Laura Wilkie – Skirtingroundmylife

Skirting Round My Life 2021 My Year On The Blog

As I look back on the events of 2021 I have to say that it wasn’t the year I or anyone hoped or expected it would be. These past 12 months have been a difficult year for us all and this continues to be reflected in Skirting Round My Life as it has in every blog, journal , magazine or other news outlets.

On looking at the statistics, this year has seen Skirting Round My Life on a bit of downward trajectory which I think was to be expected given the circumstances. Hopefully this will change in the next 12 months. Though that will, to a certain extent at least, depend on things opening up a bit post Covid and providing me with more opportunities to enjoy myself and post about my exciting experiences.

The first thing to say that Skirtingroundmylife gained 2, 507 views in 2020. This represented an drop of 16% from it’s 2020 total of 3,018. Though disappointed with the drop I am not in the least bit surprised as continued uncertainty from Covid19 played havoc with our lives and restrictions on what we could and couldn’t do meant opportunities for growth were very severely limited.

This lack of opportunity resulted in a very dramatic drop in the number of posts in the last twelve months as they fell by almost half from 98 to 50. It can also be said that the number of both visitors to the site and comments on posts are both down with the later dropping from 28 to 16 and likes falling by more than 60% from 83 to 36

Topics covered in the last twelve months included Acceptance, Age, Bisexuality, Childhood, Christmas, Coming Out, Ceilidhs, Concerts, Covid19, Crossdressers, Dancing , Dating, Death, Discrimination, Equality, Faith, Fashion, Friendship, Grandparents, Holidays, Lockdown, Love, Memories, Mental Health, Poetry, Relationships, Secrets, Sensuality, Sex, Sexism, Sexuality, Stereotypes, Transition, Transphobia, Visibility, Women,

2021 again saw a slight dip in my global reach as visiting nations were slightly down from 31 in 2020 to 27 last year. The top five countries were UK , USA, Ireland, Germany and Finland, with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Guernsey, and Sweden. making up the top ten. There were also readers from countries including France, Croatia The Philippines, Denmark, Colombia, Peru, Norway, India, and Poland amongst other nations who paid this a visit

As all the statistics have now properly evaluated it is time to bring this review to its conclusion but before I do so I just want thank all my readers. Whether you subscribe to the site or read the posts on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter it doesn’t really matter, the main thing is that you read them and find them entertaining, enjoyable , thought provoking and maybe in some cases challenging. I really hope you’ll continue to do so as that’s what makes blogging so enjoyable for those us who put our opinions out there on the blogosphere for you to read. So all that remains is for me to wish you A Happy, Successful, and Peaceful New Year and I hope you’ll keep skirting round my life throughout 2022 and beyond .

Till next time

Gayle X

Women Of Wisdom (A Poem For International Women’s Day ).

I wrote this poem on International Women’s Day to celebrate some of the best women I know or have ever known. These women come from all walks of life from family to football, from poetry to politics, but make no mistake they have earned there place in this poem which I have titled Women Of Wisdom and by the end of it I think you’ll know me a lot better than you already do even if you’ve known me for years. I hope you enjoy the read.

Women Of Wisdom (A Poem For International Women’s Day )

My maternal gran
left school at the age of nine
having learned all she was allowed
she was proud to be red Jess
a woman who fought for equality
in the years between the wars
with the banner of justice held high
for the Scotland of MacLean

my paternal gran made enough soup
to feed the close
and brought her children up
in the faith of our fathers and theirs
she taught them the value
of sharing what they had
and being glad for the grounding they received
in doing whatever they could do help others

my auntie Helen was my mum’s older sister
she moved to Manchester during the war
to work in munitions
eventually agoraphobia would keep her prisoner
in the home she seldom left
and hardly ever stopped cleaning

my mother worked in engineering
as an inspector Clouseau had nothing on her
never missing a trick
when it came to keeping me in line
even if it was a struggle to deal
with a bolshie trans daughter
who had very definite opinions on almost everything
and wasn’t afraid to tell you
exactly what they were and why
she held those beliefs

Mrs Dowling was the English teacher
who opened my eyes to the world
as she taught me the meaning of poetry
introducing me to Lochhead and a world beyond Burns
where women’s voices were
not only listened to but respected
for what they had to say and stories only they could ever tell

Margo was my earliest political heroine
a woman of independent mind
her fight for Scotland’s independence
inspired the teenaged me
to campaign for freedom and fairness
as I continue to do to this day
in honour of the legacy that inspired generations
to believe we could do better

Fiona was the artistic director
who helped me to express myself
during workshops in the Gallowgate
then eventually on stage
inducting me in the ways of theatre and especially voice projection
for maximum power and effect

Janette is the flatmate and friend
who knows both my weaknesses and strengths
though sometimes I don’t think
she knows her own
especially her good points
of which she has more than a few
though supporting a team in light blue may not be one of them

Sam would disagree with that last comment
and get away with it
well she plays for that team
I am trying so hard not to mention
creative licence means it’s not always easy to avoid suggesting
who they might be
let’s just say they aren’t Glasgow City or Celtic or even Partick Thistle
and blow the whistle now
before some people see their name
through my carefully constructed disguise

Ailie is always there when required
a friend who encourages me
to aim higher in every possible way
shoot for the stars every day
and accept myself for who I am
embracing my identity without compromise
to please the opinions of those
who’ll never really matter

Stacey is the superstar stylist
who tries to find bargains
to flatter my figure on a budget
I don’t know how she does it
I only know that she does
she never gives up
till I’m looking my best
and I really am dressed to impress

Pamela was and still is the writing mentor
who initially nurtured my creativity
persuading me to test my ability
in ways beyond what I thought was possible
preparing me for leadership
and the day I would mentor others

Lesley discovered the power of a women’s collective
to put this in perspective
we were fierce in our words and in our friendships
self censorship was not allowed
we were women and as a transwoman I was proud to be included
with these women of wisdom

Leanne has a vision of a kinder world
where poverty no longer exists
her christian faith by which she lives the rock of principled beliefs
for a woman of the book

Patricia plays the flute
schooling future generations to do the same .
to be proud of their tunes and their heritage
and not let a beautiful instrument be tainted
by those who scar the summer
when puppets march in malice

Laura is a fiddler known in her field
as one of brightest stars
in the traditional music community
an ally to others who need support
in personal battles
she has always championed the rights
of those who need lights shone
to navigate safely to the shore

Rachel sings and writes songs
on environment , community , and belonging
with a warmth that makes you want
to listen
to both the lyrics and the melodies
as it establishes connections
between audience and performer
whilst stilling the souls
of those who see her concerts

Hayley is a gifted footballer
standing tall as any man
who has ever played the game
she works in the caring profession
as women players don’t get
the fame their talents deserve
not in this country at least not yet
a star both on and off the park
she’s a team player who always hits the net
when it comes to supporting friends

Jen is much more than a co-host for our event
a loyal friend she is blessed with kindness and compassion
and editing skills beyond my reach
a double act was born on discovering
we shared a passion for the craft
now we support each other to express ourselves without inhibitions
as Pamela’s prediction is fulfilled
and having come full circle
I am the one doing the mentoring
she will one day give as a gift
to those who will follow the path we are currently traveling

Skirting Round My Life 2020 My Year On The Blog

As I look back on the events of 2020 I have to say that it wasn’t the year I or anyone expected it to be. These past 12 months have been like a rollercoaster ride for us all and this has been reflected in Skirting Round My Life as it has in every blog, journal , magazine or other news outlets.

On looking at the statistics it’s been a game of swings and roundabouts as to some extent it always is in the blogging world. While there has been progress with the number of both comments reaching record levels it is offset by the fact that there was a drop in overall page views.

The first thing to say that Skirtingroundmylife gained 3, 018 views in 2020. This represented an drop of 7% from it’s 2019 total of 3,262. Though naturally disappointed with the drop I am not in the least bit surprised as the national lockdown caused by the Covid19 pandemic was bound to have some impact on the blog. Yet despite the challenging circumstances this has been a year of only slight decline with average views down to 7 views per day compared to 8 in the last two years.

This I think was due in no small part to lockdown though the fact I didn’t promote certain poems anywhere near as much as I should also contributed. This is something I will work towards improving in 2021.

That said there is one area where has been noticeable growth is in the number of posts published which rose from 88 to 98 in the last twelve months. It can also be said that the number of both visitors to the site and comments on posts are both up with the later more than doubling from 8 to 28, and likes increasing from 74 to 83

Topics covered in the last twelve months included Age, Birthdays, Bisexuality, Bullying, Childhood, Christmas, Coming Out, Ceilidhs, Concerts, Covid19, Dancing , Dating, Death, Disability, Discrimination, Equality, Family, Faith, Fashion, Gratitude, Kindness, Lockdown, Love, Lingerie, Memories, Mental Health, Poetry, Relationships, Role Models, Secrets, Social Distancing, Stereotypes, The Broga Frois, Transition, Transphobia, Transport, Visibility, and last but not least Football

2020 saw a slight dip in my global reach as visiting nations were slightly down from 34 in 2019 to 31 last year. The top five countries were UK , USA, Ireland, Canada, and Australia, With New Zealand, Spain, Turkey, Iraq, and Germany, making up the top ten. There were also readers from countries including South Africa, The Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Argentina, Norway, and much to my astonishment Guadalupe, Yes readers my words reach glamorous places.

Till next time

Gayle X

The Poet’s Job (For Laura Wilkie)

This poem was inspired by my friend Laura Wilkie after I had written a new poem and was unsure what title to give it. When I told Laura of my dilemma she said that though she enjoyed the poem she couldn’t tell me what to title it as that was the poet’s job. As I took a moment to reflect on what she said I recalled a conversation I’d had a few years ago with Robin Cairns when we had talked about the job of the poet at the end of one of his poetry nights at Cafe Rio. As it was Laura’s comment which brought this memory back to me I dedicate this poem to her and on this occasion she did provide the title for it. I’ve titled it The Poet’s Job I hope you enjoy the read.

(Picture ) Laura and I smile for the camera at the end of the Bohga Frois on the final night of this year’s Celtic Connections

The Poet’s Job (For Laura Wilkie)

The job of the poet is
according to Coleridge
to place the best words
in the best order
for the sake not of themselves
but the craft
we must not stay silent
on climate change
it is our task to make sense
of the days we live in
challenge those who believe
we should be content
with what we have
accept the portion size
or betters see as our lot
express our thoughts on nature
and on poverty
showing why equality issues
should not be left to minorities
on the fringe of the establishment
illustrating through imagery
how all of these factors are linked to environments
be they cultural or political
the job of the poet is to be critical of society
though not so fanatically
that our poems lose their power
to make our audience engage
we must seek change
using words as the tools of our craft
to articulate the better world
we consistently seek
a poet’s job is to think before we speak
to edit and revise the finished poem
then over 100 cups of coffee
carefully select the language
for future generations to read
as a testament to our times

Fiddler’s Rainbow (For Laura Wilkie)

Sometimes we make promises we really have to keep and many years ago I made a promise like this to my friend Laura Wilkie. I promised Laura who is one of Scotland’s and in my opinion the world’s, top fiddle players and traditional musicians tutors, and composers , a poem which would do our friendship justice. I really hope this is that poem. I’ve given it the title Fiddler’s Rainbow, I hope you enjoy the read.

Picture Me And Laura at this year’s Bohga Frois

Fiddler’s Rainbow (For Laura Wilkie)

The fiddler

she learned how to play at an early age

honing her skills

at classes in the place that nurtured

both her and her talents

by the time I got know her

she was a star on the rise

yet still unassuming in her way

she remains like that to this day

as gradually the world learns the name

I’ve known for years

of the friend who dried my tears

from the other end of a phone

and set me out of darkness

on my hardest ever night

when I felt tossed aside

to be placed on the scrapheap of humanity

in a box marked rejected

and maybe I was by others

but never by the fiddler

years have passed since that night

and now the light that shone

to guide me safely to the shore

plays with bands whose names you will know

when I think of rainbows

I think of the Gaelic phrase

she taught me

Bohga Frois and what it means fot equality

in our culture and our world

I allow myself a smile

knowing she used her skills for good

as she has for many causes and campaigns

this is the friend who when it rains

will shelter others first before thinking of herself

who was shaped by the landscape

she viewed every day

before the city called her

to play on bigger stages

independent loyal and fierce

she cherishes those she calls her friends

as now she plays and teaches others

so they’ll discover talents of their own

tutored by the light who shone

on a summer’s evening

as she told me the storm will pass

Songsmith (For Kim Carnie)

As many of you know Celtic Connections is and always has been one of my favourite times of the year. As someone who is proud of my roots I’ve always loved the traditional music scene since learning of it as part of what my granny called my cultural education. That said, as a transwoman I sometimes felt that there was a lack of visible represention of people like me. So when I was told by my friend Laura WIlkie, that her friend Pedro Cameron aka Man Of The Minsch was going to put on an event for the LGBT community and our ailies of which she is most certainly one of the biggest I was delighted and of course determined to attend. Trust me when I say there are no words which can truly describe how happy I am to have attended the Bogha Frois for both years of its existence and should groundbreaking event become an annual one I hope to attend every year for as long as I’m able to do so. This event which gives a platform to the wonderful LGBT talents in the folk community and our amazing ailies, has given me a whole new group of performers to listen to and enjoy. One of the greatest stars of the Bohga Frois is the magical Kim Carnie, who is in opinion one of the very few singers, (the only other I can think of is Rachel Sermanni) who could sing the contents of the telephone book and make it sound like an artistic masterpiece and it’s for Kim I’ve written this poem which I’ve given the title Songsmith. I hope you enjoy the read.

Songsmith (For Kim Carnie).

With her soft highland lilt
she was born to sing
the angelic voice
speaks to me in multi lingual ways
you could say she moves me
usually to tears which flow easily
from my eyes
the heart never lies and neither do my ears
I know a songsmith when I hear one
and in the still of a late winter evening
she moves my smile from her hiding place
to shine like mother moon on a night
filled with stars
which danced in the sky to celebrate with rainbows

Songs Of Difference

I wrote this poem after attending the Bogha Frois LGBT Voices In Folk Event at Celtic Connections. I did so as my thank you to all the performers who gave their time to entertain us and make us proud of who we are and who we were born to be. It was Pedro Cameron who first came up with the of the Bohga Frois for the 2019 Celtic Connections and such was the success of the event it was brought back for a second outing which in my oopinion was every bit as enjoyable as the first one. Hopefully this will now become an annual event in the Celtic Connections calender and give the LGBT voices and our ailies in the traditional music community a platform for our talents god knows their are many of them and they all deserve to be heard. After talking to two of my most valued friends Ailie Wallace, and Hannah Cooper, I have given it the title Songs Of Difference. I hope you enjoy the read.

Songs Of Difference

Sheltered under a rainbow of diversity

we found a community of hope

for those of us so long considered outcasts

now our voices sing with power and pride

no longer locked behind gray closet doors

or restricted by walls of fear and ignorance

we embrace our so called difference

focusing instead on the similarities

we share with others

on the journey to discovering our gender identities or sexualities

we are multi facated

no body parts can define us

we are more than a penis or vagina

we are more than who we kiss at nights

or whose hand we’ll hold as we walk down the street

we will not retreat nor walk back to the past

to suit the needs of those who can’t cope with the fact we exist

we can’t be wished away

despite what the press and media claim

we will not be blamed

for the imagined shame of others

we will be ourselves and hope you’ll respect

our right to love who we love

with no conditions attached.

Family Of Friends

This poem was inspired by a brilliant and heartwarming final night at Celtic Connections when I attended the Bogha Frois. This groundbreaking event was inspired by Pedro Cameron who plays under the title Man of the Minsch and was a celebration of LGBT Voices in Folk. From a personal perspective I am proud to say that Pedro was supported by two of my best friends in the traditional music community Rachel Sermanni and Laura Wilkie who helped to facilitate the workshops from which the event was born. Sometimes there are no words to describe how proud I am of these two amazingly talented young women and this is one of these occasions. It is for Laura and for Rachel I have titled this poem Family Of Friends I hope you enjoy the read.

Family Of Friends

It was the final night of the festival

and it ended when I celebrated with friends

who accepted me for who I am

on this night there was no need to hide

as musicians played with pride

spoke and sang their truths

and told their stories

to an audience willing and happy to listen

this vision of a bohga frois of rainbows and rights

came from the man of minsch

who as a gay man and traditional musician

kept his otherness hidden in two communities

till he decided he’d had enough of this

music should be about talents

not who you kiss at night

that shouldn’t matter

though to some it still does

as a transwoman I felt frustrated

I couldn’t attend the workshops

due to injury

this to me was the most empowering and emotional night

in my Celtic Connections history

and that goes back many years

there were tears when Kim sang she moves me for her fiance

and when Rachel related a story on those forbidden to love

told to her by audience member

after she sang the Ferryman

this was a night to remember

for all the right reasons

as a Yorkshire born poet spoke gaelic

better than most Scots

and stars shone on stage

in a safe space where we were free to enjoy

the music and the company

breaking down inhibitions

there were no conditions

on who we could or couldn’t love

we accepted ourselves and others accepted us

as we proved that even in the coldest of seasons

hearts can still be warmed by those in our family of friends