5 years on

I still find it strange to think that Alex and I have been together 5 years. It's just flown by and although a lot has happened to both of us in that time, in most ways our relationship has been pretty much the same from the start. When we met we just automatically clicked. Staying over the night, and then sex seemed so obvious and natural that I didn't realise until later that they'd happened much earlier than I'd previously thought would be proper. Somehow that kind of thing didn't really apply. By the end of our first term together we were sharing confidences and could discuss anything without fear. Realising that Alex was always going to take me seriously made me rethink some of the relationship "techniques" I'd learned from TV and I felt that I could talk about anything and he'd take me at face value. Slightly more slowly I also learned that I was sexy. My confidence blossomed as Alex both told me and showed me that he thought I was pretty. I enjoyed and was surprised by this new image of myself and it gave me a lot more confidence in all situations.

Reading this back, the key theme is confidence. Alex gives me confidence in my looks, my opinions, in myself. And when I'm with him it still just feels so *obvious*. Snuggling up for a hug is automatic, second nature. So thanks sweetie. You're a big part of the person I am today. Here's to the next five years

A new politics?

Of the 4 mayoral elections last week, 3 of them were won by independent candidates, partly as a result of low turnout, partly the proportional system used for the election (I forget what it's called but you get 2 votes - a first and second preference) and partly because people are fed up with politicians and perhaps feel that someone not backed by a party will listen to them more than to voices from London. But it made me wonder. These men will be quite prominent in their local communities. They've got big(ish) budgets and the scope to get some things done. And what I wondered is whether this could become a new route into national politics. Two of the main problems independent candidates have in national elections is that people often aren't sure where they stand on all the issues and that they have no track record. It can be overcome (see Martin Bell and whatsisname the doctor who got elected to save a local hospital) but it's very rare. Perhaps institutions like the new mayoralties will democratise democracy by allowing more of us to actually aspire to get to where the decisions are made.