Ah the end of another year.
The time to reflect back and look at our high's and our low's, to consider what we have achieved and perhaps to think about maybe what we would like to have another bash at next year...
Pootle and I have watched TV this evening and are earnestly watching the clock for the midnight toll...just so we can go to bed. Not that this detracts from the year, but if I am completely honest...New Year's Eve just doesn't really do it for me.
All a great deal of hype for just a few minutes, however, it has made Pootle and I sit and make plans for our forthcoming year, which is worth doing.
Setting goals that may seem far fetched, but hey what is life without a challenge? Merely existing...
So goals for 2014?
Pootle is gonna be wild and wear more red lipstick...she no longer feels the need to reign in her sexual goddess and wants to show off her deviant side. Scarily, I think the caged goddess may be about to create havoc in the coming year...
As for me, red lipstick was never my colour - so 2014 will be the year for concentrating on the book. There are a lot of rejections around the corner, a lot of tears, but it feels like the last two years has been working towards this. So I will be aiming to try and get it published...it will be hard to let go of it, because it is my baby and I am not sure if it will ever be truly ready in my mind, but at some point I just have to try...
However someone said to me earlier this year, that anything worth achieving should be hard, otherwise you don't appreciate it...
So, I wish everyone who reads my blog a very Happy New Year, make a plan, meet your goals, go wild and wear red lipstick, enjoy it....and if it is a hard decision or hard work then I hope you appreciate it even more...
Have a good one :-)
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Sunday, 22 December 2013
Standards....
OK I am mad. At Facebook. Again.
I wrote a status about it on my Facebook page, but it wasn't enough...I feel the need to vent my anger further.
This morning while going through my newsfeed I came across a picture of a severely disabled woman, clearly disfigured - or in essence someone who doesn't fit the mould of 'attractive'. On the picture is a message saying, 'Tag a friend who would smash her'.
Thousands of people had commented and indeed done what was asked. One of my friends had commented (I am unsure in what capacity, perhaps he was disgusted as I was) and consequently, Facebook deemed it appropriate to share on my news feed as something I might like. This is not the first time something like this happened, so I reported the photo.
I reported it under the limited reasons that Facebook allows me to do....because I believe that it was harassment, suggesting sexual violence, and in general intimidating.
All good so far. I was pleased about my contribution to keeping some level of decency on Facebook. It is a wonderful networking tool, and I enjoy the fact that I can keep up with friends all over the world on it - however, Facebook apparently did not believe that I had a point. It refused to remove the photo, stating that it did not violate their standards....doesn't that say it all?
Some of you will know that a friend of my recently posted a photo in memory of her new born baby who had died in childbirth. This photo was removed under Facebook's standards of decency.
So encouraging aggression, sexual violence, harassment, intimidation to someone is perfectly adequate, but the memory of a child is inappropriate? Sorry, but who's f**king standards are these?
My only options as advised by the standards police at Facebook was for me to block the page that had posted the photo; that I had to choose to 'opt out'. Well, because of the way Facebook is run I was never given the chance to actually bloody 'opt in'.
I am sick of it. I have no interest in things I have never signed up for, just simply because a friend of mine may or may not have found something of interest, or because they commented on their great aunt's photo - stop suggesting things for me Mark Zuckerberg, and stop judging everyone by Facebook's disgustingly immoral standards.
I wrote a status about it on my Facebook page, but it wasn't enough...I feel the need to vent my anger further.
This morning while going through my newsfeed I came across a picture of a severely disabled woman, clearly disfigured - or in essence someone who doesn't fit the mould of 'attractive'. On the picture is a message saying, 'Tag a friend who would smash her'.
Thousands of people had commented and indeed done what was asked. One of my friends had commented (I am unsure in what capacity, perhaps he was disgusted as I was) and consequently, Facebook deemed it appropriate to share on my news feed as something I might like. This is not the first time something like this happened, so I reported the photo.
I reported it under the limited reasons that Facebook allows me to do....because I believe that it was harassment, suggesting sexual violence, and in general intimidating.
All good so far. I was pleased about my contribution to keeping some level of decency on Facebook. It is a wonderful networking tool, and I enjoy the fact that I can keep up with friends all over the world on it - however, Facebook apparently did not believe that I had a point. It refused to remove the photo, stating that it did not violate their standards....doesn't that say it all?
Some of you will know that a friend of my recently posted a photo in memory of her new born baby who had died in childbirth. This photo was removed under Facebook's standards of decency.
So encouraging aggression, sexual violence, harassment, intimidation to someone is perfectly adequate, but the memory of a child is inappropriate? Sorry, but who's f**king standards are these?
My only options as advised by the standards police at Facebook was for me to block the page that had posted the photo; that I had to choose to 'opt out'. Well, because of the way Facebook is run I was never given the chance to actually bloody 'opt in'.
I am sick of it. I have no interest in things I have never signed up for, just simply because a friend of mine may or may not have found something of interest, or because they commented on their great aunt's photo - stop suggesting things for me Mark Zuckerberg, and stop judging everyone by Facebook's disgustingly immoral standards.
Friday, 6 December 2013
Learning to say no...
Now I am happy to give to charities.
I have no issues with dropping money in collection boxes, supporting charitable causes when I can, however I do have issues with charitable causes who bully others into 'signing up' to their cause.
This evening I have had one at my front door. (So clearly my home isn't safe anymore from being pestered.)
This lady proceeded to give her patter about her cause, just sign up for one pound a week and I could potentially win a thousand pounds in return by committing to her charity.
I politely explained to her that I have charities that I support on a regular basis, and whilst I was in no doubt that her cause was more than worthy, I was unable to commit.
She continued with her communication of coercion, when I eventually stopped her and said again, "I am sorry but I am unable to commit to that at this present time."
Which was when her attitude changed. Her annoyance, her tactics became almost bullying and I ended up feeling guilty.
I wanted to say, why does someone have to sign up to something for the promise of something in return? Why not use the one thousand pound weekly winner cheque towards the charity? Or alternatively, please don't make me feel so god damn guilty and leave me alone!!!
I hate bullies - in their many forms, and these people think it is ok to go around to pester people to the point of making them feel so bloody guilty that they will sign anything. I remember one woman grabbing my attention as I left a well known supermarket, gripping five shopping bags and my car keys in my mouth. I was clearly in a rush. Before I knew it I had merrily signed up to a years subscription to the RSPB for my children...it wasn't until I was back home that I remembered I don't even bloody like birds!!
Needless to say, I got my mum to cancel it as I was terrified of calling them and being signed up to something else.
They are that good at making you feel guilty that you feel you have to sign up. You have to support them, because without you everything will fail and people all over the world, or in the trees or in the air will suffer - and god help you if you ever need an air ambulance, it will be my fault if they are late as my 52 quid a year would have paid for the overtime...
That's another thing - 52 quid a year!!?? That is one hell of a yearly pledge in this day and age, when we are all watching every pound and penny.
Charitable donations should be done because it is a cause that is close to your heart. Not because you have some scary female on your doorstep making you feel that the world will end if you don't. So let's be brave, let's learn to say no...I know I am.
Well, that and I was considering turning the lights off so she thinks I've gone out.
I have no issues with dropping money in collection boxes, supporting charitable causes when I can, however I do have issues with charitable causes who bully others into 'signing up' to their cause.
This evening I have had one at my front door. (So clearly my home isn't safe anymore from being pestered.)
This lady proceeded to give her patter about her cause, just sign up for one pound a week and I could potentially win a thousand pounds in return by committing to her charity.
I politely explained to her that I have charities that I support on a regular basis, and whilst I was in no doubt that her cause was more than worthy, I was unable to commit.
She continued with her communication of coercion, when I eventually stopped her and said again, "I am sorry but I am unable to commit to that at this present time."
Which was when her attitude changed. Her annoyance, her tactics became almost bullying and I ended up feeling guilty.
I wanted to say, why does someone have to sign up to something for the promise of something in return? Why not use the one thousand pound weekly winner cheque towards the charity? Or alternatively, please don't make me feel so god damn guilty and leave me alone!!!
I hate bullies - in their many forms, and these people think it is ok to go around to pester people to the point of making them feel so bloody guilty that they will sign anything. I remember one woman grabbing my attention as I left a well known supermarket, gripping five shopping bags and my car keys in my mouth. I was clearly in a rush. Before I knew it I had merrily signed up to a years subscription to the RSPB for my children...it wasn't until I was back home that I remembered I don't even bloody like birds!!
Needless to say, I got my mum to cancel it as I was terrified of calling them and being signed up to something else.
They are that good at making you feel guilty that you feel you have to sign up. You have to support them, because without you everything will fail and people all over the world, or in the trees or in the air will suffer - and god help you if you ever need an air ambulance, it will be my fault if they are late as my 52 quid a year would have paid for the overtime...
That's another thing - 52 quid a year!!?? That is one hell of a yearly pledge in this day and age, when we are all watching every pound and penny.
Charitable donations should be done because it is a cause that is close to your heart. Not because you have some scary female on your doorstep making you feel that the world will end if you don't. So let's be brave, let's learn to say no...I know I am.
Well, that and I was considering turning the lights off so she thinks I've gone out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)