Another blog post from way back yonder...

Its amazing just how much the world has changed.

Today I was out with my Dad in Sorrento to meet up with the Grandparentals. We were sitting and having lunch in the park when we started talking about all the horrible stuff thats been going on in the world lately, and it really got me thinking about how much stuff is going wrong.

Then my Grandfather turned to me and asked me about my plans for my eighteenth birthday. I told him it was all still in the works and i hadnt really finalised anything. He then proceeded to tell me about how it was like when he turned eighteen. His father died of a bronchial infection when he was six, so his whole life he was working to help provide for his family, of which he is the youngest (Six children, Single Mother). There was nothing special done for his eighteenth birthday, just working like usual. He told me about the fact that when he married my grandmother, her father became like a father to him. So i asked about when he was eighteen. When my Great grandfather was eighteen it was during the First World War. So he didnt have one either.

Stories like my Grandfathers really put life into perspective. I'll never have to provide for my family on my own at the age of eighteen in a world that is in absolute chaos. I didnt have to live through either of the world wars, in constant fear of my life with insufficient medical supplies.

While teens of today from all over the world run to pubs to get drunk to drown their "problems", or they take drugs to be cool, or the sneak out because they feel hardly done by, the people of generations past look at us and see how much we've got going for us, and see how much we're throwing away. And its disgraceful. Not only disgraceful, but an insult to those who worked so hard to get us here.

So, As I sit in my chair and wonder in amazement about how lucky I am, i wonder whether or not anyone else has ever come to the realisation that we really are the lucky generation.

I am the worlds worst procrastinator!

Hey all.

I am the worst procrastinator. I have two weeks until exams and I am so behind. For some strange reason I STILL can't focus even though I am fully aware of this fact. Ahh. I'm going to fail and its going to be all my fault. Anyway - away from bitchy moany blog posts.

In the past two days i have rented TWO movies with Victor Garber in them without even realising he was in them. It's been sooo good both times. And I want to go and rent more movies, namely:

Can't buy me love
The Sound of Music
Annie
Lady and the Tramp

Any other suggestions? I hope so. Hehehehehe.

Anyway - Enough Procrastinating! God damn it! I am great at this. If only it was part of my subjects.

- Janelle.

Post Script - By the way, if anyone has any story ideas that they want to pass along that would be magical!

A blog from many moons ago...

So, a while ago I wrote that I posted a blog that was from ages ago. WELL, I realised I was logged into my old account and so I just re posted it onto that account. How stupid! Oh well, you get to read it now - hooray!

Be kind - I wrote this agesss ago!

Women

Society's impact on Women is really profound. When you think about it, have we really progressed as much as we think we have when it comes to how women are treated and looked at in modern society?

Take this for example; A 1950's housewife was expected to act and look a specific way to fit in with what society deemed appropriate. They made sure they did only the roles that women were "supposed" to fit into. However, not much has changed since then. Yes we have progressed to a point where women can work in almost any field they desire, however women in society today are still put into a specific mold in the way they should dress and behave.

If a woman is opinionated, she is seen to be rude and obnoxious. If she dresses in a way which is inappropriate or unfashionable, she is seen as a slut or daggy. If a woman doesn't stand up for herself, she must be repressed and not know any better.

I think that we have come to a place in society that we are stuck. We are all trying to be individuals, speak out for what we believe in and make a change, but we are trying to do it in a way that doesn't bring attention to ourselves, so we are labelled with a negative stigma as a "bitch".

We are surrounded by the media, who constantly splash images of women such as Paris Hilton and other female celebrities that are the image of "perfection" to many people in society. However, we ourselves have glorified that image and made it perfection. We look at people like that and see them as something to aspire to. We have bought into that image so much that we ourselves have created a perfection that to us in unobtainable.

Its interesting to see young girls fascination with dolls such as Barbie etc, who's manifacturers are trying to attain that image of perfection. People debate the Barbie issue to death, "Should we let our children play with a doll that is promoting a particular body image and bringing down their self esteem?". But really, when you think about it, all it is is a piece of plastic. We've just given it more importance than its really due.

I think that's a lot of today's problems. We're giving the wrong priorities to the wrong things. We tend to look at things at face value, rather than those qualities that make us all individuals and break the mould.

While the limited views and values of society repressed the old 1950's housewives, I believe it is now us as modern women that are putting too much pressure on ourselves to fit our own personal image of perfection. So break the mold. Don't just sit there and not say anything if you want to speak your mind. Don't be afraid to wear the name 'Bitch' with pride, because if you have the ability and confidence to step outside your boundaries and make a difference,

Its a fair price to pay.

A big study day...

Hello all,

Today has been a long day full of study and not much else. It seems I have nothing big to report, yet I feel it necessary to update today as I 've been rather slack updating this. (Plus, one of the blog entries is a cheat one because I'd written it years ago).

Whats happened recently? Well, my best friends Visa hasn't come through the mail yet so she's had to cancel her flight for this friday until it comes through the mail. Which means the second she gets it she's flying away. Due to work I'm not sure if I'll be able to go to the airport - but hopefully I will. I think I will move heaven and earth to be able to go if I have to.

I'm about to go and get some of my belated birthday present from Gabby and Emily, Hooray! A signed Melanie Brown Autobiography, what a lucky kid!

Ummmm, not much else to say, other than I love Hayley Hoovers blog. Her writing is amazing and she is consistantly entertaining and amazing. Sad that she doesn't see it all the time like most of her followers do! But Alas, I'm sure she will see the light. Hehe.

Anyway - I shall sign off.

Janelle xXx

P.s - Go Confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you've imagined. Thoreau. Great Quote - Found it on the front of a card today!

Time constraints and travel jealously.

Hello All,

Sorry about the lack of updating. I've been swamped with an array of different tasks, including a huge Law assignment that I finally finished, Hooray! Unfortunately it took the same amount of time to upload the assignment to my University as it did to write it. Alas. The amount of work lecturers pile on mid semester is astonishing. I feel constantly overwhelmed by assignments, study and exam preparation. Oh why did I choose to study Law? Whyyyyyy?

Anyway, in other news - one of my best friends is leaving for Europe in SEVEN DAYS. Ahhh. It's so close. She's going for five months and is traveling everywhere - from England to Ireland, Holland and Italy. Gosh I'm so jealous. I'm going to miss her a truckload. I know its for the best, cause she'll have an amazing time and meet a load of lovely people, but it makes me sad to think I won't get to see her everyday like normal. Oh well, five months isn't too long... right?

Ahh. I've just grasped what a ridiculously crappy mood I am in right now. I don't feel like eating, I don't feel like studying (even though I desperately should), all I feel like doing is sitting and watching Youtube videos or something - but our internet is ridiculously slow at the moment.

It's freezing in Australia at the moment - which is the way I love it. People tend to hate the cold weather here, and I guess thats justified considering most people move here for the sun and the summer atmosphere. But I love the rain and the cold when I'm walking along the beach and looking at the sea. I think it's amazing to see how unsettled and rough the waves can be when generally they looks so inviting and calm. And plus - what is better than sitting in on a cold night watching movies with your friends or reading on your own with a warm blanket and a hot chocolate? Nothing in my opinion.

Which may just be the cure for my current mood.

Buonasera a tutti!

In the Beginning...

Hello All!

Well - I decided to start this blog because of Maureen Johnson's BEDA thing, but I didn't actually have the time to start it at the beginning of April, so I'm starting it now. Better late than never eh?

Thought I'd start off by sharing a quote I really love and believe is quite inspiring -

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given then to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing." - Muhammad Ali.

I find that this quote has the ability to make you feel ridiculously motivated even at the darkest of times. And I really love it for that reason.

On another - sort of - related note, did you know that "Adidas" is an acronym for "All day I dream about sport"? I had no idea until about a week ago when my friend pointed it out at Uni. Fascinating. Oh, and the reason thats semi-related is because Adidas used the Muhammad Ali quote for one of their advertising campaigns as I understand it.

Speaking of Acronyms - I watched HayleyGHoovers new Annoyances video the other day - and along with all the other annoyances I agree with, this video had even MORE that I love. Particularly the forced acronyms one! And for those of you who haven't seen the video (although I highly suggest changing that by going to www.youtube.com/hayleyghoover), this is what we mean by a "forced acronym"

Give
Rice
And
Intellect to
Nepal.

See how the "GRAIN" part is clearly the bit they were focusing on, rather than what it stands for? Urgh - so annoying.

And by the way - Everytime I go out dancing or hear people clapping to music I sit and laugh at their inability to keep the beat and think of that video.

Ok, I think I'm off.

Remember: Don't ever create a company that uses forced acronyms or I may have to kill you.

- Janelle.