Sunday 6 December 2009

Mugpi - a bit more about me than I can squeeze into 160 characters.....

Martin Mugpie... it's probably obvious thats not my real name, but when I started using Twitter I soon realised that the only way I felt comfortable tweeting what I really thought and felt was if the people reading my babble didn't know the real "me". As none of my real life friends were on Twitter, I went in seek of new contacts and now have a group of good twitter friends I'm in regular contact with. If you're not one of my twitter friends already, hopefully you will be soon. : )

I am a 46yo widowed father of three (girl/boy/girl who are currently 9, 12 and 13... though they do keep getting older!). Sadly my dear wife died of breast cancer in 2007 (even over three years on it still seems surreal writing that, like it's about some bad dream). She was diagnosed in Sept 2002 - our youngest was 21 months old at the time. She bravely fought that terrible disease for one month short of 5 years and though she was extremely strong and brave, with never a complaint, she finally succumbed in August 2007 (after it had spread to her liver).

Why Mugpi? Some time ago I described myself as "the mug who runs round after the kids like a blue arsed fly" and changed my twitter avatar to a mug. Since then I've regularly changed the mug picture to reflect my mood, a recent event or just to amuse myself (here is a run through of some of the mugs I've used in 2009).

Most of my time is spent in the multiple roles of single dad, bread winner and cook/housekeeper/cleaner/laundry service/taxi driver/childrens' entertainer...I won't go on! It can be hard work at times, but the four of us try and have fun too. I suppose we know we can't change anything and that we have to make the best of a bad hand.

I don't have a lot of family support (both my parents are dead and my two brothers emigrated to Oz many moons ago), but I muddle through most of the time. One thing I miss now I'm single is someone being there to talk with and to sound off to. Whilst it's in no imaginable way a substitute, I find Twitter to be somewhere where I can offload my thoughts, worries, feelings and angsts. If I put half of what I write on Twitter onto my Facebook account, my friends would think I'd seriously lost the plot! (I keep my Twitter contacts and real life Facebook friends totally separate.)

My current favourite pastime (not that I have a lot of time for much frippery!) is geocaching (see www.geocaching.com). To me it's the perfect combination of technology, the internet and most importantly, an outside fresh air activity we can enjoy as a family. Some geocachers are numbers obsessed, but personally I prefer to use it as an excuse for a family walk or to explore an area we've never had a reason to visit before. I've lost count of the number of new (though not terribly far away) places we've been to since I accidentally discovered the "secret" geocaching world late in the summer of 2008.

My other interests? I enjoy the odd night out with my mates (though this is easier said than done nowadays). More often than not though it will be a glass or three of a good red wine while watching a decent movie on the box. I like to follow F1 and though I'm usually only casually interested in football, for some reason I go football crazy when the World Cup is on.

Well that should give anyone interested enough to have read this far a flavour about me. I hope it didn't send you to sleep!

Happy tweeting!
Mugpi

PS You can catch me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mugpi

19 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing a little bit more of the 'real you' :o)

    clare_moo

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  2. So sorry about your wife. I cannot even imagine how hard that would be on so many levels. I admire how strong you have been and continue to be. It's obvious from your tweets that you are a terrific father and go the extra mile for your children. I wish you all the best. Thank you for sharing and I really enjoy your tweets.

    PS Geocaching is how I found your tweets in the first place. We love it too & even planned a few to do on our trip to England last March to visit family. I think they thought we were nuts at first, but now my husband's sister & her family are hooked as well! With the new baby we haven't done any lately, but hopefully will get back into it this spring.

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  3. Nicely written :) xox

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  4. I have known you now on Twitter for more than 7 months, and in that time it has always been so pleasant an experience to exchange tweets with you and to hear about you wonderful children. The insight I have about your family life, is that of a dedicated father and a wonderful human being coping with the aftermath of tragic circumstances. May you prosper and go on to achieve your dreams and goals. You have made some good friends on this network who will support you in all that you do.

    xxx Diana Wyatt

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  5. Good to hear a bit more background,will continue to follow your tweets.

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  6. Hi Martin
    We've been tweeting for a while now...under the 'real me'. I just noticed you mentioned Blogging. Glad you've got this blog- I've found blogging very helpful lately.Takes up a lot of my time though. It's surpassed even Twitter.
    If you realise who I am would appreciate not saying my name as incognito on blog for obvious reasons.
    Look forward to reading more about you and the children's escapades.

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  7. I wish my children had a father half as brilliant as you seem to be. Best wishes and lots of happiness to you and your family for the future :o)

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  8. As one of your twitter 'friends' its lovely to know the real 'you' just a bit more.
    frannyann

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  9. Thanks for the background info. You come across as a very loving & caring Dad, your children are so lucky to have you...you're doing a great job, your wife would be so proud of you :). You're amongst my favourite few tweeters...you manage to tell life "as it is" in your own entertaining (non boring)way. I wish you & your family all the best x
    @KTaraG

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  10. I have only just started to use my real first name on Twitter, I started because it was safe and anonymous and have not really engaged people in conversation often, now and then..... mine was a marriage breakdown, i needed a place to be. I thought i needed a place to rant, but i don't, I simply needed a place to listen in.. To many "I"'s in that sentence. Hope all is well and happy with you @savesnine x

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  11. Hi, just found your blog thru Twitter....I'm so sorry to hear about your wife, breast cancer also claimed my mum 3 years ago. You sound like a great dad, and if you ever want to compare notes on being a single parent just let me know :-)

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  12. i just had 10 minutes to spare ..looking after 6 kids at the moment.and love your blog! You are a good daddy ,and everyone including yourself should be proud of you xxmischyk.

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  13. ok so i read it then burst into tears its quite sad and i feel for you ,its hard for men ,but it would have been ten times harder im sure without your children that your beautiful wife left you as a gift ,treasure them they will be your best friends xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  14. Thanks for the post. I can't tell you why I'm so moved by the death of your wife at a young age to the nasty c.

    All the best.

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  15. Your story is very moving. I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I have two young boys myself and my wife has been seriously ill in the past. The thought of how I'd cope without her has crossed my mind on more than a few occasions, running hypothetical scenarios through my head. I guess this is why I can sympathize with you and why this has brought such a lump to my throat. Not to say that I can even begin to imagine what you've been through. I've only had a glimpse. Sounds like you're doing a great job - I can only hope to be such a good dad.

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  16. I understand your reasoning for keeping the social elements separate and am glad that you have found Twitter and blogging as an outlet:)

    My thoughts to you and your children on the loss of your wife, I am glad that your children have you to keep it all going......

    LesleyAlmost

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  17. hello, i came across this via twitter...im pretty new to that and similar sort of reasons for joining as you. I also lost a partner (17 years ago) and was left on my own with my son - a lot has happened in the meantime but sometimes the pain and anger are just as raw as if it happened yesterday...i hope you dont mind me following you on twitter and look forward to tweeting soon :)

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  18. Nice to hear a bit about the real you, and I'm very sorry to hear about your wife.

    Anonymous Tweeting's a great way to be totally honest and frank :)

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