THAT'S not what you said in the Jeffries' Tube

If a person says they are a man, they're a man. If a person says they are a lady, they're a lady. If a person says they don't recognise your gender binary, and fuck you? They're whatever they say they are.

Can we please stop fucking over transfolk and non-binary or non gender specific people? it doesn't help ANYONE and it makes life really shitty for really vulnerable people and people are people and deserve love and respect and things.

So I have been feeling a bit sorry for myself this week. Those of you who follow me on twitter might have noticed that I have been afflicted with a mystery spotty disease, which it's looking increasingly likely is shingles*. And there have been a couple of other health-related things which... yeah, I'm not going to go into those. But some of you know why they are upsetting. I never realised how much my self-esteem was wrapped up in my appearance, despite being the kind of feminist who doesn't wear make-up etc., until I suddenly have a face like a half-chewed pizza... Anyway, rather than wallow, I thought I would count my blessings:

• I have a roof over my head, food to eat, and all that jazz. More than many people have.


• I have an amazing daughter, and doggie-nurses who snuggle me when I'm feeling bad.


• My boys. Some of you live with me, some of you don't**. You're all amazing. You're all utterly different to each other, but you're all such good people. I am incredibly grateful and privileged to know each one of you.


• I have the best friends in the world***. By tweet, by text message, by phone call... You have all been there for me this week. Thank you. I wish I could repay you all for the worth you are to me, but there's not enough gold in the world.


• Gin.

I'm sure I have more blessings to count, but right now? Right now that last one is looking like the best one I've got. Hopefully my next blog post will be less maudlin.

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* the doctor said he didn't think it to be shingles because it was too widespread, and he'd lean towards an allergic reaction, but for various reasons (including my dad the human biology teacher turning up at my house, taking one look at me, and saying "well that's CLEARLY shingles!", and the fact that I have had further outbreaks when I have been nowhere but home...) I think it probably is.

** One of you is kind of half and half right now...*cough* Anyway...

*** if you're thinking "oh she probably doesn't mean ME..." I probably do. Y'all have probably heard of micro-aggressions. There should be a similar term for micro-acts-of-kindness. There are some of you who have said something that you probably think of as a throwaway comment, but which has literally shown me that life is worth living this week. That's very valuable indeed.

It's at times like this that I take inspiration from Zombie Mr Grimsdyke. Unfairly blamed for the ills of the neighbourhood, and character assassinated by his rich snobby neighbour, Mr Grimsdyke ends up in a box and six feet under. Everybody thinks it's the end of him, but it's not. He rises up and seeks justice (with bad poetry).

Zombie Mr Grimsdyke is up there with Batman and Dredd in my pantheon of superheroes. He didn't let a little thing like death stop him. He stood up and did what was right, and damn the grave moldering.

Why yes, I have had beer. What makes you ask?

Yesterday was fun. I went to lunch at djm4's house, which was lovely. It was good to see David and Giles and the kids, and eat lovely home cooking, and lounge on the lovely comfy sofa and watch Top Gear and various home movies. I always feel really relaxed and secure in that house; it's one of my happy places. Unfortunately this means I generally end up late for whatever is happening afterwards, which happened again yesterday... Oops.

Still, when I DID get to the Bree Louise, I ended up having a lovely evening. djm4 came along with me, and we met a pretty diverse crowd, including nanila, rhythmaning, innerbrat, Andy Strange, davegodfrey, ginasketch nadriel and Jon Ball. I didn't get to spend as much time with each person as would possibly have been ideal, but they all seemed to be getting on with each other, and the pub was lovely, with good beer and edible food at reasonable prices.

I am now on the train home, composing this on my phone, and I have a lovely 8 hour shift at work to do when I get back... Hangover does seem to be dissipating somewhat, thankfully.

Imogen made me have beer. And then Colin made me have beer. And then Mat made me come home because he has workeded and he is all tired and needs snuggles, but I want MOAR BEEER!

Mmmmmmm Beeeeeeer.

This posst is brought to you by Abbetdale Moonshine and my lack of self control.

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Will Howells has just made a comment on twitter that reminded me of one of the things that struck me at conference.

Cleggy is Captain Kirk.

No, seriously, stay with me on this one.

Kirk has a kind of gung-ho charm, and his heart's mostly in the right place, but he ain't all that as far as captaincy goes. What he has got, in Spock and McCoy and Sulu and Scotty and Uhura and Chekov and even Nurse Chapel, is a top notch team. He also has the management skills to deploy them where their talents are best suited, even if this means bending the rules a bit sometimes. I also suspect that Kirk's had at least 30 ladies.

The problem we have, as a party, is that we have a Sulu in Chris Huhne, and an Uhura in Jo Swinson, and a Janice Rand in Lynne Featherstone, and a Nurse Chapel in El Presidente... But the whole rest of the party is stuffed full of Spocks, and much as I adore the Spockster, we really could do with a McCoy or two to balance things up.

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Today, I have been mostly working with Liz. I LIKE working with Liz. Liz is technically my boss, but we have so much in common geekery-wise that we can just make each other crack out laughing and all the customers go "wuh?" We made red dwarf and transformers in-jokes today and it was cool.

Althopough it might have been going too far when somebody orded a Becks, a Stella and a Spitfire, and Liz asked me what the order was and I said "One Becks, One Stella, One Spitfire" and she said "One Becks one Stella one Spitfire?" and then we both sang "One Becks one stella one spitfire; we'll all be horribly sick".

This may work best if you know the tune we were singing to.

Why yes, I have had a couple of beers after work; what makes you ask?

:D

Both Liz and Mark liked my food leaflet. I am happy. Also, I have a bottle of Chateau Montifaud here, and I don;t have to be in work till 4 tomorrow. Hi ho for SGA and brandy HURRAH!

:D

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I has my laptop back! She's as good as new!

Also, I have had much beer.

Also, this made me giggle, and not think of anyone called Rupert at all, honest.

ETA: Pop Quiz! If you write for the Daily Fail, how far UP do you have to reach before you get to the bottom of the barrel to scrape it?

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Beer is awesome! I have had lots of it!

I therefore have not dpone modly things, and not approved people on my access list and things because I think it might be more sensible to do that when sober.

Also, there have been emails, and I have answered them., and that might not have been wise. But the beer wav very very very very nice.

YAY BEER!

I go bed now. Sensible. People wanting onviteness need to email me so I can email them invite coeds. I can't remember how many I have left, except that RibsyMcRib has one booked when she emails me.

Night night all you lovely people. I promise to be more soberr tomorrow.

I may possibly have had some this evenong. Just sa small amount.

I am worried abou t my friend Nigel. Hig GF (possibly ex) is making him miserable and I want to cheer him up but I don'y know how because he's veryveryvery monogamous so /that/ won't work even if he decides he /has/ split up with her. //i have given him hugs and that is only making so much headway...

Mat has tken the dogs out for a quivk walk and when he comes back there will e nookie.

YAY!

Not in front of the socks, Julian!



Lunch date turned into quite long ramble in the park and then trip to the pub and then drunken shopping in Sainers.

Sarah = bad influence.

Also, she has new BF and so we were having discussions which inevitably turned extremely filthy. And we're now planning to do internet shopping of the worst kind. Hurrah!

(and now she's teasing me about my dirty laugh. I can't help it! Yes, definitely a bad influence >:D )