Belated Catty Friday: 2

Apparently the heat is getting to the cats a little bit, too, as they're coming up with interesting ways to stay cool, as you can see...

Stupidly cute.

Glowing

This weather does not bring out the ladylike in me. Well, superficially, I may fool you into thinking that - skirts ahoy (I do not do the shorts thing unless playing footie or at the gym - and trust me, you're grateful for that), dresses, strappy sandals.

Except right now I am sweating like a pig and sitting in the most unladylike of positions to minimise any contact my flesh may have with another part of me.

At least it's working. Sort of. And summer IS definitely here now, even if my earlier proclamations may have been a tad premature.

ps forgot to mention that cannot shower at the mo because our shower has no cold water. Just scorching hot stuff, so I smell particularly sweet, too.

Resolved in May

1. Dunzo! albeit a bit late
2. 28.6%. Higher than last month, but given the debauchery of senior week, trips to the Hamptons et al., I'm not feeling too bad about it. Particularly as, thus far, I'm eating a bit better and doing more gym stuff, just to escape bar study.
3. Big nights out include the clubbing experience (ahem) from the Hamptons, and also during Senior Week. Yay!
4. Classic movies - well, the Charlie Chaplin movie - City Lights - was during May, so that sort of counts. That's about it, but I did finally see Juno on the plane back from London, which was a lot of fun. Going to see Sex and the City tonight - does that count?
   
5. Still reading Crime & Punishment, in theory, but I think I may abandon that for lighter reading during the bar. Such as Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro, which I was supposed to read for book club months ago, and have just started, and also any Alain de Botton I can get my hands on. So "classic" may have to take a backseat for now. I can't take it. Don't hold it against me! (same goes for serious classic movies, too).
6. Had some flowers a couple of weeks ago, that TOH kindly brought me, but have been neglecting this part of my life. Dammit! Will purchase this weekend and make use of a purloined vase or two.
7. Cooking - well, this week I've been cooking for myself and experimenting with variations on vegetables with spicy sausage or chicken - do I add white wine, do I add stock, which herbs do I use? No real conclusions other than there is a reason why I follow recipes: because I have no culinary imagination whatsoever.
8. Cultural? Please. Actually, I did go to an excellent and hilarious staged reading of The Physicists, directed by my dear friend for her theatre ensemble, and it was great. It's about three madmen in a sanitarium, one of whom thinks he's Einstein, another thinks he's Newton, and the other is himself, but mad - Solomon appears to him and asks him to dictate his rules of nature. The subject matter naturally appealed to me - there is an underlying theme of the danger of the misuse of science, and how to use a scientific power for good - but the best part was, in my opinion, the delivery. Somehow the staged reading was funnier for the lack of props, the knowing reading of the stage directions. It made it more absurd, and funnier. Although the Swedish gentleman who had been expecting a production of Ibsen didn't seem too happy about the whole thing.

DUNZO for May. Don't expect much interesting in terms of blogging or my life for the next couple of months...

Limited

A follow up to this: made myself angry this morning, as I knew I would, by finally listening to the Woman's Hour podcast on reducing the abortion time limits. Nadine Dorries again arguing for reduction of the upper limits, whereas the gynaecologists and obstetricians - the medical professionals who have studied the science - are arguing against it. To reiterate: the scientists, the trained professionals on one side; and a woman who argues "I believe" constantly, not the science folks. Unsurprising, but always worth noting that science not on her side.

NOTE: I realise I did not explain this fully, because I had been expecting to link to the article on the Woman's Hour website, but I couldn't find it. Essentially, the issue I have with Dorries here is that she was arguing for the science, the medicine, the psychological studies, yet she could not find an obstetrician to argue on her side, whereas every official body argues in fact against her. It wasn't about "saving the innocent babies" but about science - and she's wrong. Again.

The Joys of Privilege

PS: (I know, it's at the beginning, so more of a pre-script, but still...) A small disclaimer: I wrote this post in direct response to fairly raw and fresh anger, and this may well not be the experience of many folks out there. It's more about my reaction and learning... so not a generalization. Well, you'll see.

ORIGINAL POST:

This weekend was spent with booze, cards, friends, barbecues and mucho dancing in the Hamptons. I met lots of new people and generally had a bonza time.

The Hamptons, however... not so impressed. We were going there as a privileged group, all highly educated people, professionals - doctors, bankers, lawyers. Ugh, that makes us sound horrible. Anyway, we're experiencing this privileged lifestyle, but then last night, trying to go out dancing, something occurred which left me with a deeply unpleasant taste in my mouth and made me again realise how fragile that privilege is. It was one of those awakening moments, where one genuinely learns something new, experiences what it's like to walk in another's shoes. We decided to try a club for dancing, and our first attempt was unsuccessful, as the place was only taking those with reservations. It didn't look that great, but it was annoying, as we had to get in another cab. Still, no worries - we'd go to the place a group had gone to the night before.

And that is where the bad thing happened. We did not have a reservation, 'tis true. We were a very big group, that cannot be denied. Still, while members of our group were... discussing the merits of our case with the bouncers, groups of people walked past, strolled in. And there was something clearly distinguishing us from them - lack of white denim, we came by cab, not needing valet... but, mostly, in a group of about 25, there were 2 white folks and everyone else not. Whereas everyone who sauntered in past us was white (other than two extraordinarily beautiful, tall skinny black girls).

It seemed so obviously racially motivated that it was utterly ridiculous last night, and reflecting on it today, it just seems surreal. Now, as I say, maybe it was because we really didn't have a reservation, but that wasn't a problem for the other people, many of whom didn't even seem to be asked about it. It may have been that we were a very large group but, then, well over our number walked in just while we were there. Or, it may have been about race in that not many people of colour live in Southampton, and that would explain why 99% of those who went there were white. The is also no other way to say Eff You than spend a fortune in there, to show you're good enough and you have the cash, but giving them money was the last thing I or any others wanted to do.

Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. But this sort of slight happens often enough to the people who were there that it almost doesn't matter - it's just one more thing in a long line of insults and exclusion. It was a horrible window into a world about which I don't have a clue, just glimpses. It's not just the discrimination, the lack of being able to do exactly what you want to do wherever you want to do it, but the suspicion, the mistrust. And so, a reminder of the privilege I experience by just not having to think about these things on a daily basis.