Personal – Clan Witch & Word Refinery

If May can have more than one Moon

I haven’t been around here. Life has been so busy. I’ve focused (as much as I can) on developing a routine for things that require one. And simultaneously weaving the layers of life around and through those routines has been an ever-evolving challenge. As is the season of my life, it’s been all-consuming of this fickle and finite thing we’ve named time.

I don’t have any serious complaints about what’s most important. Life is what we make of the pieces we find and create, the energies we choose to connect and make new colours with. And those that leave a story on departing.

I haven’t been writing to publish, that’s why some of us are here, right? I’m sorry for that. It gnaws at my brain.

I’ve not committed to deadlines or accepted opportunities because I knew I’d unlikely be able to fulfil any promises, so I haven’t made what I’d break. A pause has been accepted for a time. I may not be completely on board —I sometimes think, ‘I’ll have time here!’, but it’s never so. The decision has been out of my hands. I’ve taken a while to accept that, actually—that I won’t be writing a new novella this week. But I will another day, the wheel is always turning.

You’ve heard my complaints of AI being used too deeply as writing tools, and with the movement there, how anyone can fire a line into a bot and publish what (surface level) appears to be a fairly decent constructed piece of ‘work’ via an article, poem, story, review, book by doing sweet fuck all is disheartening to say the very least. It kills a piece of my soul. A huge piece. This place is full of cheats, liars, manipulators—lazy, talentless, attention-grabbing fools masquerading as mentors, creators, artists—with their borrowed paragraphs kidding themselves that they could or would have created the piece—if they had the time or some other shit they tell themselves. Void of skill, void of an original fucking thought of their own, they’ll sign off a lie with pride, stamping their name to it. I’m not buying it. I never have. Perhaps that’s another reason why I’ve not found the energy to pour into the craft I love, nor had the drive to share—they’d steal your face if they could, as well as the real stories. Change a word here and there, and grin with a face full of stolen cream, declaring ‘mine’. Fuck off. I may be in a ranty place… it’s a human place though. You can trust that.

So, shall we have a sort of old-school bloggy lifey update? Yes, fuck it, let’s draw back the curtain for a peek.

I’ll start with this—since the close of my monogamous relationship, I’ve had the freedom to be myself more than I have in quite some time. Elements that had been neglected for a long time rose to the surface, needing nurturing and satiation, and those core needs have taken time and energy from other things—like writing, where my focus was already struggling. I recently shared some insight elsewhere into my life as far as my sexuality and relationship style(s) go, as these elements seem to spark curiosity, and have at points throughout my life, been used to pitch attacks. Growing up fairly openly pansexual (though bisexual was the term in my younger days) wasn’t all sunshine and groovy rainbows—have I shared the story here of when my parents realised that I wasn’t straight? That’s a belter. They were terrified I’d corrupt my younger sibling with my perverted ways—there were bible quotes and all sorts of hypocritical hilarity, and of course, what will people think of them to have spawned a queer daughter! The horror! And in those teen years, I was essentially made out to be ‘greedy’, and even ‘dirty’ for my sexuality. One of the people I trusted most at that time shuddered at the idea of dating someone who wasn’t ’straight’ or ‘gay’—‘pick one!’—because it’s a ‘choice’, right?

Sharing much in the way of specifics of friendships and romantic partnerships is something I’ve been reminded to be guarded with. People have a way of giving insights with a rusty blade straight to the gut (again, from my experience). Like they forget I feel anything at all. I’m not entitled to that—apparently. If I tell them it hurts, it’s twisted all about, (they may even raise an army by flashing a delusional doodle), and they say it’s me holding the knife—it’s bigger and hurts more. I’m (was) the doormat to drag their shitty boots on, who should remain mute for the privilege—perhaps that’s just family—mine at least. The fact that I have an abundance of self-acceptance and confidence in those aspects of my character has very much held steadfast against the grain of early criticism, judgment, and emotional attacks from ‘home’ outwards. How we process peace internally is of far greater value to one’s wellbeing and how we then engage with others than outside judgment and influences (even blood). Maybe that’s around about way of saying—fuck what anyone else thinks; it’s how you make peace and accept yourself, and how you treat others that really matters. Don’t be defined by how they treat you.

Outside the ‘joys’ of the blood, I’ve always been questioned about my sexuality—some can’t read me—the gaydar might be screaming then I show up with a guy and my friends are like “oh, I forgot you like that too”. And alongside that, more recently, as I’m (happily) poly saturated, I get asked about my relationships too. I don’t hide who I am, but for the most part, I share what’s relevant to the conversation, and I’m mostly private about the one-to-ones. With that being said, I’m openly pansexual and polyamorous—closets are for shame, and I’m not ashamed of those parts of me. And yes, my children know too. As a parent, it’s important to demonstrate confident self-awareness, acceptance and diversity across the spectrums of sexuality and relationships, so I’d be a hypocrite if I ever concealed these aspects of me from the people I’m raising. I’ve never even considered that as optional. Why would I? I’m confident it enriches the dialogue and connection we share—they know they can come to me with anything, and of that I’m fairly certain. I only hope it sticks and helps them accept themselves as they experience their own path of getting to know themselves with confidence and acceptance. We cannot escape ourselves—inner peace and respect have to be priority (armour) against the outside noise.

My sexuality and attraction to another person are predominantly energy-centric. The evolution of my natural relationship style(s) is much the same. I’m very much of the mind that we should move in ways that enrich and enhance one another, lift each other, support, accept, love honestly—if that’s not the core energies, if any of that is opposite, then it’s not going anywhere but out of my life. Movement needs to flow mutually, respectfully and with communication that is clear in the particular connection—this, of course, has a natural variation of style. I’m also much a do as you say type; I trust action above words. I remind myself of this, as I’ve at times questioned my gut instinct when presented with lies from a mouth I believed I should trust, which creates a conflict between what we want to believe and the truth. Always go with truth, even when it hurts. My instinct is rarely wrong; I remind myself of this when something feels off. So many of us (sometimes with the best intentions) lie to ourselves—what we do and how we carry ourselves when we think no one is looking is the truth of the story. To quote a recent read from Bessel van der Kolk, “The greatest source of our suffering is the lies we tell ourselves”. I’m not keen on being in the fallout from such things. Though it happens with this human condition we’re afflicted with. I’m grateful to have communicative partners—even when we’ve faced some challenges (and will do again)—the developments have been enriching, as I’m sure they will continue to be. I’m grateful for each of them.

I do not subscribe hierarchy in my relationships. It’s simply not in my nature. Each relationship deserves its own autonomy and room to breathe, move and develop its own rhythm. And I include my relationship with myself in those I consider—I now recognise, understand and respect my personal needs, specifically my need for physical space, alone time, and quiet. My energy needs time to reset and rest between just about every interaction—the amazing, the terrible and even the mundane. I am perhaps the textbook example of solo-polyamorous. When I use the term, it is in respect of my need for complete solo-autonomy; my relationship with myself is as important as those I have with my others. And with my current paramours and matamoros, I’m of a Kitchen Table Poly style overall. That fills my hippy heart with a massive hit of happy. I love and crave my partners’ happiness and fulfilment in their lives and other relationships. And it’s a privilege to know and experience the care they share with their others through their eyes—even when just a little.

We have different capacities when it comes to relationships. We have different capacities for time, for holding love, for being present. If we set aside the romantic and/or sexual for a moment and consider friendships. Some folks thrive and maintain many friendships, while others prefer a smaller circle—one that may or may not be connected. I prefer small circles.

With my need to respect the autonomy of myself and other relationships, it is interesting the differences I’ve connected with—there are differing values across the board, which may or may not work out long-term—of that I am aware and accepting of. My style differs to each of my paramours (apart from one who shares a strikingly similar mindset and approach), with those that differ—one is open but of a romantically monogamous mind (for me, I’m very aware that at some point they could decide being with a pansexual polyamorous person is not within their capacity, and that monogamy or being with others who work with hierarchical values may be their natural default). And another is hierarchical with the primary relationship holding (the often controversial) veto power over others (again, I’m aware that’s another axe hanging over my head). With both of those differing items, I guess there’s a certain uncertainty—does that make sense to you? What I’m trying to say, is that there’s a comfort in knowing what it’ll be if one of those axes falls, and in either case it’s outside of my control—it’s ‘not me’, and most definitely a them thing. Though we could argue getting involved in the first place was in part well within mine—they are things I’ve chosen to accept as I’ve gotten more emotionally involved. What I’m trying to get across is that in romantic relationships, just as it is holding space for multiple meaningful friendships, we can have differing approaches and values, but in those connections, we carve out our own design that can be profoundly fulfilling.

I may pop back in, since this became more singularly focused than I first thought it would. And my waffling isn’t entirely finished but I have other things pulling my attention now.

Later!

Long December

When the Pages are Stuck Together

I was supposed to come back a few days after my last post. Well, I hold up my hands, it’s been more than a few days since May, but before the calendar year is out. Take it or leave it. I’m giving both. So here is something for this dark day. Pure human, untweaked, unsanitised, no washing out the blips because they are MY WORDS. Do folks even do this anymore? I’ve read so much that’s run through AI before it’s posted (it’s catfishing using words instead of pictures). I query those pristine lines when I don’t know for sure, and the text feels off. But more often than not, I know, I feel it in my bones; the lies, the manipulation. And I’ve seen those sanitised, helped-off-the-messy-floor words from folks I know—they run a thought through a processor then post a stream that’s void of human voice. Why? Does it make their thought more eloquent, make them appear smarter (appearances are the substance for some), or does the trickery furnish validity to a voice? The truth is, it kills it. Nullifies the tone and heart; the AI shushes your truth with buttered-up bullshit that lacks humanity. It lacks grit! It doesn’t make these fearful folks seem more put together. It dumbs the real down. Faux intelligence and faux art—these are not enhancements, it’s just disrespectful bullshit. Can you tell I’m not a fan of AI in art or writing?

I’m here, tapping the glass as though I were speaking a stream, and my notes have their own life, a voice unsanitised. I’m far more comfortable with the letters on the board than those stumbling from my lips when my vocal cords shake, voice cracks, or paces in a little silence between executing the words. Sometimes they (I) fail because who is really listening anyway, like those who never really read. They see a quote, hear someone else’s summary and think they know the experience or read the book (no, the synopsis or quote was not the book). I’ve noted the curious look in wavering eye, the way the pupil changes when the stream bursts happen to flesh ears. I’m frequently told I’m poetic or passionate, but I feel the ponder addition of a little ‘crazy’. Sure, all three are true. Anyway, even in the digital print now, it’s still me right here, you can fucking well trust that. I sometimes wonder when they ask. Like the pleasantries of how are you and what’s the weather like, they don’t care; it’s just noise. And I’ve never understood that. When it’s asked, and it matters, I don’t know how or what to give. Which edit should you get? Which version can your palate take before you grab the pitchfork and execute me? They’re all real, just naturally diluted with fresh water because I know how heavy full-strength is. My being has been attacked since dawn, learned defence behaviours I’m intimate with. I’ll carry that without any of the huffing and puffing ghosts of complaints from the so-called help. Learn to listen beyond the mirror. There’s always a filter, some knobs to turn and tweak, and a few buttons to release the script. And no, it’s not inauthentic as those who bay for blood in some self-righteous regime may cry. It’s self-preservation built from experience. Experience of challenging what I know the outcome will be (maybe it won’t this time. Maybe they’ve grown. Maybe it’ll be different than I think), misreading signals, thinking their eyes or title or ‘closeness’ meant safety, but it never did. Never does. Because behind every question there’s expectation, and I’ve sometimes missed when they want their answer, not mine. Anyway, that’s all by-the-by, but I’m haunted in Winter. A bag of fucking ghosts murmur; my body thrums in ways that have the floorboards quaking. I’m unsteady, a little weak, like I’ve forgotten to eat. But I’m routinely feeding others, so I must’ve had a bite. Maybe I just sniffed it and told my brain that was enough. The scent is enough. Like teasing about love, I can pretend I know what it feels like to receive that, but I’m a magnet for liars. I take them in like strays and orphans, make them a bed and make them safe enough to play jump rope with my intestines. They’re twisting, and I need to send them away. Maybe I need an organ transplant; the recovery is perhaps less painful.

Fuck. It’s a ‘Long December’ (Nah nah nah nah. Nah nah nah nah nah nah. Nah nah nah nah, yeah).

Organic; Now or I’ll Forget

I can’t believe it’s been this long since I’ve shared anything here. I’ve meant to, but the intention has slipped several times. Perhaps so often, I thought I had already paid these pages a visit. This year, I’ve not written in solid form beyond spatterings of ideas, character notes, and stray poetry swirls—none shareable in any fashion. I’ve written extracts from things I can’t yet give the time and sustenance to nurture and grow. The spatterings of poetic lines, sequences, and numeric strings from the noises that cause my eyes to fly open from technicolour dreamscapes to muted grey silence. Rest? What is that? The threads make sense in how they weave into knots, and those taut threads melt, strengthening into chain links that rattle the posts. I’m awake! I can see constellations within them just as I do with every inspiring bruise, but they’d be senseless to anyone else. A showcase of some insanity; the hyperactivity of the mind fighting against the bloody dripping bones to focus! Ooo, did you see that pretty bird? I wander off direction, tired of the paths I’ve seen and all those damn arrows. Fuck the arrows. I veer off the tracks of tedium, where all the stories have been over-shared; they’re overtrodden, smooshed into the dirt with so many lost details.

New faces, old eyes, same stories. I’ve heard them before, but I’m quiet while they speak. Sometimes, a word will be yanked from among the twigs with blurry intentions, “It’s new!” they’ll cry. It’s never new. They’ve just jumbled up the old letters and pretended to be founder finders. I yawn, say nothing, smile. They declare titles on their stickers and pins like it means something. A statement of what they are—just children role-playing. I prefer the details—the answers to questions, but they don’t allow space to be asked.

I need the wounds that I can still taste the blood from when I draw the air in and pennies dance on my tongue; my mouth waters for more. That taste shows what you are. What you do when all the words are gone is what you truly are. Maybe that craving is why I’ve been painting with blood again. It’s just mine. The aroma has changed. I need the stories that make my core tingle. I’m listening for that. The details can’t be found on the tracks I’ve seen. And I’ve no interest in walking in anyone else’s shoes. I’ll stick to my bleeding bare feet. I like to feel the mud shift from wet to dry and back again. I like the way she sucks my toes after bleeding them. I am in a bloodthirst right now—something else that was entombed. Then I have some pouring when it shouldn’t—life literally bleeding away—an obvious other factor of distraction. I’m not sure what I’m doing here. I’ve been stung by labels and tags in the ear—too tired and tedious to repeat. They are distractions or some showy bunch of rosettes I’m supposed to wave to be part of a series of communities, cults, some dire, suffocating populous that I’ve never trusted. It’s uninspiring, and I’m bored of looking or more so, I’m bored of seeing since looking implies I’m seeking what I’m not. Perhaps that’s why I can’t write how I want. That, along with the lack of time, too many distractions, and desires weeding out falsehoods and fantasisers to find substance that, perhaps, doesn’t exist.

I’m not publishing anything of note right now; I’ve been undoing things that have undid me. I’ve been unburying myself with one handful of earth at a time, and I’ve been remembering, waking, accepting, breathing, working it out, growing, forgiving, and trying to ‘be’. That’s the most challenging part when life is so busy, and it’s not just mine in my hands—it never was. And my mind is cluttered with so many to-dos and the ever-humming starving pieces that have risen from the dirt I’ve been steadily shifting. I drink, and I drink, and my skin is still dry, but I’m not as dead as I thought I was. They’ve been singing to me in some survival revival—those little canopic jars of my organs thrum. The dirt is under my nails, and I’ll keep digging. I’m an archaeologist, and there are revelations from all these old discarded pieces reforming. It’s all in the details. It’s all in the context. I didn’t intend to lack eloquence quite as much as this, but no one can say it isn’t organic.

I’ll come back with more sense in a few days.

Hogwashed

I watched Hogwashed, Joey Carbstrong’s spin-off documentary following his film Pignorant (which you can watch on Amazon Prime).

Have you seen either of these yet?

Our abuse animals, particularly through the system of animal agriculture is one the truest horrors of our world. It fills me with terror how desensitised many of us are to the entirely unnecessary atrocities these animals are put through.

Isn’t it absurd that the release of these documentaries on YouTube are age-restricted? We can eat the murdered at any age but need to be carded to see it…. Many people feed these victims (sorry – bacon, ham, pork, etc) to their children (mmm, bacon, right?), so why not let them see where it comes from, huh? Fucking blows my mind. If you cannot face them, if you can’t look your dinner in the eye while you take his/her life, don’t fucking eat them.

I wasn’t shocked by the footage and the mountain of easy evidence showcasing blatant barbaric abuse and neglect captured by Joey’s team from UK farms, whose products are stacked on shelves and in restaurants with all the shiny feel-good labels for those that consume them; RSPCA Assured, High Welfare, Organic, Free Range (all bullshit to make consumers feel good about the animal abuse they pay for). I am not shocked, but I am constantly appalled that people continue to support it with their eyes closed. Lying to themselves about the glory of animal farming and the benefits of feeding our children the dismembered and skinned corpses of other species. Corpses that have been pumped full of antibiotics so it’s ‘fit’ for your fucking plate because of the disease-ridden, cannibalistic conditions they are forced to ‘live’ in before they are killed. Remember what kicked off BSE?! Yummy!

It (darkly) amuses the fuck out of me when folk who consume this stuff have the stupidity and audacity to talk about ‘healthy’ diets or the problems with pharmaceutical companies and vaccines while chowing down on these animals. And ‘High Welfare’? These words are meaningless as far as animal agriculture goes. How delusional can this collective be? It’s insanity! If I wasn’t already vegan for reasons of compassion, care and respect for other animals that we share this rock with, if I had no care for these living creatures and saw them purely as products for consumption, I’d still be disgusted! How can folks feed this to themselves and their children? Seriously?! the abuse isn’t just of the animals — think about it, and be honest with yourselves.

There’s a moment in Hogwashed where a farm worker drags off dead pigs (who likely died of disease), then washes his hands in the pigs’ medicated drinking water. This is the meat people are eating! What the fuck?!

Anyway. My reaction was as expected. Sets fire to my rage and deep sadness towards our species. And I’ve watched a lot of this type of footage from breeding to abattoir processing – both the ‘clean’ processing the industry likes to share and undercover day-to-day. It’s all fucked. More of us need to do fucking better. Stop making pathetic excuses.

I also want to throw in the deep admiration I have for the brave vegan activists who speak up and take action, often putting their own safety and even lives on the line to advocate for the animals. 💚

Mono No

The problem with monogamy is everything.

As with monotheism, the narrow, single-track pathway does not stimulate growth, enlightenment, wisdom, and fulfilment. I line those things up side-by-side because love and sex are profoundly spiritual and primal. Minimising and restricting the human experiences of those things is developmentally devastating to the brief human experience. It dumbs us down, numbs us. The nuances of our needs in love and sexual desires are too complex to be satisfied and advanced in a mono union (confinement).

When openness and confident communication are embraced, there’s no room for liars, mistrust, or cheats; there’s just love and true evolving connection.

I need to run in the woods—to feel the earth caress and cut my feet, the bark scratch his claws down my pale back, the rain pat at my face and tangle my hair, and the air lash my body with a thousand desperate kisses.

Rosslyn Chapel

It’s been a couple of years since I visited this spot. Rosslyn Chapel, and Roslin Glen is one of my favourite places to spend time. There’s an immense peace around this area. It’s a cleansing meander where time could stop—of course, it never does; what we spend can never be made back. This setting has inspired many poets, storytellers, novelists and artists for hundreds of years, if not more. I admit it inspired a fictional setting in one of my short stories. I wonder if any of my readers could spot it? That story has more to it in the pipeline — don’t they always.

Today, after another restless night, I took a slow venture to Roslin village in Edinburgh. My journey was flanked with sorrow from the moment I left the house; a lone magpie was almost constant in my sights. Different individuals, but always a solitary sorrow. I penned some notes. At the village, I paid a visit to the chapel first. I asked after William — anyone who has known Rosslyn in recent years may know of the black cat often found around and inside the chapel. My heart hurt to hear of his passing in 2021. The first time I visited, he sat by my side in the chapel. The cool cat left a strong impression. When inside, I took a moment on that pew with a memory of that energy. We’re all just passing through.

Rosslyn Chapel was founded in 1446 by Sir William St Clair (Sinclair) as a family chapel. (Like the name? As a Sinclair, I have a blood draw to the place like many from our rich Scottish/French/Scandinavian line). The founder died before the building’s completion 40 years later. It was not finished to William’s original design. As with many such buildings, following the 16th-century reformations, the little chapel fell into disrepair. Cromwell’s men later used it during their attack in the 17th-century to stable their horses. In the 19th-century, the chapel underwent some Victorian restoration, and services began again. Unfortunately, the work performed to protect the sandstone carvings, along with the high humidity within the chapel, was discovered to have a deteriorating effect, and major restoration works began in the late 20th-century by The Rosslyn Chapel Trust.

Read more about the chapel by visiting here.

I find it interesting how peaceful the building itself is. Silence enveloped my bones the first time I stepped inside it; silence and comfort. I have sometimes felt visceral unrest in Christian buildings — the energy poured into their design is distinctly to pay worship to their single god—a god whose people I’ve had conflict with. I feel the judgment and persecution beneath its serenely carved masks and outward message of peace. Peace that’s splattered in blood. I can feel dirty, hateful hands squeezing my throat. I’ve never felt a whisper of that at Rosslyn Chapel. One could shelter there under all those carved eyes, flowers, stars, and green men. Rosslyn feels more spiritual than religious. I love that about her. Perhaps she was designed for monotheism, but she feels far more polytheistic to this pagan. And you don’t have to look far online for information and theories on the glorious tapestry of symbolism carved into the sandstone inside and out of this divine little gothic gem. But, if you’ve never been, I suggest not reading a single thing — visit her, sit in her cradle of silence and tell me what you feel.

The chapel sits above Roslin Glen. A wee wander down beneath and by the ruins of Roslin Castle is a divine way to cap off or sandwich a visit to the chapel. The ancient woodlands along the glorious River Esk are perfect for a quiet contemplation walk and just as good for a fun day out with the kids. I needed the former, and I will no doubt be taking my little monsters on the next trip over.

Oh! As I left the chapel grounds, I was approached by a confident and curious ginger cat. We exchanged pleasantries, maybe I’ll see him next time on the pews.

The Screamer

I saw a comedy sketch taking the piss out of folk (women) who are noisy during sex and chining them for being fake.

It made me think of, like many things, how we’re picked apart whether we’re too noisy or too quiet— she fucks like a whore or fucks like she’s frigid. Judged and executed no matter what the fuck we do (or don’t). She needs to relax more, oh no, wait, she’s too relaxed!

As a vocaliser (I know, it’s always ‘the quiet ones’, right), holding back is a conscious effort during physically expressive acts whose essence, and one of the primary goals of exchanging sexual energy, is to create and build pleasure and ultimately let go. And submit to the little death (or a few, if lucky). Of course, there are times when we must, like when in a public place perhaps or as a guest, those times sneaking around and sex is against the rules. Times when desire is high, but outward expression must be controlled. But for the most part, exchanging sexual energy should not be the time for minding our oooos and ahhhhs, our grunts and growls, our moans and screams.

Personal anecdote time: That sketch reminded me of something that happened in my early 20s, where my vocal enthusiasm was subject to gossip thanks to an ex’s absolute lack of integrity and disrespect. Not just any ex, he was the first I loved. My younger sister was exposed to this gossip, which wasn’t confined to a single conversation. It spread. Honestly, when it came to my attention, I was mortified. Intimate details being talked about in such a crass way in a group setting by someone I trusted was disappointing towards their character and any emotional connection, I thought we had shared. I was disgusted, embarrassed, and hurt. This discussion was spread beyond a singular conversation. And I got hints of it before I knew when I was introduced to some folks by the loose-tongued fool. One of them, when we shook hands over the loud music, with wide eyes said, “Ahhh, you’re Natasha—the screamer.” Funny the little lines we remember, huh? From almost two decades ago, I can still hear that. Anyway, at the time, I crossed my brow, a bit confused. I guess I knew but wanted to see the best in people, so I brushed it off, he wouldn’t talk about me that way, would he? (Yes. He was a player. He would, and he did). It was a few weeks later, my sister shared with me that I was being gossiped about. Again, at that juncture, with our age gap, she was my baby sister, so I was seriously mortified that she was exposed to that discussion.

This could have made me insecure in how I sexually expressed myself, especially since this gossip was from someone I mistakenly trusted and thought more of. Thankfully, for me, it didn’t. But I know that such slights can impact many folks enough to hinder their openness and expression. Honestly, fuck that. And fuck anyone who judges your intimate expression. Let that heat shimmer, glimmer and ripple, the bubbles, the sparks that catch under your skin and prickle; let it build in silence or groan and moan and scream your pleasure. Let it pour out in whatever way is natural. These things aren’t always for thinking; they are waves to be ridden. That sexual pleasure and expression is yours to create. Yours to share. Yours to express. Yours to own. Yours to fucking scream (inside or outside your body)!

Personally, I love the noises folk make when they fuck. I am a creepy wee voyeur for listening in when I’m not part of the action. It stirs the ardour.

Crumbs

Into the sea of a billion similar blog posts on the state of ‘dating’, here’s my crumb to be dissolved in the salt. I’m sore, so I’m hitting the innie hard, which usually means I go out of direct contact except for a teeny few for a bit.

I’ve spent most of my teen and adult life in a relationship thus my experience with being single is limited. There have only been a few small windows. It seems that there are many of us in my generation (middle-aged, single), and I don’t believe it’s because people lack anything from previous generations for LTRs to stick. I think it’s more that we’re developing more self-respect for personal needs than being sacrificed to unhappy, uncommunicative, sometimes abusive, neglectful, and unfulfilling institutions, of which there seem to be many. My last relationship spanned 16 years, of which I was monogamous, so it had been a fair while since I dipped my toes into the pool!

I had a brief flurry on a particular app — chatted to a few folks; some seemed decent, but others were a fucking shambles. I’m not sure when it became acceptable to ask if a woman wants to eat your ass in a greeting, but there seems to be more of those clods than decent folks on the apps. The way they speak over text would never happen in real life. It’s fucking nuts. And there are the time wasters who are bored, probably married (and not open), and want to chat but never meet. (I understand why pages like ‘Are we dating the same guy/girl exist?’. Sadly, they have to and probably create as many problems as they highlight.) And, of course, there’s the torrential onslaught of egomania DPs and selfies—men being more visual, this seemed more a male thing. Women connect differently. Many seem slow to learn that—that’s one to teach our sons.

I didn’t go more than ankle deep and quickly decided—fuck that, and shut it down. I don’t imagine ever returning to those avenues (I may get more chickens). In theory, it’s such a fun and efficient idea to meet folks looking for the same things, but it’s riddled with liars.

What the actual fuck?

Anyway, after that, there was an accident, not from the dating apps. We actually met in person, and I stupidly caught feelings and hurt myself. Is this a right of passage? Does it mean I’m now totally part of the 21st century and the death of human connection? Where heavy contact and mixed signals, then nothing are the norm?

I might have been a boredom breaker, like you’d give to a dog—chewed up, spat out, tossed to be forgotten under the sofa, now onto the next shiny toy to rip apart.

It’s depressing the state human connection and communication has gotten into with regards to romance, sex, and any new relationship (or situationship now?) that involves exploring and engaging with one or both of those things.

It’s fucked, isn’t it? It’s not even a question. I know it is.

Personally, being of a HSP, empathic, introverted nature—it is hell, and we are screwed. Quick! Grab all the books and head to the woods! I either feel nothing or I feel it all intensely, and I read and soak in the emotional energy of others with whom I directly connect. With this, I am immensely lucky in the very close friendships I have. Unlucky in the other.

My nature has been weaponised against me in the past, particularly in relationships. I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve allowed emotional manipulation to steal years of my life. Time is life; it’s all we get. The quality and authenticity of the connections we make matter. When there are shifts in emotional energy, there’s a very direct impact. Those three personality traits interlink heavily with the physical. When HSPs are emotionally messed around, we feel it everywhere: we can’t sleep, how we feel is deafening and consuming, we get stuck in conversations in our heads (even ones that haven’t happened. The words unuttered become haunting ghosts), and we beat ourselves up.

Over recent years, I’ve been trying to manage these things better, and this year, I made a conscious effort to try to implement self-care and regulation so I can support better mental health. That self-work really is so important for all of us. The more sensitively, empathetic natured tend to sacrifice that naturally to support the energy of those we feel connected to. It’s not an easy trait to snap out of. Work is continuous.

It’s not about being ‘too sensitive’ or having to ‘harden up’ as I, and I know others of a similar cut, would have heard growing up. Honestly, I’m not 100% sure what the solution is because right now, I’m in ‘shut everything down!’, ‘raise the drawbridge!’, ‘flood the fucking moat!’, and ‘stay away from all people!’ mode. Defensive. But we shouldn’t have to live that way. And I know that mindset creates trouble when the fort is battened down too hard….

Fuck. I hate this feeling.

‘The mouth of the wolf, the eyes of the lamb’ —Rain, SleepToken

Hyper compartmentalising or hyper exposure?

I began writing about this some months back. It came to the forefront of my mind again recently, but from a personal angle, so I’m going to blend my tangent tangle; why the hell not? An attempt to de-compartmentalise the thoughts. Oh, the anarchy! My mind will not enjoy this. It’s a tangent—potentially incoherent at times. Just go with me on it.

Psychologically speaking, compartmentalising is a defence mechanism—an isolating process within the mind of thoughts and feelings that may conflict–this can have benefits, of course. It can help us focus on a task without being distracted. Given the nature of defence, I wonder if it’s beneficial that we are raised to compartmentalise how we are educated. As a home-educating parent, I’ve often considered this. In nature, for most, applying this to every aspect of life is stressful and unfulfilling and can make us appear inauthentic. I often worry about what parts to share, with whom and when. We naturally show different parts of ourselves to different audiences to suit boundaries and comfort levels. There’s a difference between natural compartmentalisation that protects us and the hyper compartmentalisation that seems so prevalent today. Have we all gone a little too far?

I think of the neurodivergent kid who masks all day while in a childcare or school environment and then has a meltdown at home, or the smiling and helpful cashier who spends his day helping and being patient with trying and rude customers but returns home exhausted, moody, and craving solitude from the hustle and bustle.

In business, there’s little expectation for the heads of large organisations to share extracts of their personal selves and private lives with their customer base. I’ve never heard anyone ponder how interactive and personable James Daunt (Managing Director of Waterstones) or Roger White (CEO of AG Barr) are with his customers, for example. Few customers consider how these guys ‘made them feel’ or how personally engaged they are on social media before buying books from Waterstones or picking up a bottle of Irn Bru. It’s predominantly about the products and not the folks behind them. This doesn’t apply to independent businesses such as authors and artists like myself, who maintain complete creative and distribution control of their work. Yet, as an independent, I read and hear about this often. How folks must ‘buy in’ to the artist, and we must tirelessly engage—not too much or too little, just the right (arbitrary) amount to be ‘seen’ and be personable. In the online compartment, I’ve seen folks complain that authors only post about their work and their books, then, on the flip side, they share too much of their personal lives. There’s no pleasing everyone, even for people-pleasers, an epidemic primarily associated with women. Sadly, it is a piece of conditioning I am struggling to break free of, though I am trying! Even if not for myself, as an example to my younglings.

Again, this compartmentalisation, at its root, is a defensive process. One that can help separate and protect business from personal and facts from fiction.

Personal compartmentalisation, on the other hand, isn’t as clear-cut either. In fact, for some of us, that’s even more of murky situation. When is it too much? When is it not enough? It’s now undeniable to me the more I’ve considered it that how I manage my personal relationships in this manner is a defensive and trauma response. I was raised to hide pieces of myself, from how I smiled to the questions I’d ask, so like the people pleaser, the hyper compartmentaliser was also created. Don’t let them see you, Natasha. Don’t let anyone see all of you because you’re a fucking mess. Your teeth are crooked, your accent isn’t right, your questions make everyone uncomfortable. Just stay quiet, and keep your mouth closed. But that’s not unique to me; I’m not special in any way, so many of us have this — our friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances only see us from certain angles. A version just for you and them. And with this, I’ve always kept my social relationships pretty separate. I don’t mix family and friends or different friend groups. The idea of such social mixing sends me into an anxiety-ridden shambles envisioning the horror. There’s experience to support the separations—I mixed groups a bit in my youth, and lessons were learned, so the defences were erected in full force, and I haven’t thought about allowing passages between rooms in a couple of decades.

In recent months, I began considering my history with social compartmentalism when one of my closest friends noted I had uncharacteristically opened a door between rooms. She has perhaps been exposed to more of me than anyone else in my life, so her observation hit hard. In creating this invitation, which was uncharacteristically not thought out, it was strangely natural in contrast to my defensive conditioning. I’m here today overthinking or just thinking about how I may have created a draft. Shut the door, Natasha! The open door, even if the invited never passes through, is akin to an open wound. Have I thoughtlessly regressed or is it a progressive change of self? A seasonal shift that has to happen for a growth I’m yet to understand? I don’t know. It’s getting cold in here. Maybe I should close the door.

Love, Peace and All of That

The world is full of pain, ills and wrongs, and I am far from naive. The suffering could consume me, the anger that swells deep in the gut, and I have been in desperate agony and rampant with rage from what I’ve experienced and witnessed. This world is full of sharp edges. It can be ruthless and cruel more often than not. But that cannot and shouldn’t make a home inside the soul. At least not for long. It has to be managed, processed and let the fuck go. We’re only here for a little while. It simmers down to choice. Today, what do you choose?

Lead with love.

I have no right to judge you.

You have no right to judge me.

We don’t need to understand to accept.

Lead with love, not hate.

Lead with an open mind, not a closed one.

Lead with peace, not war.

Lead with love always.