The Wide World of Sports

I was raised by a single mother for 90% of my life, for long enough that having a father in the house is an extremely dim memory. I do have a few memories of having a father in the home with us, but it's like it happened to someone else instead of me. Anyway, that's not the point of this blog so lets just have me move along shall we? My mother was a single mum for all intents and purposes here, she had the unending help of her parents, my grandparents, along the way and they were there 24/7 until the days they both passed. Bless them both 'cos God knows I miss them more than I need to breathe. So my male role model was my Grandpa, and let me say he not only filled that role with panache, he has always been and will always be my hero. From day one (seriously I was not even a week old) only my Grandpa could make me happiest, make me stop crying, make my world turn. He hung the moon. When I was a newborn I was incredibly collicky and wouldn't sleep for anything. My mother couldn't get me to sleep, my dad sure couldn't and even my grandma could only calm me for maybe 15 minutes, but the moment they put me in my Grandpa's arms I fell asleep for hours. So long that he had to sit down 'cos both his arms fell asleep but he wouldn't put me down, he wanted his girl to get her sleep. From that moment on we had a bond that was stronger than even my bond with my mum, and I adore my mum. Reading through this post so far I've noticed that I only have capitolised Grandpa, not mum, mother, father, dad or even grandma, just Grandpa...that was completely unconcious on my part. Honest.

So anyway, my Grandpa had a huge role in my life and that of my younger brother. Our mum relied heavily on her parents to help out with us kids, from financal help (going back to work back then after being a stay-at-home-mum wasn't easy) to babysitting us, they were there. My Grandpa saw no reason for a few things, that just 'cos I was a girl that I shouldn't learn all about sports, especially baseball, his passion. He was a true sportsman though, he loved all sports, he even watched "soccer" back in the day when only a very few American's had even really realised it was a real sport. I do have memories of watching Pele' play on TV 'cos I watched him with Grandpa. But he was a baseball man through and through and a Chicago White Sox fan to the very core. He raised me right, I'm White Sox to the core as is my 13 year old son, so I know Grandpa is very happy about that at least! I was a tiny 3 year old when Grandpa put that bat in my hand and that ball and bought me a mitt and taught me all I needed to know about the world of baseball. I wish I would have realised when I was in say high school that I was really a great softball player, that I could have made something of that passion, that maybe there could have been talk of Olympics in our household. But alas that was just not in the cards for me. But trust me, I was that good. I played ball every single day of my life that I could, that means when there wasn't snow on the ground over 3 inches I was outside playing baseball/softball. I was practising throwing, catching and hitting every single day of my life. I wanted to play baseball for the White Sox. That is what pushed me when I was a kid, not realising I couldn't 'cos I wasn't born with a penis. Really so not fair if you ask me.

So the one thing that goes with being a jock and supporting a team is loyalty. You're loyal to your team. You choose the team you can relate to or, like me with the White Sox, you're just born to it. Like with the Yankees 'cos I am a massive fan it was me relating to them 'cos Bucky Dent was traded from the White Sox to the Yankees back in the day and then I realised how much fun it was to see a team with a world series or twelve! lol It's not always all about winning of course, but sometimes it helps doesn't it!? I mean 2005 was such a magnificent season for my White Sox, finally my boys won the WS. Ironically enough, my Grandpa lived his entire life (1920-1996) without seeing them win a WS and then 2005 comes along and his great grandson sees them win one when he's but 7 years old. Just turned 7 years old at that (Oct 23rd being his birthday). Funny but he's seen the Yankees win it a couple times now but hey, that one time is what matters most to both of us.

So you have loyalty, but what does that encompass when it comes to sports? Well for me it means you support and love that team in good times and bad, that you vocalise your support be it positive or negative but put a loving spin on it when it is negative and you always, always just always are proud to tell people you support that team even when they're dead last and haven't a chance of anything better. That's my sort of loyalty, everyone is different, so when I say I'm a loyal supporter of a team, you get the picture.

Arsenal. I love Arsenal and I am LOYAL to Arsenal even though I've really only been a supporter for five years now, this being my sixth season. Soccer, or Football as it will be termed from here on out, never really caught on in America, and I just don't know why. Being a fan of the sport now I cannot honestly see any other sport that is half as exciting and exhausting to watch. I would say I guess it's hard for American's to take on a sport where, unless it's a big championship game, neither team has to win or lose, they can go home with a tie and still gain a point. Maybe it's that, the point system. You get 3 points for winning a game and 1 for a draw, and the amount of goals for and against for the entire season can make the difference between first and second place, it's a crazy ol' game isn't it? So I got interested in English Football because...well because I've been a freakin' addict of anything and everything English/British since I was a toddler, seriously. So I was reading the autobiography of Spandau Ballet's Tony Hadley back in 2004/05 and all he talked about between the music stuff was Football and Arsenal. Now don't get me wrong, he did turn me onto Arsenal but if I didn't like them at the end of the day I wouldn't have chosen them to support. I did get Football fever because of Hadley though, I had to learn all there was about this sport. I needed something new. I'd reached the goal of a lifetime and saw my White Sox win the Series so I needed a new challenge sports-wise. So I ran head-long into Football. So Arsenal yeah, Hadley rambled on and on about that club so it piqued my interest sure, but I had to give all 20 of the teams in the EPL (English Premier League) a chance, didn't I? Even the mighty Manchester United and Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United but really? Sure those teams had the stars, they had the power, they had the pizzaz but they didn't have what Arsenal had. Heart. Passion. A belief that they could be the best in the world. The players were more passionate about the sport and their club than any other player on any of those other teams and they just clicked with me, with my heart and soul. So I never looked back. Thierry Henry, he was my hero and he could play that game like he had wings on his feet. He was thrilling to watch and you know what? Last year, because he now plays with the MLS team New York Red Bulls, I finally got to see him play live and it was worth waiting for, he is still just as thrilling to watch and still plays, in his mid 30's, like he was 10 years younger. I think anyway. He gets applause and adulation wherever he goes in this country, in England and in Spain and he deserves it. He is the epitome of why I love Arsenal with everything I have, to this very day he will say nothing but wonderful, praise-filled things about his old club. It's players like him who deserve to come back to Emirates and receive a hero's welcome, and he did this summer when his club came to play Arsenal. It was so good to see him on his home turf again because wherever Arsenal are he is welcome. He inspired me to love a team I have no real connection with other than a passion for sports and a new found passion for Football. Sure players have come and gone and they have talked shit about Arsenal and you know what? They didn't deserve the right to wear an Arsenal shirt and they didn't deserve the applause of Gooners. There are only a few like that though so piss off to them.

So yeah, loyalty. The past five/six seasons I've followed the Arsenal have been great seasons, full of excitement and battles for first place, Champions League final's and an FA Cup win, but this season is different. This season is only 3 games in yes, but you can tell what sort of season a club is possibly headed for this early in, and to be honest? 17th place for Arsenal is not a good place. For anyone. But it's times like this that test the loyalty of a supporter. Will you stick with them during this low time? Will you support the boss, Arsene Wenger, through the thin part of through thick and thin? Will you scramble to call for his head because he may not be doing things you want him to do or do you trust him to know more about running a club than you do? I don't know the answer to that last one because I do think his time could be at an end, but not for him to leave Arsenal completely, I'd love to see him move on up to upper management, I cannot see an Arsenal without an Arsene. I mean look at his name for chrissake, Arsene...Arsenal...it's poetic isn't it? He's surely meant for this club, he's sweat blood and tears for this club, he's brought them from the depths up to the top and he's brought through some of the best players to have ever played the sport, so doesn't he deserve our support now, when things are falling apart? That depends I suppose. I mean honestly, if a manager isn't getting the results demanded of him he should go, no matter how well loved he is, because it's all about winning. The past couple of years there's been a lot of disappointment because when we should have won things we didn't and for that I don't blame Arsene 100% because I never blame the manager 100% for the failure of a team to perform. The players have at least 50% of the responsibility surely, right? I mean even Sir Alex couldn't have gotten better results from this club? I dunno about that. See this is why I'm so conflicted because you look at Manchester United last year, for most of the season they were without a loss, but they played crap. Now a lot of supporters of teams not Man U will say it's because a lot of the refs seem to always be giving them 5 minutes of stoppage time when they're losing or the game is tied and when they're winning there's 1 minute...and that does seem to hold true, but lets face it, when push came to shove last season? Man U got it done. The players had the passion to win the league and Sir Alex had the know how to lead them to the league title. Arsenal had the manager who wanted to win the Champions League, that seems to be his goal because it's the one thing Arsenal have never done, it's the diamond Arsene reaches for. Was that a bad choice for him to have made though? We had a rough run last season, the last time we got to the final, Henry still wore an Arsenal shirt, we have a hard time with some European teams like Barcelona (so does the rest of the world though). So does Arsene put his mind to winning things he shouldn't? What should be most important? The league or the CL? Arsenal had a chance at 4 trophies last season and came away with none. It's unanimous that when they lost the Carling Cup to Birmingham that it took the faith from the players souls. Now I can understand disappointment and maybe losing a game or two because of that, but we're still seeing a team that hasn't found it's footing since that loss and it's a new season and we just lost BIG TIME to Manchester United this past Sunday (8-2, I thought it was a fucking Rugby score at first). So a Gooner's loyalty is being tested big time right now, most are passing the test but I'm sure a lot are not and really, who cares. If you're only following a team because you want to see trophies go fucking follow the shallow Man U. Seriously. All I know is I'm in it for the long haul. I will be buried with my Arsenal scarf. I don't care if they get relegated I will follow them until the day I die and if I can follow them after death then I will. That is so not bullshit either. I love them in the same way I love my White Sox and more than I love my Yankees. Am I disappointed in how they're playing? Fuck yeah, who wouldn't be? And fans of other teams can laugh and point and joke at our expense because it just doesn't fucking matter, my club are still better than yours. So nyah, nyah. THAT, to me, is loyalty. That is what being a true-blue supporter is all about and that's me. True Red and White Gooner, through and through! Maybe I wasn't born in North London but my heart and soul live there in Emirates Stadium! I did get to visit the place, my church, even though the team were not there and I didn't get to see a game it was still a religious experience to walk where they walk, to sit where the great Arsene Wenger sits, to see where the players come together before and after home games. It was an experience I shall never forget and I vow to get back there to see a match before I die, shit hopefully in a few years or so and I will have my son, also a massive fan, with me! Until then it's love all the way from Chicago, support all the way from the Windy City, that one English Premier League team gets. And I think they deserve it, win or lose.

Music...The Sound of my Soul

Ok so yeah it's been a long time since I posted and yes I stole the whole Sound of my Soul from Spandau Ballet but that's ok 'cos this bloggy is about music!

I think I started getting into music in a serious way in high school, at 14. Now I always liked music, I always had a radio that I carried around (waayyy before iPods were even a thought, we're talking transistor radio here), digging some of what I heard but not a lot. No I was waiting for a new sound, new bands with new ideas. Led Zepplin is cool as are The Doors and The Beatles Ect...and nobody would ever be near as cool as Bowie, but I was looking for something new, something that could be mine. I didn't have too long to wait, as this search started at the end of the 70's and the 1980's would herald a new music revolution and that revolution would change my life forever. It would save my life!

When I was sort of 14 and 15 I was bored. I was getting to that age when the things that had made me happy since I was a kid was suddenly just not fun anymore and I wanted new. New everything but mostly new music. I wanted to know who the hell was singing this song I kept hearing on my little transistor radio, this new sound, this new beat that conjured images of far away places as I lay on my bed daydreaming. I needed to know who the band was. Desperately. I was one of the few unfortunate souls who did not have cable tv yet so, whilst I was aware of MTV, I did not have access to it at home. If I had I probably would have figured out the name of this song was RIO and the band was DURAN DURAN a lot faster. As it was it was just a freakish flukey thing that I figured it out, especially as the radio stations here in Chicago were NOT in the habit of giving the band names before or after the songs at that time, actually that's not really changed much. So I saw this album (yes, vinyl, I'm old, deal with it) that had this RIO for the title and upon further research (flipping said album over to read the back), there was a song called RIO also. I mean it had to be the song, how many other songs had a line in it "Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand" in them? I figured at the very least the song was called "Her Name is Rio"...but yeah, RIO is simple enough I suppose. Anywhoo I at least convinced my mum that if I did not have this album by this band I would absolutely die on the spot and thankfully for me she bought it, with rolling eyes and all. I loved the entire album and didn't turn it off even when my mum tried to buy me off with my favourite dinner, a new bike (hey I was 14 going on 15, far from old enough to have a car so a bike was IMPORTANT), cash and a night out for a film and dinner without my brother tagging along...all to no avail 'cos that album was NOT coming off my turntable thankyouverymuch! Then to add fuel to my ever growing fire? Hungry Like The Wolf came out. At this time I wasn't listening to my radio as much 'cos I had RIO on 24/7 so I had no real idea that HLTW was out until I saw the video on Friday Night Videos on regular tv...I had never seen any Duran video up to this point and let me say, the first sight of Simon Lebon? I was done for. Honestly. From what I've been told my mother had an entire conversation with me whilst that video was on and I heard none of it. lol I said then and I say now, it's not my fault, I never told Simon Lebon to be that damned sexy! I still think he's ridiculously sexy. I always will. My god this was all what, nearly 30 years ago now...how can that be?

So from Duran Duran I got into other bands. I bought other albums. I listen to other music. Well mostly I listened to Duran Duran's first 3 albums 'cos now it's 1984 and I've discovered Spandau Ballet the year prior when they released TRUE. I mean my god you had to be dead if you didn't know the song TRUE that year! It was EVERYWHERE! Shit it's STILL everywhere come to think of it, in so many films it's not even funny and still being played everywhere I go. In 1984 I discovered Depeche Mode and have been manic over them every since and then came Band Aid and Do They Know It's Christmas and my first real sighting of Gary Kemp. I mean sure I'd seen him plenty of times on the vid for TRUE and always thought he was definately the hotty of that band, but when I saw him goofing with John Taylor (it always comes back to Duran Duran)? I was really just SHAZAM'd between the eyeballs. The hottness of Gary, the clothes he was wearing and THAT SMILE just scrambled what brains I had then and really? Upon FINALLY meeting him in 2009? NOTHING has changed. But on a serious note, the music of Spandau Ballet soothed a part of my soul that was desperate for just the type of music they created. It was sort of like Duran yet completly different. It was poppy yet soulful and there wasn't another band in the entire world that sounded like them. I got very caught up in their sound and in them but it was very hard to follow them here in the States. I mean there was MTV and they did really a bang up job back then keeping us informed about bands and music (honest, they DID used to play music videos!) but the one time they were going to do a serious tour of the States one of the members hurt himself and they had to cancel. I've since forgiven him... :o) So it's no wonder, really, that it wasn't until 2009, a reunion tour and in the UK (Birmingham to be exact) that I finally got to see my Spandau Ballet live. In the flesh. In front of my face as I was lucky enough to have a very special person get me front row seats. I have to say the show was so phenominal that I'd wait that quarter of a century again. They were well worth waiting for. Meeting the band back stage was magical as well and I will forever remember that entire day.

Three bands shaped my world in the '80z. Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Depeche Mode. Depeche Mode was a very important influence on me in the last 80's, from '87 through '91. They influenced how I looked, how I dressed, the people I hung with and they provided the back-drop for the summer of '88 and the most explosive, amazing, frustrating, scary, fun, intense time of my entire life. At first I'd say I wish some of what I went through I wish I didn't but then I realise that's not true, I'd go through it all, all of it, all over again if I could because those experiences that summer shaped me in a serious way. Through the music of this band I met people I never would have met, I went places I never would have gone, I did things I never would have done (or will ever tell my son about), and I do treasure all those things. Pleasure, Little Treasure. This band's music is so strongly in my soul that when I was pregnant with my son? Well lets just say some 13 years later he's the biggest Depeche Mode fan in the entire world. lol Seriously. I listened to them when pregnant, I put headphones on my belly and let my growing child enjoy their instrumentals and when he was a newborn I rocked him to sleep to their new album ULTRA...which is his favourite to this day. He also digs in a major way Duran Duran. Duran were my first live gig and his, just over 20 years to the day later.

I often wonder if people realise how much music can and does shape our every day lives. I know there are people out there, my mother for one, who are not moved by music of any kind and I feel sorry for her and people like her because there is nothing like hearing a song and being transported some 20+ years in the past. I mean I can be out somewhere today in 2011 and if I hear RIO in a store or something? I'm 14 years old again, sitting on the floor in my bedroom, walls covered in Duran Duran posters and pictures, writing in my latest story. I can literally smell what mom made for dinner that day. Music is magical and it is neccessary in my life.

These days I can be caught listening to Duran Duran's newest album ALL YOU NEED IS NOW (waiting for 21st October gig here in Chicago!), Spandau's latest which was 2 new songs and the rest old songs redone and redone with panache only Spandau Ballet can bring, I listen to Depeche Mode's everything, Dave Gahan's solo work, Martin Gore's solo work, Gary Kemp's solo work, Tony Hadley's solo work, and new bands like EDITORS who are, in my book, right up there with my top three favourite bands of all time. They are a force to be reckoned with and they should be taking over the world with their music and would be if the world of music wasn't being ruined by teeny's who become famous 'cos they're "cute". I'm hopeful they will break through, they've got the talent. I also listen to a band called PALACE FIRES who are on iTunes so go check 'em out as well as EDITORS. Fantastic bands, bands I'm proud to see take up the mantle of English Rock and Roll. Alas there are 2 bands that contain young men who are the son's of the Kemp brothers from Spandau Ballet. Martin Kemp's son Roman is in a band called Paradise Point and they are SERIOUSLY fantastic and Gary's son Finlay is in a band called LUX, who are just as fab. Again 2 other bands a serious music fan can be proud to have on their iPod! Those 4 bands give me hope for the future of music 'cos for a while there? Seriously? Not good. There is always a place for the Justin Bieber's of the world and the Brittany Spears of the world and all that teeny poppy music, but to have it take over as it has? Just not. Anyhoo....that's my take on music. On what's important to me. I'm sure there is a lot I wanted to say that I've forgotten, so I'm sure I'll babble on about this subject many more times!

Favourite music today only:

Duran Duran: Out of my Mind

Spandau Ballet: Chant No 1

Depeche Mode: Stripped

Editors: Well Worn Hand

Gary Kemp: Little Bruises

David Garrett: Smooth Criminal

These are some of the songs I listened to whilst writing this. Tomorrow...or really half an hour from now...the choices will be different.

Not Guilty?! Seriously?

I'm not sure how I feel about Casey Anthony being found not guilty of murdering her daughter Caylee. I've thought her guilty this entire time to be honest but maybe I didn't have all the evidence? Obviously I didn't. I would like to think that the jury did their job to the absolute best of their abilities and to the letter of the job, and that the defense team was utterly brilliant, but when I close my eyes all I see is a girl partying in the days after her 2 year old daughter went mising. I am a mother of a 12 year old, opinionated son who has always been the most important thing in my life and I can absolutely promise the entire world were he to go missing I would NOT be partying, drinking, dancing or getting tattoo's, but that's just me.

I'm hoping that in the days that come, as the juror's speak and let us know what they thought, about the evidence and how they came to their verdict that they explain it enough for us all to understand. I mean even her parents thought she was guilty! However I'm not convinced her parents are the epitome of virtue anyway, though I don't believe in the sudden abuse claims against her father either. I'm hoping they will go on television soon and say "You didn't see what we saw, hear what we heard and this is exactly why we found her not guilty." and that I'll go "Well duh, I would have found her not guilt also.". As it goes now? I feel an injustice was done to that poor, beautiful, dead little girl.

Of course all I know about is the partying, the photo's of Casey drinking and that tattoo 'Bella Vita"...The Good Life. I suppose that could be in memory of her life with her daughter, that being a mom was the good life, but the timing sucked then. Maybe she just handles stress differently than I do. Just 'cos I would be a basket-case doesn't mean Casey Anthony would. We're probably nothing alike, I hope. I tend to always see the best in people and if I have to be honest? I'm more than a bit niave when it comes to people, I like to think we're all good at heart. I mean sure there are the Jeffrey Dahmer's out there in the world but even he admitted he was a monster and deserved the death penalty for what he'd done, and in the end received that via other inmates. I guess in the end we all get what's coming to us, and Casey Anthony will too. Are we just a rabid culture that wants blood immediately without knowing all the facts? Have we not progressed past those days when people would pay to watch men fight lions? Have we not progressed beyond enjoying watching a public hanging? I mean it disturbs me that I would have been pleased with a guilty verdict, I thought she was guilty, but I wouldn't have wanted her to get the death penalty. Of course Caylee wasn't my kid. See, I'm a bit of a head-case when it comes to this whole thing, I do NOT believe in the death penalty because I feel that every life should be as important as the next, but if someone hurts or takes my son from me and the world? Well that's when I kill that person so I guess I'm safe as that is not the death penalty and it would be a sin I'd gratefully go to hell over.

I'm yammering, excuse me. Back on track now.

Casey Anthony was found not guilty and people are insane over this verdict, most people (myself included as I've admitted) had her tried, convicted and put away. It's driving me nuts what those juror's know that I don't! I honestly thought she would be found guilty, I thought the evidence, the partying, was damning. Obviously it wasn't and I want to know WHY! I'm much too nosey to not know! And what kills me most? It's over now. Casey can do a dance on the tables and laugh and explain exactly how she killed her daughter and nothing could be done about it. Damn that double jeopardy thing. I dunno...this is giving me a headache now...I'm going to keep further opinions to myself until I learn more and I just wonder if she'll serve time for those four counts that she was found guilty on? And I wonder if she does do a year for each count as it's being thought will happen, will some inmate do away with Casey the same way Dahmer was done away with? Those women would sell what soul they have to hold their kids, will they tolerate this young woman to live? I'm sure most of them, that know about this (which I'm sure is just about all of them), will think she's guilty, will they take matters into their own hands? I do believe, down to my soul, that you get what you deserve in the end, OJ did. Maybe OJ isn't in prison for murder but he's where he deserves to be.

I am amazed at the verdict, I cry for little Caylee..that poor baby.

So ok then...

Seems that, whilst whatever is wrong with Blogger, I'm able to get round it. See I had this whole rant about tv commercial's and it was pretty good, but that was like ages ago and I'm not sure I can redo it nearly as well. Crapola. Oh well, here it goes anyway.

So ok who thinks up these tv adverts these days? I mean do they even watch the crap they're putting out there, expecting us to not only believe but that we'll go out and buy these products? I mean ok the one product advert I'm gonna rant on about I've purchased but only 'cos it was on sale, not because of the commercial. The product is mascara. They have either beautiful model's or beautiful actresses selling mascara's today, and we're supposed to believe that her lashes are that long, thick and plentiful because she's using a certain mascara. Well duh, they've also got on false eyelashes and THAT is what makes them look like that. When I bought this certain brand it did totally glop onto my eyelashes, I had to take it off a couple times and reapply to get it look good and I have thick and long lashes, they are just very blonde and nearly invisable without mascara on them. I see no difference in length, fullness or anything different in my eyelashes. None at all. It was waterproof though, 'cos when I saw Spandau Ballet live in Birmingham for the first time in the 25 years I've been a fan (they never toured the US, totally different rant) and I had front row, well the water-works came on and my mascara didn't run! So that was truthful at least.

My other complaint for adverts is how when they are portraying a family setting, the wife is always thin, well put together and young whilst the husband is chubby, balding and usually in sweats. I don't get that, it makes no damned sense to me. Why can't it be a chubby woman in sweats with a fit husband?

Again lets move on to these commercials trying to sell us skin care for us aging women. For dark circles, for wrinkles, for sagging. Ok if you want me to seriously consider buying your product? How about NOT using a model who's all of maybe 25 years old? I mean seriously now! Do they not see what I'm seeing? Practically these women are children and we're supposed to believe they've got dark circles and wrinkles and sagging anything? Please spare me! Use me and my dark circles and put me on your fucking commercial and then we'll see how well your product works 'cos I've used a few and let me tell you, whilst they've all worked a little bit, they did not work very well or enough for me to purchase that product a second time.

Another thing that bugs me is the food commercial's. It's ok for the man to have a big, honkin' steak, potatoes and a beer but then you see the woman is having a small salad. WTF! Why can't she have the steak? That tells me women need to be skinny, hungry, have fake assed eyelashes and look ever youthful. Impossible.

Then we have magazines...who are notorious for airbrushing photographs. Making skinny model's look down right ridiculous as their heads, which are already too big for their skinny bodies, even more grotesque and out of sorts. We're led to believe that women are seriously supposed to look like a Barbie doll in order to be considered attractive. Then we see a show about how teen and preteen girls and boys are becoming more and more anorexic and we shake our heads and wonder why and what we can do to stop this trend. I have a 12 year old son who thinks he's fat 'cos he no longer can fit in slim jeans...because he sees skinny boys his age who aren't even near puberty on tv so much that he doesn't realise that he, who is in full swing puberty, is filling out and becoming a man. I try to keep that sort of crap away from him, and I think how much more difficult it must be for parents of girls, but it's nearly impossible. He's not the sort of kid who follows fads to be honest, but he sees that these kids are shaped different and he doesn't know why he doesn't look like that and because he doesn't he is then fat and no good. Why do we think that fat equals no good? Is it because we think fat people are lazy? That if they just got off their fat asses they'd be thin? Does anyone stop to think beyond that though? Fat is the last taboo, it's the last thing that's ok to make fun of openly, fat people are to be laughed at and ridiculed 'cos lets face it, us fat people don't have feelings nor a reason to exist. @@ When is it going to stop being ok to humiliate people who are over-weight? When will "fat" be in the same catagory as other things that we no longer say out of respect?

Basically, as always, we just have to be intelligent when we watch tv and see these adverts, but then it's not always easy is it. I mean if I go out and get that mascara tomorrow....maybe I won't look so fat and some guy will fall in love with me and I'll look younger than I am if I rub some of that lotion on my face...maybe....

I think I've figured it out...

But in case I haven't....

Is it just me?

So I've done 2 postie/bloggie thingies...the first one disappeared and the second one just refused to publish...fun times. So it'll take a bit longer for my next rant...and it was such a well thought out rant too!!

Honestly...

New blog coming soon! Gathering my thoughts, which is never easy.