Tuesday 28 April 2009

Tattle Day Tuesday - Wot's Rong Wiv Brittan?

Urgh!



"In the past ten years a chasm has opened up between the workaholics and the quaintly named 'work-shy'."

"As one man outside a Jobcentre Plus in Peterborough explained: 'I'd prefer to sign on than do that. I don't want to work in no cornfield for £25,000 a year'."

No cornfield could have kept me away for that kind of money if I'd applied for and been accepted for the job! The most I ever earned as a legal secretary was about £11,000. If I'd known there were vacancies out there where I could have a job working outside in the fresh air, doing a job which actually fed and benefited people, and benefiting me too through being outside and getting exercise, instead of being stuck in an office doing a stressful job to line the pockets of what, for the most part, were ruthless money-grabbers, I would have so gone for it! The perceived wisdom was that agricultural work was very low-paid - and I had a mortgage to pay... Maybe that was correct at the time and wages have improved since. Dunno.

I agree with most of this article, except the following:

The GOS says: I'd just like to add one little personal note. One Times reader, Katie from Frome, wrote in to say "Why are you suggesting that depressed people are workshy? Depression is a very serious and debilitating illness."

There's the nub of the problem, really, isn't it? We have come to accept that almost any ailment or unhappiness is someone else's fault, and that sufferers must be pitied, helped and treated as victims. Many years ago I was diagnosed with depression myself. I never missed a day's work, though, and with the help of the doctor's pills and some meditation classes I hauled myself through it eventually and never looked back. In my experience depression is as debilitating as you allow it to be.



I have been a lifelong depressive. To get jobs I've had to hide it. Lying (even by omission) goes against the grain, but there has always been a stigma attached to depression. It's got a little better in recent years but it hasn't really permeated into the "working world". The only jobs I've ever been turned down for, when I've got as far as an interview, are those where I was upfront about my depression! "Workshy"? I don't think so.

And was Katie from Frome claiming to be a "Victim"? Someone else's fault? It doesn't read that way. (Incidently, I went to school near Frome, but I don't know Katie!) Is 'flu someone else's fault? Maybe, if they sneeze over you, but how are they to know? Heart disease, someone else's fault? No, probably your own. Cancer... Who knows? Genetics probably plays a part in heart disease and cancer, for example, but are we going to blame our loving parents? I don't think so. I can't answer for the "stupid" people of whom the author speaks. I just wonder if they've ever applied for jobs and been turned down coz they're too "fat". I don't think so... I doubt if they have ever wanted a job...*

The stigma is so far entrenched that I even feel uneasy writing about it here, dear readers. The fear of rejection is, well, horrible...

I think the author of this article was either not seriously depressed or was in a job he really loved... That can make a difference you know?!

Read the whole article here. Not all Brits are spongers!

* coz they've prolly never applied for a job ever at all in their whole lives, lol!



:) xxx

Thursday 16 April 2009

What the...?

I have a MySpace account which I hardly ever use, but when I was looking for Fleet Foxes, a band I've recently come across and whose music I really like, I found them on MySpace. Please check them out here: Fleet Foxes.





I think they're great! I asked them to be friends and they agreed; how cool is that?


Anyhoo, while on MySpace I decided to check my mail. Here is what I found (you can tell from the date how little I go there!):

"To: Black Cat

Date: 01 Jul 2008, 19:28

Subject:
Content blocked/removed from your profile Body:

Audio or video content has been blocked or removed from your profile. Content may be blocked/removed because we received a notice from the copyright owner claiming you were infringing its rights, because the content was recognized by MySpace's copyright filter, or because your use of the content violated MySpace's Terms and Conditions.
As a result, your upload privileges have been suspended. To reinstate your upload privileges, you must click here to complete our Copyright Education Program. MySpace terminates the accounts of repeat copyright infringers. Please be careful not to include content on your profile that you do not have permission to use so you can continue to be a part of the MySpace community.

Thank you,
MySpace.com.
"

I have no idea what they are referring to, unless it's the Massive Attack video, which it must be as that's the only video on my profile (and, incidentally, still seems to be playable!). I'm pretty tee'd off about this. MySpace provided the very link that enabled me to put the video on my profile, so how the heck have I "violated MySpace's Terms and Conditions"? Do I care about my upload privileges being suspended, or have any intention of completing their "Copyright Education Program"? Go figure MySpace! Like I'm a huge copyright infringer. Terminate my account if you like. The only reason I keep it open is coz I have some good friends on there (whom I have woefully neglected lately!) Moreover, I have the DVD from which MySpace (or a member of it) took that video and I love it! If I like something, I buy it! I will be buying Fleet Foxes' album as soon as I can get my a$$ down to the record store (where we heard the music, years before... etc.)



:) xxx

Wednesday 15 April 2009

Wordless Wednesday



WORDLESS!!!...

I have blogblock, but there are really interesting blogs out there, like someone who really loves cats.








:) xxx

Sunday 5 April 2009

Fleet Foxes











Fleet Foxes
Song: Mykonos


The door slam loud and rows up a cloud of dust on us
Footsteps follow, down through the hollow sound, torn up

And you would go to Mykonos
With a vision of the channel cause
And a son to maybe dissipate
Shadows of the mess you made

How did any holes in the snow tipped pines, I find
Hatching from the seed of your thin mind, all night?


And you would go to Mykonos
With a vision of the channel cause
And a son to maybe dissipate

Shadows of the mess you made

Brother you don't need to turn me away

I was waiting down at the ancient gates

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

I remember how it took you down

As the winter turned the meadow around

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

When I walking brother don't you forget

It ain't often you'll ever find a friend

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today
[x8]


Don't really understand it, but I love it!

There doesn't seem to be a video, so here is another foxy pic:




More Fleet Foxes lyrics

Most popular songs by Fleet Foxes
Mykonos
Drops In The River

White Winter Hymnal
Sun Giant
Textbook Love
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
Innocent Son
Blue Ridge Mountains
She Got Dressed
Oliver James

Easy like Sunday evfurrybuddy!




:) xxx

Friday 3 April 2009

Wednesday 1 April 2009

Wordless Wednesday

Happy April's Fools' Day evfurrbody!






Black Cat

:) xxx