Today I came across this.
This amused/entertained/fascinated me for a while. I'm going to post on there for work. But I thought I would share it with you first.
They also have this variation.
Another thing that fascinated me was this entry on Eat the Damn Cake on sluttiness. I touched on it in my last post, when I was discussing feminism - well touched on it to the extent I asked "is dressing slutty a feminist statement?"
I looked, and still look to some degree, on my sluttiness in the past and see it as me exploiting my sexuality and using it to my advantage. I had fun, I was in control. Sometimes I ponder whether I was just trying to boost my self-esteem and make myself feel better. But I have never great been at commitment, and I'd started down a road that meant commitment would be ever harder afterwards (I found this out when I tried to commit in my 3rd year of university, and my history proved a massive problem for my boyfriend). But we all do a lot of stuff to boost our self-esteem, so I'm okay with it if that's what I was doing. I am what I am. I did what I did. Nothing's gonna change that.
**
I finished reading The Picture of Dorian Gray. It's surprisingly relevant to what I'm researching at work - the halo effect.
I enjoyed it immensely. I love classic books. I finished Tess of the d'Urbervilles last month, and loved Great Expectations earlier this year. I can't remember the last fiction book that I thought was written really well.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Friday, 4 November 2011
The Search for Spock...
The best thing about my job is that I get to learn about new things. For example, the Eurozone, British Transport Police, Saudi Arabia. The worst thing about this job is focusing on a topic that really hits home with you and you can't seem to do anything about it.
The representation of women in the media has forever plagued me, but researching the topic of beauty and the media for my job has opened my eyes. I'm not alone in my opinion. In fact there are people out there who have even stronger views than I do, and are calling for change.
This includes people such as Kat Fridkis, at Eat the Damn Cake, who is a delight to speak to and learn from.
But this has made me decide that I need to do more to help other women and spread the word to challenge the way we are advertised to, and used in advertising. The problem is that the beauty and fashion industries are convinced that products only sell when thin and beautiful women advertise them. The fact is EVERYONE is beautiful in their own way, and I would be more likely to buy a product if it was advertised by "ordinary" women (the Dove adverts are a case in point, but while they do some great work - Onslaught video, Self Esteem fund - they are a flawed case in point - "real women have real curves" - what about the women who don't have curves?!).
What I'm also finding is that alot of the anger directed at how the media represents women is tied inextricably with feminism. I have always classed myself as feminist, but a passive feminist, if there is such a thing. I refuse to marry, I will not have kids. But I don't actively preach (is preach the right word?) about the issues feminist are fighting for. Perhaps because I don't actually know... Are there really the men-hating feminists? Is dressing slutty a feminist statement? What about sleeping around?
Almost 5 months ago, my mum made the most feminist move of her life - she asked for a divorce. And putting aside the anger and the hurt that this action (an agreement from my father) has caused, my mum became a feminist in deciding that she wasn't going to put up with my dad's dirty washing on the bedroom floor anymore. She didn't want to pick up after him, or make him dinner. Go mum!
But then she got false nails. She's had her eyebrows dyed and her moustache bleached. And I don't see how those actions could free her from the oppressor that is my father and her boring marriage.
I want to be feminist. But does being feminist mean using my looks to get me power? Or does it mean working so hard and making sure my looks don't count? Does it mean working inside the system to get to the top to make a difference, or fighting it every step of the way?
I'm becoming more aware, and more accepting of myself as a woman, and as a result, I believe I will be more aware and accepting of myself as a person. I hope for a day when my self-esteem does not plummet just because I get a new spot on my chin. I'm just hoping that my other obstacle, the headache obstacle, doesn't hold me back.
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Negotiating
I haven't given up my search for illumination!
I have just been busy working full time since May. Also I got a boyfriend, and he takes up a lot of time haha.
I plan to write soon about my enlightenment in terms of feminism and identity. But in the mean time, I have been writing about experimenting with cosmetics (or lack of them) over here.
And I found this today.
I have just been busy working full time since May. Also I got a boyfriend, and he takes up a lot of time haha.
I plan to write soon about my enlightenment in terms of feminism and identity. But in the mean time, I have been writing about experimenting with cosmetics (or lack of them) over here.
And I found this today.
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
"The only shame is to have none"
~ Blaise Pascal
I experienced three types of shame at the weekend, and all very different.
The first two came really within moments of each other. I felt the shame of not fitting in with my old Uni friends. Not drinking as much, anywhere near as much, as they were. It made me feel stupid, that I couldn't or didn't want to drink like they could and did.
And then within moments I actually felt shame from being with them. But not specifically them, but with people who were plastered. In the club, the dingy and not-that-great-even-though-it's-had-another-refurb club, I saw one guy (who my friends knew) get kicked out (most likely for doing drugs). He was propelled forward out the side door by 3 or 4 bouncers, and then a minute later another one followed with the shoe he'd left behind.
And not even 5 minutes before I had stepped out of the loo to find a young girl sitting on a step having been sick all over the carpet in front of the toilets. She hadn't quite made it, and she looked awful, barely keeping herself up. And the lad that was with her didn't look like he really wanted to be there anymore.
My friend just told me how in Revolutions in Sutton they were offering free Jagerbombs for people who took off their underwear. (35 pairs were received. They applied the same offer to anyone who could bring a condom to the bar. Zero.)
So the two types of shame I felt on Saturday night has become a general shame for the youth of today. For the "wasters" who think it's okay to drink for 5 hours straight, shot after shot, strawpedo'd alcopops.
Why is this ok? Why do they not understand they are messing with their bodies, and indeed their lives? Do they know and just not care? Is life really that bad that you need to get blotto every weekend to forget it? Because life will certainly be much worse the next morning when they have a bad head and are £50 poorer.
Even though I have friends who are like this, and I love them dearly despite their abuse of the substance, it makes me despair of my generation, and the ones coming up behind us.
The other shame I felt at the weekend, came on Sunday, on the tube home. I had just managed to get a seat. I had my music in, and my book out.
And a homeless man came on the tube begging. He had a crutch too. I just heard through my music something about 'getting enough money together before London Bridge for the shelter', he was 'sorry to ask' and did we have 'any spare change or food'. And then he said 'if not, I hope you all have a safe journey' and then stood there. And of course it was the longest ride between Angel and Old Street or wherever, and then he got off the carriage and into the next one.
When he got on and started talking, the bloke next to me shifted awkwardly in his seat. That's how I realised he was in the carriage. But I only glanced at him, and then I stared at my book. I surreptitiously glanced at other people in the carriage, but no one else was looking at him. They were looking down, or out into space, anywhere but at him. I didn't see anybody get out any change. Or food. I had no food on me, but I had change. It would have only taken a minute to get it out and give him some. But I didn't. I felt ashamed of myself. The whole time he was in the carriage, and afterwards, I felt ashamed of myself still. And the carriage shared in that. There was communal shame, we were all ashamed that we weren't giving him any change or food. And in a way I think we were ashamed that our country has people who need to beg.
If we knew we would feel like that, why didn't we give him something?
Because we knew it would go away.
And it has gone away. I still do feel ashamed but nowhere near as much as when I was faced with that situation. I do sometimes give to homeless people, and buskers. But cynicism has made me do it less frequently. I walked home from York station one time and chucked some silver into a homeless man (everyone knows him, he has glasses and sort of looks like Professor Burp from Chessington World of Adventures), and a middle-aged gentleman next to me said "He'll probably earn more than you will in a day, he's got a good spot there."
Will the penny, or the 5pence, or even the pound I drop into his hat or on his blanket really go to drugs? Or alcohol? Or cigarettes? Or will they spend it on a cup of coffee to keep them warm. Or a sandwich?
Maybe this is something I need to investigate further.
I experienced three types of shame at the weekend, and all very different.
The first two came really within moments of each other. I felt the shame of not fitting in with my old Uni friends. Not drinking as much, anywhere near as much, as they were. It made me feel stupid, that I couldn't or didn't want to drink like they could and did.
And then within moments I actually felt shame from being with them. But not specifically them, but with people who were plastered. In the club, the dingy and not-that-great-even-though-it's-had-another-refurb club, I saw one guy (who my friends knew) get kicked out (most likely for doing drugs). He was propelled forward out the side door by 3 or 4 bouncers, and then a minute later another one followed with the shoe he'd left behind.
And not even 5 minutes before I had stepped out of the loo to find a young girl sitting on a step having been sick all over the carpet in front of the toilets. She hadn't quite made it, and she looked awful, barely keeping herself up. And the lad that was with her didn't look like he really wanted to be there anymore.
My friend just told me how in Revolutions in Sutton they were offering free Jagerbombs for people who took off their underwear. (35 pairs were received. They applied the same offer to anyone who could bring a condom to the bar. Zero.)
So the two types of shame I felt on Saturday night has become a general shame for the youth of today. For the "wasters" who think it's okay to drink for 5 hours straight, shot after shot, strawpedo'd alcopops.
Why is this ok? Why do they not understand they are messing with their bodies, and indeed their lives? Do they know and just not care? Is life really that bad that you need to get blotto every weekend to forget it? Because life will certainly be much worse the next morning when they have a bad head and are £50 poorer.
Even though I have friends who are like this, and I love them dearly despite their abuse of the substance, it makes me despair of my generation, and the ones coming up behind us.
The other shame I felt at the weekend, came on Sunday, on the tube home. I had just managed to get a seat. I had my music in, and my book out.
And a homeless man came on the tube begging. He had a crutch too. I just heard through my music something about 'getting enough money together before London Bridge for the shelter', he was 'sorry to ask' and did we have 'any spare change or food'. And then he said 'if not, I hope you all have a safe journey' and then stood there. And of course it was the longest ride between Angel and Old Street or wherever, and then he got off the carriage and into the next one.
When he got on and started talking, the bloke next to me shifted awkwardly in his seat. That's how I realised he was in the carriage. But I only glanced at him, and then I stared at my book. I surreptitiously glanced at other people in the carriage, but no one else was looking at him. They were looking down, or out into space, anywhere but at him. I didn't see anybody get out any change. Or food. I had no food on me, but I had change. It would have only taken a minute to get it out and give him some. But I didn't. I felt ashamed of myself. The whole time he was in the carriage, and afterwards, I felt ashamed of myself still. And the carriage shared in that. There was communal shame, we were all ashamed that we weren't giving him any change or food. And in a way I think we were ashamed that our country has people who need to beg.
If we knew we would feel like that, why didn't we give him something?
Because we knew it would go away.
And it has gone away. I still do feel ashamed but nowhere near as much as when I was faced with that situation. I do sometimes give to homeless people, and buskers. But cynicism has made me do it less frequently. I walked home from York station one time and chucked some silver into a homeless man (everyone knows him, he has glasses and sort of looks like Professor Burp from Chessington World of Adventures), and a middle-aged gentleman next to me said "He'll probably earn more than you will in a day, he's got a good spot there."
Will the penny, or the 5pence, or even the pound I drop into his hat or on his blanket really go to drugs? Or alcohol? Or cigarettes? Or will they spend it on a cup of coffee to keep them warm. Or a sandwich?
Maybe this is something I need to investigate further.
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Routine Structure
I can't stand when people talk in the cinema. And that certainly makes me a hypocrite, I know, since I do it. But I don't have full-on conversations. I also whisper. And most times, I turn my phone off. At the very, very least, I put it on vibrate, and usually, I turn it on silent completely so not even a vibrate can interfere.
I saw Black Swan this evening, and it was the one film I have seen recently that I least expected to have annoying people in the cinema. My friend and fellow cinema-goer commented on this as soon as the film finished. I suppose it's our narrow-minds, but why would a bunch of ill-educated chavs wants to see Black Swan? Well, I don't know they're ill-educated. But they were late for the film, they talked like they were black when they were white, and laughed at the masturbation scenes. Maybe ill-educated, definitely immature.
*Rant over *
Lately I have been pondering a great deal on structure and routine. A friend of mine I went to lunch with said that she had had a lot of days off work, and this sudden change in/lack of routine was probably why she felt a bit miserable. I can understand this. I don't like not being busy, for a start, which is why my To Do lists are endless, and I don't particularly like not having a routine. I have learned to be quite flexible in changes to said routine. But I don't like when I don't have one at all.
This need for structure permeates my working and personal life. I like knowing when I'm working, I like knowing what needs to be done. It's the same in my personal life. I like having things planned in advance, I'm not hugely spontaneous, but on Saturday I surprised myself by just grabbing some DVDs and driving over to a friend's house even though I'd already been up to London that day, and he'd invited me round only 2 hours before (I had to get home from London first!).
The need for structure is why I have things written in my filofax, my work diary, on my wall planner, and sometimes even in my phone. It's the reason I have made 10 New Year's Resolutions, and January goals too.
So far I am doing okay with my resolutions & goals. I have achieved all but one of my January goals, but this weekend, as my last opportunity, will be the time I do it. I've started working towards some resolutions, and not others. I'm feeling positive about all of them though.
I don't tend to get things done if I don't have goals and structure. Sure I'd still do things, but they'd be just that, things. I'd watch films, play games, maybe read. I'd probably eat more. I like to be so busy I don't have time to eat much (that's not a very healthy attitude I'm aware but I always do eat, I get hungry quite easily). I just wouldn't do things that helped me, that helped me develop or grow. I wouldn't get things done that would get me anywhere.
And I want to go somewhere.
I saw Black Swan this evening, and it was the one film I have seen recently that I least expected to have annoying people in the cinema. My friend and fellow cinema-goer commented on this as soon as the film finished. I suppose it's our narrow-minds, but why would a bunch of ill-educated chavs wants to see Black Swan? Well, I don't know they're ill-educated. But they were late for the film, they talked like they were black when they were white, and laughed at the masturbation scenes. Maybe ill-educated, definitely immature.
*Rant over *
Lately I have been pondering a great deal on structure and routine. A friend of mine I went to lunch with said that she had had a lot of days off work, and this sudden change in/lack of routine was probably why she felt a bit miserable. I can understand this. I don't like not being busy, for a start, which is why my To Do lists are endless, and I don't particularly like not having a routine. I have learned to be quite flexible in changes to said routine. But I don't like when I don't have one at all.
This need for structure permeates my working and personal life. I like knowing when I'm working, I like knowing what needs to be done. It's the same in my personal life. I like having things planned in advance, I'm not hugely spontaneous, but on Saturday I surprised myself by just grabbing some DVDs and driving over to a friend's house even though I'd already been up to London that day, and he'd invited me round only 2 hours before (I had to get home from London first!).
The need for structure is why I have things written in my filofax, my work diary, on my wall planner, and sometimes even in my phone. It's the reason I have made 10 New Year's Resolutions, and January goals too.
So far I am doing okay with my resolutions & goals. I have achieved all but one of my January goals, but this weekend, as my last opportunity, will be the time I do it. I've started working towards some resolutions, and not others. I'm feeling positive about all of them though.
I don't tend to get things done if I don't have goals and structure. Sure I'd still do things, but they'd be just that, things. I'd watch films, play games, maybe read. I'd probably eat more. I like to be so busy I don't have time to eat much (that's not a very healthy attitude I'm aware but I always do eat, I get hungry quite easily). I just wouldn't do things that helped me, that helped me develop or grow. I wouldn't get things done that would get me anywhere.
And I want to go somewhere.
Monday, 13 December 2010
A Very Merry Christmas
I don't very much like Christmas. I saw an article on the BBC today titled 'A Genius Scam', all about The X Factor. Personally, I think the same phrase can be used for Christmas.
When it comes to Christmas, I am very much a Scrooge figure. Bah Humbug to decorating everywhere, and to the constant playing of Christmas songs. Bah Humbug to buying useless tat for people (although I am myself guilty of that this year, but what else are we meant to buy for my father, a man who has no interests and hobbies, and who has all the hankies and socks he needs?!) Although I have felt myself feeling slightly more Christmassy than I usually do, the feelings are fleeting and I see sense. I am spending Christmas in Dorset this year, a change of scene might do us all good.
I actually prefer New Year to Christmas, although nowhere near as much as I used to, because now it is the anniversary of my grandfather's death. But what I like about New Year's is the tradition of reinventing yourself. As if people didn't do it all year round, but New Year's gives you an actual time to make changes about yourself, and become a new person.
According to this website, the Top 10 resolutions include losing weight and getting more exercise, quit smoking or drinking, and learning something new. As Wikipedia confirms, resolutions tend to be advantageous. We want to be better people. I'm sure even saints could make resolutions, except it probably wouldn't be to 'help others', more likely 'have some "me" time'!
I have already made myself some resolutions, and in addition to this, made goals for January and February. According to the Wikipedia article on New Year's resolutions, women succeed 10% more when they make their goals public and get support from friends.
This year, I managed to complete 4 of my 6 resolutions (although one thing I have already failed at again because I learned it, and then I forgot it)
I have so far got 9 resolutions sorted, some easier than others. And I'm going to share them with you now:
3, 4 and 9 are probably the easiest. But I include them because you still need to achieve some things to keep you on track for the rest of them. I am currently at 320 out of 1001, so I should get to 360 easily. 4 sounds silly, but so much remains unfinished in my house. and 9 could be easy because I could just take £600 out of my savings, but instead I am going to set up a direct debit.
Other are not so easy. I'm not very musical, nor do I stick to things well, so 6 and 2 will be hard. 5 also will, because I don't really make time to read anymore. But I will endeavour to start this month and get a head start. It's only a list of 6 books (I have more unread on my bookcase, but I can add them when I run out).
7 is an unknown quantity since I could really work hard and deserve a bonus as promised in my contract, but budget restraints may leave it out of my reach. If the time comes and I don't get it, I will assess how hard I worked, and decide whether I would have deserved it had it been available.
1 is also, in a way, an unknown quantity. I could apply for tons of work experience, and not get any. If the end of the year comes, and I have no additional experience except that of working on corporate videos for the company I set up with another friend, I will still sort of see that as a failure. It's a bit like saying 'I'll get a job'. You could apply everywhere and get nowhere. We'll see.
Anyway, having thought about it weeks ago, but this being my last blog before the year is out (I have a pretty hectic two weeks coming up), I have decided to evaluate my year using the systems in place at the school I work at.
2010
WWW - what went well
EBI - even better if
What do you reckon your WWW and EBI's would be?
When it comes to Christmas, I am very much a Scrooge figure. Bah Humbug to decorating everywhere, and to the constant playing of Christmas songs. Bah Humbug to buying useless tat for people (although I am myself guilty of that this year, but what else are we meant to buy for my father, a man who has no interests and hobbies, and who has all the hankies and socks he needs?!) Although I have felt myself feeling slightly more Christmassy than I usually do, the feelings are fleeting and I see sense. I am spending Christmas in Dorset this year, a change of scene might do us all good.
I actually prefer New Year to Christmas, although nowhere near as much as I used to, because now it is the anniversary of my grandfather's death. But what I like about New Year's is the tradition of reinventing yourself. As if people didn't do it all year round, but New Year's gives you an actual time to make changes about yourself, and become a new person.
According to this website, the Top 10 resolutions include losing weight and getting more exercise, quit smoking or drinking, and learning something new. As Wikipedia confirms, resolutions tend to be advantageous. We want to be better people. I'm sure even saints could make resolutions, except it probably wouldn't be to 'help others', more likely 'have some "me" time'!
I have already made myself some resolutions, and in addition to this, made goals for January and February. According to the Wikipedia article on New Year's resolutions, women succeed 10% more when they make their goals public and get support from friends.
This year, I managed to complete 4 of my 6 resolutions (although one thing I have already failed at again because I learned it, and then I forgot it)
I have so far got 9 resolutions sorted, some easier than others. And I'm going to share them with you now:
- Get work experience
- Lose 6lbs - get to 8st
- Watch 360 films out of 1001
- Finish bedroom
- Read list of books
- Learn to play ukelele
- Get bonus in April
- Learn to use Adobe Illustrator
- Pay off £600 of student loan
3, 4 and 9 are probably the easiest. But I include them because you still need to achieve some things to keep you on track for the rest of them. I am currently at 320 out of 1001, so I should get to 360 easily. 4 sounds silly, but so much remains unfinished in my house. and 9 could be easy because I could just take £600 out of my savings, but instead I am going to set up a direct debit.
Other are not so easy. I'm not very musical, nor do I stick to things well, so 6 and 2 will be hard. 5 also will, because I don't really make time to read anymore. But I will endeavour to start this month and get a head start. It's only a list of 6 books (I have more unread on my bookcase, but I can add them when I run out).
7 is an unknown quantity since I could really work hard and deserve a bonus as promised in my contract, but budget restraints may leave it out of my reach. If the time comes and I don't get it, I will assess how hard I worked, and decide whether I would have deserved it had it been available.
1 is also, in a way, an unknown quantity. I could apply for tons of work experience, and not get any. If the end of the year comes, and I have no additional experience except that of working on corporate videos for the company I set up with another friend, I will still sort of see that as a failure. It's a bit like saying 'I'll get a job'. You could apply everywhere and get nowhere. We'll see.
Anyway, having thought about it weeks ago, but this being my last blog before the year is out (I have a pretty hectic two weeks coming up), I have decided to evaluate my year using the systems in place at the school I work at.
2010
WWW - what went well
- Finished university - with a 1st
- Got a job
- went on a cruise
- went to New York for the first time
- stayed in touch with friends from home & uni - even rekindled a friendship
EBI - even better if
- succeeded in all my resolutions
- had a better time at uni
- won an award for Where the Waves Break
- made more contacts
- got more work experience
- saved more money (I succeeded in saving £1000+, which was one of my resolutions, but then I started spending it) so really it should be not spent so much money
- gained more confidence
What do you reckon your WWW and EBI's would be?
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
The weather outside is frightful (or: it's being smart that counts)
Why do we get so excited about snow? the BBC asks. I don't why, you tell me Beeb. Because I sure as hell don't get excited about snow. Not one iota. Knowing snow is coming, or waking up to find snow covering my garden makes my heart sink.
I don't know whether this is a symptom of getting old, I can't remember enjoying snow when I was younger. As my mum has pointed out, I've had more snow in my lifetime than she ever did by my age. I pointed out to her this was probably due to the global warming her generation and the generations before her had caused. But for as long as I can remember, I have not liked snow, for the reasons listed below.
***
I recently saw a bus advert for the LG Optimus phone that claimed "It's being smart that counts."
This obviously refers to the fact that if you don't own some sort of smartphone these days, you clearly live in a cave or under a rock. My contract is up in a matter of weeks on my G1 and though I both love & hate my phone, I don't know if I can find an acceptable replacement. I was hoping to go for the HTC Desire Z, but since it's so new I don't think I will get my regular £30 800 minutes-Unlimited Texts-Unlimited Internet contract on such a phone. But now I have had my G1, I have higher expectations of phones. In fact, I get frustrated that my phone cannot do things. I now want a phone with the following abilities:
- Email
- Threaded texts
- Open documents i.e word doc, jpgs, pdf
- in addition to this, I want to be able to EDIT these documents and then send them on
- Navigation & Maps
- Social networking feeds
- Integral calendar that is easy to use
- a QWERTY keyboard
- and probably many more I can't think of right now.
I basically want a laptop in a phone. Which is probably why I want an iPad, for the first time since they were launched, as I have sort of been seduced by the idea of their capabilities. I'll let you know after Friday whether I buy one using a friend's bulk discount.
The other thing that came to mind when I saw the aforementioned LG advert was that it is not being smart that counts. If it was being smart that counts, then I would have had an easier time at school, and so would a lot of kids still in education being ridiculed for their higher intelligence by those with lower intelligence. Telling them that it's "being smart that counts" probably isn't much consolation.
Last but not least, the photo here shows how sentimental I am:
this is a collection of scrapbooks and memory boxes I have, and two large photo albums started by other people but finished by me of my childhood and adolescence.
This now all resides in the loft. Teehee.
I don't know whether this is a symptom of getting old, I can't remember enjoying snow when I was younger. As my mum has pointed out, I've had more snow in my lifetime than she ever did by my age. I pointed out to her this was probably due to the global warming her generation and the generations before her had caused. But for as long as I can remember, I have not liked snow, for the reasons listed below.
- Snow is hugely inconvenient. For transport, public and private. For businesses. For schools. For people in general. You can't get anywhere, and if you do succeed in finally getting there, you can't get back.
- It's white. I hate the colour white. Whilst not a universal disadvantage of snow (for example some people might like the colour white), it certainly gets irritating after a while.
- The end result of snow. Slush, or even ice, tend to be what comes next once the pretty little snowflakes have fallen and covered our houses, cars, roads and pavements. If you're lucky, it becomes slush. Dirty, mucky, slushy slush. At least this only soaks your shoes through faster than the snow did. Slush most often occurs on roads or where grit/salt has been used. But the compacted snow more often becomes ice where people tread repeatedly on it. This makes for more dangerous walking than the thick snow that lay there before, and I'm sure most people find themselves with aching feet from the way you walk on ice.
- It is cold and wet. This comes into play when you get it in your face or down your clothes, whether because it's drifting down from the heavens, being blown around by wind, or if you have been the target on a snowball.
- Snow costs money. Much like the inconvenience, businesses will do less trade, people are unable to work, and the cost of getting the area/country back on it's feet is pretty big. Compensation for disrupted travel, most likely flights from closed airports rather than disrupted public transport, will need to be negotiated.
***
I recently saw a bus advert for the LG Optimus phone that claimed "It's being smart that counts."
This obviously refers to the fact that if you don't own some sort of smartphone these days, you clearly live in a cave or under a rock. My contract is up in a matter of weeks on my G1 and though I both love & hate my phone, I don't know if I can find an acceptable replacement. I was hoping to go for the HTC Desire Z, but since it's so new I don't think I will get my regular £30 800 minutes-Unlimited Texts-Unlimited Internet contract on such a phone. But now I have had my G1, I have higher expectations of phones. In fact, I get frustrated that my phone cannot do things. I now want a phone with the following abilities:
- Threaded texts
- Open documents i.e word doc, jpgs, pdf
- in addition to this, I want to be able to EDIT these documents and then send them on
- Navigation & Maps
- Social networking feeds
- Integral calendar that is easy to use
- a QWERTY keyboard
- and probably many more I can't think of right now.
I basically want a laptop in a phone. Which is probably why I want an iPad, for the first time since they were launched, as I have sort of been seduced by the idea of their capabilities. I'll let you know after Friday whether I buy one using a friend's bulk discount.
The other thing that came to mind when I saw the aforementioned LG advert was that it is not being smart that counts. If it was being smart that counts, then I would have had an easier time at school, and so would a lot of kids still in education being ridiculed for their higher intelligence by those with lower intelligence. Telling them that it's "being smart that counts" probably isn't much consolation.
Last but not least, the photo here shows how sentimental I am:
this is a collection of scrapbooks and memory boxes I have, and two large photo albums started by other people but finished by me of my childhood and adolescence.This now all resides in the loft. Teehee.
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