CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[lexi]

It's hard to believe that Uncle Jim is not going to be here.
Atb with your health mate.

[wurlycorner]

Oh wow!
Only just seen that Jim's no longer around on here (I was a very very intermittent visitor here from March-ish time this year till recently again, due to personal matters) so completely missed this!
Real shame not to have Jim around on here - a lovely guy and massive wealth of knowledge that has helped many of us!
Likewise, I'm not on facebook (and don't even know what Strava is) so won't know what he is still up to. Hopefully some other members will update us.

[Stickyfinger]

Rest assured he is OK, at present quite well and still very fit. He just does not "do forums" these days due to the stress they cause.

[Hell Razor5543]

I hope he remembers to bring the book I found for you, Sticky. I think you will like it.

[Mandrake]

Rest assured he is OK, at present quite well and still very fit. He just does not "do forums" these days due to the stress they cause.

I find forums only cause stress if you feel compelled or expected to reply to people or achieve inbox zero! It's that expectation that causes the stress.

I used to be very active on a forum related to an open source project I was (still am) involved in, where in an effort to help people, out of a sense of duty I ended up doing a lot of user support even though technically I was a developer, it got to the point where the forum was taking a lot more time than developing and it became a real chore trying to keep up with the number of posts and I stopped enjoying it due to the relentless tide of new posts, questions, people needing help etc... it did become quite stressful, and felt more like an unpaid job and a duty than a hobby. (I already have a job, I don't need another one!)

I soon started avoiding the forum altogether. After a few months break I started to pop in occasionally when it suited me, have a quick "snipe" and then depart again. Letting go of the feeling that I was compelled to keep up with the latest on the forum or answer any questions that I felt I could answer or was well suited to answer was extremely liberating.

I could look at the new posts counter and see there were 2000 new posts since last time I checked 2 months earlier and not care! I would give the thread list a quick skim, only click on ones that had some particular interest to me, and perhaps reply if I felt like it, and then not worry about coming back to follow it up. I would then blissfully click on the mark all read link and then disappear for another few weeks.

I suspect Jim reached the same level of burnout I did (I even scaled back my presence on here as well) and he does seem like the sort of person who is compelled to always help someone in need until it gets to be too much.

Maybe he will read this post one day after a break and realise that it's OK to not read every thread on a forum, and not feel compelled to reply to people in need - even if you know you can help them! There are other people to help on a forum in one person's absense and the world still goes on.

A forum should be a fun hobby, never a chore! As soon as it becomes a chore you need to take a step back and think about why you're there.

[Hell Razor5543]

I saw Jim last week, and he seemed fit and well to me.

[Michel]

I communicate with Jim two or three times a week and he seems just fine and happy to me, even if his ME grabs him now and again.

[Zelandeth]

I'm still in pretty regular contact with him, I try to get over to see him at least once every couple of weeks.

He seems to be doing a good job of managing his life. While it's a vast over simplification, and I don't want to feel like I'm speaking for Jim or giving too much detail, but with his ME it's essentially the case that he's got a limited number of hours a day where his head is properly clear. Time spent parked in front of a computer will vastly reduce that time, so it's very easy for him to wind up frazzled in no time flat when trying to deal with places like this.

It's sad - I for one really miss talking with Jim on here (even if my keyboards are far safer from getting inundated with finely atomised tea or coffee when his humour managed to cause explosive laughter). In person though, he seems to be doing a lot better for having heavily curtailed his online activities...so I salute the decision.

I do hope that one day we might see him back now and then, but if he needs that time away from the keyboard then he needs it.

Still need to get him over here to see what he makes of the C5 with all his cycling experience - probably be the worst piece of pedal powered equipment he'll ever have seen!

I don't have many friends who are within travelling distance, but those who know me will tell that I tend to be fiercely loyal and take trying to look out for those I call friend seriously. Jim is very much in that category.

[CitroJim]

Hi All

Just a quick update... Life is good, I'm very physically fit and enjoying life immensely now I'm fully retired That doesn't mean I'm living a life of leisure - far from it

I'm kept busy with my running, swimming, cycling and cooking/baking

Cycling especially takes a lot of my days now - I'm very involved with my local cycling club and have recently qualified as a Ride Leader - something I'm very proud of given my cognitive issues

I'm hardly driving, just very occasionally when I must and have no alternative. I've recently SORN'd my Saxo after popping a new MOT onto it - it passed with just one new tyre needed

I still have use of Sian's Pixo should I be desperate...

This year so far I've cycled well over 6,000 miles... Far more than I've driven for years now!!!

This forum is now very complex and confusing to me and I'm having massive trouble getting to grips with it again so please bear with me... I may try and give it a bit of Percywhatsit and see if I can make a small return... No promises but I'll try...

I'll leave you with a picture of me recently enjoying a cafe stop on a club bike ride and me at parkrun - an institution very close to my heart!... The board says it all for me.. I've become a cream-tea and cake critic for the club

[Hell Razor5543]

Great to hear you are well, Jim. I hope that you will pop in every few months just to let us know how you are.

[Skull]

Banana & Walnut

[CitroJim]

Banana & Walnut

Their cream teas are rather good too...

I can offer recommendations for good cafes in North Bucks, South Northants and Central Beds... Us cyclists are a very choosy bunch and only visit establishments that serve excellent coffee and cake along with a very warm welcome and brilliant service

[white exec]

Really glad to hear the good news, Jim.

Your 6000 cycling miles a year puts my 2000 (as a teenager) in the shade. Lived in Ealing in the '60s, and used to 'escape to the country' - by way of Uxbridge, Denham, Chalfont, Wendover and the Chilterns. Did a good few sorties out towards Oxford, sometimes following the Grand Union Canal from Brentford. Longest treks were up to the Cotswolds - Chipping N, Broadway - and once to Malvern. Come seventeen, did a lot of it again by a 250cc Norton Jubilee (least said about that machine the better).

Notable achievement of yours, too, in getting someone to use that unbelievable Banana emoji!

[Hell Razor5543]

My C5 has not done 6,000 miles this year! Mind you, my company van certainly has done that, and more.

[bxzx16v]

It's great to hear from you Jim .

Mark