society – YATGB

Pictures put in your head

7 January, 2022 Lynn Jones Uncategorized

Hi, The other day I was browsing the online sales to both pass the time and on the off chance that something we need might pop up. Maybe even snag a bargain Christmas outfit. Snag is a word you need to be careful typing using autocorrect. 🙂 I didn’t, however, see anything we really needed or that I wanted. One thing that did catch my eye was an IPL machine. There’s been a few occasions when I’ve touched my face and, pretty obviously, felt stubble. That’s not unusual, ‘cos you know, I’m a bloke, at least physically. Mentally, oh let’s just not fall down that rabbit hole 😉 What’s troubling is that on a number of occasions, that feeling of […]

Same shizz. Different day.

28 November, 2021 Lynn Jones Uncategorized

Hi, This may well turn into a rant, so if that’s not your bag, feel free to exit stage left. 🙂 This morning in my newsfeed up popped an article from a respected website that talks about psychology. I visit the site on and off as they have informative pieces on maintaining your mental health, a lay person’s guide to what’s new, etc. I’ll explain this next bit with a metaphor. Imagine said site is a zen garden. A place of quiet where you can reflect on what’s raised and learn from it. Today in said garden, it felt like there was a person stood in a white pointed hood ‘giving advice’ while there was a slow crackle of a […]

Tired of that

5 November, 2021 Lynn Jones Uncategorized

It’s Friday evening and I’ve closed the lid on the work laptop, the boy dog is currently snuggled up with me, and I can hear the distant pop of fireworks. Upstairs, the Ever Lovely Mrs J is talking to her mum on the phone. I am okay, although somewhat frustrated by the barrage – not of fireworks – but media BS that continues to paint transgender community in a negative light. The seeming continuous background pop, bang, and whizz of bigotry. It’s very tiring. I’m sure I’ve sprained the muscles behind my eyes 🙄 Yes, last year I took a news break and I felt better for it. This year, it feels the attacks have stepped up and, like Climate […]

Heroes in heels

1 October, 2021 Lynn Jones Uncategorized

Hi, Earlier in the week I happened to stumble upon the film musical, Everyone’s Talking About Jamie. Some of you may remember the BBC documentary, Jamie: Drag Queen at Sixteen. If you’d like to be reminded of your age, it was easy back in 2011. By all that’s fabulous! I might even have been in my 30s back then. 😉 I don’t remember the documentary that well – I mean, it has been a decade! – but elements of its memory echoed as the musical played out. Incidentally, I happened to catch an interview with an older Jamie on Radio One’s drag podcast a few years back. It was interesting to hear how his life had developed and also, bless […]

Organisational Issues

10 September, 2021 Lynn Jones Uncategorized

Hi, This week has been…. challenging 🙂 If you’ll forgive the corporate doublespeak. 😉 The web hosting for Chameleons was moved mid last week and while the hosting company did an excellent job of migrating both the site and forum, some gremlins got in. That resulted in two long telephone calls last weekend to tech support (who were very helpful). Luckily, no data was lost, which is good. However, I could’ve done without the stress. Also, the Ever Lovely Mrs J fell poorly late Thursday night and that’s really not like her. Luckily Val was on hand to step in and keep the evening going for Chams (thanks Mrs ❤️). A good night’s kip has helped Mrs J, although she’s […]

Then, now, and what next?

3 September, 2021 Lynn Jones Uncategorized

Hi, Last week’s post about growing up and Sue’s comment about the next generation made me think about the positive changes I’ve seen in the T community. While we seem to be having a slight dip in the Mostly Upwards Rollercoaster of Rights at the mo, I think we’re in a better place than the 80s and subsequent decades. Listening to my kids talk about their classmates who are out – all the way across the LGBTQ+ rainbow, bless them – it’s, well, heartwarming. One of the good things, IMO, about the Internet is its ability to bring people together. I think that that’s helped our community share our experiences. Through that, new language and stories have arrived. Now, I’m […]