Changing Of The Guard

Introduction

The song “Changing of the Guard” from Bob Dylan’s “Street Legal” came on and I started thinking about how things change in our lives sometimes for good, sometimes not so good, sometimes our choice, sometimes not our choice.

So this is just going to be a list of things that have changed in my life, many of which may be just me getting older and changing the way I view things.

The Long Lie In

I would often, especially on Sundays, only get up in the afternoon having spent the morning drinking coffee, reading papers and eating toast in bed.

I don’t know if it’s age or just a change in lifestyle, but I don’t buy papers anymore and feel that I need to get up and get out and get fresh air every day of the week. During the week I work and at weekends I sometimes write. I find walking stimulates my mind and keeps me reasonably fit, so no more long lie-ins for me. Sometimes I get up later, and I am writing this at 1:30 am so chances are I will be up a bit later tomorrow, but it is a Bank Holiday so I don’t need to be up for work.

No Car

My last car went to the scrap heap about fifteen years back. I did hire cars but that has become ridiculously expensive with so many caveats if anything happens that I have given up with cars, though still have a current driving license.

I now either use public transport, buses or trains, because it is far simpler and more relaxing for the places I want to go.

My other option is walking, which I do on a daily basis and it does keep me fit, and I am only about forty minutes from town, so, for me walking is a very viable option.

Watching Stuff On The TV

I remember when we had two channels, that grew to four and five then we got video recorders, DVD players and recorders and I have still got a large DVD collection, but I seldom watch any and am slowly giving them away to charity shops, but even charity shops don't want them as everyone is streaming everything now.

I have a Tivo recorder but I watch so much on catch-up via BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Netflix and more because I am too lazy to go through the hassle of pulling out the DVD putting it in the player, sitting through the anti-piracy warnings, before I can actually play it when quite often the film is available on a streaming platform and I can get it at the touch of a button (well several buttons actually) but it means I can select programs or films to watch without moving from my chair.

Work

In the last say thirty years I have had about ten jobs, all vaguely IT and finance related, two of those ended in redundancy, one unexpected, one engineered by me, and I ended up unexpectedly in my current position which is probably the best job I have ever had. People ask if I want to move but I work in an incredibly supportive environment, with some brilliant people, and some of the best managers I have ever worked with, so I am very happy where I am. Last year I even wrote a Vocal Story about it that you can read here:

Conclusion

These are just some random ways in which my life has changed over the years.