Author: thevegancatlibrarian

What is the Global Strike for Gaza, why you should take part and how

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Hello beautiful cats! I hope you are well and surviving the umpteenth storm that has hit the UK! Only yesterday, I found out that a Global Strike is going on at the moment in support of Gaza: I wanted to take part by not going to work for one day but wasn’t sure how to proceed. Since I was going to have a meeting with my line manager today, I decided to ask: you might think it was silly because he’s my boss, but he’s a very open-minded person and very supportive. He asked me why I would want to do something that might have negative repercussions on me, no one would know that I was going to strike so why would I want to risk my work for something that wouldn’t have any real impact? I thought that losing one day’s pay, for me, compared to what people in Gaza are going through, it wouldn’t be too much of an issue. As he wasn’t sure what to do, he decided to ask his superiors. Later on the day, he said that the advice received was that a possible strike of this sort would probably end up with me receiving a disciplinary note. However, while he was asking his superior, he also asked some other of his colleagues, and one suggested that while I do my regular work I could donate my day’s pay to one association helping Palestinians. And this solution seemed a good option for me. Another alternative would also be to ask one of the union’s advisers about the possibility of going on strike for one day: the representative wasn’t working today, but I can ask him tomorrow and in the meantime I have been researching possible charities to donate to.

The Global Strike

So what is this strike we are talking about? This has been called by a Palestinian journalist, Bisan Owda: she has been updating her Instagram and TickTock accounts with videos on what is going on in Gaza, to show support for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine war. She reports on how the conditions civilians are living in following the continuous attacks of the Israeli army on Gaza and Palestinian people: watching her videos is always heartbreaking because you can see the real face of war, unmediated by the mainstream media bias (you can read about this here, here and here). If you don’t know what is happening, you can read this blog post.

In the past few weeks, there has been a call for boycotting some big brands that are actively supporting the Israeli army (i.e. giving free meals to soldiers). While it is still unclear if they are connected to the boycotts, Starbucks has suffered a loss of $11 million and McDonald’s Malaysia has sued BDS for losses of $1.31 million.

With this, Bisan has called for a Global Strike from the 21st to 28th of January, asking people to not go to work, not go to school, but also not to purchase anything, especially with debit and credit cards.

How can you take part?

There are various ways you can strike in support of the ceasefire in Gaza:

From the Twitter account Mak @boldlycarryon:

  1. no work, no classes
  2. be visible (clothes etc)
  3. don’t buy anything, follow BDS
  4. be loud
  5. disrupt the economy, be visibly absent
  6. help each other strike
  7. no social media besides palestinian posts
  8. do what you can (art, music etc).

I would also suggest this post by NonProfitAF.

Charities to donate to

As I was saying earlier, if you would like to strike at work, but you are a bit in a pickle like me, then you could donate to a charity that would benefit as directly as possible the Palestinian people. It is never 100% sure, however, in this case, the only one that would seem more legit to help is the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

In conclusion

There are still 4 days to go – please try to take part in this strike and be vocal about it. As shown by my conversation with my manager this morning, already other 5 people have come to know about the strike because he talked to them. And if those 5 people are talking to 5 people each, the knowledge of the strike will spread to more and more people: and some of these might be curious about why the strike is taking place, pushing them to do more research on the whole situation.

While I am waiting to hear from the union rep, I have already decided I am not buying anything this week and I am sharing this with you.

Your voice has power. You have power. Do not forget this.

Love,

TVCL xx

Wishing you all the best for 2024 (and some advice for this new year)!

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Hi cuties, I just wanted to wish you all the very best for this brand-new year! I don’t really believe in the “New Year, New Me” theory – it is a very arbitrary way of viewing life and forcing ourselves to make a quick switch in habits that is really not doable for many people. As I see things, gradual changes, easing myself into things and building consistency is more what works for me.

Set Your Priorities

There is always room for improvement, but you have to look at what you want to do and set priorities – it’s detrimental to your mental and physical health to start 5 different projects and then feel overwhelmed if you don’t manage to finish any of them in time. Not everything is urgent: some things will need to be done before others and some can wait a bit longer.

“Word of the Year”

I am going to take a few days to choose my “Word of the Year” and will let you know as soon as I’ve decided. It might seem silly, but setting a “Word of the Year” has a grounding effect on me whenever I feel overwhelmed by the situations around me: I go back to that word and focus on what I was thinking when I chose it, why I chose it and this usually helps in centering my attention to what I want to do.

Your health is your wealth

This is a phrase that I learned when I started working at the library, and it was my boss who told me this. And I am always thinking about that – it is absolutely useless working yourself to maximum strain to get more money if then you’ll be sick and unable to enjoy it. If you’re healthy, that’s the main thing!

Concluding

In conclusion, I truly wish you all the best for the next 365 days!

Love,

TVCL xx

December Affirmations – Day 28

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It might sound like one of those phrases that people say “focus on the small things in life” – but in a world overly complicated, constantly bombarded by sensationalist news, ideas of appearing in a certain way, and owning things, really what we need is to look at what we have and be grateful for it. Practicing gratitude will let you see that what you have is all that you need. Gratitude is diametrically opposite to greed and by being grateful to what you have, you are quietly but surely going against capitalism and consumerism. And that is good.

Gratitude changes my focus on what is good in my life

7 Books That I Have Loved This Year

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Hiya beauties! As we’re getting to the end of this year, I wanted to share with you my favourite reads of the year. In the past few months, I managed to read a bit more and I would like to share what I loved. Despite the stressful time of the move, or maybe because of it, I have been trying to cut out more reading time at the end of the day to read. I don’t know why, but during the first half of the year, I found it very difficult to sit down and read: once back from work, made dinner and watched a couple of episodes of a TV series, I would go to bed, get a book and almost immediately fall to sleep.

However, in the second half, a lot of the time I would do all of the above, except that once in bed I would manage to read at least one chapter! And I’m sure I haven’t been less tired than in the previous months. considering also the fact that I have been adjusting to the new living arrangements, having moved from being my cat and me, to being my cat, my partner and me. Who knows how more reading?!

A new factor

While I am enjoying podcasts on Spotify, lately the app started offering audioBooks: 15 hours of audiobooks per month. It’s a great way to get started on this wonderful source that I never considered before. At the library, I was used to issuing audiobooks to the elderly, and people driving a lot for work. Honestly, it didn’t even seem like a viable solution for me as it was usually in CD format. But there it happened, while I was browsing Spotify I got a notification about available audiobooks: I thought of looking at the titles and there were many interesting and popular while some others were a bit more obscure. After having selected my interests, I tried the first one and….couldn’t stop listening to it! So I started the next one – and stopped only because I ran out of the 15 hours. Then I remembered that with the library card, one gets also access to BorrowBox for eBooks and eAudiobooks (as well as PressReader for newspapers and magazines) so clearly being addicted to this “new” thing, I looked at the online catalogue available with BorrowBox there were so many interesting audiobooks – all for free!

Through this, I have been listening to eAudiobooks while doing chores at home, when I get to do some more creative tasks at work, while at lunch, and when I have to drive. It’s brilliant. And sometimes it’s the same authors that are reading their books, which is awesome because they know how the characters should sound or put a particular emphasis on some scenes. But also there are books read by actors who played characters from the books they are performing, such as Elizabeth Moss reading The Handmaid’s Tale – impossible to stop listening!

So, without further ado here is my favourite books of 2023:

Cat Lady by Dawn O’Porter

Thanks to a cup of coffee drank way too late in the evening, I finished this book in one night. It made me laugh and cry and it felt so relatable, but apparently, it’s one of those books that you either love or hate.

Mia is a childfree forty-something woman who loves her cat, has a good job and a nice boyfriend. One might find her a bit peculiar because she wants separate bedrooms and she likes things done in a specific way. But this makes her so much more relatable to me and I can understand her very well. Also, her boyfriend’s friends are mean to her because of her cat and if you are a cat lover then you will read the usual nasty comments you surely have heard many times by ignorant people.

It’s a perfect mix of humour and drama – I recommend it.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

This was the second eAudiobook I tried on Spotify, when I ran out of the allotted monthly listening hours, but I was enjoying the story so much that I went to look for it on BorrowBox to see if it was there in any format and found it as an eBook!

A darkly funny book – it’s set in Nigeria and I loved reading the story of Korede and how yet again she helps her serial killer sister Ayoola. While there is murder involved, there is also a subtle and interesting social commentary on women in Nigerian society.

Funny and easy to read – absolutely recommended.

The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice by Shon Faye

This has been such an interesting and eye-opening read – again done half as eAudiobook on Spotify and eBook on BorrowBox.

There has always been a lot of talking about transpeople in the news, but never knew much about it and before attending university, I didn’t have any idea of the issues that members of the LGBTQIA+ have to face in life, but as I started meeting more people I also became a supporter of the LGBTQIA+ causes. However, I never investigated the “transgender issue” properly, so when I saw this book I thought it would have been a good starting point to get some information.

Shon Faye writes beautifully about a complex topic, bringing facts and statistics where most of the time the other side only brings personal opinions and feelings, clearly explaining what it means for people to be transgender, how they are viewed and treated by society, and bringing possible solutions.

It is the perfect book to get you started on this topic.

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

Absolutely brilliant! I listened to the eAudiobook on BorrowBox, read by Natalie Haynes herself.

It is the story of Medusa and Perseus from the point of view of Medusa – but it’s not only that, there is the re-framing of many stories from Greek mythology looking at them with “modern” eyes, without the romanticised and patronising views with which they were written by men.

Without risking a spoiler, I’ll just say that the beheading of Medusa here is not seen as a courageous act by Perseus.

Another eAudiobook that was really difficult to pause.

My Lady Parts: A Life Fighting Stereotypes by Doon MacKichan

In her autobiography, Doon MacKichan takes the chance to show how misogynistic is the world of show business, but also that change is possible. She is vulnerable and strong: while I am only familiar with her work in the TV series Good Omens, reading this book made me want to go to the theatre and watch some of her plays.

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

It would seem that people have not loved this book too much: I believe it’s because some were expecting something different after years of waiting for a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. As I’ve read the first one just this year, after having watched the TV series, I personally have loved The Testaments.

It is different from the first one because it has a different format and there is a change in the main character, nevertheless, it was gripping. Maybe it can be predictable in some points, but there were more surprises and unexpected events. Plus, Atwood’s writing is excellent.

The Black Pages by Nnedi Okorafor

This is the second book in the Black Stars series of short standalone sci-fi books by Black authors. The protagonist of this book, Issaka, goes back to his home in Timbouctou which is then raided by al-Quaeda. While this happens, he learns about a supernatural entity that was trapped in one of the books burned during the raid and decides to follow it.

It’s a short but intense story and one of my favourite in the series.

Conclusion

So between physical books, eBooks and audiobooks, we are in the golden era of reading media and it’s heaven for readers. Let me know if you’ve read any of these books and what do you think 🙂

Looking forward to reading some more!

Love,

TVCL xx

December Affirmations – Day 27

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Food is one of the most important aspects of life as it is necessary for the survival of all living beings. As humans in a society mostly consumeristic and capitalistic, many of us have lost touch with how food is made and how it arrives on our plates. Especially those eating meat and fish, and drinking milk have a high cognitive dissonance with how what they eat did arrive on their plate – not only for the animal lives involved, but also for all the workers who had to process them.

This is not to say that vegans are always fully conscious of all that is behind their food, but we have connected some dots. However, unless you are producing your own food, many people have been handling your food, from the seed to getting the final product on the shelves. When you are making your next meal, think about how those ingredients have arrived in your hands and thank all those who have worked so that you could have them in your kitchen.

I realize that whatever I eat and drink passes through many hands before reaching me. I am thankful to all these people.

December Affirmations – Day 26

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This is so important and it is not easy because there are so many circumstances that make you feel like you do not have the energy and passion to make your thoughts a reality. But I found that creating a routine does help in dedicating some energy to do this – even chipping away 5 minutes per day it can be useful to build your passions, and then you can eventually build up from there.

I have the energy and passion to make my thoughts a reality.

December Affirmations – Day 25

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All emotions are valid and must be listened to so that it is possible to deal with them. When talking about affirmations, gratitude, and building a more loving life, there can be a risk of stepping into what is known as “toxic positivity”, basically only looking for positive emotions (i.e. “positive vibes only”) without wanting to deal with the negative ones. But that is not a healthy way of living: when you don’t deal with something, that will just build up and what could have been a manageable thing will then be much more difficult to deal with down the road.

Learning how to cope with different emotions will help grow and truly live a kind and grateful life.

I accept my emotions and let them serve their purpose

December Affirmations – Day 24

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Many of the affirmations for gratitude and kindness seem to be connected to the Law of Attraction, or at least to principles similar to such law because in order to practice gratitude and a kinder life, we also have to be kind to others and show gratitude for what we have in our lives. In doing so we will be on the receiving end of good things and positive experiences.

My heart is open and receptive to giving and receiving love. I am a magnet for positive loving experiences

December Affirmations – Day 23

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There isn’t much we can do to live a more peaceful life, especially because we cannot control external factors and circumstances (i.e. family, friends, politics, society we live in, etc.). However, what we can do is to try and take back control of some aspects of our life – we can feel overwhelmed when things are spiraling and we can’t get a grip of a situation or also emotions. But when we pause and focus on just the next step, complete said step, and then think about the next one and so on, this can help us regain control and ultimately bring back peace to ourselves. Similar to when you have to complete any task that, at first, looks like immense, but then, if you break it down in smaller tasks, it will help us accomplish said task.

I preserve the peace I feel surrounding me by seeking out the good in each and every situation today

December Affirmations – Day 22

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There is a fine line between being selfish and self-love – by being selfish, one does things only for oneself without thinking about how one’s actions might affect others. But self-love is different: self-love is showing kindness to oneself, is thinking about doing things but there is also a consideration of how actions might affect others. And in a way, self-love is what enables us to also help others. We can’t pour from an empty cup: loving yourself and showing kindness to yourself will enable you to better help others.

I choose to be kind to myself and love myself unconditionally