My thoughts on "Brexit"

So it has been over 48 hours since the referendum result was announced and the UK seems to be going to hell in a handbasket (one of my favourite metaphors this evening). Cameron has vanished since an appearance at Armed Forces Day, Osborne has been nowhere to be seen and the Leave side have been quietly plotting which idiot is going to rule over us next. Labour appear to be losing shadow cabinet members more frequently than the bus stops at my road end in any given hour.

Where have we been left? Currently, in a country with no effective leadership, parties are collapsing and it feels as if everything is going to be put on hold until everything is caught up around about October.

No one knows where we're going, no one knows what is going to happen and overall it's a very worrying time. Either you are Remain, and in total despair as to what has happened, my friends, family and self included, or you're in the Leave side and almost anxious for the process to start. Unless you are one of the Leave side who now regrets their decision.

A petition has come to light over the last couple of days asking for a change of rules in referendums where if they are under a certain percentage then a second referendum should be held. This petition was started a month before the result by a Leave campaigner as a back-up should things go wrong. Needless to say he's a bit upset at the Remain side having taken it over for their own means. Currently there are over 3 millions signatories, that's after 77 thousand were taken off due to them being fraudulent, so it's still got quite a backing.

I have not signed it.

I'll tell you why.

In these circumstances I do not believe that we need a Second Referendum. Those who are it fall in two camps, those who do not like the outcome, and those who voted leave and "never thought it was going to actually win", and now somehow feel they should get a second chance at voting. Now I knew that there are arguments where the Leave campaign lied or have already backtracked over some of the things they said in their campaign and this is making people angry. It already looks as though those on the Leave campaign are trying to delay the process of initiating Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by saying that there is "no rush". I believe that they didn't believe that they would win and they are equally as clueless as to what to do with the result as the rest of us are, that and the up coming Conservative party leadership campaign, which is acting as a merry distraction for the time being.

I said to friends earlier that I didn't think a Second Referendum would happen, and it is my opinion that a Second Referendum shouldn't happen. I was asked why.

Because we've had one.  It's been months and months of campaigning, lies and promises from both sides, arguments unanswered or answered wrong. A referendum was held. the outcome not what people wanted but that doesn't mean we should go back and try again. We didn't do that when people were outraged the Tories got in again at the General Election last year, or when it was a hung parliament back in 2010. We can't re-run the lottery numbers just because people didn't win.

It was a democratic process, regardless of the outcome, regardless of the lies that were told during the campaign. Regardless of the fact that people made an uneducated decision and now, after seeing the immediate aftershock, are deeply regretting it. Because people went into this referendum voting to leave the EU because they "Never thought it was actually going to happen." If we go back and have another referendum on this, when else will they want our country to backtrack on democratic processes just because a few million "changed their minds".

The most level headed person I have seen with regard to the outcome of the Referendum is Nicola Sturgeon, First Minster of Scotland and Leader of the SNP. Her party haven't fallen to shit, neither, I point out has the Scottish Conservatives or the Scottish Labour Party. But Nicola has her head screwed on. She knows the outcome is shit, particularly as every single Local Authority region of Scotland voted remain, but they're going to be dragged out kicking and screaming by England and Wales. But she's not sat at home, weeping into her pillow. I've seen her on two different politics programmes today, she knows that she needs to look at every single possible outcome for the Scottish people and figure out what is best. She's already looking at talks with Brussels in relation to the possibility of remaining with the EU or at the very least with a fast tracked entrance. She's looked at a second Independence Referendum based on the fact that the UK they voted to remain in will no longer exist.

Now I back the second Independence Referendum. "But Jen, you just said you didn't think there should be second referendums just because people have change their minds." This is very true, however, I believe there is a strong case for Scotland to have IndyRef2. As Nicola has said, the UK that they voted to stay in is not going to exist after it leaves the EU. Remaining a member of the EU was a very very large bargaining point of the IndyRef1 and may very  well have been what won it for the "Better together" side. I have seen many people on social media saying that if they were given the change to vote again then their no's would become yes's for Independence. And if they do go independent and remain a member of the EU while the rest of Britain does not, then that's another kettle of fish that Scotland and England are going to have to negotiate. Although Nicola remains hopeful that the two countries will remain best friends and will be able to maintain the open border policy. But I strongly believe that IndyRef2 will only happen if Nicola and the SNP or whoever are nearly 100% certain that the vote will go in their favour. But a new case will need to be drawn up, new budgets drawn up and serious talking to be done.

I voted remain, and yes, I was heartbroken on Friday morning when I read that we had voted out. The first word I uttered was "fuck". Then I wept when Cameron left, no because I am a massive right wing supporter, but because I know who the alternatives are and in hindsight, pigs aside, Cameron wasn't that bad. I look at those lined up to take his place and my mind fills with fear and an anxiety I cannot even begin to express. We don't know what is going to happen or who is going to step into the Prime Minster shoes, but either way, they are likely going to be a "Brexiter" (I hate the word Brexit) and while I believe that they will be best placed to lead the departure of the EU, I genuinely fear for what will follow once they get seated.

I am fortunate that the vast majority of my friends, spare one or two, agree with my views and my social media has been full of those as disappointed and upset as I. It's almost been like watching someone go through the seven stages of grief. Some have reached the acceptance stage, but many appear to still be either in the bargaining (signing petitions) or in the depression stage.

I seem to have skipped a few, I am in full on acceptance.

Now don't get me wrong, the situation is utter shite and there have been some extreme behaviours I do not condone at all. The rise in racist incidents for example, perhaps not in a rise of racists but the emboldening of them. Screaming insults at Poles and Muslims alike, those with a slightly different skin tone, head scarf, accent or language are all getting it. The one that shocked me most was the story of a father and son (at least in his twenties, not a child) from Poland. They were discovered face down and unconscious in a street. The person who found them took a picture thinking they were passed out drunk until they saw the blood. Quick thinking, they were put in the recovery position and as the father woke up, all they could say was "english man, english man beat me." The father suffered a broken arm and neck injuries and the sun had facial fractures and a broken nose and jaw. The paramedics said they had been lying there for at least an hour. I can't even begin to comprehend how that could happen. That people would have walked by doing nothing. Perhaps they too thought they were passed out drunk, I don't believe you can tell someone is Polish from the back of their heads. But to think they had been lying there, in their own blood and no one came to help them. Now there is nothing to say that people wouldn't have walked past them before the referendum result, but it already looks as though the communities we have are unravelling at the seams.

While I have reached the acceptance level over the referendum, this, I do not accept.

Despite our wildest dreams the Second Referendum is not likely to happen, we're stuck with what we've got, a time of uncertainty until Article 50 is invoked and then a greater time of darker uncertainty until we hand over the keys back to the EU and press off into ventures new.

But this is an opportunity. This is a time for our voices to be head, and not in the incessant moaning us Brits are remarkable at, but we can push for change. Now is the time to be thinking of the Great Britain it is that we want to have, to protest, to sign petitions and campaign for the causes that we believe deserve the attention. Remember that there is no guarantee that the best bits of the EU will remain, things are going to change and not necessarily for the better. But now is the time to let our voices be heard. So when you get past the bargaining and depression, stop and think what it is you want. Because this is our country, and we will not kowtow to the racists, to Nigal fucking Farage, to Gove or the bumbling idiot Johnson or whoever it ends up being Prime Minster. We are divided but we can unite in the common goal building a fair and equal society, accepting of all regardless of their skin colour, religion or nationality, a country that we can hopefully be proud of again.

So unite the remain with the brexit (I still hate that word), we're not going to do it while we're at each other throats.  It's going to be a long journey, we might not even live to see the end result, but if we can create a better future for our children and our grandchildren, is that not worth it?

"Follow the stars that beckon you through blackened skies"

It's January, and January makes people pretty miserable. It's post Christmas and the fun is gone, chances are you're low on leave and don't feel like there's much to look forward to.

That's kinda how I feel. I know I do have things to look forward to, there's Alton Towers, Camps, Conferences but they all feel so far away. When I'm not in the happiest of jobs at the moment it's making everything lousy and making me feel miserable.

It's nearly Imbolc, a time to unfurl from the winter, to step into the ever increasing light and to purify ourselves following the dark winter times when we've been a bit cooped up. It's a time for healing, a time for looking forward. It's a time to celebrate the early signs of springs, the crocuses and snowdrops, although there are a few daffodils around here too already. It's going to get brighter and warmer and before we know it Ostara/Easter will be here, Beltane and Litha. So lets focus on the positive.

So far this year I have read 4 books and making good progress on my 5th. I've managed to lose 8.5lb since Christmas and I'm pretty pleased with that. I've kept up blogging and even started using my Witchy Blog Witch Ways Now. I still have a lot to do, but it's only the 1st month and there are 11 left.

Hopefully once the funk of winter passes I will pick up on the rest pretty quickly but it's shaking that funk and getting into it!

Next time I write I will have gained a year. Turning 28 on the 31st of the month, hopefully bringing the start of a push of positivity.

"The Stars Look Very Different Today"

I started out this year feeling really positive, but a week and a day back at work, my outlook is bleak and I don't know how I feel I can achieve everything I want to do this year. I even told myself off for not doing any of my goals yet for 2016, it's only the 11, Jen, give yourself time!!

So let's take a look at what I have achieved so far.

1. I've spoken to two people about articles in different online publications relating to Paganism. I even have ideas for those articles (one of which I had further ideas for earlier) so once I get a bit of spare time I will be getting on with those.

2. I've gone back to Weight Watchers and (all going well) I will be losing at least 3lb tomorrow. That's 3lb of my Christmas weight gone, go me, right?

3. I've started looking into the exercise side of my goals, I am going to need to get myself some decent trainers but at least the thought process is there and research has gone into what trainers I am going to need so I can get on with that too.

4. I've started to plan my evenings so I am making the utter most of them. This week I shall mostly be trying to kickstart a bunch of pagan stuff with doing little bits here and there. Shouldn't be any more than about 30 minutes a night, giving myself Friday to complete anything I wasn't able to complete through the week.

5. I'm cooking more from scratch (ok, not tonight) but I've already made a bunch of healthy dinners for husband and I, so thats another goal I'm working towards.

6. I've painted, it was only a little canvas but it was an idea I wanted to work with for a little hwile now and I've progressed and achieved that. Another step towards another goal.

7. Another thing that isn't a goal but is helping is not being on Whatsapp all the time. It's become my new MSN Messenger (google it kids) and it really rather needs to stop!

8. Successfully blogged again!

I've had a few more ideas on what I want to do for 2016 so the goals are there ticking in the back of my mind but that's about it. I just need to get on with it really. I knew being back to work would be a struggle but I need to try and find a balance, I'll get there :) And I will achieve awesome things.

As a final word I just want to pay tribute to David Bowie. I'm not his largest fan and a lot of his back catalogue I don't know. I know the famous ones that everyone else ever seems to know. But he's a legend, he's always been in the background of my life. I've never quite been able to imagine a world without Bowie.

Goodbye, Major Tom, may God's love be with you.

I don't end with a video of Bowie, but possibly the best tribute to a Bowie song in the most appropriate setting ever.