Reading the content of this thread has given me cause to reflect on how my interaction with the world has changed over the years. Back in the 1950's, with my father having fought his war in the east, Burma etc, He stayed in the forces for some time after the war finished. The knock on of this for me was that I was sent off to a succession of male only boarding schools. The one where I spent most of my school life conducted activities which, I now realize, were to prepare you for a life in the forces. Much accent was placed on playing team games, cold showers, "stiff upper lips" and "being a man", with derision being heaped on the unfortunate few who were considered to be "Nancy boys". I engaged enthusiastically in our ACF (Army Cadet Force) which was where I gained my fascination with vehicles. (and learned safe weapons handling) Anyone looking for me knew I was likely to be in the transport garages if I couldn't be found elsewhere. From there I progressed on to working on cars for a living and gaining my City & Guilds etc.
All this was very "male" territory in those days and this definitely influenced my outlook. I viewed it as a virtue to be a "tough guy". Swimming in cold rivers in winter, Lifting gearboxes up onto benches single handed, lying under breakdowns in the snow, drinking lots of alcohol and smoking cigarettes, knocking about with "macho men", riding motor cycles fast, all seemed like a good idea. However I've never been at ease with discrimination of any sort. Then, when I got my first paying job, the future Mrs Jock and I rented a flat just on the north side of Kew bridge. The flat above us was rented by a gay couple and thank goodness it was. Slowly we became good friends and I started to realize the world was a very different place to the very controlled and authoritarian place I'd grown up in. My conversion to becoming, what I hope is, a more caring member of the human race had begun!
I have also, especially during my time as a trainer (lecturer would be too grand a title) come into close contact with many people of different ethnic and religious and political backgrounds and it's taught me that everyone needs to be taken as you find then without the damaging preconceptions that race, religion, colour, politics, etc, etc, can bring. By all means have your own strong views but respect that others also have them and things change over time so sometimes you are going to be wrong.
Happy new year to you all
Jock
PS. There's a good old Scots saying "We're aw Jock Tamson's bairns". I try to live by it. Here's a bit of info for those who are wondering: //www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-25895,00.html : By interesting coincidence I used to look after the gardens around Duddingston manse and the flower beds, but not the grass, around the Kirk itself when I had the disabled gardening squad.
