Conversion therapy - No thanks.

Most of the time I don't watch a lot of television, unless it's CSI or CDWM. I make a point of avoiding the news- far too negative, both in what it reports and the way it reports it, and I only watch documentaries that I know will be of great interest to me...
Such a programme was on the other night. It was a documentary about a group in the USA who practise 'Gay conversion therapy'. Tony did suggest that I shouldn't watch it as it might make me angry. However, angry was not the emotion it brought out in me. I was saddened by it.

• Firstly saddened that such groups still exist in what should be an enlightened age. 
• I was also saddened that young men are not permitted to accept themselves as whoever they are, but want to fit into society as prescribed by others. Others more often than not being their parents. One father said that he could accept his son (who was just 17) being anything but not gay whilst his son listened from the sofa, dejectedly. 
• And saddened that these young men so hated themselves and in so many cases turn to suicide as their only way out.

The programmes presenter was ultra-sympathetic and judged no-one, although she did suggest that these men and boys were not allowed free-will.
At the end of the programme they announced that this therapy is now banned from practising with men under 18. I guess that's a start. Brainwashing is not allowe3d in any other areas - why sexuality.
These men need a supportive space to find themselves, not a space that pushes them in the way others think would be best for them. 

OK Of my soapbox.... but here's my story....

When I was much younger I hated the thought/possibility that I could be 'one of those' and at the time would have done anything to change the way I was. I could so easily have been on this programme of men who identified themselves as having same sex attraction yet couldn't identify as gay. I could so easily have been coerced into a marriage by my parents and and almost everyone around me, who 'wanted the best for me'. 

I was lucky to have found myself, found my man and found acceptance.

I now wholeheartedly identify as a GAY MAN, and would have it no other way. I love my life, I love me, I love my man.

Where do you stand in this debate?How are you going to react if your son/daughter is gay, or bi-sexual?

October photo Challenge - Day 31 - End-pic

31 - Whatever you please... or maybe what pleases me ... three of my boys enjoying an afternoon doze...

NaNoWriMo

I'm guessing the more observant amongst you will have noticed the badge at the top right of my blog page. Yes i'm about to slip into a month of writing madness.

During the month of November I have taken on the NaNoWriMo challenge again. Last year this resulted in my first novel -Winner. This year I will be writing 'The Key', my first children's book. I've got a sketchy plan of where I want the story to go, but know that as it pans out my characters will have their say and take me where they want to go.

So from the 1st November I have to write an average of 1,667 words a day to achieve my goal of a 50,000 word novel by the end of the month. Like last year I am a bit worried about making the goal, but with a bit of encouragement and concentration, and help from my muse, who has already been sitting on my shoulder and pushing me for a plot outline, I think (scratch that I KNOW) I can do it.

Already I've made writing buddies of two other people who are doing the challenge in VnG, one other writing in English, and one who is writing in Spanish. We are going to encourage each other and may even have a write in (in a local cafe or library) together.

So if I'm not around for days on end it means I'm away with my characters having adventures, so please forgive me.....

 

October Photo Challenge -Days 29 - 30

29 - Moon - a pic I took on the way home from work. I had great fun with my new camera (thanks again Nick), although I think some of the passers by thought I was nuts. Some of them are very 'Thriller' as they were taken over the cemetery railings. One even has thousands of stars twinkling in it (and a couple of orbs) - amazing. Oh and they'll all be on Picasa soon.

 

30 - Clothes - my winter wardrobe, more jumpers to be added methinks.

All change

Although we remembered to change the clocks last night before going to bed we were still awake early, so I was out first thing with Cuddy and Xali (and my camera) for a walk in the early morning brightness.

Overnight it wasn't only the clocks that went back. The thermometer dropped back too. During the night the sky was clear and the temperature today has been much lower. It sure feels like winter has come to town. For the first time this year we have closed the doors and windows and put the central heating on. During the night we were all in bed (for the first time) - that's Two dogs, Four cats and us two human beans. COZY!!

This change in the weather (and the clock) has brought about a change in yours truly. Today I have been like a power house of energy whizzing round doing more of those little jobs and things that have been on my to-do list for a while.

Finally I have updated our personal website: updating the 'coming soon' page, adding recent guests to the TITS list and added the photo albums for the last couple of months. 

I've also had some fun messing around with photos to create our Christmas card. I've got the basic design sorted, but just need to run it by 'im indoors' before finalising anything. I also started my Christmas (to do) list- having seen Pauline started hers on facebook. 

This afternoon whilst Tony was napping with the cats I spent some time shopping on-line, getting a few of those important items also on my to-do/buy list. 

I also set up my account at NaNoWriMo ready for the writing challenge that starts on Thursday - Can I really write another 50,000 words in 30 days? Well we'll see, but I'm giving it a go, and who knows this time next month I may have much of my children's book written....

October Photo Challenge -Day 28

28 - Looking Back... My first thought when I read that was ... over my shoulder so here's what was over my shoulder when walking this morning.

 ... and of course this came to mind:

Rain stops play

Fortunately we've had a load of rain, and the most incredible storms, over the last few days, interspersed with sunshine- all a bit mad actually.

Unfortunately when we have such storms the satellite signal on the TV cuts out, and often the electricity cuts out too. This happened when I was halfway through a major 'Magic' project yesterday. Thanks to Nick's suggestion I decided to put together a short video to promote 'The Magic of the Camino' book.  I had almost finished when the Leckie cut out, fortunately the programme had self-saved just before that, so I lost very little. This is also one of the reasons for the lack of blogs over the last day or two.

The video is now available on YouTube:

Let me know what you think....