Sunday 24 May 2015

Well that was a surprise. Well done Ireland.

Today brought the momentous result that the citizens of the Republic of Ireland had voted to change their constitution to accept equal marriage. This from a country that only repealed laws making homosexual acts illegal two decades ago.

What an amazing day, where people have shown their compassion, understanding and support for the principles of equality.

Sadly there are still many countries in the world where marriage rights are not equal, and indeed where members of the LGBT community are persecuted.

What change society is able to embrace. It's frankly astounding. This is the first time the population of any country have specifically voted for such a law change in a referendum.

The other sad thing is that the motivation and energy behind the objections come from religious groups. Such a shame that some people are so busy highlighting the bits of their favoured religious texts that indicate what people should or shouldn't be able to do in the name of love, but ignore all the bits that say about getting on with other people, living a life of love and understanding. Not judging other people. You know all that sort of stuff that you really throw out the window the moment you start pointing at anyone and undermining the validity of their love.

It's all about love guys and girls. Everything, it's all about love. When we have it we are driven by it, saved by it. When we don't have it, we are driven to find it. I don't just mean the love of another person, I mean the love of the complex but amazing world we live in. Loving the depth of human feeling and the ability to share, grow, care and hope. Loving the rain. Loving the sun.

There's plenty to love about the world that surrounds us, plenty to love about the people that we meet. If you're not able to find the joy in everything, you won't be able to find it in anything.

Well done Ireland. Well done.

Thursday 14 May 2015

Remember me ?






It's been HOW long since I last made a post on my blog ? 

You'd be forgiven for thinking that I'd forgotten it existed. I hadn't so much forgotten it, just completely gotten out of the habit of using it. At all.
Simon Sansbury's photo.

I guess I could say that the only thing consistent about my blogging, is that I'm inconsistent about it. My approach does not follow any set structure or schedule. I've not made (or if I've made, I've never been able to keep) a promise to make an entry every day, or week etc.

This hasn't happened. I never even managed to do this back in my teenage years when I wrote seemingly without restraint into my diary.
There was cake. Thank the universe for cake. 

This is not to say that this is not a habit that I should foster. Perhaps it would be a good idea to do so.

In the (considerable) time that has passed since I last made an entry many, many things have happened.

I guess I could try to list them. I'm going to fail, because there's bound to be a ton of things that I've left out. Any omission is not an indication of irrelevance, merely a demonstration of my failing memory and the amount of time that has passed since the last post.

SOME things that have happened (in no particular order) .....

I bought a new Chromebook.












Image result for rainbow flagMy daughter came out to me that she has been going out with her friend for several months. I am very proud that she had been able to tell me this. It did not come as a surprise, which I think she was surprised about. Although my daughter's Mother and I had been concerned for some time about her sneaking out at unreasonable times of the night, we had realised that she was spending an ever increasing amount of time with a particular friend, and that they probably were more than just friends. We'd had  a really lovely conversation about how her friends and been very supportive, how there are still some reactions from some people that aren't positive (despite the massive changes in our society since I came out in the late 1980s). A side effect of this joyous occasion was that it reopened wound in my relationship with my parents about their reaction to my coming out, and how I felt they did not support me at all when I really needed them. Like I said to my mother, I am very pleased for and proud of my daughter, and it's about her. It's her day.

I've battled on with some frustrations with work. I'm constantly going on about how much it's not like it used to be, and that I don't like it anymore. Well that journey has continued. It's carried on getting worse, and I've stayed there to witness and partake of it. I have to learn to either shut up, or remove myself from the constant misery. As they say... If every day it's getting worse.. then each day you see me having the worst day of my life. I should be (and am) grateful however, I have a reasonably well paid, secure job. Much more than lots of others have. I may well be in wage jail, but in reality, I do have the keys to the cell. The power to escape. Keeps me off the streets I guess.

There's other things that have happened, but these are the main things that stick in my mind. I have plenty to say about the general election last week. Sorry to tease you, but I'm going to leave that for another entry. I bet you can't wait.

Along with the stresses of work, I've found myself in a rut over the last few months. I have noticed however some things that help me feel better.

Getting off my arse and actually doing some writing - even if it is the blog. I've tried and tried and tried to create places or times at which I am more likely to write. The truth is, that I have learnt that although there are some things that I can do that will increase the chance of me being creative.. there's no substitute for actually sitting down, opening the computer, or pad and ... er.... just typing (or writing) one word after the other into sentences.

I've taken to going for walks. Not really with any regularity, but with some moderate length. Not sure how you would categorise the length of a walk. I'd think that's purely subjective really. One man's long walk is another's gentle stroll. I've walked either from or to work several times now. It's getting much easier as the weather improves.

On Sunday, I walked into Cosham to put some bottles into the bottle bank. They were cluttering up the worktop in the kitchen. After doing my bit to recycle some glass, I figured that I fancied a bit more fresh air so walked further.. and further and further. Ended up in Gunwharf. I think I ended up walking about six miles in the end. Felt good for it.

There was cake. Thank the universe for cake.
I'm liking the walking. Gets me out of the flat, where I'm too tempted to do one or either both of two things.. sit in front of the computer or TV or eat when I don't need to. Obviously they're not that good for my health. I like the fresh air, the contemplation time.

Today (well, actually yestarday now) is my day off. I arranged to meet up with Helen for lunch. Despite a slight overlseep I managed to meet her for lunch. We went to the Trafalgar in Portsmouth and had some nice lunch and a drink. Only the one alocholic drink mind. There was also cake.

After this, I went for another walk, diverting through Fox's Forrest. Did a little circuit. Lovely sunny day, birds singing. People out walking their dogs.

Fox's Forrest. Birdsong, dog walkers. Quiet contemplation. Fresh air. What more can a guy ask for ? 


Nice spot near Whale Island on my Cosham - Gunwharf stroll
Sunday's walk from Cosham to Gunwharf nearing the impromptu destination.