The Fascist Times survival guide

Joy is an act of resistance💪💝

Despite the increasingly dystopian, authoritarian world we live in, my family & I continue to find peace & joy in our friendships, travels & outdoor adventures. Not being in denial of Israel's genocide in Gaza, enabled by our Western governments & the ongoing pandemic (repeated forced infections with a level 3 biohazard) is eviscerating. When reality is this twisted & cruel, feelings of helplessness & despair so overwhelming, the mind reaches for denialism. It's a short-term, unconscious survival strategy: shutting out that which seems impossible to bear. In the long term though, living life disconnected from reality is a form of psychosis, which causes harm to self & others.

As a therapist, working with trauma patients, the most threatening act was inviting them to revisit their traumatic events(s). Opening old wounds, covered in layers of tough, unyielding, sinewy scar tissue, exposing the rawness and pain to daylight: hurts. Moving from a state of emotional dissociation & repression, known to cause physiological & psychological harm, to processing those triggering feelings & confronting reality, is where the healing & harm reduction begins. The acute phase of the SARS2 pandemic, the lack of preparedness and the chaos, mass deaths and disablement that ensued, resulted in collective trauma which is being exploited by our political leaders. We're just cogs in a bankrupt (morally & financially) capitalist system, the survival of which depends on us consuming tat (online, social media, "reality" TV) & not feeling or caring very much at all. 

I choose to care: About forced disablement, forced displacements, genocide, our planet and the future of humanity.

I choose to feel and process this trauma. 

I choose to resist.

I choose reality & living life without causing harm to myself or others. I haven't been sick in 6 years & am fitter & healthier than I've ever been. I choose to live my life without SARS-Cov-2 (or any airborne) infections. Without being forcibly, repeatedly infected with a vascular, neurotropic, organ damaging, level 3 biohazard. Turns out the scientists that warned disease prevention is the best way to safeguard population health, were right. RIP public health science.

Choosing reality in this timeline is a tough gig. So, I pace myself & repeat my reality check/stayingsaneinaninsaneworld mantra since 2020: Grief & joy in every day. Making room for both. Helps me stay grounded in reality whilst protecting body & mind from the enormity, anger & grief of that. It's a life hack that I swear by. Requires mindful use of social media. Highly recommend.

Random joyful moments (just a snap shot): March-August 2025. In no particular order👇

When you find a secret river spot deep & clean enough to swim in & hang out with friends on hot summer days. Bliss.

When you forget your cossie & it's a heatwave so...

Sit awhile, read, breathe, let the sound of the flowing stream wash your worries away.

The swifts at play in the sky above. Playful, soft, like hand in satin glove

Hopped off the bike to film the swifts. Any excuse...

Himself: Mountain biking at start of day

Shush, it's a Wood pecker wood pecking💞

Prizes for correctly guessing song & language said song is sung in!

March: Camper trip to Germany & the Czech Republic.

Son at German border: "Let's hope they don't check your passport. Your articles about Israel's genocide in Gaza are grounds for arrest under terrorism legislation here".

Me: "Let's hope they don't check at the UK border either" Journalists were being arrested in the UK since 2023, homes raided, for exposing Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza🙃

Someone needs to start a news outlet that captures this timeline & call it: The Fascist Times

Fascist Times soundtracks contributions from himself👇

1) You fascists bound to lose by Woody Guthrie, featuring Rhiannon Giddens💪✊

2) Cognitive dissonance blues

Resisting with  joy👇💪💖

Germany & Czech Republic road trip

Fantastic outdoor market town. Street vendors everywhere

Skiers gone, had the slopes to ourselves to bike & hike 💕

Wild lake swimming👇

Mother's day hike with my boy💓

Never took a single moment with this bundle of joy for granted. Stealing as many magical moments as I can, for as long as I can💓

Magic

Traditional spud planting (March). Between the slugs & shoats (cross between sheep & goats - my word!) who frequent our garden, they didn't stand a chance

Offending shoat interlopers!👇

Carrots & radishes survived & thrived👇

Courgettes, tomatoes, rocket, radishes &  lettuce. Harvesting this veg for the chief chef is a source of pure joy. Washing up never felt like a fair deal. Now my son & I feel like we're actually contributing to meal times💪💚 

Ready to plant out

First courgette of many this season & still going strong

Courgette flowers in batter for starters

Garden veg mix for mains

First attempt at growing tomatoes not too shabby

Gone fishing!

Catches of the day🎣

Gutted

I do like to be beside the seaside...

When your Shaolin monk mate says it's time for Kung Fu💙😎

Sprat haul, off the pier, deep fried in batter. Yum

May: Wonderful day seaweed foraging & touring the magnificent Mungo Murphy's seaweed & abalone farm in Connemara.  Learning all about the science of aquaculture https://www.mungomurphyseaweed.com/ Amazing, sustainable, ethical business run by two hugely knowledgeable, brilliant, badass women 💪👏😎💙

Castle tour with friends👇

Teens in their natural habitat💙💖

Foraging for berries

Father's day hike: My 2 favourite humans in the whole wide world. Couldn't be prouder of my life partner & father of our son. His hands on parenting is defined by expressions of love, in words & actions. He has taught our son that, real men hug their sons (& daughters!): Even when they're taller & cooler and, that our son is loved, seen & cherished for the incredible human he is - unconditionally 💖

Sowing the seeds of love💖

Cat crashing my yoga 💕

There were other joyful encounters with fabulous folk but not everything has to be shared💙💞