This video was created by a friend of mine in the USA, but is relevant wherever you are.
Archives
A letter to my younger self – Aged 35
Hello you!
Yes, just those two short words have a special significance to you now, don’t they?
Who would ever have thought that someone would walk into your life out of nowhere and have such an effect on you in so many ways?
I just goes to show, we never know what’s around the corner.
A letter to my younger self – Aged 25
Hi hunny,
So you got married young then. And the little one’s starting school already! *sigh*
Well of course in a different universe you’d have listened to what I told you last time, but as it is you’ve sort of “blown it”. Now you have responsibilities to others so it’s going to be tricky trying to be yourself, isn’t it?
Ok, I’m not going to press the point too much. You know as well as I do that your late teens were the time when you actually needed to get done something about it and have a fulfilling life ahead of you.
Insulting behaviour
Just lately it seems as if I’m at war with an unknown entity; an elusive, pervading, mischievous spirit that seems hell bent on disrupting all forms of communication.
To put it in a nutshell, I seem unable to communicate with people without accidentally insulting them or causing them some form of upset. This usually happens when my intention is to make a joke or lighten a situation, but I’m so WAY OFF target that it is becoming embarrassing. I had my first Covid vaccination this week and, whilst putting on my coat and gathering my things together I even managed to insult the kind, charming, pleasant (and hunky) soldier who had given me the jab. What the hell was THAT all about?
There are few enough people that I communicate with at the best of times. With lock down that number has reduced still further, and almost all of that communication is electronic. The way things are going I can foresee a situation where that number hits the big zero as I drive more and more people away.
I guess, for the moment at least, it’s probably best if I limit the potential damage to those around me by giving up trying to communicate and just shut the f*** up.
I hope all of you are faring better in this regard.
Has it gone? Can I look yet? …
Wow, what a crap fest 2020 was, right up to the last day!
On New Year’s Eve I realised I wasn’t going to be able to suffer the pain any more over the upcoming long weekend, and so got an emergency appointment at the dentist and had two teeth removed. That doesn’t leave me with a vast selection any more.
Roll on 2021, I thought.
Hmmm….
Welcome to 2021. Welcome to … A new lock down until at least the end of January! Wonderful!
Scotland first in world to make period products free
I’ve never forgotten a conversation I had with a female work colleague back in the early 1980’s in which I stated my belief that period products should be free for all women the world over.
She looked at me in astonishment and said something to the effect of how amazing she felt it was that a guy would have the understanding to hold such an opinion. (Back in those days I was still very much in “male mode”, although this was the same young lady who was the first person I ever told that I felt I should have been born in a female body.)
Well, I sat here just now with my jaw dropped and with tears forming as I heard the news that Scotland will be doing just that; making sanitary wear free for all women.
This makes me even more proud to have made Scotland my home.
The impact of Lockdown on Scottish LGBT+ Communities – Study
Rainbow Responders, an initiative developed in Scotland by Pink Saltire, have just emailed me the results of their recent study into the effects of lockdown on the Scottish LGBT+ community, and I’m relaying the email to you in full in this post. It makes interesting, and concerning, reading.
Study uncovers an ‘epidemic of loneliness’
2 out of 3 LGBT+ people have faced isolation or loneliness during the COVID pandemic and it has been the single biggest challenge for the community, as outlined in a new report published today.
‘Community Matters – The Impact of Lockdown on Scottish LGBT+ Communities’, released as part of the Rainbow Responders programme managed by Pink Saltire, details a worrying number of LGBT+ people are dealing with mental health challenges, with many turning to drink and drugs to help them cope.
The research has also evidenced very low levels of trust in public services amongst the LGBT+ community and disproportionately low levels of funding for vital services.
I’ve had enough of this, it’s time for some hard talking
Ok, so I know this might make me very unpopular with a lot of people but I really have had enough of the world wide incompetence regarding Covid-19.
Let’s be absolutely honest here, we, the human race, are at war.
But the point is we are at war with something that almost no government in the world seems to have an appropriate sense of urgency in addressing.
From Wikipedia: As of 09:23 UTC on 9 October 2020, a total of 36,542,723 cases are confirmed in more than 227 countries and territories, and 26 cruise and naval ships. There are 10,003,011 active cases and 1,062,360 deaths.
Discreetly calling for emergency services
If you’re ever in need of assistance in a life threatening situation and are unable to speak clearly to the responder for fear of being found out then remember this story, and adapt it for your own country as appropriate.
Stay safe.
Tish 