Greetings!

Oh gosh! 

I’m not good at this so bear with me (not a real bear..) 

I was late diagnosed. 43 to be exact and I’m now 54. I live in Dorset but was born in Devon. 

After 23 years in the Civil Service I was made redundant and spent three years unemployed before finding work for a charity which helps older people with their taxes. Been there just about 7 1/2 years now. 

I also have ADHD and Fibromyalgia and have had two small strokes.

Having ADHD has made studying hard (I was only diagnosed last year) so I’m not a great achiever. No University for me. 

I love to travel and have been to places as diverse as Egypt, India, Burma, Iran and Cambodia. I’m passionate about Egyptology, Snakes, Football, Video games and I enjoy music and books. 

And that’s me!. 

  • Thank you. 

    it’s a little easier being me whilst travelling because people don’t have expectations as they don’t know me. Plus I’m doing something I’m passionate about and interested in which makes me far more ‘chilled’ than the usual day to day anxieties. 

  • Hello, welcome. Nice to read your intro. Please feel free to join in!  I am not adventurous like you but I like the anonymity I get when travelling and my partner says that I'm the real me, too.

    I'm not sure what that is, but I feel less inhibited I suppose. Maybe there are no expectations to fulfil... I am demand avoidant and autistic. And I'm better at languages than my partner so I always have to do the negotiations Smiley

  • Hi there, 

    Corona has been....difficult. Work routine has vanished as my other half hasn’t been at her job so I’ve found having her around quite difficult. I think we’ve aggravated each other quite badly. 

    I came into it unprepared as my workplace shut so suddenly so I’ve found it hard to settle down and build new routines due to distractions and external noises. By the time I’m comfortable it will be time to return to the office. 

    Yes I’m very different when abroad, more the real me. I miss travelling so much. 

  • Hello there,

    You sound like an interesting person. I love to travel as well,  ut due to lack of funding haven't been as far as you have.

    I hope you can find some more time and money to continue travelling despite your neurological problems. I'm a different person when abroad and so love it. Also a time when I can be nosy and curious and then just relax and let settle what I've seen. If only the rest of life could be like this!

    How have you been coping with Corona? I find it difficult. It's great that everybody is isolating as I normally do,  it I dislike the weirdness of it.

    Best wishes,

    Heather (not my real name, but I love gardening, so I wanted a flower avatar)

  • It is. It was thrust upon me so I had no opportunity to organise properly and that’s made it worse than it might have been. 

  • That sounds interesting. I hate phonecalls too, especially with people I don't know!

    Yeah, being in lockdown is getting a bit frustrating.

  • Personally speaking I don’t do face to face meetings as I’m not comfortable in that environment. We have plenty of volunteers who do the face to face side of things.
    I do most of the email type enquiries, answer letters and quite a lot, regrettably, over the phone.
    Been home working for the last ten weeks and the novelty has worn off.  

  • Hey, I also like music and would like to volunteer for a charity to support people with learning disabilities. What kind of work do you do for the charity? Do you personally go to visit and help the people with their taxes?