15 Comments

Might try and put something together. Basically I’m a very left wing socialist, ready to listen, discuss, be wrong, though I know what I believe in, which is fair play, tolerance and kindness. I hate bullies, dictators and bigots. I'm also, now, old. 81 to be exact and bloody furious, not about being old, which is no different than to have red hair, blue eyes or a genetic predisposition to have smelly wee when I eat asparagus. I'm cross about assumptions that the elderly are somehow mentally, morally different, are all a bit thick or even worse, cute. Or all vote Tory. Or are somehow not the same person they always were, with merely maybe a duff back, or like me, a former English teacher and still a writer, prone to hitting the wrong key and making the odd typo.

Here endeth the rant. For now.

Expand full comment

An absolutely fabulous rant!

Expand full comment

I am so delighted to rant with you. I am also old - 79 to be pedantic. I don't think I would call myself "a very left wing socialist" because I have a horror of having labels stitched onto me and positively refuse to formally join any political party for the same reason. However, I strongly suspect thee and me would have a lot in common and a lot to agree about :-)

Expand full comment

I'm 73 and I agree wholeheartedly with you! I'm very left, have never voted Tory ( spits) in my life, and am certainly not cute! Power to us!!!✊️👵

Expand full comment

Hi I’m the youngster at 71. Still doing the work I love. Still wanting to learn, investigate and yet worrying about the direction of USA and those right wing groups here in UK.

Saddened when I hear friends repeating conspiracy theories . I write far less than hitherto . I’ll make my rescue pug cross scapegoat for that, she’s a demanding little sweetie.

At cusp of leaving twit X for good, considering the blue skies as well as here. And delighted to find The Bear on here :)

Expand full comment

Well said 👏!!!

Expand full comment

Thank-you Bear I am one of those who has had to leave twitter to preserve my mental health look forward to reading your posts xxx

Expand full comment

I so enjoy reading your thoughts on Twitter but have a feeling I'll prefer visiting this platform. As a portion of the world appears to be turning towards and actively embracing a seemingly far-right ideology, your writing is a beacon of light when I find my mind wandering and over thinking the implications of unchecked Fascism.

Expand full comment

Enjoyed reading your thoughts on twitter Bear. Substack seems like a natural evolution and far more grown up! Looking forward to keeping up with your great insights. 🫡

Expand full comment

Hey Bear! Great seeing you here. I hope your recipes also find their way to this Substack. Looking forward to reading your posts here!

Expand full comment

Thanks, Guilherme - nice to run into you here as well!

I’ll definitely consider doing some recipes here 🐻

Expand full comment

Recipes? RECIPES??? You do recipes as well? I had no idea. Please post some.

Expand full comment

Bear does. I’ve been making the Milktert for a while now:)

Expand full comment

Delighted to have managed to navigate through the maze! Could you/we look at the chronic underfunding of Further Education over the last few years, please? It doesn't seem to be on the new Government agenda yet. I would also be interested in looking at how our British apprenticeship scheme compares with those on offer in France and Germany.

Expand full comment

Just want to say thank you for being the voice of sanity and integrity in this mad world.

Expand full comment