As I've already mentioned, life got a bit complicated there for a while. Which is tricky enough generally, but since I am half way through my PhD, the timing was particularly sucky. Add in my ongoing issues with self-doubt and procrastination and the mix is not very positive.
But I'm working on it.
In so many ways.
Wednesday 28 April 2010
Friday 23 April 2010
So close and yet so far
Don't you jsut hate it when people that you otherwise have a lot of hope for get something so right and yet so very wrong at the same time?
My case in point for today is Nick Clegg and one particular statement from his otherwise respectable performance in last night's debate. To wit, his accusation that David Cameron is working with 'nutters, anti-Semites, people who deny climate change exists, homophobes' in Europe. It made my heart glad to hear Cameron called out over his alliances with homophobic bigots (amongst the many other questionable, if not outright disgusting alliances), but did Clegg really have to use the word 'nutter' like that? Could he not have found another word rather than thoughtlessly (hopefully) using words that people with mental health problems are punished with every day? Did he intend to conflate people with mental health problems with these unpleasant groups?
According to Beatrice Bray writing in the Guardian's Comment is Free, 'All three [party leaders] have signed a compact, drafted by the all-party parliamentary mental health group on the use of language', specifically about the thoughtless, inaccurate and pejorative use of language related to mental health.
Perhaps Nick Clegg should go back and review his copy.
My case in point for today is Nick Clegg and one particular statement from his otherwise respectable performance in last night's debate. To wit, his accusation that David Cameron is working with 'nutters, anti-Semites, people who deny climate change exists, homophobes' in Europe. It made my heart glad to hear Cameron called out over his alliances with homophobic bigots (amongst the many other questionable, if not outright disgusting alliances), but did Clegg really have to use the word 'nutter' like that? Could he not have found another word rather than thoughtlessly (hopefully) using words that people with mental health problems are punished with every day? Did he intend to conflate people with mental health problems with these unpleasant groups?
According to Beatrice Bray writing in the Guardian's Comment is Free, 'All three [party leaders] have signed a compact, drafted by the all-party parliamentary mental health group on the use of language', specifically about the thoughtless, inaccurate and pejorative use of language related to mental health.
Perhaps Nick Clegg should go back and review his copy.
Wednesday 21 April 2010
Closer to Fine
You know how there are times in life when you can see just how precariously everything is balanced in your life and just how fragile it all is really?
Well, that's where I have been over the last couple of months. And it has been hard. Some of it I want to blog about in more detail, but need to check it out with others first, but for now I want to capture the feeling of resurgence and hope that I am currently filled with. Whilst nothing is fixed or sorted, I am nonetheless 'Closer to Fine' and that feels like a pretty damn good place to be.
There have been some tough times in the past, the kind that seems to generate lots of questions about just how I am managing to cope (and I have no doubt there will be many, many more such times in the future). In response, I keep coming back to the Indigo Girls track of the title and particularly the lines 'The best thing you ever done for me/ was to help me take my life less seriously./ It's only life after all'. Getting to that point in life where the worst has happened and you have survived anyway can be so incredibly freeing.
And that is definitely something to be revelled in.
So I want to share the joy of one of my favourite songs by one of my very favourite bands and because this is my blog and I can, I give you the Indigo Girls and 'Closer to Fine':
Well, that's where I have been over the last couple of months. And it has been hard. Some of it I want to blog about in more detail, but need to check it out with others first, but for now I want to capture the feeling of resurgence and hope that I am currently filled with. Whilst nothing is fixed or sorted, I am nonetheless 'Closer to Fine' and that feels like a pretty damn good place to be.
There have been some tough times in the past, the kind that seems to generate lots of questions about just how I am managing to cope (and I have no doubt there will be many, many more such times in the future). In response, I keep coming back to the Indigo Girls track of the title and particularly the lines 'The best thing you ever done for me/ was to help me take my life less seriously./ It's only life after all'. Getting to that point in life where the worst has happened and you have survived anyway can be so incredibly freeing.
And that is definitely something to be revelled in.
So I want to share the joy of one of my favourite songs by one of my very favourite bands and because this is my blog and I can, I give you the Indigo Girls and 'Closer to Fine':
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