Making decisions before they're too difficult to make

A few months ago, I went to the GP surgery for a routine review. I wasn’t expecting anything out of the ordinary. But the HCA handed me an orange envelope, the contents of which took me somewhat by surprise.

I mentioned this on that week’s episode of Hello You, and Karen - Dr Karen Stringer - responded. She knew much more about the background to my orange envelope, and said it related to important conversations that we all should be having.

Karen very kindly spared some of her time to talk about her and her colleagues’ work in this field, what she made of my experience, and the volunteering she’s now involved in to help us all have - as she termed it - the Important Conversation.

Take a listen, and share what you think by commenting? Or message me?

I reckon you know at least one other person who would be really interested in what Karen had to say. So please, share this with them?

And once you’ve listened to the episode, tell me: What would be your equivalent of Karen’s ‘sorting through buttons’? Leave a comment?

The charity with which Karen’s a buddy volunteer is My Future Care.

And here’s her Dead Good Rap!

As Karen mentioned, she’d be interested in working with local funeral directors. If you work in that field, or know someone who does, contact me and I can put you in touch with her.

Please hit ‘Like’ or the little heart symbol anywhere you find it, rate and review this podcast and share it with your friends!

Ever wish you could just take off?

Alison and Mark, a Shrewsbury couple in their 50s, decided to do exactly that. Their two-year odyssey’s almost over, but where has it taken them? And what will they do next?

And to see for yourself where they’ve been, here’s their Instagram!

‘The changing of the seasons’

I’ve heard that phrase a lot over the last few weeks, from people who - like me - have found themselves feeling unsettled lately.

Unsettled how? Well, lacking motivation and physical or emotional energy. Unable to press on with things we want or need to do. Discomfited; a sense that things aren’t quite right, or that we’re not. Low mood.

Is it linked to autumn getting its feet under the table? Shorter days and darker mornings? The moon? What - if anything - is the explanation for what we’re feeling, and how do we drag ourselves out of it?

If you have any thoughts on this, if you’re having similar experiences or if you have some expertise that could illuminate it all, please get in touch? I’d like to talk with you about it on a future episode of Hello You.

Two listeners’ kind thoughts on Hello You

A new subscriber says: ‘I have so many issues that l now count ambulance crews among my special friends! However, although l live vicariously, what you do enables me to catch up with the outside world so brilliantly.’

Steve, on Bluesky: ‘I drive a lot of miles and having your pod on makes me feel like I’ve a friend in the car chatting away. It’s truly brilliant. I’ve listened to the Lady Sally one a few times trying to work it out.’

Steve, mate, I was there and I’m still trying to work it out!

This is - as Steve puts it - the Lady Sally one: Hello You 48, recorded at Mumma’s Emporium in Shrewsbury. If you’ve not heard it before, take a listen and see if you can work it out!

Coming soon: The Hello You Sunday Supplement

Social media’s gone to pot, our newsfeeds are full of promotional slop and it’s so hard to find anything interesting and worth reading anymore.

Hence, the Hello You Sunday Supplement.

Every Sunday morning, I drop into your inbox a carefully chosen selection of links and recommendations, ideal for leafing through over your Sunday morning coffee.

I started this a few weeks back, taking a bit of a flyer on it, and I’ve been thrilled with how well it’s being received. Also, I’m getting some great suggestions for how to make it better and more useable, so check it out on Sunday?

To make sure you don’t miss it, subscribe: jimallthetime.substack.com

Bench - where next?

I’ve not recorded any random conversations on a bench for a while. Where should I go?

So if you know somewhere there's quite a bit of footfall, or somewhere where people hang around, chill out and spend some time, and they might be open to the idea of spending some of that time in conversation with me, tell me where it is?

I’ll sit myself there - on a bench, at a table, at an event, on a sofa, somewhere new or somewhere ancient - for an hour or so, and record an episode of Hello You.

Thank you …

… for being there. It means a lot.

Any thoughts on Hello You, any ideas for topics or people you’d like to hear, or if you have your own story to share, just get in touch! Email jimallthetime@gmail.com or leave a comment.

And please rate and review this podcast? Hit 'Like' wherever you can? Share it with your friends? I'd be very grateful.

Catching up with Harry, Clare and Simon. The year since our previous conversation has been difficult. How are they bearing up? What happens next for Harry and family?

Almost a year ago, in Hello You 7, we met Clare and her young son Harry. They told me their family’s remarkable story. All seemed to be going really well.

But soon after we recorded that interview, Harry fell ill. Eleven months on, the ramifications of that illness have put the family through the mill.

Here, Clare and Harry, this time joined by dad Simon, explain what’s happened, where they are now, and what needs to happen next.

For all the information about organ donation, click here and visit NHS Blood & Transplant’s information page - https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/

As ever, your comments on this episode are very welcome.

On Sunday I’ll post the Hello You Sunday Supplement, a collection of links and recommendations that provides ideal reading to go with your Sunday morning cup of coffee. Make sure you don’t miss it, or future episodes of Hello You, by subscribing: jimallthetime.substack.com

If you like what I do, I’m very grateful. I’ll be even more grateful if you hit ‘Like’ anywhere you can, if you rate and review the podcast, and especially if you share my stuff with the people you love. Or the ones you like. Or the ones you work with. Or anyone, really.

Thank you for being part of the Hello You family. Take care of yourself, and I hope the people around you are taking care of you, too.