Summary

Paul Mansfield is a retired, widowed computer programmer from Woodstock, Ontario, who fills his life with caregiving, writing, photography, and music, despite the challenges of aging and the pandemic.

Abstract

Paul Mansfield, a retired computer programmer living in Ontario, Canada, shares his life story, emphasizing his current endeavors in caregiving for his elderly mother, his passion for writing fiction in genres like fantasy, science fiction, and "Redneck Gothic," and his love for photography and music. Despite the limitations imposed by arthritis and the pandemic, he maintains an active artistic life, contributing to Medium as a writer and editor, and showcasing his work on platforms like Flickr. Mansfield reflects on the importance of art in his life and the personal fulfillment it brings, regardless of external recognition.

Opinions

Mansfield finds writing about himself challenging, preferring to focus on his current activities and goals rather than his past.
He views assisted living facilities with skepticism due to the high death rates during the pandemic and stories of neglect and abuse.
Mansfield has a pragmatic approach to his hobbies, such as playing the guitar and photography, despite physical limitations like arthritis and short, stubby fingers.
He takes pride in his achievements on Medium, including editing for Microcosm and earning Top Writer status in several categories.
Despite being "just another old white guy," Mansfield believes in his own worth, finding validation in his artistic pursuits.
He encourages readers to explore his work on various platforms, indicating a desire to connect with an audience and share his artistic endeavors.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

About Me — Paul Mansfield

I may be worn, but baby I ain’t worn out

self-portrait, copyright Paul Mansfield.

This feels like I’m writing my obituary, but I’m not. Damn it, at least I hope that I’m not.

I always find it hard to write about myself. Much easier to write about faraway lands, or people, or pretty much anything else.

This story won’t be my biography. It doesn’t matter where somebody is from. The things which matter to me are where you are now and what you’re trying to accomplish, as well as how you plan to achieve that.Where you’re from is just backstory.

But some backstory is always nice.

My backstory

In a nutshell, I am a retired, widowed computer programmer, living with three short-haired domestic cats and one overweight dachshund in a small city named Woodstock (no, not the fun one) in Ontario, Canada. I also look after my 90-year-old mother, who lives around 75 klicks away from me.

I like to write (why I’m here), take photographs, play guitar, see live music, hang out with my friends in what spare time I have. Retirement has meant less of the 9-to-5 grind, but life does not slow down. The pandemic has slowed the last two down to nope, but I hope we will soon be back on track to the new OK.

This covers enough of the boring bases so we can get on to the interesting shit.

My current life

Since my retirement, elder care has filled my life pretty full. It’s not a fun job, not rewarding, and often full of misery, but I continue. Assisted living units might seem like a godsend but the death rate in these institutions during the pandemic has been criminal, plus the horror stories that you hear on the news about sores and bugs and abuse in long-term care make one hesitant. Also, pandemic aside, after seeing what assisted living was like in Ontario when my mother needed some rehabilitation after her knee and hip replacements, I want to keep her out of there as long as possible. It’s not a hellhole, but there were too many mixups with patient’s medicines to be truly comfortable with the level of care available.

When I have the spare time, I write, or I play my guitar poorly, and I take photographs.

I love music, and I love my guitars. They just don’t love me back. Well, that’s not true. My hands have become slightly arthritic, and my fingers are short and stubby. Not good for fine motor control, but I still do it, anyway. Hammer away at the guitar, playing old-school punk rock or Steve Earle covers. It passes the time and takes out some frustration.

My photography is mostly fine art nudes, concerts, and street. I prefer the moodiness of black and white.

You can find the rest of my portfolio here. The pandemic has halted much of my productivity, so I’ve switched over to writing to fuel my artistic side.

Paul Mansfield

Explore Paul Mansfield's 2,892 photos on Flickr!

flic.kr

I write fiction. Personal essays, and listicles, and “How to Make a Million” just aren’t my thing. Ranting and whining about this and that just doesn’t rock my boat.

I enjoy writing. Fantasy, science fiction, horror (especially Lovecraftian horror) — I enjoy them all. My favourite genre is what I call “Redneck Gothic.” It’s basically Southern Gothic, not always set in the South US.

Up By The Devil’s Elbow

Watch out for the Green Lady

medium.com

I am proud that within the first couple of months of writing on Medium, Zane Dickens invited me to help edit Microcosm, as well as becoming a Top Writer in Fiction, Short Story, and Photography. Not sure which category to tackle next, maybe Climate Change or Religion — something I know nothing about.

Basically, I’m just another old white guy, but I still think I have some worth left in me. My writing and my photography tell me I do. And that’s all that matters, really. Making art that you enjoy.

Paul Mansfield is a writer, a photographer, a guitar player, a philosopher — some he does well, some not so well, but he still tries them all. You can follow him on Twitter @pmansfield.

If you like this story, try this Science Fiction tale.

Head of State

Peace comes from the top

scifishorts.pub