Come on, drug us up!

Woman: Mrs. Haines, I don't know how you manage all the things in your life and still make time for charitable work. 
Mary Haines: Oh, well pharmaceuticals. 

So you see above a quote from one of my best loved movies, "The Women" a witty and provocative movie with fabulous Actresses including an all time favourite, Meg Ryan.

Those of you who have an average or above IQ will note that the name of my blog shares a name with this movie. Co-incidence? I think not. I'll share with you all a little story. After seeing the movie a couple of times I started having ideas about our place in society and how things have changed through the years - as there is also a 1939 Original version of the aforementioned film. Also, after reading possibly my absolute favourite book, White Oleander again most recently I again started having these thoughts. So, how do you express such things? Create a blog, of course!

I suggest you read White Oleander (or see the movie) and also watch The Women.

Moving back to the title of this post. Holidays have just started and I am still getting over a particularly nasty chest infection/pleurisy (now on my 4th set of antibiotics) and was watching my favourite movie again. This quote came up and it made me come to think, do we all rely on pharmaceuticals these days to keep up with the ever speeding up world in which we live?

This being my blog and all I'll share my experiences with you all. So this chest thing had been going on for possibly 7 weeks before I headed to the doctor. And do you know what? I seriously was struggling to do everything I had to with school and everything else in life. It was so difficult that by the time I was booked in for the doctor I was begging to go. Mum was worried about how long it would take for me to get over it, because this illness was just getting in the way! Antibiotics (well, seemingly...) to save the day!

Do you, dear reader, take fish oil tablets? Do you take multivitamins? Do you take inner health plus? Do you take all these drugs that they claim to be so good for you on the television? Well, charming ol' Mr Young suggests you take fish oil tablets to help you stay smart. Joe Blow on the television says that inner health plus is good for you after antibiotics (and hey, the possibly are. Pardon me....its a bad example...) and blah blah multivitamins help you to remain alert and fabulous for your everyday life. True? Possibly. I'm not a complete cynic and not a complete believer. What I will say is that a wholeeee load of that stuff you are putting into your body with those (EXPENSIVE) tablets is going straight on out the other end.

This is where I start to put my foot down. Im fine with eating carrots to help my night vision, or blue berries because they are full of antioxidants but these pills just have so much stuff in them its a waste! AND they aren't a food group so don't go home and try to live off them.

See, I'd prefer to go have a good juice (but please, buy a juicer with all the money you would spend at boost during the next 5 years as there is now one in Albury, and some fruit and yoghurt etc and make some at home every morning...) to start the day and get all these great things the 'easy' way - straight from nature.

I'm the first to say that I take a whole heap of the above tablets. At one point during this enduring sickness I was taking 17 pills a day. Yes. You heard me right, 17. That included prescription drugs (such as antibiotics and chest decongestants) and health things (such as horseradish and fish oil and swisse women's ultivite). So yes, believe me I was dependant on them.

Now we ask ourselves, preventative vs. reactive medication? As with everything, preventative helps us in the long run. But, must we be dependant on these pills?

In order for our society's life expectancy to continue to increase, preventative medical action is needed. If anyone actually pays attention to our politicians they would see that all the health issues now aim at preventative action, such as the dental plans now in place with medicare.

Dependant on these pharmaceuticals? Yes. Yes we are. We wouldn't be the modern, western society that we are today without all of these things. And are they needed for our everyday lives, just like Mrs Haines needs them? For those who have perhaps longer lasting pressures then yes. We all can't go on forever continually pushing ourselves, and these fabulous drugs just push back when that time comes - to when it's convenient for us and our schedules. Possibly sometime during retirement I'd say, at this rate.

How many pills do you take a day? Do pharmaceuticals keep you going?

Gender roles - in our Genes?

Hey everyone,

I know it’s been a while since I posted. I haven’t run out of ideas – I promise you that! It’s just that school is a good one for taking over lives. Literally and metaphorically.

Moving on.

I was reading ‘The Punch’ today, a highly funny (at times) and insightful news page when I came across this headline article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/confessions-of-a-young-anti-feminist/

Basically it’s all about our roles in society – Men and women that is – and them being not only re-enforced by our own culture, but also it being physiological. Now there is no point at which I proclaim to be feminist. In fact, I think that Men in our society are being suppressed.

Ladies, take a step back. What can we do? We can have freedom of sexuality (although still being accepted by society, we are making our way there with it – Discuss.), we have freedom in work choice (there isn’t many glass ceilings anymore are there?), we have freedom in clothing (now seriously – can you imagine a man wearing a dress or skirt without being looked at sideways? No! And we can wear pants, yes?) and freedom of spirit (ok, I was scooping at the bottom of the barrel here – how many Gypsy or Tarot Card reader men do you know? Just ignore the whole men priest thing and male monks thing).

So. Now you’re all thinking, ‘Hey! She’s on the guys side!’ – Well no. Yes, we have had more than our fair share of suppression. And yes, I do appreciated THE FEM burning all her nice bras back in the first days of feminism. However, to be a successful and ‘stand above the rest’ sort of society, we must move towards the next stage – Equality. Sure, yes we still have pay equality problems with men on average earning more than women in the same positions, and even though I joke about the fact that there isn’t a glass ceiling anymore, I’m going to do a Mr. Routely favourite and contradict myself – there is still levels in which women struggle to get past in the big businesses.

In trying to research a little for this, I do what everyone else would do: Google it.

Type in ‘Female Bosses’. The first thing I find? (OK, so i cannot put my screen shot in...follow the link....) http://www.google.com.au/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=female+bosses&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=6YvzTNDkJYvEvQPi45j3DQ

Well, I now ask myself suddenly, is our society looking for equality? This leads back to ‘The Punch’ article. Perhaps, physiologically we are set in our ways? Sure, bringing up the family is difficult work, but it’s in our nature to be Motherly and nurture our children. Isn’t that satisfying for us? Sure, it’s difficult for men to be a work earning the $$$, but is it not built into them to want to protect and look after their family in that way? To provide? All the way back to cavemen, we see them out hunting and gathering food for their family, mum at home cooking.

Yes, there will always be exceptions to every rule, and a differing situation for every person. But is to fit into our so called ‘gender roles some sort of instinct built into our genes?

I leave you with this question, quote ‘The Punch’ –

“Is it becoming unacceptable in our society for women to rely on men and take pride in abilities defined as gender roles?”

Is that a dead body??

So. Today i broke the news to my extension teacher.

Although, I might add I was tres scared.

So - David decided to give it to her instead as it would be a shock to her (he does ext 2 thus cannot drop ext 1) then, when she read it and realised it was me she screamed a little and gasped. Then thrust me back at me saying 'why??' then 'we will talk about this at the end'.

But I must add it was possibly the most hilarious ext english lesson thus far.

So at the moment we are studying (well I was...but not anymore!!!) romanticism. Now, before you all get these whimsical ideas about love etc I have to stop you - sorry its the era early to mid nineteenth century. Anyways. Lets move past the history of it and get to the funny part. Well, you probably won't find it funny. Moving on. Again.

THE FEM (aka Ext english teacher): So lets move back now, to that time when women really were rubbish.

Great. So she is now admitting that women were rubbish at some point. Surprisingly enough - I agree. There are many reasons for this, but I'll go into that some other time.

Back to the funny things. THE FEM goes on to say: Look, a lot of literary works make you a sexual pervert.

*Shock by class, confusion* - We weren't exactly sure what she was trying to say. But if you need some ideas go read 'Bright Star' a poem by Keats. Apparently if you: Go looking for it - then its there to be found and all poets are pretty much sex addicts. Even that chick who was religious and so virginal living in a house then 'made up for it' (quote THE FEM) when she met some other poet. End of Story.

So (quote Claudia) - today is a double whammy.

I must mention that today is a VERY special day. Today is the 100th day of my good friend Fergus's blog. He posts everyday and it is very exciting.
here is his blog :)

Hip hip hoo ray for your 100th Day :)

http://sandwhichpatch.wordpress.com/

But i must say that he called me gemma today on way into school.

This is becoming a common occurrence within the school yard.
Yesterday was gemma's birthday. Woot for being 17 love.
At lunch, lucy came over and hugged me from behind saying 'Happy birthday!' Me - being extremely puzzled turned around. Yes, she had mistaken kate for gem.

Eddie - one of our new school captains, and a good friend of both gemma and I - yelled at me something as I passed the locker room. It wasn't until I was sure I had no idea what he was talking about did I go back - to him working out I wasn't who he thought I was.

A year 9 kid for several weeks called me Gemma everytime I walked past.

So. Yes we are both
-tall
-blonde
-similar shape

Inserted is a picture - I need your opinions. Guess which ones we are. Now. This photo does make us look quite alike - but do we really?

p.s. thanks to dwez for the photo. Its all the new leaders for 2011 :)

But, well, really, we do not look THAT alike.
Please kids, get us right.

So. This post was more than a double whammy. As I get to the end you're possibly starting to wonder why this was titled 'Is that a dead body??'.

Again, THE FEM hits a home run of hilariousness.

We are sitting there with about ten minutes of class left and only just getting into the work when she glances out the window and shouts: IS THAT A DEAD BODY???
*class runs to windows, looking out into the middle of the english block*

As it turns out, it was some other Yr 12 kids carrying a table back to the classroom with a jumper on it.
Apparently it looked like they were carrying a dead body on a stretcher.

Although this may seem not so funny, yet I was cracking up for the remainder of class.

With those last thoughts of dead bodies and crazy feminists, I will bid you all goodnight.

Until next time,
Love
Light
Peace
x

The Feminist and our closure.

ok everyone. I know this thing isnt meant to be entirely about me, but hey - who wouldnt want to read about my super exciting life! *please note sarcasm*

But i feel the need to share this with a few people.

I HAVE DECIDED TO QUIT EXTENSION ENGLISH.

Ah. pressure relieved.

its just so much work for 1 unit! I mean - seriously!!!

but i would like to now note why i wrote this on a blog about women.
The main reason I hate extension so much isnt the course or what we study in it (because its all books about women anyways) yet - our teacher is a full blown feminist! and i really dislike her sometimes!
Some people find her funny, some amusing.

I do. Sometimes.

Ok, so she drives me up the wall with her disorganisation. The only time i really smile is when she really goes round the twist OR starts raving on about how she didnt burn all her nice bras back then for nothing! If you want to imagine her - come to my school. Or just imagine Lady Macbeth (from Shakespeare's Macbeth) crossed with one of the Hepburns.

Side note: go look up the AIDS/HIV ad that was on in the 80s or 90s. Her brother was the grimreaper. Just sayin'.

Also - i have found a person within my own class to buy all the texts for this year I already bought - BONUS!

Now i have to find some drama books....urgh.

Anyways. I am sorry this has been a little neglected etc but I have some fabulous ideas floating around and will be posted soon!

Until then,
Love
Light
Peace
x

I promise that I will do my best....

It seems fitting that my first proper blog should be about something I have experienced myself or something I really advocate for. Thus, it is Girl Guiding.

And amazing movement for girls lead by volunteer leaders, basing itself on community service and developing young girls into women with awesome morals. I love it.

And, this year is Girl Guides Australia's 100 birthday! YAY!

So, the one thing I have gotten out of Guides' Birthday? Ok, so there is more than one..

1) I went to an awesome camp in Melbourne to celebrate. It was called ACE, and I had probably the best time of my life (thus far...) and met some AMAZING girls - truly wonderful, awe inspiring friends I know I will keep forever.

2) some cool badges ;)

3)The last day before my life, before my freedom was taken away (aka the last day before year 12 started) was used at a church service on the 10/10/10 to renew our guiding promises at 10am. Cool ae? Yeah no when I was the only senior guide there AND we had to sing infront of all the church people in really high soprano voices. Cool. But I mean, it was still really good to do and all.

So, HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY GIRL GUIDES!

If you want to learn more about this amazing movement of highly inspiration women and fabulous programming check out the guides australia website...

http://www.guidesaus.org.au/

And here are a few quotes
Discipline yourself daily by having a plan...not just vague, wishful thinking. Commit yourself daily to do something however small, for somebody else, for by making other people happy you will find true happiness yourself.
--- Lady Olave Baden-Powell (founder of guides)


So in our work indeed, in any work of life we should look forward, well forward, with high aims and hope; look around with joy and goodwill; look back with thankfulness at what has been accomplished and then press on with renewed vigor, with helpful initiative, and with broadened outlook, towards the highest goal, not forgetting to give a helping hand to others as we go. But when you look - look WIDE; and even when you think you are looking wide - LOOK WIDER STILL."- Lord Baden-Powell (founder of scouts and guides)

WELCOME.

Welcome to my blog. Yes, Im totally new to this thing and open to any suggestions!

So, I think I will start with my aim of this thing.

Im a teenage, schoolgirl. I feel passionately about Women's rights, Women's place in society and also the everyday sort of things we encounter.

Im sorry - Im not very witty or good at expressing myself; all of my english teachers have mentioned that to me this year! haha.

So dear followers (at this point - NONE), keep yourselves posted for some info on amazing and wonderful women we encounter in life, tips (yes - i may even chuck in some makeup or fake tanning hints...), photos and quotes.

Until then - 

Love

Light 

Peace x