LIfe – neilhayeswrites

Stranger in a Strange Land.

October 3, 2024October 3, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

Tell us about a time when you felt out of place.

I wasn’t just out of place, I felt like I was in a different dimension. 18 years ago I arrived in Czechia unable to understand much beyond hello. Now, some would say that my Czech hasn’t improved that much, but I can more than get by. But upon first arriving in this new land I lived with my girlfriend, now wife, plus 5 of her family, none of whom spoke very much English. Talk about stress! I started smoking again just so I could escape and not feel like a fish in a bowl.

I don’t want to make it sound so terrible, I am still here after all, and they all did their best to welcome me. But I did feel very unsure of myself, although never doubting that I had made the correct decision in moving here.

It’s Simple

September 21, 2024September 21, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

What things give you energy?

It really is. The search always seems to be on, to find that special technique. So many new ideas and fads come along that wish to save us and provide us with that energy which we all desire. But no matter what I drink, what I eat, nothing can substitute for good old sunshine and sleep. Everything else is just playing catch up. Whatever else you put in your body is just substituting for what you have left out. They are also draining your bank account. So use the two which are the most effective and are also free. You can’t beat sunshine and sleep.

Wildfire

July 17, 2024July 17, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

Mind in turmoil, spiralling out of control.
Tired and numb, brain seems fogged.
Confusion, difficult to focus on reality.
Through these blinding lights, no focus.

This fire needs to be extinguished.
Emergency!
Seek help.
Ensure that every glowing ember has died.

Double-Guessing a Madman

March 8, 2022 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

I still can’t quite believe that it is really happening. Every now and again I think that it is only a nightmare. Then, I watch the news and reality strikes. War in Europe. It seems that the old saying really could be true, only one generation can ever see peace. Then we seem to forget our previous lessons and repeat the same mistakes again.

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Zen and the Art of Dog Training

December 4, 2021December 4, 2021 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

As a new dog owner I had little idea how complicated dog training would be. Not that it is impossible, it just takes a lot of hard work and patience. So, just like many things in life really. The difference between this and other choices you make in life is that there is no backing out, unless you want a whole world of pain in the future. With other choices we make there is always the chance to start again later. If you miss a few weeks of running, you can start again. It might hurt, but you can still do it. But with dog training, if you miss part of the fundamental training when they are young, there could be no going back.

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