A front page article from the November 11, 2019 Times caught my eye: Shy Society…half of us are shrinking violets. Greg Hurst writes: “British reserve is as as much a part of the national stereotype as excessive tea drinking and complaining about the weather. Now research shows that it is accurate more than half of us secretly admit to being a wallflower. The findings suggest that we should stop worrying about what other people think of us as they are too busy worrying about themselves. “Few study details emerge from the article; but some. It was an online survey involving 3,450 Brits wherein 47% said they were shy and 10% said they were very shy. Amongst young people (16-24) 49% said they were shy and 17 per cent said they were very shy.
Wow. 49% of women were unhappy with their appearance and 26 percent disliked their looks. But that does not tell us anything – because perhaps they had every reason to be unhappy with their looks and appearance. Perhaps that was reality speaking not insecurity. But the back page story brought more information, apparently according to the latest shyness research one unexpected nexus of shy peopled appeared in California. So I am surrounded by shy people apparently, in London and hone. What to do about it/ Nothing. The shy people will speak less and not make an impact and so for me, the sky can be the limit and I can meet all sorts fo strangers, including a Sultan or two. Zi am not complaining 0 shrink you violet, hide your face in the sand, be reserved. See if I care,
Heather Sequeira in the Times article, a consultant psychiatrist opined, that it was normal to for people to feel social anxiety or not feel at ease.” Huh? Just because a lot of people feel or act in a certain way r, it does not make it NORMAL Long time readers will remember (and others may examine my March 24, 2018 blog where I mention a seminal book. Hitler’s Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust . It is a a 1996 book by American writer Daniel Goldhagen, “in which he argues that the vast majority of ordinary Germans were “willing executioners” in the Holocaust because of a unique and virulent “eliminationist antisemitism” in German political culture which had developed in the preceding centuries. Goldhagen argues that eliminationist antisemitism was the cornerstone of German national identity, was unique to Germany, and because of it ordinary German conscripts killed Jews willingly. Goldhagen asserts that this mentality grew out of medieval attitudes rooted in religion and was later secularized.The book challenges several common ideas about the Holocaust that Goldhagen believes to be myths. These “myths” include the idea that most Germans did not know about the Holocaust; that only the SS, and not average members of the Wehrmacht, participated in murdering Jews; and that genocidal antisemitism was a uniquely Nazi ideology without historical antecedents.”
If one were to apply Sequeira’s thinking to this situation one would come to the conclusion that the Holocaust was ‘normal’ as a vast majority of Germans participated in the massive killings. I do hate fuzzy thinking and Heather Sequeira has indulged in same.
But enough seriousness and onto my responsive funny friends. Everyone, especially me. Needs to have friends who reach out, ground them and tease them. Most recently the topic was my ability to meet men.
An email entitled Men All Over was sent to friend Jennifer who responded:
She: Well la de dah! Haha
Me: You are making me laugh so hard.
But then Jennifer changed her tune when she received this email from me. Its subject line was Can You Believe Him?!?!
Me: https://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/ruler-of-dubai-and-crown-prince-of-abu-dhabi-honour-graduates-of-national-experts-programme-1.935859
Read the blog in case you have not as yet. Alexis (the London and San Diego wife, hahahaha
She: I want one!
Another: (Flower Girl’s Wife, aka PA.)
She: Oh my……… you have been busy lol. I am now curious to who you will meet next You sure are a fast worker.
Me: I think I could meet no one better than the Crown Prince (who is always The Sultan to me). Hahaha More later. Sultan’s Dad has something like 6 wives – he might be more age appropriate. Hahahah Lots of love,
Another responded when a request went out with the subject line: I need some sensibly.
He; If you read the blessed jane you may regret leaving sense form your response.
Me: As to your first sentence – it makes no sense Whatsoever that I should meet the Crown Prince of Dubai so sense does not apply in this instance.
Yesterday was a rather quiet by rather amazing day, meeting with my computer guru Chris Jackson. We have been conversing largely by mail since the inception of this blog in January of 2017. Neither of us had any idea it would become what it became. We last met during my December 2018 visit to London when he famously said:
He: I pave the road; you drive the car.
Me: What a profound statement of collaboration!
Yesterday he mentioned that we must have traded about one thousand emails back and forth. But there needs to be a time for face to face contact and it dawned yesterday. We made plans to revise the blog as it is getting rather unwieldy due to my silly productivity. I also have a plan to perhaps make money from the blog – but NOT using ads or marketing. It was such a productive meeting and we are so close to one another, although barely EVER seeing each other face to face. He has a precious wife who I met last year and we are making plans to see one another again. Juan, one of the wait staff in his hotel, spoke to us. He told us that, upon his urging, his parents read the blog. I actually almost wept – I was touched beyond belief. I did briefly think of quitting the blog, and texted Wise Man:
He: I am glad you are not quitting the blog until we have a chance to speak but be forewarned I am trying to convince you not to. As for the Prince, why am I not surprised?
Me: You made me laugh. Laugh so hard. I shall do nothing rash until we meet.
Meeting with Chris put my mind at ease, giving up the blog is no longer contemplated. So you are stuck with me – or not. Nobody forced you to read this.
The photograph was actually taken by Chris in the loo of my hotel room. It was posted on Instagram with the following caption.
This taken in the loo of my hotel room. Which one is the bull dog and which is me? My tiara says: Bride to Be. Huh???
So far there have been 21 likes and one response with multiple hearts.
