Things you shouldn’t post on Facebook according to ME!

After reading this post from Jeff Bullas ‘Things you should not share on social media’

I’ve come up with some of my own in particular…

Things you shouldn’t post on Facebook according to ME!

ANY copy and paste statuses

Most are pointless, some are sickly, some are just a front for racism.

If you have something to say, say it in your own way. They’re like a modern version of a chain letter  trying to guilt trip you into posting it on.

Copy and paste this if you love your child/mother/father/brother/sister/nan/dog/cat etc etc.

Obviously if you don’t copy and paste it you are a cold heartless b*st*rd with no feelings. Erm… actually no. I love my family and friends very much. They know this because I am there for them and I also tell them.

Copy and paste this if you know anyone who has been affected by cancer/depression/the common cold etc.

I don’t want to sound unfeeling on this but if people truly give a sh*t about an issue then why not post up a  link to a site with information or ways you can donate to the charity? Why not write a note or blog to say why this issue is important to you and why you are raising awareness of it? I care rather too deeply for the plights of people in worse situations than myself. In no way do I think that copying and pasting something into my status will help anyone. Instead I work, share and promote the causes that are important to me.

Copy and paste this if, like me you’re a racist who can’t articulate your own words.

You know the ones. They usually involves some ridiculously inaccurate Daily Mail statistics about immigrants or how our NHS  is failing because of Polish people blah blah blah. If you have a valid agrument and have checked your sources fair enough but really, try harder or just don’t post anything at all. Failing that just change your profile picture to Hitler and be done with it.

Copy and paste this if you have no ability to think for yourselves. . . You get my gist.

Over-lol-ing

Now I like to laugh out loud in real life. The occasional typed lol is fine (although I am a haha-er myself) but WHY WHY WHY do people insist on using it as a punctuation? Rather than a full stop people type lol at the end of statuses or comments even when it does’t make ANY sense to whatsoever. LOL.

Just had gammon and chips for tea. LOL!

Took my car for an MOT. LOL.

Broke my leg today. LOL.

NOOOOOOO! Not LOL.

Minute details of pregnancy, childbirth, babies’ toilet habits….

I love babies, I love that some of my Facebook friends are happy to be pregnant. However, I do not need to hear about every symptom they experience from conception to birth. Even more so I don’t want to hear about placentas, the state of their child’s nappies when they do arrive, potty training fiascos or similar. The odd scan picture and a few pics after the birth for us to aaahhh at is cool. One of my Facebook friends would post a weekly picture of her little (VERY cute) baby boy and it was nice to see because you could see how he changed and it didn’t become boring as it was not complete timeline bombardment. Had she posted an update every time he had a poo that would be different!

Relationship issues

People who feel the need to live their whole relationship good and bad via Facebook. Warts and all (in fact I wouldn’t be at all surprised if people did post pics of their warts an’ all!). Now occasionally I may post a comment on my beloved’s Facebook and he on mine. Occasionally. If we want to tell each other we love each other we can do that at home. If we want a row we can use our voices to adequately convey our feelings. We do not feel the need for everyone on our friend’s list to know about it. OK so we do occasionally poke each other for fun too but that is also private!

Racism

A sure fire way to get unfriended. No more explanation needed.

Countdowns

42 days until I go on holiday – Repeated every day until said holiday.

Only 196 days until Christmas! I’m starting my shopping today.*smug face*  -  SAD! 

Wishing your life away

Urggh, Monday morning, roll on Friday.

Is it the weekend yet?

It nice to have things to look forward to but Facebook seems to be full of miserable people who just constantly wish their lives away. Live for the now. Yes Mondays can be rubbish but life’s what you make it. If EVERY week you just moan that it’s not the weekend then you need to be reviewing what you’re doing with your life. Get something mid week to look forward to, change your job, sort out your relationship, whatever. Embrace every day. Life’s too bleedin’ short. And if you’re having a bad day deal with it, get help from those you love but please, don’t bring us all down too!

Hangovers *yawn*and Booze Bores

It usually goes something like this…

Can’t wait to get wasted on Friday.

Having a few before we get to the pub.

Incohererent status full of typos.

Oohh why do I  feel so terrible.  I’m never drinking again.

REPEAT. Every week. Get a life or get some help.

So that’s my rant done for now. LOL. ; )

Stace x

 

A 27 year old woman dies and she ‘deserves’ it??

I felt the need to have a bit of a rant after hearing the news about Amy Winehouse. Now I wasn’t a particular fan but of course have followed her life over the last few years as we all have as she batttled her addictions.

Here comes the rant. Having logged onto Twitter and (and Facebook briefly but really, I knew that would be even more ignorant) there are varying comments being made. A lot saying how sad it is, some how it was inevitable but also some that she deserved it.

After the news yesterday about the mostly young lives lost in Norway then of course one death is not as big but the fact is Amy’s death is more relevant to us in this country and she’s a celeb. Celeb stories alway pull in the crowds rightly or wrongly.

Amy had a lot of problems and she did access rehab and help on several occasions but it just shows the power and control that drugs (legal and illegal) had on her that she lost her life due to it. The thing that gets me is that people fail to realise that all sorts of addictions can lead to death. OK so we’re not all dying suddenly like she has but people do die from making unheathy choices in life be it smoking, toking, drinking, snorting, injecting, overeating or engaging in other risky but fun behaviours. In fact how many deaths are really 100% blame free? If someone dies of cancer because of an addiction to legal drug Nicotine should we all not be sad and dismiss it because they ‘deserved’ it. If someone dies of heart disease because they enjoy eating junk food should we not give a shit?? If someone doesn’t wake up on a night out after too much legal beer and vodka do they deserve it? If a young person snorts a few lines too many on a Friday night and their heart gives out should we all hoorah??

I hope Amy is at peace wherever she is and I hope all the people who are making despicable comments do not lose anyone they love because of a natural human compulsion to eat things, drink things or take things that make them feel better.

Peace, love, EMPATHY!!

Stace x

My response to the David Cameron interview on Drugs & Legalisation

I felt the need to get a few things of my chest having just viewed the following video of our great leader David Cameron.

 

Please note in some ways I have been a fence sitter regarding the pros and cons of legalising Cannabis. I try and see both sides of the argument. However, his comments today in response to the questions he was asked are dimissive and make me very angry.

Point 1) Alcohol and Tobacco are more addictive. FACT. Alcohol damages the body far more and has far far far less medicinal benefit. Tobacco (Nicotine) is more addictive. FACT. You’re not answering the question Mr Cameron! Yes I believe Cannabis can lead to a psychological dependency for some people but if you are legally allowing people to make a choice to use Tobacco and Alcohol then why not Cannabis too? If you are so concerned about people’s physical and mental health why not ban them all?? We all know the answer to that.

Point 2) Hoorah, he agrees education in schools is vital. So provide us with a statutory framework compulsory in ALL schools, train teachers to give out credible information, fund programmes and services (coughs) that can deliver the goods. Redivert FRANK money so that those that are the most vulnerable get the information and support they need rather than basic, ill targetted and sometimes factually incorrect propaganda.

Point 3) IF

‘Marijuana’ is incredibly damaging and leads to HUGE mental health problems’

then it is BECAUSE of the fact it’s illegal and not properly regulated or controlled. It is in the hands of criminals. If higher THC levels in Cannabis contribute to an increased risk to mental health then if he really wanted to help people he would find a way to regulate. He allows Alcohol to continue to be legal which actually does contribute to HUGE mental health problems so on this basis, make Alcohol a Class B too!

Point 4) Dismissing a question about the medical use of Cannabis is quite bloody offensive. It had been proven countless times that it is much more beneficial and less addictive than drugs that the pharmaceutical companies he would advocate and probably has a vested interest in dish out. Thousands of people in our country are in pain and suffering and his policies criminalise them for wanting to be able to legally choose a drug that could help them a great deal to lead more fulfilling lives. It’ s not all just about stoners wanting to get high!

Point 5) Making drugs legal will make them more prevalent? Really?You know that? If policies to date have not worked why not try something different? Why not listen to the people that know what they are talking about? How about pulling your head out of your arse and seeing how dangerous and harmful your policies are? How about realising you have the power to really reduce the harm that ALL drugs can cause but politically you nor many politicians have the balls to make the radical changes that are so badly needed?

And so on and on and on and on.

Rant over. . .for now.

 

 

Misjudging people who ‘do’ drugs! – Don’t get me wrong

This may get a bit ranty.

An issue that has again reared its head this weekend and recently is how some people who know me, including some I consider friends still don’t really understand what I do. It’s been nearly eleven years FFS! Maybe it’s because I don’t talk about it much at social occasions because of the misjudging thing, I hate people getting me all wrong. Hmmm.

Anyway, the two groups I’m going to refer to that I feel are misjudged are people who take drugs and people who work in the drugs field. (There is a crossover of course!)

People who ‘do’ drugs as in take drugs

Now I’m talking about what most of society consider ‘drugs’. Usually they mean illegal drugs. Obviously though this is not the case. Drugs, substances, whatever you want to call them can be  legal, illegal, over the counter and prescription. So really most of us take drugs. The people my work  supports are those that have suffered due to their use. My cause is to help society realise that they can treat them like humans rather than something you scrape of your shoe. People assume that if an individual uses a drug then they somehow deserve to be treated badly. If I know someone snorts Coke, I don’t treat them differently just because it’s not a choice I make. That’s their business.

People who ‘do’ drugs as in work in the drugs field

(When people ask what I do for a living I say ‘Drugs’. Then I try to briefly explain.)

For some reason, maybe an after effect of the widespread coverage in the 80′s of the ridiculous Just Say No campaign some people automatically assume that it’s about being anti drugs, that if you work in this field you just talk non stop about how drugs are bad. This is hilarious to me. I think drugs are great, without them I would be sprogged up several times over, my heart may have chosen not to work properly and when I get one of my super headaches I may not be such a well bunny. Luckily the fellow drug worker colleagues that I know are not anti-drugs either. We tend to just want people to be as happy and healthy as possible.

So to clarify….

• I train people who may come into contact with those that have addictions so that there is less judgement. As well as helping them understand what the effects can be my main passion is to highlight the effects stigma and discrimination can have and help them to find their empathy so they can support people as anyone with a health issue is entitled to be supported.

• I work with young people so they know their stuff so they can make informed choices whichever they may be.

• I train staff who come into contact with people with drug problems so that they can support them more effectively. If they can do this they are more like to get treatment and therefore have more chance of recovery. This helps the whole of society.

• I work with services users who are still in treatment,  or who have been in treatment in the past and who are trying to deal with their shit. A lot of people shy away from dealing with their issues. Problematic Drug and Alcohol users don’t have this option, sometimes because it is life or death they are choosing between.

• I also use a technique called EFT which helps people with all sort of emotional issues, including addictions and cravings. It’s really quite effective and although I know it could help a lot of my close friends and family I do not inflict it upon them. They can ask to try it by all means.

• 4 o clock on a Sunday morning when I’m outside a club isn’t in fact the work hours I set myself, especially now I’m self-employed. Yes I will help my friends but my work doesn’t mean I have to deal with everyone who is drunk or high. Just like if the toilets in the club got blocked a plumber reveller wouldn’t necessarily have to be the one to deal with it. .. I could think of more examples but you get my gist.

• It’s both funny and frustrating to me that whilst most  of my work involves helping people to be less judgemental of those that use drugs that I myself can be judged so poorly.

• Yes I take drugs. I drink Caffeine everyday, I take beta blockers everyday. I quite like a nice Co-codamol or two for my previously mentioned super headaches. Occasionally I drink the drug Alcohol which enhances a night out for me as it and other drugs may do for other people.

If anyone would like to know more about what I do please drop me an E-mail or even better speak to me face to face.

Peace, love, empathy

Stace x

F*ckin’ Daily Mail/Tories Strike again – Prosecute horny teens?

Tory MP Tim Loughton wants underage teens who have sex to be prosecuted

I posted this in response and thought I should blog it too.

I can’t even believe this has even warranted space.

So what penalties would this ‘Senior’ MP suggest? Will it be a massive deterrent like our drug laws are to young people?!!!

Should we build extra prisons for horny teenagers? Fine parents whose kids are caught having sex? Or even better why not just parade them around the streets with ‘I’m an immoral dirty boy/girl’ branded on their foreheads.

Oh I can’t wait to vote Tory now. Can’t wait to get other similar minded people in charge of our country who are so young people focused. Bravo Mr Loughton.

Young people have and always will have the desire to have sex. Education is important but criminalising and setting up young people to fail for something that is natural is sick.

If I had a hat I wouldn’t be able to get it on. 

No peace, love, or empathy for the Tories or Daily Mail today.

Stace x

Mephedrone drone

Shock horror! Two teenagers die from LEGAL drugs Mephedrone (and Alcohol).

BBC Mephedrone story

Cue media hype. Ban it immediately! Noone ever uses drugs when they are illegal do they??  Our drug laws are such a deterrent anyway aren’t they? Oh please don’t give me a £60 fine, anything but that! Hmmmm.

Not being flippant about the deaths of two young men but in no report have they attributed it to Alcohol. Would they have died if they had taken just the Mephedrone alone?

Why do the Government and the media who jump on the droning bandwagon when these deaths occur not realise how ridiculous they sound?

By their logic any drugs that kill should be made illegal. Let’s just think about that. I haven’t got time to dig up the figures but thousands die every year from the legal drug Alcohol  (and of course from smoking), from the misuse of prescription medications (pedalled by dealers, or the bigger dealers, pharmaceutical companies) but they don’t create a media frenzy and make calls to ban them.

Professor Nutt’s Guardian article

In the last 6 months Mephedrone has been all over the media. I wonder if the use of it would not have escalated if they had just shut up. There’s always going to be a certain amount of people who will read the articles  and see the TV reports that it  is a stimulant with some similar effects to Speed and Ecstasy and think ‘that sounds like a good idea’. Stop hyping it up! I just got a call asking if I’d talk to a couple of our local radio stations about it. I declined, I don’t trust the media and I don’t think I would toe the party line in what I would say. I’ve said it here instead.

I’m off to deliver a drug awareness session to some 16-19 year old lads now.  I wonder what their take on the story will be.

Peace, love, empathy

Stace x

Seven things that suck about Facebook

FDAs

Facebook Displays of Affection.

I love you.

I love you more.

I reaaalllly love you.

I love you so much.

Look how much we love each other. LOOK how much we love each other. Please look? Please?

Oh… they’ve split up now….

Political Views: BNP

Oh really? You feel the need to let people know you are an ignorant piece of sh*t? No probs, carry on…….Hitler was quite outspoken too apparently, never one to hide his views. Well done.

Copy and paste statuses

Horrible illness/child murder/current media bandwagon issue (delete as applicable). 93% of people on Facebook will not copy and paste this blah blah blah…

Does anyone really think that this makes any difference? If you really do  care about the issue just donate to the cause or do something positive about it. Write to your MP, protest, whatever,  just stop clogging up status updates with it.

See who has viewed your profile apps

They. Don’t. Work.

People who cheat at Scrabble

Please don’t play me. I hate cheats!  There is no point.

Teenagers with poor English (or even worse, older people)

Now some of the teenagers on my friends list are likely to also be my family but even so. Incorrect use of the English language is something that I cannot tolerate. Just try harder please. Get a dictionary if that will help.

Examples

wiv – It’s WITH

ent- I presume ain’t but I haven’t or have not would be better

ur – YOU ARE. Two words not two letters

av – HAVE

gd  – GOOD

agen – AGAIN

Don’t get me started on their, there and they’re, I’ll be here all night.

Alcohol

People who insist on telling everyone how drunk they are going to get on Friday night and then spend the weekend moaning about how depressed/hungover/ill they feel. Boring. What are you, 16??

I seem to have enjoyed this post quite a lot. This is annoying too Overuse of smiley faces. I like them though so if you have an issue with it  blog about it yourself.

Stace x

Seven things keeping me going whilst in bed with a stinky cold

So today it has been decided by the big man up there that I should be spending some of my cherished annual leave in bed with a stinky cold. Here are the seven things that have kept me sustained/entertained and comfy today.

Bed

I had to venture downstairs briefly at about 10 this morning as a nice delivery man had bought JB something that I needed to sign for. I believe it is fishing equipment of some description. That was to be my only exercise of the day, a nice walk down the wooden hill and then a nice walk back up to Bedfordshire. It was enough. Our bed  is warm and cosy and our cat Bean has also enjoyed lazing on it all day too. Although it’s a bit crap that I’m ill when I’m on holiday from work, if I was working I would be longing for my bed so I must remain grateful.

Scrabble

I tried to play some games this morning but my brain seems to be lacking just as my body is at the moment. I am due some big bingoes. I got a bit annoyed at one point whilst playing a random foreigner.

Him: Is that your boyfriend in the picture?

Me: Yes

Him: You look hot.

I did not reply and was annoyed to realise I could not cancel the game without it counting as a loss. Grr. Pisses me off on several levels. Firstly, I specifically told him that it was my boyfriend in the picture and he still felt the need to tell me I looked hot and try and sleaze. How rude. Secondly, if I wanted dodgy blokes sleazing on to me I would frequent hideous cattle market clubs to be pawed over. Scrabble is a serious business not a dating site! Thirdly, no I’m not hot, I’m in bed freezing and look like death, not at all like my picture. What a fraud I am. I would make a great ‘before’ picture at the mo.

Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Still Lemonade

Mmmm lemonny goodness. . .and I can taste the difference. Hoorah, my tastebuds are not fully deaded!

Australian Soaps

Despite me sitting in bed with the curtains closed I have been told that it has been (or could still be) snowing out there. It’s always sunny and lovely on Neighbours and Home and Away. I’m trying to justify my soap watching by making out it’s only because I am poorly and the weather is bad. That’s crap. I watch them anyway, just usually at tea time. I care not.

My Blackberry

Has allowed me to maintain contact with the world. This is not exclusive of me being poorly. It allows me to do that every day. It’s clever like that. Unfortunately there isn’t an app on it which can make me a cup of tea. Sort it out, it’s 2010!

Kleenex Ultra Balm

I’ve always thought I have the world’s most sensitive nose. When I get a cold it’s like I have permanent sunburn on it. Lovely Ultra Balm can aid  this unpleasant situation somewhat. I still end up looking like a rough and crusty nosed Rudolph though.

Fajitas

When JB comes home from work he is going to make me Fajitas. Mucho looking forward to hot food. Yum.

See, I feel so poorly I’m not even gonna put pictures in this post. How lazy of me.

Sneeze, sniff, cough

Stace x

Seven female ‘celebs’ I heart not

Jordan/Katie Price

Made millions from her big baps. Brilliant. If I could make millions from my mammaries I would. However, she has three children now. Sort it out love.

Big Baps

Reasons I heart her not.

• A ridiculous pink wedding. The more ridiculous the wedding, the more ridiculous you’re gonna look when you are seen for your true colours which does not include Princess pink.
• Cashing in on a miscarriage.
• Slagging around in Ibiza days after splitting up with Saint Peter.  How about being there for you kids and having a bit of decency?
• Over exposing her children to media attention, she should write a book on how to f*ck up your kids.
• Allowing her two-year old to get false eyelashes. Maybe the photo was leaked, but even so. Wrong.
• If none of that’s enough then, oh my God, this….

Mucho hilarity.

Amanda Holden

Have you ever read her article in Fabulous magazine? Name dropping sickliness. YUK.  How she got her own ITV show I do not know.

Peggy Mitchell

Apparently she is not real. Good. Glad they are getting rid.  I’m sure Barbara Windsor is lovely though.

Mariah Carey

Encouraged over warbling by numerous female singers performing songs that make me want to vom. They have lovely voices anyway, it just ruins it.  Hero always good for a singalong though. 

Miley Cyrus

Sickly American squeaky clean pop shite. I would like to hit her. That’s terrible isn’t it? I await the sordid sex stories. Hurry up, get an addiction, pick a naughty boy, get pregnant, then I will be interested.

Jacqui Smith

Ok so not strictly a celeb but in a way. Made ridiculous decisions as Home Secretary. Ignored expert advice. Dodgy expenses claims.  Talks out of her arse.  Has my surname, how rude of her.  Boo.

Carla Romano

I'm in LA, blah, blah, blah.

If you watch GMTV you’ll know who I mean. Everything about her. Blah, blah, blah, I’m in LA, blah blah blah, when I’m in LA, LA, LA, LA, I know everyone famous in LA, blah, blah, blah, blah. Just STFU!

Ohhh I love a rant.

Peace, love, empathy (unless you’re one of the above!)

Stace x