A Year since meeting Martin Bloomfield
It has been about a year since I was introduced to Martin through LinkedIn. This was during a quiet period for me. I had finished a project aiding Dyslexia Scotland with their career journeys. I was waiting to find out about completing my training for their helpline of course COVID-19 has made this difficult. I was also waiting to find out about becoming a student at the Open University. Also, job searching with my support worker at Fair Start Scotland. Hence a 10-minute chat with Martin would not be a problem. Still, I had not realised at the time there was a list of questions that had been prepared. Yes, 10 minutes disappeared on the Zoom call. However, I am surprised we were not cut off! Afterwards, Martin expertly edited this chat. The outtakes are hidden somewhere. I thought he was going to fall off his chair laughing at one point.
Strength In Friends
Since this point, Martin and I have become friends. This could be because he kept telling me our chat would be released in a couple of weeks. However, Martin’s time management meant weeks turned into months, LOL. Also, he was kind enough to invite me to his Facebook Group Dyslexia Bytes. But I am not sure the group get my bad dyslexic jokes. I was told I could not do poetry because I am dyslexic. So far, I have made three jugs and a vase. He has also joined me on Facebook and Twitter. As with all my friends, this also means I send terrible jokes on Messenger.
Support Martin
We all have bad days. And from some of the posts, I have tried to support Martin with some of the strategies I have in place. I have found Martin to be hardworking and forget about time and self-care. Also, knowing from my experience that we get engrossed with work and forget to take breaks. Hence, I try and remind him to plan and put work breaks in place. However, I know everyone is different, and everything which works for me might not work for someone else. I am trying to convince him that assistive technology will aid him with juggling everything in his career. It does become frustrating when you keep seeing posts where Martin has forgotten passwords. I tell him to make your life easy and put in a password manager! The answer is always the same “Yes Suzy great idea I will do that!” Then on LinkedIn a few weeks later the same complaint. Also trying to convince him to use Writing Helper or Textaid Reader. Even talking about software built into Microsoft such as immersive reader is mission impossible. Also trying to aid with organisation. I have Outlook, use a split screen, and see where my appointments are in the day. My partner aided me with setting this up, my disorganisation drives him nuts. The joys of dyslexic life
IT
I have also tried to aid with Martins’s computing disasters. Indeed, this means talking to my partner. I have told Martin many times that my partner provides good technical support.
My partner has supported our friends for ages. I would hand my phone over to my partner to answer Martins’s queries. It came to the point when I asked my partner anything technical, he would say, “Martin again?”
After much frustration with Martin losing his work with his worldwide dyslexic map. My partner talked to him. There was a problem with the code, and between them, the issues were sorted. Also, my partner loves challenges with coding. I just drive my partner mad; I do silly things such as locking myself out of various platforms including Microsoft Teams.
Information Flow
Martin always manages to get me involved with projects he is working on. He functions best late at night when I am chilling out. Sitting with my partner late at night, watching one of my favourite movies, e.g. The Matrix. If my partner is out aiding a friend with a project, it would be Dirty Dancing. A message comes through asking for help. However, it is 10 pm, and I cannot be bothered to find my A4 folder full of information. An interesting question I don’t have the answer about assessments on dyslexia. The next day I sent a message to my friend asking where I could direct Martin. My friend was happy to talk to him as a trained assessor. We agreed in the future any inquiries from Martin, if we don’t know the answer we will direct him to the correct person. It was great to hear Martin had roped my friend into a Zoom call on assessments.
Cooking Styles
We also share a passion for cooking. We both have unique styles. I love watching cooking shows and then trying to recreate them. My partner loves my cooking; however, I have made him fat and cuddly. Nobody wants him #itisatrap. Also, through the pandemic, I cheer my friends up with Suzy’s Tapas Kitchen posted on Facebook. I have had plenty of orders. Unfortunately, my pigeon post is not working, they are lost en route, and it could be heat exhaustion carrying the basket.
However, Martin is more experimental! Also, more likely to try different flavour combinations. So, I am unsure that duck and banana curry works. More likely to do a duck in a Thai red curry sauce with lychees. I would make a bagel with black pepper cream cheese and strawberries, and even add a bit of fresh basil. Whereas Martin is likely to add marmite and mustard to this recipe.
Arrange A Meet with Martin
Now that things are opening up, my partner and I hope to arrange a meeting with Martin. I am not sure if he is ready for the completely crazy me! It will be great to catch up. After all, there is the Van Gogh immersive experience where Martins lives. This is something I want to see!