** SOLOISM **

This is the 5 April 2005 edition of this page and elaborates on Soloism


Something that I'm including here is a partial answer to the oft-repeated question about what I LIKE doing and ACTUALLY do. SOLOISM was one of the philosophies that I developed back in 1990-1. It, essentially, looks at the advantages of being a 'loner' or "doing one's own thing". Thus I would basically do everything on my own, only having a partner for each activity if they happened to 'be there' or 'interested' anyway. It accepts the fact that no two people are alike, but may be similar over a small range of interests. In my own case, I have such a wide range of interests, that it would seem unreasonable for any ONE person to be compatible over the whole range, let alone covering more than 30% of the total.

I am not a PARTY ANIMAL. Really there are two sorts of companionship - my philosophy states that TWO's Company, - THREE's a crowd. I don't know how courting couples can stomach a partner who carries a mobile phone with them! Surely they should devote their entire attention to a partner rather than a voice coming over a plastic device!! I far more enjoy my own company despite, in the past, attending Traditional Jazz Concerts (1950s) - and Country Music (both concerts and dances) from the 1960's to early 90s!

I am NOW a "full-time hobbyist" - and probably have been for a long time really!!

Thus, I designed 1997 to cover, solo, a wide range of interests, NOTHING being left out, - and nothing having TOO MUCH time devoted to it!! It ensured that everything was catered for, not forgotten, and with respect for all other interests.

Then, having made the 'plan', the object was to keep to it as close as possible! As time moves on, the plan has changed in minor ways to keep me in line with my own developing thoughts on life and enjoyment. After all, this plan is "for even greater enjoyment"!!

Originally, the plan was computerised but now is 'freestyle' for even greater enjoyment.

I can now begin to answer the questions about "what I do"!

I'll say a few words about each activity or topic.

SECTOR    ACTIVITY       SUB-DIVISIONS

A         Travel         Actual Travel & Explorations(now using PUBLIC TRANSPORT!)
                         Fitness Training and Walking trips
                         Planning, admin & Fixing of trips (now with the help
			    of computer CDs!)
	  		Amount of trips now decreasing - due to sheer amount of the
			 planet covered!

B         TV & Video     Live TV programmes
                         Watching own TV recordings
                         Watching pre-recorded material
	      		 Watching interesting TRAVEL, and fabulous NATURE, documentaries
	      		 Watching programmes on Information Technology

C         Computing      Offline planning, finance & research
                         Online INTERNET research & investigations
                         Offline INTERNET investigations
                         Updating computer, hardware & software
                         Database maintenance of own possessions
                         Letter writing on computer (Wordprocessors or EMails)
                         Maintaining electronic diaries, organisers & calendars.
                         File management of all disks/diskettes
                         Route measuring by 'autoroute' programme
                         Miscellaneous games
                         Miscellaneous simulations
			[Current favourites are: 
					FLIGHT Unlimited II
					POWERBOAT racing
					Network Q (RAC) Rallying
					Grandprix 3
					SimCity2000
					Moon Tycoon
					AIRPORT Inc]
                         Internet publishing of 'writings'/'Travelogues'
			 Maintaining own WEBSITE

	An INTEREST (ran nearly THREE years ) was called:
"CYBERWORLD"
which was an accounting SPREADSHEET dealing with all my revenues/expenses with my GP motor-racing, Rally Driving, other simulators and business-games. The WHOLE of my activities in Cyberspace had their accounts on one Lotus Spreadsheet - covering all my computers from the Spectrum, through the 486 and on to the Pentium. "Good Game!" Gave the whole set of activities a cohesive binding!! D Writing Actual writing, editing of 'travelogues' & website Dealing with publisher, later his Liquidator and replacement by phone & mail (E- & snail-) Solicitor re comments on contract Writing direct travelogues onto Internet E D.I.Y On home (very little, now) On Garden (very little, now) On home-filing-system maintenance F Finance & Plans For Travels For all aspects of living Planning short, medium & long-term details G Music Listening to Country Music(less 'Live' now, records, tapes, TV, Radio) Listening to Folk Music (and other easy-listening items) H Friendships Maintaining new and longterm friendships (non-loner mode!) I Charities Maintaining financial support of 2-dozen charities(was 3 dozen!) Admin (spreadsheet!) records of support of this finance. J Technical Scientific studies, programmes, research New technologies from TV etc Reading books, papers, computer CDs & Internet K Politics Support for Liberal Democrats, locally & nationally Support for Electoral Reform Keeping up with World & National events Election participation (less now!) L Humanism Support for BHA (British Humanist Assn) Support for WHO (Worcestershire Humanists) (Was past chairman & secretary of WHO [over 20years ago]) (These supports LOWER now with the sale of my car!) M Motor Sport Visiting events, - before I sold my car on 17 Feb 2001,- mainly Hill Climbs, for example:-
('The Ronart Special' - a water-colour by R.S.Peters) Click for Copy of Roy's watercolour
All paintings accessed from this page may need sliding about - they are quite big - generally 50K to 110KBytes! Keeping up-to-date with all forms of motorsport Virtually ALL forms now done ONLY on Simulators!! Writing-up & studying on WLSR (World Landspeed Records) N Games Playing Board Games(not much now)
(A marvellous link was sent to me by one of my readers -and it contains MORE board-games (etc) than I've ever imagined. It is to Paul Richard's impressive site at:-
Paul's list )
Playing Card Games(not much now) Playing Computer Games Using Computer Simulators (See Sector C's sub-divisions) Inventing and modifying games
O Genealogy Originally, a few years ago, my planned 'scope' was quite modest. I planned to go from my generation and cover 'plus & minus' TWO generations. (i.e from grandparents to grandchildren!) It extended from that modest beginning - with info from my father - and more recently by the family's current 'master genealogist', my brother John. By integrating these two sources of information (they worked closely together while my father was alive) different 'branches' of the TREE go back to the 1700s and 1400s!! P New Pursuits Anything interesting not covered above e.g. Cooking, Palaeontology & Ornithological studies Developing & extending my various hobby 'collections' Own Watercolour Paintings (here's some photos of them) Remember, all paintings accessed from this page may need sliding about - they are quite big - generally 50K to 110KBytes!
Click for Copy of Roy's 'HAYWAIN'(After Constable)
Click for Copy of Roy's Rialto Bridge(from Venice)
Click for Copy of Roy's Scottish Loch(Lomond)

.. and this was artwork done by coloured pens!
Click for Copy of Roy's 'Country Cottage'
.. None of these items show any great ARTISTIC merit - but it is RELAXING for me in the very small amount of time that I devote to it!!...
----------------------------------------- With such a wide portfolio of interests, and bearing in mind that each 'subdivision' is really further sub-divided, you can now probably imagine WHY I need so much time to MYSELF!!! I thus enjoy the privacy and pleasure of 'being alone' to follow each and every one of my interests. Even the joys of 'home management' are real pleasures to provide other activities. No items are 'chores'. Some items get more difficult as one's eyesight degrades, but that gives the clues 'to contract it out'! All great fun!! -----------------------------------------
Return to Roy's home page for full list of books either finished or under preparation.
EMail (?) to: Roy's Location.