An Afternoon of Tea and Cake for the Soul with The MS Wire

An Afternoon of Tea and Cake is a regular feature where I chat to other bloggers, musicians, authors, artists, etc, to find out their thoughts and experiences on all the subjects that I cover on my blog.

Today we meet up with Ed Tobias from The MS Wire

Tell us about your blog?

I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 38 years ago. I’m now 70 years old and I’ve “been there – done that” with a lot of MS medications, treatments and experiences.

I’ve also travelled a lot, both for business and pleasure.

In my blog, The MS Wire, I share these experiences, hoping to help people with MS, and other chronic diseases, navigate through their illness.

I’m a retired journalist (32+ years with The Associated Press) and I feel it’s important to present facts, provide the source of these facts and to separate facts from opinion. Though my opinion is an important part of some of what I write, I try my best to keep that separation clear.

Ed Tobias, retired journalist

Let’s get the important stuff out the way first. What is your favourite brand of tea and how do you take it?

Sorry. I’m a Yank and coffee is my beverage of choice. I prefer French or Italian roast served black.

And cake?

With my coffee, a couple of chocolate donuts can’t be beaten.

If you could have a celebrity afternoon tea, who would you invite and why?

Barack and Michelle Obama. I’m a retired journalist, remember?

What do you do to soothe or lift your soul?

Music, preferably jazz, soothes and lifts my soul. Miles Davis, Paul Desmond and Oscar Peterson are some of my favourites.  I also like to swim and exercise. When I’m doing that, I prefer to listen to late 60s rock…Stones, Beatles, Chicago, Blood Sweat and Tears, Traffic.

After my wife and I retired we moved to an apartment the beach and live right on the Atlantic Ocean. A beach sunrise, or just watching the waves, is also great for the soul.

Braemar sunrise

 Do you like crafts, upcycling or DIY?

My hobby is ham radio and I’ve been licensed since 1961. (Call letters: KR3E). I operate using Morse code 99% of the time I’m on the air. Using the code, I think, helps keep my brain sharp.

I’m quite proud of a little book that I wrote about ham radio and Morse code called “DITS and DAHS.”

Dits & Dahs by Ed Tobias

Where is your favourite travel destination and why?

My wife and I love to take cruises. Overall, I think our favourite destinations have been in Italy. The scenery, the people and, especially, the food are wonderful. But I have to add that trips to Istanbul and Ephesus in Turkey and to St. Petersburg, Russia were incredible.

Someday, we’d like to visit a big game preserve in Africa.

MS limits my mobility so all of my travelling involves using a little electric scooter. It’s travelled all over the world with me, on trains, boats and planes. You can read more at the MS Wire’s Travelscooting page.

Ed & Laura in Instanbul

 

What sort of books or mags do you read?

I read a lot of news and non-fiction books. The online versions of the NY Times and the Washington Post are read daily. I’m currently reading “Fear,” Bob Woodward’s book about Donald Trump. My favourite fiction author is Nelson DeMille.

Do you have any health tips or experiences that you would like to share?

Exercise, however you can.

I also try to follow this saying:  “Life isn’t about hiding from the storm, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

And finally, what’s your favourite section on Tea and Cake for the Soul?

Since I love to travel Days Out and Travel is my favourite. I particularly liked your Roadtrip USA post, which I’m sure is a great help to folks who are planning to visit my side of the pond.

Thanks so much for joining us. How lovely to be living by the ocean now. I find it very soothing myself and it’s certainly a dream of mine. Good luck with your blog and I hope some of my readers will come and visit you over on THE MS WIRE.

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