I started 2014, not with New Year resolutions doomed to fail, but with realistic, clear-headed goals. One thing was for sure: I didn't want a repeat of 2013, which despite its high points (mostly holiday-related) will be remembered for unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety which led to comfort eating, weight gain and ill health.
So, with January almost over, I'm taking stock. 6 lbs lighter than I was at the start of 2014, feeling considerably fitter, the foot injury's gone from crippling to manageable. I've had a new mattress for exactly two weeks which has improved my sleep immensely, and the other health problem I've had since September is finally being kept in check. There has been a lot of decluttering at EuropeCrazy HQ, so I'm not going to end up on one of those 'world's biggest hoarder' documentaries after all, and the local charity shops have been the beneficiaries of some rather fab brand-new-but-doesn't-fit-me-anymore clothing. So, it's all good.
However, it would appear that in my day-to-day life that I seem to have reached a level of social detachment of Saga Noren-type proportions, which has raised some concern that I might be depressed again, when in fact I'm not. I may have 'shut down' for the winter but I'm just in the zone. I'm focused. Just trying to get stuff done. You know how they always say on a flight that you should fit your own oxygen mask first? Well, that's what I'm doing....getting my own life in order so that I can deal with all the challenges ahead, including forthcoming changes in my working environment. The next few weeks will be very trying, but there are also good personal things happening which might just balance the trepidation which change brings.
So, all in all, I'm getting organised. Blogging, as ever, has been a casualty of 'other stuff' but I'll try and fit a few posts in here and there when I can :))
Saturday, 25 January 2014
Saturday, 18 January 2014
The other side of the story
We didn't know him, yet over the past couple of days he became "our" child. And now we mourn.
When little Mikaeel Kular was reported missing from his home in Edinburgh a couple of days ago, he immediately went from being just an ordinary three year old child to being the centre of attention in all our lives. The little boy had been put to bed by his mother on Wednesday evening, and the next morning he was gone, seemingly having disappeared overnight. Fuelled by non-stop news coverage, he was the main topic of conversation. Where could he be? How could he have got out of the family flat on his own? Who could have taken him when there was no evidence of forced entry? We all hoped and prayed for his safety, but this morning the country woke to the devastating news that Mikaeel's body has been found in Fife, the home of a relative is being searched, and that his mother has been detained. That's all we know just now.
I can't find the words right now to describe how angry, hurt and horrified I feel about this. But plenty of others can, because Twitter court is in session. We don't know the full story as yet, but one thing is for sure: Twitter court is already passing sentence and is ruling that it's all social work's fault.
Yes, yet again a child dies and the social services are to blame. Just sit back now and watch the media outcry, as the usual indignant suspects take to their laptops. They will say that Mikaeel died because social work was not doing its job.
They will not say that social services budgets have been cut to ribbons, a caring profession brutally undermined by the most uncaring government since the Thatcher regime.......as inexperienced social workers with unacceptably high caseloads, face burnout almost from the minute they're qualified. Social work staff are doing the best that they can do, with the minimum of resources, to help families exist and survive amid a timebomb of mental health issues, drug and alcohol misuse and real poverty - the DWP's got to meet its benefit sanctions target, remember - and in these sick and sad times, it's harder than ever to improve the quality of people's lives when they are being eroded by the day.
Never mind that the high profile murders of children in recent years were, in many cases, an act of unforgivable evil by a parent, a relative, or a mother's partner who was not the child's natural father. All services involved with children, not just social work, have a role to monitor children but they can't do this 24/7. Short of having someone live-in with every family 'known to social work', or CCTV cameras in every home, this is an impossible task.
There will of course, be an inquiry. But the strange thing is that at the time of every inquiry into why a child was murdered, we don't hear the government of the day stepping in to increase the funding for social services, for increased free nursery provision, for mental health support/counselling, for services to empower women, for better education, for valuable services such as the Citizens' Advice Bureau or Women's Aid. We don't hear anyone banning those hideous payday loan providers or those high street shops which will sell anyone a sofa or a large-screen TV as long as they're willing to pay it back at 50% interest. We don't hear anyone taking steps to reform the buy-to-let housing market which has led to people living in unacceptable housing conditions whilst the landlords make big money - the sections of the media which demonise people on housing benefit always forget to mention that this goes to those landlords. And we don't hear anyone attempting to improve the quality of vulnerable people's lives. Who would have thought in this day and age that we would need food banks?
None of this, of course, may have had anything to do with Mikaeel's death. It was, as I said earlier, an act of unforgivable evil. Yet in such a dark time there was one positive factor - the way the local community in Edinburgh came together to search for him, in the hope that he would be found. In a time when 'community spirit' is a thing of the past - how many of you even know your next-door neighbour's name? - it was inspiring the way everyone came together. It's just a shame that it had to be in such dark circumstances.
Rest in peace, Mikaeel.
When little Mikaeel Kular was reported missing from his home in Edinburgh a couple of days ago, he immediately went from being just an ordinary three year old child to being the centre of attention in all our lives. The little boy had been put to bed by his mother on Wednesday evening, and the next morning he was gone, seemingly having disappeared overnight. Fuelled by non-stop news coverage, he was the main topic of conversation. Where could he be? How could he have got out of the family flat on his own? Who could have taken him when there was no evidence of forced entry? We all hoped and prayed for his safety, but this morning the country woke to the devastating news that Mikaeel's body has been found in Fife, the home of a relative is being searched, and that his mother has been detained. That's all we know just now.
I can't find the words right now to describe how angry, hurt and horrified I feel about this. But plenty of others can, because Twitter court is in session. We don't know the full story as yet, but one thing is for sure: Twitter court is already passing sentence and is ruling that it's all social work's fault.
Yes, yet again a child dies and the social services are to blame. Just sit back now and watch the media outcry, as the usual indignant suspects take to their laptops. They will say that Mikaeel died because social work was not doing its job.
They will not say that social services budgets have been cut to ribbons, a caring profession brutally undermined by the most uncaring government since the Thatcher regime.......as inexperienced social workers with unacceptably high caseloads, face burnout almost from the minute they're qualified. Social work staff are doing the best that they can do, with the minimum of resources, to help families exist and survive amid a timebomb of mental health issues, drug and alcohol misuse and real poverty - the DWP's got to meet its benefit sanctions target, remember - and in these sick and sad times, it's harder than ever to improve the quality of people's lives when they are being eroded by the day.
Never mind that the high profile murders of children in recent years were, in many cases, an act of unforgivable evil by a parent, a relative, or a mother's partner who was not the child's natural father. All services involved with children, not just social work, have a role to monitor children but they can't do this 24/7. Short of having someone live-in with every family 'known to social work', or CCTV cameras in every home, this is an impossible task.
There will of course, be an inquiry. But the strange thing is that at the time of every inquiry into why a child was murdered, we don't hear the government of the day stepping in to increase the funding for social services, for increased free nursery provision, for mental health support/counselling, for services to empower women, for better education, for valuable services such as the Citizens' Advice Bureau or Women's Aid. We don't hear anyone banning those hideous payday loan providers or those high street shops which will sell anyone a sofa or a large-screen TV as long as they're willing to pay it back at 50% interest. We don't hear anyone taking steps to reform the buy-to-let housing market which has led to people living in unacceptable housing conditions whilst the landlords make big money - the sections of the media which demonise people on housing benefit always forget to mention that this goes to those landlords. And we don't hear anyone attempting to improve the quality of vulnerable people's lives. Who would have thought in this day and age that we would need food banks?
None of this, of course, may have had anything to do with Mikaeel's death. It was, as I said earlier, an act of unforgivable evil. Yet in such a dark time there was one positive factor - the way the local community in Edinburgh came together to search for him, in the hope that he would be found. In a time when 'community spirit' is a thing of the past - how many of you even know your next-door neighbour's name? - it was inspiring the way everyone came together. It's just a shame that it had to be in such dark circumstances.
Rest in peace, Mikaeel.
Saturday, 11 January 2014
Hello 2014!
Since my last (rather gloomy) post on here, some things have changed.
I have a new moose, which I bought at the Edinburgh Christmas market last month. That was a pretty fab day, despite the torrential rain which has been pretty much a daily occurrence over the last few weeks.
The Christmas and New Year break was pretty fabulous, thanks to the most simple pleasures in life - lots of rest and relaxation and quality time spent with my two favourite people, lots of lovely gifts, a Christmas dinner triumph and ....happiness.
After the stress and weight gain of recent months, I decided to rejoin WeightWatchers Online between Christmas and New Year, and have very positive news to report. I have lost 5lbs in the past two weeks, and am pretty delighted about it. A combination of hard work, determination and being very focused on mini-goals rather than less achievable targets. Unfortunately I'm still struggling with the (inexplicable) foot injury/cramp, which has slowed me down to power-limping rather than power-walking :(
Nevertheless, onwards and upwards! Better times ahead, and hopefully some holiday news soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)