HAPPY BIRTHDAY BENEDICT

Happy Birthday to Benedict CUMBERBATCH; the utterly splendid Benedict Timothy Carlton CUMBERBATCH, who is 38 years old today.

Most of you already know this, are aware of the fact that I'm rather taken with Benedict CUMBERBATCH.  You see he is an actor, and he has played the role of Sherlock Holmes (See my previous BLOG Post on SHERLOCK HOLMES).  I have loved Sherlock Holmes, from the moment I purchased my first Canon.  I just fell in Love.

You are not supposed to love Sherlock HOLMES.  Sherlock HOLMES isn't loveable. He is damaged.  "It was not that he felt any emotion akin to love... All emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but admirably balanced mind." (SCAN), but yet somehow, there is something about his 'alone' that is quite upsetting, heart breaking, and I wanted to alleviate his pain.  He doesn't want to need anyone. He doesn't trust, and he doesn't need, and he doesn't love - or perhaps he fears trusting and fears needing and fears loving someone, in case that trust is broken and that need is violated or abused, and the love not returned.  To my mind, Benedict manages to make Sherlock human, yet is aware of those nuances of the character, those fine distinctions, those idiosyncrasies which make Holmes Holmes, which make him bonkers and brilliant, and damaged and a loner and "a brain without a heart" (GREE).

He (Benedict) has played the role of Professor Stephen HAWKING (See my previous BLOG Post on HAWKING).  I remember the first time I saw the 2004 film I didn't even know who Benedict CUMBERBATCH was, I just remember being very impressed at the time with the acting, with the sensitivity towards the role, with the way that the determination and dignity with which Professor HAWKING accomplished what he did, completing his PhD, whilst bravely facing the unknown in terms of his health and medical condition was captured.  In the 2013 film about Professor HAWKING, Benedict is interviewed and he talks very articulately about Motor Neurone Disease (MND), which really is the most terribly cruel neurological condition.  He expressed perfectly the "feelings of vulnerability" and the "terrifying prospect" of "a body that locks you in".  This is something I can relate to living with MS, which is a very different, but an equally cruel neurological condition.

He has played Major Jamie Stewart in the film of War Horse (See my previous BLOG Post on WAR HORSE).  I admit I haven't seen the film (I did go and see the National Theatre Live production of War Horse) as I am still traumatised from reading 'Black Beauty' as a child, but I am sure Benedict is splendid in it, and he learnt to ride a horse to play the part.

He has played Christopher TIETJENS in Tom STOPPARD's adaptation of Ford MADDOX FORD's 'Parade's End'. A powerful story set in the dying days of the Edwardian English Empire, covering a ten-year span before, during and after the First World War.  The glorious story of Christopher TIETJENS, a brilliant government statistician from a wealthy Yorkshire landowning family, "a man born out of his time but ultimately a hero" his wife, Silva TIETJENS, his "damaged, bored, dangerously privileged wife", and Valentine WANNOP, a young pacifist suffragette. "Valentine, an extraordinary young kindred spirit and intellect who provokes him into ‘gathering his thoughts’ and who fells him like a lightning bolt with her boyish beauty and pluck."  This is utterly perfect.  And I admit I fell a little bit in love with both Christopher and Valentine.

Recently Benedict has, arguably become somewhat ubiquitous: Star Trek Into Darkness; Twelve Years a Slave; The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug; August: Osange County; and he seems to 'pop up' in various places (i.e. at The Oscars, with a pretty spectacular photo bomb of U2) and be on various Chat Shows (on Jimmy Kimmel Live readingR. Kelly's "Genius"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNPp74zh8lM) and Adverts (for Jaguar 'Alive'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5kCfXIPcfw), and be the subject of numerous articles and interviews and he was even at Chelsea Flower Show this year with Wanda VENTHAM (his Mum); and in Singapore for the F1 Racing and also in Monaco for the Monaco Grand Prix and Paris for the Tennis.  Basically, it is fair to say, he gets about a bit.

Cumberbatchweb (http://www.benedictcumberbatch.co.uk/is a fantastic website for all things Benedict) and it is raising funds for The Princes Trust in honour of Benedict's 38th birthday. So if you want to do something for Benedict's Birthday you can donate at:

http://www.justgiving.com/CumberbatchwebPT or you can donate by text by sending the code BCPT73 and the amount you want to donate (£1 £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10) to70070

So, Happy 38th Birthday Benedict CUMBERBATCH.  You are splendid. Wherever you are and whatever you do, celebrate in style and have a wonderful day.  I am sure that you will.

BIRTHDAY

Well, this year marks my 41st Birthday. 

Yes, today I am 41 years of age.  Blimey. How did that happen?  Turning 40 last year was a bit (a lot?) of a shock, and then already that is a whole year ago, and I am 41.  And, to be honest, I'm still not a whole heap closer to ticking off any of those milestones that I was planning on having achieved by the time I was 40!

Turning 40; and especially the latter part since the beginning of 2014 it has all been a bit of a Roller Coaster.  I've not been terribly fortunate in that I have experienced health difficulties and I haven't been able to work, which has been a real struggle, as actually I rather enjoyed the routine of getting up and going to work, and meeting people and contributing, and being part of something.

I have therefore chosen to channel a lot of my thoughts and energies into this BLOG.  This has provided me with a creative outlet into which I can share my thoughts and ideas and hopes and dreams and frustrations.  The idea is that the BLOG is not a 'BLOG about MS'; the idea was that it was a BLOG about 'my life with MS'.  About me 'not being drunk' about how my MS impacts upon my life; impacts upon all areas of my life.  So, yes some of the BLOGs are directly related to specific aspects of the condition e.g.  FATIGUE; DISABILITY, while other BLOGs are related to other areas of my life, to other things I enjoy e.g. SHERLOCK HOLMES; CINEMA; KINDNESS; FRIENDS, and how my MS now directly or indirectly plays a role in those areas of my life, or not.

Things I have realised that I am immensely grateful for during this year, and yes, I did already know this, but the fact has really been brought home and been reiterated, are my family and my friends.  I don't want to name names as ultimately I am bound to forget someone (cognitive dysfunction/brain fog) and that really would be unforgiveable.  But I think those of you who have been there for me already know who you are, and now how immeasurably grateful I am to have you in my life.

I am also aware that there are people that I thought were my friends, but who are sadly unable to accept that I am not the person that I was, and that this cruel condition is not something that I have chosen or that I have control over, and they have chosen not to be friend and not to be part of my life.  I have had to sadly learn to accept this.  Realise that I probably over-estimated them.

I hope that these BLOGs are informative and useful and thought-provoking and humorous and enjoyable to read.  Thank You to those of you who do read them, those of you who leave me comments, who engage with me through these posts.  Those of you who are prepared to come along on the journey with me. Your company is valued and enjoyed and appreciated.

So, anyway, turning 41. I don't really have any plans for what the day will involve.  Possibly any of the following: Cake. Time with Friends. Presents. Laughing. Bacon Butties. Cards. Sunshine. Animals. Chocolate. Coffee. Flowers.  Ice-Cream. Happiness. Tea. Guinness. Magic Tricks. Gossiping. Pizza. Benedict CUMBERBATCH.

I certainly don't know what my 42nd year will comprise of.  I guess I shall find out.  I would love to think that it would involve catching up with those friends that I do not see very often, as well as more adventures with 'the usual suspects'.  But, as ever I shall share it with you, with those of you who are interested, in my future BLOG Posts.

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ME!  And 'Thank You' for sharing it with me x