Part-timing it

Hi,

It’s been a short working week this time around. What with the bank holiday, an extra day to extend the weekend, and now my nonworking Friday to close things off. Feels like the doorstop to a rather tasty sandwich to a hungry person 🙂

Mmmm. Sandwiches 🐖😁

Four days for all?

This week saw the new UK government talk about the option of allowing employees to ask for a four day working week. From what I’ve read, it’s a compressed hours situation, so you do longer days, and in return, a day off in the week. I guess we’ll see how this progresses – culturally and politically.

Now, I had the compressed hours option when I looked at changing to bring part-time. I would say it’s not the choice for me. With caring needs, school runs, and juggling housework/work; the idea of a ten hour day was a no-no for my situation. Instead, I took a pay cut which has worked out better for me.

BTW, I am not saying compressed hours aren’t workable: I’m saying they didn’t work for me. Equally, some folk might prefer the longer days, in return for keeping their salary as is. Choices, choices, choices 🙂

Sure, there’s slightly less money in my purse these days, but I’m not burned out and knackered. So, I think this works out for me and for my employer. Yes, I am in less – every other Friday off – but when I’m there, I’m focused, on task, and I’m creating.

IMO, better to have that than ‘zombie status’ where you are shuffling in to the meeting, making all the right noises, but nothing actually changes. I saw that at a former employer. They’ve shutdown since.

Stuff done

My ‘day off’ had meant I’ve been able to give the house a spritz and catch up with chores to leave the weekend free with Mrs J. I’m hoping the doing is going to help burn the calories from the veggie breakfast I had with Child 2.0 today. Well, a part-timer can dream, right? 🙂

The good news is that the adulting list has been reduced to nearly nothing, which means the weekend is free for recovery and rest…. and maybe some gaming/modding 🤓

Chams website news

Over on the Chams’ website, we have a forum and that’s there so we can keep in touch, share, etc. For folk who prefer to use social media, enjoy!

The forum, however, is hosted by us and all data stays within its virtual walls. I know members have said they were concerned about the risk of social media either accidentally outting them or having their account shut down because it’s not their ‘real name*’. I get their concerns, so we have a forum.

( The Ever Lovely Mrs J has friends who don’t use their ‘real name’ on social media. Said people are often hiding from abusive family/partners. So yeah, there’s reasons. I’m aware of the oddness in me writing about this given my name situation 😉)

In truth, the forum has been in need of some updates and that’s been weighing on my mind. Last time I tried to update it, it was offline for three hours, while I struggled to get the update to apply. All that and the concern of “but what if I trash it completely?” Yeah, don’t want to go there

You can imagine I was very much not looking forward to doing that again. So, after very positive conversations with our web hosting company when we moved a few years back, I dropped them a line to see if they’d help.

Well, things went very well – better than I’d hoped. A few emails between us, a quick configuration update by muggings here, and – by all that’s fabulous! – they did the full update and with next to no downtime. Ten out of ten 🌟 This means we’re fully to to date, so less worry on my part.

( A “your team are awesome” email has been sent ‘cos I think good work that makes a difference should be praised, IMO. )

Blog feature: Shybiker – Ask me a question

Ally writes the Shybiker blog, covering her life and interests: photography, biking, travel, and being trans. This month, asked readers to get in touch with any questions. So, here’s the ones I asked and Ally has kindly answered.

If there are two or three things you wished people knew about transgender folk, what are they?

What an excellent question!

The biggest reason fear and hate exist is because people are not familiar with us. We can improve that with education.

Decades ago people didn’t know gay people and were scared of them. When gay visibility increased, fear dissipated. Most people today don’t believe they know a trans individual in real life. That lack of interaction allows fear to grow and turn into hate. Conversely, as people learn more about us, they become comfortable.

When talking to someone who’s never met a trans person before I try to convey two thoughts: that transgenderism is innate and immutable. We know from earliest childhood that we are this way and we know it won’t change. Being transgender isn’t a choice and can’t be wished away. I deploy an analogy to describe this: I say my awareness that I’m female is known “the same way you know you’re human and not a dog.” Our identity is truth at the core of our being. I follow this by explaining our condition is permanent, can’t be “cured” with therapy or drugs, and exists whether we socially transition or not.

If you could change something about the world, what would that be and why?

I’d want empathy to be encouraged and more prevalent. Empathy leads to understanding and compassion. All who are different benefit when others develop empathy for our situation. Lack of empathy causes mistrust.

If you had to go back in time to any part of your life, when might that be and why?

I’ve lived a long time: I’m currently halfway through my sixth decade. Without doubt the best period of my life was my fifties when I possessed both wisdom and physical vigor. During that decade I expressed my inner femininity fully, pursued adventures of all kinds, and created a blog to record my experiences and explore female life.

If you aren’t 50 yet, look forward to that decade as a time for ineffable joy.

How has being a biker affected your view of other road users?

Riding a motorcycle you realize, viscerally, how vulnerable you are. To stay alive, you focus on the behavior of others sharing the road and observe much reckless conduct. It is irresponsible, but common, for people to pilot 3,000 lb. hunks of metal at high speeds with too little margin for error. Usually they realize this only too late after having caused accidents.

I was almost killed once when a young man, speeding in an adjacent lane, suddenly realized he was going to crash into the car in front of him. To avoid a collision he swerved into my lane without looking. I happened to be there at the time and was knocked off my bike. I laid on cold concrete with a collapsed lung and four broken ribs. I couldn’t breathe. I understood, with grave certainty, that if I didn’t start breathing soon my life was over. The accident did not have to happen: there were just foolish choices by an unskilled driver.

Just for fun: would you rather have a gadget that cleaned & tidied your house, or one that could make you any meal you liked?

Easy: the former. I love to cook, finding it creative and fun. I’d never give that up. I get little pleasure from cleaning so will gladly pass that chore off to machinery.

Thank you Ally for answering the questions. If you’d like to ask Ally anything, here’s a link to her blog.

If there’s a question (or questions) you would like me to answer, feel free to get in touch via this form. Just, don’t ask me about maths or sport; I’m baffled by both 😉

Little things

Last time I mentioned having a tidy up and furniture shuffle in the spare room. Sometimes, I think it’s the little things that bring some unexpected joy to your life.

With more easily accessed storage, I’ve been able to keep my clothes in order – both regular stuff and Thursday things. This means less rummaging around which is a good thing.

The other good thing is that I’ve been using the desk and mini PC to get some website & training work done. Makes a change from balancing an old laptop on my knee in the living room. Feels a bit, well, almost professional. Plus, that work is creative which I think is a good use of my time.

T stuff

We’re between meetings at the mo and I’m looking forward to the autumn weather if I’m honest. I’ve enjoyed the mild summer, but I’ve had enough of hot evenings. In ready for long sleeves, cosiness, and the dark nights.

With the rain of late, I’ve gone back to shoes, but with trainer socks with my Converse shoes, I’m not feeling that ‘macho trudge’ or ‘stuck in bloke mode’.

Instead it’s smooth pins, fancy toes, and cropped trousers. I’m guessing this helps, as the actual Summer Chair Arm Chewing festival has been absent. I am so grateful for that. 🩷

Wigeroo will be visiting in a few weeks and, of course, there’s Halloween to look forward as well. Who said Halloween is LGBTQ Christmas? 🎃 I’d buy that for a cursed coin 😉

Nearly time to fish out a funny looking, ill fitting seasonal outfit…. but enough about passing myself off as cis-het 🤪

L x