Ha ha ! Indeed ! Before and after many battles ! Thanks Charlotte for this very amusing animation.
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You actually created this ‘mature’ doll too ! Now this fits in well with a story I can share from a couple of days ago.
Checking back in to the flight back from Zanzibar (actually mid way in Muscat), I showed my passport, as you do, to the young chap at the entrance, who fancied himself as a bit of a wag. He looked at my passport picture, and then at me, and said “Oh, but the man in this picture has black hair – doesn’t look anything like you!” He added a little snigger, as if he was pleased with his powers of observation and his wittiness. I said, “ Oh – well, you know – it happens. Happens to us all. Do you know – it will even happen to YOU – if you’re lucky !” Whereupon he looked a bit less smug, even a little sheepish.
It’s amusing, but there’s a serious truth here. We are all massively conscious these days that we mustn’t behave or speak in ways that are sexist, or racist, or me-too-ist, or gender binarist. All well and good, as long as we have the sense not to use such ideals to persecute people who are actually innocent. But let me tell you, it’s not generally acknowledged, but ageism is alive and well. Jokes about older folk not being able to cope, or remember what happened yesterday, are just the tip of the iceberg. I hear every day of brilliant mature men and women being rejected for a job they have vast experience in doing, just because they are considered ‘past it’. Funny thing is … you don’t notice this stuff until … you get old !!! I’m lucky – in the job I do, nobody can hire or fire me. But then again, maybe Rog will decide that a younger version of me would be preferable for the tour. Gwilym must be a prime contender !! Ha ha !
(PLEASE NOTE) Nobody loves Gwil more than me – but this is supposed to be a JOKE !! OK ? Don’t sweat it !)
Bri
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