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September 26, 2006
Are buses safe?
I had to get the bus home from town late the other night and I saw a terrible fight between two groups of lads. It was horrible. They can’t have been older than fifteen but they were all really drunk and knocking hell out of each other.
Is public transport safe these days? For that matter, is anywhere safe these days?
Before the knife amnesty there was at least one fatal stabbing on a bus! It’s enough to make me finally learn to drive.
When I was younger I used buses and trains a fair bit but if it was late, my dad would act as taxi service for me and my mates (he didn’t like the idea of us getting the night bus).
Am I just getting old or is it getting worse? How do you feel about public transport?
Posted by Lizzie at 09:27 AM | Comments (7)
September 22, 2006
Teenage debt
We’re becoming a nation of shopaholics! I’ve always thought that was a bit of a joke but addicted or compulsive shopping is actually a recognised clinical condition! Why didn’t anyone warn me?
Seriously though, it’s easier than ever for people to get in debt and believe me that is not a situation you want to be in. I’m still paying off my student loan. It comes out of my wages each month along with tax and national insurance, and it wasn’t even that big a debt!
Getting into debt can totally take over your life, so that all you are doing is working really hard and giving your money to someone else.
And guess who banks and loans companies are targeting with their adverts? Yep, you! Britain’s young people. Because they know that if they catch you early they’ll have you for years.
So be sensible when managing your money. I know we all do stuff to excess when we’re young, but believe me you DO NOT want to spend the next twenty years paying for stuff you probably don’t need anyway.
Posted by Lizzie at 09:49 AM | Comments (0)
September 19, 2006
Becoming a vegetarian
I’ve been thinking of becoming a vegetarian but it’s so hard to make the final commitment because I love meat so much. Both Matt and my mum think I’m mad so I thought I’d have a look online to see what other people have to say about it.
The most interesting thing I found was the conflicting information. Some people were saying that humans have to eat meat to survive but just as many were saying that this was nonsense!
The conclusion I came to is that there’s loads of other alternatives to becoming a vegetarian:
• Veganism – one of the extremes where you don’t consume anything containing ANY animal products. Food preparation becomes important because you have to ensure you’re getting everything you need whilst making it tasty too.
• Piscatarianism – cutting out red and white meat except fish. This gives you access to an easy healthy source of protein. Do fish have feelings? Science now says that yes, they probably do but have no expressions so we can’t tell when they’re hurt. You need to watch how much fish you eat though and still make sure the rest of your diet is healthy and balanced.
• Organic freerange meat only – cut down on how much meat you eat by only eating freerange organic meat. This can be expensive, but at least it is usually tastier and some say, healthier. Also some of the moral questions about mass farming animals (like battery chickens!) are answered.
Ultimately, as long as you make sure you are eating healthily (which can take some effort) the choice is yours. If you are a vegetarian it isn’t a religion and what you eat it isn’t anyone’s business but yours.
Has anyone got any tips to get me started? Any vege’s out there who still miss meat but manage to resist?
Posted by Lizzie at 11:37 AM | Comments (8)
September 14, 2006
Acne
A friend of mine came round last night and we chatted about this and that and then she burst into tears. It took me ages to find out why she was so upset but when I did I was amazed.
She’s feeling really down and upset because at twenty-two, she still has acne. It’s not the same as the teenage acne that I had but it’s enough to make her really self-conscious and unhappy. She said that it stops her going out with friends quite a bit as she feels too bad to see people.
Her doctor has never taken her that seriously but last week she went to see her and asked to be referred to a specialist. She’s got an appointment next month.
Because we all get spots from time to time (yes, even super models!) and because we’ve all had them growing up, it can be easy to forget that for some people it can really take over their lives.
The funny thing is, when I see this friend, I see a beautiful, funny and clever girl. When she looks in the mirror she just sees the spots. And we all do this don’t we? Focus on the one thing we don’t like rather than seeing the whole, beautiful us?
Anyway, I’ve chucked in a load of links below for sites with tons of helpful info, support and advice on acne.
Acne Support Group (for teenagers)http://www.stopspots.org/index.html
Net Doctor - http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/spots.htm
NHS Direct - http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=4
BBC - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/4791176.stm
Acne Help - http://www.acnehelp.org.uk/
Posted by Lizzie at 02:41 PM | Comments (1)
September 12, 2006
Gambling Addiction
A recent report claims that as many as one in ten teenagers are addicted to or have a dependency on gambling of some sort. Many young people aren’t aware of just how addictive it is and most are introduced to gambling through things like slot machines.
But gambling is addictive.
When you gamble you get a rush of adrenalin – the chemical the body releases in response to threats or excitement. It increases heart rate, dilates the pupils and elevates the blood sugar level.
But what you don’t hear so much about is that adrenalin has a suppressive effect on the immune system.
And it’s all a massive con anyway.
I worked in a pub for a bit when I was a student and I would watch punters piling coins into the fruit machine with little or no success.
The bar manager told me it had nothing to do with luck or skill. The machines are rigged to take more money than they give out (otherwise pubs wouldn’t bother with them!) and payments are just enough to keep you hoping for a big payout.
So should we be trying to stop people from gambling? Or is it a natural human thing to do? And are that many of us really addicted?
Posted by Lizzie at 03:53 PM | Comments (1)
September 08, 2006
Robbie stops Leeds
It looks like Leeds might be coming to a standstill this weekend and all because of one man. Yep, Robbie Williams is playing two concerts in Roundhay Park this weekend and the city’s gone Robbie crazy!
So much so in fact, that 11 schools have been closed today because of fears that the massive increase in traffic will make it dangerous for pupils to get home.
Needless to say there are loads of happy school kids and a whole gang of angry parents. The parents are saying that Robbie isn’t as important as their children’s education but I think this misses the point doesn’t it?
I think it’s good that the concert is happening in Leeds, and if that means that a handful of kids have to miss one day off school for their own safety then that seems OK to me. Would they rather that nothing interesting ever happened in Leeds?
What do you think? Am I letting my feelings for Robbie cloud my judgement?
The only downer is that I haven’t got tickets when he’s playing right on my doorstep.
Doh!
Posted by Lizzie at 03:31 PM | Comments (0)
September 07, 2006
Pirate DVDs
I was in the pub the other night when someone came round trying to sell pirate DVDs! I was really surprised by how open and obvious they were.
There’s been a few people sent down recently for running big piracy scams and yet this doesn’t seem to put anyone off – either the sellers or folks from buying ’em.
We’re always told that there’s the danger of getting the wrong (and possibly disturbing) movie but I don’t know anyone who has, do you?
And the quality’s going to be worse isn’t it?
The internet is rapidly changing the way we get hold of and listen to music but do you think that the same will be true of movies in the near future?
Posted by Lizzie at 11:44 AM | Comments (4)
September 04, 2006
School uniform
Back to school this week if you ain’t left yet! I was thinking about the end of the school holidays this weekend – buying new stationary and bags and stuff, being a bit excited and a bit nervous about being in a new year, and buying new uniform!
My school was actually quite strict on uniform and yet we still managed to bend the rules as much as possible.
In a way having a strict uniform made a bit of a sport out of it. How close to getting into trouble could you go without actually crossing the line? And it was a sport with a level playing field. We were all under exactly the same constraints.
If the school had simply said, “wear anything as long as it isn’t too outrageous”, there wouldn’t have been anything to almost rebel against.
But what do you think of uniform? Is yours strict or relaxed? Does having a uniform give you that vital extra ten minutes in bed in the morning, seeing as you know exactly what you’re gonna be wearing? Should teachers have to wear a grown up version of the school uniform?
Posted by Lizzie at 02:27 PM | Comments (3)
September 01, 2006
Family Commitments
My gran’s been living at my parents for a few months now, and they say she’s getting worse not better. I spoke to Dad last night and he thinks she’s already given up and is just waiting for the end.
I can’t believe it. I’ve been so upset all morning. I know I’m busy with the new job and everything but in situations like this you have to think about what’s more important don’t you?
I’ve decided to book some time off and spend a week at my folks’ with gran. I don’t want to keep putting it off only to spend the rest of my life regretting not going down to see her.
I’m even feeling like I should be going home every weekend to be there with her but she is so far away. It’s really playing on my mind.
Posted by Lizzie at 03:32 PM | Comments (1)