Week 14 [14/04/2025 - 20/04/2025]: What I have read this week.

What I have read this week…

Hello everyone. Here I am at yet the end of another week, to disclose what I have been reading...

1: French!

I am still at it with the French. I want to keep on learning and never stop. I came across a French GCSE textbook the other day that I had from ages ago. I am unsure why I have it as I never took the GCSE but I think I might use it to test myself.

2: Mr Loverman (2013) by Bernardine Evaristo.

Currently I have this novel of Bernardine Evaristo on the go. I am keeping my lips sealed on anything for now...

3: Instagram. (Again)

The reasons stay same. But this week I am been using Instagram for hope. The Supreme Court's decision here in the UK on what a woman is, is ridiculous. It only reinforces this misogynistic and patriarchal view of women should look like. How can someone immediately know whether each, individual person is a woman? Or a man for that man? What about intersex and non-binary people too?

There was one person I read about who was cisgender, meaning her sex at birth and gender identity matched. She is AFAB: Assigned Female at Birth. This one person was not allowed to use a women's toilet she was told she was a man. This was solely based on how she looked. Again, reinforcing the patriarchy and misogynism.

4: Facebook (as per).

Facebook has been my other ray of hope in trying to find some good news. Those two and YouTube have truly helped this week. I especially loved seeing the panel on Loose Women discuss the whole UK Supreme Court ruling and the rise in transphobia.

Notice how the exact same people who support transphobia also happen to support the rich getting richer and the poor becoming poorer. Funny that one...

5: Bus timetables.

When I went to check them I found out some of the routes and recent timetable changes so of course I went through them.

6: Messages.

I am always keeping connected to those closest to me. There might not be many but I know they are there.

7: Book titles.

This past week has seen me trapesing in some cool second-hand bookshops. I like to go to a bookshop with at least some sort of idea as to what you want. Because otherwise you would get lost in knowing what to find! I knew what I wanted and read loads of book titles, intent on getting what I was after.

8: Bus stop information.

As I was away, I need to use buses multiple times. Bus stops were very good to me.

9: Prices.

I suppose this is a necessity and never really considered it as something you read until recently. Technically it is.

10: Waitrose Magazine - 'April' edition.

Now when it comes to recipes for cooking inspiration, I know I can always rely on Waitrose to provide that. The magazine might have a cost attached to it (unlike some other supermarkets) but it is good quality and free with a MyWaitrose Card. I am not promoting here as an ad, just pointing out that I love the magazine.

11: Many, many menus.

The amount of times I have eaten out this week has been abnormally high for the obvious reason I went away. Always a new menu to read. A menu a day keeps Tom eating away.

12: Song titles.

I picked up a few second-hand CD's this week and naturally I wanted to read what songs were on there.

13: House and Garden Magazine - 'February 2025' issue.

This week I have been in Coventry and they had free magazines at the station. I did originally pick up a GQ magazine which accidentally got left behind by someone else I was with.

14: Scrabble words.

Today I played Scrabble with a friend and every time I went out the room for one reason or another, I came back to read what word he had put down. We both made at least one seven letter word each! But I did not win. It is not all about the winning though is it?

15: Food packets.

I needed too as I cooked with my friend who was unsure. Normally I am used to times and temperatures.

Here I have supplied my long list of things I have read across this week. Stick around for another week and you can see what has changed.

Until next time...

Thomas.