Saturday, October 30, 2021

Anything but news

Yesterday someone was asking me about my journey to Denver next week. This person is intelligent, switched-on, politically aware, caring, and tries to live her life according to strict ethical principles.

I told her I was flying to Heathrow to catch the plane rather than having Dave drive me there, because of Insulate Britain. She said: 'What's Insulate Britain?' 

'You know,' I said, 'they're an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion and they keep gluing themselves to motorways in the south east. They're protesting about the government's inaction on the climate. Haven't you seen it in the news?'

'I gave up reading the news. It was making me depressed.'

I know just how she feels. I tell people I'm not reading the news because it's so upsetting, but I am still skimming the headlines everyday and reading two or three stories in depth. Also, I'm still writing to my MP and she is still writing back, toeing the crap party line.

Anyway, if you too find the news too much to bear, here is my list of suggestions of things to do in bed alone on these dark autumnal mornings:

  • read a good book
  • play in Procreate on your iPad making art. 
  • do a word puzzle. I like Typeshift. 
  • look at all the fashion clothing sites you like to see clothes you have no intention of buying, except that then you alight upon a decently-priced soft cotton boiler suit in navy that would be perfect for painting in and then when you click on 'buy' find they have sold out in your size. 
  • check the hour by hour weather forecast to see when you can go out and get some fresh air without getting soaked. 
  • try writing a blog post in an email to yourself with your new apple pencil and marvel at the way it translates handwriting into print.
  • look up and realise that it is finally light and you can draw the blinds. 


    And now, some autumn photographs for you.











    5 comments:

    Helen said...

    I'm the same. I just skim read the headlines and try not to get sucked in

    Sue Hepworth said...

    👍 that’s the way.

    marmee said...

    Such beautiful autumn colours! Here where I am the trees in bright green leaf and summer is almost here. I feel so happy as the days count down to your Denver trip!

    Anita said...

    Yeah my MP is also great at ‘toeing the crap party line’ - problem is she never writes back!!

    Sue Hepworth said...

    Marmee - thank you!

    Anita - sometimes it’s more annoying to get a crap party line response email than none at all!