68 Scene
NETTY’S WORLD
HOMELY HOMILY
Let’s Go Outside
‘Appy days
BY NETTY WENDT
) My partner and I moved to Brighton from Hammersmith over 20 years ago. Yes, we were drawn to the vibrant gay and lesbian scene, but it was the nature of a bohemian town flanked by the rolling green hills and the sea, that was truly the call of the wild as we sat in our London flat surrounded by traffic and tube stations.
“Now Brighton in turn is (to me at least) too crowded. The wildlife on Hove Lawns is of a more human variety, and as hitting people who annoy me is frowned upon, I’ve moved along the coast to Peacehaven” Similarly, since lockdown many other Londoners have heard the mermaids singing too. Estate agents tell of an unprecedented exodus from the capital, and who can blame these runaways? We humans have a biological need for the great outdoors as well as a cosy place to lay our heads. Psychologists have found that merely looking at a green wall is efficacious and calming. Indeed, a few years ago when studying for my psychology degree, I was asked to describe my ‘happy place’. To my surprise, it was not a pub. It was Hove Lawns. I know, it’s hardly a nature reserve, but here I was surrounded by myriad dogs, birds, greenery and the sea. I felt alive. I have often been struck by the way we gays have utilised outdoorsy pursuits to hook up or spend time with our own kind. A group of women walking on Devil’s Dyke can safely enjoy each other’s company as well as the fresh air, far away from the prying eyes of heteronormativity. On that note, I hear the bushes are being drastically trimmed at Duke’s Mound, where the hell will all the gay men go? That foliage has been the only bush they’ve been in for years! I suppose Grindr caters for such casual encounters these days, but I never thought I’d feel nostalgic about a cruising ground.
“I hear the bushes are being drastically trimmed at Duke’s Mound, where the hell will all the gay men go? That foliage has been the only bush they’ve been in for years!” Time marches on, now Brighton in turn is (to me at least) too crowded. The wildlife on Hove Lawns is of a more human variety, and as hitting people who annoy me is frowned upon, I’ve moved along the coast to Peacehaven. It’s not so far away, I can see the i360 from my daily walk along the cliffs, but it’s a world away from the hustle and bustle, it’s big sky, crashing waves and rolling hills. After my run-in with Covid-19 I walked this route to recover the use of my legs and breathed this air to heal my ravaged lungs, ultimately this walk healed my soul. When walking I think how lucky I am to be alive. I pass my friend’s house and wave in at him, we’re still in lockdown but one day soon we’ll have a barbecue, even food tastes better al fresco. I pass a lesbian couple I knew from Brighton days, they’ve just got a dog, because now they have the great outdoors and a garden. I smile at a bearded chap in a Brighton Bear Weekend T-shirt. Perhaps he’s here to heal his soul too? Nah, he’s cruising.
BY GLENN STEVENS
) I am ever hopeful that by the time of this going to print in March’s Scene magazine the third lockdown is behind us and there is a glimmer of hope ahead and we are getting out more and embracing all that is so good about living in Brighton. With the sea in front of us, the South Downs at the back, and our vibrant city jewelled in the centre. But if the previous year has taught us anything, it is to have a Plan B up our sleeves.
“One of the tools in my belt, which has been a great comforter, has been practicing mindfulness. I will be forever grateful to Jackie and Judy for the free mindfulness classes they ran at The Sussex Beacon” Also let us remember there will be a good proportion of Brighton people who are still self-isolating at home and will be only able to get outdoors via the view from their window, so what to do? One of the tools in my belt, which has been a great comforter, has been practicing mindfulness. I will be forever grateful to Jackie and Judy for the free mindfulness classes they ran at The Sussex Beacon. This practice has been a simple yet powerful way or stopping a lot of emotionally draining situations from getting out of hand, allowing me to centre my mind and bring myself back into the moment. If that may sound a little bit tree hugging (which I also like) then please just drop the doubt and give it a try, there are plenty of online courses to sign up to and once you have the basics, this practice can be a friend for life.
“The fantastic thing about this app is it not only helps with lowering stress levels but also takes the imagination to places that many may not be able to get to due to self-isolating” Another great app to help with relaxation is one for people who live with tinnitus, that ringing in your ear which I and thousands of other people live with. The app I use is ReSound which offers an array of soundscapes, including At the Beach and Evening Forest, to help you relax - one of the main causes for tinnitus to increase is stress. The fantastic thing about this app is it not only helps with lowering stress levels but also takes the imagination to places that many may not be able to get to due to self-isolating. The app, and I am sure there are many more out there, offers visual representations of nature’s powerful great outdoors as well as bite-size spoken meditations. I do know that not everyone can connect with these types of therapies and during self-isolation many may crave to get further afield in a different way. We are so lucky to be bang in the middle of the digital age where the world is at our fingertips. For a virtual South Downs walk, visit www.southdowns.gov.uk or for something more out of this world why not visit the edge of the universe with Sean Pertwee: https://youtu.be/68tpCpDOsyA. So if we are still in lockdown, grab yourself a cuppa, sit down, relax with an app or log in and enjoy the virtual great outdoors.
