Hi,
How’s things? Hopefully good and if not, fingers crossed they improve for you.
It’s been a rather busy week at Chez Jones: another round of mock exams for Child 2.0, bless him. Plus a training course for Muggins here. Both of us are glad to see the weekend, as our collective brains are in need of a rest.
Chams
It was Chams this week and yet nearly wasn’t. I’d made a mistake with the web site and that was showing the wrong information. Luckily, I’d logged on to check the forum, and a few of our more alert attendees had already spotted the error. Oh dear, Lynn, do you need a sit down and 40 winks, my love? 😁
Cards
The weather was also less than helpful, with snow and sleet in North Nottinghamshire, so I think that put folk off. On a whim, I’d brought along Cards Against Humanity, and as we were small in number, decided to have game to change things around a bit. If you’re not familiar with the game, it’s like an incredibly rude version of fill in the blank, but using prepared answer cards.
The evening had to be a free one, as our debit card reader software was playing up. Having looked into it, the good news is I think it’s an account issue (more on that in a mo) and I now know I can use my phone to collect payments, should the reader be out of order.
I spent a bit of time on the phone at lunch, talking with the service providers. It looks like the email for the account has been snarled up. This means I didn’t get any email about needing to send in new ID and as I can’t log in, I have to wait until their support team relink the account back to the right email address.
A minor frustration, but fingers crossed eh?
Body positivity
The cooler months mean I can wrap up and enjoy that all important hygge vibe: warm drinks, a blanket while working from home, comfy leggings, and a general feeling of snugness.
Note to self: careful not to write smugness 😉
The lack of skin on show means I’m not reminded of my male body so much. Yeah, I *know* I am physically male, but that doesn’t always sit well with how I feel about who I am.
The good news is that longer sleeves means it’s been easy to keep what little arm hair I had, in check. Longer troos means it was time for another visit to the beautician.
It was, I think, an hour well spent. Some good conversation and by the end of the treatment, my legs were looking far more like I feel they should. Indeed, despite the relatively short hair length above the knee, post wax my jeans felt different on, and I’d say that was a good thing.
Good out of the awful
It will nearly be a year since the murder of Brianna Ghey, bless her. A year in which her family and friends were without her. I felt the parents’ behaviour – of compassion and kindness – in those terrible circumstances, shows us as people at our best.
I felt appalled at the cheap and tasteless joke our Prime Minister made in trying to score points from the opposition. So far, so typical, right? Perhaps, but the reaction in the House – across both sides – felt like this was deeply unpleasant and uncalled for. It’s true that I’m no fan of this current administration, yet this is a new low, even for them.
So, are we seeing a change in certain circles? Has, as The Graud reported – unusually without anti-trans guff 🙄 – that Brianna has put a human face to what it is to be trans? To hear her parents talk of the love they had for their daughter, a young person finding their way in life. To hear from MPs – regardless of party – that how we talk about trans people matters.
Interestingly, this:
“If you get the unhelpful coalition of mental health issues and propensity to violence, then you read the Nadine Dorries conspiracy theory and decide you want to kill someone, it’s very, very nasty.”
Kemi Badenoch (source)
So, Kemi, you say that death threats increased following the release of Nadine’s book and it’s subsequent serialisation in a newspaper? It’s almost as if when a person with political power targets a group of people, that that group becomes at risk of violence. You know, as you and your colleagues have done with people who are ill, poor, LGBTQIA+, seeking refuge, disabled, of colour, etc. Has the sullied bag of mess that’s the politics of hate burst on your own doorstep? Perhaps, it’s time to stop.
I am proud of Child 2.0 for his bravery in being himself. He’s quietly getting on with his life and of the folk who know he’s trans, I hope they learn from him. That they learn that we’re just people, like everyone else. Like everyone else, we’d like the same protections and rights too.
L x
hygge, snugness and a bit of body care is are all good.
Sunak’s incredibly insensitive comment a lot less so, and then compounded by trying to lay the blame for it elsewhere. Even some of his own lackeys were faintly repulsed by this.
Ah, the dilemma between towing the party line, your own beliefs, and learning, eh? 😉 I think we can only hope that such vileness is called out for what it is. It’ll take a while, mind.
Meanwhile, home comforts full of win.
I was shocked but not surprised at Sunak’s comments. Considering who was present when he said them is a new low, even for him. Worse though in my opinion are the hoarder of right wing ‘do badders’ who are attempting to either absolve him of any name or blaming Starmer. The quicker this lot are out on their nasty ear, the better for the UK.
Well, that’s just the type of wokist, pro-trans, European talk…. that we really like at YATGB 😉
I would recommend looking up the interview in a Cornish newspaper, where reporters were prevented from taking photos of Sunack on a child’s school chair, while defending his words.
Sometimes, I think we’re post satire 😁
It seems that I am clearly not in the ‘alert members’ sub group 🤣, hadn’t realised I had missed it. I put all the dates in my calendar a while back.
It probably wouldn’t have been a pleasant drive, anyway. Will hopefully be able to make the next one, although there are drinkies planned for the night before…
Was not very impressed with Sunak’s comments, and then trying to weasel out of giving Brianna’s dad an apology.
They complain about their lives being in danger, and receiving threats, and then behave like that, madness.
Izzy
Ah, you can come a sit on the Not Quite Alert Enough table with me then. 😁 Jeez, I was – and still am – embarrassed. Me missing it, yeah move along, but jiggering it up for others. Yeah, not a good thing.
Still, as you point out, the weather had certainly played a part and Pat had been in touch about snow issues.
As to the Sunak comment: it’s awful and not his first offence either. But when the parents of a child who was killed? FFS, just have the common decency to apologise.
I was’nt amused by Sunak’s comments about Brianna, I can understand that PMQT is a fast moving envrionment and getting one over on the other guy is an important part of the Westminster envrionment, but I was irritated by his post PMQT response, all he had to say that he spoke in haste and regrets his choice of words, but instead be has to behave like that vulgar cretin form the USA!
Thanks Anon. I think it’s important to be kind and admit your mistakes. To err is human and all that.
I read that many consider Sunak a weak leader. Perhaps he could show a strength of character and admit he was wrong and to apologise. I may not agree with his policies, but I’d have more respect for him if he did.
“…warm drinks, a blanket while working from home, comfy leggings, and a general feeling of snugness”… Yep, that’s me this February, too! I’ll send you a “home hygge hug” by email some time!
Lovely outfit for Chams, but you always do have style.
As for the UK and its government, I really have no words to describe the absolute revulsion I feel. I don’t have a confirmed, consistent or strong political position, but I know evil when I see it.
So I’m wishing Child 2.0 the very best in his challenges ahead, especially the dreaded GCSEs and in living trans in an abusive world. Good luck to him.
Sue x
Yes, to be cosy and snug, what a gift at this time of year. Hang up the waterproof, let the dog coats drip dry, and get settled under a sofa blanket with a hot drink. Bliss! ☕
Child 2 is doing his best, bless him, and that’s all you can ask if anyone. Every day he makes it in, well, we take that as a win. Luckily he’s got half-term now, so he’s taking a much deserved break.
Thanks for the kind words about the outfit. I went with the same advice of the style philosopher, Richmond Jones 😉
As to the current administration…. /sigh. I think a long spell in the political wilderness, where they can rethink and come back from their ultra right nastiness would do them a lot of good. That or splinter into central, right, and loon 😉