NEW STATESMAN - INTERESTING READ ON SUBJECTS WHICH MAINSTREAM MEDIA PAINT OVER

Just read a piece in the New Statesman.  I don't usually get it, but picked up a copy before boarding a plane, and found so many of the articles well written, interesting, relevant and on the money.  There was one about a review of a book on how the world is built for men  - Invisible Woman, Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed by Men.(Caroline Perez Chatto &Windus)  Did you know for example, there is still no seat belt which has been designed for a pregnant woman, and that most medicines are only tested on men, despite women often having a completely different reaction. She gave one example of one of her friends dying of a heart attack within a few hours of visiting a GP having been prescribed drugs which lower the blood pressure in men but increase it in women. But women hadn't been tested. There are loads of anecdotes like that.  But the last sentence made me realise how much like Handmaid's Tale we are already.

'As women, we are so used to contorting ourselves to fit into men-shaped spaces, we've learned to ignore how often it hurts.' 

I would add to that. We have been taught by our religions and by our law and our education, that this 'hurt' is love. No wonder we are confused.
 
 Another article is about the author James Kelman, a Booker Prize winner and very anti establishment (which I am too, not because I am anti-establishment per se - just establishment that I learn about). I am sure there are good establishments out there, just that I have never come across one.  He talks about Brexit - as one does.  But his words are so on point, I thought I would quote him.

"So much of British life is based on hierarchy, and that includes things that are essentially existentialist, such as art. It is out of touch with the realities of life. It is divorced from what it means to survive as a human being. British culture doesn't involve itself in the lives of human being, because if it did it would have to admit to hierarchy.

 Brexit is a coup for the establishment.The ruling elite and their diverse loyal orders have sought to exit the EU for years. The free movement of capital and the right to profit are the sole motivation. Laws and statutes that protect the individual hinder the accumulation of wealth (although the elite have always historically found a way round it, as they did in the past, many of them making the laws so they know how to circumnavigate them).  Departments of Human Resources funded by global interest will suffice for what remains of democratic control.   And the last thing Human Resources is interested in is the rights of their employees or the individual.

SHARE WISDOM BUT 'YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID'

I've had an interesting weekend. I like interesting weekends.  This has encouraged me to write this blog.  I had meetings with various people, all for one reason or another, didn't happen. That's fine. I am flexible. Saw my former neighbor Norda Mullen (flutist Moody Blues) with her band (excellent Noris playing guitar) at the Exchange Twickenham - fab venue.   Was going to stay but my other neighbor was also there, who is like the walking death (energetically) and is not good to be around, so I left.
Today, went to a Hiit class and then watched two amazing men fight for charity (juditsu - don't know spelling), which was amazing. Like Women in Love but without the fire and they had clothes on.  Amazing grace and strength and how people use their own strength against them. Life is full of lessons, eh. Writing about the club which is excellent. Although it specializes in martial arts and 'fighting' they are the least aggressive club in the area.
Then interviewed lady called Delilah who I will write about in various titles. I've got a lot in common with her I think and she said a few things to me - one being a) you can't fix stupid (although she said someone else had said that to her - but I liked it - and b) time to get out of the classroom and share. So I'm doing both.
We all channel energies.  We all feel energies. Everyone is becoming increasingly psychic. Some are attuning to it well. Others are just regurgitating stuff they have heard or read.  Those at the moment who are speaking wellness and love and light, are in general, not authentic. If they have a voice (celebrity) they have got it by being ruthless, greedy, selfish and unkind.  They are therefore spouting words they don't understand and don't connect with although they do a good impersonation of it.  They are plausible but not authentic.  This is one reason why I don't like to share in the past on this blog, because I realized others under the guise of giving other people 'a voice' were in fact just taking the voice of others. Their idea wasn't their own, but someone else's - but Delilah said this is fine. They won't see what they've got.  I don't think I've been seen by many of those around me. And the rest I have culled. (not literally but you know what I mean - blocked/shadowed whatever it is called).
I channel my energies and voice when I write and through radio.  I travel, and journey and walk and meet and listen, and immediately 'feel' the emotions of those I am with and around.  I am getting better at not taking their emotions on board. As I teach yoga I have been aware of these emotions. Much like trees we feel and feed and take from each other more on an energetic level than a physical level.  It is unseen, like the roots touching underneath the ground of trees.  Salt baths are allegedly meant to take this away, to cleanse, and the obsession with cleansing has seeped out recently in our political as well as natural world.   Tsunamis and volcanos.  Everything is coming to the surface.  There's still a lot more to come but it is emerging.   People are waking up, especially our young.  Twenty somethings I have hope for, my concern is they have no role models. The ones who are 'role models' are false idols (literally) spouting all the right words but out of alignment. They wouldn't even understand the concept of our of alignment. That is where 'you can't fix stupid' comes in. Those who have succeeded on a material level are those who have succeeded in a structure which roots itself in greed.  Greed has no concept of enough.  Empty vessels make the most noise. So those at the top of their game are greedy and empty. They feed off the rest.  The structure of dead wood props up the other dead wood. Our education system turns live wood into dead wood, which can be shaped and broken. Chipped away at. Bit by bit. But schools are waking up to the fact this is fundamentally wrong. Teachers enter the profession because they are givers. Their energy is one of giving.  Something those out of alignment also don't get. They give but it is not enough. As I said, greed does not understand the concept of enough.
Our education system teaches what to think not how to think - something I am studying in my PhD - and this how to think is important. I'm also studying how the truth is present more in non fiction than it is in fiction. For example, there's more truth in Jeffrey Archer's novels than there are in any autobiography of the people he has met I am sure.  I've realized that a long time ago with my novels.  Even a recent mediation I had with my angry ex husband, which was a blistering affair, (energy like acid rain!) was transformed into a short story which won me a distinction in my Masters. How is that for turning a negative into a win.  Learning how to think needs to be handled well. In the best hands. Because it can easily be turned into what to think again (as religions, politicians, advertisers, even novelists and journalists do). Because when we learn how to think, it makes free spirits of everyone. Free spirits know no fear. None. And when you have no fear, you wake. You become awake to the truth fear is sold as love through the generations, through our religion, through our history books. Fear is celebrated and called courage, or patriotism, or martyrdom, or forgiveness, and sometimes (correctly) called anger, or hatred -  but it is not love. It is fear.  The Beatles almost got it right when they said 'all we need is love'.  Almost.  We are love.  That is all we 'need'.
Anyway, longer version of interview with Delilah will be on Radio Gorgeous next week, and out in other titles.  And as she told me, I should now get out of the classroom with what I've learnt and experienced. I've been there long enough, and done my homework.  I'm gonna share now.  My book The Brilliant Book of Excellent Energies out next month (for 3 - 5 year olds - who are amazing), and The Witches of Richmond, about well, the witches of Richmond, is out early May. Hold onto your hats people.  Its gonna be a bumpy ride!

UNFORTUNATELY LORRAINE WAS WRONG. IT PAYS TO BE UNKIND.

Ambition is important but it is important to be kind. Lorraine Kelly said that at an awards ceremony last night when she accepted an award. I have met her on a few occasions, when she interviewed me, and I know someone who lives close to her in her home in Mallorca. They say she is a lovely lady. I was even once filmed by her husband on a pilot show. He was, like all the TV cameramen I have ever met, much more straight forward, down to earth, and to use Lorraine Kelly's words, much kinder than any of those I have met who have made their living in front of the camera.  Those I have met have been ruthless, greedy, selfish with a default nature to be unkind (they are natural born takers, not natural born givers).
They work very hard at appearing to be kind, especially now, when even the royals are talking mental health issues. It is unkindness which has caused this. There is so much mean spiritedness in our media, in business and commerce, in politics, finance and showbusiness. Indeed, those who rise to the top, our 'role models' are the most mean spirited of the lot.
So I was bemused by Lorraine's comment, although I think it was meant for those in the room rather than the general public.  Kindness is not needed in television, nor is it in any business where the competition is fierce to get to the top. it is a weakness which is exploited. Being ruthless, selfish, greedy are the qualities which define most of those who appear on screen, who have made it to the top of their game. There are many talented and lucky people who have not made it there, and possibly their luck is that they haven't.
One friend has recently gone stratospheric in their rise in profile and the only thing which surprises me, is that they are surprised the people they are meeting now, are, in their own words 'horrible'. These people work very hard at appearing to be kind, with their well-placed and well-voiced philanthropy, virtue signaling at every photo opportunity, giving back the funds from those they took from in the first place, and redistributing it back to them and expecting an OBE for the act. The financial sector are particularly guilty of this but at least, as a profession, they never hide their avarice. As one banks says in its TV advertisement 'we are what we do'. Quite.
Indeed if you are kind, the likelihood in the world of show business, you are likely to be walked over, your ideas stolen and you will only be on an invitation list if you are of any use on a professional level.  That is not kind, it is strategic and ruthless. It is business. It is how the structure of business works. Even the 'wellness industry' with all its mindful vocabulary has as much ego and greed and ruthlessness in it these days that I feel it has been hijacked by the 'sick'. If you are ruthless, strategic, angry and calculating, selfish and greedy, when you think enough is never enough, you are likely to aim high, treading all those who put barriers up to you, or indeed help you, under foot.  I like to think the Bonfire of the Vanities is a moralistic tale which is true to life, but I don't believe it is. Kind people do not ever want to be paid for it, they just don't want to be punished or penalized for it either.
Of course, those who have made it to the top, which Lorraine Kelly has, may be able to talk about being kind. They are able to afford to be as well as talk about being kind. But it is not kindness that gets you to the top in a society which rewards mean spiritedness (and it does) under the guise of constructive criticism, it is ruthless ambition. Something you should keep in mind the next time you hear a celebrity or anyone with any sort of Tv profile spouting love and light and kindness. They are always more wounded than healer.  They have regurgitated sound bites from their counsellor or therapist without buying into the reality of what they are saying.  Their kindness is not what got them where they are today, and deep down, they know it.  So they should stop preaching to the rest of us, because we are the ones who are kind already.   Those who have least, give most and those who have most give least. Not just in financial terms, but in every way. I see it in the schools and hospitals. They are our role models. Those who chose a caring profession rather than one that shouts 'its all about me! or 'this is mine'.
 Of course, it is the structure which allows unkind people to prosper.  And it is unkind people who maintain the structure which allows unkind people to prosper. I think unkindness is more prevalent in some industries than others, but I have found that it does tend to seep into most. Any corporate lessons on empathy for example, would be introduced to show how to better understand people so you could more effectively screw them over. I've seen it happen.

BREXIT THE MOVIE

I wish I had put money on Brexit not happening two years ago.  I'm sure the politicians and their stalwarts have.  Its all a scam being played out for the audience, like some Greek or Jacobian tragedy/farce.  Its too expensive, too complicated and none of them have the intellectual capacity to deal with it.  I'm just waiting for the curtains to draw because I would have left ages ago, but they've locked the theatre doors.

          If they can’t convince, they confuse, if they can’t confuse, they distract, if they can’t distract, they bore.  And now the politicians are even boring themselves. They are wasting our money and insulting our intelligence. Get rid of them.  

DITCH THE A LISTERS - ITS THE Z GENERATION WHO HAVE MY VOTE

I visited Shoreditch today. I don't go there a lot as it's too close to the Financial sector for comfort, but Brick Lane is wonderful. The creativity, the atmosphere and there's an overriding feeling of hope. I believe it comes from the Z generation. Their energy overwhelms the cynicism and suffocating neurosis of the Milennials and the cloying narcissism and arrogant mean spiritedness of the boomers (over generalising here I realise - there are exceptions).
        According to the 'experts' the Z generation allegedly don't drink, worry too much and care about the environment.  They are authentic and self aware, and questioning, while the boomers are plausible, financially functional (wealthiest generation) - but not authentic - indeed not many of them know who they are, having been brought up to want to be something they are not (better, stronger, thinner, wealthier) and suffer from the imposter syndrome because they are, not because they think they are. The X generation are boring and take themselves too seriously. I don't know what the Ys are.
      Generation Zers like animals more than people and are fussy about the people they like. They think their parents screwed up and are screwing up the planet, and realise the internet lies, how and why the marketeers and media manipulate and sift the good stuff from the bad.  They mistrust establishment so rather than whinge, create ones of their own. They love travel because they know they learn from the experience -not because they are told they will. I like them and in my working week I meet quite a few of them. So I was looking forward to my visit to Shoreditch this weekend although I didn't expect to see many of them at the festival I was due to attend.
         I visited the Craft Beer Rising festival, in its sixth year I believe, which I thought would be full of tired looking fifty somethings.  It did have, to be fair, its fair share of said age group, trying to look younger with demin jackets, knocking on mid life crisis, amongst the 30 somethings.  I was struck by the creativity of the labels, the art graffiti on the walls, the variety of beers, ciders, with intriguing names (big hug, tempted, mother chucker, tiny rebel, brutal brewing), some whimsical, (serious pig, mad squirrel - sort of imagine brand company saying put an animal together with an emotion you wouldn't associate them with.  I'm thinking horny chipmunk - although there probably is one of those already).   Others just odd. One company even put up the negative comments about their brand.  Forest Road Brewery had three in bright yellow print on a banner above their stand 'utter utter pathetic assholes' - was they about the beer or about the people who brew it?'  Any way, I was impressed.
         There were pub snacks with a twist.  Maple smoked salmon, scotch eggs with beetroot falafel (v good) as well as other unexpected ingredients (black pudding, chorizo, tikka curry - Nicholson's - try look them up www.nicholsonshandmade.co.uk.  They come from Southwold, and having looked don't think they are ex bankers but genuine chefs.
         There was live music and DJs (The Cuban brothers) and people were watching the rugby (England lost allegedly - bad second half).  There were quite a few foodie stalls, selling lobster and salmon kebabs and there was even a barber (very good idea - hair cut, beer, venison burger and boogie.)  Brilliant multi tasking.  I spoke to quite a few of the sellers. Pickled eggs are in fashion, and there's lots of flavours, but they wouldn't give me a taster, I would have to eat a whole one.   So I didn't.  I spoke to the Piper Crisps girls (Chorizo,  pale ale , Jalapeño and dill flavours.. as well as sea salt and cider vinegar) who told me the audience are either old (50 +) or late twenties - so Milennials and boomers.  Don't know where the X generation were, and the Zs were drinking non alcoholic mixing with the vegans and with their families, surrogate or otherwise.  Whatever, this event was fun.
        I sensed there was a lot of money there amongst the punters and the stall holders. The stall holders all told me the cost of having a stand was twice that of a similar event 'up north', but that this wasn't about selling product - just about brand awareness.  The level of wealth present perhaps due to the venue being so close to both the IT district as well as financial district.
        I also got the feeling there were a lot of people there with second careers. The 50 somethings were those who had had a first career, made money and were investing in something else.  Albeit as a sleeping partner, and were drinking the profits and hiding under the much more interesting story of the creatives were they had invested in.
         It wasn't just beers. There was a lot of cider companies and some mixers (Fever tree had surprisingly quite a small stand).  As I walked round I remembered one of my first boyfriends who loved craft beer.  He was crazy about it, and I felt he would have approved.
         Truman Brewery makes a lovely venue. I have visited there before for another excellent festival - the Balance festival - which was a tad more yogi, pilates, and well being orientated, but no less colourful.  Again, very young audience, but full of hope, energy and so much creativity.  The art at the craft fair - the graffiti on the posters, the beer and cider bottles, was sort of Banksy meets Studio Gibli.
          I had seen a lot of it before - everything is cyclical after all, but I have nothing but admiration for this Z generation.
          I love the fact they speak up for themselves.  I loved the fact the school children marched saying the government should be focusing on eco issues and not Brexit.  They should be pouring money into preserving our planet and not their jobs and their parties. I have the pleasure and privilege of teaching some of them yoga each week and they are incredible.
         Forget the royals, the young and the old ones, and any of those celebrities who hold themselves up as role models - the sportsmen, the singers, the actors, the business people. We learn more from our children than they do from us, and I feel the real role models worth following are the Z listers.  Not the A listers.  I'll drink to that.

MY FRIEND GINA MILLER

https://audioboom.com/posts/7174972-philanthropist-transparency-campaigner-dr-gina-miller-talks-exclusively-to-sarah-tucker-on-radio

the haunting Albert Finney

Some of my favourite films had leading man Albert Finney. I didn't realise this until I heard of his death today 'after a short illness'.   He was Hercule Poirot in the original Murder on the Orient Express (the best one in my view - loved the stabbing scene).  But it is his Scrooge which entranced me as a child.  His performances were always haunting but always in a good way.