tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57377516890872038392024-03-13T08:20:29.630-07:00Rambling Wee LassieWhat is it like being a woman in today's world? Can we be everything we are supposed to be? Who should inspire us? This is the Rambling Wee Lassies walk through life.Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-79975143254738263592012-03-18T02:33:00.000-07:002012-03-18T02:36:56.531-07:00How Far We've Come?I finally got time to sit down with a glass of wine and enjoy <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01db7z8" target="_blank">BBC 4's She-Wolves: England's Early Queens</a>. Rather annoyingly, I did miss the first episode in the series, as the other half only thought to mention that he had seen it advertised, a few minutes before the second episode and thought it was right up my street. However for those of you with fast enough internet and who missed the second episode, you will be glad to know you have 11 days still to watch it on <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01dc66v/SheWolves_Englands_Early_Queens_Isabella_and_Margaret/" target="_blank">BBC I Player</a> or its repeated tonight at 11pm.<br />
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In the programme <a href="http://www.helencastor.com/#/about/4547023491" target="_blank">Helen Castor</a> tells the story of Isabella of France and Margaret of Anjou, who through marriage became Queens of England, and due to circumstances both women found themselves having to lead in a mans world. Helen explains, how history has dealt with these two women is not fair. Had they been men their behaviour would have been more than acceptable.<br />
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Going slightly off subject, as only a rambling wee lassie can, I have to say well done to BBC4, just lately they have been producing some very interesting programmes. I'm starting to think that the smaller the budget for the programme, the better the programme is?<br />
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However, back on to subject. From watching this programme one thing struck me, how far women have come. I'm quite aware that life is not perfect for women but we have slowly made progress and its good to look at the positive. 900 years ago it was completely acceptable to send a 12 year old Isabella from France to marry a complete stranger, in order to seal a deal; her purpose in life to provide the heir and spare. Today, in western world we have significant choice in comparison, choice to choose a career, partner, home and lifestyle.<br />
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History looks down upon Isabella and Margaret for standing up in a mans world, Shakespeare even called Margaret, the She-Wolve. As women we are still judged by social conventions, for example Margaret Thatcher will always be known in history as the Iron Lady, a direct comment upon her sex. However the idea of a women in charge is not as controversial as for Isabella and Margaret. I doubt anyone would think it is odd that our head of state is celebrating HER diamond Jubilee this year.<br />
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Progress is being made, society has changed, speeded up in the last 100 years to get us to where we are today. I wish I could see how we will be recorded in hundreds of years time, will this period be considered the big leap forward for women?Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-32180003991787987842012-03-04T02:29:00.001-08:002012-03-04T02:29:35.136-08:00Frontstalag - The Internment Diary of an English Lady<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've just finished reading Frontstalag 142 - The Interment Diary of an English Lady by Dr Katherine Lack, a really interesting book. I often find myself reading about Prisoners of War in the the Far East, so it was a natural progression to pick up this book. <br />
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The book tells the story of the authors Aunt Fan, who was an English Lady living in France during the occupation. Shortly after the occupation began, Aunt Fan and one of her sisters were picked up, along with other British residents and placed into Frontstalag 142, which would eventually hold around 2400 mainly British civilians. Later she was transferred to Frontstalag 121, in Vittal, where hotels from the Spa town had been adapted for the prisoners before she was released at aged 60, considered to old to be any trouble. During this period Aunt Fan kept a diary and drew many pictures of her surroundings, some of which have been included in the book. <br />
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The author has chosen to keep the diary together, with chapters either side telling the history of internment and other prisoners experience. As you read Aunt Fans words, you are conscious of what she is not telling you. She remains rather positive given the circumstances, the great British stiff upper lip appears present.<br />
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For me the most interesting thing about the book was the pictures she had drawn. Sketches of day to day life within the camps she was in, capturing intimate moments, whether the nuns reading or a lady playing her cello.<br />
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I was also struck by one of the first comments that Dr Katherine Lack made. She admits in the opening that during Aunt Fans life she had been conscious of the diary containing information on her experience of the war, but never really spoken to her about her past. It was only after her death she opened the diary and discovered she had been a prisoner and the full story. <br />
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I seem to come across this time and time again, so if you are reading this, please, if you have an elderly relative, please make time to listen to their story now. Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-79836977691142118492012-02-26T02:51:00.000-08:002012-02-26T02:51:06.834-08:00To live in hearts, we leave behind, is not to die<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
This week I found myself down at Olympia at the <a href="http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com/" target="_blank">Who Do You Think You Are? Live event</a>. Hundreds of people, over a three day event wander the aisles searching for clues to answer the question 'Where did I come from?' whilst various companies flog their wares. Watching I wondered how important it was for people to know where they came from or was it just an interesting hobby.</div>
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I am fortunate that on my Fathers side at least there has been a very good family tree produced, which dates the family back for several hundred years. Even my Mothers side I have a good idea of where they came from. I suspect I've always just taken the knowledge of my family history for granted, forgetting that others have no knowledge other than their immediate families names.</div>
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If I stopped taking it for granted, would I hold it as important knowledge to have? Stories of the family member who met his maker, having rolled into the river drunk at lunch time or the unmarried 'seamstress' with seven children in an area known for its bars and brothels, are of course interesting. They provide a snapshot of social history that I am personally connected to, that capture my attention far more than the facts and figures in some books. </div>
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I find it fascinating to observe how my family has developed, the leap of one man, who's family too poor to feed him, sent him to a ship on the Clyde for poor and/or naughty boys where he got an education. It meant he gave his son an education which allowed the boy to make the step into white collar work. When I take time to reflect on this, I feel encouraged to work hard, to make sure that their legasee is carried on. I am very much the product of my families heritage. I am middle class, because of that child who became a white collar worker. I am reasonably well educated because of the example set by my family. The way I look is directly linked to the genes my family has given me (thanks for the mediterranean tan, but did you have to give me the rounded waist?). Even my health is linked back to the family tree.</div>
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For me though, its not just the knowledge of my heritage that's important. Its the remembrance, to know that you lived, when you were on earth and were important to somebody in the great scheme of things. I value what my family has given me, even the black sheep's have given me something to think about.</div>
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In another month or two I am making a journey that I have wanted to take for sometime. I will be taking my young nephew to Arnhem to tell him the story of his Great Great Uncle who was shot as a POW in the battle there. I want to pass on to him, an interest in his family tree, so when he is learning about it at school he might understand that these events happened to his family. We will stand by my Great Uncles grave together and read the words on the headstone, words that are not just for soldiers who die early, but for all those in my family tree. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The words on the headstone read "<i>To live in hearts, we leave behind, is not to die</i>". </span><br />
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Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-50649035811075432532012-02-19T02:25:00.001-08:002012-02-19T02:25:07.713-08:00Rambling Lassie battles with the High Street<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I seem to have a love hate relationship with the high street. I love a bargain but am finding myself shopping less and less on the high street. Pounding the street, that looks the same as any other town in the country, trying on clothes that don't fit, in small boxes that smell of someone else's BO.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">For me, the main gripe though is the originality. I love towns where there are still different shops to look at, a place that doesn't have the same stock as the next place, but they are slowly disappearing, so the high street looks the same as every other town. Some women I've spoken to commented that they prefer a chain store as they can always return an item to a different store. But ladies how often do you return an item? Others say its the convenience, which I confess leads me down the road of temptation. However, when I think of the best service I have had in shops its the small independents. Where I used to live we had a fantastic ironmongers (I would love to say shoe shop or something a little bit more lady like there, but maybe its quite a nice thing that I'm not stereotypical). They still sold individual screws, not huge packets when you just want one. I felt completely at ease to go and get some advice on a DIY project.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I've always blamed the changing high street on the big chain stores, but it seems the times are a changing with the economy. This week a piece on the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17074338" target="_blank">BBC News</a> caught my eye</span><span style="font-size: small;">. </span><span style="font-size: small;">It was commenting on how Charity Shops were taking over vacant units. Then another article drew me to this on line petition</span><span style="font-size: small;">: <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/secretary-of-state-for-communities-and-local-government-let-people-control-their-high-streets" target="_blank">Let people control their high streets. </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br />At present the local council can't block new betting shops on the high street, leading in some areas to them taking over the neighbourhood, the petition calls for a control on how many can open. The <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103218/When-bookies-common-post-offices-Britain-major-problem-High-Street-campaigner-Rowenna-Davis.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a> reported David Lammys MP comment that in this constituency of Tottemham there were 39 bookmakers and no book shops. So, as the big chain stores are moving to out of town retail centres the high street ends up made up of Charity Shops and Betting Shops. The high street takes a step further down the road of a place I don't want to be rambling down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However instead of blaming the high street, maybe I have to blame myself. If we don't support what we like and go for the convenience, aren't we just as much to blame. If I have managed not to ramble to much, and you agree please think about signing the petition, but more importantly find an independent shop you like and use it. Lets take our high street back, one purchase at a time!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-4862077269112241182012-02-11T02:04:00.000-08:002012-02-11T02:04:21.614-08:00A Different Take - Born to Rule by Julia Gelardi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="goog_1286653564" style="font-size: small;">I've just finished reading this week, Julia Gelardi's - Born to Rule. The book, as you may have gathered from the picture is about the Granddaughters of Queen Victoria or to be precise five of the Granddaughters. She has selected these five as they went on to be Queens in their own right. </span></div>
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<span id="goog_1286653564" style="font-size: small;">The one that always stands out is, of course the Tsarina Alexandra of Russia. The turmoil of the country she lived in, coupled with the tragedy of how the whole family met their deaths is a story that we all know. I have read a number of books on the subject and wondered how Julia would present this differently. </span></div>
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<span id="goog_1286653564" style="font-size: small;">Instead of spending a number of chapters on each individual, she intertwines their stories, providing a much wider look on Europe in the early days of the 20th Century. Tsarina Alexandra's story is therefore seen in the context of four of her cousins:</span></div>
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<span id="goog_1286653564" style="font-size: small;">I found this particularly interesting as I've not read much on the history of Romania, Greece, Spain or Norway before, but the telling of the story together showed just what a volatile place Europe was during the periods that they reigned. </span></div>
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<span id="goog_1286653564" style="font-size: small;">I was struck firstly at how intertwined the Royal Families across Europe of the period was. Of course I was aware that before had that they all intermarried, but reading the book really brought it home. Especially the case of Queen Sophie stuck between a rock and a hard place with her brother Kaiser Wilhelm, but yet quite a British outlook on life, trying to do her best for her adopted country of Greece. I found it quite interesting to see Queen Victoria's influence on the women, even after her death. Although not all were brought up in Britain, there appears to be a very British influence in each of their life's. </span></div>
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<span id="goog_1286653564" style="font-size: small;">The other thing that struck me was the expectations on these women from an early age. I've come across this theme again and again reading accounts of Royal Women. Whilst their brothers were likely to remain in the home country, it is the women that are sent abroad to face a foreign country and culture. If they are fortunate they are blessed with good relations between the home country and their adopted one. However for some the ordeal of having the country's at war, and being seen by your people as an evil representation, with conspiracy plots abound must be heart wrenching. The women within this book were granted an element of choice about their unions, unlike the Royal women before who's marriage was used to seal a political deal. However their position as a foreigner is still none the less a difficult one.</span></div>
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<span id="goog_1286653564" style="font-size: small;">I always have a simple way of deciding if a book was good. If it is good it stays on my shelf, if it is bad it is sent to the charity shop (although I don't know if it is charity to inflict bad books on people). This one I am glad to say will be granted leave to reside on my book shelf. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I hope you will continue to join the Rambling Wee Lassie as she takes a walk through life.</span></div>
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<span id="goog_1286653564"><br /></span><br />Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-69612331543404984502012-02-05T03:34:00.000-08:002012-02-05T03:34:57.646-08:00Women who Murder and Remembered<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
I've just been reading with interest an article on <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2096423/Britains-serial-killer-Mary-Ann-Cotton-She-poisoned-21-people-including-MOTHER-CHILDREN-HUSBANDS.html" target="_blank">Mary Ann Cotton</a> in the Daily Mail. Mary Ann Cotton was a serial killer. She killed 21 people altogether. My reading of women's history, I confess, tends to be the people on the right side of the law, so this article caught my eye. </div>
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A man called David Wilson has just written a book on her (due to be published later in the year) and the article claims she is the first serial killer but no one has heard of her. Putting aside the fact that I am sure the Victorians were not the first to have serial killers (I suspect they just didn't get caught as often, with death rates and medical knowledge?), it did make me think about fame, how we remember some criminals and not others. </div>
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In the article, I got the impression that it is partly because she is female that she has been forgotten in history whilst Jack the Ripper gripped a nation. We find it uncomfortable that some one who is a wife, mother and even a nurse for a time should have an evil streak. A woman that brings life, should also take life would not sit well with the Victorians or with ourselves today. We find it easier I suspect to think of men as murderers.<br />
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However I don't think her sex is the main reason for her not to be remembered in the same light as serial murderers like Jack the Ripper. The media of the day followed each new murder for Jack the Ripper, building a hype around the story that has lasted through time. If you think about cases from history you remember, there was something about them, something the media was able to use to sell the story (a difficult thought given the topic). The eyes in the picture they always use of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moors_murders" target="_blank">Myra Hindley</a> always stay with you. It is an image that haunts you. The media always use that picture, even though there are others where she does not look evil incarnate. </div>
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Interestingly for her, compared to Mary Ann Cotton it was her sex and that picture that makes her so easy to recognise in the history books. Her partner Ian Brady is often left in her shadow. As a woman, it is considered that she should have been more protective of children, she stands out because she is seen as the devil incarnate. Mary Ann Cotton didn't have THAT picture, THAT look that condemned her in the public eye. She was around forty when she was executed, having recently given birth to a child that was taken away from her. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How we remember women who murder is a complex web and I am aware that I have only scratched the surface. It is strange how some women stand out whilst others disappear into history. My last thought on this subject I think should be the victims, the victims who sadly are only remembered through the murderers stories.</span>Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-85249407315961041032012-01-29T02:24:00.000-08:002012-01-29T02:24:54.134-08:00Living together vs marriage<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interesting conversation came up this week, which made me wonder has living with a person instead of marriage been a good thing for women??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm one of the statistics, that something like one in five marriages end in divorce these days. Having made my vows once, I have for a long time considered my self of in the camp for people not going up the aisle again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This week I got talking to a very elderly lady who couldn't understand living with someone before marriage. One of the points that came up was sacrifice for the relationship and the sacrifices made are often from the woman in relation to careers and children. If we are going to have families, the family must come first. A women will often take maternity leave, she may leave the workforce for a while to raise her children, so she makes a sacrifice to her career for the family unit. Whilst in this country it is established in law that we receive equal pay for equal work, we are still aware that the glass ceiling still exists. If women sacrifice more for the family unit then what protection is there in case it all goes wrong. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In this situation, legally women have some protection in marriage, the contribution to the home and family is seen as important. When a couple live together without a civil partnership the same protection is often not there. Few couples think of the end of their relationship until something occurs to make that end a possibility. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is interesting to look back at how marriage has evolved. A hundred and fifty years ago, would I have been able to say the same thing about marriage. As women we didn't have the same careers open to us, nor considered as anything but our husbands property. However the issue of protection and vulnerability is still there. As a women in todays world, I struggle to think of myself as vulnerable, the independent streak kicks in. However hard it is to admit, we all have times when we are vulnerable and partnership in life can be important at these times. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As women we have accepted the idea of living with someone, but I find myself still debating if we have forgotten that marriage offers us more protection and instead we have gone along with this change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0 UK53.9560855309879 -2.460937532.532076530987894 -42.890625 75.3800945309879 37.96875tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-45252536545159180192012-01-23T10:42:00.000-08:002012-01-23T10:42:05.507-08:00Thinking about Call the Midwife<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sunday night TV has been a little bit lacking for a long time, so its been great to see Sherlock and Call the Midwife on TV ( <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01b2w74/episodes/player" target="_blank">See BBC Iplayer episodes</a> ). I really enjoyed reading <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Call-Midwife-True-Story-1950s/dp/0753823837/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327340907&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Call The Midwife by Jennifer Worth</a> ,so was a little bit worried when they said they were going to make it into a series. It has been a little bit twee, maybe they should have put it on after 9pm, as there is a limit to how graphic it can be before 9pm. But discussing the pros and cons of production was not my plan on this blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't know if this book has got to the other side of the pond, so I will give a bit of background. Call the Midwife, as you may have guessed, is Jennifer Worth's account of being a Midwife in the 1950s. It is set in the poverty of London's East End, at a time of great change. The old bombed out slums are slowly being replaced and it is the dawn of the NHS (National Health Service). Jennifer is sent to Nonnatus House, a convent where the nuns and nurses cover eight square miles of London Dockland and shares in the ups and downs of the community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, before I ramble to far off, this weeks episode was about a fifteen year old who had due to poverty, found herself working in a brothel and becoming pregnant. To protect the baby growing inside her, she runs away and Jennifer finds her a place at an unmarried women's home run by the church.There is a scene with the Priest, Jennifer and the Girl and there is a short discussion on blame. Society blames the women for getting themselves pregnant, the men are not tared with the same brush. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The reason this scene stuck in my mind was an article I had been reading in a newspaper on line earlier in the day. You see, part of me wanted to say thank goodness we have really made progress as a society in the last sixty years. However, as I read the comments people had left about the article, I had to stop myself. The article was saying that they were now going to let abortion clinics advertise on television. This obviously created strong comments, but looking through I found there was many comments blaming the women for the pregnancy, many of these types of comments were coming from men. What they seemed to be forgetting is, that no matter which era we are living in, it has always taken two to tango. Two people are required to create the situation of an unwanted pregnancy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We may not have the same stigma in this country attached to unmarried mothers. However, I would argue, that we do still have a problem of equality of responsibility. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-88740336272618504252012-01-22T05:21:00.000-08:002012-01-22T11:28:35.208-08:00What is a woman?<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've decided to think of all the words that describe the different roles in a woman's life. If I've missed something out as I'm sure I have, please feel free to comment:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Employer, Driver, Washer, First Aider, Scholar, Cleaner, Domestic Goddess, Female, Mother, Nurse, Protector, Friend, Activist, Mother in Law, Gatherer, Follower of Fashion, Writer, Widow, Reader, Accountant, Partner, Career Woman, Beautician, Caterer, Diary Manager, Womb, Daughter, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Observer, Colleague, Handy woman, Wife, Carer, Employee, Tester, Communicator, Teacher, Grandmother, Sex Goddess, Sister, Business Woman, Hair Stylist, Secretary, Shopper, Aunt, Counsellor, Brain, Nutritionist, Entertainer, Individual, Gardener, Blogger, Stranger, Specialist, Feminist, Economist, Homemaker, Bill Payer, Boss, Cook, Historian, Daughter in Law, Lover, Pensioner, Budget Manager, Seamstress, Politician, Yummy Mummy</span>.....<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When you look at it like this, its no wonder we are so busy!</span>Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-10338038903190714872012-01-21T07:38:00.000-08:002012-01-22T11:18:15.341-08:00Inspiring History- Helen Colijn<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of my aims in starting this blog was to highlight some of the people and events that really inspire me. While speaking to a woman who was studying history at Uni I was surprised she had never heard of the SOE. It got me thinking what other gems of history are being missed, especially history about women which seems to have completely missed by the Education system today. We have so much great history that should inspire us, instead of what the chatter mags give us. So as a start to re-address this omission in our society I give you Helen Colijn and the women interned by the Japanese during the 2nd World War.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have just recently finished reading Helen Colijns account </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Song-Survival-Interned-Helen-Colijn/dp/1883991145/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1327158268&sr=8-4" target="_blank">Song of Survival - Women Interned</a> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, so it seemed like a good place to begin. Helen's was one of the many women and children taken prisoner in South East Asia during the Second World War by the Japanese. They were held for several years in camps not fit for human occupation often on starvation rations. Japanese culture at the time looked down upon women and on enemy that had been captured. So to be both made these women the lowest of the low in their culture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A number of the women in the group of prisoners Helen was with gave themselves strength through forming a vocal orchestra, in practising and performing music they were able to escape for a brief time from their capture, if only in their minds. They made this story into a film called <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paradise-Road-Julianna-Margulies/dp/B0067VHRL6/ref=sr_1_3?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1327159237&sr=1-3" target="_blank">Paradise Road</a> which tried to tell this amazing story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I regularly read books on this subject and never tire of it. For me, I just can't get my head around how you can go from having everything that the colonial life gave people to having absolutely nothing. For those that survived, how can you go back to life, knowing that it can just all go. I wonder how I would cope with that loss, how would the people around me cope. In reading these accounts it is important to remember not all coped, we should not look back at it with rose tinted spectacles and consider it the 'Best of British' (or Dutch for that matter)</span>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However we should learn, learn that the human spirit can endure many things and know what is important in our life's.</span>Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-22909176686186588072012-01-21T02:33:00.000-08:002012-01-22T11:23:07.285-08:00The Breast on my Desk<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yesterday, I arrived at work to find a breast on my desk, well not a real breast obviously, but a PIP implant. Now I'm not going to go into how it got there, but as I rolled it in my hand like a stress ball it did spark the question in me "WHY do this to yourself? Why stuff yourself with silicone?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To give you some idea of where I am coming from on this, I think its good to start with my position on breasts. I have got a healthy cleavage, sometimes a little to healthy, when I try to run without the aid of scaffolding to keep it all in place. But God also balanced me out and gave me a rounded tummy - mine is not the wash board of a tummy that does 100 sit ups a day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The other piece of background information I think I should give to this blog, for those on another plant (perhaps my alien friend from my last blog) is that PIP implants have been all over the press lately. Basically the people that make PIP implants filled theirs with industrial grade silicone which was not approved for being inside someones bodies. No-one seems to have questioned at the time why PIP implants were the cheapest on the market and cost around £100 whilst better quality ones were being sold for around £600</span>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Note to self, if putting fake bits into body, go for the best quality I can get.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, back to the question, why stuff yourself with silicone? For me the only reason I can think of is in the case of reconstructive surgery. If I had been through something traumatic such as breast cancer I may consider trying to restore my body to how it should look for a thirty-something lady. For some people in this situation I can understand it is part of the healing process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't understand it for cosmetic reasons. How can you put yourself through surgery just to look better. Lets not forget, surgery is not like just getting your hair cut, its a big deal, with plenty of risks. We are beginning to develop an unhealthy relationship with cosmetic surgery in this country, it can be seen by some as the quick fix. However we have to look at the root, what message are we receiving, that problem bodies should be fixed or I should be happy in the skin I am in. I am reminded of Bridget Jones at this moment, when Mr Darcy tells her that he loves her just the way she is, but then I slap myself, why should Bridget Jones not be happy with herself, just the way she is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a woman, I know my body is not at the society held gold standard and it does make me unconfident sometimes, I admit. But who came up with the society gold standard, especially when it is not what the average woman actually looks like.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Perhaps we need to take a different view, not my body is imperfect lets fix it, but if my body is healthy, lets love it, just the way it is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So please join the Rambling Wee Lassie (just the way she is) as she continues to take a walk through life.</span><br />
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<br />Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-16855371940494655822012-01-15T07:21:00.000-08:002012-01-22T11:24:28.985-08:00Today's Woman - An Outsiders View<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If an alien looked at out planet, what would they think of women today in this country??? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />So up in their space ship, they take a look at all those electronic signals floating around and type Woman into the world wide web. First entry from Google (other search engines are availiable), Wikipedia; informing us that woman is a term usually reserved for a adult female and blurb on our history, biology etc. "<i>Well that's a good start</i>" thinks our little alien friend </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our second entry refers to Woman magazine, "<i>ah!</i>" says our little alien friend "this should tell me more on the culture of these women and whats important to them". So, whats top of the page, Flu jabs, divorce, losing weight, beauty bargains and a problem relationship with Mum. "<i>Is this really what a woman today is interested in?"</i> says our little Alien friend. "<i>Perhaps I should look at what google tells me next"</i> our alien thinks. The next two entries are video footage. The first a woman is shorty shorts, the second, a lady with a very good body, which our alien friend finds useful for understanding anatomy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This leads our alien friend to consider what the normal look is for a woman. So our alien finds the images button on google search and takes a look. Twelve images come up on page one. Four of which relate to a lady called Wonder Woman, who has found clothing gets in the way of jumping around (It is kind of amazing that her cleavage stays in). The other woman are attractive, young, of a certain weight and no grey hair. The largest lady (although no larger than me) is a painting, 'Portrait of a Woman' by </span><span class="rg_ctlv" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Domenico Ghirlandaio. There are three paintings/ drawing that feature on this page and I think they appear the least happiest of the women there. 'Woman with a Pearl' by Camille Corot shows a woman looking hauntingly out of the picture at the viewer. It is however, these paintings, that I suspect are alien is captured by most.</span><br />
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<span class="rg_ctlv" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What have I learnt from our little alien friend? Woman are the female of a species called human beings. We are skinny, have great bottoms, are interested in our health, diets, looks and relationships. However, for me it was the paintings that made me think that there is more to this story than the evidence google provides. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So join the Rambling Wee Lassie as she takes a walk through life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737751689087203839.post-35941271286596250652012-01-13T10:43:00.000-08:002012-01-22T11:25:14.096-08:00The Virgin Rambling Wee Lassie<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here it is, my first blog</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, so please excuse any blogging errors as I learn the ropes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, what should be the first thing I discuss (as writers block starts to creep in). Perhaps my reasons for starting a blog, set the scene, what do I want to achieve? It may be the New Year or that someone gave me their old laptop (mine just went to laptop heaven) but I started to feel the need to do something more constructive. I may also have been watching to many re-runs of Sex and the City and began to hear a Carrie Bradshaw voice in my head, commenting on daily occurrence's. Now, lets get one thing straight, its been a while since I did any writing, so it may not be great, but they say practise makes perfect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A couple years ago I went to Uni, it was great, I loved the big discussions. We were all finding who we were as people and nothing yet was set in stone. Since leaving Uni, I've started to work and although the brain is active, its focused on one particular area, I've been boxed into my little world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Just lately, I've been thinking about what it takes to be a woman in today's world, what inspires us, what impacts on our life's, what makes us cross, what makes us happy? That's what I plan to talk about on this blog, a chance for me to escape my box. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So please join the Rambling Wee Lassie as she takes a walk through life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Rambling Wee Lassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12507465900066568463noreply@blogger.com0