Thanks so much for all your lovely comments. I have not had the time to visit you all yet, but fully intend to this weekend. I topple into bed every night with a growing list of all the things I meant to do and never got round to doing. Groan.
There are lots of posts about at the moment on being "busy". I absolutely agree with them all. We spend too much time doing and too little being. I am the supreme example of this at the moment. I was wide awake last night when my mother and my son went to bed, and 2 minutes later, I dozed off in the chair and woke near midnight. I never did do all that paperwork I intended doing.
I have just deleted a paragraph of moans. I have been thinking about Heather all day. It sort of puts things into perspective. So what if the Inland Revenue NEVER answer their phones, and just tell you to try later? So what if school politics are still volatile? So what if you constantly feel guilty for not taking your mother out more often?
And now for something very different... I am watching a TV programme called "The Human Footprint" and it is all about the lifetime of an average person and the stats involved. Apparently the average marriage lasts 11 and a half years now. That is appalling. They showed the average number of clothes you will buy in a life time. It covered an entire ancient church. We have seen a pile of food that the average person will eat in a life time, and also the sewage generated. I could have done without that part. It is fascinating. The average age we will reach is 78.5 I think. We will get through 15 computers each. The environmental cost of producing a small laptop is the same as a car. We will send 40 tons of waste to landfill sights in our lifetime. Each. (See why it is fascinating?) We will each own on average of 8 cars each. We walk over 15 000 miles in a life time and drive average 452 652 miles. Which means 136, 900 litres of petrol. 59 foreign holidays. TV is watched average of 2 944 days in our lives. 8 years. 40% of people do NOT read at all. This is all British, I add. 2455 newspapers. 24 trees will be used for each of us to read those papers. We will vote in about 50 elections. Drink 74 802 cups of tea. (Not me!) 314 visits to the doctor. 30 000 tablets prescribed. 61 and a half litres of tears. We will have had 104 390 dreams. Our memories and dreams are the most enduring things we possess. Each of us will know on average 1700 people.
So, it is time for sleep again. Tomorrow is Friday, and another week has flown by. I need to slow down.
Oooh, I'm your first comment! Loved the story about your dad - he sounds a wonderful man, but what a sad end. When I typed my "Life is short" post, I thought of you and your husband - indeed, wondered if I shouldn't write that in case you might read it and think it was a bit too true. Hope it was ok.
ReplyDeleteMy life is just too full, like yours. It's not bad; the things I have to do are pleasant enough on the whole. I just never get time to do quite a lot of the things I really want to. Ah well.
Goodness, we're blogging simultaneously! You should be in bed. So should I...
ReplyDeleteStill, nearly the weekend. Have a good one.
Linds, what a facinating post. I've never heard of that program. Must not be here in the U.S. What interesting facts!!! I am going to copy them and study this more. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI was amazed at some of the facts you quoted from that program! I wonder if it will be shown in the US?
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that was most appalling was that the average marriage only last just over 11 yrs!
Heartbreaking...
((hugs))
Thank you so much for stopping by our Part VII and the words of encouragement. This has been very cathartic for me to write this series with my son. Have you been able to read his version? I also did the one with Kristen about her journey through anorexia. I would love someday to publish a book with both stories, mother/daughter and mother/son. It is my dream.
ReplyDeleteOh I know just what you mean about your Mom Linds. I get those guilty feelings all the time. I try my best, but I always end up feeling as though it isn't enough.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to wrap my mind around all those statistics. It sort of sounds like we're creating a terrible mess!!
Get a good rest.
Interesting program...hasn't reached BBC America. That average marriage bit...so sad. I am so thankful this is our 30th year!!! YEAH! And thanks be to God.
ReplyDeleteThose are very interestint facts, but the one that got me, too, was the one about marriages. That's really a sad statistic.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...8 cars each? I'm on my 3rd so I've got 5 more cars to look forward to in the next 28 years before I reach the age of 78! lol Gosh, but those were all fascinating statistics!! I know what you mean about being so busy that the weeks are just flying by...can't believe it's Friday again tomorrow!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThat is so interesting, I too am fascinated by such trivia. Enjoy the weekend!
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