The misuse of "anxiety"

I'm writing this a few days after the event so I have calmed down a fair bit now. But, it's still really annoying!

Right, well, I guess I should actually tell you what's got me all annoyed. 

Earlier this week in the morning I was radio channel hopping in the car while sitting in traffic on the way to work. Eventually I found a song playing. Then a song or two later the talking happens, Radio One is not a station I would usually stay on but I did. 

Nick Grimshaw and his co host are talking about accidentally sending messages to the person your talking about or posting their name on social media when you meant to search it. Basically what I think is being described is bullying...worry not it gets worse!

Nick a couple of times says talking about this is giving him "anxiety". This riled me a little, as someone in the mental health community who talks about the misuse of words. The fact we see or rather hear mental health ILLNESSES used as adjectives. Still haven't heard anyone say they feel cancery and I probably will never hear that because cancer has more visible symptoms and there has been great work done by cancer charities to educate our society. 

While the use of the word "anxiety" was upsetting for my, I considered, maybe you could honestly have anxiety symptoms in the situation being described. If I think about this behaviour situation. Your talking about someone behind their back, and they might be about to find out how you feel. Or maybe Laura is about to find out you've been stalking her photos and you've just liked an Instagram photo from 12 months ago. Then how would I feel, I could be nervous, unsure, on edge, unable to think about anything else, it stop me doing or concentrating on tasks.

Ok so maybe while not the best example. This is an...ok... use of "anxiety". Maybe I'm overreacting. 

The radio conversation continues, Nick then says "I'm getting full on anxiety"! I also rip the radio out of the car to throw it out the window. This is ridiculous, uneducated, uninformed, misleading, stigma building, potentially isolating and extremely damaging to the mental health movement that people within our communities are fighting for. We try to raise awareness, prevent stigma, support fellow suffers and those around them. Previously I have mentioned the damage that mainstream media are doing when it comes to mental health. But in honestly I think I have done this imagining a faceless media. Well this week I heard what I consider ignorant and harmful use of the ILLNESS anxiety. 

I'd like to think I always consider what the other side was thinking and their perspective. With that in mind I had self justified the use of "anxiety", but "I'm getting full on anxiety"?! No, no, no! 

This was another example of how mental health is not seen as serious or important by the media, specifically Nick Grimshaw and Radio One. A very sad day for radio! 

The mental health community will continue will continue to raise awareness in the hope we see and hear less of this. More importantly so people suffering from this ILLNESS will not feel alone, will know there is support, help and understanding out there. You just will not fine it on Radio One. 

Speed Dating (repost)

Coming soon I will be writing a article for Daily Focal which will be based on my thoughts and experience of speed dating. With that in mind I though this would be a great opportinuy to repost a blog entry from over a year ago, especially since I posted this to an old blog feed (not this one). Enjoy and visit Daily Focal for my upcoming articles. 

Thanks

In the last few weeks I've decided I would like to put myself back out there and have, on recommendation from Rachel, joined a couple of dating apps and signed up for a singles night.

The apps are pretty hit and miss in my opinion so far. I've heard horror stories and success stories, so that, I guess, reinforces that view. Additionally I enjoy face to face interaction much more. I feel that I learn more about the person I am with and gain a better feeling for if there is any sort of connection when you are physically in each others presence. 

For this reason I was interested and excited to attend a Match.com event in Southampton with Rachel. We went along and had dinner (in the same venue as the event) before the event started. This allowed us to see the first few people go up and know we wouldn't be the first to enter. We tried to see who was going up to the function room to gage a few things about the people attending, like attractiveness, age, gender. This was fairly unsuccessful, we could see that some people had gone up but we couldn't see enough to tell what they where like. This was an open event, so there could be mainly 20, 30, 50, 80 year olds, we didn't know. In a strange way that made me more nervous and more relaxed at the same time. Its hard to explain.  

About 20 minutes after the event started we made our way over and signed in with the host. At this point we were given a drinks card, there was something about finding someone (of the opposite sex) with a matching card to get a free drink, but we quickly saw you could exchange them for a drink without matching them. So I'm not sure if it didn't matter, or maybe we would have gotten a better drink if we'd matched it? I really don't know. 

* I have since worked out, I think, that these are just conversation starters. It makes no difference to your drink. 

For a while we just talked to each other, as everyone else was notability older than us (minimum 15 years older) and that wasn't something we were looking for. After about 15 minutes there was a steady influx of people. Somehow we created a group of 5 and chatted as a small group for a while. Sometimes with multiple conversations at once. 

It was really nice to just chat to people and enjoy being sociable with new people. Through I evening I mainly spoke to two girls, April and Julianna. While Rach spoke to a couple of guys. It was great to be there with someone, but be happy to talk to different people / groups. I guess it made me feel more comfortable and relaxed. 

The two girls I spoke to where friends and where really interesting to talk to. We discussed a few things throughout the evening, I did get distracted a couple of times with tying to work out their safe, or escape phase (which I managed to get by the end of the evening using my skills of deduction). At one stage in the evening I did look around the room and see that there where quite a few people at the event now and thought maybe I should 'mingle' more. However I was enjoying the conversation and company I currently had so opted to stay where I was. Occasionally someone would come over and sit with the three of us, but they would also leave after a short while. The next time I looked around the room had started to empty out, more people where leaving and the bar was shutting. It felt like it had been 10 minutes, I can only assume it had been much longer.

I really enjoyed the event and was glad that Rach had suggested it. I continue to chat with April, we've even been on two dates.

Shortly after the singles night we also signed up for a Speed Dating event. This time Rach's sister, Helen would be coming with us too.

I was looking forward to the speed dating to see how different it was to the open, free, Match event. This event was booked through Speed Dater and had a £13 booking fee. Now I've mentioned the money, I feel this is an appropriate time to mention one of the differences here. Attending the 'open' mingle type of event before was great to attend with someone of the opposite gender. Speed Dating however, not as much. You are paying to meet people, so what is the point of going with people you already know? For me, I really like these girls so spending time with them is a joy and something I look forward to. However, I was definitely feeling that I had two wasted dates, which equated to £2.60 of my booking free. Ok, I've said it now I'll let that go. They really are lovely girls 😀  

This time on arrival we grabbed drinks and made our way up to the event area straight away. There were a couple of people there already, but a majority hadn't arrived yet. 

As people began to arrive there was a visible difference in the attire people where wearing, particularly I thought the guys. Having gone with the smart casual standard shirt and jeans, I was interested to see Gary turn up in a suit and tie combo and another chap wearing t-shirt jeans and carrying a bag. A couple of the girls seemed to have come together and where dressed in similar fashion, so there wasn't as much of a difference in their attire.

Rach, Helen and myself sat down and chatted for about 20 minutes. At this point the event host provided an overview of the evening and how the dates would work. Ladies would sit at a table for the evening with men rotating tables every four minutes, the four minutes would be sounded by a bell. We had been provided with the scorecard, which we could make notes on following each date. Along with ticking if we were interested in dating this person, being friends or not interested. 

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Once we started, you start on the table that matches your number, so for example girl 3 starts with boy 3. I immediately enjoyed the experience and talking to the different girls that where there. I found it hilarious that the host put Rachel and Helen next to each other. Meaning each could hear the others conversation. Meeting the family on the first date, within four minutes, still makes me chuckle. Personally I was not keen on the set up of the room, I didn't feel the space was optimised and some dates where very close to others and then two where in there own space. It just seemed a little strange. I did not seem to have a chance to make any 'notes' as I went around. I managed with just noting down name and table number.

As an experience it was different to what I had expected. I though you'd be able to chat with people, but you may need to think of a topic or question if the conversation stalled. However I found the opposite, it was easy to talk to everyone. But with the time going so fast, it became important to move the conversation on to other topics sometimes, or you learnt nothing about the person other than a hobby or their job. The event as a whole seemed to pass very quickly which I suppose shows I had a good time. We hung around after the event finished with two guys (Chris and Mike) and two girls (Emma and Tracey) for a little while, having a couple of drinks and chatting about our thoughts on the evening. I retain the belief that these are great events for meeting and chatting to new people. I think the pressure comes when you go hoping to meet someone that night. 

I think the two events are very different, and both are worth attending. Speed Dating is good for confidence building because you have to talk to everyone at the event. However it can be restrictive if you want to spend more that a couple of minutes with someone. Then you really need to catch them at the end of the dating and chat a bit more. The open events, such as Match, are nice relaxing evenings out and you can attend without the same pressure that may come with speed dating, however (again) you do have to make the effort to approach and talk to people. No one is going to ring a bell a say its your turn with that girl / guy you like the look of.

Talking about Mental Health at Interview and in the Workplace

This morning I read a blog post by Kayleigh (@veryberrycosmo) about mental health and employment and I started to write a comment at the bottom of the post. That 'short' comment started to turn into a ramble. So I thought I would turn that....I guess frustration into a blog post of my own.

Let me start by saying this is very much based on MY experience, everyone is different and will have different thoughts and experiences of this. Additionally so much of this, for me, is about your relationship with those around you. So that will dramatically affect your decisions and experiences.

I have never revealed or discussed my mental health in any of the workplaces I have had. I have discussed it with colleagues AFTER I have left that place of work. Because at that point they are no longer colleagues, they are friends and not really related to my work.
I do feel slightly ashamed of this because part of my current job is encouraging students to come forward and feel they can talk about their own experiences while encouraging discussion of mental health across the institution. I believe I do a really good job of this. However, 'coming out' and using myself as an example could be a very useful thing in terms of empowering and awareness raising. However...

I have never felt comfortable talking about my mental health in the workplace. I think this is for a few different reasons. Firstly the fact that at the beginning I didn't know what was going on so its really hard to talk about something why you don't know its affecting you! Then either through social stigma, or the stigma that I hold within my own head I didn't / don't feel committable to talk about this at work. Towards the start of my mental health adventure I moved workplaces a lot, I had 5 jobs in 12 months. So connecting with people I was working with didn't really happen. Part of that was contractable, but it was also me probably avoiding those connections while I struggled to work out what was happening to me. That being said there are some people I worked with in that time that I am still in contact with as friends and thats been cool. That despite only knowing those people for a short time bonds can still be made. The best example of this is Kelly, who I worked with for a grand total of 2 months. She's moved from Bournemouth to Scotland now, but we regularly talk and I am very open with her about my struggles and experiences (obviously she doesn't get told everything, but then the other person that gets that is probably Sarah). For me this is a great example that those connections can be made even in a short space of time. I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for Kelly and hope to see her again some time soon.

The workplace, of me has always been somewhere you take pride in yourself and your work. You act in a certain way because of your 'role' and the professional setting and expectations. While I have always had my own...approach. I have for most of my working life conformed to the social norms and perceived expectations. Yes, to some extent that has been affected by the positions and institutions I have worked for. But isn't that the same for most people? We all have or see these expectations.
Recently I would say I have started to drift from this slightly. In my last job, I was much more forthright in my views and ideas (see my podcast with Matt and Wes for a bit more on this). Then in my current workplace my appearance has continued to become less...traditional with the long hair and beard. I am yet to try jeans!
Despite this I continue to hold back about my mental health.

When I commented on Kayleigh's blog, I found myself thinking of all these things many of us do because of our mental health. We blog, podcast, talk to people, give advise, support, we listen. To do this we have build websites, set up blog or podcast feeds, we have attended events, some have organised events. Heck some have won awards! This is such a big part of our lives, even if you don't feel like you do many of these things. We have developed so many skills and experiences, that if applied to any other field we would be encouraged to talk about (in detail) because of benefit of these experiences and skills. Not to mention the other personal attributes (confidence, time management, drive, determination etc) that we have demonstrated. By not talking about these things we essentially miss out on something that would really make us stand out compared to other people, particularly in an interview / application scenario. But that stigma, whether held socially or within ourselves holds us back.

While I will likely continue, in the short term at least, to not discuss my mental health in the workplace. I would like to think I would be able to mention it in an interview in the future. Because I believe when Im asked about my personal life, my character, my 'hobbies' much of those questions would be best answered by talking about my experience in the social setting of the mental health discussion. I am not applying to anywhere at the moment so this is an easier statement for me to make I guess.

How about you, would you feel at ease talking about your blog / podcast / website in an interview or at the workplace?


Image from http://www.vminstall.com/vmware-interview-questions-and-answers/

Online Friends to just Friends

It's Friday night, time to live it large!
Well, mmmm. Yes. I suppose errrr...yes....
Well, I'm at home. In sweat-pants. I've eaten pizza, half my pick'n'mix. I'm drinking cola straight from the bottle. Something's going to be large and it's not my night haha. Before you start think rude things I'm talking about my belly!
I am so thankful for my online buddies, that have become simply buddies. I'm talking about Laura, Simba, Liv, Kay, Rich (who my phone always wants to call Rick. Even though I don't know any Ricks!) and a few more. These guys have been amazing support for me lately. Our discussion topics are quite diverse, and I think that says a lot, that we are able to talk openly about things we know, think, have experienced and those we have no idea about.
I don't usually do name drops because, as Rich has mentioned in his #FF blog (http://www.richbiscuit21.wordpress.com/) I feel guilty for not mentioning everyone. Particularly when there's so many people I have spoken to and who have been helpful in many different ways. However right now I don't want that to stop me mentioning these guys specifically. Plus I just need to write something positive right now. I feel on the edge of a negative spell, so I'm focusing on the positive.
These cool dudes have all been on Mike's Open Journal Podcast (on iTunes and acast) too, so you may have even heard the first time we spoke!

I also realised today that this month is the one year anniversary of meeting Sarah online. It has been a manic year, so many discussions; mental health, medication, boobies, penis', weddings, family, relationships, dating, homes, ideologies and after all that she only found out my 'real' name last month haha.
I would also like to say a massive thank you to Sarah for being there to support me though those dark thoughts. For telling me cutting is not what you want to do, "this will pass, keep talking to me". She has shown me when I'm overthinking (not that that stopped me) and when I've maybe not thought of something in a different way.
This beautiful woman is amazing and I am so looking forward to finally meeting Sarah & her sexy husband Oli in around a months time. May our friendship continue and continue. I may even get to meet some of my other buddies as I'll be attending the #MHmeet while I'm in Manchester.
I have realised that I have / am pushing some friends away. It's hard because some times you, I, want or need to be alone. Then when I want to be with people I don't have the motivation to organise something, which previously I would have done. It's hard, I guess over time we change and our relationships change. I feel like I have started to invest much more in online relationships. Possibly for a few reasons.
The obvious of a new friend is always interesting, but also maybe I feel more protection with online friends. There isn't the long history, if I really wanted to I could stop talking to them or even block them (I haven't done this yet though haha). I think I also feel more of a connection with these people because we have a shared experience and that experience is usually an extreme one. You know when you made amazing friends when you were little at summer camp or on a holiday active programme? Or like they pretend to on reality tv? It's because it's an experience, it's extreme and it changes you in ways you don't fully know or understand. It's kind of like that. We all have an experience with the mental health demon. (S)he has affected us in different ways and appears in different forms. But we have all battled this bitch and we continue to win (sticking with the positive vibe).
It is them that I often talk to after I've had a episode or when I'm struggling. I need my fellow warriors.
It's times like this I also feel bad though. I realise for all the talk about mental health stigma. It is me that carries something of a stigmatised view, in that my other friends wouldn't or couldn't understand in the same way. I realised this and I do try to tackle this, it's just hard sometimes to talk about sometime you don't fully understand, and often I feel so much less of a person when talking about it. Now I know I shouldn't and I know most of my friends wouldn't think this. But that doesn't stop that being the way I feel.
I suppose the fact there is a physical distance between me and my new buddies may also help. My 'relationship' issues are kind of avoided by not becoming too close. Although I have already had a conversation with Sarah about pushing her away because we became close friends. I believe my worry is linked to issues around trust and people being there for me. I don't want to lose them, so I push them away before they have a chance to leave. That can be really hard to deal with, and in itself encourages new short term relationships. So I fight to hold on to these guys. They are my support network and I hope I am able to be part of there's. More than that I think of them as my 'real' friends. Not 'online' ones.
So, in short thank you, all of you! Especially Sarah, Laura, Kay, Liv, Simba and Rich. 

Workshops, podcasts and blogging

I guess there is two bits of news I will be focusing on in this writing journey. As this is a bit of a 'what's been going on' post. 

One,

I recently attended a introductory workshop for 'emotional coping skills' which I had very mixed feelings about. Firstly it was an awful start with one guy being told he couldn't come in as he had his child with him. He then kicked off swearing at the trainer /practitioner as we went in. Not the best of starts. I didn't like the room we were in it was cramped and very formal. Not a comfortable environment for the sort of topics we were discussing. Well not for me anyway. I didn't talk in the session, I just didn't feel able to. Like three maybe four times I opened my mouth but nothing came out. I didn't connect with the group or the practitioners. However, I have signed up for the 5 week course. Based on there will be some other people in that group, as it'll be a mix of our group and another. But also I think there could be messages in there that will help me. I am just going to have to accept that the way these messages are delivered are not best suited to me.

Through the workshop I jumped from I already know this, to this is triggering, to I already know that to o, that's an interesting point. 

One of the exercises we did was some mindfulness and I think potentially some form of meditation. Well I can tell you it didn't exactly work for me. 

It started with the practitioner saying "you can do this with loads of different things and for us today we are going to use our hands". Ok, sounds interesting. So we have to study our hands and focus on them. At this point can I say I have already had a couple of moments when I felt on edge and my hands had fidgeted on my lap, the table and my face. 

So (back in the room haha) we are looking at our hands and my mind is not wondering off to the traffic or wind or the room (as we were told it may), no I'm thinking please don't hit me (yourself) my hands themselves in that moment became a trigger. Looking at them, while I was meant to be studying, I was fighting the desire to clench my fist. I could feel the slight wobble, the up and down movement in my hands. I felt a real fight to control my hand in that moment. The activity progressed to us being asked to spread our fingers out wide. As I did this I felt the control start to slip away the outstretched hand had somehow gained something from the stretch. Next was a clenched fist to look at how our skin moves and to view the small changes in the hand. I started to do this then stopped. I placed my hands together and stopped. As everyone else continued I had to try and rebalance myself. I moved my hands around and stopped focusing on them. I'm not sure if anyone noticed, I would think they did but I'm not too worried. I couldn't have carried on with that. As I was about to give joining back in a go the activity stopped. 

Most people fed back about what they had noticed of how it made them feel. I wanted to feed back but I just didn't feel able to.

For me this was not a good session, however I remember my first session of iTalk not being great and I really enjoyed that by the end. So here's hoping. 

Two,

I was offered an amazing opportunity about a month ago to be part of Daily Focal. It is an opportunity I have spoken about twice on the podcast and I think in my blog too... I'm really excited to see what happens and where the project goes. It's great to have been asked, to be part of something from the start. Fingers crossed it all goes well.

The launch day was Wednesday last week and we had almost 1,000 views in the first 24 hours which is awesome! I massive well done to Charile (@pallettBLOGGER) for her idea and leading the team of bloggers. As the days and weeks roll on there will be an increasing amount of content going up to the site, so it is definitely worth a look! Go check out www.dailyfocal.com NOW! It/we will be bringing you loads of news, fashion, mental health, entertainment and other popular bits and bobs. Daily Focal is also on facebook, twitter (@DailyFocal) and I'm sure a couple of other social networks.

Do look out for my posts on Daily Focal - I have written blogs, or maybe they could even be considered articles? On changing your phone the mental health way and 'The Male Pill'. 

Two and a half,

#TalkMH it has been my pleasure to podcast the last three weeks online chats by the #TalkMH tweeters led by their creator Hannah (@hannahrainey_). I have really enjoyed talking about all the messages that are sent by those involved in the chats. However I think I'll be stepping back this coming week, for a couple of reasons.

Firstly I miss out on actually taking part in the chat and interacting with everyone, because when I'm recording its really, near impossible to do anything more than 'like' comments. 

Secondly I have found it hard to get someone else to come on the podcast for those chats, and I'm not too keen on just having me talk and / narrate other people's tweets hahaha. 

Not to mention the fact I'd like to possibly go back to one podcast a week (plus maybe a Mobile Mike) and get a little more blogging / writing going on. I am considering Having a clearer definition on podcast episodes too; such as Discussions with, Mobile Mike, Megacast. Its a thought. 

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That being said thanks for sticking with Mike's Open Journal (aka. Me) and if your new please feel free to go back and read old posts or listen to the podcast. It would be great to hear from you to so please add or message me on social media. All my links are on the contacts page of the website (www.mikesopenjournal.com). 

YNA

Being Naked and Alone

It's Friday night 9.40 to be precise, and I'm laying in bed naked. It's pretty cool.

Since getting in from work I've watched tv as I've moved around the house. Catching TNA Impact while I cooked and ate dinner. Then DCI Banks and Cold Feet while I had a bath - yes that's a two hour bath and I am starting to consider myself a merman. 

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Strangely as winter has started to come around, autumn is seemingly just pre-winter, I have started to take to being naked as much as possible (while at home obviously). I'm still surprised how much more comfortable being naked is compared to wearing clothes. But...it is. 

I am hoping there is maybe something more deep and meaningful about it, like I'm becoming more comfortable with my own body and 'happier' in myself. Well, there's no harm in hoping right?

Yes, there has been a couple of times I've started to have episodes. But fortunately they are not escalating, because I really don't want to be found bruised and naked on the floor when someone comes round haha.

I have in the last few weeks started to be quite reclusive in my own time. I'll come home from work and have food almost straight away, sometimes more to tick it off the list than because I'm hungry. The joy I used to get from food, it hasn't gone as such, but it's definitely notability diminished. I am considering going down in meals, like this week. Two days I had chicken and sweetcorn pasta with chips for dinner. I'm fairly sure that's not a traditional dinner. 

That being said I am eating way more sweets now than I think I ever have. That can't be good. I regularly feel a craving for sugary snacks and even for cola, something I wouldn't say I've ever really craved that much before. I wonder if I feel like I need them to give me a short burst of energy? Maybe they are my version of an energy drink? Who knows, not me that's for sure. 

I'll still surrounding myself with sound, be that music, podcasts, YouTube, radio or catch up tv (though not BBC anymore thanks to the TV licence money crabbing greedy network. I've even stopped go to the BBC website as a protest!). The more I notice it the more I realise it is likely to be to avoid fully relaxing. To ensure my mind is kept active and busy. To not allow it an opportunity to wonder and think those dark thoughts, to try and keep some sort of pace up as I stumble through the day, from task to task from job to job. 

When I rest its not long till the twitching starts. It can be just one or two, sometimes it's more. If I'm lucky that's it. Sometimes it still leads to a whole body spasm. Which has happened already this evening (while I was in the bath, yay, good job the water level wasn't too high). It's just, well, it's kind of heart breaking to be like this. It, it just is so shit... I am neglecting friends, it's hard to keep motivation and I feel like it shouldn't be hard work. Like I want to see people, I just can't. It's frustrating and so hard to explain. 

The last two days I've called friends while I'm on the way home sat in traffic. I guess it's a small thing that I am doing in that direction. I have also spoken a fair amount to guys and girls online about mental health (as a general topic, but also reflected on my own experience) and that has been really helpful. It in part is easier because it's through a phone or computer. I think maybe I feel that I have some sort of extra protection or safety by doing this online. But also as I have said before not having to back track or feel like you've changed. They only know you/me as I am now. There's no comparison in their head. Or more accurately and confusingly in my head of in their head - have you picked up on any of the over thinking yet? 

I don't know where I'm at, I spoke to Sarah today about the my thoughts on my previous relationship and that I don't think I have dealt with the problem I had, I am simply ignoring it. Right now I feel like I need to to get to a saver place. Which hopefully I kind of am, that just means I now need to reflect on some of those issues. Right now I feel like I need to just go to sleep. There's too much thinking and not enough sound (I have turned all sound off to right this in an attempt to concentrate).

Do any of you love being naked?

Have you experiences similar physical episodes? 

It would be great to hear from you. 

Daily Focal Blogging Team

I'm very pleased to inform you I will be joining the Daily Focal Blogging Team. The new site launches 5th October 2016 - so next week! 

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I'm really excited to have the opportunity to blog on a wider platform. Though it is also scary, until now my blogging and podcasting has all been for me. So I have not felt as much pressure. If I don't want to do it I can leave it, or if I wasn't inspired then I kind of waited until I was. This is a change with having a commitment to someone else and to the amount of blogging I will do.

After not being sure about whether this would be a good fit for me. I have to say, the opportunity to work with other people in the blogging world and to get / see ideas, not to mention the added motivation from them will be great. Also if you have read some of my early stuff, you will know when I started blogging I wanted to improve my writing. In fact that was even one of the reasons I started. So to have someone else show you how little changes can make a big difference is great. 

I believe this could be a great way to develop my ability to work closer with other blogs, brands and campaigns. So look forward to reading more from me at Daily Focal - the place you can find news, entertainment, fashion and health views by bloggers. 

And hopefully an improved writing style, haha.

IM MOVING

Thank you to everyone reading my blog. Thanks for sticking with me!

This is a short post to say to things:

1. I now have a website - Yay!

2. Due to the blogger app being removed from the app store I can no longer easily update this blog. So... I will now be posting directly to my self hosted blog, on my website.

3. OK theres three things - but this really to self explanatory after the first two. Go to my website! hehe. Please keep in contact, keep reading... go to the website!
I will possibly still put blog posts here as a back up, but there will be no promotion on this site.


Thank you to everyone who has (and hopefully continues to) read and support Mike's Open Journal.