Wednesday 10 August 2011

riotous

Everything fine here. Nasty in the centre of Manchester but nothing where we live. I was coincidentally in the main shopping street at the moment the riots started, and had my 3-yr-old in a pushchair, but it was pretty simple really. I heard the banging from further down the street as they started battering their way into a shop, but all I saw were people running (well, trotting) in my direction and saying "Get out", so I turned round and got out. Was a little freaked but went home, summoned hubby home and quickly realised we were going to be fine.

PS: Rather than attempt any political comment myself, I recommend you read this, which I think is pitch perfect. Explain, but don't excuse.

As for the rest of my life... I still have no job. I'm spending a lot of time with my kids, and they are great, which is helping to keep me sane and prop up my flagging ego. But there is an underlying current of "I'm a waste of space", and a rather disturbing dread of actually getting another job in the career I'm supposedly still trying to establish myself in. I'm writing more about that elsewhere - email me if you don't have the link.

10 comments:

Ragged Thread Cartographer said...

I left my mother's place in South Manchester about 1630 yesterday - and made myself laugh at the absurdity of what I'd just thought to myself - "Better get home before the looting starts..." and wondered at how quickly we humans can become used to things.. I'm glad you got out of there swiftly. (I had thought of going shopping in central city yesterday to show I was supporting business as usual but realised they'd probably all be shut down by the time I got there, around 1500.)

Ragged Thread Cartographer said...

Me again. Read your link to pcs and "The lawlessness of the financial and political elites..." sums up much. You might like

http://nathanieltapley.com/2011/08/10/an-open-letter-to-david-camerons-parents/ found via the 'And Then blog'
http://astaa.tumblr.com/post/8761258081/an-open-letter-to-david-camerons-parents/

xx

Dandelion said...

Have you thought about writing a maths book in the meantime? Much easier to publish than fiction.

Beleaguered Squirrel said...

Still very little money in it though, and the problem is it would take me a considerable amount of time... and I don't actually know if I have any at the mo, as I may get agency work at any minute. It would require me to commit a substantial chunk of time in advance, which may just equate to shooting self in foot. Plus I don't have any particular ideas or angles for a maths book. And I really hated / was very bad at being a freelance writer.

Still, it may yet become something I resort to! For the moment I'm actually not too worried as I think I probably will get enough agency work to keep me ticking over.

Beleaguered Squirrel said...

PS Thanks for the thought!

Dandelion said...

ps I'm having trouble commenting on the other blog. Maybe it's just me. #justsaying

Beleaguered Squirrel said...

Oh bother. What kind of trouble?

PS I should have clarified: At the moment I haven't given up on the new career, and financially we're getting by all right, so I'm not yet looking for other options - and the business of trying to succeed in my chosen career is so taxing that I really don't have the time or energy required to pursue other avenues. Eventually I might have to give up, and then I'll be looking at what I might do instead.

Dandelion said...

Won't let my comments go through under my google account, keeps sending me back to login every time I submit...argh!

Beleaguered Squirrel said...

Think I might have fixed it. Do me a favour and try it again now?

Beth said...

My sister lives in the middle of Mcr and apparently it was pretty hairy. Her boyf is an amateur film maker and posted this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmV_y0eLbHc

So, I'm glad you're all OK.

Also - how is he three????? Where on earth does the time go???