http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/en-EUMokoFeed10http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/66/f17b2260b178e1cce56f342c066a0e_160x200.jpghttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/10/24/i-m-famous-is-it-worth-it-7233378/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2009-10-24:/2009/10/24/i-m-famous-is-it-worth-it-7233378/Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:35:57 +0200 <p>Just watched the programme featuring Fearne Cotton meeting Paris Hilton. Have to say I chose it over Mister Utter baffoon being part of the very serious/important to watch BBC question time very consciously. I have no doubt over the result of this other programme - useless anyway and unlikely to change any mind.<br> So Fearne is different from Paris and kind of overwhelmed at first but is still quite realistic about the experience. Surprise surprise Paris is a real person and she is actually human... and nice and sweet and down to earth... Really!!! More likeable than expected. Well, ok then. She works hard and she has a real hard time with paparazzi. Hello! She cannot possibly complain for this attention: this is what made her, what makes her! I am not feeling bad for her.<br> Fearne is very apologetic with her but what the heck, this person lives fromn the attention. How could she possibly complain about it.<br> If I was to aim at this kind of exposure and revenue and honestly understand this is a curse I have to cope with.</p> <p>No question no discussion. This is all I can say.<br> What do you think?</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/10/24/i-m-famous-is-it-worth-it-7233378/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/10/24/i-m-famous-is-it-worth-it-7233378/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/07/25/there-is-so-much-i-could-say-6583107/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2009-07-25:/2009/07/25/there-is-so-much-i-could-say-6583107/Sat, 25 Jul 2009 04:20:36 +0200 <p>And I choose to shut up for once. Won't happen again for sure. I am just looking, reading and making my mind up. You better provide me with good reading, just warning you.</p> <p>I will be back soon, opinionated and feisty as usual. Just taking a break.... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/07/25/there-is-so-much-i-could-say-6583107/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/07/25/there-is-so-much-i-could-say-6583107/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/04/01/fed-up-with-reviews-of-the-wire-5869688/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2009-04-01:/2009/04/01/fed-up-with-reviews-of-the-wire-5869688/Wed, 01 Apr 2009 06:02:40 +0200 <p>I am a late follower of the Wire. I have bought all the series and watched them quite recently to understand what the fuss was about.<br> Well I have to say I do understand now.<br> The Wire is amazing. It might nit strike you immediately but it will if you give it some time and get passed the confusing amount of characters and the Baltimore slang. I am not English mothertongue and therefore used to miss out on what is going on. I therefore always watch movies with subtitles with the excuse that it makes me learn vocabulary (it does work). Strangeky enough I got along well with the Baltimore slang after a few episodes. Equally I managed with the many characters after only a few episodes. The first series got me wondering: had I just watched some kind of experimental fiction or was I up for a full lenghth story? I am glad I picked up on it when the full series had been broadcasted. Thank you HBO for having supported quality and allowed the makers of the Wire to fulfill what they had intented to do.<br> So I have watched it all and I feel like I have been educated about what it is to survive, live, support, rule, try to educate and report about a city in the USA. I got attached to many characters along the story, some easy to like and some that would have been easier to dislike, some I did dislike but not in such an easy way. I feel thta I have seen enough to understnd whay shit happens although there are still ways to make it better.<br> I have started to care about something rather remote though with very much similarities to what I have got at home. Belive me or not I wrote a letter to Obama and asked him to watch the Wire, this is how much it stroke me.</p> <p>Believe me or not I belive that anyone in charge should watch these series. I want Britain to get better, I want London to be better. The five seasons of the Wire show us how shit hits the fan. I live to hope that we can watch and learn. It is possible. Watch the Wire and make where you live different: it is possible but only up to you and your vote. </p> <p>xxxxxxxxxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/04/01/fed-up-with-reviews-of-the-wire-5869688/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/04/01/fed-up-with-reviews-of-the-wire-5869688/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/04/01/back-5869496/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2009-04-01:/2009/04/01/back-5869496/Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:33:39 +0200 <p>Hi,</p> <p>haven't been around for some time... Feel a bit bad about it actually. Not that I am thinking that my absense had a massive impact on my readers... but just because I realise that when my life gets a bit more intense my need to discuss or talk about it becomes less of a need.</p> <p>Life is good. It is actually really good. Not sure how it could get better... Maybe with a winning lottery ticket (need to remember about buying lottery tickets). Maybe with more holidays for me and my friends. Maybe with brilliant health for all my friends and aquaintances. And no one killed by malaria anymore, especially when you think it is down to silly cheap nets. Oh and no one starving either. And actually no one suffering from any kind of illness. By the way let's add no kids in a situation in which they cannot enjoy being children. Which reminds me no women being beaten or bullied in any way. To be fair let's add no dads being deprived from taking care of their children when they want to do it.</p> <p>I realise I am drawing a world that could be almost perfect... If so then I have to add a few other things:<br> - make sure girls and boys are aware of the consequenses of having sex and therefore choose parenthood instead of having to cope with it<br> - organise a world in which anyone in the worst case scenario is taken care of<br> - teach people how to be happy and make sure they can be for the length of their life<br> - say hello to your neighbours and risk the odd occasion of them asking you for a little bit of sugar or milk<br> - nurture the bad behaving teens in the bus and tell them that behaving by the rules is not against their freedom but contributing to it<br> - smile and say hello to old people in the street - they usually smile back and it does make your day</p> <p>This is not an exhaustive list but it does work for me so far. Happy to take over any additional suggestion over what could make my world better.</p> <p>Love to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/04/01/back-5869496/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/04/01/back-5869496/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/03/15/serenity-5757933/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2009-03-15:/2009/03/15/serenity-5757933/Sun, 15 Mar 2009 06:27:39 +0100 <p>I am serene. I love and feel loved. Yes I could be questioning it all but no need. My love is universal and I am happy to receive whatever is directed at me.<br> xxxxxxxxxxxxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/03/15/serenity-5757933/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/03/15/serenity-5757933/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/02/14/becoming-a-mother-or-not-ambivalence-in-women-today-5570316/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2009-02-14:/2009/02/14/becoming-a-mother-or-not-ambivalence-in-women-today-5570316/Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:37:42 +0100 <p>I have been a woman for a long time. Sounds pretty obvious but what I mean is that I got the sense of being a woman and it being a condition opposed to being a man quite early in my life.<br> To be honest with you I also started enjoying it quite early together with discovering how womanhood was also still placing me in a minority if not in numbers at least in treatment. But as much as I was aware of it and how it affected women before me or women around me I didn't have to face discrimination so much until I reached adulthood and working life.<br> Of course I could spot differences of treatment (my younger brother didn't have to fight at all for going out or bringing a girlfriend home and spending the night with her at my parents which were all no nos for me. My self education as a girl was to understand that before I would become a woman I would have to deal with the fact that my image was carrying much more inuendo much before I would be aware of it and would have to deal with it. I had my bottom felt up in a bus for the first time at 13 with no signs of being anything else than a child and wearing no make up or enticing clothes. That time I felt more ashamed than angry which is wrong and probably due to the fact that I didn't understand it, wan't prepared for it and also didn't have anyone to talk about it. Somehow I built up a response and for the next years of having my bottom touched (or any other areas) I managed to never again feel ashamed or angry. (Tip for you all: if someone is touching you there is always this doubt over it being deliberate or just caused by a crowded area... Well 2 things to do in this case: 1) raise your leg and then target the foot of the potential agressor with yours (heels are welcome at this point): if he shouts loudly he might have been an innocent victim and you can apologise but if he tries to keep the expression of his pain as low as possible then you know he knows he was wrong. 2)grab the hand that is on your bottom and hold ot in the air shouting "who's hand is this that was grabbing my bottom?" - humiliation ensured for the disgusting frustrated guy who was betting on your being to ill at ease to react - i bet he will think twice next time... So yes becoming a woman meant having my bottom to be grabbed a few times and as much as it is not nice it didn't traumatise me. I was lucky to meet lots of interesting and respectful boys/men during this time and they were themselves ashamed by the behaviour of some of their kind.<br> At university I felt very much valued by my pairs and never felt treated any differently than my male fellow students.<br> I then started working. Moreso in a quite masculine environment. Well I actually did feel valued as a woman in that environment. I made progress in my career and started managing people. And more people even, mainly men and usually men older than me. I can remember showing up in meetings for the first time and probably been identified as someone's assistant at first sight but it worked for me as my potential to impress would then be bigger.<br> Many years after and I find myself for the first time having to think about the fact that I am a woman. The topic comes up all the time and I am not the one raising it.<br> In my personal life I am chased about my production of babies: when, how, when, anytime soon, when? I am 33 and I am for the first time of my life in a relationship that I deem worth sticking to for ever or as long as possible at least. I do love children and I have become a stepmother which I do really enjoy. I think that I would really like to have children of my own and have a partner who is keen. So yes potentially I could just start production.<br> The thing is that I do really value parenthood a lot. I don't think that I have hasd the perfect parents but I do believe that my parents made the prefect effort to raise me and I will always respect this to the most. If I was to be a mother I would like to do it in the best way to my children and would like them to be proud of their parents - this would be my commitment and I don't want to compromise in anyway about this.<br> So how come am I not with child yet?<br> Good question I would argue. To be honest since I passed 33 there is hardly any day that goes without me pondering about it. And there is a lot to ponder according to me... But let me explain and therefore go back into history...mine really.<br> As a little girl I never did the girly stuff and I can remember my mum questionning my attitude towards dolls and relating it immediately to my lack of motherly aptitude. My mistake was that I never held dolls in the way a mum would but instead would grab them by their hair and carry them behind me. I didn't really enjoy playing house and instead traded my doll to cars that my brother was eager to give away for my doll (!) and was incredibly imaginative about building circuits from scratch for those cars to ultimately finish into our walls, the only alternative to this being me reading any book of the household or after the public library with an appetite of an obese reader. No need to say that by my 6th birthday my mum gave up on my future skills or interest to ever be a mother.<br> The thing is that I was never raised as someone who would aim at being a mother as forst priority. My mum was a mother before anything else, much before! But fpr unknown reasons had decided to become a feminist after she got into not working anymore, rely on my father for financial resources and be a full time (with a lot of overtime) mother for me and my brother. I was raised by this very clever woman who was encouraging me strongly to learn a lot if I could enjoy it and carry on doing so if I had the abilities to do so as long as I couldn't be able to commit to get into a job I would commit to for my whole life. Well school turned out to be easy for me. Moreover it was something I did actually enjoy. I liked to lear, and loved to hear stories. I didn't even need to focus or listen: things said in the classroom seemed to be recorded in my brains. I never struggled with learning or being tested about it. I enjoyed proving my mastery and didn't listening to teachers. Obviously I wasn't that good at dealing with brak time or anything associated and therefore really struggled with the socialising aspect of school. But I dealt with it in my way. Which means that I never discussed it with my mother or father or anyone else (who anyway?!). I found another way. I escaped through books and movies. And it worked for a very long time. I read anything and everything. I started with what was at home. Then got the books of the neighbours (yes, these were other times), then signed up for the public library which consisted in a bus coming to our area every week and combined it with the school library. Once I finished reading what was available in the bus I made my mum take me to the city centre every week and get me a special pass for big readers so that I could borrow more books than allowd for my age group. I would read about anything. I just felt that anything I was reading about was taking me one step forward. I liked all genres and would never discriminate anything. Sometimes I would just go for one section and alphabetically go through it. Sometimes I would use the references I got from books or magazines and borrow those. Sometimes I would just randomly pick a pretty looking cover and discover after what it was about. With this technique I got to read a few books that I didn't understand at first but it would be knowingly and would make notes about it and research before I would read them again to fully understand tham or so I thought then.<br> My realtionship with movies followed a similar path although internet was not there yet and instead of being able to reaserch those I would have to think and relate anything I would feel or want to question to my exiating culture or put it on hold until I would build enough knowledge and experience to understand what I was seeing.<br> I was raised as the daughter of a reformed femisnist who was still not acting as one and I was myself craving for information and being raised by books and movies in order to be a woman of my time which I enjoyed very much so but still didn't manage to make me feel happy or gave me any tools to be able to interact with others. For you to understand my frustration I need to give you this clue: by the age of 9 I had read about friendship and love, about passiona nd decline of feelings, I had been able to understand those books but I still wasn't able to talk even in a mundaine way to the people of my classroom. This is sad, actually very sad but outstanding in a way. If you think about it I did have more theoretical knowledge about life, history, feelings, reality of life by 9 than my fellow classmates when they reached 15. As much as it could be qualified of outstanding by myself I have to sahy that I felt pretty miserable for all these years. I wish I could have had this enormous knowledge of stories and history combined together with all the fiction I read about and still had had tyhe confidence to relate to other people of my age.<br> Somehow I managed ot catch up. It is a long story but I will make it short here for the purpose of the story ( I will tell you at another time in full details trust me). There was no fairy godmother or makeover involved. There was just strong will and probably despair that made me take a different perspective. I didn't change. I just managed to find a different way to express myself and it worked for me.<br> I realise this has been a long thread and I meant to talk about motherhood but didn't even manage to get there yet.<br> I should therefore keep it for the next episode...</p> <p>Thanks for reading my blabber Lots of love to you allxxxxxxxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/02/14/becoming-a-mother-or-not-ambivalence-in-women-today-5570316/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/02/14/becoming-a-mother-or-not-ambivalence-in-women-today-5570316/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/02/07/my-ideal-mum-5523188/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2009-02-07:/2009/02/07/my-ideal-mum-5523188/Sat, 07 Feb 2009 06:54:09 +0100 <p>I have a mum and she is not ideal but funnily enough she remains the response to the question of who is my role model.<br> I just thought it would be interesting for me to describe my ideal mother considering that my actual one doesn't fit the criteria according to my standards... Strangely the prospect of writing about this makes me feel sad and guilty but this is not about criticising my mother moreso about defining what my aim should be as a mother. So let's get on with it.</p> <p>The ideal mother has to be complete and happy. She has to have made choices in life that were aiming at enjoying herself and becoming her own master. She would have to be unashamed about her failures and proud of whatever she learnt out of those. She should empowered about her successes and able to recognise them and use them forward. She should be a woman who chose the man who made her happy and made sure he would be happy with her. She might have found it and still find it difficult to manage life as a couple but she believes it worth working on a relationsship once you have chosen a partner you love. She has chosen a man who chose her too and they both have plans for the future that involve them being a team whatever happens. She is together with a man who values her for many things and also wants to have children with her and agrees that in the worst case scenario they would stick to putting their potential children before anything and would enforce for these children to be in touch with both parents as much as possible.<br> #My ideal mother would be tender and loving but she also would make sure that her children understand what is acceptable and what is not and what is expected and what is not.<br> My ideal mother would create a loving environment for her partner and children and would involve them in her life and emotions. She would be able to change her mind whenever compeling arguments would be brought up. She would be showing her children that she is making mistakes sometimes but that she acknowkedges them and that she is keen to change her mind or at least consider an alternative point.<br> She is a woman of the world and enjoys it but always puts forward the happiness of her kids. She is open for discussion whenever she disagrees and will try to take on board any comment or disagreeing.</p> <p>I realise already thta this a lot of work for a mum.</p> <p>I want my ideal mum to be proud to be a mum without forgetting to be a woman and someone's partner.<br> I wnat her to feel pretty, desired and most of all clever and in charge of her destiny.</p> <p>My ideal mother is working in a job she enjoys and has chosen. She feels that by working she is fulfilling herself and has a purpose in life. She is proud of her job and hopes that her children will do as god as she does or better interms of how they enjoy their worklife.</p> <p>My ideal mum is happy to go to work but she is equally happy to think that her children will do at least as good and will enjoy it. She enjoys picking them up from school and feels comfortable about their father enjoying it as much as her.</p> <p>She loves talking to her children and is happy to openly talk about life. She is not ashamed tto tell her children about her failures and will try to understand what they are going through. She wants her children to be happy and doen't fail to tell them. She avoids making them guilty about anything and tries to inspire them about what is available for them out there.</p> <p>She invites them to share failures and will console them in these circumstances. She will try and guide them in life and will make sure they build a strong friends force. She will understand that she might not always be involved and accept the fact that her children are growing up and chosing other sources of advice.<br> She will be available but in a way that is not offensive. She will trust her children to always feel that they can talk to her in a non-judgemental way.</p> <p>She will make sure that she is happy in life whatever happens to her children but will always be available for them for life advices.</p> <p>------------<br> To be honest with you I am not sure I have seen such a mum so far but this is the one mum I would like to be. I have no children so far but I have a step daughter and I would even more so like to be as good as I can be for her.<br> I have written down what I wan t to be so now it is about me doing it - let's see if I can mae it.... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/02/07/my-ideal-mum-5523188/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/02/07/my-ideal-mum-5523188/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/01/18/not-too-sure-what-this-is-about-5397161/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2009-01-18:/2009/01/18/not-too-sure-what-this-is-about-5397161/Sun, 18 Jan 2009 07:22:44 +0100 <p>Just feeling a bit hopeless and wondering if the choices I have made over the past 3 years were the right ones...<br> In the past three years my life changed dramatically and it was all the result of my decisions.<br> So far I felt really good about those decisions but I am suddenly doubting.<br> I see myself as a clever person with quite some experience in many fields. I do enjoy sharing my experience and never feel as satisfied as when I am able to help someone with a chat or advice based on what I have experienced in life. I do get a lot of recognition for it and that already used to happened before I moved to London.<br> When I moved to London my life completely changed in many ways. The most changing event was me falling in love in a way I had never experienced before. Since I drove my life with my love interest in first place which was a first for me.<br> The feelings I had when it happened were surreal for me as they were for my partner. I realised how you could suddenly get so crazy about someone that your head or your rationality would never even get involved. I was shocked to be feeling like that. My world was shaken. I began to believe into fate and started questionning my former beliefs. My lover felt the same. We were both feeling like victims of fate and as much as we were trying to fight our attraction we fell for it. And we started a realationship. We started the best relationship on earth. Love was at the center and communication was not a medium but just the thing we loved most. We both thought we had met our soulmate and felt happy beyond anything.<br> Two years after all I can say is that I am in a relationship with an amazing man. He is not perfect (but I am not either, from far) but he is able to reflect on his actions and be quite realistic about his mistakes. He accepts most of my shortcomings rather well and is understanding whenever I get into crazy moods. I think that I am making lots of efforts in order to be part of his life and really thrive to adapt. But it is more than 2 years since "fate" made us meet and falll in love and then get into a relationship. Then I used to be number one or at least number two in his life. Then I used to be more desirable than anything existing in the world. Whatever the way I looked, whatever I would be wearing, Whatever I would say, whatever would have happened in the day, he would be completely interested and aroused by me. And the same would happened for me.<br> A bit more than 2 years from that and here we are leaving together. I do really love him and don't doubt about his love for me. BUT. And there is always a BUT, isn't it?! It is not the same anymore. Everydays life has taken over and desire has declined... There are so many reasons for us to be tired... so many reaons to choose cuddling over sex. If I was to really go for it I know he would be game. If he was to really go for it I have no doubt that he knows I would be game for it. But most of the time we both don't do it and feel quite like the other one should have done it and go to sleep with a little bit of contempt.<br> Icannot blame him and he cannor blame me but is this what we changed our lifes for? No!<br> I feel very disappointed. About myself, about him, and about life in general. He saved my life by giving me a purpose but I now feel like I might not be up for the challenge of having a realtionship past the passion. I feel loved and I am very impressed by my bf's behaviours. I am now questionning my abilities to live past passionand wonder if my fate is to actually live by miself with lots of friends around and meaningless lovers instead of a life-long lover/boyfriend/husband.<br> I know I have been for a long time keeping m y love life to a minimum but I used to love it. Falling in love the way I did was uncalled for. I wasn't even prepared to it. It made me extremely happy and when I got a sight of what I was then in position to realise I was losing I hurt like never before.<br> My story then had a happy ending in the way that what I was never even hoping for happened. Talk about sleping beuty and snow white! I got something even better than what they got!</p> <p>I know that everyday's life is supposed to take over. Well it is not enough for me. Iwould rather be on my own than be nhappy with my man who would rather sleep than show me passion.<br> This is not what I signed for. I am completely cray or should I stick for passionate love?<br> Shall I break upwith my soulmate who became too muchof a friend or shall I stick to the closest soulmate I ever met....<br> You tell me - I need advice from your experience.<br> x </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/01/18/not-too-sure-what-this-is-about-5397161/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2009/01/18/not-too-sure-what-this-is-about-5397161/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/12/05/why-is-sex-suddenly-becoming-so-good-and-ultimately-the-only-thing-that-matters-anymore-5166505/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-12-05:/2008/12/05/why-is-sex-suddenly-becoming-so-good-and-ultimately-the-only-thing-that-matters-anymore-5166505/Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:42:28 +0100 <p>I started my sex life enjoying sex but still thinking that everything I had heard or seen before then was overrated. My appreciation gradually increased but I still thought sex was a nice to have but definitely still enjoyed more the before and hated the after. With some experience I started to value partners with intensity and motivation and the before that I liked so much became only worth if the during was worth it.<br> I am a nerd, if you read my blogs before you should know! So as a nerd I do only take interest into things that can be analysed and then offer the possibility to be mastered (+if there is any chance to be recognised for it, I am in!). As a girl nerd who got the rudimentary understanding of how easy it is to perform in public as a woman in the way it is expected but not valued in any other way than the sexual one at least at first, my life was and is definitely easier than the one of a boy nerd. Lots of boys are easy, it is a fact. Not all of them and not usually the best ones amongst the male population. But again the ones that are easy are the most likely for you to meet when you are looking for that kind of target - easily to demonstrate scientifically...<br> Although it is easy to be complacent and stick to an image of men that is that they are all silly basic and easy, I would recommend to step up a level and go for the less obvious the more difficult and also the more challenging. And this is only to describe the before sex stage. To be honest this stage is worth contemplating and enjoying for itself. How fantastic is it to meet interesting men: priceless!<br> I have stopped there for some time and realiused I had to learn a few things. I enjoyed being put on the spot and feeling I had to up my game to enjoy the discussion. Not only that but also that I had to be cleverer to actually get the attention of those guys I found clever and it did actually made me feel quite good.<br> And then tadahhhhh! Oh my god: sex with someone you value and have a connection!!!! I got it after all: what people were talking about, this incredible feeling! Maybe I needed to be older, maybe I needed to be cleverer or maybe it was a self estime thing... Ultimately I don't know. What I know is that it just happens sometime and that for me some could argue it was late... I don't care. It happened sometime and it made me rethink everything. It was worth taking the time to get there...<br> More than anything I love the fact that I discovered real interesting men that got my respect for just being themselves and respecting themselves. There is a lot of blabber about bimbos but I think that there is a growing category of men who bring shame of their kind. Time to act, men of the world! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/12/05/why-is-sex-suddenly-becoming-so-good-and-ultimately-the-only-thing-that-matters-anymore-5166505/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/12/05/why-is-sex-suddenly-becoming-so-good-and-ultimately-the-only-thing-that-matters-anymore-5166505/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/10/31/living-together-4959619/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-10-31:/2008/10/31/living-together-4959619/Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:00:51 +0100 <p>Miss World singleton - me just had her boyfriend moving in.<br> Yes. It is done and there is no way moving back.<br> Miss world singleton is feeling quite happy about it though. Hurray. This is the hurray of my parents and family - so yes at last I am doing the thing. This is the hurray of my friends - after all she is "normal".<br> I am miss world singleton. God knows I actually liked this title... I am sure though that neither my relatives or friends would think so. Hell yes in a way I liked being different. But different might have been something more difficult to carry for my parents and friends than it has been for me, I am not sure...<br> Let's be very forward here and say some things I would never say in front of a concrete audience: I am a good looking girl and moreso I happen to be a clever one, not just at Trivial Pursuit (I am good at that too, f*cking good!) but also at life and banking it without too much effort so far. Oh and I do like boys, men. Well I guess the only issue here is that I am 33. With my credentials I should have been married. Well it didn't turn this way. To be completely honest I wouldn't have seen anything wrong with meeting a wonderful man when I was a teenager and marrying him after or during university and having started a family years ago. I think that this is a very good plan. Avery good plan if you are sure, if he is sure and if you have enough information for you to believe that this good plan is sustainable in all its components for you to commit to it when you are at the beginning of your life. Well done for those who did it then and are still finding it a good plan.<br> By the time I had finished university I didn't feel I had ever met someone who could be part of this good plan. I had met lots of people and they all participated to my growing into the person I am. I am very glad I met them all, for the good ones and the bad ones. And more than anything I was very lucky to meet those who are now my friends.<br> Even for my friends I realise that at the time I might have been some kind of imposition. Let's not even talk about the odd numbers at restaurant tables but it recently was mentionned to me how my girlfriends had to fight the assumptions of me being around their couples and be seen as a potential threat for their boyfriends. Honestly it never occured to me and it seems it didn't to my friends until they were faced with the duty of defending me. I never lusted after any of my friends boyfriends and actually felt I was naturally linked to them as no ambiguity would ever show in these circumstances and would therefore feel quite at ease with these guys to the contrary of "civilians" (understand boys who wouldn't be linked to my gfs). Well it seems and so have I been told now that my gfs were facing lots of scrutinity by others about my ease and presence.As much as I never realised it then, Ido understand what they must have been facing then and feel bad about it. Of course I would never want any of my loved oned=s to face any struggle because of me...<br> But hey so I was, single, happy about it and surrounded by singletons or couples who made me feel loved and wanted. I was sometimes feeling a little bit of electricity and it wouldn't usually last long but it made me happy and all in all conforted me in my singleton ways. I still believed in love but had decided I would only commit to love with a big L. it hadn't happened yet. I wasn't finished hoping but what I had was good enough still. no way I would commit to good enough.<br> And then I moved countries and got into the big smoke. I didn't move to find love. I don't really know why I did it when I did it. Since then there are quite a few reasons I can find though but I will tell you in a different post.<br> So here I am in a different country and unsure about what I would find, a bit scared and a bit excited. It is easy though because I know I can come back just as easy as I moved over.<br> My life was all settled and I find myself to start it all again without any assurance that I can do it agian there in London. And it works! In less than a week I am lucky enough to meet amazing people. In less than a week I get enough hints that I can make it. And guess what I get to do it. with the bonus that all the people I left behind are still there for me. And they come to see me in my new life. Honestly how could it get better? I wasn't asking for more.<br> Well more was on the menu for me... I meet this man. and not only do I meet him but he meets me and both of us are thrilled.<br> We are both far from perfect but equally unperfect.<br> There is so much I could tell you about it but I won't. Not now. 2 Years after meeting we are living together. We are in love. Life is wonderful. It is tough but wonderful. tell you more next time. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/10/31/living-together-4959619/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/10/31/living-together-4959619/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/bestival-4743049/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-09-18:/2008/09/18/bestival-4743049/Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:51:54 +0200 <p>Who has been at Bestival?</p> <p>I was!</p> <p>My foirst real reeaction was I cannot believe that I am here as it is exactly the contrary of what I had signed for...<br> The good thing and the bad thing about it was that it was nothing I was expecting.</p> <p>I am nt so much into festivals. let's be honest her. Music: yeah, like it. Crowds, mud and shitty food: not my thing. Bestival was sold to me as an ever dry festival with a diffenrence. I liked it on paper. I signed the paper. I also requested the non-camping on site clause and got it. Hurray. Glaaaad!<br> Bestival turned into last year's Glastonbury...<br> I am stillgoing next year. What about you?<br> xx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/bestival-4743049/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/bestival-4743049/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/who-s-afraid-of-sienna-miller-4742970/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-09-17:/2008/09/18/who-s-afraid-of-sienna-miller-4742970/Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:55:12 +0200 <p>I have this very strange relation with tabloid press. I actually don't buy it and for those who have been reading my blog you would know that I have no tv or radio.<br> Strangely enough I find it difficult to live in London and not being contaminated with all of this "celebrity" news.<br> So here, i know that Sienna Miller is supposedly dating a guy who is married with 2 children. Said like that it sounds terrible. As a woman I cannot support any other woman having a relationship with anyone involved in a relationship. I would definitely tell off a friend in this situation (the Sienna situation or the married guy situation). It is meant to be a hurtfull situation for anyone involved short or long term.<br> But at the same time, how much do we really know about what is going on? Really nothing! So how can we judge anyone involved?<br> It stikes me that Sienna Miller (who I don't know but share the being a woman with) is the one that is really getting all the grunt. All right she might be doing something not right but hey she is not the one attached. What do we hear about alledged lover? Close to nothing. It really pisses me off.<br> Whatever is goign on we have no right to judge what is presented to us by the shittiest and least reliable media.<br> Sienna, I hope you make your life choices based on what you know is right. Women who are concerned by the state of our society, I hope that you realise that only the facts that you can assess are worth considering will make your mind up.<br> It is crucial for us all to realise that media are trying to maintain us in medieval times and that women specifically should rebell against sitcom-based scenarios stating that young attractive woman can still happy husband and father of two out of his conmmitment for the sake of her crazy life-style.<br> Let's all get real!<br> x </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/who-s-afraid-of-sienna-miller-4742970/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/who-s-afraid-of-sienna-miller-4742970/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/the-big-issue-4742949/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-09-17:/2008/09/18/the-big-issue-4742949/Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:38:00 +0200 <p>Where I come from we are taught not to give money to homeless or beggars. It sounds ruthless, doesn't it?!<br> Well we are taught that it is really a state issue that some people are living in the streets and that it should be the government taking care of those who are in the worst situation and getting them to a situation where they can start making choices again. we are taught that giving money to homeless is encouraging this issue to be considered an individual one instead of a society one.<br> I really thought it made sense and kept myself firm when crossing paths with someone asking me for money in the street.<br> When I moved to London I never bought the Big Issue for those reasons and felt ok about it.<br> Tonight a friend of mine came for dinner and keft a Big Issue at my place. I just flicked through and thought it was actually not that bad. Even quite good. The kind of magazine I could buy at a news agent... I read the bit about how it is sold and thought it was brilliant. It changed my mind.<br> I will buy it from now on, only if the cover gets me interested becawuse I want to stick to the non charity side of helping people.<br> I think you should have a look at it and maybe like me you might change your mind about it. Just sharing with you... You never know, you might be selling it on the street like me very soon... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/the-big-issue-4742949/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/the-big-issue-4742949/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/lehman-brothers-and-other-financial-disasters-4742934/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-09-17:/2008/09/18/lehman-brothers-and-other-financial-disasters-4742934/Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:28:31 +0200 <p>If you work in finance or have been following what is going on, I don't need to explain... For the others, please read the news...<br> I found myself explaining what was going on this week to quite a few of my friends that are not directly involved in this financial meltdown. Yes, it will affect all of us at some point. It is a greem time. But hey, consequenses are a very rational thing to happen in our societies. If you play with fire, you have to be aware that getting burnt is a possibility.<br> We have all been aware of hard times being a reality and we all could take a good look at it from the beginning of the year. Those in the worst case scenario have been the first ones to experience it but it is now likely to affect also the very secure ones so far. Yes, I do fear for my job, my mortgage and my living but hey I am still qualified enough to get any job and not silly to reject a Mc Donalds one even if that is my last possible choice. I have done so far any of the possible jobs and I am happy to work whatever. Though me ending up in mcdonalds is quite unlikely, let's be honest...<br> Yes I am worried about people who have not that many skills, children and are supporting a family. If they are past 40 it will be a struggle in job market that is likely to admit a considerable number of highly qualified ypoung people without any of the struggles that parenting life means.<br> Strangely enough it has only been my friends who occupy high positions in the financial world that have been talking to me about their wrries about future. They won't be in trouble for long though.<br> But it strikes me thta those who are in worst situations will really have a hard time.<br> Let's face it, how can I possibly have a good time if I am living amongst those who are enduring a terrible crisis. The relief of being out of trouble myself is not making me a happy person.<br> i am just hoping that the crisis we are going through is a one that will set a nwew society and ranging people in different ways, allowing people with very different skillsets to be recognised and valued amongst all of us and setting new goals for a new society.<br> I am all for that. iam all for something new, cleverer and more open.</p> <p>Let's see what happens. There could be a lot fo good out of it.</p> <p>Good night! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/lehman-brothers-and-other-financial-disasters-4742934/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/lehman-brothers-and-other-financial-disasters-4742934/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/so-much-to-comment-on-4742915/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-09-17:/2008/09/18/so-much-to-comment-on-4742915/Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:11:06 +0200 <p>Dear readers,</p> <p>First I'd like to thank you for reading. Sincerely I am very glad you are taking the time to go through my blogs and again sincerely I am praising you for supporting my logorrheas and rants. I started blogging to actually relieve my boyfriend and friends from listening to my never stopping discourses and finding some relif myself in exposing my opinions without making anyone prisonner of those...<br> Today I feel there is so much I want to ttalk about... And sadly all my dinner went home and my bf had to go to bed early for early meeting reasons, bless him.</p> <p>I will be writing a few posts and just check the titles so that you don't get dragged into something you'd rather not go for... I officially warned you!</p> <p>For those who decided to go to bed and avoid my threads, I wish you a good noght, and for the others i can only apologize in advance.</p> <p>xxx </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/so-much-to-comment-on-4742915/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/09/18/so-much-to-comment-on-4742915/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/08/25/here-we-go-again-4636331/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-08-25:/2008/08/25/here-we-go-again-4636331/Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:08:52 +0200 <p>I swear you that I logged in today with the best intentions: writing a nice airy light happy entry... And then I decided ti catch up with my messages... Ta ta ta taaaaaaa!<br> Well someone fired me again on the Cowell case. As much as I 'd like to be cool and serene and just can't not react... Aaaargh... For those who have read my previous entries, you have already had to go through my rant about Britain's got talent. Well, it seems that one of my fellow bloggers brought the so called X factor programme in the ring. His fault! Sorry but I cannot stay silent. Rrrrrant coming!!!<br> Let me get it straight once and for all:<br> Cowell and friends are responsible for the decadence of the country. I said it and I maintain it.<br> You know what? I cannot possibly watch this programme for more than 2 minutes. All right... yes... those awfull contestants are crap. What a surprise! And my god what a display do we get of these untalented ones! Sure we all question the motivation of these very obviously very very very bad contestants! How could they even believe for a second that they will be considered!!! Even before they hit the notes you can tell they don't stand a chance. Righty oh, here is my point: you don't need to be a pro to call crap crap, you and me can do the job easily.<br> So, why the f**k do we have to watch the obvious low when the programme is supposedly about finding the creme de la creme?<br> Well I would like to give you my opinion on this. The programme is not about what it says it is about.<br> Shock, horror!<br> Well, yes, ladies and gentlemen, these people standing there all righteous and allegedly satisfying an honourable purpose are in fact disgusting and dirty hypocrites. Oh yes, they pretend to be doing a reputable job and using their supposed talent and experience to select the very best for your eyes only. And you know what? They actually really make sure that you believe that this is their main motivation by setting up the plot of a very genuine selection of potentials.<br> Is this what makes their bread and butter? Eventually a little maybe. Do you know what really makes their bread and butter? Come on, you do know! What is that you really really enjoy in the programme? Let's be honest here... We all luuuurve watching the losers. These oh so cocky losers that have failure written all over their foreheads and makes us laugh at loud for being so stupid to ever even believe that they might have a little chance at success. Before they open their mouth we can tell. They look bad, they act silly and all about them is wrong. Here they go with the first notes and manage to confirm immediately what we were expecting only managing to make it even worse than expected. How shameful and how laughable. But hey let's be honest, also so conforting. And here it is, the fact is that the lowest you are feeling at this precise moment, the better this public broadcasted failure will bring you up. Watching worst losers than can ever possibly imagine yourself to be makes you feel better. It is a fact. We watch X factor and immediately feel that there is someone worse out there.<br> As most of you know I haven't got a tv, for mental sanity reasons but really bad addiction for terrible tv. So how do I know about the X factor? Well strangely enough I have been sent a few Youtube links or whatever they were before youtube was invented. So here I am opening links with snippets from a programmme allegedly selecting specially gifted performers. And you what those links contained? Well really disgraceful performances, so bad they were actually funny, not funny haha but more the kind of funny you feel bad at laughing at. At first. But then come on you feel ok to laugh at oud because after all these people went there with their consent and knowing they were filmed.<br> My point is that I have never received an email with a really good performance. Yes I have heard of the lady who keeps bleeding love and I know that she won the contest. Seriously: well done and congrats to Mr. Cowell for producing a cash cow. Now I just wonder about what happened in between the dismissal of la crap de la crap and the making of la creme de la creme...<br> The thing is that really no one cares. The terrible performances surf the web but none of the talents who were selected together with Leona Lewis do get as much exposure. How odd, don't you think?!!!<br> Well let me tell you how it is. Cowell and his little friends are not into showing you talent. Their business is the broadcast of mediocrity and if possible anything below. Crap on display is really what they want to show you but they haven't got the guts to just do that. Oh no, they couldn't possibly admit that they are purposedly displaying the very very bad ones for your eyes only, that would make them look bad... Instead they just pretend that they are fulfilling the very special and harduous task of identifying budding talents amongst an ocean of deluded freaks.<br> Cowell and co make me sick. They do a dispising job. The roman emperors who were puting naked slaves together with lions in the arena to cheer the crowds were not so much worse in my opinion, and at least they were not using false pretenses when it came to satisfy the worst appetites of their audience.<br> I am not a fan of roman games. If you actually consider that they might have managed to entertain a very dissatisfied crowed and delayed a potential revolution you will more so remember that they were one of the very picturesque signs of the decline of a civilisation in total decadence...<br> X Factor similarly draws a very sad image of our society. As much as it is entertaining to see incredibly motivated and equally incredibly awfull candidates, we must remember that they are on tv only to make us all, and especially those amongst us in the worst case scenario of our society, that out there someone is even worse.<br> X Factor works as a tool to keep the masses quiet. It is a tool to make everybody feel good about the fact that out there there is worse than me. This programme makes us apathetic and self satisfied. It contributes to our desire to forget that with a little more effort we all could do better, we all could ask for more. This programme, like many others on all our channels by the way, is symptomatic of our decadence as a civilisation and our forfeit towards looking out for excellence.</p> <p>Well, I warned you at the very beginning! And if you are not happy, blame Andrew: he started it by commenting on X Factor...<br> For you all who read me, please believe that I have hope and that I believe that we can do better, ask for better and get better. I am up for it. Who follows me? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/08/25/here-we-go-again-4636331/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/08/25/here-we-go-again-4636331/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/08/13/never-want-to-go-to-bed-4580966/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-08-13:/2008/08/13/never-want-to-go-to-bed-4580966/Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:49:24 +0200 <p>Don't know about you but I have been suffering of this illness for a very long time...<br> It started when I was a little girl and I would never want to go to slepp when told to by my parents. For some reason I imagined that a whole life of fun was starting when I was pu to bed. That adults were starting the fun once the children would be asleep and therefpre I would always struggle to stay in bed and start sleeping.<br> It then got even worse when I started going out and would always be the last one up. Like I would be scared of missing something. Nowadays I am still going to bed too late for no reason. And I can't really explain why so. My boyfriend who likes to party and used to be the last one up is also amazed that I am still beating him up at it and can only go to bed after him.<br> I think that I do actually enjoy this moment where everybody is asleep but me. I love to feel the silence of the night. It feels like I am reigining over this asleep kingdom that makes me queen of it as I am the only one still awake.<br> Of course this makes me sleepy when all the others are awake and kind of numb towards what is really happening around. But I think that I like it.<br> Anyone like me amongst you? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/08/13/never-want-to-go-to-bed-4580966/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/08/13/never-want-to-go-to-bed-4580966/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/08/09/is-it-august-really-4565257/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-08-09:/2008/08/09/is-it-august-really-4565257/Sat, 09 Aug 2008 23:11:56 +0200 <p>Aaaaaaaargh!<br> Just came back from Field Day in Victoria Park.<br> So this is a festival I just went to. When I got the tickets I thought:<br> 1) great, a festi not far from home<br> 2) 9th of August: will be sunny and beautiful</p> <p>Result: I was still right for number 1 but number 2... so wrong! How depressing is it to get such an awful day in August!!! I just couldn't stand it and by 9pm had to go home for a hot bath...</p> <p>I am seriously expecting a move from the government to change the weather over here. I am truly happy in London but if the weather during summer could be improved I'd be surely making the commitment to forever pay my taxes here! I said it!</p> <p>Who is ready to sign the petition with me? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/08/09/is-it-august-really-4565257/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/08/09/is-it-august-really-4565257/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/18/feelings-lalalalalalaaaaa-4462991/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-07-18:/2008/07/18/feelings-lalalalalalaaaaa-4462991/Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:12:38 +0200 <p>I want to write today but don't know what to start with...<br> I am happy. So many friends of mine have recently announced beautiful news... Also my life is very much in a positive trend. My heart is filled with happiness. Just want to spread some of it around. Life is a beautiful gift.<br> Don't you think? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/18/feelings-lalalalalalaaaaa-4462991/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/18/feelings-lalalalalalaaaaa-4462991/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/cuktural-shocks-for-a-european-coming-to-4418452/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-07-08:/2008/07/08/cuktural-shocks-for-a-european-coming-to-4418452/Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:00:55 +0200 <p>Setting the plot: I am a 33 years old woman with Spanish blood (100%) born in Geneva, Switzerland and raised there, Travelled Europe and the world. Now leaving in London. Two years in teh West End (expat land) and one year in Hackney (Crackney as my friends tend to call it).</p> <p>I mentionned this in a response to a blog of mine but thought it was worth an entry.</p> <p>I describe myself as European and when I moved to London fro prefessional reasons I didn't think it would be a struggle. I was warned it would be but my experience proved so far that it wasn't. I got this book from my HR that was meant to "prepare" me in the transition. I thought it was hilarious and didn't pay so much attention.</p> <p>I ahve been living in Lodon fro 3 years and find it difficult to criticise my new life. It is not better and not worse in average to what I experience before.</p> <p>Still I need to mention what others would call cultural shocks. I would call them just strong differences.</p> <p>1) I thought I had moved to the UK. Very soon I was told that I was in England and to my surprise dicovered that only outsiders would use the word United Kingdom. I leave in England, not in the UK. An English man is English before being British.An English man would probably never use the word British to describe himself. Same for the Welsh, the Scottish and the Northern Irish. They all share the same passport - british - but none of them would evr use the word to describe thmeselves. Shocking!<br> This was a preambule to the word Europe. England, Wales, Scotland and Nothern Ireland are part of the United Kingdom an dth eUk is par tof Europe geographically but also Europe the political and economic Unioneven if they aren't part of the euro zone. Strangely no one here ever says the word Europe with the idea they belong to it. Europe is actually continental europe and means the close others. It took me some time to realise this. When the word Europe is used here it means the others close by. Some use the expression Continental Europe. Still it was a shock to me to realise that the Brits don't see themselves as European...</p> <p>2) The drinking. Everybody drinks in Continental Europe. But nothing compared to what happens here. Nothing. I am Spanish.The Spanish drink. Not a surprise. The Spanish get eventually drunk. Yes it happens. Same for the French, the Swiss, etc. Only the Brits have the getting drunk set as a goal and a goal that has to be reached as quickly as possible. "Lest's have shots before we go out" is not anything you would see elsewhere. And people manage to reach the goal early. My first day at work made me experience people completely wasted by 7pm. I couldn't believe it and remember telling friends there might have been some historical celebration I was't aware of...<br> More shocking even for me was to see young women when not girls absolutely wasted and on their own. This doesn't happen in the rest of Europe. First girls are not supposed tp drink t that extend or it makes them look bad, but if they do they are immediately hidden by their entourage and taken home safely so tah t they don't endure any kind of danger...</p> <p>3) half naked girls at night in December. I saw them and couldn't believe it. Then told my friend Florence about it when she visited me in December 2005. She wouldn't belive me until we saw them on Regent street in mini t-shirts n, no skirt and summer sandals. My friend Florence and I were wearing coats wool jumpers trousers and boots. We were stunned!I then told a group of male friends about it who came to visit me in February.They claimed I was exagerating. We then got to the clubs area and pointed at a group of girls in the attire I had described. They looked at the girls and said they believed they were professionals... To then realise it was a common thing. The funniest thing is that when I mention it to my British friends they always say the same thing: "This is nothing, you should see them in the North". I don't want to see it. How can they beat it?!!</p> <p>4) When I started working with British people I was quickly told that my style was inadecuate and too direct.Basically I sounded rude... Me rude! I thought it was a joke... But I got it at last. You can say anything here but it has to come with a lining. If someone screwed up and failed to deliver in a project I would meet them and tell them they screwed up. Rude here. I would have to them, go throught the history of working together, highlight the good things and maybe later mention the failure but more in a way that would be "how can we do this again with a better outcome". At first I thought it was bullshit. It took me sometime to understad that there is something positive about having to think about the positive bfore you bring up the bad stuff. It now works for me but i know that when I work with the continent I have to deal in a different way. </p> <p>The rest was a dream. My boyfriuend is English and I am glad he is!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/cuktural-shocks-for-a-european-coming-to-4418452/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/cuktural-shocks-for-a-european-coming-to-4418452/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/similar-different-who-can-tell-4418282/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-07-08:/2008/07/08/similar-different-who-can-tell-4418282/Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:01:48 +0200 <p>Warning: this is just a little one to raise a question that has been bothering me since I moved to London.</p> <p>Brfore I go on I'd like to remind you or maybe just inform you if you haven't been reading my previosu blogs.</p> <p>I am a European woman. You like it or not but this is the way I define myself. I am Spanish from blood, been raised by my Spanish parents who left a fascit country with nothing to meet and have a family in Gebeva, Switzerland, a federation with a very strict application of democracy as a political system. Won't go on about it now. I was born in at least 2 cultures, definitely 2 languages, probably one religion even if taught in a very oecumenistic way. I come from all this and much more but I didn't want to bore you yet.<br> Today I live in a different country than the one I was born. Nothing to be scared for me. I live in a different language. Well I do speak fluently 5 languages + 1 I consider I can speak a little and understand a lot, therefore I usaually say when asked that I speak 5 1/2 languages. Yes I am proud about it and enjoy this skill still I never found it in any way extraordinary. I live in London. I moved here in about 3 weeks between the meoment I was offered the opportunity and the moment I had all my stuff moved over. I wasn't afraid: after all I was moving into an international city, with a job secured and all the admin taken charge by this company HR. So far I thought the UK was part of Europe. Not only the continent but also this dream come reality after the last world war. I was warned by previous expats that London was harsh. That I would experience it when I would be paying my bills and fighting for incorrect utility bills charged to my account and in a more trivial way even when managing my way in the tube or the streets. Warnings about struggle in London kept coming during these 3 weeks I was preparing my move.<br> Strangely I never got scared.<br> One week before my move bombs exploded with their carriers in the tube all over the city. It was a traumatic event and I remember trying des[erately to get in touch with friends and acquaintences living there. I remember also my mother calling me at work every 20 minutes that day (she never called me at work before) just saying to me "are you reconsidering your choice", clearly anguished.<br> These events never changed my mind. I am more scared of drunk drivers than of terrorists and statistics prove me right...<br> I said goodbye to my friends and family, left my job and got to London. I left on a Sunday and started working the following Monday. I didn't struggle in the tube. I actually found people quite polite and charming and very guarded and reserved. No one pushed me, no one step on my toes. I got to my new office and started out with my team and a felt a difference but a positive one.</p> <p>I had to find a flat and luckily my company provided me with some help but in one day I had found the place I lived into for 2 years. I paid my bills and yes have in few occasions expereinced the frustrating helpdesks... Still nothing compared to what I was supposed to expect according to the ones who gave me advice. Maybe I have been lucky... maybe I brought luck on me by expecting nothing and receiving anything as a gift. Who knows? During my first week in London I met 2 of my now best friends. Yes the conection was there immediately still it took us sometime to turn it into friendship. But hey, one week in London andf I meet people who share my values and will be laughing and crying with me over the next years?! Luck, fate, trust in people? I don't really know... I just know it happened. It happened to me in London. One week after I moved. So long with all the negative stuff I had heard!</p> <p>My first year in London has been like an extended holiday. Strangely I realised after that year that I had bever been in touch with a British person. Yes there were some at work... My social life was miles away though and I suddenly realised that the West End was some Expat ghetto. A very nice ghetto. Age range 20-35, babies, pets and elders not aloud. Hectic lifes but also non permanent lifes, work hard party hard types of people. They know they will leave in a couple of years, they live the instant but don't build anything type of people. There is something attractive in it. They are all the same, they bond easily but it b=never really matters. The dynamic is crazy and you never get a second to think about what is going on. It is exciting. I was excited. I lived La vida loca for 2 years and had fun. </p> <p>Something started to bother me though. It didn't feel was living in London. I was living in expat land. I felt there was a cheat in it. I felt I hadn't really made a change in life. Here I was with the same ones I had studied and patied everywhere else. I wasn't living in a metropole but in a microcosm. I wanted change. I wanted to stop cheating and see a real London, not another eurotrash city.</p> <p>Luckily I met the man of my life. And he turned out to be English to the great surprise of my entourage... He lived in the other side of London. East! I realise still now that East for the eurotrash means jsut fairly east of where they live. A colleague of mine who used to leave in South Kensington recently moved to East London - for her it meant Mayfair!!!</p> <p>I now leave in East London, a little more East than Mayfair: Hackney! Expat land doesn't even know where Hackney is. Or if they do it is only to think that it is far far far away and very dangerous. It is far from West London, sure. The friends who live close by to mine call it Crackney instead of Hackney in relation to the supposed crackheads living there and everything related: high crime and so on. HAckney is not as residential as south Kensington, fair enough. There are estates right next to nice streets with nice houses. There is more black people and non white ethnies around much more than in South kensington. There are lots of different people in teh streets. strangely to my west end friends I feel much more secure in my new location.<br> I still haven't seen anyone smoking crack around and no one attempted to steal my bag or rape me yet. I hope it will never happen to me or anyone else. Something I noticed is that I now live in a community. So yes bad people happen but I believe they happen anywhere. Where I live there is always someone in the street and they are watching. Where I live there are children and they form their own community. Where I live, if the bus driver is nasty with you the people in the bus take openly a position. </p> <p>Before I moved from expat land to real LondonI made a few visits. M''y boyfriend was living there and I knew I would have to make the move if I wanted to get more serious in that realtionship (my boyfriend has a young daughter who leaves half the week with him and the other half with her mother in the neighbourghood - he is therefore not able to be very mobile). I remember this particular event on my second visit that was decisive in my decision to move. I was at my boyfriend's and we had decided to go to Soho for the evening for a meal and drinks with friends who leave in South London (oooh nosebleed!). We were heading to the bus stop when we saw our bus arriving ang therefore started sprinting. Got there in time and I naturally walk into the bus with my monthly Oyster card (lived i nthe West End, remember?!). My boyfriend had to take a ticket at the bus stop (not living in the West End!)which would be an opereation of about 15 seconds. So when I walk in the bus I just informed the driver of the situationmeaning he would have to wait for a few seconds for my bf to do the right thing. Instead of being understanding the driver shrugged and said something brief and not understandable to me (I am from the West End remember, I really understand english if spoken by anyone not native). So I get in the bus, out my Oyster card on the reader and tell the driver that my bf is buyibg a ticket. he shrugs like he-s got a family of mosquitos inside his uniform, says "something" and drives away. I am shccked and feel very lost. Shall I reming you that I am from the West End? First I don't know where I am. Second I have never been in a bus. I thought the driver was an a-hole but I didn;'t know the bus rules and thought we might have done somenthing wrong. In teh West End I would have been left with my thoughts. What happened here was shckingly different. People in the bus started shouting at the driver!!! Things like "it is not fair" to "@@@%%%$###", clearly showing contemot with what had happened. A few ladies took my hand and told me gently that I should get out at the next stop and would probably find my bf there very soon. A guy in a wheelchair started chatting me up ^where is your accent from*. I got out of the bus at the next stop and found my bf out of breath but there. Nonasty business at the bus stop amd desappointedly no crack smoking action. We got the following bus, talked a lot with very bad words about the previous bus driver but for me that was it. I saw the whole expereince in a good way. Ok bus drivers are usually <strong>*</strong> but not all are. This nasty driver gave me the opportunity to see a community in action. A group standing for an individual they didn't know. Most people in the bus where black, The ladies who took position were black. The driver was black, I am as white as you can be. WHat I experienced showed that colour is not relevant there. It showed me people caring. I believe that people care if they believe in the place they live and want to be part of it and make it a good place for your children.</p> <p>This bus event was decisive for me. I left expat land and started leaving in a place where real people leave. They won't leave in a couple of years. They are not there for the experience. They are there to leave and nest and have children who might do the same. They care about ewhat happens in the bus because they don't want it to happen to anyone close to them.</p> <p>I enjoyed expat land, it was fun. Like Disneyland can be fun. I am now living in a real place with real people. We are different in many ways all of us. Instead of seeing differences we stick together because we are neighbourhood.</p> <p>I will stay here.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/similar-different-who-can-tell-4418282/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/similar-different-who-can-tell-4418282/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/littles-pleasures-of-life-4418016/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-07-08:/2008/07/08/littles-pleasures-of-life-4418016/Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:41:17 +0200 <p>I am very conscious that most of my blogs are actually rants about almost everything. No regrets.<br> Still this is not really representative of who I am. My blog is actually something I use to get rid of the thoughts that pollute my positiveness. I believe that it is healthy to do so. And it costs less than a shrink...<br> This time I wanted to look at the other side. Yes there are all these annoying things in life (more coming in later blogs) but there is a lot to appreciate as well. And for me the balance is more on this side than the annoying one.</p> <p>A few yearss ago I read this book from a French author "The Small Pleasures of life", by Philippe Delerm. Very thin book with a few short stories or at least short accounts. Everyone should have this book at home. It just talks to you in a very special way. The author is an adult talking to adults but clearly calling on their sense to relate to childhood. No nostalgy though. This book is not about "it was better before" or "reach your inner child". Moreso about how as an adult there are all these little pleasures that we are becoming less conscious of but still exposed to on a regular basis.</p> <p>Delerm mentions the first sip of a pint. Think! It is hot and you are thirsty. You are looking forward to this beer. The forst sip will be better than any other sip that will follow. Delerm describes this first sip so well and also with such an economy of words... He also describes something that will put us all at the same level wherever we come from, our age or social backgroung. In about 3 pages he brings us all together. And this is just a one little part of this book. Check it out really. I believe it should be everywhere, starting with schools.</p> <p>This kind of book makes me happy. it inspires me. I will try and keep on this streak instead of ranting again and agian and again.</p> <p>Have a good night you all, and as my 2 years old stepdaughter says "Schleep well"! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/littles-pleasures-of-life-4418016/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/littles-pleasures-of-life-4418016/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/little-irritating-things-in-life-4418006/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-07-08:/2008/07/08/little-irritating-things-in-life-4418006/Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:22:22 +0200 <p>This needs to be raised. Now!<br> One of my pet hates is those awful price stickers on anything you buy. Careful: not all of them are irritating or awful. To qualify they have to:<br> 1) be on items that you will keep forever or at least months or years.<br> 2) only irritating if they are not possibly removable. See what I mean?</p> <p>Just bought this really nice wooden salad bowl. Stick anything on it is already bad enough ( I mean wood!) but when you attempt to remove it it doesn't go in one go. Actually it doeasn't go in 25 goes! I have got some bakeware I have put in the dishwasher about a 100 times and the remainings of the sticker are still there.</p> <p>Why oh why?<br> I am bothered! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/little-irritating-things-in-life-4418006/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/07/08/little-irritating-things-in-life-4418006/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/28/a-bit-drunk-4374646/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-06-28:/2008/06/28/a-bit-drunk-4374646/Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:07:36 +0200 <p>I am a bit drunk. a lot actually.#Why do we drink so much, too much, in London? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/28/a-bit-drunk-4374646/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/28/a-bit-drunk-4374646/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/28/mars-and-venus-or-murs-and-venars-or-men-4374635/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-06-28:/2008/06/28/mars-and-venus-or-murs-and-venars-or-men-4374635/Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:07:19 +0200 <p>Man and women are different. Wow what a surprise... I am actually surprised we still talk about the differencies so much. I am also a bit irritated by the fact we are still thinking about differences in a gender-opposed way to be honest!<br> Let me set the plot. I will try and say it quickly: I am a feminist. Ooooh aaaaah! When I say that in public I still get a lot of sh*t and usually more from women than from men... Being feminist has become so out of fashion apparently. I guess it is because this word has such a negative image in collective minds. To the risk of being very unpolitically correct I'll break it down for you. Femisnist = angry bitch probably too ugly to get men or even interact with them, probably lesbian no by choice and argumentative by nature who has to blame someone (men) for not finding happiness in this world. My definition of a feminist is by far a different one. Before I get there let me give you an insight of who I am. A woman (although I believe that a man could be a feminist too nowadays) who is in a relationship with a man she loves and admires for many reasons, whois working and enjoying it, whose professional role is quite a succesful one involving managing both genders, whose employer has been giving her many opportunities and so far has been offering development and promotions without ever mentioning her gender. I am a woman in my early thirties who still gets compliments of the appropriate kind on a daily bases ( I do take the inappropriate ones into account but store them for the next years to come, when they will dry out inevitably!). I am happy in life and have lots of friends woth that name and still meet enough people who can make their way to be my friends.<br> Still I am a feminist.<br> My main point is that even if I can be really gratefull of the evolution of women in the past 20 years I still consider that there is a long way for us to be in a position that entitles us to as much as much as men's with equal strive. And in the ethos of the society we live in I still think that we have to fight quite a lot compared to what men have to fight to get to similar results. Women are not the only ones in this situation and there is still a lot to fight for for many minorities.<br> I am happy proud and enjoy being a woman. Not close to undergo any sex change (or just for a few hours and enjoy the manly ability to pee outdoors between to cars by just unzipping my fly - but that is just about it). I also consider the fact that it must be quite hard for men to assess their position in society now that women have been changing so much. I also realise that, for the men who are my age and have to take on board a new gender reality while they have been raised by women who were mainly mums at home and strictly being wifes and mums, it is stretch to have to deal with me at work and find the woman who will be their partner. I have also been raised by this mum and find it quite hard to find a partner who won't have the expectations my dad had when he chose my mum (men use to chose).<br> The reality is that I am doing more or less what any boy with similar skills who was at school with me is doing now.<br> The reality is that I might be getting open doors easier because I am good looking and it helps. But at the same time once in the job I still have to work a bit harder to be recognised in the same way as my fellow male coworker.<br> When single I have to mind about my answer to potential partners to "would I want to have children?". If I say yes I might be seen immediately as a needy and potentially sperm user/bunny boiler because I am in my early thirties. If I answer no to the same question (as a thirty-something) I will sound like a cold bitch. I am in a loose-loose situation in those cases where any man of whatever age would always answer yes (in my experience) and never bring any judgement of any sort upon him. In the workplace I am a dangerous hire: because of my age I am obviously striving to get pregnant before I am out of date and will put maternity before anything else. A man in the same age range never gets the same treatment that he has or considers having children.<br> I also really cringe at all these common generalisations over gender. A woman who is simply unhappy about something and rants about it is considered "hormonal", "premenstrual" or "having her periods" or just "emotional" whilst a man in the same situation is just having a rant. Women are said to be bitchy when men doing the same are not even categorised. Women supposedly love gossips but men are just sharing information... Women "nag nag nag" in heir relationship while men argue.<br> Women are deemed emotional, like arts and love shoes. Men with similar behaviours would be called sensible, educated and elegant.<br> I do care about my appearance and I probably have more items in my wardrobe than I should. Strangely enough my boyfriend's wardrobe is bigger and he does spend at least as much time to get ready than I do (15 min tops). I do like reading magazines and enjoy gossips. Strangely my latest team composed of men only and ex-fx traders were always talking about trends, cussing anyone out of fashion and controlling the gossips of the entire department. I am sometimes moody especially in the morning but nothing beats my boyfriend's streaks of anger int he morning. I don't drive and therefore it is easy for me to get aggravated when I hear comments about women being bad drivers, I agree. Still according to insurance companies men are far more involved in accidents than women. Strangely (again) common belief is that women are worse drivers than men...<br> Now let's have a look at scientifically proved facts. Men are loosing their home or car keys at least once a day and spend a lot of time looking for these. And I mean lots of time. Women spend far less time to fing keys. If you have ever been in a relationship you know it is true. as a woman you happen to know where your man's keys are even if you weren't there when he dropped them wherever he did drop them. scientists casme up with an answer to explain this. It is apparently about vision. a woman comes into a room and scans the whole place so that she has precise idea of what is where, the colour of th armair and the exact position of the car keys. Still according to scientists men have a different attitude when they get into a room. What matters to thm is only what is satisfying a specific purpose for them and the rest is ignored. Hence the keys situation. They can spend 2 hours looking for them and the woman who just gets or earlier got in the room is able to specifically pinpoint the location of the keys. According to scientists men and women have different ways to embrace space...<br> Whoever has been in a road trip with a person of the other gender can comment about it. It seems that women have difficulties to read a map and give the right info to the male driver. all the same it seems that a male driver seems uncapable of ever admitting he got lost and even consider asking a local for directions where women would do it immediately.<br> This is what scientists say. My personal experience concurrs. So yes men and women are different. As a feminist I have no problem agreeing with this. I also think that being different is great. Being different is the best thing. I just would like everyone to consider the following facts:<br> - Men are supposed to take care of all home building kits from Ikea (or elwhere). I am 33 and own my own drill because all my boyfriends and father have either destroyed walls and/or been unable to build the thing.<br> - Women are hormonal supposedly: yes they are, just as much as men. Men have hormones too, just as much. The difference with women is that they are pissy when there is no reason such as prriods for them to be...<br> - Women are emotional. Human beings are emotional. Even animals are. It is a quite good thing to be emotional because if you are not you are a robot... Men are emotional. A lot. It is just not called like that. But it should. Ask England supporters how they feel about England not making it to UEFA...<br> - Women do get pregnant whilst men don't. No arguing with that though I do know many mothers who would have happily passed the buck of being pregnant and giving birth to the father. Being pregnant is not an ilness and most women can carry a normal activity until term. The women who have to take time of work are in a situation that no man or other woman would envy and should get enpathy. Once the baby is born it is nowadays a similar task for the mother and the father to be in charge. Of course the breastfeeding is specifically a mother responsibility and that is why maternity leaves are made for in the UK. Milk is important for the baby, sure, but having 2 parents is equally important. Finland imposes a leave for both parents after a birth. How strange?! Funnilly enough Finland is the country in Europe that has the lowest criminal rate... Food for thoughts I guess.<br> - The other day I watched a movie called "Reign over me". I thought it was going to be a little American, a lot anti-terrorist and very much Twin Towers oriented. Turns out it wasn't. The mere point was about widowhood and coping as well as friendship and the need for human beings to have free time and think. One anecdote in this movie was about this widow who was not paying attention whe his wife about to disappear was telling him about how she was thinking about redecorating the kitchen and he dismissed the conversation just before finding out whe was in the first plane that hit the twin towers and died. He had since then been mourning in his own way and part of the process was his repetitive attempt to get the kitchen his late wife would have liked and this man's late understanding of something that mattered for his wife but he could not acknoeledge by the time she was alive. Later in the movie you see the parents of the late wife looking at the latest redocorating attempt by the widower and the woman saying that she is sure her daughter and grand-daughters would have like this kitchen after what her husband says - just like the widower daid in his last conversation with his wife - "this is just a kitchen". Women work on the "nest" by making all details important. The kitchen and its style is important and not linked to any cost or other consideration. The man might not see immediately a reason with it but when they are with the right partner they will see int he result a confirmation that they chose right. I do know a few menwho are much more involved than their wife in these matters and the wife will equally appreciate their attention to detail. Me and my partner cook and enjoy being in the kitchen and I know that if we ever have to choose a kitchen from scratch we will do it together. None of us is allocated to the redecorating business.<br> - I have a drill and a toolbox. My boyfriend has a toolbox but it is small. I am the one hammering nails in the walls and using the drills. He could do it though but not as well and it would probably take ages for him to get things done.I am a woman he is a man. The size of my toolbox doesn't make hima lesser man. I appreciates my skills and I appreciate him being open minded about me doing that kind of work.<br> - Whe we go out, usually together me and my boyfriend, he is happy for me to be meeting and talking with men and so I am when he does so with momen. I am not expecting him to mount any other woman for the sake of survival of human beings and believe that he is respectful o me in any situation even when I aam not aroung. Equally he is not punching anyone I am talking with and is genuinely happy that I am getting interest from other men and takes it as a compliment.<br> I feel very happy and grateful that I have a partner that is so outstanding. I am also glad that he is not such an exceptionand a lot of men around me are behaving in the same way as far as I know.<br> I am grateful for the improvements that have happened for momen int he past 20 years. I am more than grateful I was born in the mifd seventies instead of the mid fifties or sixties even.<br> Still there is a lot to fight for I think. I see lots of younger girls than me who are, I think, believing they are better off and do act in a way that makes me think they are worse off than my mother amnd grand-mother's generations.<br> I also believe that we are not helping each other as women nowadays. Where men stand for eachother just by the fact they are men we as women tend to bitch a lot and be the major obstacle for us to take over the world.<br> World take over is not my goal. Really. I just wish we, women, could be better at helping each other to just be happy.<br> It is a long way to go. I know. I think it is possible and that we are not better but worth it.<br> Are you up to be another woman helping another woman? My step daughter will be I guarantee yoy. My son or daughter (whatever it will be) will do so. So now it is really about you. Stop bitching about the other woman in the club/bar/restaurant/office. Give her a compliment and make her your ally. Hire women when you can and make sure yor pqrtner is being a parent as much as you are. This is for sure a way to improve the world and hence your own situation.</p> <p>I am hopeful. </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/28/mars-and-venus-or-murs-and-venars-or-men-4374635/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/28/mars-and-venus-or-murs-and-venars-or-men-4374635/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/20/girl-power-anything-left-4339068/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-06-20:/2008/06/20/girl-power-anything-left-4339068/Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:27:28 +0200 <p>Something that has been bothering me for a few months is who are the model figures for our youg girls and future women.<br> I am a woman. I am in age to have children but haven't gone there yet although I am now considering it as I have met a partner that makes me not only happy but also represents the father I would want to be a mother with. We haven't started the production, we are still practicing, but I would be happy and he would be too if we were to get into serious work in a year or so.<br> Although I am not the mother of someone I am already someone's stepmom. And I take my role seriously. And in mother tradition I have started to worry. Isn't this the job after all?</p> <p>I look at this little girl already so clever and so gorgeous and I make comparisons with what I know: not more and not less than me or what I remember of me. And I see her as a very much more confident and happy person than I was by 20. She is only 2! I feel that all the lessons we have had through observing our own parents together with the knowledge we all got in the past years through learning of opening up, getting closer to our feelings and understanding about how crucial it is to be encouraging free expression, has been making us parents who feel better and more secure about the task. It is still a difficult one and we all know that the worse is to come. Still I believe that we enjoy the task more than our parents did and that we take it with more delight and true interest.</p> <p>I am not saying though that we are better parents than ours were. I just think that they had more pressure and less preparation and also more time to spend with them...</p> <p>I set the plot and told you that I have a stepdaughter. As much as I enjoy every second with her, the worries have started eating me.<br> I am looking at how she will grow up and turn into a teenager and a woman. all this anyway is tricky independently of when and where you were born. Surel we all agree. </p> <p>What I worry about most is who or what is going to be leading her in life. I look around and struggle to find role models for little girls or teenagers. Who is out there is and is setting the plot for her? Who is out there that offers an aspirational way of life?</p> <p>I can think of Dora the exporer and thank god for her she is a strong feminine figure billigual and happy go lucky who finds resources to go through life with the help of her backpack and friends. I like Dora and my stepdaughter too. But hey this is going to last for a few years, maybe til she is 4 but what will happen then? Dora is not going to entertain for much longer if she even does it til she is 4. so what who is taking the lead?</p> <p>I have no idea.</p> <p>I remember being a post child. Not that being a child had been easy for me. But still after that what is there? I cannot find anythng out there that would be showing her the lead...</p> <p>Recently I have watched Kidulthood. That was the worse I could ever see probably in this perspective. Youg girls with no self estime, very deluded about life, their opportunities and ready to give it all for either a chewing gum or drugs. Girls who think they got the power over men but only through the cheap sale of their bodies. It made me sick.<br> I have been a teen ager too and I know thta it is the age during which you discover your power over men. I have used it and abused it for probably to many years but still the whole thing for me was to tast and check reactions but not to give anyone whatever they would ask for. Is Kidulthood a fair portrait of our society? I am not sure. Still it made me very sad.</p> <p>The OCDE has a way to calculate the rate of development of any country based on different and varied indicators. One of them is the price of the Big Mac is the specific country, another the number of tv per household. One siginficant indicator is the level of education of women. This indicator is quite strong in determioning the development of a country. It is easy to understand why: women are usually the primary input for children. If they are aware of basic rules of hygiene they will ensure the longevity of the life of their children. But they are also mostly responsible of education and pass on values through generations.</p> <p>The Uk is considered a developed country. It boasts culture and reafirms it with pride. Though rates of teenage suicide as well as teenage pregnacy are higher than ever. TV shows us multiple examples every day of celebrities who achieved this status by showing their feminine attributes (glamour girls supposedly the job most teenagers regard), and marrying males with money security. Jordan is the successful business woman and the WAGs are the most achieved result of a lifetime. What happened to us?</p> <p>When I was growing up all the girl power was still managing its way up but I was already encouraged to look at life in no different way than my fellow male school students. I was told that even if it might be a bit more difficult I could do whatever boys could. Women were getting into boardrooms and some were even ruling countries. I was not set such a challenge but just told that I could aim at what I wanted. There was no mistake though: I would have to give as much work as the boys if not more but I was allowed where my grandmother would never have thought about and where my mother could only dream of.<br> I never dreamt of showing my tits in the page 3. All the contrary: this would have been a shame. I never even imagined that I would marry a rich man and therefore earn my token for not make my own money. Never. I was raised by someone who knew all about it and wished me better than having to ask a man for money to buy a pair of socks.<br> allright the WAGS might not beg and they are actually buying really cute shoes. Good for them if it make them happy and fulfilled. Nothing wrong with it but I would not want to be in their situation. What if the hubby decides he has enough with you and shuts down the flow of cash. What if after a life of luxury and orange tan you are sent to the under the bridge life. What if you have already showed your tits by then and there is nothing left for you to sort yourself out?</p> <p>As much as I beleive that these women make a choice and should be respected for it I am worried that they are the only models offered nowadays to the growing generation. I am scared that too many girls see fame and no self respect as the way to go. For me it is worse than the time your parents were choosing your husband for you and you would have to be his slave for as long as he would live. I hate the idea that any woman would have limited choices in life at any point of their life.</p> <p>I wonder how our little girls will be facing the world and hope they will find some kind of inspiration to do so brilliantly. Women are our future, let's not forget about it. Let's make sure they get in the best possible situation in life.</p> <p>What do you think? </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/20/girl-power-anything-left-4339068/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/20/girl-power-anything-left-4339068/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/looking-good-naked-4283603/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-06-07:/2008/06/07/looking-good-naked-4283603/Sat, 07 Jun 2008 06:07:21 +0200 <p>Aaaaaargh!</p> <p>Another rant about tv? Yes but no but yes but no but yes...</p> <p>Just watched another "How to look good naked" and again having very mixed feelings and again thinking I should not have experienced that as a tv viewer.</p> <p>Will try and make this entry as short as possible. If you have read any of my previous blogs you'd know I don't have a tv and haven't had one for 9 years and feel pretty good about it although I quite like to be informed about what is going on in there and read anything that comments tv programmes...</p> <p>Now what about "How to look good naked"? Really? I agree with the main assumption in the show that is most women in this country (and probably in the western world, mind you in the rest of the "other" world they might have other concerns...) most women are concerned and obsessed about their body and their appearence. According to Gok, and I would not be questioning that fact, most women are actually unhappy/ashamed of their body. His point and main perspective in his show is that while a 90 percent of the UK female population is unhappy and ashamed about their body and appearence there is still only one woman type displayed in the magazines, adds and celebrity shots: the skinny, toned, tanned and small-round/bottomed and titsized woman that is realy the result of surgical enhancement procedures + botox etc + super wonder photoshop on a few. So basically we are all, us real women actually "competing" with a very tiny proportion of complete bollocks unreal images that are produced to makes us feel bad and buy lots of expensive stuff. The reality is that is is a winning strategy as we all, us real women, buy lots of that stuff. I do too... Less than I used to, more than I say I do, still more than I should considering that I do not make a living out of my body and that I have a boyfriend who allegedly loves me "how I am". Also I am taller than the average (5.7), slimmer than the average (65 kg), muscular and toned even if I stopped exercise about 15 years ago and live out of my achievements in childhood. I am 33 which means something like 125 in women years compared to boys years but for some reason (that might be relating to the fact that my parents have always been going to bed before 9pm, don't drink and don't smoke, never took drigs, and eat still very consciously) I actually look much younger. So you got it: I look good and young, I am thin and toned. Sure. Great. Still. I do feel the years adding up. I do have cellulite (I call it exponential cellulite as each month is worse than last year...). I go out and most of the time have to come to the hurtful realisation that I am the oldest woman in the premisces if I discard anyone having had a sex change.<br> I think I still look good and get my quota of compliments everytime I go out with the bonus of a few "can't believe you are 33, your skin is so beautiful!". I have friends and acquaintances, I have a job I actually enjoy and I even make money out of it. Someone I love loves me and I am pretty happy.<br> Why I am buying all this shit that is costly and is mostly failing into delivering a tight ass and cellulite-free thighs? How come am I still buying all these magazines that expose an image of a woman that actually doesn't exist and also displays all the adds that too easily convince any of us that by buying products we might have a chance to get closer to the 15 year old teen in the fashion shots that os supposed to look mid 20s and has been photoshpoed to hell? I do f**king now about it but I ma still going for the 3 ultimate anti-cellulite creams of the year and almost cry every time I have to face my image in a changing room...</p> <p>I watched about 4 "How to look good naked" programmes. I actually think that the main concept - make women stop competing with something that is not real and getting more confidence with their body, stop hiding it and start using their best features instead of hiding it all behing big tents of fabric - is positive and very right as well. I am also a strong believer that beauty and being attractive is more about what you ooze than exactly what you look like. I think that Gok's programme is very valid: taking someone very insecure through a path of 1) realising what their body really looks like versus their own mistaken idea 2) addressing a more adecuate clothing 3) challenging specific body problems 4) bringing on alternative feedback. I wouldn't do it otherwise. The whole process he proposes is a very proving one and shows results. </p> <p>So what? Well, I can't help but feel cringing during the whole show. I can't help but think that if anyone is feeling quite uncomfortable with their body it must be very distressing to have to be filmed in your underwear and then without it later on in the show. I makes me scream when Gok shows up at the "victim's" place and exposes the full content of her underwear drawer for the audience. It makes me absolutely mad when Gok has a talk with the "victim" about her posing nude and then even catwalking nude that turns into something that the "victim" might very much feel as something she has no choice about. I see that person coming out of all it and being very much chuffed about the whole experience (they just had a crowd shouting they were great and probably feel very high then)and they acknowledge the change for better then. I am pretty sure that this woman feels great then while filmed but what about after when the realisation of what they ahve dome in front of the cameras sinks in? They have been filmed at their most vulnerable moment in the worst and ugly and unprepared underwear, they had their body exposed when they were not even showing it in dim lights to their boyfriends/husbands, they showed themselves in the worse looking big pants (worse than Bridget Jones'biggest pants!) and had to have their worse pants displayed on tv...</p> <p>I like the personal development part of the show and really believe it is successful in making these women more confortable and confident but I hate the fact that it is broadcasted. I can't help myself to think that these women might feel very embarrassed when the show is on. I'd love for someone to give me more confidence, give me advoce and suggesting outfits I might not consider but would be better for me than what I usually wear. Still there is no way gok is showing up at mine uninvited and goes through my wardrobe and displaying anything I don't want him to. No way I am going for a nude shot that will be broadcasted accross the country (at least) and then getting pushed into catwalking in a mall next door to mine (come on!!!) in underwear with a potential plus of me going on there naked.<br> No way, Jose!</p> <p>Arrrrrrgh... Am I the only one to cringe?! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/looking-good-naked-4283603/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/looking-good-naked-4283603/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/big-brother-4283520/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-06-07:/2008/06/07/big-brother-4283520/Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:39:28 +0200 <p>You'll think I am a fake for writing this (specially after having written that I was going to bed but hey, second thoughts happen to anyone right!).</p> <p>Big Brother UK 2008. It started tonight. I don't have a TV. I haven't had one in 9 years and feel pretty good about it. I am aware of what is going on in TV though and read anything related furthermore love to talk or write about it. S<br> till I haven't watched BB ever in the UK or elsewhere. I have heard about some of the very very outstanding participants (usually for bad bad bad reasons you all know as well whatever your involvment in it is) but I am still quite a virgin in that register.<br> This was just to set the plot and tell you more about who I am beforehand. But let's get personal!</p> <p>Last night I watched the BB 2008 "entering the BB flat and introduction of participants" show at a friend's. It was on but we weren't really watching... For some reason I was the only one stuck in front of th screen absolutely gobsmacked! It was quite something... Let me detail and ask you for input - as per now I feel quite lost:</p> <p>1. I cannot really inderstand how anyone would want to go there (I haven't watched it before but still know that nothing interesting, valuable or worth the experience is going to happen to the contestants). What are these persons' motivations??? Do they have any motivation in life?</p> <p>2. Who is in age of getting there and able to leave work for many weeks or months? I( do not even know how long the whole thing lasts for but more than a 2 weeks holiday, right?): a person of private means, I'd guess. But, hey, as far as I know there was no one in that situation to ever participate in the UK version (please correct me if I am wrong). So anyone who participates is therefore someone who is potentially not liable or has fixed costs like rent and additional bills for the amount of time the whole thing could last for (are contestants being paid or do they get any kind of compensation for the time they are in? You tell me).<br> Who is that? Well if you ask me... You are not but if you're reading you're gonna get my opinion!<br> I believe that a BB contestant is a person who is not involved (yet or ever) whatsoever in real life and is therefore able to "disappear" (rather the contrary I'd say as they will be over-exposed) for a number of weeks/months. To me that means someone who is not part of society and someone who is not accountable. Let's call it: you must be some kind of looser with little options in life (in your early 20s!!!) to get in there. So young and so limited... How sad! This should be a very important reminder for our political representatives to create possibilities an opportunities for this category of people. I feel sick at the idea that every year a considerable number of twenty-something apply to appear in this show and consider that option as the best they could possibly have in life. This is wrong. Very wrong. Any mayor or MP should seriously consider the fact that a large population of the UK is so limited in their potential that they consider BB as a strong chance to improve their lifes... That or shagging some football/showbusiness/political "elite" and then sell the story to a tabloid an dmaking a few bucks, get slashed by the audience, buy a flat in some shihole in Spain, get a boob job and open to more opportunities in life as such as shagging another Z-list celebrity and have the story sold by either a "best" friend or even their mother.<br> Seriously we are in a developped country. One of the G7. The elite of the western world. Meaning basic requirements in terms of political stability and level of health and education are accessible to most. These criterias once met should guarantee that the generation in age to be starting or involved in the professional life should be given enough choices to be performing for themselves and the elders in that society. They should see rewards in progressing in their development and should be driven to make a living and at the same time have faith in the idea of being able to always get more out of their consistent efforts not only for themselves and family but also for the community and society they live into.<br> I don't think it is the case at the moment and feel deeply concerned about it. I see BB and he fact it is still going as a failure for the government of this country to offer mainstream good free education and real opportunities and to anyone. Furthermore the success of BB shows that there is an audience of disillusioned people not involved enough to have the time to watch a very uninteresting statement of their own failure and lost faith in anything worthwhile.<br> How sad...</p> <p>3. I understood throught the comments that at least 2 of the contestants are parents of young children.<br> How shocking is this? How questionable? Questionable more for the people who choose the contestants than the contestants themselves!!! A young child that you are raising on your own (that is what I thought you could understand from the descriptions last night) and you leave them to get into over-exposition and great chances of being slagged off publicly for anything you will be dpoing during the show or whatever you did before and will be getting out of the trashcans of your past and dissected in the media and then out there for ever, that you marry a footballer a rockstar or that you have to go back to where you started but with such a diminished credidibility that your potential is reduced to ever be at lowest payroll you ever thought existed?! Come on! Child services should be on the case for god's sake! And mediatic ethical authorities should be involved in questioning the ethos of the producers of BB. Am I the only one shocked?! Please share your thoughts!</p> <p>4. As I explained I haven't been watching BB so far but I have read and heard about what has happened before in it. It is usually not anything anything anyone would be proud to be told about them...<br> Anytime BB is mentioned it is rather about scandalous and or embarrassing facts. I would imagine that anyone applying to get in there has more information that me and has been watching the programme more than me. I would think that they are also very much aware of what happend to any of the previous contestants. You have more chances to be ridiculed than to ever make anything out of it. Why would you ever take that risk? Then how would they want to be involved?! I don't get it!</p> <p>5. Who watches BB? Seriously? Who could possibly be interested in watching a buch of loosers (see point number 2) every day and minute for weeks? I do not comprehend this... The few bits I have seen before were moments of strong boredom and stupidity that weren't even funny oir entertaining... Rather ugly and pathetic. Mostly the image of anything you would never want to be any close!<br> But someone must be watching or the programme wouldn't be on anymore, right? But who then? complete enigma to me. Please help here and give me some info about the audience and if you are watching explain why. I might be completely off the case and unable to get the point and would love to get some valuable input.</p> <p>6. Who the f**k are the BB contestants? Oh my god! Nothing like anyone I know and god knows my entourage is quite varied... But these persons are just like caricatures! They don't seem real to me. Are they? do they qualify in any way as a truthful sample of the UK? Again please help!</p> <p>7. "Big Brother" originally is a figure of an overly-controlling-surveilling and -heavyly- repressional system in Orwell's "1984". Nothing attractive about it, all the contrary.<br> Though the idea of a TV show showcasing the experiment of putting together a sample of the society of the country in which it is broadcasted and watch their living together, organising themselves in a somehow different evironment to which they are used to would be interesting to me. An experiment of this kind, if carried in a scientific way (will get there in a second), would be, according to me, very interesting to watch and could even lead to raise people's awareness, on top of the entertaining potential. Let me now explain what I mean about scientific and how the same concept could become less questionable to me and even become potentially a source of learning. Here would be my criteria for a watchable BB:<br> a) a real sample of the population. We are talking mixed gender, sexual preferences and age, we are talking diverse socio-professional classes, we are talking diversity in terms of ethnicity, alternative values, religions, political preferences and perspectives.<br> b) this sample of population would have to face real life situations (not silly challenges) and would have enough freedom to act to actually decide themselves for their own ways of survival. It would be really interesting to see a sample of society being offered the possibility to create a different society than the one they experience in "real" life and organise themselves in order to go through the experiment of seclusion and limited access to the outside.<br> c) I would want to watch a programme that would be showing debates about anything we are facing as a community/society by people who can use their own experience to discuss those topics and bring some light on what could be very diverse perspectives and therefore offer what most of us - in the audience - might not be exposed to.<br> These debates would be interesting even more if they could be followed up (as they would be genuine and representative of the population in the UK) by mayors or PMs or anyone in charge politically. These debates could be the base for either clarifying and or raising more interest in many of the the topics at stake at the moment in the country. </p> <p>8. I actually don't have a point 8. Just wanted to reming you that I was into those sections to express my amazement at the new series of BB starting, again... before I got to my conclusion. Conclusion just here below! You've got so far? You should carry on because there is not much til the end (I promise!).</p> <p>I won't be watching BB 2008. Shouldn't be a surprise to you if you read he whole thing til here (bless you). If you are in shock at this point, really you should be checking into any kind of rehab facility or get a job in the next "Cuckoo's nest" musical (and if you really thought there was such musical around you should call NOW for an ambulance). If not so carry on reading (still doesn't mean that that you are mentally fit - let's admit that you reading me til this word is definitely not getting you points in a sanity test...).<br> So, let's get it together again: I won't be watching BB2008. Easy for me as I don't have a TV you would say. Still even so. I am appalled by the way the concept is being used and also by the contestants that have been selected in the previous versions but specially those I have seen getting "inside" last night.</p> <p>Come on! Yes they might be components of the UK. yes they might be real and truthful to what they are or have been so far... But to me they are a special sample of what is not really what I am experiencing every day or what surrounds me. I agreee that we al live in microcosms that give an image of what is very much like ourserves only. I might only be socialising with people in my age and professional register, similar education level and earning but I am living in this world, namely London and I meet therefore many different people and also get to socialise with people who are not exactly like me. Still I don't think that anyone around me would include in their social circle the whole cast of BB 2008. That is why I call it a fake, stupid, meaningless programme.<br> Still I would be happy to change my mind of I was to be hearing about anyone being able to prove that the BB sample is actually somethong he or she believes to be, not the "girl next door" but, the "environment next door".</p> <p>I am really and sincerely waiting for you to prove me wrong. If not I will keep on thinking that I am right about it all ankd that I know it all.<br> This is your opportunity, please don't miss it or I might get into politics.......</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/big-brother-4283520/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/big-brother-4283520/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/it-sucks-4283443/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-06-07:/2008/06/07/it-sucks-4283443/Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:53:13 +0200 <p>Shortest blog ever I guess...</p> <p>It sucks... I feel really frustrated as no one seems to be reading my posts ever.<br> So here it is: I am really boring!</p> <p>All right, got and going to bed now... And if nothing tomorrow, well I'll stay in bed forever! Yup!</p> <p>bye babies </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/it-sucks-4283443/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/06/07/it-sucks-4283443/#commentshttp://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/is-simon-cowell-guilty-4234058/tag:thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk,2008-05-28:/2008/05/28/is-simon-cowell-guilty-4234058/Wed, 28 May 2008 05:28:34 +0200 <p>You just read the title and got interested but I should warn you that this is not about any discussion about the necessity of fake tan or an attempt to understand the use of botox in modern society or even a trial destined to judge those who make a statement by wearing too tight clothes... Sorry to disappoint you but enough sources are debating over these already and I am not interested.</p> <p>I just had a quite animated interaction with my boyfriend who just decided to go to bed after exposing his point of view and therefore let me alone to expose mine to you. Beware! I am in a quite fierce mood...</p> <p>It all started when I said the following: "I believe Simon Cowell is responsible for the most despicable result of modern society. In my view he is one of the peace criminals of our time."<br> Quite a bold statement. Yes, I agree. Exagerated? Maybe... Unfounded? I DON'T THINK SO!<br> Let me explain what I didn't get a chance to do earlier to my tired boyfriend/Simon Cowell's defense - grrrrr - who fled away before even hearing my argument!</p> <p>I should remind you first that I haven't got a tv. I haven't had one in 9 years. Call me weirdo if you want, although I assure you I am a person who feels perfectly comfortable in society and who is able to handle conversations even when they relate to what is on tv. I am aware of what is going on and read about new programmes or more consensual ones. I do read about what is on and occasionally watch programmes either at my friends' or on the BBC iplayer or Channel4 4oD. YouTube clips I receive in my email or Facebook and MySpace accounts get the attention they require depending on how they have been introduced to me or the amount of time I have when I do receive them... You get it: I don't watch tv but still I live on this planet and get informed.</p> <p>Am I watching Simon Cowell's shows? No. Have I ever watched any of it? Yes. Do I know what they are about? The f*ck I know! How do I feel whenever I get across these and get the experience? Really bad. Really ashamed of having done so. Do I enjoy a little bit what I am seeing? A little bit. Just this little bit that makes me ashamed. Ashamed why? Because there is always something quite enjoyable to watch someone who is going to show me that the most embarrassing moment (I should go plural here, yeah I know, thanks!) is never ever going to compare to what I am watching. It is comforting to see worse or much worse than yourself. It makes you feel better. Better than them. But not for long. </p> <p>My point?! Time to get there! Here you go! How despicable is it to offer the worse to the People! How wrong and how disgusting is it to entertain you and me and the others with a very clear example of failure and lack of any talent. How easy easy easy is it to offer to the crowd what is stamped with "WON'T MAKE IT, NO F*CKING WAY". How easy is it to immediately recognise anything that is not worthy to be appearing in front of an audience, not to say an audience maximised by the magic of tv? Hey, I don't work in a record company but you probably don't either. Though how easy is it to see that these teenage girls twirling hoola hoops while they are attempting to sing whatever they were singing are no good and will probably never get to the level that is required for them to ever earn enough to live from their performance? You don't need to be in that business to tell. Yet someone has to tell them. And yes they need to know before they leave school to start "a" career. Here starts the argument as I saw it.</p> <p>My boyfriend says that Simon Cowell is the good one in all this because he is the one and only who ever tells people they should forget about it. My boyfriend feels that Simon C. is the only person who acts in the benefit of these who should be told about that they stand no chance. He sees Simon as some hero out of a board of senseless people who lack the guts to tell it how it is. According to him Simon is some kind of saint who not only is able to distinguish from the talented and the untalented but also has the nerve to explain it clearly to those who should start focusing on something else than showbusiness. My boyfriend believes sincerely that Simon Cowell is someone who inspires the best in this country and makes sure that the best are taken in the fast lane and those who do not meet with the pre-requisites are told so in the clearest way and get sent back to whatever else they should get focused on.</p> <p>Bullshit! You know what: yes I believe in competition and yes I am into recognition of the best according to pre-estated rules. Let me carry one: yes I believe in entertainment that shows assertiveness and is quite fierce in its promoting potential and turning it into assets. Yes, in a way I believe that the programmes of Simon Cowell do provide entertainment and show assertiveness and also turn potential into assets. But for what price? Talk about collateral damage... And then talk about society damage!<br> Let me explain and also let me just tell you about how you make a show... Yes, for those who would't know whatever you see is the result of a lot of work produced by a lot of people. I am sure you know that but let's look into it.<br> Season starts and all of the country is looking for a new star. (So far I got nothing to say - thought it was worth letting you know). Simon Cowell's company has been working for a long time already and they were looking for the best. Yeah right. Might be... But hey, come on, you know it too, they have been looking for the worse too. And the worse is out there, no question. There is a lot of worse compared to the best (what a surprise!). What is great with the worse is that you can identify it immediately. We are talking super bad here. It is very very easy to identify. and you all know about it when you see it on screen, or not?! Well it is really unless you are performing it. How funny is it to see the worst performer give you a super confident speeech before the performance that you have already identy as one of the lamest? Priceless! You haven't seen it but you know already. Alright we get a glimpse and together with the speeech, decor, costumes and explanation of the number you got enough already to make your own idea. Ahhhhh. You and me feel amazed that they are still going to go for it. Here they go. They are on stage and not only are they on stage but they are already seeing themselves living right next to Mariah Carey, just witH a bigger house... They still haven't started but we know: they'd better haven't left their jobs yet because it is going to be a carnage. This is the time to turn off the tv because we know what is happening next. No chance they will make a buck with THAT. This is the moment I want to leave and go back home to my flat deprived of tv. I feel punched in my stomach... But I stay. I want to see see the slaughter. As if I had been in Rome many centuries ago. I t hurts and I know what is going to happen but "they" created this need for me to stay and see the slaughter. And the slaughter happens. Whatever the others sitting a the same judging desk do it is all about SC. SC only matters. SC shows his fist and the contestants are heading to the crocodiles! Oh no wait! This is modern civilisation! Crocodiles: sure fact, you are going there (new mortgage or not new morgage) but you won't get there that easily, haha! Modern civilisation brought us microphone which equal to crocodile sentence with a twist. Yeah now you get ridicule on top. Public ridicule with chosen words by Simon Cowell. Do you remember what bullied at school was? Well that was just to get you used to the idea that being humiliated in life was so far bearable and quite discreet. Do you know what it is to be bullied when you are out of school and in fron t of all your relatives, acquaintances and also anyone you don't know? Well, now you know!<br> I wonder what these girls who were twirling their hoola hoops and singing while beeing sure they were the next Spice Girls are doing now. And actually aI am quite worried about them. I am also worried about anyone else who feels they have somethig grand to make it and actually have no chance but will focus on nothing else before they get publicly humiliated by Simon the 1st.</p> <p>Yes Simon is guilty. He has teams of people circling the country looking - all right for a few potentially talented people probably but still - making sure weird strange and let's say it bad performing acts are selected and invited for the recorded shows. They make bread and butter out of the ones that are surely going to get thrown out in no nice way. And it makes me sick to imagine these execs of the super boss organising local contests and rejoicing everytime they fing a perl - understand here a perfect rebute for the boss. They know as well as I do and YOU do that what they see is bad. The bad is definitely selected. And you can be sure that they are going for the bad bad bad. And they know it straight away, come on. Still they give the bad bad bad an appointment. Imagine how many apppointments the bad bad bad get before they appear in front of Simon Cowell... I'd guess about 3 min and it is probably 5 or more... No wonder the bad bad bad think they got IT! No wonder they look so proud and self assured! It is all engineered for our entertainment. They're shit but they thik they're gold: what a superb entertainment when Simon tells them the truth! How much satisfaction do I get to see Mr. Weirdo dismissed. He looks so worse than me. Ahhhhh I am not that bad: Mr. Weirdo is! Comforting, oh yes! Disgusting? Arrrg, vomit!<br> And what about Mr. Weirdo? He has been called 5 times. He has been performing in front of SC employees and they supported him. He might have made plans, maybe even sold his place so he could start his new career.... What happens to these contestants who have been led to believe they were close to make it? We will probably never know. It would probably not be so good for the attendance of the new auditions. It is better to make sure that ANYONE believes in their capacity to make to make it until after Simon Cowell... </p> <p>Tv has been using competitions forever. anything in our society is about competition. I don't mind it. I am quite happy to watch contestants with a potential fighting for a number one position. I am really embarrassed though to have to watch people who in normal life would have been turned away by the bottom of the pyramid to have to go through the process of building hope and then get ridiculed in the biggest amount of audience they could have ever dreamed of to celebrate their success. I blame Simon Cowell when he seems to look good by giving a final sentence to someone who won't make it for sure in front of millions while this person had all their dreams magnified by the recruiters of the show who from the forst second knew they had no talent whatsoever. I blame Simon Cowell to air a show that gives hope to those who shouldn't and fluffes the hopes of those who are goign to be the best to be dismissed publicly. I blame Simon Cowell for making his money out of the hope of life change from thise who have nothing else to expect anymore. I blame him to make the most outrageous public dismissals that any of us could make (without orange skin and awful fashion mistakes). Simon Cowell is guilty of bringing reality tv to a new low: the "I know it is low but let's tell no one, let's me look like I am the best out of the judges I selected myself and probably provide what to say and let me make my money ovefr those who can believe they could make it because I give them all material to think so.</p> <p>Simon Cowell, you are guilty of making this world worse than it is. And God knows that was a real challenge!</p> <p>If you wonder about it: no, my boyfriend is not getting crumpets! </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/is-simon-cowell-guilty-4234058/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://Thiscouldbearadioshow.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/is-simon-cowell-guilty-4234058/#comments