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Question Fourteen – Do you think women’s expectations of men are too high for what men can actually offer? If yes, in what way? These are the story-answers of some respondents Donna, No, why must a woman's expectations of a man change, when a man’s expectation of a woman doesn’t change. Alyss, I think back to fairytales and the images that women have of men, where they are all royal, strong, wealthy, attractive and can handle the dragons of life...

You may have noticed, over the past 50 weeks, that a story (of sorts) has been rolling out on these august pages. It's been quite a journey, not least for me! Starting with the notion that Josiah might meet up with an old flame, we suddenly found ourselves plunged into the psychotic world of Precious and her lethal approach to Happy Families. En route, Josiah and Archibald faced death by drowning, which revealed Archibald's heroic side, along...

‘A spectre is haunting Europe,’ Archie Brown (2010) begins his book about the Rise and Fall of Communism. He wasn’t talking about Trump. Back then he was just another draft-dodging rapist and racist, who refused to rent property to black people, liked glittery things and to be on television. Putin had left the KGB and had set himself up as a fixer or mafia-type businessman, who retained strong links to his past. The spectre haunting Europe was...

Rebbeca Donner (2021) All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days. The True Story of the Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler. I write eulogies. They’re short as our lives. We lived. We died. But here’s a funny thing (you might not know) about those things that happened, in-between. These by far are my most popular posts. Well, apart from that one about a new bathroom—with pictures—that almost went viral. I’d people I don’t even know...

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: An American Story To be a true American is to welcome atrocities at home and abroad as signs of progress. Dismissing the shameful leadership in European capitals, excluding Russia, and in Israel. Rumi, a thirteenth century Persian/Palestinian poet recognised in ‘Only Breath’ common humanity: There is a way between voice and presence where information flows In disciplined silence it opens With wondering talk it...

Reasons for girls’ choice this century https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/bulletins/annualmidyearpopulationestimates/mid2022#:~:text=At%20mid%2D2022%2C%20there%20were,of%20males%20since%20mid%2D2011 . Question Thirteen – Why do you think that there seem to be more single women in the world today than in the past? Donna: I think it’s due to the media telling everyone: you can be who you...

Question 12 – Consider the stories and roles you were exposed to when you were growing up, do you think they have been helpful, or not? Donna: I’m not sure either way. Alyss: Not. As I mentioned a few questions ago, the romantic novel is quite a thing that the headspace attaches itself to, setting up things in the imagination that aren’t real. Men don’t go after the woman they really want, in fact, I have spoken to a few who didn’t because the...