31 December 2010

Another year over (almost)

Well give it 8 hours or so and we will see the back of 2010. It's been a curious year for ,me much of it dominated by knee pain and the swallowing of heroic doses of Tramadol - at least up until the end of August when a second operation sorted out the residual damage. Now ll I get are twinges from the arthiritis.

Once the knee pain was out of the way I discovered the
joys of methotrexate, It seems to be clearing up my psoriasis (slowly) but it is no fun to take. Even at the low doses used to treat skin problems I feel crap for a day after I take my weekly dose. Hi ho.

It was ultimately health issues that made me decide to take voluntary redundancy- that and the prospect of massive job cuts across the civil service over the next few years. I revived a reasonably good settlement so I do not need to work for a while but not enough to set me up in a life of ease until my pension comes, dagnabbit! So I need to find some new employment but not until the new tax year. Whatever I do I intend to try and make at least some of my income from photography

But I repeat myself. I won't make any new year resolutions as such. If things go a I intend the 2011 will include a lot more photography oh and and some other stuff too. I have it in mind to improve my French, reacquaint myself with basic and a bit more than basic level statistics, improve my Excel, Word and Powerpoint skills, write a CV for the first time since the days when Olivetti typewriters roamed the earth and also lose some of the weight I've gained during my forties. Heaven knows I might even have a shave for the first time since September! I suppose I had also better keep abreast of things in the accountancy world too

As for the Poor Mouth keeping it going has been a chore at times. I hope to sum up the energy to deal with some of the things that have always particularly interested me. That means more photos posts but also getting back to the backwaters of history I love so much. Expect more on Ireland in WWII (including a major slag off of the IRA), some of the obscure far right parties of the time, minor British collaborators and at long last the end of the Red Cushing saga!

Come April The Poor Mouth will be five years old. Around the same time, or maybe a little earlier it should get its millionth visitor. I suppose it goes to show that there are connoisseurs of (ahem) culture out there!

Anyway, enough of this here's wishing both of my readers a very happy and prosperous new year, despite all attempts by the Toalies to thwart this objective!

10 comments:

Silent Hunter said...

Happy New Year!

Claude said...

Bonne Chance et Bonne Santé. Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre. The best is yet to come. Amitié.

jams o donnell said...

And a Happy New year to you too SH

Here's hoping that it is. Best wished for a healthy and happy new year Claude

kellie said...

Death to 2010! All power to 2011!

And power to you too in the new year, Jams.

Francis Hunt said...

Ah, jams, I've been a regular ever since I came across your blog a few months ago. In terms of future employment, have you considered cattle rustling in Ringsend?

Happy New Year!

CherryPie said...

Happy New Year to you, I hope it is all you wish for.

Anonymous said...

Good luck Jams. I hope you find things to interest and enrich you as the year turns.

Knatolee said...

Happy new year to you and not-wife and the kitties! Hope 2011 is a fantastic year for you, with good health and lots of photography!

Liz said...

Hi Jams! Thanks for your visits last year, hope to see more of you this year. Happy 2011!

Liz @ MLC

jams o donnell said...

THanks everyone. Here;s wishing you a very happy New Year.

Francis that vid is brilliant!