Me
It is that time of year and it only felt like yesterday I was 39.
And now…. I am on a headlong collision into my 40s, case of crash bang wallop and I think I didn’t fasten my seatbelt securely enough as it is more than a bumpy ride. And here I am definitely not in Kansas anymore. My 30s had the highs and lows. I remember 1999 (and nope I didn’t party like it was 1984) and the Y2K bug. Feeling crap that I was hitting my 30s at an enormous speed coupled with the start of the 2000s. And what a decade…. War on Terror, World Trade Centre, NL and neoliberalism, lies, damn lies, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, attacks on civil liberties, cuts, privatisation, scapegoating, racism, welfare reform, planet in ecological meltdown, economy crashed and burned…. To sum it up, it should be known as the bullshit decade, bullshit economics, bullshit wars and total bullshit spin doctoring. And the central theme of this bullshit is blame the most powerless in this society as a distraction from the real enemies.
I started the decade living in E17 and ended it living in SE20. I started the decade in the Socialist Alliance and ended it in the Labour Party. I started the decade in Unison and ended it in the GMB. Had 3 jobs over the decade, have visited the cinema countless times, seen some fantastic exhibitions (Nan Goldin, Nan Goldin and Nan Goldin!). The experiences of the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the creamy middles…. Oh yeah! I started the decade getting back into mainstream leftie politics after having a 6 year hiatus as most the 90s I spent campaigning in the mental health user movement which taught me a lot and enabled me to establish some firm friendships. And during this decade my writing has evolved and developed (I began writing when I was active in the mental health user movement especially being part of editing the newsletter) which has given my confidence a boost… along with blogging and discovering a love of photography.
So here’s a toast to my 40th and there’s a saying (urban myth?) that life starts at 40…… And let’s hope more terrifying lows, dizzying highs and those wonderfully full-fat high cholesterol creamy middles…. a bumpy ride, personally and definitely political, is very much certain……
Oh, and the photograph… I was kinda experiencing…known as antique style (yeah, I am 40…ya know)
My birthday cake - chocolate fudge ....apparently!
Let that star hang over you for evermore, have a great day and a wondrous, super Christmas!
All the Best Jim and Mika the Socialist ferret.
Ha! I remember now I am sure I took a photo of Mika, she was very cute.
Thanks for the kind words. And you too have a great Xmas and New Year!
happy birthday!! hope it was a good one. look forward to reading your blog over the next decade
and on another note, i have definitely seen you at demos (i just realised now i saw your picture)
Terese, thanks for that, much appreciated. Next time you see me on a demo please say hello!!
Permit me to wish you Happy Birthday, enjoy that yummy cake.
Thanks Rick, haven’t tried the cake as yet but tis true it looks yummy hope it tastes that way!!