Hello, I hope everyone has had a good week. Welcome back to the next show. This is going
to be totally different actually this one. I'm going to talk about mainly a little experience
and I'm not going to say what social media it was on. There was an issue on social media
Saturday evening where I was doing a live video and I think it's only right we talk
about what happened during that live video. So before we get heavily into that, just very
quickly I just want to let you all know that actually do you know what I feel like I'm
getting a little bit closer to being me again. There's been a bit of a wake up call for me
and yeah I'm pushing forward you know what I'm pushing forward. We're going to get there.
But onto the main topic of today's show. Now I really want to talk about social media and
how some people use social media. Because as I say Saturday evening I jumped online
this weekend I've been involved with the MS Trust. They've been doing a stream for MS
weekend trying to raise money for the MS Trust which will go into things like MS Research
and other bits and pieces helping people all that sort of stuff. So that's been a real
positive I'm going to be honest that's been an incredible positive. So just jumping on
and don't get me wrong I mean I've not gone absolutely to town we're raising loads and
loads of money but something's better than nothing and I'm quite proud of that. I've
been streaming computer games on certain types of streaming sites. I've been jumping onto
live videos to talk about things all that sort of stuff. Now that one Saturday evening
I jumped online it was quite a long live I was on there for between an hour and a half
and two hours roughly. Now the first sort of 20 minutes 25 minutes were absolutely brilliant.
Really were fantastic. A lot of people from the MS community jumping in having a conversation
asking questions and just having a conversation about things seeing how everyone's doing and
you know just chilling out together it was really really nice. There was other people
in there as well and again asking questions or just having conversations and it was lovely
it really was. And then came what I can only describe as a tsunami of trolls. Do you know
what it was something I've never ever seen before and I know I'm still really new to
all of this stuff. You know I've only really been doing everything since maybe October
last year so still lots for me to learn. But oh my word the level of trolling was ridiculous
and I can't understand why people think that is even remotely acceptable. Except let's
see it for what it is. People go onto social media and there's a percentage of people and
I'm not going to start chucking out exactly what I think and whatever else but there's
a decent amount of people that go onto social media purely to have an argument. Purely to
have a go at other people and purely to try and upset people. And again I'm going to say
it straight these people are absolute clowns. They are genuine genuine clowns and I'm not
even talking the funny type. It was pathetic honestly I can't explain it. There was people
coming on there calling me daddy calling me uncle abusing me for the fact that I've got
a shaved head. I mean it really is it's just incredible. One idiot even thought it was
funny to make a comment about my wife. It's not the kind of comment somebody would make
face to face. It's the sort of thing they're only doing it because they're sat behind a
keyboard at home where nobody knows their face nobody knows their voice even. They've
got no bravery about them they've got nothing. And it makes no sense. The internet if it
was used properly would be an incredible thing. It really would. Now to me I like to think
I use the internet as properly as I possibly can. Don't get me wrong I am not perfect.
Never going to be. But I wouldn't go onto somebody's live video where they're trying
to have a conversation with friends and whatever else. I just wouldn't go on there and start
abusing them. I wouldn't even think about it. It's not the kind of thing that would
go through my head to do. Why do it? Where does it come from? Where does that fun come
from to abuse someone that you haven't got enough about you to do face to face. Again
it can only come from the fact they know full well there's nothing can be done about it.
So these social media companies they've got to start getting involved in this. It shouldn't
necessarily be down to people reporting what's going on. It shouldn't necessarily be down
to somebody blocking everyone because trust me I got to a point last night my block button
was my best mate it really was. We were just the best of friends. But it shouldn't have
to be that way. It genuinely shouldn't and don't get me wrong again I'm no computer programmer.
There's got to be a way that these social media companies can address the issue. Because
there's going to be people out there that would suffer that kind of abuse and it's going
to cause them massive problems. It's going to make them doubt themselves. It's going
to make them concerned about doing those sort of videos again. Now again I am no programmer
but there has to be a way these social media companies have got to start stepping up and
they've got to start saying enough is enough. We want good people using these apps. We don't
need people using these apps that are going to abuse them. That's fact. It doesn't need
to happen. And don't get me wrong it probably is something that's so far down the line in
the future technologically whatever. But it's a very very good job that I do have quite
a good head when it comes to being abused and whatever else. 20 years in the line of
work I've had you get used to it. There's not many things I haven't been called in my
life. Most of them are probably pretty true. But when you're trying to do something good,
when you're trying to do something nice, when you're trying to do something respectful,
why suffer in that manner? Why would you have to doubt whether it's a good idea to continue
doing what you're doing? Because for me I'm getting my story out there. Okay to some my
story might not be that interesting. Actually to me it's incredibly interesting. Fact. Because
my story to me hopefully gets out there. Somebody listens to it and goes actually I can relate
to that. Because that person relating to what I'm saying maybe that's going to take a little
bit of stress off them. Maybe it's not. But I hope it does. I shouldn't have to then think
to myself is this the right thing to do? Because some bunch of complete muppets think what
shall I do on Saturday night? If it was me and I was able I'm either going to take my
wife out on a Saturday night if I've not got a wife. I'm going to go out with my mates.
I'm going to have a good time. I'm going to have a laugh. I'm going to do what you're
supposed to do. You know even if there's nothing else to do. Stick a bit of rubbish telly on.
There's plenty of it. Believe me the telly is absolutely poop these days. There's never
a lot on. There really isn't much on. I'm going to do whatever. I'm going to have an
early night should I need to. What I'm not going to do is jump onto social media and
start abusing people randomly. Because I like to think of myself as a good person. I don't
know what these people think they actually are. And that's a cold hard fact. Because
what they're doing is bullying. And there's one thing in my life I absolutely detest it's
bullying. Bullying's not necessary. It really isn't necessary. There's better things you
can do with yourself. If you don't like someone don't speak to them. It's not hard. It's not
rocket science. You just don't have a conversation with them. You keep yourself to yourself and
carry on with your life away from others. It really is that simple. There's too many
things in the world that are going wrong that are not good. You don't need to try and make
it worse for people. Give me a second. I'm just going to have a drink. This chair's got
a right creak on. Let me stick my drink close to me. But yeah so that's where it was on
Saturday night. And I'm going to now go into the fact that during that live there was a
lot of people in there that were good. I mean there was over 2000 people that jumped onto
that live at different times. And I'm going to be straight. Probably 50-50 split. There
was probably a thousand really good people. And 1000 complete and total a-holes. That's
all I can say on that. I'm not going to say a full word. But they were complete and total
a-holes. And to those that were good, they defended me absolutely incredibly. They really
did and it made me so grateful and so, I'm going to say the word proud. It genuinely
did. It made me really proud that these people we've never physically met. We've had conversations
and they've always been brilliant conversations. They've always been really great. They are
genuinely good people. That's there for all to see. They did everything they could to
try and defend me through it all. Now I did the best I possibly could in terms of trying
to block it out, trying not to respond and whatever else. But you know what? There's
only so much you can take until there comes a point you've got to say something. And I'm
going to be honest, I did at times. Like I say, there was one in particular that made
a comment about Lisa, my wife. And actually I'm very glad he was on the computer because
I may not have held my temper on that one. Whatever you say about me, you say about me.
That's fine. Not a problem. You don't talk about my family. You do not talk about my
family. It's not necessary. It's not needed. And all that's going to happen is you're going
to get to a point where I am going to tell you where to go. And again, I'm not doing
this podcast to try and to try and make me sound like I'm being a snowflake about it
all. Cause you know what? I'm really not. I'm genuinely not being a snowflake about
it in the slightest because actually doing what I'm doing on the social media, on this
podcast, now doing the computer game stream and all that sort of stuff, I'm putting myself
out there. So I've got to get used to this side of stuff. And do you know what? I actually
found it as a one-off kind of helpful. I really did because it taught me a little bit of how
the other side of things actually works. And as much as it was frustrating, as much as
it was something that really did, did great on me, it was also something that taught me
quite a valuable lesson. So now I've got something to look at, look at how I can change it, how
I can improve it and how I can try and stop it happening again. Because I want these live
videos and I'm going to start doing an awful lot of them. I really am. This podcast, I'm
actually starting to consider maybe doing this live where there is a service for doing
that and I'm considering it because that way I can have a backwards and forwards with people
because do you know what? It's actually really fun to do. It's going to take a while for
that to happen because it's a learning curve. I've got to keep learning and that's something
I want to learn because if I can improve, that's nothing but positive. And at the moment,
I'm sat here right now on Sunday and I've had the weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
doing this streaming and whatever else. And all I can see is these things I can improve
at this, these things I can do to make, to make everything a little bit, a little bit
better for people watching, listening, all of that sort of stuff. So I'm going to do
that because I'm going to be totally honest. I love doing this stuff. I really genuinely
love doing this stuff and I'm going to learn it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to improve.
I'm going to make it better. And some silly little troll sat in his basement, tapping
away on his keyboard because he's got nothing else to do with himself. Ain't going to stop
me doing that. That's cold, hard fact. It really is cold, hard fact. I've got this new
level of fight back in me that I'm there again. I'm back to being me. I'm going to mention
the fact that obviously I had on Monday contacted my doctors regarding mental health issues
because I'm going to be honest, I don't think I'd ever actually come to terms with my diagnosis
of MS. I thought I had, but I don't actually think I'd completely processed it. So I am
seeking some help for that because again, if you've got issues going on like that, talking
about it is the right thing to do. It really is. And again, just putting the thought out
there. And I mean, it's tomorrow, Monday, I've got my first phone call conversation
and I'm really looking forward to it because if there's a way I can fight back, I'm going
to fight back. I really am. I'm not prepared to keep being in the doldrums with it all
because it's just not me. It's not me. These last, it's going to be as much as probably
a year, maybe more that I've sort of been plodding away with nobody knowing just how
I'm feeling. That ain't there anymore. That really ain't there anymore. I'm back to being
me. I'm back to fighting through this all and I'm back to kind of taking control a little
bit. That old saying, I've got MS, MS hasn't got me. Yeah, I'm right there again. I'm right
there. It's had its time. It's time for me to start being me again. I want to start seeing
my smile. I want to start seeing me making my family smile and that's what's going to
happen. It really is. And again, part and parcel of doing that is what I'm doing now.
Recording this podcast, doing the live videos and everything else. It's not all going to
be negative. And I know I'll be honest, these podcasts over the last few weeks probably
have come across quite negative at times. And do you know what? I apologize for that.
But we're getting back to the way it should be now. We really are. And as I say, I've
had a fire lit in my belly. I really have. And to me personally, the MS doing what it
does to me has made me realize that it's not anything about giving in. Absolutely not a
chance. It's all about pushing forward. MS can progress as much as it wants to progress.
So am I. I'm going to progress as a person. I'm going to keep moving on and I'm going
to keep going because that's what I want to do. I'm not going to sit here today and start
talking about symptoms or anything like that. Do you know what? We do that every week. We're
not doing that this week. We're probably not doing it next week unless we really have to.
Right now, this is about me talking about, as the podcast says, Mike's journey with MS.
Mike's MS journey. Same difference. But this is about me now being me and explaining what
I'm doing to fight back on that journey. And it's not going to be easy. It's not going
to be quick, but it's going to happen. Can't stop that. It's going to happen. And hopefully
it's coming across that I'm actually seeming a lot happier myself because I am. And again,
this is the route we're going to start going down. I am always going to talk MS because
that's what this is about, but I am going to start tweaking the show from time to time.
If I've got things to talk about in the real world, I'm going to start talking about. I'm
not going to continue spending 20, 25, 30 minutes a show just talking about my struggles.
I will talk about what I'm doing to fight them. That's fact. But actually, let's change
it up a little bit and just for a few weeks and see how it goes. I'm also going to start
talking about what is going on in the world, how that can affect everything with me. We'll
see. We'll just see. We'll have a look and see if it makes a difference. Because actually
I've enjoyed this. I've not enjoyed having to talk about something kind of negative in
terms of the trolling, but I've enjoyed talking about something different. I've enjoyed not
concentrating on my personal negatives. It's time we open the door a little bit and start
moving the goalposts and improving. It's a good word that improving. I like it. It's
a very good word, but I'm going to call that the end for today's show. Thank you very much
for listening. I know this has been a totally different one. It really has been totally
different, but I hope you've enjoyed it. I totally mean what I say in terms of social
media. These people that go on and just troll clowns, absolute clowns, get them off social
media, get them off the internet. Can't use it properly. Don't use it at all. Let's have
the internet for people that want to use it for just chilling out, using it to relax,
using it to talk to each other in a good manner. That for me is what the internet should be
about. It's certainly what social media should be about. And that will do for today. Have
a great week and I will speak to you soon. Bye bye.