Mother and son

Today is all about…January 2020

January’s thought of the month: Brexit

TRIGGER WARNING: If you are sick and tired of hearing about Brexit, skip the first part. You have been warned! ?

Whether we like it or not, January has seen the UK enter the history books by leaving the EU. It’s fair to say that Brexit has split the country, and it’s going to last that way for a long time coming.

It’s clear to those that know me, that I wanted to remain in the EU. Before, during and after the referendum. I haven’t been provided with any factual evidence we’d be better out. All I’ve seen is lies, misinformation and hatred! From both sides of the camp, although leave stood out the most.

We’ve been continuously lied to. By the government, the remain/leave groups, the media and more importantly social media. These are lies that have been going on for years. Probably decades! But we soaked it up like a sponge and believed everything.

Let’s be honest, the EU is not perfect. I don’t think anyone has claimed that it was! How can we change it when we don’t have the right people representing us? The EU isn’t perfect because we let it be that way.

We should be sending representatives who have our country in mind and want to build and develop the EU to be a benefit to us and all other countries. Instead, we send figures of hate to represent us with their sole mission to destroy our relationship with the EU.

They abuse the system to get whatever they can get from it while doing fuck all! Then complain when something is implemented that’s possibly detrimental to our country. Maybe, just maybe, if they actually did their job, went to the meetings and voted when required, some of the things implemented wouldn’t have happened.

Then with the help of the media, we blame the EU for it, instead of looking at our representatives. And yes, I’m talking about the likes of Farage. It’s our fault, not the EU’s!

The fact is, Farage has purposely acted the way he did for personal gain. I’m angry that we let him get away with it. I’m angry that the EU did nothing to stop it either.

We can’t sit here and say the EU is corrupt, and not admit that the UK government is just as bad. A lot of people in power will benefit from leaving the EU. Rees-Mogg is one of them. He doesn’t give a fuck about the country, just his selfish self!

Racism & Xenophobia

What Brexit has highlighted, whether we like to admit it or not, is that a lot of the leave voters are racist/xenophobic bastards! While some of you will have valid reasons for voting to leave, you will always be tarred with that same brush…because a lot of you allowed those comments/opinions to go unchallenged because it would benefit you.

Hate crimes that are reported have increased (and not just racism/xenophobia), and we can’t ignore the spike that happened after Brexit. People think it is acceptable now…why?

I’ve witnessed and challenged, conversations that people should leave ‘our country’ because of their skin colour. Not being funny, some of the comments were about people that weren’t from the EU, so didn’t make sense!

We as a country have seen far-right organisations strive since the referendum. We’ve seen someone who is openly racist (and homophobic) become Prime Minister. Yet people have defended him. In my eyes, that makes them a racist too!

British flag

For a long time, way before Brexit, I have seen the English flag as a symbol of hate. Due to it being used by louts that cause trouble while in other countries (and here). It also became a symbol for some far-right groups to support their hatred.

I’ve never thought, although some people have, that the British flag is also a hate symbol…until now. It’s been adopted by hate groups, such as Britain First and BNP. And with the increase in racism/xenophobia, it feels more shameful to wave it.

In fact, I’d go close to saying that while I have never felt British, I now feel ashamed to be categorised as British. We are a laughing stock to the EU and the rest of the world. And we deserve it. Not so much about our decision to leave, but the way that we handled it!

I want to end this by saying, that I’m disappointed by both sides. We have to acknowledge that the country was split about Brexit. All we thought about was ourselves when we should be acknowledging both sides of views and the best solution going forward.

Final thoughts

Now that we’ve officially left the EU, albeit, in the transition period, the leaves want us to accept and become one again. That isn’t going to happen. Years before we had campaigns and political parties demanding that we leave. So I’ve predicted that a re-join party will be created soon.

Snapshot of a tweet from me on January 29 2020: "Since the ‘jobs’ of the racist, homophobic and xenophobic parties, that are UKIP and Brexit Party, are now complete does this mean they will disband? And how long will it be before a new party is formed to campaign rejoining the EU? ????"

I’m sorry that we’ve left the EU. I’m sorry for those that have had to deal with the racist/xenophobia. I’m sorry for the shallow mindedness that we all have. I’m sorry that I’ve lost faith in this country.

January’s Playlist

So this year I’ve decided to add a playlist of some of the tunes that I’ve been listening to, whether they be classics or new tracks. Some tracks may appear again in the future – you have been warned!

This is what I’ve been listening to in January:

January Activities

Quiet Month

Generally, this month has always been a quiet one. Isn’t it always? We all need to get over the party month that is December. As well as being the quietest, it also feels the longest month!

As much as it has driven me up the wall, I have quite enjoyed just relaxing at home. We’ve used the time to concentrate on the house and start ticking off the growing list of jobs we have.

My desk/office space is starting to take shape. We’ve got rid of the large desk and replaced it with an in-built one in the alcove. There is still some work to do until my office space is complete, but we’re getting there.

We now have the drive to improve the home more. Next on the agenda is the loft and kitchen.

Anxiety

Apart from those close to me, I’ve not really spoken about my anxiety. I’ve felt ashamed to talk about it.

I’ve been trying to deal with it, but this month it just hit me…and in a public place that I just couldn’t hide it anymore.

This is something that I want to sort out for 2020. I know it’s going to be hard. I know I’m going to have to talk about hard things, and I don’t know how/what I’m going to say.

I just want to sat that I’m sorry I haven’t been my ‘normal’ self. But, I will get back to my ‘normal’ self soon…hopefully!

My Night with Reg

January also saw us go to the theatre to ‘My Night with Reg‘, as our friend Marc was performing.

There was a group from Gay City Bowlers going, but we went the day before because I still wasn’t feeling sociable. Plus, I was going to my mum’s on the day they were all going.

Normally, when I go to the theatre, I like to do a review. Especially if it’s a LGBT+ production. Although, it feels kinda weird doing that when a friend is part of the cast.

I absolutely enjoyed the show, I definitely though some of the actors stood out, and it may sound bias, but my mate was one of them. He was funny and took the character on full. I just wish there was more of the character in the show.

I did feel that some of the actors were flat, and it left me wanting to see it again, but with different actors playing those roles.

Another thing that jarred with me, is the staging. It just felt like it was spread out too much. A sofa on once side of the stage, with an armchair on the other. The distance just didn’t sit with me. It could have been purposeful, but for me, it didn’t work.

I’d definitely go and see it again.

January’s ‘Today is all about’ photos:

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