Coffee

Yes, we have come to this, a blog about coffee, perhaps, perhaps, the most written about subject on the internet today. From the memes, to the tweets, to the coffee shops, from bean to cup, fair trade, 'skip your starbucks and buy a house', and the countless articles in countless publications about the perfect method in which to brew, it seems that the last thing the world needs right now, is a blog about coffee. Coffee is so important to some, and I did a quick check, and 'don't speak to me before my coffee' memes are the 5th biggest genre of memes ever created. That is wild, that is just wild, memes are a big business, but there we go, coffee is a big business, and there is SO MUCH to discuss! But fear not, this is not a blog about coffee at all. That was merely a ruse, a lie even, to get you in here so I can talk about something that has been on my mind for quite some time now, and that's Turtlenecks

You can sing Lady Gaga's song Pokerface replacing the titular word with the word 'Turtleneck' as they have the same amount of syllables

Now, the thing about turtlenecks is that they are both a fashion item and a non fashion item. That is to say, they have a functional aspect to them (they keep your neck warm) as well as a decorative side to them (they look interesting and cool). Actually I should have started this off by mentioning that I have actually worked 'in fashion' so I kind of know what I am talking about here. Turtlenecks will come and go, they will weave in and out of fashion like a professional seamstress or a professional Tory, yet they will always keep your neck warm. And practical items will always be part of that coming and going with regards to fashion. It might not be the season, but, it will always be the need, for some. And by some, I am talking about those with cold necks. Or those who want to protect their necks. Or those who are not comfortable with showing their necks at all, for whatever reason, whatever reason that may be. And that should be respected. So, whenever you see someone wearing a turtleneck, your first instinct should be, IMHO, respect. And now we come to the main point about the blog, because Turtlenecks was also a ruse, a double bluff, because what I really wanted to talk about was fashion. And, like I said, I am somewhat of an expert on this.

Some would call this fashion

I live in the Netherlands, and let me tell you, they simply do not give a fuck what you wear. I know COVID has made comfortable clothes more acceptable to be worn outdoors, and I think that's great, but even before that, I saw some things in the Netherlands that made my eyes pop out of their sockets. I am not going to talk about pointy shoes, pop socks or even short practical hair for everyone, because those things are totally fine, there is nothing wrong with them. And it took me a while to learn this, because I came from the UK where you might not 'get in' to places if you didn't have the right clothes, and people looked down on you for not having the right labels. Now listen, you listen here, that's not to say some of that doesn't happen in Holland, this place is not utopia by any means, all I am saying is that there is less judgement around it, at least, that's my impression. What I am talking about is that they have, I feel, slightly more social freedom when it comes to fashion. And yes, that might indeed burn your eyes at first, purple trousers with yellow shoes or whatever, but that's fine and that's a price worth paying. And actually, when you have that freedom, your mind starts to wonder, can I wear red shoes? And, it turns out, you totally can!

For me it's my second cup!

So what am I saying here, what can we learn from this? I think we should stop judging people on what they wear, how expensive their clothes are, or how much we can or can't see of a persons skin, be it on the neck or otherwise. In fact, you might not know this about me, but I regularly go naked in public places (spas) which I guess aren't public places because you pay to get in them, so I probably should have said private spaces, but I didn't think that had the same impact, as anyone over the age of 18 can go in, if they pay of course. But there, I have learned, and seen so much, all types of bodies, and no-one caring too much if someone looks a little different or whatever. So, wear that turtleneck, wrap a cravat around your neck if you like (maybe don't they are hideous), put on a pair of red shoes, remove all your clothes (after making sure it's legal to do so) if you want to, this is your time, your moment, and you have my support!