in fact

I heard a very interesting statement the other day, from a class colleague. It was the Induction Day for the Mad Studies module at Queen Margaret University, which forms a core element of the MSc Mad Studies programme. I’m attending as an associate student, which means that I‘m not undertaking the entire MSc, just this … More in fact

madreality

“A lot of people don’t struggle with depression, they struggle with the reality we live in.” Keanu Reeves I came across this quote by Keanu Reeves – by all accounts a very kind, generous and thoughtful soul – and my first thought was to correct him: consensus reality, Keanu: consensus reality. A lot of people … More madreality

on soulmaking

My friend Steve of 21soul and I have both experienced recent bereavements, though in very different ways (a close family member in his case, a beloved family pet in mine.) Both deaths involved the culmination of a long period of illness and decline. The heaviness of the sickroom so gradually accumulates that one doesn’t realise … More on soulmaking

two women

Two women have been on my mind today. I’ve not met either of them, but they have both been instrumental in teaching me about feminism and about compassion. I toast them both, in honour of International Women’s Day. Woman #1 was an online critic of mine. Her tone was scathing, I would say withering. The … More two women

thank you friends

It’s always good to recognise the dappled patterns of one’s perspective. ‘The way it is‘ contracts and expands. Memories come coloured with emotion. I wrote in my last post about the environment in which I grew up – one of middle class privilege and relentless competition. This was the 1980’s and the Reagan years, a … More thank you friends

on wordpower

“A word after a word after a word is power.” Margaret Atwood My favourite bookshop in the world – WordPower – is moving into the next stage of its life. Its lovely founders have given 22+ years of intense loving slog into raising this baby, which has grown into not just a shop but also … More on wordpower

on a hopeful note

When I was a child, one of my very favourite picture books was The Wump World by Bill Peet. We didn’t own a copy at home but the public library did, and I borrowed it repeatedly. The Wump World tells the story of a small planet covered in rolling meadows, twinkling streams and large leafy … More on a hopeful note