Dole

  Ok, so I thought about writing something about this for a while, but I just kept forgetting until somebody posted a comment on Facebook earlier today, stating their annoyances about some people who are claiming dole money. 

  Even as somebody who is 21, still in University, now living back with my parents, and having worked more or less constantly since I was 16, through being in school and University, if it ever came to the time where I was jobless, even though my parents have paid their fair share of taxes, and me graduating next year with a Masters Degree in a stem of Psychology, ultimately leaving me with a fairly decent job, I'd still feel as if I was almost stealing money from others if I ever ended up on the dole. However, it appears to me that there are a lot of people within Britain who frankly, do not give a damn that themselves and their children are being paid for by other people who work damned hard for their money.

   Before I go any further, I have absolutely no problem at all with people who are unable to work due to severe mental/physical problems, I mean, if your wheelchair bound, then your extremely limited to what job you could have anyway, apart from the fact that if would be a real hassle to even get to that job if it wasn't literally on the street you lived on. Saying that, those who don't work because they have back problems and the lark, personally, I think that is stretching it a bit. If you can walk around unassisted to do your shopping, or go out for a day somewhere, then I can't honestly see why these people can't just have a job where they are sat at a desk all day. Surely that isn't going to increase their back problems, sitting down for 8 hours a day......

   One of the issues I have with those who claim dole is that I think that they receive too much money. Currently, during my upcoming University course, I am working at a petrol station that has quite a good little shop attached to it. There are quite a number of people who come into my shop, who I know are unemployed, and buy cigarettes and alcohol. Now, this isn't just a bottle of wine and a ten pack of cigarettes a week or something, we are talking more along the lines of a crate of 15 cans of beer every few days and a pack of 20 cigarettes most days. Ok, I know I'm quite stingy with my money, I don't smoke, and I don't drink more than is healthy in a week, but even working 24 hours a week on a decent wage, I wouldn't be able to afford the things that these people are buying. 

   Both my parents and my Fiancé's parents have always been in a job.  Both my parents went to Technical College, and both have had a steady job since they were 18. Everyone has worked hard to get a job, stay in a job, to be able to support themselves and their family. The most infuriating thing is that there are people who have never worked a single day in their lives who have the same houses as me and my Fiancé's parents. What is the point in working if your just going to end up with the same as people who can't be arsed to work?

   One of my friends' Mother works full time. She is a single Mum. She would get MORE money not working than working where she does now. Surely giving up time and effort to do something other than just sitting about all day should be more rewarding? 

   Recently, I have known a few people who have lost their job through no fault of their own, being let off, as the company couldn't afford to pay them. When going to claim dole, as they would expect to be able to, seeing as they have worked for over 20 years, they were told that they couldn't, as their partner earned more than £150 a week. So, all of those taxes that those people have paid over the years, the thousands upon thousands that they have paid out to others because they are too lazy to do anything with their lives, now that they have no income due to no fault of their own, they don't see a penny of it. It makes me sick.

Materialistic

     I am not what you would call a 'normal' twenty something. I can only stand clothes shopping for a limited amount of time (how my mother manages to do a 6 hour stint of it and not be shattered, I'll never know), most of my wardrobe is filled with jeans and baggy T shirts, and I will never understand the fascination with Ugg boots and Paul's Boutique bags.
     Ok, as a student living on an extremely tight budget for the last three years, my mindset of what is expensive, and what is good value for money might be somewhat skewed, as I feel that even paying £40 for a evening dress is top budget for me, whereas some people would pay at least that. I just bought a new dress for my upcoming birthday, and it cost me £15. It's nothing absolutely spectacular, I'd admit, but it is the sort of style that I go for, and it means that it I only wear it another few times, I haven't really lost out on the money front.
     Some people I know have handbags that cost somewhere in the region of £150. The most expensive bag I have, that was a Christmas gift was £45, and even then, I felt I was pushing it a bit. One of the most expensive items that I wear are my Doc Marten boots, which again, were a Christmas present from my parents, and they were £125. My parents paid £125 for a pair of boots that I wear near enough every day when the weather isn't too warm (which is about 80% of the time where I live), and are going to last me, for what I can imagine, at least 5 years.
     I had a house mate last year, who, to be honest, was extremely well off, and his parents could probably buy him literally anything he asked for. Anyway, he (most probably his parents, he never had a job in his life) would buy a pair of Fred Perry shoes for around 45-50 pounds, wear them for about 6 months, and then chuck them away, just to buy a new pair. He would say to me "Yeah, they only last about 6 months, and then they start to fall apart". Maybe its because I have grown up in a house where your grateful for what you are given, but I certainly wouldn't pay all that money for shoes, just to throw them out months later.
     When I was 16, I asked for an iPod for Christmas. When I came down Christmas morning to find that my parents had bought me a bass guitar and an iPod, I almost felt bad, like when someone praises you for doing something that you never did. I still use that iPod. I still use that guitar. Some people would have gone through three by now.
     One thing that I really can't understand is high fashion. Considering I took Textiles for a GCSE, I sure hated the fashion industry. It has never made sense in my mind why people would pay three, four five, six hundred pounds for a little black dress from Calvin Klein or Gucci, or whatever, when some other designer can make basically the same dress, out of the same material, and charge something like £50. I think that those people who do buy top range stuff like that often are either one of two people: have more money than sense, or, have such low self esteem that they have to have something really expensive on them to make them feel good. I admit, some people wouldn't pay £125 for a pair of Doc Martens, but its not like they look like a lot of other stuff on the market out there. If you showed me a Gucci bag and a bag from, say a high street store, I probably couldn't tell you which one was which, or if I could, I would definitely say that the price difference of £300 or whatever if definitely not worth it.
     My point is, why pay so much money for items that you know your not going to get your money's worth out of, and just buy cheaper stuff? Ok, things that are going to last you years and years, or even a lifetime like a  piece of jewellery you had on a special birthday or wedding/engagement rings and the like, yeah, go ahead, spend a couple of hundred on those, but when I see people paying £15 for two pairs of socks, it makes me wonder if these people have their priorities right.
 

Religion

     Ok, before I start, I want to point out that I am an Atheist. I have not always been an atheist, I was brought up going to church every Sunday with my father, until the age of about 10 (mostly due to the fact that I thought getting up at half 8 on a Sunday was a jip). I can't remember if I even believed that there was a God. I'm not going to lie, I did like going to church and Sunday school, but for the stories and the singing, not for the worship. By the time I was around 13, I was agnostic, mostly due to the fact that my father and his parents are Christian, so I suppose it was a way of keeping them happy, even though I never spoke outright that I wasn't sure if there was a God or not. By the time I was 18, I had made up my mind, and came to the conclusion that there is no God. Before I proceed, I have little problem with religious people, people can believe what they want to believe, just as the fact that I believe that the big bang happened, does not mean that this is the definite truth, but in my eyes, this is the closest we have at the moment.

     The thing that get on my nerves about some religious people is that they totally discredit scientific evidence that we have evolved from monkeys. These people have no problem in believing that fire occurs when a fuel, oxygen and heat come together, or that oil cannot be mixed with water, due to very different properties of the two substances, yet, when it comes to the theory of evolution, they totally discredit it. There are fossils to show that we have gradually evolved from monkeys, yet we still get the phrases "why are there fossils missing between this humanoid and this humanoid?" and "If we all evolve, then why has things like the crocodile not changed for millions of years?" Well, how about if we just look at the history of humans that we definitely know from history records. Ok, we haven't evolved in terms of personal appearance, but when you think how our society works today, and our intelligence today, it is a lot different from a little as 500 years ago.

     And what the hell is the thing with the church not accepting homosexual individuals? Correct me if I am wrong, but to my knowledge, there is nothing in the bible that definitely states that you must hate homosexuals in order for you to get into heaven, and that if you are one, your not going to heaven. Now, I HAVE seen in the bible specifics where it is fine for a man to rape your daughter in order for yourself to be saved from debt, and also that it is perfectly acceptable to have slaves, yet no Christian ever mentions these thing, nor practice them (one would hope). 

     It's those who pick and choose what to believe from the bible that also makes me wonder why they even believe in the religion. If your going to believe in something, then you can't pick and choose what to believe, otherwise, surely, your going against the teachings of God, and will go to hell?

     I am currently studying evolutionary psychology in University, and although my Dad knows about it, it is not mentioned between us, as he does not think that this is true. Ok, I'm not saying that every single thing that is written down in a evolutionary psychology book is absolutely correct, but within everyday life, there is evidence to show that this maybe the case. We have a tail bone, but no tail, some people have genetic mutations, and end up with horns or tails growing. If we were 'made', then surely we wouldn't see these kinds of genetic mutations occurring.

     There is NO proof that God, or any other sort of higher being existing, whereas there is SOME evidence to suggests that we have evolved. How can you totally disregard these scientific facts when you rely on so many others? 

     Yes, I suppose it is a nice thought to think that there is an entity in the sky that has made us in his/her image, and looks over us, and so on, but I genuinely think that religion is just a comfort blanket to those who cannot come to grips with the fact that we are (possibly) alone in the universe, life has no real purpose, and that when we die, we just merely cease to exist. Depressing, I know, but that's why you have to make the most of your life, not waste it worshipping some entity that may not even exist.

   

     

Drink

     Within our society today, binge drinking is seen as something that encapsulates our generation of youths and young people. It is fairly common sense that this is not a good look for our country, as it makes us out to be good for nothing people that have no thought for anyone else. Needless to say, the government sees extreme binge drinking as a severely damaging social and cultural aspect to the country, yet, it is well in their power to decrease this growing problem.

     I was on my way back to the city where my University is from my home, and as I can never eat breakfast at 7 in the morning, so the fact that it had gone 9, and I hadn't eaten, I walked into a McDonald's, to get some food. I'm not really fussed on the breakfast menu in McDonald's, so I asked for a Happy Meal, before realising that they don't start serving them until half 10. This then triggered something in my head. I had just walked past a chain pub and restaurant, silently judging those who were already taking a sip of their first pint of the morning. 

     It is a sad day when you realise that some establishments will serve you alcohol at 9 in the morning, but you have to wait until half 10 for a Happy Meal.

     I'd imagine those who are hovering around the bar at 20 to 9 in the morning already have an alcohol problem, but surely offering alcohol that early in the morning can only lead to more people developing these problems. As most people start work at 9 in the morning, I would expect these people wouldn't allow themselves to be a little late for work, just to get in a quick half pint before work. However, imagine if the serving time of alcohol was changed to only half an hour earlier, how many people would we see in the pubs in the morning having a pint instead of a cup of tea and toast?

     As a student, cheap drinks when I am out is all well and good, as for me this term, money hasn't even stretched far enough for me to buy enough food, let alone any "luxuries". Anyway, There is one place that I frequent quite often, and on a particular night, drinks are insanely cheap. I can buy a double of any spirit with a mixer for about £1.60. I have been to other places, usually on a Saturday night, and I've paid more than £6 for the sane drink. Although I think £6 is extortionate, no matter how many times I go to my usual place, I'm still slightly taken aback when paying for my first drink, that it is so cheap.

     For people like myself, I see the nights where drinks are ridiculously cheap as a way of saving money, I'd take 10, maybe 15 pounds out with me when drinks are that cheap, and that money would be for my takeaway and taxi home too. However, others see it as an excuse to spend just as much money as they would if they were paying twice as much for a drink, so that they can get even more drunk.This is the problem with these sorts of deals. I'm not Miss Angel here either, I have been too drunk in the past, but whereas I can count all of those times on my two hands, other people are too drunk every night they go out, and I personally think that the early opening times, late closing times and cheap drinks are at least partially to blame. 

     There is another establishment where I live when I am at University that offer any drinks (single shots) for 99p. Now, where I can't seem to buy a bottle of pop anywhere nowadays for anything less than £1, to buy an alcoholic drink that is cheaper makes little sense to me. Thinking back, I have been in a pub with my family before whist having Sunday dinner. I had a lager with my food, and then had a lemonade afterwards. In the same pub, I only paid 20p less for a lemonade than a lager, and when I came back to the table, my parents said "oh, well you may as well had another drink". In my opinion, soft drinks need to be at least half the amount of the cheapest alcoholic drink, apart from the fact that I know that from one syrup box used to make the drinks, that costs about £5, then can get about 100 cups of drink from, so charging £1 for a soft drink would still give them huge amounts of profit.

     The fact that the government goes on about binge drinking, and that binge drinking is commonly on the news and documented in television shows, in reality, the government isn't all that caring about it. The fact that it is them who allow for establishments to sell such cheap drinks, serve them for 9 in the morning until up to 4 or 5 in the morning in some other places, is just a clever, but malicious way of generating more revenue.   

Drugs

     So we all know that certain drugs are bad for us, and even those designed for medicinal purposes can cause fatalities. However, one thing that still puzzles me, is why alcohol and nicotine is legal for those 18 of over within the UK, but any other 'bad' drug is illegal.
     It is medically proven that alcohol and nicotine are some of, if not, THE most addictive and damaging drugs that are available, yet these are the ones the government allow us to use. Before I get into this, I am not condoning the use of drugs, I just think that the laws against drugs are ridiculous, and need to be adjusted. Seriously, any grown person with half a brain knows that any amount of any drug is bad for you, so why is there a need for laws against them? Yes, there should be laws against selling minors drugs, just as the law is for alcohol and nicotine, but if you can't get to adulthood, and not realise that shooting speed into your body with a needle that somebody else has used is a totally stupid idea, then its your lookout. If you think that it is perfectly fine to do so, then do so.
     I know that the laws are there to limit the amount of drugs that are available on the street, but lets face it, how many people do you know who want to take drugs say "Oh, actually, I'm not going to take those drugs because the government tells me not to".
     Yes, you could say that the laws are in place because drugs ruins lives, families friendships, and so on.....but when has alcohol never been associated with violence, theft, rape, murder? You can't pick and choose what can and cannot be legal, just because alcohol and nicotine brings in so much revenue for a country.
     As a fairly frequent drinker, personally, I don't see anything wrong with drinking, but only in small amounts, and to an extent, it is only suited to a small number of people, but alas, we cannot divide the country and say "Well, you can't drink because you beat your wife, therefore drinking may make it worse".
     There is a big debate on whether cannabis is a safe drug to use, and whether it should be used for cancer patents to cope with pain and while undergoing chemotherapy. I have researched a lot into cannabis, partly due to my academic studies, partly out of personal interest, and compared to alcohol and nicotine, it is pretty harmless. OK, I'm not going to be the person who says "Oh yes, taking cannabis is totally safe", because it's not. Lots of research has found that those who are heavy users of the drug for prolonged periods of time are more likely to develop illnesses such as severe paranoia and schizophrenia. Yes, I would agree with this, but this does not mean that everyone will end up like this. Those who develop these disorders may already be pre-disposed to them, therefore we can never put these kinds of findings primarily down to the drug.
     Due to the incredible stubbornness and overly politically correct world that we live in, I hardly think that the laws of drugs is ever going to change. Even more depressing, is that although alcohol kills around 15,000 people in the UK alone, due to the money it brings in, we are never going to see another prohibition.
   

Haters

     A friend on Facebook just posted about how she hates the fact that people hate artists, just because other people have said that they also hate them.
     Lots of these people haven't properly heard or seen these artists, so I too, have very much annoyance towards those who say that a band or artist is not up to scratch, purely on the basis that someone else thinks so.
     I come from a group of friends where my music tastes don't always match theirs, and by damn do I know about it. Some of them will go on and on and on about how such and such band doesn't have any musical talent, and that such and such band are just copying the bands that are good. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but when it is constantly shoved in peoples faces, that is when people get upset.
     I have to be honest, there are a lot of classic bands that I don't like, possibly due to not listening to them that much, or that their style of music doesn't really appeal to me. Some people who say I am crazy for not absolutely loving classics such as Iron Maiden and the such, but its just an opinion, and its not something I bring up unless others bring it up.
     Last year, one of my house mates loved indie music. Personally, I think that it is a very boring genre, bar a few exceptions, and therefore do not listen to or like it. However, I did not bring this up every single time I saw this person, although, the first time I was asked by that person if I liked indie music, I said no. A simple no. There was no, "well, such and such are boring" or "such and such have no musical talent, its just all chords", even though I thought this about some of the bands, I did not express them. However, when this person started ripping into the music that I like, saying that its all screaming and shouting, then of course, I will say how I feel about that persons music, as retaliation.
     The worst is when people gang up on you. If you are the minority in a group of people, then its hard to put them down about the music they like, because majority always wins. Ok, so I confess, one of my favourite bands is My Chemical Romance, had been since I was about 15. But guess what? Some of my other favourite artists include Mindless Self Indulgence, Jamie Cullum, and Nicki Minaj. Just because I like one band that you may think stink, does not mean that you will not like the rest of my music tastes.
     One thing that, well, annoyed me more than anything, was when My Chemical Romance were bottled off-stage at Download in 2007. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THEM, DON'T WATCH THEM. I have been to many gigs in my life, and has been to about 4 where Bring Me The Horizon, a band that I really don't like has played. Do I boo them and throw stuff at them? No. I let those who want to see them watch them, and have a good time, while I go and use the restrooms, get a drink and so on. Granted, I do moan to those I go to the gig with, who also don't like them, but lets be serious, your never going to like every band or artist on the entire planet. Those people on stage are human being too. You may not like them as a band, or even as people, but they still have feelings. Saying hurtful things does not count as constructive criticism.
     The one thing that annoys worst thing of all, is when people get so fed up of others basically bulling them over their music tastes, that they stop publicly sharing that they like those artists, and sometimes even change their own music tastes to suit the majority. Whatever happened to liking whatever you wanted?

Old

     It was my little sisters birthday yesterday. She was 16. I find myself being horrified by the fact that she is now of legal age to have sex. Just the mere thought of my little sister even doing anything remotely sexual with another person makes me feel very queasy, but then, when I think about it, I probably did a lot of things while I was growing up that if I had an older sister, she would probably feel the same way about it as I do just thinking about it now.
     Its strange how even though I am only 5 years older than my sister, so in the same generation, to think that kids her age are under age drinking, becoming very curious about the opposite (or same) sex, and generally doing more and more things that adults do, make makes me feel extremely uneasy, and sometimes even very judgemental, yet, I did the same a mere 5 or so years ago.
     Maybe its because I'm her big sister, and I've seen the late teenage years not that long ago, I have a pretty good idea what goes on, whereas my parents don't seem to be so bothered by it.
     Although, I am quite relieved that my sister is very much like me. Nerdy, conscientious, quiet, reserved, and so on. It's those girls who grow up too quickly that I worry about, those who my mother still mistakes as people I would probably know, even though they are about 14. I know I am very concious about what is on show, and I am very old fashioned in my ways, but some of the items of clothing these kids are wearing, I wouldn't even accept a 20 something wearing it. It's not just the clothes that bothers me, its the general lifestyle choices that these kids make. Up until I even went to Comprehensive school at the age of 11, I still, on the occasion, played with my dolls, whereas, even in the short amount of time since I was 11, I've heard kids as young as 6 or 7 being bullied, because they still play with dolls and such. Kids are meant to play with toys. Your still a kid until you start puberty, and even then, there is question to whether you play with 'kids toys' should really be that much of a taboo.
      The point is, you can't stop a child from growing up, trying new things, and the like, but I do believe that those who do start 'growing up' from a younger age than necessary is really, well, unnecessary. Apart from that, if a child grows up too quick, its going to miss its childhood, and that is something that is so precious, if you missed it, then you've MISSED IT.

Tonight

     Tonight has made me realise how much my life means to me. One of my house-mates boyfriends had to be rushed to hospital this morning at around 3am, due to intense pain in his leg, due to something cracking. Doesn't sound that bad? We found out about a fortnight ago that he has cancer. It's treatable, but extremely upsetting nonetheless.
     I am currently writing this, around 10 minutes after the ambulance has left, partly due to the cortisol levels in me sky rocketing, hence I am extremely awake, and partly due to me wanting to write about it.
     I am one of those people who have serious problems coping with these sorts of situations. Involvement in the situation always makes me feel better, maybe due to my nature to strive to be a helpful person, especially in times of sheer horror for everyone involved. Whatever it is, its not until I am back on my own again that things really dawn on me, and I start crying for that person and those directly affected, but also re-evaluate my own life.
   I'm not going to give you a sad sob story, but to cut a long story short, I have had a history of being unable to cope with my own emotions. Such situations such as these show me how much of a breeze my life in general has actually been.
   Another thing I want to put out there is how utterly amazing medical staff are. I saw tonight 4 paramedics tackle a situation with ease, yes, they probably have many years of experience, but I know that no matter how much experience I had at doing something like that, whether it be paramedic, doctor, surgeon, nurse....anything where someone's life could potentially be in my hands, I couldn't do the job, and still maintain a healthy mentality.
     I wouldn't say that I am a person who particularly complains about things that happen in my life, but I know a lot of people out there who would complain for ludicrous amounts of time, for something so insignificant as to who hasn't done their washing up.
   I think that there is a lot of people out there who need to be fully exposed to other people's lives, those who do not have the luxuries of health, or wealth, or basically, have no real life whatsoever. Yes, we all know that there are millions of starving African children out there, but I think that with the majority of the human race, unless they see it face to face, many people will never know the true horrors that some people live.

Scarves

     In the last couple of weeks where I go to University, it has been pretty damn cold, hence, lots of people are wearing hats, gloves and scarves. What is brilliant at the moment, and fills me with admiration for  the person in question, is that although it is cold, the sun in shining like a summers day. Now, although it looks and probably feels a bit weird, but along with their winter accessories, some have also been walking around with sunglasses on, of which I'm totally cool with, as its sunny, and obviously, harmful sun rays are bad for our eyes.
     The thing that I can't get my head around is, why are people wearing winter scarves, not these fashion scarves that are just meant for decoration, but actual Christmassy looking scarves, but don't use them for their actual purpose? What I mean is, some people I have seen just drape these scarves around the back of their neck, and just leave them hang down in front of them. What is the point? If it is cold, and your wearing a scarf, then why don't you use it to cover up the front of your neck, and your chest? You know, the actual purpose of them.
     I mean, sure, I've been caught out before, put a scarf on, and then realized that its actually not that cold for a scarf, so I loosen it a bit, so that its not so tightly wrapped around my neck, but these people are leaving their houses like this.
     I just don't get it. I don't wear mittens and not fold the flaps down when its super cold, just because I look more 'sophisticated and fashionable' with them buttoned up.
    Another scarf wearing conundrum I also don't understand is why people wear their winter scarves properly, but have something like a T-shirt on, so that most of their arms are bare. Again, why are you wearing a scarf, if it is warm enough to just wear a T-shirt? Although, seeing as most of these people are students, they probably just don't have enough sense to put on a coat when its something like 3 degrees Celsius outside.
    My point is, most of the human population are complete and utter sheep. I would know this, studying Psychology, but I just find it so funny how if one person does something, a million other people think, "Oh, well, he is wearing that like that, so maybe I should too!". I'm not totally discounting myself from this. Yes, I do look at other people to see what they are wearing, but I usually know how to dress myself without looking to other people for inspiration.
   As this is my first blog, like ever, I'm not really sure where all of this is going to lead. I'd expect most of it to be observations that I make in life, and being such a cynical and old fashioned human being, despite me being only 20, my views probably don't necessarily reflect what most 20 something's think about life, so as a side-note, I hope that you will find these posts to be a little different to an average 20 something blogger.