How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

I know that I  regularly need to unplug from technology, and I have a few strategies I use regularly.

From about 7.00pm, I put my phone in the bathroom overnight to charge the battery, and by putting it in another room, rather than keep it in the bedroom, I can get a good night’s sleep.  If I get any messages after that time, I wait until morning 🌄 to read them

I also have a particular playlist of 🎵 songs I listen to if I am feeling stressed before bedtime to help me feel at peace, everything from Thats When I Think Of You, Send Me An Angel, Dont Dream It’s Over,  Let It Be, and Choir Girl.  The playlist is more extensive than this sample and there are more songs 🎵 from the playlist I select depending on what I want to hear 🎶.

I deliberately switch off from technology on a regular basis and turn my television 📺 off at the PowerPoint when I am not watching it..

All these little things I do help me to detox regularly and stop me from becoming exhausted by technology in my life. I don’t let technology control me, and I deliberately am not on social media like Facebook.  I want to be in charge of how technology affects me. I don’t need social media and constant interface with technology to be happy.

I think I control my devices and regularly turn them off, so yes, I do detox from the world🌎of technology. .

What quality do you value most in a friend?

As I think about the blog topic today, I think of Susanna, the most honest,  loyal, and loving person I have ever met.. She embodied friendship with her honesty and loyalty.  Even Lily, my little dog, is my best friend 🧡  with her loyal, loving nature.  Dogs are always honest. They are not capable of being  dishonest. To me, honesty and loyalty are the qualities of a true friend and go hand in hand. I value the friends who are honest and straightforward with me.  I respect that. If a friend is being dishonest with you,  for whatever reason,  they are not being a friend.  Honesty is a big part of loyalty.  Friendships that survive have a basis of love, honesty, and loyalty.

What are you good at?

I have already answered this question last year, focusing on my empathy and compassion. I think I am very good at being switched on to people, particularly people in need of support, empathy, and a bit of positivity in a dark world 🌎.  I understand that we all as humans need to be validated and affirmed.  Some of my friends say that I am a huge positive force to be reckoned with.  I try to fill my loved 😍 ones’ lives with positive affirmations and to make them feel that they are the wonderful human beings who deserve some recognition of how good they are. I look for the good in people, and the celebrities I most admire are those doing good in the world 🌎 without seeking accolades.

I guess I am good at endeavouring to be a good friend, sister, etc. I form close soul bonds with people, eg, Susanna, Lani, etc. I don’t take these relationships for granted, and if there is anything I have learned from Susannas legacy, it is to be the loving bearer of good tidings for all. Susanna led by example, and now I am doing the same.

I guess I am good at recognising the human condition and try to give my loved 😍 ones the support they need in their life.

What am I good at?  I will let my friends 🧡 and loved ones let me know what they think are my strengths.  I do try to lead a life where I grow and learn from my mistakes. I think I am good at becoming more wise on my journey of life.

Who would you like to talk to soon?

The last time I answered this post 📫 I said I would like to talk to Neil Finn  and also talk to someone about supported social housing.  This has progressed over the last 12 months.  I am now on the waiting list for social housing close to where I already live.  I would like to talk to Mind the mental support service who is building the housing to make sure I am on top of the waiting list.  I pray 🙏🏽 all the time that this works out, so I am really talking to God about this, making sure God knows how important this is to me.

I would still like to talk to Neil Finn, being a fan of course I would like to talk to him.  I would love to have a cuppa and a chat with Scott Aplin,  Harry Connick Jnr, Andrea Lam, and Amanda Keller about the series The Piano because it is so good that it is absolutely mind blowing.  I think I will always want to meet Scott Aplin because of how nice to me he was when I have had contact with him in the past.

The other person I would like to talk to is Sam Reid, the actor who played Dale Jennings in The Newsreader.   Sam appears to be quite shy and introverted in interviews I have seen with him, and that makes him all the more charming and interesting.

Do you have any collections?

I have several collections.

I have a large collection of books, particularly those by Cathy Kelly,  Janet Frame and Graeme Base.

I have a large record collection, comprising of vinyl records and compact discs,  a lot of Australian music 🎶 from the 80s and onwards.

I have a collection of teddy 🧸 bears and antique tea cups and saucers.

I have a collection angel things, eg, angel Oracle cards and ornaments.   When I move house in the not too distant future, I plan to make angels the theme of my home..

How do you feel about cold weather?

We are heading into winter here in Melbourne, and I am not enjoying it. It has been freezing here the last few mornings 🌄 and I have not wanted to get out of bed. I hope I can acclimatise soon, so I can walk up Lily around 7.30 am.  The last few days, I have walked 🚶‍♂️ her later, but I know I need to get used to the cold weather. In Melbotrne, I love late spring and early autumn 🍂.  I dread winter.  It is true here in Melbourne that we have four seasons in one day.

How do you balance work and home life?

How I balance work and home 🏡 life is to work from home. Now that I no longer travel great distances to work in mental health, I can work from home and not leave Lily for hours on end.

Being a writer now means I can work from home with Lily beside me as I work. She is a placid contented 💕 little soul now that I don’t leave her for hours on end. It is quiet and peaceful to work from home and I no longer travel on noisy crowded public transport,  because of that I no longer constantly battle colds and flu, like I did when I was always on public transport.

If you are seeking a more peaceful, quiet life,do try if possible to work from home. Your pets will thrive with you around. Separation anxiety will be a thing of the past.