Moderation.

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Moderation in all things. Is that not that well known saying from long ago. Proven by the experience and wisdom of people who have tried it, and found the benefits to be true.     Excess in anything, from work, to gambling, to eating, to lovemaking, can and does rob one of the pleasures and enthusiasm one may have initially gained from these activities.

        Currently I am in the fortunate position where I can say to employers, ‘Well no actually, I do not wish to work for the next few days, and I will not work no matter how much I may be required for the business’.

I laugh to myself when I refuse their near begging pleas, and their barely disguised anger and frustration when I refuse their request. I work to please myself, not them. As I have learned in the past, employers will be quick to get rid of you, as soon as they can find a more suitable substitute, regardless of the positive attributes you may have brought to the job in the past. 

       From extreme loyalty, honesty, punctuality, a pleasant manner. It all means nothing to them, by and large, when they can see the dollar signs, looming large in their eyes.

What I often ask myself in such situations is the point of knocking ones self out, in terms of physical and mental / spiritual  near exhaustion, to please an employer. I have no problem whatsoever saying.’No’ to an employer, and let them deal with it. What, if any is the point of earning the large amounts of money, and then being too exhausted to spend it.

                                                         Its not that I am a millionaire. Its just that I live within my means. If I cant afford something cash, I aint putting it on the long finger or getting into debt over it. Then I would be forced to work. Luckily, and somewhat by choice I do not have children, if I had then perhaps my thoughts and obligations around the matter would change. When I do work, my days can be up to fifteen hours long, which I will do over the course of three to four days maximum, and then I wish to stop, rest and recover. Because at this stage the work is no longer an enjoyable passion, more a chore that I come to detest. 

                     Then an employer may get in contact after I have only rested for one day and ask when I am available to work again. Its at this stage that with much joy I respond, ‘ Not available currently, try in four or five days again, I may be available. I will let you know’.

    Where is the joy, the pleasure in life if their is no time to reflect on the people I have met through my work. Time to reflect on the experiences I have been through with my work. No time to write ! No actual time to think. Time to read, so important, and enjoyable. No time for the physical activities I participate in both for enjoyment, and for my health. My ethos in life would very much resolve around, relaxation, refection, time freedom, and choice

The bottom line would be, no matter how many hours you give to an employer, as a worker, you will never be driving the big fancy car, like they do. You will never live in the large expensive house like they do, and possibly send your children to private schools, and enjoy the expensive holidays overseas a few times a year. 

            If their drive, and desires have landed them a successful life, Good Luck to them. But if it comes at the cost of stress, no time freedom, no relaxation, and a headlong rush to the graveyard, that would not be my choice. 

Of course I would desire financial success and all the rest, but I would rather take the slow road to that destination, and arrive their rested, relaxed, at ease, and certainly enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

Salthill Mothers Mafai / Galway / Ireland

Well now its this issue of what I will have to term, ‘The Salthill Mothers Mafia’, here in Galway, on the West coast of Ireland. A rather disturbing phenomenon that has come to my attention over the last few days.

Perhaps because of the increasing warm weather and sunshine, and only so far only witnessed, thankfully, on the Salthilll prom. It seems to consist of a group of youngish to middle aged Mothers with children in pushcahirs maundering down the prom usually in pairs or sometimes as I witnessed this morning in a group of six taking over the pavement, like a group of out of control hells angels, who it seems like would give no quarter to any person, man. woman or child getting in their way.

With this group mentality seems to be accompanied by a rather distasteful sense of aggression and entitlement. All rather un-necessary, and I cannot understand what they have to feel entitled to, as any woman, been healthy can give birth to a child.

I am considering writing an academic paper on this rather perplexing phenomena, and presenting it at an upcoming seminar, dealing with among other topics, the issue of dysfunctionality among women new to Motherhood, in our rather prestigious university, NUIG.

Should any Psychologists, Sociologists, or experts in Anthropological studies wish to collaborate on such a paper , please do get in touch. It is possible to see these subjects in their own environment, and one can watch and study them unobserved, as I was doing this morning, they can usually be spotted any morning on the Salthill Prom, usually across from the local lesiure center, called Lesiureland, between the hours of approx 10 : 30am to 12 : 00 after which they seem to disappear, thankfully, some may venture, untill like a bad dream they appear the following day.I did this morning see this assembled group cavorting in one of the shelters along the promenade, under the auspices of some form of exercise, but it seemed to onlookers, of which there were a few, like some type of ritualistic initiation ceremony, which involved the ladies in question, standing on one leg, while still holding onto their pushchairs, in which the children lay, blissfully unaware of the madness going on around them.

But the Mothers to all intents and purposes, looked as though they were squatting one legged while using the toilet, bottoms in the air situation, which was quiet an amusing sight to behold, to those of us watching. Unfortunately I was not quick enough to get the mobile camera out for this particular behavior, but did manage a couple of photos of the group at large in the wild, which will have to suffice for now.

My main question would be is this phenomenon observed in other countries, or is it just something individual to Ireland, and Irish Mothers. Most perplexing.

Please Enjoy,

A Bemused Onlooker