Born to be Mild: Adventures for the Anxious

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Rachel asks him if The Dragons can do whatever they want and get away with it. Carl refuses to go that far, but Eddie staggers into Rachel's Place, badly beaten up and tells them that they can.

Born to be Mild by Rob Temple | Waterstones

A handful of years ago I moved with my wife to a house on a quiet street in a quiet town and lay quietly in a room for a long time.

It is Rob’s huge fortune that he has his mum and dad in his life, and it is they who are the break-out stars of this book. Funny, wise, but most importantly always there for him, his parents provide the physical and emotional lift-raft that his situation and outlook so perilously needed. Rob’s book dedication to his mum and dad is therefore more than authorial convention. Noted as well is that home with them also means excellent fish pie. As someone who has experienced crippling social anxiety, and has spent much time in Peterborough, Born to be Mild resonated with me on every level.

Born to be Mild: Adventures for the Anxious by Rob Temple

Urkel: Big guy, you okay? Carl: No, I'm not, Steve. I want revenge. Urkel: But you can't. You're a cop. Carl: But I'm a father first. Urkel: Wait, wait, wait. I said wait. Carl: What is it? Urkel: Now you're upset and with good reason, but if you go out Dragon bashing, they'll scream police brutality and you'll lose your job. Although the book is laden throughout with Rob’s characteristic humour and, erm, funniness, he’s also candid about his own problems. He’s living with his parents in Godmanchester after the ending of his marriage. He has some health issues, exacerbated at times by a worrying and wholly unfunny misuse of alcohol. Seeking connections with others is therefore not just some idle conceit or project: The next morning, the villagers are sleeping next to their now repaired/built vehicles, and King Dedede & Escargoon are covered in a blanket by the Waddle Dees whilst sleeping outside. The trio are already awake, however, and plan on finding Gus; the latter enters his darkened garage to unveil his ride when the postman questions him. As Gus is trying to get him out of his business, they're swiftly approached by the gang and asked about a legendary bike rider, Steppenwolf, and implies his age to be the same as the postman's and attempts to get the elderly cappy onto one of their motorcycles for a ride. So Rob decided to make a plan – to embark on fifty ‘mild’ adventures, to be a little less Pooh Bear and a little more Bear Grylls. On a gentle journey that takes him beekeeping, bowling, and to a service station just off the M25, Rob starts to settle on a better balance – and soon discovers the joys of a life well lived.Though you don’t want to feel as if you’re laughing at Rob’s life, I found this book really funny and, to me, it didn’t feel like you were laughing at his expense – rather laughing along with Rob as he relays lots of humorous, albeit awkward, experiences that lots of people can no doubt relate to, whatever their personality type. It just sums up so much of what it means to be ‘British’ in a humorous, entertaining way – but the inclusion of Rob’s personal experiences and very difficult times add a very real and important message about mental health to this book. You might not assume that someone who manages a funny, light-hearted social media account could be suffering from anxiety, but you never know in reality. It manages to drive home the impact of poor mental health without feeling preachy or over the top, and remains a entertaining and fun read. Rob decides to take on lots of new experiences, which he relays to the reader. He also takes us through various points in his life where his anxiety and ultra mild-mannered-ness has impacted his life, and how he, therefore, interacts with others. His success with Very British Problems, how this led him to work from home permanently and that in turn resulted in a persistent and, at times, debilitating feeling of anxiety for Rob. Then there’s the Very British Problems Daily Telegraph column, the four book volumes and counting, the board game, cups, greetings cards, and not forgetting the TV programme. A social media empire that Rob runs – horizontally – all from the comfort of his sofa. Rob Temple winning at life? Yes, but if only everything was that straightforward for him, as he explains in this book’s introduction: Rob Temple runs the social-media empire Very British Problems from the comfort of his own sofa, but what happens when the four walls of your living room become your world?

Born to Be Mild - Wikipedia Born to Be Mild - Wikipedia

Urkel will be hooked to a wire and Steve's conversation with Chain will be tape-recorded. Lieutenant Murtaugh tells them the plan: while Urkel is in The Dragons' hangout, he and Carl will be in a white van listening to their conversation. A funny, life-affirming memoir from the creator of social media empire Very British Problems, about how to start again when everything’s gone wrong. This book should have been for me. I sometimes feel crippled by indecision, and I can get very anxious about things, so whilst it was never going to be a self-help book, I thought it may provide some funny insights into the life of someone who suffered similar problems. Also, I like the Very British Problems tweets Rob puts out, but this book was shallow, a bit dull, and not very funny. He describes how he felt increasingly fearful of leaving his house, of a disconnection between himself and the outside world. He was ‘an intern in my own existence.’ Aware of the damaging impact of such a situation on his mental health, he resolved to force himself to re-connect with the world by seeking out new experiences and adventures, and Born to be Mild is his honest, at times moving, and always entertaining account of how he got on. A funny, life-affirming memoir from the creator of social media empire Very British Problems, about how to start again when everything's gone wrong.Why is Born to be Mild so good? Because of Rob Temple's honesty, into how his anxiety has left him debilitated, deeply affected - and how in living a day to day ordinary existence, anxiety is carried around as if in a Lidl bag-for-life. Anxiety can weigh heavy or it can be lightly worn. But it persists. I am grateful Temple is able to convey this with humour and at times, gravitas. Rob tries to answer the question – can socially awkward, anxious people get out there and have a good time regardless? Can they take on exciting new experiences and have adventures? Rob Temple faces many different adventures during the course of the book, such as travelling to Barcelona and Berlin, learning yoga, rediscovering chilli sauce, airbnb-ing (kind of a word) and haggling for dodgy looking ornaments with mixed results. Born To Be Mild is a personal journal more than anything. Rob invites us into his life, letting us see through his eyes, experience his own reflections and philosophising while giving us the opportunity to apply his outlook to our own lives. That night, Rachel and the others laugh about how Carl taught The Dragons a lesson in manners and respect. Then, the phone rings. Harriette answers it and learns from Carl that The Dragons returned to Rachel's Place to finish what they started earlier in the day. The damage is far worse than Rachel had ever feared: tables and chairs lying everywhere, video games damaged, the glasses and china broken and The Dragons' logo spray painted on the wall.