You should get out more, like, if you're not feeling well... just go out and do stuff."

"Is your walking stick/frame just an attention-seeking device?" [rolls eyes] Oh yes... yes, it is... looks like you caught me out on that one... [sigh].

"Get a walking stick so people know you are disabled... because looking at you, you can't tell that you have MS".

"Why are you dragging one of your feet?" For the attention, obviously... don't you appreciate my Igor impressions?

"Can't you just walk slower/faster?" I wish it were that easy... or are you prepared to catch me if/when I fall?

"My legs hurt too... my legs get stiff if I've been sitting at my desk a long time." Oh dear, that must be awful for you...

"But... MS is such a rare disease, isn't it?" No, it's not, actually.

"Oh, trust me… I know exactly how you feel!" orly? That's nice.

"Aren’t you too healthy-looking to have MS?"

"Well, aren’t you taking your meds??" (Yes….) "Then, why is your MS bothering you still?"

"Well, if you’re in remission, why are you on meds?"

"Why are you always so tired? It can’t be that bad…"

"You slept ALL night, how can you be so tired?"

"If pregnancy makes it better, why don’t you just keep having more kids?"

"That celebrity with MS seems just fine, why aren’t you?"

"Do you take enough vitamins?"

"Maybe you just need to try a little harder."

(This is for the younger MS’ers) "WOW… you take more medicine than my grandma…"

MS… isn’t that the muscle illness? No. That’s MD = Muscular Dystrophy

"It really can’t be that bad…"

"You are not praying enough" WAT?!?

"Oooo my husband thinks he's got that"

"Drink some silver solution" Ummm...No. that's actually toxic!

"Push through it... just walk it off"

If you say “MS” into the mirror three times, someone will appear and tell you their friend “has that, and she's totally fine” - @cindylocke47

“You know, I heard you can cure that with bee stings.” WAT...?!?

"MS is that ‘lazy disease’".

“Is that, like, back problems?” Ummm... no.

"Why do you come across as such a smart-arse sometimes?" Stoopid is as stoopid does... whilst most people have a good heart, they may just speak out of pure ignorance, but most people just don't care.

➤ Article: There is no need to apologise for being disabled

➤ Article: 10 MS Myths

➤ Article: You Don't Get It Until You Get It

💥 Can you catch multiple sclerosis from someone that sneezes in your direction? 💥

by Penelope Conway

(Source: Last accessed 14 Feb 2020).

I sat across from a lady at Olive Garden that thought multiple sclerosis was a contagious disease and she needed to get away from me so she wouldn’t catch it. Far, far away. She even complained to a worker saying that they need to make me leave. How do you respond to people like that? At first I was stunned at the sheer lunacy of the thought that someone believed they could contract a chronic illness that destroys the nerves in a person’s body.

If I was thinking a little clearer at the moment I would have let out a loud cough, blew my nose into a napkin, turned around and grinned a bright shiny smile in her direction while letting her know that she needs to go home right away, take a hot shower, eat a bowl of chicken soup, take a handful of vitamin C, and cover her chest in Vicks vapour rub for the rest of the week.

I don’t know where people get those fear-filled ideas from. It would make a great comedy routine, that’s for sure. My friends got a kick out of it so at least I brought smiles to the table without even trying.

When I got home I was shaking my head in amazement that people like that actually exist. Some will never hear that their thinking is flawed. They are just adamant that they are the person filled with truth and know everything about everything. How sad.

Just as I’m not contagious, I can’t cure myself either. Yes, some foods help me to maintain a healthy body and foods that tend to trigger my symptoms. There aren’t many that adversely affect me but those that do, I try to avoid. No diet will cure you. All those with MS that change their diet to help, they are not cured. Even the die-hard dieter will tell you that their MS will still creep up and tries to ruin their day. Their diet isn’t curing them. They are just keeping a manageable life with an incurable disease.

Remember that this is your life. You are the one in charge of yourself. Enjoy life while you can and don’t let anyone take the reins. No cure doesn’t mean no hope.

AMAZING! How to be CURED of Any Illness! Click Here!

😸🤭😺😀😃😄😁😆😂😜

A list of things that should

NOT be said

to someone with multiple sclerosis

(Source)

➤ Article: What NOT to say to someone with MS

➤ Article: Things not to say to a person with multiple sclerosis

➤ Article: 14 Things Not to Say...

Oh… and when they compare how they feel or have felt in the past, with your symptoms… like it’s the EXACT same feeling…

Or when they just give you that “look”… you know the “real housewives” kind of look… nose in the air, scrunched up… Yeah that one…

I’ve come to learn that when some people (not all) ask how I’m doing… they are just doing it out of politeness… they don’t actually want to know how I’m feeling, so I simply respond w/ the phrase we are ALL too familiar with… “I’m fine”

I could probably add to this list daily but I didn’t want to make the longest blog post in history! So while those of you are reading this that have MS are nodding your heads while you were reading, because you’ve been told the same thing before, I hope those that have a family member, friend or just an acquaintance with someone diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, take “the list” into consideration. It’s not that we don’t enjoy people wanting to help out with their suggestions… sometimes it’s just nice to have support from individuals, and not their suggestions.

And I’ll just add this in there, this post is not meant to offend anyone or say that diet and exercise is something we don’t want to hear about… and that’s great if you’re on a specific diet that helps manage your MS… but I’ve heard too many times to count, “This certain diet will CURE your MS…” Well, the reason I disagree with that, is because:

➽ I have a certain definition of the word “cure” when it comes to MS…

"Cure for MS: Something that not only stops progression from happening in the future, but also reverses the damage that has already been done to my Central Nervous System. Even though stopping future progression is something we all strive for, we still have to live every day with the symptoms that were caused by previous attacks."

Bookmark this page: MS Misconceptions

Also: Stupid MS

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Ridiculous Music Album Covers

2026-09-19T22:59:20.475+10:00

Ridiculous Music Album Covers

For the Laff

Here are a LOT of these images for you!

(Click here)

(NB. Click on an image below to view it in a much larger scale)

Latest from the top!

Bookmark this page or silly-album-covers

Peas be with ewe
Mal

MS and Isolation

2026-09-09T16:10:29.690+10:00

► "The Forgotten"

► Isolation... Loneliness...

► Friends Can Be Frustrating

► The sadness of former friends

One of the more unexpected things I have discovered since becoming disabled due to MS (and other chronic diseases) is the sense of isolation I often experience.

Most people I am in contact with either have a partner/spouse, or family, or even a carer to oversee their well-being. Someone they can interact with intimately, who appreciates the frustrating nuances of their daily, changeable situation. And they can journey through it all together. (And I'm very happy for them).

I have no one. I am doing this totally on my own.

And compared to others, I feel very isolated in this situation.

I am happy being relationally single, as I would not want to live with me while I'm suffering from all the conditions I have, either! I wouldn't wish that on anyone - I do not want to put anyone else through what I am experiencing daily. It's cost me two long-term relationships already. That's not what I'm talking about.

I have a few people who check in on me now and again (and, for which, I am eternally grateful!), but as far as relational immediacy, I'm doing it tough, I have to admit.

I find it awkward to continue some of my great online friendships as often as I like because almost everybody seems to have a 'significant other '/carer in their life - and I don't quite identify with that - sometimes it makes me feel kind of uncomfortable relating with them, inexplicably. I am honestly very happy for them. Maybe it's jealousy? I don't know... I don't think that explains it.

I'm not sure if I know how to explain the inexplicable.

I know it's one of the main reasons why I share so much about myself online.

I know it sounds obvious... but I didn't ask for this health condition. It's not my fault, and I have to make-do and deal with what I have with what I've got.

Some days are better than others. Some days I'm fine with it all. Other days, it doesn't come easily to me anymore.

I honestly don't want to / deliberately try to offend anyone - but some days, I just don't give a shit anymore, tbh.

I'm finding it tough that I'm finding it tough. I think that's what I'm trying to say, as obvious as it sounds. I just need to say it.

► NOTE: Sometimes, all I honestly need you to say to me is this.

"I have MS and the isolation is soul-crushing" - @BrownsFanGurl

► Staying Social with MS

► Online Friends are REAL

► Article: The Isolating Loneliness of Chronic Pain & Invisible Illness

► Blog: Isolation

► Article: The Sadness of Former Friends

► Article: What's Going On Behind the Scenes (the 'awkward silence')

► Article: Overcoming Isolation: How To Enjoy Alone Time Caused by Chronic Illness

► Article: Meeting others with MS can make a big difference in how you feel, whether it’s in person, online, or on the phone

► Blog: Staying Social with MS

Bookmark this page: MS and Isolation

Also: Isolation

Peas be with ewe
Mal

My Political Standpoint & Elections

2026-09-02T13:14:04.621+10:00

My own personal "Political Standpoint/Agenda/Views"

cf. "Elections"

NOTE: I'm not really a "political animal"

➤ I'm NEITHER...

Left nor Right

Liberal nor Labor

Democrat nor Republican

Ist nor Ism

etc etc etc...

➤ Does anyone else notice that this statement is COMPLETELY free from gender, race, sexual orientation, colour, religious persuasion, etc?!?

► No to SJW's!

► STOP HATING...!

Elections

► cf. USA Elections 2024

➽ Elections? Promises? POOH! 💩

Election coming up?

These clowns will say/promise anything to stay in/seek power,

then disappear faceless and voiceless again afterwards.

I'm OVER it!

➽ 'Party Politics' is NOT democracy

When being a "Party Puppet" has never been more realistic!

It's what has destroyed democracy

- and LOCAL REPRESENTATION.

➽ Preferences

Then there's "Preferential Voting"...

If I want to vote for [Candidate], that's who I want to vote for.

NOT (X) other candidates I don't support!

'Preference Deals' are NOT democracy.

➽ On the positive side:

Here in Australia, voting is compulsory.

(Unlike some other nations who claim to uphold democracy as one of their highest values; where voter turnout is so low [for whatever reason] as to render the result truly unrepresentative of the entire electorate).

Me? Cynical?

At my age, I am allowed to be.

#ausvotes #auspol #election2025

#NSWElection #NSWpol #NSWvotes #NSWStateElection

Bookmark this page:

My Political Viewpoint

or Viewpoint

Elections or Elections

Disclaimer

Peas be with ewe
Mal

ALL Australians Day

2026-08-30T14:22:56.041+10:00

Please note: I am no leftist-rightist rubbish.

I am just an average Aussie, with no ulterior motives.

For those who complain about the actual date of 'Australia Day' (26 January), please note: THE FIRST FLEET ARRIVED AT BOTANY BAY ON THE 18TH OF JANUARY, and raised the English flag then! (Source)

"Australia Day" Vs "Invasion Day"?
NOPE!

➤ We share this land... Australia belongs to all Australians.

➤ "We have to stop with the 'white Australian' or 'Aboriginal people' and just be Australian, together, regardless of background or skin colour."

➤ “Unity and redemption, to reconcile each other... to live together in harmony. That’s my dream, that’s my hope.”

And yes, it really IS that simple.

'I Am Australian' with Pitjantjatjara lyrics

(An unofficial National Anthem)

➤ "Humans have this odd notion that because they were there first or won it in a war, they own the land... the Earth is 4.5 billion years old, we, humans, are a temporary blip in time towards the end of that, and will likely not be here in 200 years time... so let's forget the who owns what and acknowledge we (modern Australians) slaughtered the humans that were originally on this island and do what we can to move into the future with mutual respect" - Gary Hayes

➤ "If you’re an Australian, your heritage is either Aboriginal, Convict, Immigrant or Refugee. I’m a Scottish immigrant, what about you? We’re lucky to share this great country. It’s given me an opportunity to have a better life. Always was and always will be" - Jimmy Barnes, Jan. 2019.

➤ Hey... the children "get it"...

Source: x.com/mcucolo57

➤ It is the ADULTS

who continually instill labels/negativity/division/anger/hate/conflict...

😒
Children are not born with concepts of racism (or any -ism) - it's taught! And that's tragic.

“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion".

➤ "We have to stop with the white Australian or aboriginal people and just be Australian, together, regardless of background or skin colour."

STOP the HATE that DIVIDES!
STOP the FEAR - LABELS-HATE that DIVIDES!

And yes, it really IS that simple.

➤ We share this land... Australia belongs to all Australians.

➤ Bookmark this page: All Australians' Day

Also: Oz Day

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Panic Attacks and Anxiety

2026-08-20T14:12:40.797+10:00

In c.2000, I was diagnosed with occasional (albeit rare) anxiety/panic attacks (which are part of my bipolar depression), tho they rarely happen in public. Most people would be unaware when I was having one, as I've developed my own 'coping mechanisms' to mask it from others (in public)... doesn't always work, tho...

One of the last ones I distinctly remember having, was at a Fancy-Dress party with my previous partner (c.2014)... I was dressed as Jesus (lol), but when they wanted to get me to join in on a spontaneous 'Best-Dressed' Parade, I literally tried to hide from everyone in the room by standing behind a life-size cardboard cut-out of The Terminator... I just froze (and couldn't even talk)... I just couldn't connect all of a sudden, for no apparent reason! My partner thought I was just being silly or something... poor lady, understandably - she had no idea.

I honestly have no idea what 'triggers' them, as they happen so rarely.

I rarely had one on-stage performing or teaching, but if it happened, I just wore my 'playing/professional mask' and just pretended everything was OK and played/work thru it until it passed...

People who see me in Public assume I am an Extrovert (I'm NOT!), but it's a learnt "Mask"!

The intense physical/mental stress/anxiety I suffered resulting from my separation and divorce (in the early 2000s [plus I suffered two nervous breakdowns at the time as well... no fun!] ), left me with some permanent physical scarring, due to a severe case of Eczema. I now have a few bald spots on my scalp (one reason why I still wear my hair long [albeit in a neat ponytail], and usually wear a hat/cap/beanie - to subconsciously cover them), and a scar on the left side of my neck/face (which I hide with my beard). The whole experience has left me with some mental/emotional scarring as well, let's be honest.

Hey - let's be honest! Who doesn't get to their 50's without some 'emotional baggage', huh?

"Grounding" really works for me.. just to get outside (of the situation) and take some deep breaths and try to refocus on what is around me.

"With a "Panic attack", a person suffers from brief attacks of intense terror and apprehension, often marked by trembling, shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and/or difficulty breathing. These panic attacks, defined by the APA as fear or discomfort that abruptly arises and peaks in less than ten minutes, can last for several hours. Attacks can be triggered by stress, fear, or even exercise; the specific cause is not always apparent". (Source)

"Situational anxiety" is caused by new situations or changing events. It can also be caused by various events that make that particular individual uncomfortable. Its occurrence is very common. Often, an individual will experience panic attacks or extreme anxiety in specific situations. A situation that causes one individual to experience anxiety may not affect another individual, at all. For example, some people become uneasy in crowds or tight spaces, so standing in a tightly packed line, say at the bank or a store register, may cause them to experience extreme anxiety, possibly a panic attack. Others, however, may experience anxiety when major life changes occur."

► Panic Attacks: Six Coping Techniques

► Things You Need to Know About People with Concealed Anxiety

► Positive Ways to Cope With and Manage Anxiety

(NOTE: This post is not a "pity-party/woe-is-me" thing, as I'm simply sharing a very brief insight into some of the reasons as to why I may act so "up-and-down" from time to time.

All of this is quite frustrating for me, as I was always quite well health-wise overall, until my mid-40's! (I'm 57 now).

Blimey... I don't drink, don't smoke, don't do drugs, nor gamble, nor video games (Boring old fart, huh? lol)

I guess the 'joys' of a lifetime lived with stress, anxiety, and depression has caught up with my physical health!)

► Some Mental Health Resources for you to explore

► Mood Check: How Are You Feeling?

Bookmark this Page

Also: Panic/Anxiety

Peas be with ewe
Mal

MS and Memory - Brain/Cog Fog

2026-08-18T11:03:08.127+10:00

"Brain Fades... Brain Fog" is how they're described... fuzzy fade-outs, like walking through a thick fog out of nowhere, like a thought just... fades mid-thought, mid-sentence! I have to quickly apologise and say, "Just give me a second... stoopid MS!"

Forgetting words, mixing up words, tripping over words I know well, and I know they are there - they just won't come out... It's very frustrating.

It feels like my brain is moving in slow motion when it hits me. It's like a big brain fart. It can be mixing up a word while you speak, forgetting simple things. Forgetting your own name, etc.

You feel like an idiot!

No, I am not stupid or retarded. If I sometimes seem to stumble or pause my words mid-sentence, or perhaps say things in the wrong order (I seem to be a master of 'spoonerisms'!), or even stutter... just give me a second to sometimes get the right words out, as sometimes they just don't come.

These 'short-term memory lapses' are supposedly one of the effects of MS.

"Cog" means "Cognitive Issues".

Is MS Fatigue part of it too? Possibly, but I don't know.

Check out this video:

(Source)

I live by handwritten lists these days and still use an old-school diary as well... otherwise, things just seem to slip from my mind.

I know that, as a musician, I have to rely on 'charts' most of the time now, simply because I can forget where I am in the middle of a song, or what the song key/chord pattern is! I never needed to use charts before!

It's the same thing with my creative writing - when a thought/idea/concept pops into my head, I have to write it down straight away, otherwise... poof! It's gone! It's like staring at a blank page/screen! Nothing wants to come, dammit... so frustrating.

I love to study, but with the Brain Fog, it's hard to stay focused and concentrate, let alone for stuff to 'stick' and apply it.

Even the act of writing a blog or a Tweet can be a challenge sometimes!

Presenting live-to-air radio is a no-go for me these days, too, as well... having a fade-out on an open mic, or forgetting what/where you are up to mid-song/program is not a good thing! A list helps, but it makes me feel really 'unprofessional' when it happens. When it happened in the past, I'd make a joke about it and carry on. But it seems to be getting a bit worse now, perhaps?

Catch-22... I don't know if it's because of the meds for my bipolar depression, or because of the MS... or simply that I'm getting older... or all of 'em mixed together!

It's something else I'm continuing to 'process' - usually as it randomly strikes.

"I've reached an age where my train of thought often leaves the station without me."

My head, filled with what seems like bubble wrap.
Pudding is livelier.
If & when I ever get another idea it will be like lighting a match in a fart factory.
Blank as my mind. Staring at a blank page. Blank. Like the deposit column of my checkbook.
My mind is clicking along like Microsoft Explorer.
Functional as a Ford Pinto.
Satisfying as a glass of water at room-temperature.
Sitting here with my feet up. Why? It’s not like I have labored or anything. Because I have zero energy. Zilch. I wake up tired even after a descent night’s sleep.
OMG, any less brain activity I’d be a scarecrow!
I have the enthusiasm of oatmeal.

(Source)

TIPS to Help Defeat Brain Fog

Stay mentally active! Read a book, learn lyrics to a song. Doing puzzles, There are even game apps you can download that helps with neuroplasticity.

Speak to a doctor about it. That reassurance that you aren’t losing your mind makes a massive difference.

Stop what you are doing. Take a rest or a walk…. Just change the situation and refresh your mind…. Rest but also the correct amount of exercise; everyone’s MS is different.

Sometimes naps or resting helps, where I actually close my eyes & think of nothing. Other times, specific focus on something, where I read or colour or concentrate-- like mindful meditation. Giving my brain a challenge really helps!!

I know a group of us (from all over the world) shared about this common situation, together on Twitter last week, for which I am greatly encouraged. Considering I've been using Twitter (in a fairly basic, limited way) for the previous 6+ years, over the past months - I've found it more useful and helpful than ever - connecting to like-minded MS-ers, all over the world.

#MS #MultipleSclerosis #ChatMS #LiveWiseMS #MSAwareness

#MSlife #LivingwithMS #CureMS #MSWarriors #MSFamily #MSPals #Thankful

@MustStopMS @MS_Australia @shiftms @voicesofms

@msgetinvolved @KISSGOODBYEAUS @mssocietyuk

► Article: Brain Fog (MSAustralia)

► Article: Cognitive Changes in MS

► Blog: Confused? Focus?

► Article: "My Cognitive Changes Because Of Multiple Sclerosis"

► Article: "MS Thinking and Memory Problems"

► Article: "Oops, Sorry, I Forgot"

► Article: I Wasn’t Prepared for the Way Cognitive Issues from MS Would Change My Life

► Article: Brain fog – does anyone care? A discussion blog

► Article: "17 Apps That Can Make Life Easier When Brain Fog Takes Over" (The Mighty)

Bookmark this page: MS Brain Fog

Also: COG Fog

Peas be with ewe
Times

Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

2026-08-15T15:17:30.750+10:00

(NOTE: This post is not a "pity-party/woe-is-me" thing, as I'm simply sharing a very brief insight into some of the reasons why I may act so "up-and-down" from time to time.

All of this is quite frustrating for me, as I was always quite well health-wise overall, until my mid-40s! (I'm 58 now).

Blimey... I don't drink, don't smoke, don't do drugs, gamble, nor video games (Boring old fart, huh? lol)

I guess the 'joys' of a life lived with stress, anxiety, and depression have caught up with my physical health!)

In 2003 (aged 39), I was diagnosed as having a chronic (ie. life-long) autoimmune disease called Ulcerative Colitis ("UC").

It means that I often can't get to the lavatory in time (and I don't mean peeing here!)

✨ When I have to go to the toilet, I mean I have to go NOW - it kicks in that quickly and randomly, unexpectedly sometimes! It's that sense of URGENCY that is the main problem. ✨

As an autoimmune disease of my colon, basically, it's as if my own bowel is attacking itself. Specific diets and/or medication help bring me relief, but aren't a cure - there isn't one, just maintenance and containment/control.

I'd been living with it for about 10-15 years and wasn't properly diagnosed until 2003.

"Living with a chronic illness like UC means embracing disruption and chaos as a part of every day."

► GREAT Article: "What I Wished Other People Knew About Life with UC"

What IS Ulcerative Colitis ('UC')?

► Watch this video:

Watch this video on YouTube

► Crohn’s & Colitis Australia 🦘

► The Australian National Public Toilet Map is an amazing resource to have and know - seriously!! 🦘

Ulcerative Colitis (Colitis ulcerosa) ('UC') is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a form of colitis, a disease of the intestine, specifically the lining of the large intestine or colon/bowel, that includes characteristic ulcers, inflamed or open sores in the colon, which may bleed.

It's like the lining of my colon, instead of being smooth, looks like sandpaper.

The main symptom of active disease is usually diarrhea mixed with blood, which often leads to anemia. Ulcerative colitis is, however, a systemic disease that affects many parts of the body outside the intestine.

(NB. IBD is often confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a troublesome, but much less serious, condition).

I have what is called "Pancolitis", which involves my entire colon.

There are no direct known causes for ulcerative colitis, and it is not contagious. There is no current cure.

While it won't necessarily kill me, the disease primarily affects the quality of life and not lifespan.

It is hard for people to understand when I explain the condition I have been dealing with. I may look like a healthy person on the outside, but what they don't know is my serious medical condition on the inside, and need to take care of myself. There are times when I get frustrated wishing things were different, but I believe my condition has made me understand life from a different perspective. I do not take anything for granted and appreciate the little things in life. I laugh a lot, now.

Although UC has no known cause, there is a presumed genetic component to susceptibility. The disease may be triggered by environmental factors. Although dietary modification may reduce the discomfort of a person with the disease, UC is not thought to be caused by dietary factors. Although there is no clinical evidence to suggest that specialist diets benefit persons with UC, good nutrition is essential to the healing process. When the disease is active, many people lose their appetite or try to avoid eating to prevent further symptoms. Lack of adequate nutrition worsens tiredness and fatigue and eventually leads to weight loss.

Symptoms

The inflamed lining also produces a larger-than-normal amount of intestinal lubricant or mucus which sometimes contains pus. Inflammation in the colon reduces its ability to reabsorb fluid from the feces which causes diarrhea. Inflammation in the rectum can lead to a sense of urgency to have a bowel movement.

The disease may be accompanied by different degrees of abdominal pain, from mild discomfort to painful bowel movements or painful abdominal cramping with bowel movements.

The chronic loss of blood from the GI tract leads to increased rates of anemia, which is causing me much fatigue, sometimes leads to brief dizzy spells, and affects my energy levels.

As UC is believed to have a systemic (i.e. autoimmune) origin, it sometimes also randomly affects my mouth with ulcers, and sometimes foot cramps.

Patients with ulcerative colitis usually have an intermittent course, with periods of disease inactivity alternating with "flares" of disease.

Treatment

Ulcerative colitis is treated as an autoimmune disease. Treatment is with anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppression, and biological therapy targeting specific components of the immune response.

Standard treatment for UC depends on the extent and disease severity. The goal is to (i) induce remission initially with medications, followed by the administration of (ii) maintenance medications to prevent a relapse of the disease. The medications used to induce and maintain remission somewhat overlap, but the treatments are different. Physicians first direct treatment to induce remission which involves relief of symptoms and mucosal healing of the lining of the colon, and then longer-term treatment to maintain the remission and prevent complications.

There is a significantly increased risk of colon/bowel cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis, hence regular colonoscopies.

Four medications I am currently using for my UC:

Mercaptopureine / Puri-Nethol: 100mg twice daily (I nickname this one "Metaporcupine").

Pantoprazole / Somac: 20mg once daily (I nickname this one "Soma").

Salazopyrin (Pyralin): 500mg 2 x thrice daily.

Entocort: 3mg daily. This has been really helping me lately, thankfully.

I was on Mesalamine / Pentasa: 500mg two tabs twice daily, but not now - it was having negative side effects on me!

I will have ongoing Colonoscopies every c. 12-18 months to keep an eye on things in there.

Diet

Most research points out that a particular diet has nothing to do with it at all - good overall nutrition is more important. I am currently trying to eat a gluten/dairy/sugar-free diet.... note the word 'trying'!

Note: a lot of trying to find "what works" for me is trial and error... and it is different for everyone who suffers from UC... there is no "one" overall "way" that helps more than another.

► Article: "What To Drink and What Not To Drink With Ulcerative Colitis"

People generally experience a psychological adjustment when diagnosed with a chronic medical condition. Symptoms of anxiety and depression are common. People often feel a sense of loss and grief that everything is not functioning as well as it had previously. There are associated fears about the long-term prognosis. When diagnosed with UC, people report distress about disruption to lifestyle (regular bowel movements, often with a sense of urgency, anxiety about feeling the need to be close to a toilet etc.), having to take prescription medication indefinitely (some medication can illicit nausea, mood swings and irritability), and sometimes having to live with a level of chronic pain. These are some of the main changes experienced in people diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease.

Societal attitudes preclude people from openly discussing bowel problems. This usually compounds people's sense of isolation and willingness to disclose their condition to friends, family and work colleagues. Current statistics suggest one in ten Australians have a bowel condition requiring medication and regular monitoring by their doctor.

💜 UC Twitter Tags 💜

💥 To search Twitter using any of these Tags:

Write or Copy/paste the tag into the "🔍 Search Twitter" box

#ulcerativecolitis #Colitis #UC #FlushTheStigma #chronicillness #GotGuts #ittakesguts #colitisawareness #ulcerativecolitisfighter #colitiswarrior #GetYourBellyOut #autoimmunedisease #CrohnsColitisAustralia #spoonie #CutTheCrap

🆗➽►→ rb.gy/cwjyry ←◄🆗

► Article: UC - a few facts

► Autoimmune Disease

► The National Public Toilet Map is an amazing resource to have and know - seriously!!

► Article: "Things you SHOULD and SHOULD NOT say to someone with a chronic illness"

► Article: "What I Wished Other People Knew About Life with UC"

► Colonoscopy (1)

► Colonoscopy (2)

Bookmark this Page: Ulcerative Colitis

Also: U. Colitis

Peas be with ewe
Mal

My Sense of Humour

2026-08-12T02:19:38.701+10:00

Oh! I most certainly have NOT lost my happy, harmless silly-fun warpo sense of surreal stream-of-consciousness random absurdist humour, either, thank goodness... I enjoy it! I often find some of lifes' situations absolutely absurdly hilarious! It's all quite inoffensive, I assure you. "Harmlessly cheeky", someone once described it.

💥 It's like my angst relief valve - it's healthy! 💥

"Lifes' too short not to laugh at yourself"

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane" - Robert Frost

"My life's script is written with a good sense of humour and a shitty budget" - Lisandra

"If we didn't laugh, we'd disturb the neighbours with our screaming" - Lancelot's Pram

► Article: MS - Trying to Find the Funny Side

► The Goons, Monty Python, The Far Side, Fawlty Towers, The Goodies... that really tickles my fancy.

💥 CLASSIC BRITISH COMEDY GOLD 💥

💯 → ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ← 💯

🤭😺😀😃😄😸😁😆😂😜

#TheGoons #DouglasAdams #FawltyTowers #MontyPython #TonyHancock #ClassicBritishComedy

#LaughterIstheBestMedicine #ChuckleBreak #Comedy #Stupidity #Absurd #Silly #Fun #Amusement #Humour #Funny

Documentary on The Goons

Watch on YouTube

► I'm also a very visual person, so the printed/moving image resonates strongly with my sense of humour. I fell in love with The Far Side the very first time I ever saw it: random, absurd. Perfect.

I love a good movie that makes me laugh... I often appreciate quirky funny things in a film scene that other people don't pick up on.

► Top 10 Funniest Movie Moments

► 10 Funniest Movie Moments That Were Unscripted

► But I also adore the quirks of language too! (Joyce, Dr Seuss, Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Spoonerism's...)

► Asparagus

💥 I appreciate a lot of people don't "get" me - and that's OK, too. Tis not my problem.

✨ Some Twitter Tags ✨

💥 To search Twitter using any of these Tags 💥

Write or Copy/paste the tag into the "🔍 Search Twitter" box.

#laughteristhebestmedicine #DoomAndGloomBreak #ChuckleBreak #comedy #stupidity #silly #fun #Absurdity #amusement #humour #GottaLaugh #absurdism #andnowforsomethingcompletelydifferent

#nationalabsurdityday #LaughterIsTheBestMedicine #funny #funnyvideos #jokes

🤭😺😀😃😄😸😁😆😂😜

➽ Odd Socks

➤ Bookmark this page: My Sense of Humour

Also: Humour

Peas be with ewe
Mal

My Electronic Devices

2026-07-30T20:46:16.904+10:00

My Electronic Devices

💥 My Desk Space (April 2021) - the oil painting is an original from the guitarist (Alexander) in the band "Surprise".

💥 Laptop: MSI Modern 15 F13M (June 2026)

Laptop: Kogan Atlas 15.6" (September 2024)

💥 Smaller Laptop/Tablet: Kogan Atlas D600 10.1" 2-in-1 with Touchscreen (October 2024, $150)

Specs (1) & (2)

💥 Tablet

Lenovo Tab M11 (May 2025)

💥 Keyboard

I bought this one on sale at one of our local retailers in October 2022; my old keyboard was feeling a bit 'clunky' to my "Dizzy Fingers"... this one feels great! I use it in combination with the laptop (rather than using the laptop's keyboard).

💥 Voice-to-Text

15 March 2023

Well, I feel like a complete idiot. I have just figured out how to use voice-to-text and I'm using it right now to write this. It works brilliantly on both my laptop and my mobile phone and my tablet. No more worries about my MS "Dizzy Fingers". Why didn't I do this ages ago? It's so easy. Now I don't have to mess around with a USB mouse and a USB keyboard to send a text message on my mobile phone (cf. below). People told me about this years ago, but it wasn't until just now that I actually thought, "Hmmm... let's do it!"

Stupid males! lolol

💥 Bluetooth Keyboard

Works and feels great! Saves me from having to try and fail to use my Android Touch Screen stuff! The story (click).

But: cf the 'Stylus Writing Pen' (below).

💥 Bluetooth Mouse

Works and feels great! Saves me from having to try and fail to use my Android Touch Screen stuff! The story: (click)

But: cf the 'Stylus Writing Pen' (below).

💥 Bluetooth Soundbar Speaker

So clear and crisp and doesn't have to be loud at all (just 9 watts); sits atop my laptop on my desk

💥 Portable Wireless (ie. Bluetooth) Speaker, which I use in the kitchen, connected to the laptop. Lovin' the fun colours.

💥 Mobile Phone: Samsung Galaxy A13 (July 2023): an early 59th birthday present to myself.

Read my story about it here.

(Specs)

💥 Tripod and Mount for the Mobile phone camera

No more shaky pics. 😉

💥 Stylus Writing Pens: Why hadn't I got one of these bloody things before now? I guess I completely forgot about it, as it'd fallen off my 'Bucket List'. As it is, the one I got myself is really bloody easy for me to use on the mobile's touchscreen with my stoopid numb MS hands/fingers - yay!

💥 Wacom One Drawing Pad: (31 October 2023) When connected to my laptop [etc], this is drawing made easy! I bought one very cheaply through eBay, and it works like a dream. Now comes the bit where I have to figure out how to use it! Plus it'll only be good for me to sketch/draw etc when my MS Hands/Dizzy Fingers want to cooperate. But it's there ready to go and so easy to use. Weeee! NB. This is an absolute decadent luxury for me.

21 July 2023

I bought myself one of these things inexpensively on eBay (an early Birthday present?) just so I can use my phone and tablet whilst I'm sitting up in bed (aah, the joys of being an old fart! lol)

💥 July 2023: My brother gave me their old unused Akai 7-Inch Portable DVD player: I can sit in bed and watch my DVD's now! Tis such a decadent luxury for me 😁 THANK YOU! 💗

💥 MP3 Player: I've had this for years, and had completely forgotten about it; works just fine. I just remembered that I can listen to its music while I'm out for my daily walks (silly me!)

I keep all the associated charging leads and unit in a small canvas bag, to keep it all together. Of course, when I took the assorted old headphones out that I never use in late November 2022... I laughed!

I use these headphones normally, tho

Crystal clear definition, great bottom end, and really light

No need for high volume at all

💥 OLD PHONE: Optus X Spirit with Android

A glorified answering machine, basically. I use a pre-paid setup. I need to use the Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse (above) (and now Stylus Writing Pen [below]) to be able to send text messages properly.

Specs: (01) Camera: 8MP 4:3

The story: (click).

💥 My Previous Laptop:

September 2024

Lenovo Ideapad 320

The incredible story: (click).

Specs: (01)

💥 (Old)Tablet: QPS "YQ10S" 10.1-inch Tablet (with Android 13.0).

10 November 2023

(Specs).

My old Tablet (cf. below) decided to stop charging. Not bad, considering it is c.10 years old.

I managed to find a brand new one very inexpensively via eBay, which was quickly delivered to my door. This one works like a charm, thankfully. Along with all the various Apps, writing pens etc etc, this is a complete decedent luxury for me (along with the Drawing tablet (cf. below)!

💥 My Previous Tablet: Lenovo Tab 10 TB-X103F with Android

Update: 10 November 2023

This has finally stopped wanting to charge... it dieded!!! So I have been able to replace it (see above).

Some wonderful friends bought this for me a few years ago now. Unfortunately, I can't use it very much at all, due to its incredible slowness, and my 'dizzy fingers' make the touch screen very difficult for me to use. I've tried attaching the Bluetooth Keyboard and mouse with it, but they do not often work/connect. I most certainly do not want to appear ungrateful for this machine.

Specs: (01) & (02)

Camera: 5MP 4:3

March 2023

During my last 'overnighter', I has a totally random thought.. as I don't use the thing much any more, why don't I just totally 'restore to factory default' the thing, like wipe everything off the tablet and just start from scratch (I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before!) Anything I had of importance on there I'd already backed-up etc.

Well: it worked! Now it's like new and fast again! Must have been totally bloated with unnecessary crap, I guess. It'll be a good simple backup now, with a much larger screen than my mobile, so I can use the keyboard on it easily.

Silly moi [laffs at self].

💥 Camera: I occasionally use my little Kodak 'point-and-shoot' camera. Had it for years, and still works like a charm. I use my phone's camera mostly now.

Specs: (01) Camera: 3.3MP 4:3

The story: (click)

💥 New TV

💥 Air Fryer

💥 Vacchume & Dust Buster

💥 Metal Detector

💥 Sewing Machine

Bookmark this Page

Also: Devices

Peas be with ewe
Mal

The Dizzies/Vertigo

2026-07-27T14:26:54.217+10:00

The Dizzies / The Spins / Vertigo

I'm feeling so *&^%$#ing dizzy today.... goddam I despise that these things just kick in so randomly sometimes.

When it randomly kicks in, sometimes I feel like I have the attention span of a sock!

Catch-22... I never seem to know if these dizzy spells are a side-effect of the meds for my bipolar depression or colitis-inspired anemia, or because of my MS... or simply that I'm getting older!

Managing MS Symptoms: Vertigo

(Source)

MS Vertigo

(Source)

"Vertigo / The Spins / The Dizzies" sort of feels like being very drunk, but without the 'buzz' - my physical body isn't affected, it feels like everything in the room is spinning... doesn't make me nauseous, just tires me right out. It's the sensation of spinning - similar to what you feel on a twirling amusement park ride - even if you’re not moving. Plus it totally stops me from doing anything positively productive... I can't focus on anything long enough, while it's happening. A nap usually nails it on the head... sometimes (Makes me sound so old, doesn't it?!)

I hate it when it kicks in; makes me feel like a real 'little old man', moving about slowly and deliberately, so I don't bloody fall over! Fvck!

Sounds fun, doesn't it? No. No, it doesn't. It's one of the reasons why I have a chair with me, whenever I'm performing on guitar - and why I'll use a walking stick or a walker when it's a bit of a hike - "just in case"...

It's different to the "Brain Fog" that sometimes affects my immediate short-term memory.

(Posted 12 April 2022)

I've been experiencing vertigo a lot these last few weeks. Strangely it's also been affecting me after I first raise up my head after bed/sleep! I literally have to hang on to the bed for a few seconds, as everything very realistically seems to be spinning around me. I have my "Fred" walking stick beside the bed all the time now - just in case. It usually passes with 5-10 seconds tho, thankfully... walking to the toilet etc is OK, but I still take my "Fred", just in case!

(Posted 19 Nov 2021)

I had two totally random brief dizzy spells today, each lasting about 5-ish seconds, about 30 minutes apart; I was not doing anything at the time, nor was I feeling unwell etc. Very bizarre! I spent the rest of the day walking around home with my walking stick - 'just in case'! Nothing else happened, tho. Weird!

➽ Article: MS Vertigo

➽ Article: MS Symptoms: Vertigo and Dizziness

➽ Video: Three exercises to help relieve Vertigo

➽ Video: An easy exercise to help combat Vertigo

Bookmark this page: The "Dizzies"

Also: Vertigo

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Mal

My Brother

2026-06-30T16:26:13.445+10:00

My only brother, David, turned 70 in 2024. He is happily married to my "Favourite Sister-in-Law" [an in-joke, as she is my only SiL!], Colleen. They live about a 45-minute car ride away, thankfully.

Colleen and David, December 2024

17 October 2024

David Nov. 2023

Colleen and David, Sept. 2023

The Brothers: misbehaving (?)

Late 2025

David is ten years older than I am, and we almost didn't know each other for many years growing up. It wasn't a negative/hostile thing, we just had nothing in common at all.

It wasn't until my late 20s that we connected; now we are "Besties"! Excellent! We can hang out together now, comfortably with no agendas, and talk for hours effortlessly... from solving the World's Problems to talking absolute silliness... it's great. Truly is.

One fascinating thing is that as we are ten years apart, we have different memories and experiences of our parents, at different times in their lives. We miss them of course. (Dad & Mum)

"He's a good bloke".

Colleen and I are close as well... she's also a "Good bloke" [giggles].

David, Canberra, July 2024

➽ Here are some pics of their amazing little garden.

Gotta love their wild water dragon, living rent-free in their garden!

(April 2026)

➽ NB. Other blog posts about my brother.

Bookmark this Page

Also: Mal's Brother

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Mal

Trump: Worst President EVER

2026-06-24T15:31:11.998+10:00

Hey, I'm an Australian saying this!

- the twice impeached former president, Jan. 6 coup leader, convicted felon, adjudicated sexual abuser, racist, misogynistic, mismanaged the 2020 economic implosion and coronavirus disaster that killed more than 1 million people in his country, failed businessman, maker of false or misleading statements, conspiracy theorist... -

Sounds like perfect Presidential material to me... NOT!

His MAGA "Cult" are just that: a cult!

2024 Election

Blatant. Fvcking. NAZIS!

Just. Plain. Creepy.

Remember when Obama...

Cheated on Michelle with numerous women ?

Involved in scandals ?

Gave ISIS a green light ?

Lied in every sentence ?

Used profanity at his whiny racist rallies ?

Yeah me neither!!

➽ My Political Viewpoint

Bookmark

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Mal

Mal's Gherkin Pram

I am a Beatleholic

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Thoon and Katia - My Goldfish

How To CURE Any Illness

Very Slight/Mild Autism

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Various Online Radio Stations

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I Am a Classic Introvert

A Profile

About Me

Site Map

Misheard Song Lyrics

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The Goodies

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Asparagus

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MS Misconceptions - "Stupid Things People Say About MS"

Ridiculous Music Album Covers

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MS and Isolation

My Political Standpoint & Elections

ALL Australians Day

Panic Attacks and Anxiety

MS and Memory - Brain/Cog Fog

Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

My Sense of Humour

My Electronic Devices

The Dizzies/Vertigo

My Brother

Peas be with ewe Mal

Trump: Worst President EVER

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Peas be with ewe
Mal