Saturday, January 12, 2013

Soapbox time........

There is nothing like hearing a 30 something male news reporter saying that he tweets all the time, but is not yet 40, and most people  who use social media this way are his age or younger etc etc, to get the ire and indignation up and working. A good start to any morning, never mind a cold and frosty winter one here in Middle England. I fired off a tweet to him saying something along the lines of excuse me I am 58 and use all forms of social media and I am perfectly normal and that he needed to catch up. I am delighted to say that he did reply and acknowledge that he did, indeed, need to catch up. 10/10 and a gold star, Stephen, for replying.

Picture Linds dusting off the hands here.

I am not good with stereotyping.

Somehow, I don't see me ever being a normal old lady. Mind you, no-one my sort of age matches any old stereotype. When last were the typical 50 somethings really looked at? No more twin set and pearls and permed hair and skirts and dresses only. Bring on the jeans and highlights and SOCIAL MEDIA and scroll saws. I will concede that the home, the crochet hooks the (unbelievably complex) sewing machines we use, the crafts and the gardens may be the same (yet also different). Isn't 50 supposed to be the new 30??

And they should have left the old tin opener as it was, and not tried improving it. The new ones are atrocious and do not open a thing.

Oh, if only the bones didn't creak so much! The mind may be young, but this body doesn't seem to have read the guide book properly.

I could go on about where are the jobs for the young qualified men and women, like David, when the old ones are told they have to work on forever. There is no natural replacement going on any more. I do object, however, to the young world leaders prescribing my life. They need to see what it is like to be 58 and coping with all the ***** that comes and see how easy it is.

Social media, on the other hand, is a doddle. I suppose that is because we stepped in at the start, and have been carried along with it as the years have gone by. And we keep learning and keep trying and so the mind stays young.

My mother has brown hair. She has never coloured it in her life. I had red/auburn hair. I have needed highlights to disguise the white since I was in my 40s. That is not fair. Those genes went AWOL.

Oh yes - get this all you foreign people...... a day or two after our parliament voted to restrict increases in any benefits to 1% - that means for the disabled and the poorly paid as well as the ones out of work, they announced that they, THEMSELVES, needed AT LEAST a 32% pay rise. Their £65,000 basic salary is not enough. WHAT?????????

I foresee a revolution.

I have never seen £65,000 in my life. Or £35,000 come to think of it. Or £25,000 Or........

COME TO TEA, MR CAMERON and I will tell you a few home truths. I may even bake a cake. Oh yes, and bring Mr Clegg with you because I have MORE than enough to tell him too. In fact, bring the whole cabinet and I will deliver a state of the nation address which will shake you all in your boots.

Just remember to wear a warm jumper, coat and scarf, because heating is very expensive and my house is cold. But I do have enough recession heaters for you all.

Do you think they will reply?

I think not. And now that I have got all hot and bothered, I can take off the scarf and gloves and relax in my rocking chair.

Carrot cake. I think I will make them a carrot cake. (Sorry, Tigger!)

6 comments:

Tigger said...

Guess I could always pretend its hay corncake. Would love to be a fly on the wall should your " guests " ever arrive...

Vee said...

Sounds as if they have what the leaders in my country have...a high level of disconnect. When people are struggling as they are, it is unwise to vote oneself and friends a pay raise of any kind. Thirty-two per cent? Wow. Huge disconnect. You might wish to lure them in with your carrot cake, but really, they do not deserve it.

I just saw a photo of my self taken by John. I was folding clothes with my head bent low to the task. My hair was white. White as could be. I'm blaming it on the lighting.

Sandra said...

It's the same thing here in the USA...they cut and cut and cut for all of us, but then the congress people get pay raises. I mean REALLY?

Try living as a *normal* person for at least a month with our pay and then see how it goes.

As for the rest, everything changes, people change, some adapt to new technologies, others don't. I hate stereotyping too.

Hope you stay warm.

Kelli said...

My rant:

When I was diagnosed, I was forced-forced- to go on Social Security and Medicare for treatment (do not get me wrong, the treatment part I am eternally grateful for). After my Long Tern Disability ran out (year 1) SS was my only income. And there have been several years of the last 6 that the government voted to give NO increase in January- no cost of living, no nothing. And this year, we got (after no raise the last 2 years), less than half what we recvd 3 years ago. Just over 1%.

That, for me, was less than 30$.

Yet, Congress gave themselves a raise and added benefits. While Obamacare, which was shoved down our throats in about a day, and is supposedly SO wonderful? Congress will not be required to give up their golden insurance for it. It is not good enough for them. But, it is evidently good enough for the rest of us.

Do not get me started on "lifetime career politicians" that cannot be voted out it seems, and ave not lived a) in their districts for as long as they have been in office and b) are so overpaid and coddled, they would not know what it is like to live like the people they are representing.

Politics is no longer something I respect. And do not get me started on our President. At. all.

Anyway- to make you feel better, I have been coloring my hair to cover the grey since I was about 25. Now? John will not let me (ok, he asked, I consented)because he loves all the grey now. I stoppped coloring it about a year ago out of laziness, and now I have this interesting "Cruella deVille" stripe down the left side of the middle of my head. UGH.

I think you should make the Pear Crumble for your visitors.

The Bookworm said...

Indeed 50 is the new 30! Skinny jeans and leather jacket inherited fom teenage daughter here (having shrunk from a size 16 to a size 10 and a bit I am inclined to be more adventurous about these things than I was in my 30s). And yes, social media of all varieties.

As a civil servant I think we have 3 years of no pay rises to look forward to. Not so bad for me as we are both earning - though sitting down and working out our family budget for the year was a bit of a gulp moment - but very tough on many colleagues.

Chris said...

It's a bit like saying "All black people are..." or "All white people are..." or "All (substitute your own word here) people are..." Generalities fit no one.

And yes, there are those politicians that are worthless, but there are those who actually TRY as well. I have to believe that...even as I am struggling to pay the light bill and the gas bill and buy food for my family.

Rant on, M'Dear!