The plunge

Life

Yesterday I decided to take the plunge and share my post with the world of social media. It went well.

I haven’t exactly kept this blog a secret, but up until yesterday I hadn’t really actively shared it with many people for several reasons. I mostly fear criticism, because I don’t really take it very well in a personal context, and as this is a harbour for all my personal insights (said with a certain amount of sarcasm) it’s not something I have ever been comfortable opening to criticism. I also don’t want to offend anyone, and given that I am lucky enough to have friends of all colours, creeds, walks of life and general beliefs, that can sometimes be difficult. I know to my cost that things written online can sometimes take on a meaning that was never intended, and I don’t want to risk losing any friends to something I’ve blurted out without really considering my wording.

I also didn’t think anyone would care about things I think in my head and then occasionally share with the internet void, so it’s quite refreshing to see that I may actually have something meaningful to share. I began this blog as a way to share my life in Morocco with friends without them being compelled to actually reply to emails, and it worked well because I could just ignore the stats and believe people were keeping up. Since I relaunched my blogging efforts I’ve not had the same audience to play to, and so at times I’ve struggled to keep it up, knowing that I don’t have anyone watching. Now that I have taken the plunge and have a new audience my effort to be interesting, provocative, funny and in any other ways I can engineer, good, to read will be redoubled.

Which is why I’ve started with this somewhat meta post. But whatever.

Things I am not sure about

Life

So recently there have been many things on the news and etc which I have views on, but a couple of conversations have forced me to think more deeply about what my full and rounded argument is towards them, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t know. For that reason, and for the first time in ages, I’m going to share this post with the world of the Facebooks, and I’m hoping some people will share their views to help me with mine.

Thing 1.

Ashers Bakery. I’m assured by my Irish friend that they do nice baking, but apparently they are a bit homophobic, so that’s an issue.

They’ve recently been in the news for refusing to fulfill an order which would depict the ever-lovable Bert and Ernie supporting gay marriage. Their grounds for this: they are a Christian bakery and they felt fulfilling the order would go against their beliefs and against the bible.

So why am I not sure? Well, as far as I’m concerned, homophobia is generally not nice and I don’t generally support the people who do it. However, they are a private company, and they really do have a right to their beliefs as well. They went about it the right way, offering a full refund and as far as I can glean, being perfectly polite. I don’t get the impression that they were unwilling to serve the customer – just not make that particular cake. They mention in the article that they have refused cakes before with pornographic images on, and rightly so. I’m not sure this situation is different.

Thing 2.

Israel and Palestine. This is a big one, I know. Having done a degree in Arabic, I’ve naturally come into contact with the subject both socially and academically. Socially, I get somewhat biased information, because my friends are mostly pro-Palestine (many vehemently so). Academically my appreciation of the subject is well balanced, but that doesn’t really help.

Why I don’t know. Well, where do I start? I think my fundamental issue here is that this isn’t a war that should be happening, but it is thanks to some poor decisions made by rich colonialists with nothing better to amuse themselves. The history of the conflict is absolutely deplorable, and makes me feel that everyone outside of the disputed territories should probably back off, because look how well it turned out the last time we joined in.

That being said, the killing is seemingly endless, and I understand the desire of people around the world to help. The issue is that if you really believe in just saving lives, you shouldn’t take sides, yet people do. I have another issue, which is that I feel the Israeli government need to behave better. It is acknowledged that they are working against terrorists, and a modern government should be embarrassed to lower themselves to the same tactics being used by the terrorists.

Thing 3.

The NHS accepting more bariatric surgery in order to combat the rise of type 2 diabetes. Previously the NHS had been offering surgery such as gastric bands to patients with a BMI of 35+ (the average being 20-25). The proposed change will drop this to 30+, and with each operation costing in the region of £15,000, could make a significant dent in NHS finances.

I strongly believe that  the NHS should exist to help all people, regardless of the background of their case, but I have to admit that this one is a bit of a stumbling block for me. Diabetes can be debilitating, but a lot of obese people could work harder to help themselves. I’m not in the fat-shaming game here, and I love the surge in general body-acceptance that has come over the last few years, but acceptance of yourself should not be an excuse for laziness and I do think that sometimes the availability of a so-called “easy way out” like surgery just perpetuates the issue.

 

Now. I am done with my things, but as you can see, there are two sides to every story and at the moment I’m either torn between them, or on the fence. I’d love any input which people can share as to which way they think I should go – don’t forget to keep it civil though!

Le Tour

Fun, Travel

Just a short one today. Reasons why Yorkshire is great…

So as everyone knows, the Tour de France had its Grand Départ from Leeds this weekend. I was watching coverage on the news this morning and a woman being interviewed was asked why she thought so many people had turned out to watch (it has been one of the most attended Départs ever). Her response made me giggle for two reasons…this is what she said:

It’ll never happen again in our lifetime

Why did it make me giggle, I hear you ask? Well, my reason is that she made that statement having just said how great it was that the Tour was in the UK. However, Wikipedia tells us:

tdf

So here are my two reasons to giggle. Firstly because I think it’s so fantastic that loads of people in Yorkshire (the antithesis of France, I think it’s fair to say) would be so keen to go stand on a hill and watch some madmen on bikes. That positive spirit is one of the reasons I love living in Yorkshire so much.

Secondly because London clearly is not anywhere near as good as the north if people have already forgotten that there has been a UK Grand Départ in their lifetime. Poor effort London.

America may have talent, but apparently they’ve forgotten to practice basic parenting.

Rant

So, Boyfriend is currently watching a re-run of America’s Got Talent, which is a perfectly good way to spend one’s time (if that’s what you’re into).

Then, this girl comes on. She’s called Chloe, she’s 11, and I have so many problems with her it’s unbelievable. If you didn’t come here for a rant today, look away now. Here are the problems I have with this kid.

  1. Her parents.

Ok, that’s basically it because I know that really, the issues aren’t with the child. Let me start a new list. Stuff which I hate about this poor child’s parents.

  1. They let their child go on a ridiculous talent show. I don’t mind televised talent shows as a rule, and some great acts have emerged from them, but in general they are not a positive experience for the people involved – they are stressful, expose people to the mob attitude of the viewing public, and they are often complete dead-ends. I don’t think children should be allowed on them.
  2. They let their child sing on a talent show. She’s 11. Her voice may change as she matures. Whatever career she may get out of this (which will probably be none, see above) could be completely destroyed when she hits puberty. Get her singing lessons, not a national platform.
  3. They have raised a child who at 11 years old is saying that when she wins the ridiculous talent show, she’ll spend the money on hunting gear.

I mean, 3 is where I really lost it. REALLY AMERICA. You’re really ok with televising an 11 year old explaining how into big-game hunting she is. Do you have absolutely no morals? That’s an ELEVEN YEAR OLD talking about how great KILLING is. Remember all those problems you have with killing. MAYBE THIS IS WHY. I mean, feel free to tell me I’m wrong, but I just think you shouldn’t educate your children to think that hunting is a fun hobby, and if you come across a child who has been educated in that way, they shouldn’t be put on TV. They should be taken away from their parents, because these people are clearly incapable of raising a child in a safe and appropriate environment.

 

Songs from Musicals

Music

Have I written about this before? Probably.

These are my favourite songs from musicals and musical-like events (ie, opera might get a look-in)

Still Hurting – The Last 5 Years
Don’t know what it is about this song. I’ve never had anything to do with the show, but it’s just one of my all-time favourite numbers.

I’d give it all for you – Songs for a New World
I have loved this song for years, but it was only recently that I saw the show performed and discovered that this is where it’s from. Learn something new every day.

That’s why they call him Dandy – Bugsy Malone
If you’ve never heard of this one it’s because it was not included in the film, which is a crying shame because it’s a hilarious song. Perfect for the character of Dandy Dan.

Anything Goes – Anything Goes
I danced to this. And that is a thing I am actually proud of. I also sang, and trust me when I say that singing this song while dancing is no mean feat.

Class – Chicago
Never has a song been filled with such sass.

My eyes are fully open to my awful situation – Ruddigore
Everyone loves a good patter song, and there is no better than this one. I have never seen it performed in a way that didn’t leave me in stitches.

As long as he needs me – Oliver!
This is one of my all-time favourites. It’s a stunning show in general, the construction of the story is just flawless in my eyes, and Nancy is an amazing character.

Feminism.

Life, Rant

I think this post has been a while coming. Feminism in itself seems to be having a bit of a surge of late, and I’m often asked what I think of certain things anyway, people presuming me to be a feminist (why? I have no idea).

So fine, world, here are my views.

I’ve recently seen two things which have reinforced the sentiment I hold that modern feminism is killing equality and female independence. The idea that feminists aren’t speaking for women in general isn’t a new one, but lately it seems that every time someone mentions something which could be anti-feminist, up pops a would-be Germaine Greer with views, and then they are directly followed by a host of people either applauding their strong feminist ideals, or calling them out on the exact same thing. If I was to get involved, which I don’t, I think I’d mostly be on the second team, and here is why.

A lot of people have been passing around this video, which is an advert for Always.

Now , I stand  by the message of the video completely, and I think it’s an excellent way of getting that message across. The fact that it has gone viral says it all about the quality of the statement. The thing I have an issue with is the very last line, which I think completely decimates everything the video is trying to achieve. Feminism should be about equality, and destroying a phrase which positions a girl as weak and a valid insult, is great. So why, oh God why, must they end it by saying

Why can’t “run like a girl” also mean “win the race”?

Oh I see what you did there Always. You took a great statement about equality, and at the last minute you snatched it away to replace it with “run like a girl” = the winner. So presumably then “run like a boy” (being the opposite) now = loser. So what you’re doing is falling into the trap of militant feminism which is essentially just female dominance, and has no relationship with equality at all.

I know I’m taking it a little far, and I know that’s not how the final phrase was meant, but I really stand by my argument that this is not feminism at its best at all. Enter my next gripe – this article which popped up on my Facebook news feed today.  The URL reads “can a feminist be a bride”. On seeing that, I had only one thought in mind. Yes. A feminist can be exactly what she wants to be, that’s literally the whole point. Apparently, however, Laura Bates felt she ran into more trouble than that.

I have innumerate issues with the article, but it boils down to the point I’ve just made. Feminism has worked hard over the last century to get one thing – equal rights for women. So if you want to propose to your boyfriend, do it. It’s your right. If he says yes, then great. If he has a problem with you proposing, you need to address that before you decide to marry the guy. Obvious, no? “But Sally, what about when people ask him how he did it?”…Are you serious? Just tell them. We live in a modern world where no-one should be surprised by independent women doing whatever they want.

Similarly, you may feel somewhat bullied and diminished by signs in bridal shops talking about sizing et cetera, but if you do, it’s because you’re letting yourself feel that way. I personally hold the view that everyone should strive for general fitness, and that often means getting thinner. If you’re happy to not do that, then go you, but I understand why current beauty standards hold us to be thin, and I support them to some extent because for many people, thinner means healthier. So don’t be surprised if you are asked how much weight you plan on losing for your wedding – it’s something wedding dress shops deal with all the time, and it’s a relevant question. Similarly, signs making it clear that extra adjustments will be costly are not “bullying” they are “necessary”. That work costs money, and to be honest it’s probably mostly women who enter the store as a raging “I won’t change for anybody” feminist who need these adjustments most, when they decide a month before the wedding that there is a person they’d change for, and it’s them-self.

Finally, and I think this encompasses all of the other aspects of the article, yes, historically a lot of wedding traditions are a bit patriarchal and antiquated. Know what, I’m probably going to do a bunch of them anyway, because I like them, and I like the all-round wedding image. And anything I do, I’ll do with the consent and support of my fiancee, and I won’t do anything that he’s not keen on. That will result in the perfect wedding – an equal one, where if someone asks why I went along with a “non-feminist” tradition, I can say “because WE wanted to” and where he can say the same if he’s challenged about something.

The key take-away from this long ramble on my part is that in the face of a new, and more equal world (though not entirely equal, and we should still fight for equality on all levels), so-called feminists are absolutely not speaking for the majority of women any more, because the majority of woman are now making informed, independent and personal decisions about  their lives. There are still a host of causes to support, and I hope that in future people will learn to focus on them, rather than imposing their views on others. That’s happened before, and we all know how well it goes…

Cats and Genocide

Life

I’ve had a rather mixed day. On the one hand, I went into town and scored these AMAZING leggings (even though I wouldn’t call myself a legging person, but they are comfy for in the house, so…) for only £5. They would be perfect if I wasn’t a bit anti-cat…

I’M SORRY INTERNET, LEAVE ME BE.
catlegs cats

Having bought the cat leggings, I then proceeded (as is only natural) to come home and watch Hotel Rwanda.

Now, I try to keep up with documentaries or historical dramatisations because I am a firm believer in the adage that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. However, having cried for a solid half-hour following the end of Schindler’s List, I’ve steered clear of Hotel Rwanda for fear of having the same reaction.

I’d read about the Rwandan Genocide, but the cinematography of Hotel Rwanda really brings the events to life, and Don Cheadle is amazing. I’ve never particularly paid attention enough to  judge him either way as a good or bad actor, but Hotel Rwanda is an absolute masterclass. The history of events is enough to get a sensitive humanitarian heart going, but the individual story of Paul Rusesabagina is absolutely touching, and inspirational to a wider global community who essentially turned their backs on the Rwandan people.

As a collective, we’re becoming more aware of humanitarian crisis globally, but there are still so many situations which are skirting under the radar. In the “Western World” (I use the term loosely, don’t get academic on me) most people would rightly cite the Holocaust as the most important humanitarian crisis of the modern era. I’m not suggesting that’s wrong, because if we’re going by numbers, they speak for themselves. However, rather than settling ourselves to the fact that the Nazis have been defeated and everything is sparkling and nice, we should be turning our attention to areas like Western Sahara – currently the location of a very real humanitarian crisis which is going largely ignored…much as the Rwandan Genocide was in 1994.

Dream Diary

Fun

Last night my dream went thusly.

So I’m with my friend M, in a world shared between humans and evil human-killing robots which look something like this:

evil robot

I believe there was more preamble than that, but I don’t remember. Anywho, so the evil robots are taking over, and M has fallen down a cliff, and then I pretended to be dead so the robots would ignore me because apparently if they zap you with their laser eyes, you become one of them (go figure).

Moving onwards, the playing dead thing seemed to work, because the next thing that happened is that I was found by a group of mostly old ladies, and taken to their cabin. We became a kind of survival gang, including Vance (where did I get that name, I have literally no idea) the friendly and not evil robot. Except that after a while the evil robots come, and the cabin is somehow under water because dreams, and it turns out that Vance lead them to us. So I beat him up. Which was made easier when his metal face suddenly turned into a paper pumpkin.

All this drama should be enough for one person, but not me. Having beaten Vance up, James Marsden (the actor, who always plays the guy-you-think-is-ok-but-then-he’s-the-baddy/a-bit-of-a-div) turns up and informs me that I’ve completed summer camp. Yay! Wait, someone sent me to a summer camp where robots fake-kill all the people around you? Not cool.

However, he did let me go back to the cabin and get the tiny bunny which I’d found some time earlier, so that’s great.

Whatever I am doing before bed probably needs to stop if this is what my imagination gets up to.

Views

Food, Language, Life

In an exciting turn of events, my blog views appear to have gone up. I’m not sure how I feel about the idea of someone actually reading this funny stream of consciousness I call a website, since that hasn’t happened since I lived in Morocco (such a long time ago now). Thanks, anyway.

Mostly this blog is about general views I have, so I wanted to share some of my experience of earlier today, and some of my views which were shattered (somewhat). I took a group of Leeds University Spanish Department (as was) alumni on a tour. This year marks 50 years since they graduated, and 50 years since the department moved into the current building. It was a fantastic and absolutely fascinating experience.

Firstly, I had some preconceptions about the gentlemen which were all proved completely false. It was a mistake to think that they would be “elderly” in the stereotypical sense – they were all very sprightly and incredibly chatty. I don’t really know why I ever expected otherwise, given that my grandparents continue to be some of the most energetic people I know, despite their age. They give the truest meaning to the saying that “age is just a number”, and these gentlemen were no different.

I also had the view that they would be nostalgic for the Leeds which they had experienced, but I was totally off the mark here as well. They all have contributed towards the university for years, and were so eager to see the improvements and innovations, as well as having lengthy discussions with me about my BA course, my MA and what I thought of language teaching practices and standards (I held off ranting about the current state of education in Britain, you’ll be glad to know).

In short, I had a fascinating time, feel like I know much more about my department now, and I hope I can be here in 2018 when they’d like to return and celebrate the centenary of the department. What a great idea!