After a busy week you really don't want to exert yourself too much do ya?
I don't anyway..I really want to be kind to myself:) fortunately I have scheduled mainly study as my pursuits for today:) If I can concentrate that is:)
I had an interesting and busy week.
Quick story..
A few months back I watched a video featuring the 'Hackney heroine' which was posted on the Guardian website.
This lady had been invited to attend the Tory conference and her experience, filmed (I'm sure can still be located on the website if you'd like to see it!..Ah found it..here you go then!!)
Anyway, at one point during her conversation with her 'guide' she referred to herself as living in the ghetto.
Her guide asked her to clarify " So you describe where you live as the Ghetto?"
"Oh Yeah!" was the response.. or something similar anyway (cant recall word for word at this point)
This lady lives in Hackney, and it was a bit of a head scratcher for me because I have always lived in Hackney and never once viewed it as a Ghetto.
Suffice to say I didn't agree with much of what she said (which is okay) and if i'm honest found it difficult viewing
Anyway.. to continue...I met a lady last week and when she told me about herself she again referred to where she lived as 'that Ghetto'( and pulled a scornful face to boot!)
What's going on?
I asked her about that, and to explain to me exactly what made it ( Hackney) a ghetto. Me being me, I also threw into the mix what she thought about gentrification, and asked her what in her eyes made one area a ghetto and another not.
Just so you know..her answer, by the way, wasn't money:))
I kept it casual as it was just a passing discussion but I wanted her to think about the negative labels she may inadvertently be placing on herself and the area she lives in.
Or.. perhaps I'm wrong.
Maybe most folk do see Hackney as a Ghetto, which as a label will appeal to some and not to others
Maybe ghettos ( in general) are fine, (and are capable like other slums I could mention of running themselves in their own way)
Is a Ghetto a Slum?
What makes a ghetto a ghetto?
Is it the place, or the people, what??
Bearing in mind a place is static, and it's people who bring life, community, fluidity to such places..
I'm going to keep on asking these questions whenever the issues arise..
For example when people say unfounded negative statements about people who live on housing estates, or make assumptions about single mothers
( don't get me wrong.. I'm the queen of assumptions so I aint judging... I'm just asking:) because I'm curious.. and think that often, we just don't think past our noses sometimes)
Anyway.. I began to realise that maybe I live very much in my own world and in my own head, and see things very differently to those around me..
There's alot to be said for being a bit of a day dreamer:)
****
So what's happening in my world today?
Music and study.. whilst trying to banish the remainder of my cold to oblivion and get my energy back
I was reminded by my sister yesterday about how important it is to have the right people around you (yeah...If you're lucky enough)
As some can motivate and inspire you, whilst others not.
My thought of the day..
Change really does begin in the mind
you are defined not by where you live or what you have.. but who you are
Enjoy the selection....
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