So Big Brother bosses have been criticised for attempting to recruit injured soldiers for the next series of Celebrity BB (starting on Sunday 3rd Jan)?
Why?
Because apparently such individuals are very vulnerable and BB is only out to exploit them to make money.
Really?
That’s funny. I don’t remember there being a huge public outcry when ‘vulnerable’ Tourettes sufferer Pete Bennett or blind Mikey Hughes were tipped to enter the house. In fact, if I remember correctly, far from being accused of crass exploitation, BB was applauded for bringing their disabilities to the public arena, showing that they do not exclude individuals with disabilities from participating in the show and demonstrating how Pete and Mikey are perfectly capable of joining in with everyday tasks and activities, both inside and out of the BB house. And it’s funny how rather than being ridiculed or exploited, both contestants were extremely popular with the public, with Pete a winner in BB7 and Mikey a runner-up in BB9.
Surely rather than ‘exploiting’ our injured troops, BB would be bringing their plight and the existence of related charities such as Help For Heroes to greater public attention in the same way that Mikey and Pete were given a platform to bring Tourettes and sight difficulties to mainstream TV? And what’s wrong with putting an injured serviceman on primetime TV and giving him a public voice to speak about the treatment of the armed forces out in Afghanistan…ooooh, I see…
Ghoulishness on BB’s part? More like squeamishness on the media’s part, I suspect.
I realise that the vast majority of our injured troops are suffering with deliberating wounds, both physical and mental, but some of the servicemen that I encountered during my recent stay in hospital seemed full of life and vigour and far from ‘vulnerable’. Even some of those who had lost limbs seemed remarkable chipper and made me feel terribly guilty when whinging about my broken arm. In fact, if I suggested to one or two of them in particular that they were ‘vulnerable’ and incapable of carrying on with normal life (which is what the media is suggesting) then I would certainly have got a slap around the face!
And then there is the issue of prize money. I for one would certainly prefer to see the BB prize money go to an ex-serviceman or equally to a charity such as Help For Heroes rather than being donated by some brainless blonde to a rest home for retired Chihuahuas. It would certainly make me pick up the phone and vote…
I’m uber pleased that Rage Against the Machine’s Killing In The Name has beaten X-Factor winner Joe McElderry’s single to the top spot this Christmas, but is anyone else slightly amused by the fact that we bought the RATM single on masse in a bid to ‘rage against’ the large music corporations who tell us exactly what music we should and shouldn’t listen to and engineer the pop charts each Christmas, but in doing so we fell into exactly the same trap of having our music buying habits dictated to us and obediently following the crowd? What’s the difference between being manipulated by Simon Cowell to buy the Joe McElderry dross and being manipulated by the mass hordes of protestors on Facebook into buying the RATM single? Same dumb crowd mentality. Oh we are but sheep…
(Still pleased that RATM did it though, woohoo!)
Christmas 2009 is nearly here, yay! So far I’ve managed to escape unscathed from the Christmas crowds and I’m (almost) ready for the big day. Preparations this year have been fairly straightforward and painless, but it is not always the case. Each year I repeatedly fall foul to a series of regretful blunders that I promise I will avoid making the following year, but these good intentions are inevitably forgotten by summer-time and I make the same festive gaffes when December approaches once again. So this year I’ve decided to draw up a ‘Christmas survival plan’ that I can revisit in Oct/Nov 2010 to remind myself of the ‘dos-and-don’ts’ of the holiday season. The plan is as follows:
1. Christmas Parties. Set aside time from gift shopping to hunt for new outfits and plan in advance what you are wearing to each Christmas party - that includes shoes, handbag, hairstyle and accessories for each outfit. Last minute colour/style coordination decisions only add to mounting stress levels. And don’t feel obliged to attend every party. Not only will you be exhausted by the beginning of Christmas week but there is only so much mulled wine and mince pies that a gal can consume in such a short time. Prioritise events hosted by family and friend first, then work related events, then any random and sundry parties that are taking place last. You don’t want to burn yourself out before the big day.
2. Christmas shopping. Get Christmas shopping started and finished early! Last minute dashes to the shops are not allowed – in fact, veto the shops after 20/21st December – and stress levels will be much lower if you have purchased most presents by early November. Always remember to abide by the following shopping rules:
a) Wear good shoes. Many productive shopping trips have been cut short due to an ill-advised choice of footwear. Heels are out, whilst comfy boots (and, dare I even suggest, trainers) are perfect to ditch the blisters and bag the bargains.
b) Wear layers of clothing. Yes it might be snowing heavily and freezing cold outside, but some shops, especially larger department stores, can reach tropical temperatures inside. Always layer cardigans and sweaters on top of thinner, summery tops so that you can escape the heat when trapped inside a stifling crowd of manic shoppers.
c) Make sure that you have eaten before heading to the shops. Not only will you have more energy, but if the eateries are rammed and the queues at the sandwich bars are endless then at least you will have some fuel in your stomach to keep you going. And take a bottle of water. Shopping is thirsty business.
d) Don’t impulse buy. Yes it may be a good deal and you think it’s cute, but think about the person that you are buying for. Would they appreciate a life-size Tyrannosaurus Rex in their kitchen? Maybe not.
e) Check out your options and cover a decent amount of shopping centre ground before committing to a present. There is nothing worse than buying a gift only to go into the shop next door and find the same item either cheaper or with additional extras. Aaargghh!
f) Don’t forget to buy two or three small boxes of choccys and wrap them up just in case you forget anyone’s present or unexpected family/friends arrive bearing gifts on Christmas Eve. You can always treat yourself to a box if you are lucky enough to still have them in your possession by Boxing Day!
3. Food and drink. Remember, stuffing your face with shedloads of food at Christmas is a sure-fire path to a bloated New Year! Why do I think that mince pies and Christmas cake won’t pile on the pounds like other foods do throughout the year? Is there a special magical calorie-count for Christmas food? NO. Remember that. But equally don’t feel guilty when indulging yourself – it is Christmas after all. Just convince yourself that the extra weight will keep you warmer over the winter :)
4. Christmas cards. Don’t be tempted to find a cute/funny e-card and hit ‘send to all’. E-cards are ideal for large office groups or people you don’t know too well, but they should never be a replacement for a ‘real’ card telling someone close to you that you’re thinking of them at Christmas. In my experience recipients prefer to have a tangible Christmas card to stick in their window and show the world how popular they are. Think about it, if everyone sent e-cards then our front rooms would be depressingly bare over the festive season and we would all look like a bunch of friendless, anti-social bores!
5. Family time. Families can be difficult to manage at most times of the year, but Christmas-time seems to bring every suppressed, seething conflict crashing to the surface. Remember that Christmas-time is the only time of the year that you have to contend with that difficult cousin or grumpy uncle and the events of this one day will serve as their lasting memory of you throughout the following year. Send them off with a positive impression and not the shocking sight of you pulling out your hair, screaming at the top of your lungs and crying on the stairs throughout dinner. No-one wants that. Bite your tongue, hard if you have to, learn to smile sweetly and repeat the mantra ‘not now, dear, it’s Christmas’. Yes it’s a stalling mechanism and a cheap shot, but it will serve to delay any arguments, make the offended party look like a party-pooper if they persist with the argument and hopefully any minor upsets will be forgotten by Boxing Day.
6. Most importantly; don’t forget to enjoy it! Make the most of the day and find time to relax and unwind afterwards when the festivities are over, even if it’s just a hot bubble bath with optional glass of wine on Boxing Day night. Don’t go back to work in the New Year feeling that you haven’t had a break and in desperate need of another holiday!
We all need a little inspiration once in a while and Jennifer Miskov, a postgraduate student at the University of Birmingham, is sending a huge wave of it our way in the form of her new book Silver to Gold. I regularly bump into Jennifer at the University but I had no idea that she was writing a book, so when I asked her about the content she told me the following:
”Silver to Gold is a tale of struggle, friendship, love, loss… Above all, its a tale of the adventure of pursuing a deep-rooted dream, the type of dream that you can feel flowing through your veins. You cannot shake it. You are being beckoned towards your full potential. Nothing less will satisfy. It is the type of dream that you are sure others are as committed to as you… aren’t they?
With a vast and callous army pressing down on them fast, there is nowhere for Desire and the other Young Revolutionaries to run. Her situation is desperate. This is not how her journey is supposed to end, certainly not before it has even truly begun. The legend is strong. Desire knows it offers escape and hope. More than that, it promises fullness and abundance. That is, after all, why she set out. But what will Desire do when faced with the choice of pursuing her dreams when others choose something different?
In a world where so many dreams never make it reality, Desire’s journey will inspire, challenge, and encourage you to dust off those dreams that have lied dormant and move forward to take hold of them once again."
I am steadily reading through my copy of the book and I have found it not only to be a great read, but also very thought-provoking and inspiring, particularly at this time of year when life can get very stressful. I would certainly recommend a copy to anyone in need of a motivational boost, especially if they are engaged in any type of academic study or pursuing a dream that seems distant or unobtainable.
To find out more about Silver to Gold or to order your copy today, go to Jennifer’s website at www.silvertogold.com
