Glitz-1958

Glitz-1958 t1_jcxg7hf wrote

Reply to TIL: The British Ministry of Pensions distributed Invacars free to disabled people from 1948 until the 1970s. The Invacar was that vehicle. by buzz_uk

By an amazing coincidence I saw a 3 wheel car here in France this morning. It was a small 1975 Vespa customised to be a little fourgonnette van. It was inside a large Corsican charcuterie delivery van. It looked in good nick. I wonder if it was going to a show, or more likely on its way back from one.

2

Glitz-1958 t1_ja8m27h wrote

Reply to Do I give up on this book? by GOLDSK24

If it's a book that you think normally you'd have liked maybe give a bit of time to thinking about why you pulled back from reading. Plus check eyesight, posture, general wellbeing, change of interests. Hope you find what helps.

1

Glitz-1958 t1_j9z96ka wrote

Reply to comment by VengefulMight in What urban legends do you find most interesting in literature and books? by VengefulMight

I recently discovered that the research behind Terry Pratchett’s midwife-witches was flawed. He’d got the idea from the writer Lovecraft who he was parodying. Lovecraft had picked up on the ideas of a writer and a biologist, Barbara Ehrenreich and Dierdre English. It seems that not being historians they made a natural mix up by not having read the original documents, only later opinions. They were absolutely correct on both of their main ideas - 

* one that witchcraft accusations had been a way of policing and repressing women’s behaviour in the past, and 

* two that midwives were eventually pushed out of medicine by so-called ‘real’ doctors. * Their mistake was lumping the two groups together. 

Midwives were pushed out by doctors but weren’t persecuted with the witches. Witches, and many innocent women along the way, were persecuted but wouldn’t have been recognised as professional midwives.

​

They did have an important role in society and witchcraft was one of the few ways a woman could make an independent living. They were who you went to if you wanted to know about your future and probably gave advice along the way. You went to them if you had a grudge and wanted to get back at the person you were blaming with a curse. Some did useful herbalist and faith healer work too. 

​

Historians have checked the records and found that while midwives occasionally appear among the lists of people accused or executed for witchcraft, it was no more than any other profession or position in society. Also the church wouldn’t have mixed the two up as midwives get a good rap in the bible but witches don’t. 

​

I still love the witches characters but have to do a bit more gymnastics in my head now when he mixes up the witch, midwife and traditional healer roles. I know this is fantasy, and Discworld at that, but he’s so thorough in other historical details about traditional sheep rearing, relationships between the Lord of the Manor and the village, or describing how Granny made her hat with willow sticks it disappoints me a little that he’d been misled. This “ Dig'' podcast has the details and all the references in the show notes in the link. It’s proper studies not opinion.

​

https://digpodcast.org/2020/09/06/doctor-healer-midwife-witch-how-the-the-womens-health-movement-created-the-myth-of-the-midwife-witch/

4

Glitz-1958 t1_j7qhknj wrote

Reply to A new study has explored changes to the gut microbiome in people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The study identified that people who were diagnosed with the condition less than four years previously have altered proportions of certain microbiota species. by rjmsci

I am the Ancient Mariner.

We're over 20 years in. Probably too late to for us to tell. However, anyone reading this DON'T do what we did and try to carry on as normal, or keep up social engagements, or doing things that would be enjoyable but require efforts.

Convalescence, the real thing, in adequate doses, is still the best thing to give the body's systems time and energy to mend. Sensible everything. Diet, sleep, everything. Relapses multiply the problems. Other things get broken along the way.

Its like looking after your teeth, later is too late. listen to your body. If you're not normally a lazy person it's unlikely you've suddenly turned into one.

17

Glitz-1958 t1_j6i9u9d wrote

Reply to pls help, this is embarrassing ;_; by notyomamabear

I suspect a key phrase here might be since Covid. If that's the case then please cut yourself some more slack. Even enjoyment takes energy. It might be that emotion, however pleasurable is more than your system feels up to. It might be that you need to build up your general health and well-being with walking, small scale sociability, small treats and much less emotionally demanding reading for a while.

I have found refuge in Terry Pratchett's books and although there are deep emotional elements I only engage with them as much as I feel up to. Otherwise he tickles my sense of humour, word play, imagination. His writing can be appreciated on different levels so you can race through with the plot or find joy in just a few pages of carefully honed writing.

3

Glitz-1958 t1_j2avm1k wrote

Reply to It's over, it's done. (Self pity inside) by biobasher

Well done. I found it helpful reading it thinking this is his message to us, don't ask unreasonable things of successors, rally round and then find your own shepherding hut. Felt like he was worried we'd put pressure on Rihanna but she's to get on with being herself.

You may be haven't yet realised just how many of us post about things spotted in rereads . It's a whole new ball game and full of surprises. Looking forward to your next round of reread posts.

11

Glitz-1958 t1_iyd7atb wrote

Reply to Good books for boys/girls aged 12-15? by Marmite_Spaghetti

Any of the Terry Pratchett Young Adult books would be good. The ones I know best and which won literary prizes were called Nation, and The Amazing Maurice. There is also a series about Tiffany Aching starting with The Wee Free Men. Some of the books he wrote for adults also go over well with that age group. The first of his Discworld Series is called The Colour of Magic.

1

Glitz-1958 t1_ixq0t96 wrote

Reply to Was McMurphy mentally ill? One flew over the cuckoo’s nest by smadjaalon

I've not read the book but seen the film. According to research around at the time of writing there was the beginnings of recognition that institutions themselves can make you ill. It's the pioneering work of Erving Goffman, who called the problem institutionalisation. His work plus further research eventually led to some (but not enough) reform of various institutions including psychiatric hospitals.

The implication is that you could go into a place like that and even a perfectly healthy person could be destabilised . We have to ask what should a sane person do in the face of institutional bullying and manipulation ? Is it right or helpful to go passive for the sake of a quiet life?

9

Glitz-1958 t1_ixnhklt wrote

Reply to Milton’s Paradise Lost by Flipthepaige9

I try to picture Milton, sick, going blind, bitterly disappointed at how their political hopes just fizzled out when Cromwell dies. Then another bitter stroke, CharlesII comes back with the most unrepentant hedonistic court possible just to put the boot in, plus claims his father was now canonised!

I think that by glorifying the highly unlikely character of Satan, in a way that is not in the bible I think Milton is making a very strong ironic protest statement about injustice on a human level.

5