Have A Good Old Moan....

Yeah, or ask when national men's day is (it's in November numb nuts, you just didn't look for it and assumed) on national women's day. Part of men's rights started in a genuine place, to protect men in divorces from losing rights with their kids. Shame it's gone off into a wholly rediculous place. However, what they also don't know is that to be a true feminist means to support those men too! I get incredibly angry at the 'boo how men's tears' type posts because it's not helpful to reduce genuine problems to a joke. Men have just as many issues caused by patriarchy as women do and they're ignored by too many. I do also loathe when those issues are brought up when it's issues that women face. Like 'wage gap? What about all the fact that more men commit suicide than women' or 'rape? What about all the men falsely accused?' Or 'more men are raped that women'. All valid, and all need to be tackled, but it doesn't mean we can't tackle the women's issues... How about we try and tackle them all and not make it tit for tat?

Oh, also. My brother has a definite firm diagnosis of cancer now. So he'll be starting chemo and radio therapy soon. I'm hopefully going down to Cornwall to visit on Thursday.

Exactly, when I was growing up a feminist was someone who wanted equality for the sexes by better communication, opportunities and understanding from both sides. The very fact that more men commit suicide shows that the pressure on men to be tough and 'manly' and not show their feelings does have negative effects, just one example of what you are saying that the patriarchy causes problems for men too. Now I think the term feminist has been corrupted somewhat and it is a huge concern that some groups of people such as LGBT women (in particular trans women) and women of colour do not feel represented by the movement, as my understanding of being a feminist when was always inclusivity above all else.

Glad to hear your brother finally has a firm diagnosis, and that they are able to begin his treatment. My thoughts are with you and your family and I hope his treatment goes smoothly and that he makes a fast and full recovery.

Now I've had my phone stolen from my hands. I hate people at the moment.

Wasn't mugged, just had it stanched from my hand. I'd spotted them looking at me, 4 of them, but I thought they were just the usual b**ds taking the mickey out of me for being fat and daring to wear a dress and have dyed hair. They hadn't seen me looking at them really, so I guess they thought I hadn't noticed them at all. I turned the corner (well, not really a corner, but I turned on a large area to walk the other way) and two of them ran up behind me, snatched my phone out my hand and carried on running. Too fast for me. Besides, I panicked and only mustered the courage to shout after them "you cs". At that point though, I'd forgotten about the other two.

I'll finish off the story later as I have to go and find a police station to report it now 🙁

Was this in Manchester Janine? I've heard loads of stories like this lately. It seemed to be a big thing on Oxford Rd down near Man Met when I was there a few years back, but I've also heard a few tales of it happening around Market St (one of my friends was even pick pocketed inside the Arndale last week.

I'm losing my nerve for the big city, I'm actually a bit anxious about next time I visit there, ridiculous as I grew up in one of the rougher parts.

Hope you aren't too shaken and that you get sorted at the Police station.

Yeah, it was Manchester. Right next to the Cathedral and Corn Exchange. Seemed more like they were just chancers or something as they laughed as they ran off. Chancers who probably do this quite a bit, but you know what I mean.

I'd still rather live in the city than in the countryside. But it's adding to things I dislike about Manchester. A misplaced pride for one thing. Too many people saying how amazing the city is, without really actually looking at the problems (homelessness is really, really bad here, the roads are terrible etc). It makes me miss London to be honest.

So, I went to the police. Gave a description as best as I could. I have hopes they can at least find them on CCTV because there is some right there and I would stand out! I don't expect to hear from them again, even if they do find me.

Lee called up the phone company asap and got a block on the phone and the sim, so the phone is pretty much useless in this country other than for wifi.

I've changed as many passwords as I think I need to. Got my card reported for possible fraud and cancelled just in case. There was a small iTunes charge which I didn't make, but as it was an android phone and I'd never used itunes or even ever logged into my account on there it seems unlikely to be anything, but I just can't be sure! It could have been some kind of auto payment, but I don't think so, it's a mystery. Enough of one to make me just need to cancel the stupid card.

I'm ok though, wasn't hurt, other than my pride. Only one man stopped to say anything to me, and that was just, "did they take your phone?" and nothing else really. It's wasted my entire day.

Luckily though, I was thinking of upgrading my phone anyway. That one I'd had problems with for the last few months. I'd just had a bluetooth issue that was driving me mad and meaning I couldn't use bluetooth on it ever again. So, they got a phone that wasn't very good in the first place, isn't worth anything to sell really because it can't be used for much (maybe a tenner if some idiot doesn't check it), there's not that many personal details that would be all that interesting or useful. Anything else that I can think of has a changed password now.

Pointless crime in many ways.

oh no. That's awful. So sorry that happened to you. Good thinking on cancelling everything, I know it's a pain but better to be safe with this sorta thing. Hope you have a nice calm evening now x

That's so annoying that they put you through that for a pretty much worthless phone, but like you say they were probably just chancers. Let's hope they get caught, there is loads of CCTV around there but there's so much stuff like that goes on there that it makes you wonder if much will be done about it! Defo better safe than sorry with the cancelling stuff.

There are a lot of things I love about Manchester, and I'll always consider it my home, but it really does have it's issues.

I hope you do hear something and they get what's coming to them, and that you manage a good chilled evening to get over it.

We've had something similar happen at work within this week. Had 3 phones (S7 edge, iPhone 6S Plus and an iPhone 7) stolen from our store within 2 days. Appears to be some sort of group in the town I work in. Puts me right on edge!

There's a special place in hell for letting agents.

Ok, so not really, but there's one really annoying me at the moment.

Oh no! What's up?

The usual kind of thing. Years contract nearly up, they want to know if we will renew. We want to renew but need something to be done about the oven as its incinerating everything, the thermostat appears to be dying or something. We wait a week and a half for an answer on that, then get a bitchy email wanting to know our answer. We gave the answer!

Edited to add, I'm also getting unnessecarily annoyed at something in the opening credits of Dynasty! We've been watching it from the start because I just really wanted to all of a sudden and we're both really enjoying it, bizarrely!

But in the opening credits, when the butler/head of household Joseph has his little intro, they have someone in the background piping a cake. It's obvious it's someone that has never piped a cake in their lives lol

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cCxqrbxttpM

At about 1.27 if you wanna see it! Though watch it all. It's gold. Especially when there's a giant champagne bottle very stragically placed so it looks like an actors p***s!

Aye that would have annoyed me too, hope you get it sorted. Our boiler sounds like it's about to pack up and we've been warned that it'll be a big job when it does and will mean we'll have to put scaffolding up and stuff. Plus upstairs flat has a leak that is coming through the ceiling of our main bathroom (we have an en suite so we're not completely without facilities) but it's the third time it's happened now and I'm sick of clearing up after it each time! (Also it's the first really sunny day here today and I was all dressed to go out for a walk, only to get asked to wait in 'just in case' they can get a plumber).

Hahah that's so good - the bit with the champagne bottle is anything but subtle!! Why though with the cake icing part - it's just the person's hands so why not go with the hands of someone who has decorated a cake before? They look like they think it's going to turn around and bite them!

made the mistake of not wearing a bra out, and wearing a grey vest top in this heatwave, which ended with lovely boob sweat patches!  *rofl*

Niiiiiiiice!

lol lovely!