From East to West

Christmas has been and gone, and this may very well be my last post of 2014. In the five years of me writing this blog, I have never been one for posting a 'round-up' of the year, so I shall not begin a new tradition now, not that some other new traditions would not be wholeheartedly welcome... I do need to notice, though, that this year has certainly been a year of change and growth. It was the year I learnt more about who I am in relation to the world I live in. I made more active decisions about the way I choose to live my life and the career I am following. I chose new placements, started building my research experience, and the amount of modelling jobs I did, I could probably count on my ten fingers. For once, I chose to travel to a place I fell in love with for myself, not simply because my agent told me I would be loved. I realised that I don't care so much if a place 'loves me' if I don't fall in love with it myself. I am learning more about where I am grounded politically and philosophically. I am discovering what it means to be a woman and what it means to be myself. I am learning that I am constantly learning, and that is OK. For as long as I live I will be learning, and I do not wish to be in a place where I am too comfortable - I would like my answers to many questions to always reflect the changes that inevitably will happen.

But, this is besides the point. I came to write this post because I wanted to share a picture I photographed in York today just before the sunset. But behind every photograph lies a story that is just as important, if not more, than the picture itself. I have indulged myself in a week off from all work duties - but was back tutoring this morning at 9.30am. This meant, in addition to my morning irritation before my caffeine had kicked in, that I had to de-ice the car. I could write another story about my car adventures here - as I am sure it was rather comical to watch me try to prize the frozen boot open to access the de-icer I needed in order to un-freeze the frost that was supergluing my car doors shut! All was OK in the end, as is often the case, and I made it to my students home. To add to my list of favourite things my students say to me/ask me, this is going on: 'are you are feminist?'... I proceeded to inform my 17 year old male student about what feminism is really about - that it is just as much about men as it is about women, and that perhaps the girls at school are somewhat misinformed.... It is a shame, that for some young people they seem to be so loosely educated about these issues, yet the term 'feminist' is thrown around almost carelessly either like a badge worn with pride or as an empty insult. It is a shame - but I was somewhat pleased my student was curious enough to ask me, and that I gave him a more informed perspective...

Perhaps I really am in a typing mood tonight. Back to my picture - I had driven over to York for supervision and decided to take my work to a coffee shop to attempt beginning my case study write ups for the practice file deadline (which shall be upon us before we know it...) so I had my soya chai latte, drafted a case study, wrote up my supervision notes, and heading back to my car to drive back home, I adore the drive from York to Harrogate because I always catch the sunset - I am driving from east to west so whatever the season, I get this incredible view. Some days better than others, but today it was breath taking... Medicine for the soul.