AdamJ

Techno-fest! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4b2Uz-Vl80

Techno-fest!

Techno-fest!

I've always thought that that Duran Duran video was the very peak in music video production, back when videos had a much bigger influence on our record buying habits. There are so many more diverse outlets now that I doubt anyone could justify doing videos like it any more, which is a pity.

I was caught speeding on my motorbike on the M4. I won't say how fast I was going but it was enough for me to be at risk of community service and possibly even prison. (Just to explain, it was daybreak and there was no traffic in sight, though that is no legal defence). I was supported very well by the mental health service. My CPN accompanied me to the police interview, and my clinical psychologist sent a report to the Court Liaison Officer (a mental health service employee) to enable her to detail my mental health status to the court. I also hired a barrister who made a case to the court that community service or jail would not be in the public interest and also detrimental to my continuing treatment by the mental health service. The combined input of the Court Liaison Officer and the barrister resulted in a £740 fine and a licence disqualification, which was the best I could have hoped for. I should say that the reason for my being engaged with the mental health service was not directly due to my AS but rather due to mental health problems which themselves are probably secondary to AS. Also, no one representing me cited AS as any kind of defence or mitigation. In my case, AS had nothing to do with my breaking the law. Anyway, this was two years ago and at that time, every court in Wiltshire had a Court Liaison Officer permanently assigned to it, such is the frequency with which the court has to deal with people with mental health problems. I don't know if other regions have liaison officers at every court.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDQnD6qOPq4&feature=related

Reading fiction is something I find very difficult. If there are more than a handful of characters, I lose track of who is who, the relationship between them, etc. With movies, the visual cues make it easy to follow but with only the written word, I find myself continually having to reread chapters to make the connections. One book I did persevere with recently was The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, with whom I went to school. It was her debut novel and it became a US No. 1 bestseller!

When I was on a dating site about six years ago, it was straightforward: you filled in your profile, uploaded a picture and off you went. These days, many sites require you to fill in pages and pages of questionnaires, likes/dislikes, etc. I don't like this for two reasons: first, it's incredibly tedious; second, and more importantly, it means potentially good matches never happen just because your 'compatibility score' isn't very high. Whatever happened to "vive la difference?" My experience is that you can learn enough to know whether a date would be worthwhile from what the person writes about themselves, plus an exchange of messages and then a phone conversation. I was on datingdirect, before it changed to long questionnaires, then mysinglefriend which, as far as I know, still takes a more straightforward approach. Edit: both these sites charge subscriptions. I think you stand a better chance on subscription sites because everyone there has at least made a financial commitment to show they are serious.

Thanks for all your kind words. It certainly is a lot to take in, although my brother has it so I already knew a little of the routine. Also, because of my pancreas, I knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before the diabetes followed. Mel, that's what my brother says. Please everyone, don't cancel my invitations to your chocolate fondue parties just yet. Interestingly, the diabetic nurses and the guidebooks say that diabetic foods are unnecessary if you're sensible about things. Mind you, if I can eat more diabetic chocolate than normal chocolate, I'll take the diabetic stuff!

I was admitted to hospital last Friday and was diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes. Apart from having to inject twice a day for ever more, it's a bummer because I'm going to have to change my whole attitude to food. No more eating for recreation and no more stuffing my face with chocolate! I've got so many conditions that I feel like I'm slowly disintegrating: Insulin-dependent diabetes A four-year history of acute pancreatitis (from which the diabetes stemmed) A leg stuffed with metal which still isn't back to full strength two years after the car crash AS Depression Acute anxiety disorder Since 2007, these conditions have landed me in hospital as an in-patient 19 times. It's a miracle that I still have a job - I guess I'm lucky to be working for what must be the world's most patient and understanding employer! Hey-ho, life goes on.

Wow, this thread has been busy since I was last here a week ago Aeolienne, lovely Wagner choice (and nice to see your face, by the way ). The birth of atonality and Wagner made no claim for it, he just let the music speak for itself. How cool is that! Here's some Norwegian electronica.

Insomnia.

It's 5 a.m. and you're listening to Golden Oldies FM with whispering Adam J. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_X0a8bOifU

I like this not just because it's a great dance track but also because it was my cousin Julian who signed the group, when he was at record label Independiente. It was his first big break in the record business.

+1 Four years doesn't seem much but if he has an ounce of humanity in him, his feelings of guilt will never end.

Thanks, Tally, that's useful to know. Whether I'm ready to return to work is a difficult question. Since being put on sick leave, I haven't been exposed to the kind of situation that brought on my anxiety attacks, so I've been feeling quite normal for a few months now. However, in those few months I haven't received any therapy or treatment so I can't point to anything that might have helped to strengthen my coping mechanisms. This fact is as apparent to my employers as it is to me so, regardless of my own feelings about it, my employers probably wouldn't allow me back until they have something concrete to show that I'm more robust now. That something is evidence of a course of DBT or at least the beginnings of a course of DBT, because that's what they've been given to expect.

I'm on a waiting list to receive DBT through my local NHS mental health service. In the meantime, I'm signed off work with depression and acute anxiety. My employers are aware that I'm awaiting DBT and as far as they're concerned, I won't be fit to return to work until some time after my DBT begins. My employers appointed an independent occupational health specialist to assess my fitness to work and that is the conclusion they gave to my employers in December. Here is my problem. Nobody seems able to give me even a rough idea of when I might begin receiving DBT. And the longer my absence from work continues, the more I worry about job security. To avoid the waiting list, I've looked into getting DBT privately but I'm struggling to find any local, private DBT services. The MIND website says there is no formal association for DBT practitioners, making it even harder to find a practitioner with credentials. Also, I understand that part of the DBT approach is to have group therapy sessions. It seems to me that this would be practically impossible for a private practitioner to facilitate. I know DBT isn't very common but if there is anyone here who has experienced it, whether through the NHS or privately, I'd be very grateful to hear any views about it. At the moment, I don't know whether I should (1) keep my employer waiting, or (2) put myself in the hands of a private practitioner with unknown credentials, or (3) forget the whole DBT thing and instead tell all parties concerned that I'm fit to return to work immediately. Thanks. Adam

I would think of a recorder as a 'proper' instrument - you're too modest, Aeolienne.

Yay, I fixed my missing start menu. I clicked on the start button to bring up the (empty) start menu. With my pointer over the start menu, I right clicked and by chance I came across a properties menu. I checked the box to have recently used programs shown in the start menu and hey presto, all is now well.