Beggars and homeless people

Today I am going to have a rant about all the 'homeless' people who are pulling at our heartstrings because they are seemingly out in the cold with no where to go.

In the last couple of days I have been walking around in a Scottish city.  It has been absolutely freezing and 'Beast from the East' has certainly made it's presence known.  The buses stopped running, the schools were closed and we were on 'red alert', meaning that no one should go out unless it was absolutely essential.

Why then were all (OK probably a slight exaggeration) the homeless people still sitting on their bits of cardboard with their usual signs saying that they had fallen on hard times and needed to make enough money for a hostel for the night?!!

It has been absolutely freezing over the last few days and what I can't understand is why these people do not go to the shelters that have been set up for them.  And then I thought........................  they have no money, they have no phones, they have no access to the internet so they have no knowledge that they could actually go somewhere warm for the night.

I have to admit; when I see homeless people sitting on the streets of a big city I usually just ignore them.  I read an article, not that long ago, that a lot of the beggars in Scottish cities take the train in from places like Livingston everyday and then sit on the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow.....................  And make more than £1000 per week.  That's one hell of a lot of money for just sitting around, even if it is cold?!  And apparently they get more if they have a dog curled up beside them??!!  #Imobviouslyinthewrongprofession

...................How many of you reading this RANT make that much money in a week???

The trouble is............................. how does one differienate between the ones who obviously know 'how to work it' and the ones who are in genuine need?  I have to say, rightly or wrongly, I normally just ignore them all. 

Yesterday, I actually spoke to two people who were begging.  I told them of a church that had opened its doors to anyone who was spending a night on the streets.  I told them where to go.  It was less than a 10 min walk away.  Apparently a lot of them won't go to these places because they have dogs.  Not sure if the place I was suggesting accepted dogs or not,  but the two people I spoke to didn't have dogs.  Or should I say; they didn't have dogs when I spoke to them.  I've since found out that a lot of these homeless/beggar people 'share' their dogs. Apparently, seeing an animal in need sends out very emotive messages.

I didn't give the two people I spoke to any money.  When I told each of these two people where they could get shelter from 'Beast from the East'; both of them just grunted at me and pretty much ignored me.

I feel I've done my bit.............................

.........................But perhaps I'm missing the point here.  I don't know??!!

Why would people, if they were genuinely homeless and cold and hungry with no money, not want to go to somewhere where they could be warm, have a bed and be fed??????????

Beast from the East

I think I might have a bit rant about 'Beast from the East'?  Apparently the whole of the UK is going to be in 'Siberia type climates' by tomorrow.  Apparently people are 'panic buying', schools are closing, transport networks are not going to be operating, people are being told not to travel unless it's an absolute necessity, shops are running out of food..................  If we believe all the 'media hype' - the whole country is going to come to a standstill over the next couple of days??

We're being told to check on elderly neighbours and relatives to make sure they have enough food in,  we're being told not to go anywhere, we're being told this, that and the next thing?!!  Seriously?................

..................I can't be the only person who remembers the winter of 1963?.....................

I got a tricycle for Christmas and it was March before I could actually go out on it due to all the snow.  Shit happens - that's life!!!

In 1963 most people still didn't even have a fridge, let alone a freezer although I'm sure the cold outside weather was used a lot to preserve food.  Most people in 1963 didn't have a car.  Most people in 1963 had lived through World War 2.  A little bit of snow (OK a lot of snow) didn't actually phase anyone in 1963???

In 1963 people 'just got on with it'......................

..............We didn't have the internet or TV or the 'nanny state'! We didn't have central heating, or online ordering, or even phones.  It was cold.  Very, very cold.  But we had coal fires that we all sat around and we had hot water bottles when we went to bed.  Oh and we also had really thick 'winter pyjamas' that we wore between Oct-Mar.

We didn't go out 'panic buying' because..................... we didn't have cars to load up all our 'panic buying' stuff and we didn't have anywhere to store all our 'panic buying' stuff.  But most of all; we didn't go 'panic buying' because the phrase panic buying hadn't been invented, there was no need.

It was winter.  And in winter it snows.  'World War 2' had only recently ended.  Rationing had finished and we (our parents) were still living in the era of 'make do & mend'.

There were no 'media' announcements about how one should 'panic buy' and stock pile food for the next three months.  Well actually there might have been but  I'm pretty sure there wasn't?! (I'll google it just to be on the safe side. Lol)  I was only 4 years old and all I remember is not being allowed out on my trike!

Anyway to get back to 'Beast from the East'..................  It's totally ridiculous that the media has gone into 'hyper, frenzied, stupid mode'.  OK, it's going to be a 'bit cold' for a few days, but it's not like the majority of us are not going to have anything to eat?

This cold spell is going to last for a couple of weeks max and while I totally understand that we should all be checking on our elderly neighbours....................  I also think that the ones who are doing the 'panic buying' are the so called 'middle class' people who have probably got a freezer full of food at home.

#theworldhasgonecrazy

I don't do goggles

I haven't ranted for ages but I seriously need to RANT today.  Today I received these googles through the post.  I received these goggles through the post because at the end of last year I took part in the 'Aspire Swim the English Channel Challenge'.  (https://www.aspirechannelswim.co.uk/)  I swam 22 miles in 6 weeks (the challenge was to do it in 12 weeks) and in the process raised £165 (or was it £185?) for charity.

To be honest, I wasn't doing it for charity.  I was doing it for myself because I had turned into a big fat slob and needed to lose some weight.  Mmmmmmm..................  I didn't lose any weight?!  Probably because I didn't cut down on the amount of wine I drink???  

Anyway, complete it, I did, and my lovely friends who donated to the charity were well impressed with my efforts.

About a month ago I received a certificate and also a medal from 'Aspire'.

Fabulous?!  I've got a bit of paper saying that I've swum 22 miles in 12 weeks (when actually it was 6) and I've got a tacky bit of ribbon with a plastic medal on the end?!

.................And today I received some goggles.......................

This is seriously irritating me.  I took part in the 'Aspire Swim Challenge' because I felt like I was a big fat slob and needed to lose weight  knew I could do it and I knew I could raise some money for charity in the process.

Sending me out 'tacky' gifts as a 'thank you' for completing the challenge is really annoying me.  The 'Aspire Swim the English Channel Challenge' was to raise money for people with 'spinal cord injury'.  As stated above, I did it because I felt like I was a bit fat slob and needed to lose weight knew I could do it and raise some money in the process.

I did not do it so that I could get a bit of paper saying that I had swum 22 miles.  I did not do it so that I could get a tacky medal.  I did not do it so that I could get a pair of goggles.  I hate goggles.  I have swum 22 miles without goggles.  Why on earth would I want a pair of goggles?

I 'googled' the goggles that I received and whilst I couldn't actually find the exact ones................... the cheapest adult Zogg goggles I found were £6.  And how much does it cost to print off a tacky certificate and send out a tacky medal???  How many people actually want these?  I, for one, will be chucking mine in the bin.  It's not exactly something that anyone would want to frame and put on the wall.....................  Is it?

 

From my point of view.............................  doing a challenge for a charity should be just that.................

Charities shouldn't be giving out 'freebies' that usually end up in the bin to people who are actually completing challenges because they want to support a charity?!

I haven't a clue how much 'Aspire' has paid for their marketing, but even if  they are only paying £1 per person for a 'certificate, a medal and some goggles' (and I'm sure it's going to be nearer £3/4).................. that's just ridiculous.

Charities need to STOP giving out freebies and plough the money they save from giving out these ridiculous freebies back into the charities that they are supporting.

...................And just out of interest............................

...................How many of you complete a 'Charity Event' because you are going to get a medal or a certificate at the end of it???????????????

Banks

Haven't ranted for ages...............................  Sooooooo thought I'd have a little rant about the customer service in banks these days.

Years ago a 'Bank Manager' was a very respected person in society.  In the early 1980s (or possibly the late 1970s) when I was first given a credit card by my Bank Manager it was a HUGE deal.  The only people who had credit cards were professionals.  At that time most people were still being paid in cash and a lot of people (particularly the over 40/50s didn't even have a bank account).

In 1988 I'd had a credit card for a few years but I'd never used it.  I was living abroad and as far as I was concerned my credit card was for major emergencies only.

....................Fast forward 30 years.............................

Soooooo.......................... off I go to the local bank to cancel a couple of direct debits.  Obviously 30 years ago 'direct debits' were unheard of.  We just wrote out a cheque for our gas/electricity/phone/TV license/Water rates/etc, etc, etc.  And wifi was like a thing in a science fiction movie????

I'm greeted at the entrance to the bank by a 12 year old.  Obviously he's not 12 because these days there are laws and rules and regulations preventing 12 year olds from working.  ................He was young!!!

Anyway, he cancelled the two direct debits I wanted him to cancel, while sitting on a sofa, in full view of everyone else in the Bank and discussing my account and how much money I had in it, in full view of everyone.  And then he proceeded to try and make me switch to another type of account (which I didn't want to do).  Seriously?..............................

....................And that's what I want to RANT about........................

Why is there no personal service these days?

Everyone just seems to be working towards targets and goals and their annual appraisals.  There is absolutely no room in todays workplace for genuine care, compassion or devotion to a job that one may love.

I actually know quite a lot of people who started out in the Banks in the late 1970/80s when customer service was important.

I certainly will not go into a bank today unless it is absolutely necessary.

#Ihatebanks

NO thanks - Is politeness dead?

I've given this the title of 'NO thanks - is politeness dead' because I'm really angry that youngsters today don't seem to bother to thank people for presents they've received.

To be honest I'm only referring to my own nephews and niece in this rant.  Other youngsters may be different.  I don't know. 

I made the decision, more than 30 years ago, that I wouldn't actually buy my friends kids presents for their birthdays, etc.  I made this decision because years ago, everyone just seemed to be having babies and I had the insight to realise that buying presents for babies could actually last a life time.  Yes, when friends had babies I turned up after they'd been born with a gift, and yes I went to the numerous baby showers, with a gift.  BUT.................... for me.................. that's where it ended.

...................Except for my two nephews and niece.

Obviously I still buy my nephews and niece pressies for their birthdays and Christmas.  But do I get any thanks for this?  I do not?  Is this because they just assume that their Auntie will always be there to throw gifts at them?  I don't know.  Is it because society is so materialistic these days that they just expect to be showered with gifts on their birthdays? Is it because they haven't been taught to say 'thank you'?  I find that very hard to believe because my sister has 'brought the kids up proper'.  But may be she's just not reminding them any more that they actually need to thank people for gifts???

Actually, I have to say that my 'middle nephew' always says 'thank you' for any gifts and he always thanks me for anything that I do for him...........................  So 'middle nephew Jack' you're excluded from this RANT!

Unfortunately oldest nephew and young niece (22  & 18 years old) don't seem to have the word 'Thank you' in their vocabulary?  Nephew was 22 in August & niece was 18 at the beginning Oct. Neither of them have bothered to thank me for their birthday pressies.

To me; that is just rude?  Even if they didn't like their pressies (which they actually wanted), they should at least say 'thank you'.

But ho hum, what do I know?.....................

......................I know that politeness costs nothing, I know that respect costs nothing, I know that my middle class nephew & niece live in such a 'cocooned world' that my meagre pressie to them obviously wasn't worthy of saying 'thank you' for.  And to be honest my 'meagre pressie' wasn't actually that meagre??  As I said above, my middle nephew always thanks me for everything.

I actually spent a lot of money on pressies for my nephew and niece.  I'm working in a 'minimum wage' job.  I wouldn't even like to think how many hours I've had to work to buy what I bought them both for their birthdays.  But because they live in this 'middle class' bubble, they obviously don't realise that they need to thank anybody for anything. 

Whatever they want, Daddy can afford...................... and whatever problems they have............... Mummy can just sort out.

#notsurehowmiddlenephewhasturnedoutsonormal

Sexual harrassment

So today the 'news' is full of females who have been 'sexually harassed'.  Females who have worked in parliament and have been degraded by men.  Females who have kept quiet because they thought that was how life in the work place was.  Females who didn't think that they would have a 'voice' or females who thought they wouldn't be believed.

Today, at work, a man touched me on my arm while asking me a question.  His mates all said, 'You can't do that.  She can accuse you of sexual harassment.' My reply to that was; 'I haven't got to my age in life without a bit of sexual harassment. I think I can cope with someone touching me on the arm.'

Soooo................... the questions is.................... what exactly is 'sexual harassment'?

I entered the workplace in the early 1980s where men were men & women were women.  Actually I entered the workforce long before that but for sexual harassment purposes lets skip to 1980 I distinctly remember in 1980 working in a temporary office job, and my sister came in to visit me, and my boss said; 'She's got bigger tits than you'.  It was true - she did have bigger tits than me.  My boss had made an accurate observation.  Was I upset by his comment?  Probably - but only because he had voiced what I already knew - my sister did have bigger tits than me.  Did I feel undervalued or less of a woman because of what he said?  No I didn't because I think at the grand old age of 20 years old................. I just thought................... what a silly little Pratt he is.  He was probably only in his 30s and had a wife and two kids and I remember feeling sorry for her and the kids because I thought he was such a wanker.  He used to swan around the place with his beer belly toppling over the top of his trousers, thinking he was GOD!

Things haven't actually changed that much in the last 30 years......................

................Men are still men................. And women are still women.

However.......................... it would seem that the men still seem to think they can do what they want to women .....................And the women are rebelling.

Today if a 'manager' said to an 'employee' - 'Your sister has bigger tits than you', that would be seen as sexual harassment, the employee's self esteem would be at rock bottom, they'd have to have counselling for such a traumatic comment and would probably have to be signed off work for months while they got over the stress of it all.  Seriously???

Whilst I am not 'dissing' anyone's genuine experiences of stress, anxiety or depression....................  Let's just get a bit real here peeps.....................

..................What exactly is sexual harassment???

Sexual harassment is not someone touching you on the arm, it's not someone saying your sister has bigger tits than you, it's not someone commenting on how good looking you are.

To be honest, I'm not actually sure how I would define sexual harassment..............................

....................Guess I'd better do a bit of googling.......................

Are 'fat' people unfit?

I've just been reading a magazine article entitled, 'Are fat people unfit'?  And to be honest I'm not sure if I know the answer to that question.

However, there does seem to be a lot more 'fat' people around these days than there ever was when I was a child.  I have also read an article (in a high class newspaper) this week that said that the 'average family' eats out/has a takeaway three times a week.  To be honest, I find that hard to believe.  Eating out and take aways are not cheap.  How can the 'average family' afford to do that?

Anyway; to get back to; 'Are fat people unfit?'..........................  I'm not sure....................

I have a few 'fat' friends.  I also have some 'skinny' friends.  Are my fat friends less fit than my skinny friends?...................... I honestly don't know?  My 'fat' friends go to the gym, go swimming, go walking.  My 'skinny' friends drink copious quantities of alcohol, are always out eating and never seem to do any kind of exercise.

Sooooooo........................  how do we measure if someone is unfit, unhealthy, medically overweight?

...............That's another question that I don't know the answer to.

However, today I spent the day with two 'fat' friends.  And to be honest both of them have lost a couple of stone over the last few months.  BUT their attitude to food and mine is completely different.

We all had a bacon & (fried)sausage roll at about 11am, (friends then had a 'jammy dodger biscuit).  We went for a three and a half mile walk (which was pretty much on the flat) ending up at a pub for lunch at 2pm-ish.  I was still full from the bacon & sausage roll so opted for a 'small' portion of 'haddock & chips'.  One of my friends had a HUGE portion of 'scampi & chips' and the other had 'French onion soup and then deep fried brie'.  (Obviously both were high calories choices??)

After that I had a black coffee and they had some more 'Jammy Dodgers'.

And then I wanted to go for another walk but they were like........................ we've done a lot of exercise today.

It's very difficult to know whether fat people are unfit or not.  I don't actually consider myself to be 'fat'........................ BUT I do consider myself to be unfit (even though at the moment I'm swimming 200 lengths a week and walking for 2 hours a day).

I guess everything is relative???  Ie, I'm not 'fat' compared to 'fat' people.  I'm not 'unfit' compared to unfit people.

.....................However, compared to fit, skinny, energetic people.......................... I'm a big fat slob. LOL!!!!