Addicted to Facebook

With one more day to go and simply because I'm in a writing mood, I thought I'd write about my time off Facebook.

I was at my Grandma and Grandad's in Kettering and we were on about Facebook and how much I was on there. My Grandad said that he even did a sermon and mentioned a conversation that me and my Dad were having over Facebook about what was for dinner! So as you probably guessed, his sermon was about communicating... I think, and how me and my Dad were on separate floors of the house and were speaking to each other through the internet... sad eh!

As we were talking about it, it hit me that Children in Need was coming up and I hadn't decided what I was going to do. So guess what? I gave up Facebook! From the 8th of November until the 1st of January (which is tomorrow!). For those who can't do the Maths, that's 55 days! My friends all reckoned that I wouldn't last a day let alone nearly 2 months. So they placed their bets in the form of sponsors and waited.

Here I am on day 54 and I've survived. With no help from my friends may I just add, who have been sending me messages and commenting on things to make it that little bit harder for me! Thanks guys ;) To make it a bit harder for myself, I didn't deactivate my account, this way I knew that it was still accessible. I also let myself have e-mails but! I wasn't allowed to read them, so I would see that someone's wrote something on my wall etc. but I wasn't allowed to see what exactly they'd put.

I gave up Facebook simply because I was addicted. I would come home from college or wherever I'd been, turn on my computer and Facebook was the first thing I'd bring up. It was on practically all day and that's what I spent my time on instead of doing homework or anything but Facebook! Sad I know, but be honest with me, how many other people do that? Probably about 80/85% of us live on Facebook, will wait around and watch the screen just to stay up to date with our friends. It's the 21st Century way to receive and create gossip. It's changed our lives, no joke.

Not being on Facebook has let me do other things. I've been reading more, writing, I'm up to date with my homework... mostly! I actually feel better because of doing something more productive with my time. I don't get a thrill out of sitting on Facebook all day, it bores the hell out of me but as an addict you just find it so hard to go a day without it. There's a constant obsession with wanting to know what's going on in other people's lives.

So, I have learnt my lesson. Facebook isn't everything! It's fine to go on there once a day but not all day everyday! That's ridiculous! There's a world out there full of hope and surprises and you're not going to find and experience that from a networking site. There's no use saying, 'but I'm bored', go and do something else! There's books to read, pictures to be drawn or painted etc, writing to do, even homework! No-one is ever bored unless they let themselves be bored.

I'm glad I gave up Facebook because I was not only helping raise money for Children In Need but I was also helping myself.

Children In Need is an amazing charity that helps all sorts of Children who aren't are fortunate as us. A lot of work goes into that charity, all you need to do is watch the show if you need proof! I don't regret doing this, as hard as it's been, it's been worth it for Children In Need :)

Man's best friend

I've just watched Marley and Me so I thought I would do a shout out to all the dogs out there :)

They love us whether we're rich or poor, whether we're happy or sad.. They love us for just being us, even if we're not the most loveable person on Earth. They will stick by our side through thick and thin. You won't find anything more loyal on this planet, yes okay that could be argued but c'mon, if you've had a good dog and treated him well then you'll know what I'm talking about.

There's been so many stories about a dog's loyalty to it's owner. How they've come to save our lives, not left our side when we've been ill, made us laugh when we've had a horrible day at work... and the list goes on. I bet you've got your own stories to tell.

I've not had a dog myself but oh do I wish I had one. I've had a few cats and one hamster but it's not the same, I know that. One of my cats was there for me when I needed her, she made me laugh and when it was her time to go, she made me cry but a dog would be so much different.

From experience, I've seen the look in their eyes when they're with their owners. My Grandma's dog Casper is absolutely gorgeous and I love him to bits, you won't find a dog like him. He's such a character. He'll wait on the top of the back cushions of the sofa and stare out the window until my Grandma and Grandpa come home. Sometimes when we're all just sat watching television, he'll run and jump onto my Grandma's chest and lay on her or lick her face. It's little things like that. You don't tend to find other animals that are as loving as dogs. Yes okay, cats have their moments but they go off and do their own things whereas dogs will sit by you, lay on you etc just be by your side or with you for most of their day. This will never change, I know that for a fact, dogs will always be loyal and love their owners no matter what.

You know how the saying goes, dogs aren't just for Christmas. They're a commitment but they're so worth it. At times they can be hard work but like many things in life, these things take patience but you're rewarded with a loyal and loving friend that will take care of you and be there when you need them no matter what.

Their soft, loving, brown eyes, silky fur, wet noses... everything about them is just perfection, and every owner has they're perfect dog, they're perfect friend.

What if

On their own as words, what and if are completely non-threatening, but put them together and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life.

What if, what if, what if. Instead of going with our instincts on something, we often hold back and this is then the question that we're left with.

Another way these two words together become threatening is when they're used to encourage our worrying about the future.

What if I do this...? What if I don't do this...? Don't think about it! Just do! We're told this all the time but do we ever listen? No, we only have one life... sure this can be argued by different religions but most of us believe this yes? So instead of wasting precious moments pondering whether do something or not, if you have a good feeling about it then go for it. There might be a voice inside your head that's telling you all the 'What if...' situations but shut it up! Make the 'what if' a 'when' ... When I do this, this will happen. That turns it into a definite thing instead of something that might or might not happen.

Make sense?

What happened?

You brought out the best in me, made me feel like a whole new person.

We used to talk for hours, stayed up late chatting about anything, it was great.

Finally, someone who I could be myself with, I felt comfortable with you.

No pretending, nothing to hide and nothing to be wary about, just me and you... just us.

I couldn’t help but smile when I was with you, when I was talking to you, you made me happy.

I loved knowing that I had something to brighten up my day if everything else had gone badly.

You were there to catch me when I fell, to pick up the pieces when I was broken; you were my shoulder to cry on. I was the same for you.

What happened? What did I do wrong?

Just suddenly it all stopped. You went cold, pushed me aside like you were done with me.

You say that nothing’s changed but we both know that’s not true.

Are you blind? Can you not see that things aren’t the same?

I just want to know where you’ve gone. Answer me that and there’ll be no need to ask.

Though things may have changed though, I haven’t. I’m always going to be there waiting for you to come back.

When you’re lost, I’ll find you.

When you’re broken, I’ll mend you.

No matter what, you’ll always find my footprints in the sand, walking beside you all the way.

Until I find you again the question will remain the same though.

What happened?

Pip

I got you as an early Christmas present. 

I remember mum calling me upstairs into her bedroom and there you were, sandy coloured and white, dad always thought it looked like you were wearing trousers. Your tiny black eyes gazing up at me, you were mine. 

I was so excited that I had a hamster! I told everyone that night at the concert I was singing at. You weren’t to share, but I did of course, you were mine. 

You were so small! You fit into the palm of my hand. I was so scared to hold you in case I hurt you, you looked so fragile. When I eventually did let you into my hands, you felt like you belonged to me and you did. 

We’ve had some funny times you and me, us. You used to do the monkey bars across the top of the cage; I’d be laughing for hours! Twice you escaped. The first time you made it all the way up to mum and dad’s room! Because you’d escaped, we put a lock on your cage but did that stop you, no. You decided to climb through the tiniest gap, your food bowl was sticking a little bit out of the cage so what did you do? Yep, you climbed through it! But we found you, can’t remember where though, think you were behind the sofa. 

I've just got to say, I’m so sorry for not caring about you as much as I should of, with all the studying, coursework, revision etc I guess I forgot that you needed to be played with and cared for. I was a bad mum to you and I’m sorry. I’m sorry about the lumps in your ear and about your foot. I guess I probably couldn’t of prevented those but maybe if I’d paid more attention to you, I would of realised and we’d of sorted them before they got bad. 

Pip, you were an amazing hamster, you stuck it out till the end and gave it your all. You were fun, funny and very entertaining to watch. I will always love you my baby boy. Rest In Peace.

2009

Out with the old, in with the new.... bring all the great stuff with you from 2009 and leave all the crap behind :)

Think I said the same thing for 2008 but oh well... still means something.
Wow, what a roller coaster of emotions 2009 was for me! From a sort of depression stage, to major hyperness and excitement. 2009 changed me completely and I'm now a lot stronger as a person and more confident.

I think the one thing that I'll definitely not forget that happened last year is my holiday to Dubai. It was an amazing experience and one that I'll remember for the rest of my life thanks to my Uncle Matt. It was my first time flying as well, I'm ashamed to say I actually cried when we took off from Heathrow, it was just the knowing that I was really in the air, above the clouds and it was all just overwhelming. I think it was also the thought of going to Dubai, I always said that I was going to go before I die cause it's one of those things that you dream about doing and it happened so it was a dream come true.

Enough about that though cause that's for another post! So yeah, 2009 was ... eventful, i think that's a good word to describe it and it was full of firsts... and lasts, amazing experiences and some... not so amazing and upsetting time. All the bad stuff is in the past now though so no more looking back at that unless i really have to. What else is there? Met some cool people, got back in touch with people from my primary schools and also met up with them when I went back to Weston for a bit. Became closer with ones that I already have but also lost some :( See what I meant by emotional roller coaster! I definitely won't forget 2009, it was an interesting year :P ... so heres to 2009 for giving me a challenge :) ... lets now see what 2010 holds :) x