Trying out a newsletter

Of late I've heard dark rumblings about Substack being funded by Nazi-sympathisers, and its algorithm being loaded towards white supremacy and whatnot. I don't know about that but I do know that I want to distance myself from that sort of drama - though Amanda points out that Ghost.io did a Dyson-esque flit to Singapore to lower their tax bill. I still leave public toilets with dripping hands rather than use an Airblade. Nothing is pure however, I know that.

My tiny contribution to Substack wasn't getting any traction at all, and its Notes function has become yet another dopamine addiction-fuelling, doomscrolling mechanism. Time to find something new, and at the same time retreat into the comforting cocoon of my own little blog, now available in Newsletter form. Two birds; one stone and it scratches that LBT - Low Boredom Threshold - itch for the time being, at least. Let me know what you think of the Newsletter format, would you?

Yes, it's a while since I wrote anything remotely personal. I've been ensconced in committee reports and daily workings of the Samaritans branch and working on the Bromley Common and Holwood ward by-election, which Reform won. 🤮

I've had my birthday and I'm now 60. I'm going to call myself to account on the pledges I made last year. As it happens, I've only actually completed 2 and two bits of the pledges I made.

Horse

I rode a horse for the first time ever on my birthday. I loved it, though I think Brandy was pretty bored the whole time. I even managed a rising trot a few times. Will do again.

Lose the weight

I have lost the weight, yes. I'm actually quite happy with how I look now but apparently The Medical Profession believes that "healthy" for people from a visible ethnic minority is two BMI points lower than "healthy" for white people, which I have almost achieved. Yet another way in which we have to be better than white people to be considered seriously. Yes, we know that BMI can be varying degrees of bollox, especially for under-tall but muscular people like me, and goodness knows how gaunt I'll look if I ever reach 23, not to mention all those extra new clothes, but we'll see.

Take out the trash.

I have started to declutter physically and mentally. It's still difficult for me to ditch the unworn big little shorts I bought at the full extent of my expansiveness last year. I can't quite believe that I won't see that size again. I'll give it a year.

I've started not to tolerate idiocy with such grace. Last year's horrible internet pile-on was an educational experience for me and I've come away from it with more resilience, I think. As long as I've been my best, it's the and not me.

I just block the feckers or indeed, anyone tedious, now. Sadly this means that I've lost a couple of long-standing friends too but friendships are supposed to bring you joy, no, not grief?

LTCL

No, I haven't finally taken this. Sudden new responsibilities of being selected as a Candidate for Beckenham next year and nominated as Branch Director within about six weeks of each other have put paid to most of my free time. I still have my lessons, though, and I've learned a lot this year and become a far better singer, so when I finally do the exam, I hope to do justice to Brahms and Mozart. Can we bounce this to next year? I think we can.

Crochet blanket?

Not a hope. I did pick it up on one cosy autumn afternoon last year and I crocheted a row, but that was it. One day she wil be finished.

Revert to maiden name

I did make some progress with this, actually. I don't think I want to go through the hassle of changing my name by deed poll, especially when I don't need to. I'm able to have an icloud email address in my maiden name now, and I use it on almost all correspondance, much to the bemusement of a surprising amount of people. I had a perfectly acceptable name. Why did I change it to someone else's name in the first place? It never helped me get a job or even an interview.

You know, in India, a girlchild takes her father's first name as her middle name; when she marries that changes to her husband's name. And, as well as changing her surname, her husband can, traditionally, change her first name too so that overnight she assumes a whole new identity though still being the same person, with no say in the matter. Smash the patriarchy!

So I'm going to wait until I have ot renew my passport and finally have a blue/black UK passport imposed on me (Bollocks to Brexit) and revert to my maiden name then, thereby allowing me to change the legal name on my bank account, which I had for 20-odd years before anyone saw fit to change it.

I did do this, though:

What a thing to do on a whim! With J's help - he did it with me - I've raised over £2,200 for our Samaritans Branch. I have nearly, nearly reached my target - we are 94% funded - so if you can spare a fiver or two, here's the link again.

Getting some fun out of life

We spent the other Sunday afternoon at the house of some formerly-close friends whom we had not seen in about 25 years until other college friends started having their 60th birthday parties. Perhaps it was because they moved to the diametric opposite site of London; perhaps it was because of busy lives and children but somewhere along the we lost contact with them. I vaguely recall a falling out or misunderstanding or crossed wires but no more than that. Anyway we spent a glorious afternoon over a very long and casual lunch in their garden, as D is allergic to dogs followed by a long walk in a local park. Fergus behaved perfectly and was a real ambassador for dogs (except for a little incident with next door's cat) and I think D and F, who both grew up on farms yet don't get the pet thing, were quite taken with him.

This is a real happy ever after couple who obviously still adore each other. They've made a beautiful garden with homegrown fruit and veg. Neighbours form a close community, who swap their produce and, recently, went on holiday together. (The thought!)

We were given green beans, rhubarb and a lettuce plucked straight from the ground to take home with us. There is nothing like freshly-homegrown veg.

It's scarcely believable how most of our friends are now in their sixties, eating healthily, going to the gym, travelling. It made me think of this song.

Getting some fun out of life - Madeleine Peyroux