When I was little, I went to sunday school with my Nan. Right up until I was 15. Although nowadays I do not attend church, I still feel that I have a certain religious belief. I do not know if this is God or whether it is just a special bond that I feel between me and my Nan after she died but there is something.
So when it comes to Lent, I always try to give something up, usually chocolate, and this year is no different. Although I understand the story behind Lent and why people do it, I would not say that this is my reason for giving up. Maybe it is for more selfish reasons in that I want to prove I have self control and to give my body a rest from all the chocolate I consume on a daily basis.
My Nan was a religious lady, and someone who would do anything for anybody. When she passed away I did lose a part of my life that I had loved so much. I have always said that my Granddad was looking over me and now i realise that this is my Nan. I guess this is why I feel a connection with religion and although I do not proactice it I feel it is a part of me and everything that I do, especially when I need someone.
Lent is part of a fast that gives people an oppurtunity to clense and get satisfaction from a selfless act. Even if like me, that act is purely for you to feel good about yourself.
Saturday, 28 February 2009
Sunday, 22 February 2009
A leap of faith, and of fitness.
The way to keep fit and get healthy in 2009 is to become a circus act, well, almost. Trapeze has been a celebrity favourite since 2007, but it is said to be taking off in the UK, with many already getting their weekly adrenaline rush.
Like mat-based yoga, trapeze works every muscle and strengthens the body, as well as improving posture. It is the ultimate stress buster; flying through the air clears the mind! A surprising fact about trapeze training; as expected the arms work hard and overall body strength is increased greatly with the legs also getting an intense workout too. However, it is the abdominal muscles that get worked the hardest! Who needs sit ups anyway?
Trapeze offers those adrenaline seekers something new, fun and scary to try. While some may prefer a long session on the gym’s running machine (or out in the rain) others would much rather feel like they are flying; forgetting those everyday stresses and finishing literally on a high, with the pain and aches feeling much more worth it as you remember that first terrifying leap of faith, all in the name of fitness.
Like mat-based yoga, trapeze works every muscle and strengthens the body, as well as improving posture. It is the ultimate stress buster; flying through the air clears the mind! A surprising fact about trapeze training; as expected the arms work hard and overall body strength is increased greatly with the legs also getting an intense workout too. However, it is the abdominal muscles that get worked the hardest! Who needs sit ups anyway?
Trapeze offers those adrenaline seekers something new, fun and scary to try. While some may prefer a long session on the gym’s running machine (or out in the rain) others would much rather feel like they are flying; forgetting those everyday stresses and finishing literally on a high, with the pain and aches feeling much more worth it as you remember that first terrifying leap of faith, all in the name of fitness.
Sunday, 15 February 2009
NHS rewards for young smokers.
Brighton and Hove NHS are taking action against youngsters smoking by offering them money to quit. The scheme which was revealed in The Argus, gives teenagers motivation to give up and feel benefits of having extra money around. However, there are many people that believe it to be bribery and a way of encouraging teenagers to take up smoking.
According to the 2008 health report, 15% of boys in Brighton (aged 11- 15) smoke, compared to the much greater 25% of girls. Out of these, 20% of 15 year olds smoke at least once a week. Thankfully, the figure for 11 year olds is a much lower 1%; although this figure is surely still too high. The incentive offers under 18s £15 to stop smoking for the long term. This is to be proven by using a piece of breathalyser-type technology which will show that there is no carbon monoxide in their body from the past 28 days. The youngest person to go for help was aged 10, yet this is said to be ‘unusual’ (“child smokers given cash to quit” bbc.co.uk; 11.02.09). Youngsters find it hard to stop smoking more than any other age group, which makes this scheme a welcome progress in the fight against young smokers. However, as the Senior Brighton and Hove NHS manager said, the scheme could ‘entice’ (“Shopping vouchers for Brighton kids to quit smoking” The Argus; 10.02.09) children to start smoking.
The argument against comes from the Taxpayers Alliance who has said that the rewards scheme gives ‘bad precedent’ and is a type of bribery that could lead to an increase in young smokers (“child smokers given cash to quit” bbc.co.uk; 11.02.09). If the law was in action correctly, and sellers followed these laws then there would be no need for these remedies. Yet the evidence shows that rewarding teens has a positive effect on their health. The Pavilion MP, David Lepper, sees the problem to
run further than rewarding quitters, but with the display and branding of cigarettes. And he says that tobacco should have the same regulations as alcohol, with similar repercussions.
Organisations for the scheme hope that this will reduce health risks and save the NHS millions of pounds a year, the arguers are wondering what ‘gifts’ those that have never smoked will get for being healthy, apart from their tax going towards those that willingly risk their health.
According to the 2008 health report, 15% of boys in Brighton (aged 11- 15) smoke, compared to the much greater 25% of girls. Out of these, 20% of 15 year olds smoke at least once a week. Thankfully, the figure for 11 year olds is a much lower 1%; although this figure is surely still too high. The incentive offers under 18s £15 to stop smoking for the long term. This is to be proven by using a piece of breathalyser-type technology which will show that there is no carbon monoxide in their body from the past 28 days. The youngest person to go for help was aged 10, yet this is said to be ‘unusual’ (“child smokers given cash to quit” bbc.co.uk; 11.02.09). Youngsters find it hard to stop smoking more than any other age group, which makes this scheme a welcome progress in the fight against young smokers. However, as the Senior Brighton and Hove NHS manager said, the scheme could ‘entice’ (“Shopping vouchers for Brighton kids to quit smoking” The Argus; 10.02.09) children to start smoking.
The argument against comes from the Taxpayers Alliance who has said that the rewards scheme gives ‘bad precedent’ and is a type of bribery that could lead to an increase in young smokers (“child smokers given cash to quit” bbc.co.uk; 11.02.09). If the law was in action correctly, and sellers followed these laws then there would be no need for these remedies. Yet the evidence shows that rewarding teens has a positive effect on their health. The Pavilion MP, David Lepper, sees the problem to
run further than rewarding quitters, but with the display and branding of cigarettes. And he says that tobacco should have the same regulations as alcohol, with similar repercussions.
Organisations for the scheme hope that this will reduce health risks and save the NHS millions of pounds a year, the arguers are wondering what ‘gifts’ those that have never smoked will get for being healthy, apart from their tax going towards those that willingly risk their health.
The One-Minute Writer: Today's Writing Prompt: Probability
The One-Minute Writer: Today's Writing Prompt: Probability
I won a cake on Friday! It may bot be that much of a probability problem, but i never win anything!!
I won a cake on Friday! It may bot be that much of a probability problem, but i never win anything!!
Thursday, 5 February 2009
The One-Minute Writer: Today's Writing Prompt: Pride
The One-Minute Writer: Today's Writing Prompt: Pride
My pride comes from my loved ones. My biggest piece was when my sister gave birth to twin boys, I have never felt so much pride towards someone and watching her grow into such a great mother makes me smile everytime!
My pride comes from my loved ones. My biggest piece was when my sister gave birth to twin boys, I have never felt so much pride towards someone and watching her grow into such a great mother makes me smile everytime!
Snow. Snow. and what snow??
Monday the 2nd of February was an amazing day to wake up! I have never seen so much snow as i saw that morning. The south of Britain, was covered in a white blanket. I felt like a kid again! I do no ever remember there being so much snow, there is a picture of me when I was about 3,sledging down my home street- which according to the news is about the right year for the last time we saw such a big snow storm.
For the past few days, the news has forgotten about the recession and all the bad in the world and has reported on the snow and how Britain came to a holt (which I will come back too). The pictures were full of happy children and parents playing in the snow. The whole country, generally, was on a high! The thing that got to me, was the next day when some parents were complaining that their children were not at school. Was it that they really cared about the school being closed? or simply that they didnot want to spend time with their children? I know this might seem a bit of a drastic comment, and very presumptuous, but it can not be ignored! Others that we talking were simply enjoying a well deserved day off with their children that they could give all their attention too; a day that was not spent cleaning or other work that may take over the weekends.
The snow seemed to be the uplift that this country needed.
Back to the holting of the country. The one thing that did seem strange was that a bit of snow falls and London stops all transport! No underground, buses or trains. Seeing an empty street on the television made it seem like the end of the world. An image from a zombie film even. In my home town, the buses stopped running until 3pm, and took another day to get them back to their normal running schedule. It all seemed a bit too silly. Other countries carry on as normal when they get snow, canada has a lot of it and others spend over half the year under snowflakes.
So what stopped the UK from operating as normal? I think it was just the surprise of it all- we never expecting the warnings to be true, as we have had so many in the past that led to nothing. Or that the country just simply did not want to work and had the perfect excuse not too.
There was more falling today, but further north, I was sad that it didnt fall here! I would like to have had another day where by I got to build snowmen and throw snow balls, but never mind. I am sure it will be back in another 18 years.
We may not have been prepared for it, but it fell in full force, and call me a 'glass half full girl' but I think it did the British public the world of good! For a couple of days, at least, we all forgot about the financial crisis and had something else to talk about, something to smile about and a little hope that the world is not against us and it will get brighter one day.
Sunday, 1 February 2009
What I remember Saturdays to be.
When i was younger, there was always something on television that was not relaity tv shows or celebrity trying to be superhuman-beings. With the current economic crisis that we are all in I think it is about time the broadcasters bought back some good family television, give people a reason to want to stay at home on a weekend.
I remember loving saturday nights in. Watching some Noel's House Party with Mr Blobby and geninely not minding being indoors and sitting in front of the screen for hours. It was the height of my week, and as I got older, although this did change slightly, I still loved watching these family orientated programmses. There are two main problems with this nowadays-
1) People over the age of 13 no longer want to spend time with their family. I find this sad! I love my family and I am very thankful for the times that we spent together on the weekends. Maybe it is the way that I was bought up. I was never allowed to roam the streets or drink until I was 18. My parents were strict on what I could and could not do, but I know that this is why I am like I am today. Teenagers would rather be sat in thef reezing cold drinking themselves silly than getting a take away with their family and watching some silly reality show on tv. So, I guess the first problem is the harder of the two. Giving teenagers the 'want' they need to stay indoors rather than wanting to be outside with their mates 24/7. I know that this is not the same for all, but the majority will agree that a night in with their family is the one thing they did not want to do!
and secondly;
Broadcasters need to bring back some family viewing. Such as Noel's house party (which I will always remember for defining a saturday night in). Then there was Gladiators. I loved that show! That was how the night started, then it was Stars in their Eyes. All these shows were made for family viewing and I think encouraged families to sit together and have that one meal a week that everyone needs together. At the moment, to mention just a few, there is Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing on Ice (both of which are the same format with celebrities) and the X-Factor (making people into celebrities).
Saturday nights are now all about getting drunk for most over 18 year old that do not have a family to look after. And there is nothing wrong with that! I was out every weekend before I came to University, and I enjoyed it everytime! Its part of growing up and learning your limits, but with many people not having so much disposable income I think it is time television went back to what it was 10 years ago. These programmes had something for everyone, of all ages. They need to take the old format and create something for the 21st century, it would not be that hard and it might just bring saturdays back to being the night to stay in.
Children need to know that not everything on television is about celebrities and that they should take there time growing up. They need something to make them want to stay at home at least once a week and have a family meal and some quality time with their parents. Your childhood flies by too quick and before you know it there is nothing but adulthood ahead.
I remember loving saturday nights in. Watching some Noel's House Party with Mr Blobby and geninely not minding being indoors and sitting in front of the screen for hours. It was the height of my week, and as I got older, although this did change slightly, I still loved watching these family orientated programmses. There are two main problems with this nowadays-
1) People over the age of 13 no longer want to spend time with their family. I find this sad! I love my family and I am very thankful for the times that we spent together on the weekends. Maybe it is the way that I was bought up. I was never allowed to roam the streets or drink until I was 18. My parents were strict on what I could and could not do, but I know that this is why I am like I am today. Teenagers would rather be sat in thef reezing cold drinking themselves silly than getting a take away with their family and watching some silly reality show on tv. So, I guess the first problem is the harder of the two. Giving teenagers the 'want' they need to stay indoors rather than wanting to be outside with their mates 24/7. I know that this is not the same for all, but the majority will agree that a night in with their family is the one thing they did not want to do!
and secondly;
Broadcasters need to bring back some family viewing. Such as Noel's house party (which I will always remember for defining a saturday night in). Then there was Gladiators. I loved that show! That was how the night started, then it was Stars in their Eyes. All these shows were made for family viewing and I think encouraged families to sit together and have that one meal a week that everyone needs together. At the moment, to mention just a few, there is Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing on Ice (both of which are the same format with celebrities) and the X-Factor (making people into celebrities).
Saturday nights are now all about getting drunk for most over 18 year old that do not have a family to look after. And there is nothing wrong with that! I was out every weekend before I came to University, and I enjoyed it everytime! Its part of growing up and learning your limits, but with many people not having so much disposable income I think it is time television went back to what it was 10 years ago. These programmes had something for everyone, of all ages. They need to take the old format and create something for the 21st century, it would not be that hard and it might just bring saturdays back to being the night to stay in.
Children need to know that not everything on television is about celebrities and that they should take there time growing up. They need something to make them want to stay at home at least once a week and have a family meal and some quality time with their parents. Your childhood flies by too quick and before you know it there is nothing but adulthood ahead.
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