Bell Let's Talk is Thursday, January 28th

 Saturday, January 23/21

Hello, today's blog entry is short and sweet as it's just a reminder that this coming Thursday, January 28th is the annual Bell Let's Talk Day.

It is designed to remind us that mental health is more important than we think, that mental issues come in all shapes and sizes, that each of us has it in ourselves to make this world a little better than we found it.

For the most part, there are no natural indicators that someone you come across might be suffering from depression or another form of mental illness.

That person who opened the door for you could feel an overwhelming sense of dread.

The person who said good morning to you and you made a face at for being so bold as to address you when you don't even know them could be trying to overcome an issue at home and hoping for nothing more than an acknowledgement that they are alive.

Sometimes we don't even know that those around us are even aware of how we are feeling as we haven't even shared our fears and thoughts.

That last point was actually my own experience many years ago with my ex-wife. Winter used to be my downfall as the shorter and darker days messed with me pretty bad, so bad that my ex thought at one point that I might try and take my life, something I'd never do but we'd never had a conversation around how my mood changed a bit from mid-December to April. I learned about her worries one day when I went to take some Tylenol for a headache and couldn't find any in our bathroom, I asked her if we were out and she said no and proceeded to go into our walk-in closet to get them out of her jewelry box. I looked at her like what the hell were they doing there and she looked at me and honestly said "I was afraid to leave them out where you might use them"

To say that stunned me would be an understatement. I asked why she thought that and she said she knew I was struggling and just wanted to make sure I was there for her and the kids, that I didn't do anything that I couldn't undo. I looked at her for a moment, glanced out our bedroom door towards our children's bedrooms, pulled my wallet out of my pocket and dug out the employee health insurance card, walked over to the phone on my nightstand, and called the EAP number on the card and asked to speak with someone.

I never understood how much my own feelings had been putting my family under pressure, that they were walking on eggshells around me fearing they might upset me. That was the first time I've ever been to see someone to talk about my feelings and it hasn't been the last time.

I hope none of you learn anything like this from your own families as it really was a shocker as well as a reminder that though I thought I was facing my fears on my own that they were having a huge impact on those I loved the most.

We don't all have access to resources to help us through tough times so if you find yourself in need of someone to just hear you speak then I offer up myself to be that sounding board.

Please remember this, you are not alone and though you might not know it, there are people who truly care for and about you.

My name is Marcus and I am here for you......

Contact me at ooasm2018@gmail.com if you need to talk about anything, and I do mean anything

VI KEELAND "The Invitation"

 Thursday, January 21/21

So as I've already admitted in a prior blog posting, I enjoy reading romance novels.

It's something I started doing back in 2018 when I was laid up post surgery and chemo treatment that allowed me to get my mind off things.

I used the free book offers on iBooks and Kobo to get started and along the way discovered a group of authors who I've really enjoyed reading over the past couple of years, so much so that I've actually moved beyond the free offerings they've made available to round out my portfolio through purchases whenever they offered up something new.

Vi Keeland is one such author. I preordered her most recent release "The Invitation" based on how much I liked other works from her that I've read as well as the synopsis posted on iBooks.

This recent offering became available to download on Monday morning and it had me hooked after the first few pages. I'm not going to give anything away about this story other than to say it had me laughing out loud at some of the exchanges between Stella & Hudson, and I literally mean bursting out loud laughing, as well as a very interesting hook at the end.

I'm not getting anything from anyone for saying any of this so take my recommendation as you will, but it was honestly one of my best purchases and one I'm sure to read more than a few times over the next few years.

The only drawback to the book? I became so caught up in it that I finished it Monday night!!

My name is Marcus and this blog is my attempt to share stories about dating, being a good parent as well as a good grandfather, dealing with working from home during a pandemic, dreaming of my next round of golf, and maybe if I get lucky, meeting someone nice and possibly sharing my last first kiss.

Got a comment, question, or complaint? hit me up at ooasm2018@gmail.com and I promise to get back to you.

Today's musical suggestion isn't just a song but rather an entire album. "A Black Mile To The Surface" by Manchester Orchestra. There are more than a few songs on the album that made me feel something inside and the entire album just flows really well. Give it a listen and let me know what you think.