I don't think I watch loads of TV but I have noticed a change in their adverts in the last month. Lately I have been watching a film channel in the afternoons, old films mainly, some classics but also lots of B movie westerns. I get home from walking dogs in the morning, have a bite to eat and settle down on the couch to see whats on. I have been known to dose off (I call it power napping) and the great thing about these films is I can pick up the thread of the story really easily when I wake up. What I am struggling with is the advertising pitch at the moment. Out, are the insuring for your funeral plans and in, is the strife experienced by the less fortunate at Christmas. I'm probably more immune to the funeral plans, feeling reasonably fit and healthy. Have a mawkish christmas though affects me on another level. This probably comes from having struggled with the whole "Christmas Experience" over the years. Reconnecting with family and friends has not had such an appeal when the previous year has been dominated by anxiety and depression. It never seemed the ideal topic of conversation at these christmas get togethers and often caused me to avoid such occasions. This only exacerbated my feelings of isolation and so the cycle is repeated.
On a brighter note, I did get told about an interesting project getting the Charity Christmas appeal treatment recently. Its called Starwards and they are the recipient of the Guardian Newspaper awards Christmas appeal. Its a mental health focused charity that has been running about five years. They look to provide recognition for work happening in the mental health wards up and down the country. They do this by sharing good practice and they do it in a thoughtful and engaging way, I recommend you look at their website. They have a mascott called Buddy who is a dog- a Tibetan Terrier who is almost as photogenic as Betty as you can see above. He is owned by the Charities founder Marion Janner. She seems a very interesting and inspiring person and talks openly about a number of subjects close to my heart. Namely, the experience of struggling with her own mental health, using services- good and bad and the role her dog played and continues to play in getting her mentally to a better place.
Have a good christmas everyone, and if you do meet me over the christmas period, perhaps at a party even, I'll be trying my best to keeping positive, I'll probably be talking about what happened in the park with the dogs that day.
On a brighter note, I did get told about an interesting project getting the Charity Christmas appeal treatment recently. Its called Starwards and they are the recipient of the Guardian Newspaper awards Christmas appeal. Its a mental health focused charity that has been running about five years. They look to provide recognition for work happening in the mental health wards up and down the country. They do this by sharing good practice and they do it in a thoughtful and engaging way, I recommend you look at their website. They have a mascott called Buddy who is a dog- a Tibetan Terrier who is almost as photogenic as Betty as you can see above. He is owned by the Charities founder Marion Janner. She seems a very interesting and inspiring person and talks openly about a number of subjects close to my heart. Namely, the experience of struggling with her own mental health, using services- good and bad and the role her dog played and continues to play in getting her mentally to a better place.
Have a good christmas everyone, and if you do meet me over the christmas period, perhaps at a party even, I'll be trying my best to keeping positive, I'll probably be talking about what happened in the park with the dogs that day.