I Vote For Sleep...

Blimey, I'm tired. As you read this, cast your mind back three days and picture what you were doing on Friday morning at 11am. For it is Friday morning at 11am that I type this and what I have been doing is watching the UK election results - as Lionel Ritchie so memorably sang - all night long. 

Jinkx Monsoon, yawning for both of us.

I need to go to sleep. Badly. But you see, Friday is officially Blog Writing Day. I have to write something, anything, and yet my mind is blank. Not properly blank, obvs, but all I can think of is this election. It's all I've thought about for the past twenty-four hours and I'm too knackered to switch it off and come up with something witty about the weather. (See last week's incisive and impassioned post as an example of my usual fare.) And I do try to be non-political online. Except when I have to be. Except when I can't not be. I keep it light. Frothy banality is how I described my style, last week on Twitter. In real life, however, I am politically engaged, hence the no-sleep-on-election-night scenario in which I currently find myself.

Evidence of my keen
self-awareness

Even if I wanted to, there is no point commenting on the current political situation on this forum. Fast forward three days to Monday Blog Day and the speculations and guesswork the pundits are currently making on my TV will feel like the oldest of news. It's happening fast and changing constantly. Case in point: I've just been to answer the door to Keith who is going to replace my broken fence. I've come back to the TV and one of the party leaders has resigned. Not a main party. A completely pointless, irrelevant party to be honest, but still. I imagine that won't be the last breaking news alert that pings across my phone today.

Ain't that the truth.

So as I sit here, struggling to keep my eyes open, working out what to write, I'm reminded how much I have missed this feeling of cautious optimism after an election. Actually, optimism is too strong a word - there are potential deals currently being discussed that make me shudder. Maybe I should say I have missed feeling anything other than crushing anxiety. The landslide win that was predicted for a party I cannot bear, did not happen. Everything is up in the air. No one knows what the immediate political future will be - something that may not be fully clear for a while, especially if it results in another General Election. Unlike the results of the EU referendum, Clinton/Trump and the 2015 GE, this feels a lot less stomach-churning and dispiriting. It's a feeling I remember from 2010, when the potential of a coalition seemed something to pin hopes on. Infinitely preferable than the feelings I assumed I'd be experiencing, based on the majority of polls over the past weeks. Or maybe, this feeling will be short lived. Maybe within the next hours all hopes will be dashed. Either way, I will relish this rare moment while I can.

Reading Jess Phillips' book was 
like taking an empowerment pill. 

Oh, but now then, you pesky rascals. Look what you made me do. I went and got political after all. I just can't help myself! It must be because I'm so tired. But whilst I've gone all biased and partisan, I'll also add how chuffed I am to see Jess Phillips, Stella Creasy, Alison McGovern and Luciana Berger have been re-elected as MPs. Plus, there's been a massive boost for the number of women in parliament. In fact, the election results have been marvellous for diversity, in general. That feels like progress, if nothing else. Perhaps I'm clinging on to a silver lining if my original optimism becomes unfounded. Or maybe this is the most positive election result for years. Who knows? Not me, and I'd bet not the experts to whom I'm currently listening. No one knows anything. I wonder if we will have more of a clue come Monday morning when this gets uploaded. Somehow I'm not holding my breath.

This is what I look like when I try
to keep it all in. Except I'm not blonde.

OK, I think that's all. I think I've vented a few of my political views in a safe and controlled manner. I'll stop now. Unless you see me in person where I'll bang on at length without pausing for breath. You've been warned.

So now, in these uncertain yet interesting times, I need to get on with my day. First of all I'll be having a sleep. Then a bath. Then a cup of tea. After that, the world is my oyster. 

Have a lovely week, folks. 


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