Can you send me the link to that hypermobility piece as this is meeeeeeeee 😭 I have the wear giant ankle boots in the height of summer so I don't sprain my ankles.
I managed to tear a ligament in my ankle while wearing heavy ankle boots on new year’s day (sober). It’s so annoying! I do a lot of ankle exercises as it was happening so regularly it was getting ridiculous. Reformer pilates has really helped so I highly recommend that if you haven’t tried it.
I am SO intrigued to hear about a yoga cult. It’s all interesting! And I read that M25 thread too and it was fascinating.
Sometimes - oftentimes - the interesting lies hidden in the interstices of life, not in the giant skyscrapers other people point at. Also, people learned things from that non-bio discussion.
I would definitely talk about the yoga cult if it was a BIT more culty. I think it might disappoint people because at worst it was just a toxic environment built by an egomaniac and they’re ten a penny. It does fascinate me what people will put up with though. I took the downsides because I wanted what the class was selling. And boy was I fit. Nothing has ever come close (but nothing has caused such long term physical damage either 😂)
It can be cult-adjacent. Don’t underestimate how interesting we can find other people’s lives; and it helps to recognise other toxic environments because for some people they might go “Oh me too!”
But then, this is all optional! Your space, your words.
You are also the kind of person who, I imagine, is brilliant at pub quizzes. And I for one, enjoy the er..titles of the random links you Whatsapp over which are sometimes met with silence ( because we are so so busy obvs) . This article made me laugh. You are unique Katie, not boring.
I’d argue that there’s something quite lovely about being able to find something interesting in any topic, even those that others would consider boring. Ironically it means you’ll probably never be bored (and we won’t be bored reading about it).
Thanks Emma. You’re very kind. Although I’d be interested to hear from some of my more normie /less terminally online friends who felt obliged to sign up to my mailing list 😂
Glad to hear it! That’s like me in the early days of Instagram “I don’t care about my friends’ holiday snaps, I just want genuine art”. Now my Instagram is all just stolen reels of baby goats.
You can of course ignore my advice because it is obvious from my own newsletter that the concept of a consistent theme is a distant blur to me, but I'd actually really enjoy reading you "boring" us about something you find interesting.
I very helpfully linked to a man called Peter Ward who is even more obsessed with damp than I (and who is actually very funny to read too, since he loves slagging off “damp wallies.”
So far, I’ve found everything you’ve written to be entertaining so I’d not worry about a “direction” and just write — and you can write about writing too. 😅🤣 🫶🏻
Reading back it sounded a bit arsey but it was meant to be encouraging! 🤣 You’re a fun and entertaining writer even if you enjoy “boring” things! 🤪 I find now in middle age I can rave to people about my dishwasher… 🙄🙈
Oh, I am sooooo interested in cults. I highly recommend Alexandra Stein’s books for both the “insider” and academic position on totalist environments. As far as in which “direction” to take your newsletter, I think it should be in the direction of You. I’ve learned loads of interesting things from you musing about “boring” stuff over the years! Please continue!!
Ooh thanks will check that out! I love cult stuff. They had Dr Hassan on Was I In A Cult who wrote “combating cult mind control” and is someone a lot of people read when they’re coming out of cults. He was in the Moonies. It was fascinating because he really sounds like he’s this close to joining another cult because of how he discusses everything. He talked about his book The Cult of Trump in a tone not dissimilar to conspiracy theorists. So while he may well have been totally on the money, it felt very “citation needed”. He also is now a doctor of psychology and so referenced the Stamford Prison Experiment, Milgram test and Bystander Effect, all of which feel very much open to debate to me (perhaps aside from Milgram which I think has been replicated). Or maybe I’m just tired of hearing them wheeled out yet again. Anyway, he was very interesting if flawed (the Moonies gave Trump money?!) and as a bonus sounds just like Zoidberg from Futurama
Whatever you choose to write about, you always reel me in with it!
That's lovely to hear! Thanks Laura!
Can you send me the link to that hypermobility piece as this is meeeeeeeee 😭 I have the wear giant ankle boots in the height of summer so I don't sprain my ankles.
I realised after I’d emailed it that I hadn’t included the link, and then failed to edit the original. Here it is! https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/12/daisy-lafarge-ehlers-danlos-syndrome-lovebug
I managed to tear a ligament in my ankle while wearing heavy ankle boots on new year’s day (sober). It’s so annoying! I do a lot of ankle exercises as it was happening so regularly it was getting ridiculous. Reformer pilates has really helped so I highly recommend that if you haven’t tried it.
Thanks I'll look into that as my legs are shockingly weak as a result of my shit ankles.
I am SO intrigued to hear about a yoga cult. It’s all interesting! And I read that M25 thread too and it was fascinating.
Sometimes - oftentimes - the interesting lies hidden in the interstices of life, not in the giant skyscrapers other people point at. Also, people learned things from that non-bio discussion.
I would definitely talk about the yoga cult if it was a BIT more culty. I think it might disappoint people because at worst it was just a toxic environment built by an egomaniac and they’re ten a penny. It does fascinate me what people will put up with though. I took the downsides because I wanted what the class was selling. And boy was I fit. Nothing has ever come close (but nothing has caused such long term physical damage either 😂)
It can be cult-adjacent. Don’t underestimate how interesting we can find other people’s lives; and it helps to recognise other toxic environments because for some people they might go “Oh me too!”
But then, this is all optional! Your space, your words.
I will definitely have a go at writing something on it and see what comes out!
You are also the kind of person who, I imagine, is brilliant at pub quizzes. And I for one, enjoy the er..titles of the random links you Whatsapp over which are sometimes met with silence ( because we are so so busy obvs) . This article made me laugh. You are unique Katie, not boring.
I’d argue that there’s something quite lovely about being able to find something interesting in any topic, even those that others would consider boring. Ironically it means you’ll probably never be bored (and we won’t be bored reading about it).
Thanks Emma. You’re very kind. Although I’d be interested to hear from some of my more normie /less terminally online friends who felt obliged to sign up to my mailing list 😂
😂 very fair, although I’m more ruthless than you might think with my subscriptions
Glad to hear it! That’s like me in the early days of Instagram “I don’t care about my friends’ holiday snaps, I just want genuine art”. Now my Instagram is all just stolen reels of baby goats.
You can of course ignore my advice because it is obvious from my own newsletter that the concept of a consistent theme is a distant blur to me, but I'd actually really enjoy reading you "boring" us about something you find interesting.
Fab thanks Alex! (Although you have never heard me talk about damp)
But I didn't know it was a myth! Why is it a myth?!
I very helpfully linked to a man called Peter Ward who is even more obsessed with damp than I (and who is actually very funny to read too, since he loves slagging off “damp wallies.”
Mind, as they say, blown
So far, I’ve found everything you’ve written to be entertaining so I’d not worry about a “direction” and just write — and you can write about writing too. 😅🤣 🫶🏻
Thanks you for both the compliment and the advice!
Reading back it sounded a bit arsey but it was meant to be encouraging! 🤣 You’re a fun and entertaining writer even if you enjoy “boring” things! 🤪 I find now in middle age I can rave to people about my dishwasher… 🙄🙈
Also sadly not can’t blame middle age. I keep meaning to write something about how few things I seem to be able to blame on middle age so far 🫣🤣
I didn’t find it arsey at all!
Just me overthinking then! Heh!
I like your boringness - it matches mine
We really are two peas in a boring pod. Thank god we can cling together for warmth (and laundry powder chat).
Oh, I am sooooo interested in cults. I highly recommend Alexandra Stein’s books for both the “insider” and academic position on totalist environments. As far as in which “direction” to take your newsletter, I think it should be in the direction of You. I’ve learned loads of interesting things from you musing about “boring” stuff over the years! Please continue!!
Also thanks for enjoying me boring on. Means a lot coming from someone who has heard me ranting about damp. That’s the true test 🤣
Ooh thanks will check that out! I love cult stuff. They had Dr Hassan on Was I In A Cult who wrote “combating cult mind control” and is someone a lot of people read when they’re coming out of cults. He was in the Moonies. It was fascinating because he really sounds like he’s this close to joining another cult because of how he discusses everything. He talked about his book The Cult of Trump in a tone not dissimilar to conspiracy theorists. So while he may well have been totally on the money, it felt very “citation needed”. He also is now a doctor of psychology and so referenced the Stamford Prison Experiment, Milgram test and Bystander Effect, all of which feel very much open to debate to me (perhaps aside from Milgram which I think has been replicated). Or maybe I’m just tired of hearing them wheeled out yet again. Anyway, he was very interesting if flawed (the Moonies gave Trump money?!) and as a bonus sounds just like Zoidberg from Futurama
I’ve got his book, too! 😄
Note to self: read to the end of comments. I see Steve Hassan already got a shout out.🥳
"which I then REJOINED in my forties like a total loser." This made me guffaw. Steven Hassan is also v good on cults.
I genuinely thought it would be different this time 😂. It was not. I still miss the classes though dammit 🫣