I am blogged out today, by which I mean, I need a break.
I noted a commentator saying this morning that he did not know how I can blog as much as I do. To put that in context I noted in response that this week I have also produced five other educational videos for the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, and written most of a book chapter and edited two by other people as part of the Accounting Streams project. I also went to London to do a public meeting. And there was a lot of admin to do for Sheffield University. Blogging is not the day job, as yet.
In the meantime, I have taken criticism for being short-tempered on MMT and have had hostility and accusations of anti-Semiticism from people who think that unless you show a bias to Israel, you are anti-Semitic, revealing in the process that they do not understand the term. There has also been some correspondence on trans issues because I have suggested that this blog is not the place to discuss them - which will remain my position. A blog has to have boundaries, and that subject is beyond the boundaries of this one.
Elsewhere I have been accused of knowing nothing about how small business works because I am a pure theoretician, which when I was senior partner of an accounting firm for fifteen years and advised hundreds of small and medium sized entities, plus the a few much larger ones, is tedious to deal with.
So, I am going birdwatching. It takes quite a lot of energy and a very thick skin to write a blog pretty much every day and to have done so for eighteen years. I make mistakes. I know I do, and I will apologise when appropriate. But give me a chance, please. I am human despite all the rumours to the contrary.
Thanks for reading this post.
You can share this post on social media of your choice by clicking these icons:
There are links to this blog's glossary in the above post that explain technical terms used in it. Follow them for more explanations.
You can subscribe to this blog's daily email here.
And if you would like to support this blog you can, here:
Buy me a coffee!
You deserve a break. Enjoy it.
Thank you for all of your hard work.
Thanks
Enjoy the birds…. so important to make the most of the good things in life when all around so much is falling apart.
Agree re the points you made. Yes time to take some time out and relax, well deserved!
Thanks
It sounds as if you need to restrict how much “work” you do, and spend a bit more time on the things you really enjoy, bird watching, photography , walking or whatever else you fancy. I am the same age as you, a self employed plumber/gas engineer/builder, like you I really enjoy my work and have a lot of really lovely customers to work for, some of them I have known for 30 plus years, so I do a lot of work I don’t really need to do.
Several months ago I was diagnosed with prostate Cancer which was a bit of a shock to say the least, but looking back it has been a good thing. Now I am not taking on any new customers and have restricted myself to working about half my time. I cannot tell you how my life seems more relaxed and pleasant now despite not feeling hard done by before. Work creeps up on you from behind when you are enjoying it, all of a sudden life is almost nothing but work!
I am sure I am not telling you anything you do not already know, but it surprised me just how much work was running my life rather than the other way, now I play with my old motorbikes a lot more, volanteer at a local museum, done a bit of river clearing and can’t for the life of me fathom how I used to have time to go to work.
Look after yourself first, ATB
Thanks John
I am in discussion on futurew work direction, for all the reaasons you note
I realise that some things have to change now
When I have things to report, I will
And good luck with the cancer treatment – I know it’s not fun from having close friends / relatives who have had it.
Thanks for all you do RIchard. You are right to set boundaries around certain topics which do not relate directly to political and economic discussions, and which have plenty of other platforms available for discussion. You have created a space where there is room for disagreement, persuasionand learning, all based on verifiable facts. That is why I keep coming back.
Take a well eaned break. We need you.
Thanks
well deserved! Enjoy and make it as long as it takes.
Hope you encounter a special moment, when a lesser-spotted beautiful bird appears.
🙂
Have a lovely relaxing weekend and say hello to the birds for me.
Your week’s ‘list’ would seem excessive for most people, but then you are not ‘most people’. But please try and relax as if you were!
For goodness sake, Richard – and especially your own – relax and “dinna fash”!
And – as a sensible first step – don’t bother to reply to any of the well-meaning posts here that wish you well and better – starting with ignoring this one!
“So, I am going birdwatching.”
Check in on the water-buffalo if you can!
I did, but they were hiding from the camera. They looked very happy in a decidely boggy area.
Your work on publicising sane sensible educational, economic, monetary, taxation, management and accounting processes is exceptionally valuable.
What you do is appreciated by those who know about you and will be by others in the future as well. It’s a level of creativity seldom recognised as such or the importance of that.
You should not let your creative workload in all your activities put you in personal or health jeopardy.
Pace yourself so to enjoy all of what you do for as long as you can. Key being enjoying it all and pacing yourself so that you can continue to create it.
Pacing, a good piece of advice I got years ago from a 98yr old. It makes good sense.
I am taking action to improve the pace….but it will take time to have an effect
I am aware of the need to do so now.
A side note on pacing, it’s never a thing about increasing the pace or the speed or quantity of output, more it’s a matter of pacing realistically the energy one has available in a time period over a gambit of things so to enjoy them more and/or lasting the distance.
Closest analogy would be a rabbit learned in tortoise conservation and paced expenditure of energy to a desired outcome.
Nuff said, have a great spell of nature.
Agreed
I know I have the pacing wrong right now
I hope you have a fabulous time watching the birds! And that you see some interesting ones.
We have bird feeders set up at the caravan where I can see them from bed (am mostly bedbound). Husband keeps them well stocked and we have lots of visitors! Robin often lands by my window early mornings, he can be a bit aggressive with the other birds on the feeders! (Rolls eyes) Goldfinches and sparrows are the most frequent gobblers, but we also see blue tits and great tits and there have been some really gorgeous chaffinches this year, including some very young ones. Oh, and green finches – they seem to be getting their numbers up after that awful disease they had a few years ago.
Best sighting this week has been a couple (hopefully a pair) of mistle thrushes pecking around in the field. At least we guess that’s what they are since Merlin told me that one of the bird songs I was hearing the day before was a mistle thrush.
That all sounds good
There is real pleasure in ‘ordinary’ birds. Greenfinches are good to see recovering numbers.
I saw nothing special today, but my elder so was with me – and he was with me the first time we saw great white egret around here. A decade on they are much more common – as are cranes now.
Birdwatching is good unwinding.
Apologies for mentioning it again, but the best advice I ever got was from my GP as I was recovering from a stroke:
“Avoid stress and fatigue – individually they’re both killers – but above all avoid stress and fatigue together, and always listen to your body.
Enjoy your time off and there’s no need to acknowledge this mail.
I agree with many of these comments. I had a minor operation 10 days ago, which I hardly thought worth mentioning to my family. I could not believe how ‘rubbish ‘ I have felt since, and felt guilty for slumping in my chair and just reading all afternoon. But today I woke up and thought-oh I’m better- and have been back to my usual ‘busy’ self. Looking back I should have relaxed into my convalescence and regarded it as a precursor to renewed vigour. Yes, we should listen more to our bodies. Please take it easy Richard, many of us would not know what to do first thing in the morning!!
Thanks Ann
And recover well.
Hope you enjoyed the bird watching Richard.
As they say, chill out Richard, be aware of burn-out. I am amazed at your production rate…and your resilience against the odds. You have lots of support out there and I, one of many, depend upon your blogs to maintain some sort of sanity in this crazy world. Enjoy your bird watching, it’s a nice day for it.
It was good
It might happen again tomorrow….
Please keep going Richard. Your blog is always worth reading.
I appreciate your efforts and applaud you. Please take the time you need to stay sane and healthy!
Thanks
Take as much a rest as you need. I know when I was in my mid 60s the realisation that I was getting chronically tired finally dawned on me. Stepping away from politics and cutting my hours, along with realising I was mortal, helped. You’re only here once, make it a good innings.
I am realising that
Excellent blog Richard keep it up.
Just finished your old book the Joy of Tax which I would recommend to anyone who hasn’t read it.
I would say arguing your case for Spend then Tax rather than the other way around seems to cause major heated argument with family and friends. The media seem to have brainwashed everyone.
Thanks
And you’re right. Something as simple as spend and tax is decidedly controversial.
I endorse all of the above praise and advice, Richard.
Be assured, you are precious – first, to yourself and your family, then to us, who follow you, then to the wider world who needs you.
I’ve always been in awe of your productivity, and even more of the quality of the product.
So please take care of what that product relies on – you, then wife and family, then your talent and knowledge and judgement.
Thank you.
Andrew
Noted
You take care too
Richard
Hi Richard:
I have found myself concerned about your longer term health over a number of weeks. From my perspective it is not about taking a day or two birdwatching, rather it’s about appraising which parts of your work are more important to you, which less. And cutting back. Perhaps you start your day with a sense of delight in the tasks ahead of you. You clearly have lots of ideas to put forward. Perhaps getting some of them into text/video is rather burdensome.
Many people place considerable value on the insights that fill your blog (as is easy to appreciate). I expect that many others are looking to your views on fiscal transparency, green new deals, accountancy … Your voice is distinctive and much needed in critical times.
Less can be more.
I am aware of the issue you raise.
This moment is exceptionally busy for me.
I am taking action to make sure it does not happen again.
Thanks for your concern.
I always read with interest what you blog. And I look out for your video things on YouTube. See if you can write to Rachel and get yourself or Danny on the mic of the BoE! If you don’t ask you don’t get Richard!
Some things you know aren’t going to happen
I love wildlife today I went to my mother in laws on electric bike to get her some food items from the local shop she is 89 on my way home when I heard a very familiar sound stopped and looked up and there was a red kite about 30 ft up right over my head wonderful
A massively successful reproduction, but for some reason the only bird in the UK I find slightly sinister. I think it’s the way it can move its tail.
I find your work rate quite extraordinary Richard, so I’m not surprised you need time for R&R. I’m not a birdwatcher, but I do get pleasure from watching them in our garden where we have a couple of birdfeeders, and speaking of red kites, there are loads here in Hertfordshire and I never tire of watching them. They are extraordinary fliers.
Enjoy your time off, you deserve it.
Thanks
Of to Welney now, hoping to see cranes – the birds, nit the ones on building sites
Take care Richard. I read your blog every day, and I find it invaluable, even although I don’t have a great grasp of finance, but both your knowledge, alongside the contributors, help me enormously.
Thanks Alex
Do take good care of yourself, Richard. None of us is getting any younger.
Here at least you are in a fortunate position to largely set the agenda for yourself. You get to decide whether you do one blogpost or two or ten. Or none.
I don’t always agree with you. But you do always challenge me to think. Thank you.
Thanks Andrew
I am, quite seriously, reviewing my own future right now to ensure the balance remains appropriate.
May I make a suggestion?
The next time you do a ‘Blogged out’ add the last sentence that ‘Comments are blocked’
It wasn’t challenging, like some are.
They say herding cats is difficult, but what you are doing is more so, more nebulous (literally). you are pushing clouds.
There are three kinds of people in your business (as an opinion changer/influencer), those who see the point immediately, those who may get it eventually and those who never will because they are thick or their livelihood depends on them denying it.
And you get `a bit weary sometimes? Yes, I bet you do.
But….bird watching? Well if that’s what it takes. I don’t get it. Each to his own I guess.
Much to agree with…..and each to their own