The good thing about articles that start, ‘In the midst of all this terrible news, here are some things to be cheerful
about’ is that the list is always changing and never ending. Last time I felt
the urge to buoy up myself, and the world because of current events, I started
with the pleasure of watching Netflix’s The Crown. (You can remind yourself here
if you feel the need.) That was ages ago. Now? Who knows what it would be? Who
knows what cheerful distractions I would put on a list to gee us all up in
these dark, dangerous times. Well the answer is simple. You. You know, or at
least you will if you keep reading, because I am about to tell you.
So without further preamble, and like so
many before me, in the midst of all this terrible news, here are some things to
be cheerful about.
1.CHEESE TOASTIES
Click
on this link now. Right now. I promise it’s not a scam. Do it. ISN’T IT
BEAUTIFUL?
Now this is what I am talking about. This is my kind of
porn. LOOK AT THE OOZING CHEESE!! I’m not London-based, but if I lived anywhere
near Leather Lane, I’d struggle not to shovel one of these in my gob every time
I walked past. Hello Grill My Cheese, you
marvellous beast. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
 |
| I call this 'Laughing Cow and Vegemite on Milk Roll'. Nigella must be bricking it. |
2. NEW SLIPPERS
I recently lost my slippers. Actually, not true. I
recently lost my favourite slippers and didn’t want to have to resort to any of
the other five pairs I have on the go. (They just aren’t as comfy). Rather than looking
for the lovely lost ones, I ended up buying these bad boys. Even though it was
a waste of money (although Tesco isn’t exactly Harrods) I feel all cheery and
uplifted for them being in my life. It’s the small things.
 |
| They have ears. What more do you need? |
3. SISTERLY SOLIDARITY
The world has gone mad. People are being attacked and
discriminated against left, right, and centre, and the minute Brexit comes up in
a convo, a deathly hush descends as people try to work out which side of the
cavernous divide everyone falls on. Yet in the midst of all this, here is
something marvellous to do. Buy some
sanitary towels for refugees! Aunt Flo turns up on a monthly basis,
regardless of having to leave your home and flee for your life. (Aunt Flo is a frickin' biyatch, btw.) Bloody Good Period have
made this simple. They’ve set up a link
to Amazon
so all you need to do is decide how much you want to spend and send it to the
address they have added. It is ridiculously easy, as cheap as you want to make
it, and genuinely useful.
 |
| Why I have a fishmonger's storage box in my downstairs loo is anyone's guess. |
4. ARMCHAIR ACTIVISM
Following on from charitable donations, a bit of armchair
activism can help dissuade the frustrated feeling to take root. Online
petitions can make a difference, even it only means you’ve had your say on
something you feel strongly about. Boycotting businesses that don’t support
your beliefs won’t necessarily bring them to bankruptcy but will aid a good
night’s sleep. Then there’s the odd gentle march here and there. As slated as
the Twitter echo chamber is, seeing like-minded people share views similar to your
own, can remind you you’re not alone. Get
involved! Get involved in anything –
whatever rocks your boat.
 |
| Liverpool's protest against Trump's Muslin ban - 30.1.17 |
5. BOX SET BRILLIANCE
Let’s move on to some escapism.
Netflix currently have two series of Tina Fey and Robert Carlin’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and it is
joyous. Funny, disarmingly clever when you don’t realise, and an obvious baby sister
to the razor-sharp 30 Rock. Moving
on, Netflix have just added The People v OJ Simpson which, when it aired on BBC2
last year, blew my mind. It felt like a soap opera until it became clear
everything depicted happened for real. And in other news, I just bought all
three series (and additional Xmas special) of Last Tango in Halifax. Every
episode is a master class in writing and acting perfection.
 |
| Sally Wainwright's writing makes everything feel all right. |
6. MARIAN KEYES’ VLOG
I love Marian Keyes. I love her books, I love her tweets and I love her vlog. There is nothing cheerier - literally nothing
- than clicking play and hearing about her week. Whether it’s a new jumper,
what she’s watching on TV at the moment, or the escapades of her nieces and
nephews, she makes the most mundane of details utterly hilarious. She is defo
on my list of ‘Women I Need to Befriend.’
 |
| A selection of Marian's books. I call her Marian because in my head we are bezzies. |
7. SET A DATE
There are two reasons to use a calendar. One is to keep
track of where you need to be and when. The other is to make exciting plans
that you can look forward to. Whether it is a holiday, a family do, or a planned lazy day, the delayed gratification can be as sweet as the event
itself. As I type, I have an evening out with friends tomorrow. It's been in the
diary since Christmas and I CANNOT WAIT. I’d have missed out on all this
anticipation if we'd sorted it a couple of days ago. So make a plan. Arrange a date. Get excited.
 |
| October needs to be filled. I shall make plans forthwith. |
Right, mission accomplished. I’ve now raised everyone’s
spirits. Feeling uplifted? Of course you are. Top stuff. And on that note, I
need to make a cheese toastie and finish Last Tango.
Enjoy the week, folks.
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