viva la difference?????

Sometimes I recognise, only occasionally mind you, that someone says something better than I can (in academic circles it's called 'quoting', but really it's an underhand and lazy way of getting to wordcount and still 'sound good'), so with that in mind I would like you all (12 followers now - hitting the bigtime, but I need help with this so please share and spread the word) to read the following as I believe it affects us all and it's something that we, as adults, should be very aware of. It comes from a column written by Erica Wagner in The Times Saturday Review on 16 July 2011:
On the one side it's impossible for little girls to escape the sexualised images of womanhood that are presented to them day and night; on the other, boys lag behind girls in reading skills and age and are equally limited by the macho culture that's meant to define them... So here's a little poem, for your summer entertainment. I learnt it decades ago when I heard Dick Cavett recite it, in his wry, dry tones, on a wonderful album, 'Free To Be You And Me'. Look it up-and in the meantine here goes:

My dog is a plumber. He must be a boy;
although I must tell you his favourite toy
is a little play stove with pans and with pots;
he really must like it, he plays with it lots.
So perhaps he's a girl, which kind of makes sense,
since he can't throw a ball and he can't climb a fence.
But neither can Dad, and I know he's a man:
and Mom is a woman, and she drives a van.
perhaps the problem is in trying to tell
just what someone is by what he does well.

You see, well I hope you do, this makes sense to me. I've got five kids, six grandchildren and another on the way, and I've been as guilty as the next person. These types of issues are much more important in the long run than the credit crunch, or wars, or anything else; because if we address these types of problems, we will make the world a much better, much more tolerant, and much wiser place - so then, just maybe, all the other shit may not happen quite as much! Worth  a try I think.

Well off to seaside with my two beautiful grandaughters (Morecambe would you believe?) to play with their dollies in the sand whilst the women get the picnic ready, and us men look all macho diggind holes and building sandcastles! 'Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.........

a poem 'Simply Manchester' by Ray Eckersley

SIMPLY MANCHESTER

You’ve gotta be born here

to know the difference.

Some come and stay and get it

then they show some deference.

They are very welcome.

But please don’t come and not try

cos it don’t work like that.

The place’ll just make you cry.

The shit’ll get in your eye

and you’ll just wonder why.

But you’re welcome to fuck off.

It’s changed since Fred and Karl,

no more street urchins.

Just drunks beggin on the street

And multi coloured fuckin bins!

What’s all that about?

Like anywhere really.

But that’s not the point.

It all started here

and we know it and wear it like a badge.

Shame and pride – that’s clear.

And we know we’re up our own,

before you tell us.

So don’t bother.

Just get on a bus

cos you’re welcome to fuck off

We’ve got it all really.

Socialism, tribalism, egotism.

Some good stuff to look at,

some very clever sods.

Even a man who drew a matchstalk cat

and made a mint – cool that.

We’ve got lots of proletariat.

But not much bourgeoisie,

that’s all in London that.

But I don’t care, me.

Two cities within a city.

Someone told me once

I’d lost my perspicacity.

But I love this place

with all its severe duplicity.

I never want leave

so I’ll join its complicity,

contest its veracity.

We’ll make you feel shitty

 with a bit of nitty-gritty,

living in this inner-city.

And if it’s not for you

take the Inter-City.

And you’re welcome to fuck off.

We built some docks

and a big fuck off canal.

A big fuck off airport

and we sang L’Internationale

which Unites the human race

We tried to get Paine back to our city

and give him is due space.

They told us to fuck off.

They didn’t like it up the East Lancs Road.

Them with their slavery,

their elemental spivvery,

habitual thievery and skullduggary.

But we get their big á la mode.

Just a different postcode

We’d be welcome to fuck off.

Congestion charge my arse.

Don’t copy London Town.

Let’s get really radical,

stop acting the fuckin clown.

Let’s get a Mayor – I’ll do it

Put up the tax

and stop the axe.

Declare unilateral independence,

create some discordance,

some disturbance,

some dissidence.

Revel in our arrogance.

You’re welcome to fuck off.

Our Cities are organic:

we’ll grow and get better.

You can come with us if you want

be an aid and abetter.

Fuck the Magna Carta

and the godbotherers’Stigmata.

Cos united we’ll stand,

divided we’re fucked.

Give me your hand

in this promised land

So you’re welcome to fuck off.

But you really are very very welcome to stay.

on a roll

WOW - eight members now - this thing is rolling baby - today, eight... tomorrow a million?More feckin DIY today but I won't bore you with it except to say I'm just waiting to hear the crash of the newly glued mirrors to our wardrobe doors - silence so far is feckin golden.
Just been struck by a Facebook post wishing it was Thursday and how we all wish large parts of our life away - just let me say there is some poor sod lying on a slab somewhere that wishes it was just Tuesday for her/him - get a grip and enjoy everyday, the best you can, because one day it will be your feckin last.
Sorry for lapsing into the venacular occasionally - believe me I am trying to calm it down, but it's feckin hard (the Irish version, 'feckin', doesn't feel like swearing so I feel better - cool eh?) because I do like to swear as an expression of myself - and besides, unlike bullets, swear words never killed anyone.
Great joke came to me about Robert Murdoch being touched by messages left on Amy Winehouse phone - I know it's sad but I do like 'sick' jokes - and that's a cracker!
I am currently reading Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook, and it's brilliant - not too easy to read, but not bad - she mixes forms and switches narrative voice without the reader noticing sometimes - very special - and her messages are wonderful and timeless, with depth and consciousness. James Frey's The Final Testament of the Holy Bible is a must read for eveybody - just finished it and I think it's one of the best books I've ever read.
Please share/spread/prompt the word about my blog because I need to get on the 'monetising' bandwagon (if they advertise on your blog they pay you but I need a few more than 'eight') - I know, I know, it's against my socialist priciples to engage in this corruption, but hey, don't blame the player, blame the feckin game!!

DIY

Now don't go away!

I've been DIYing today and there is something therapeutic about it - it takes ones mind off things that are shit but I'm sure they happen to everybody. I've been putting up shelves whilst watching/listening to the test match and enjoyed it.
Tomorrow, well today actually, I'm going to glue some mirrors to some doors (hopefully) and, probably, blow my f**king head off whilst trying to put up and connect a ceiling fan/light fitting, so this might be my last blog - someones gotta do it.
Just seen the leader of English Defence League (EDL) on Newsnight - if, and it's a big if I grant you, he is representative of mainstream thought (AKA bigotry) in this country, or even wider afield, then we are all in it up to our necks. Multi-culturalism is a fact of life and one that enriches us all - end of! Gordon Brown was right, that woman WAS a bigot, and sadly it seems, there are quite a few.
I met a married couple recently at my daughters wedding in Felixstowe (a great and proud occasion for me, but more of that another time) whilst queuing for the buffet. They couldn't wait to tell me (why, I have no idea, but it was worrying to me that maybe I looked like a racist sympathiser - does anyone know what 'they' look like?) how everything wrong with this country was down to immigrants - this happened within seconds of our first words together - amazing. However, I told them they were wrong and immigrants to this country enriched us, and as far as I was concerned, they were all welcome, because we have lots of room still, and loads of money. Needless to say, they were shocked by my response, and before they could retort I told them that they should stay in the south because their sort wouldn't be welcome in the enlightened north. That did the trick, they shut the f**k up with an embarrassed look on their faces. They clearly were deluded enough to think that everyone, including perfect strangers, thought the way they did - racist arrogance or what?

The point is that, whenever we are faced with racism of any sort (and for that matter, sexism, ageism, or any other bloody 'ism' - oh and homophobia too) we should try to challenge it the best we can - and I know that's not easy because confrontation is not nice - and as we all know it's nice to be nice!! But please do your best.

strange day

Welcome to second day in blogdom. It's been a bit strange because it felt like almost like an old fashioned Sunday, which were cool - without the god bit of course. Hung our new electric fire to the wall in our new flat whilst trying to watch the test match (two great cricket teams slogging it out at the home of cricket, with England coming out on top - cricket is the only sport I get really nationalistic about). I hope our spending is over now and she has everything she wants - sexist? me? - if you know me you know I aint in anyway.

Thoughts can't get far away from the Norway massacre and the kids starving in Africa - when juxtaposed with the hacking/blagging scandal, it makes the whole world seem proper screwed. And then Amy Winehouse dies and I thought what a waste, what stupidity, and what a shame for her parents and family. It made me realise that WE, the people, need to rethink things. Democracy as we know it isn't working, ANYWHERE.

Took at look at my BAhons degree certificate today (had it since Thursday) and realised what I'd done, but more importantly, what we all should try to do - EDUCATE ourselves, even if it is against all the odds, then maybe, just maybe, the human race might just change a little for the better. BUT, and there is always a cynical 'but', our sun will burn itself out in round about 5 billion years, and thus, it won't matter what any of us do. Sorry about that and I promise not to leave every blog on such a downer (even tho it is quite funny).

First blog

This is my first blog, so be patient. Blogs will be about anything and everything. The last few days have been a bit hectic personally, as I graduated with a 1st in English and Creative Writing, from University of Salford, so thank you for all good wishes and presents. The world is currently going crazy - Norway, the Murdochs, Amy, and of course countless kids starving to death in Africa - are we getting used to this crap... I wonder... do you think we should be doing something about it? I DO.
Short one for first attempt and not much ranting but be warned it's coming soon in a 'blog near you'.