POST ONE: MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK 2017


24 hours with... Martin Baker
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GumOnMyShoeBook
Blog: www.gumonmyshoe.com
Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/High-Tide-Low-Friends-Disorder/dp/8283310216
Date: Monday May 8th, 2017


Why have you chosen to write about today?
It is my first day back to work after a fortnight on holiday, so a sort of transition day.


Good morning!

What time did you wake up?
6 am

Why did you wake up at that time?

I needed to return the hire car to the airport before heading into work. Normally I wake around 7 am.

Did you have a dream?
Not that I recall. It is very rare for me to recall dreams in the morning.

Do you think today will be 'good' or 'bad' day? (use your own definition of these words to answer the question)
A good day – despite being back at work! I am keen to pick up with what has been going on with the folks I work with. Also, I am happy to be back to the regular structure of my days, which actually affords me more time to myself (in between actually working!)

What are the first three things you do after waking up?
Wash, dress, have my Yakult (the last of those is a recent addition to my morning routine).

Do you eat breakfast? If yes, what did you have?
Not before leaving the house, no. I grabbed a coffee at the airport this morning after dropping off the hire car. More usually I will stop at a lovely little café on my way into work, for a fried egg sandwich!

What would be your perfect breakfast?
My favourite is the vegetarian breakfast at Hartside Café on the A66 outside of Alston. Mmmmmmmm! Second choice would be some really good quality muesli.

Is there anything that you have to do today but don't particularly want to?
Not really.

List five things that you do between 9am and noon.
1. Fix some fresh filter coffee
2. Work a bit
3. Check my Facebook and Twitter
4. More coffee
5. Did I mention the coffee?

Did you eat lunch? If yes, what did you eat?
I usually bring something in to work from home, maybe a mushroom pasta salad, but today I have a cheese savoury stottie from Greggs. Very nutritious!

What would be your perfect lunch?
I’m usually working at my personal emails / social media at lunchtime, the food is something to keep me going, so I don’t really mind too much what it is, as long as it is veggie. Pasta salad, cheese salad sandwich, quiche…

List five things that you have done, said, thought, or that have happened between noon and 5pm.
1. Very genuine and moving conversation with a friend who wanted to chat. It meant a great deal that she felt I was someone she could trust.
2. Easing back into the work environment always feels a bit weird, but is going okay. I am always surprised how quickly I click back into “work think” after not having thought about it for two weeks.
3. Checking in with friends online (chat, twitter, email)
4. I usually have a short Skype call with my best friend Fran in the States, but not today because she has an early start herself this morning.
5. Did I mention the coffee?

Do you eat dinner/tea? If yes, at what time?
Dinner will be around 6pm

What do you eat?
This evening I will be having veggie burgers with baked potatoes.


What would be your perfect dinner?
Pizza!!!


What do you do with your evening (5-8pm)?
After dinner is eaten and the dishes washed and put away, I will have my usual Skype call with Fran from 7pm – 8pm, which we have when we are each at home. When I was away on holiday we Skyped while I was out on my evening walk which was lovely.


Goodnight!


Do you have a 'get-ready-for-bed' routine? If so, what is it?
Fran and I are usually on Skype from 11pm UK time until about 1am, then I go to bed.


What time do you go to sleep?
As soon as my head hits the pillow.

Is this when you want to go to bed? Or is it influenced by what you're doing the following day?
It is when I want to go to bed. I did go to bed earlier last night because I needed to be up extra early today.


Do you share your bed?
I sleep with a cuddly grizzly bear called Pemberton.


Which position do you tend to sleep in? e.g. foetus, starfish etc.
On my right side.


Reflection


What was your favourite part of your day?
The chat conversation I had at lunchtime today with someone I don’t know especially well was humbling, and intensely moving. Such connections are what bring the most meaning into my life. That was actually the second such conversation today: the first was while I was traveling into work on the train. Another genuine connection, with someone I only met online last week, but find I have much in common with.


What was your least favourite?
Just before I had to get up, at 6am!


Did anything happen today that you'd like to change or re-do?
Not really no. I feel I did okay.

Did you 'learn' anything today? (use your own definition of this word to answer the question)
To hold myself open to whatever comes along, especially to other people. That everyone has their story to share, if we are open to listen.


Are you looking forward to tomorrow?
Yes

What do you have planned?
Nothing specific. I will be in work. But every day is full of potential.
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