The "guaranteed" New years resolution ads...

There are few things in life that you can guarantee will happen.

2009 was good at proving this. People lost jobs, lives, marriages, loved ones and a stable political parties.

However, the end of 2009 brings some guaranteed events that happen every-single-year.

Advertisements.

Advertisements that pin down people's thoughts, vulnerabilities and hope's that everyone feels at the start of a new year.

The Top 5 guaranteed advertisements in the month of January:

1) Quit smoking ads, with special emphasis on the "family", getting all those mums and dads. Cigarette companies have stocked up all those extra sales from people parting every day of December, and they know that once people try those awful gums and lozenges they will be back by March, they just patiently sit there, smoking their cigarettes... (day 4 you know).

2) Crisco Hampers. Although I haven't seen one this year, day time ads on tellie's are generally ubiquitous in January, especially during Days of Our Lives. I even remember the jingle they play, and the old lady on the add that looks like Mrs Clause, because while the men go and earn the money for the presents, the little lady should be preparing Christmas hampers at home the whole year round!

3) Jenny Craig, and all those other 'loose weight' products and services - shakes, gyms, lite'n'easy, diet centre's, fitness centre's etc. Offer's include "No Joining Fees"! Wow, no joining fees, lets get in. Six months later, everyone has reverted to their couch and tacky pants as its cold, and winter, and frankly, mid year festivities don't encourage resolutions, not even when you are paying $80 a month.

4) $1 a day for funeral insurance. Because let's face it, everyone gets older this year, or dies.

5) Donate to a World Vision Cause. Donate blood. Donate to... Well basically any organisation. They are halfway through the financial year, and running low on funds. They rely on peoples resolutions to give more to get them through the next six months!

These five ads encompass most people's new years resolutions. Quit Smoking. Lose Weight. Get finances in Order. Be a better person. Prepare for Christmas better next year.

Good on the advertising world in knowing their public. Now they just have to invent the half year resolution check list, and they could get double the customers!

Smoking: Quit Attempt 1/2010: Day 5

Day 5.

It's the end of the working week. The day I have historically most caved on.

And pub time. Boyfriend has won a free $100 voucher, and so I shall be hiking to the local pub soon to drown the week away in hopefully cheap wine.

And without a smoke.

Which is fine. I can do that. Now.

But after two or three wines, I know the craving will set it. Even worse than any day this week. And something in my head goes, you can have one. Just one. And its like there is two of me, and one of me talks the other into begging for a smoke. And if the begging doesn't work, I go and buy a packet.

It is a vicious cycle. I don't want to crack. I also don't want to have to deal with the yearning for a cigarette. I could avoid the pub, and the verandah, and the people who I know smoke. But that would mean closeting myself in my room. And as soon as I poke my head out, I know I'm still going to want one.

It's actually not that great - the smoking - it's quite disgusting. So why do I want to smoke?

Habit. Safety. Relaxation.

Why do I not want to smoke.

Health. Life. Money.

If only I could remember that after I have a few wines...

Smoking: Quit Attempt 1/2010: Day 3

I'm not sure any non smoker could understand the fascination with smoking a cigarette. It IS a drug. And sitting on your balcony, or in your backyard or a pub or wherever, having a smoke and a drink is possibly one of my most favorite things to do.

When stressed. When sad. When celebrating. When tired. When brain function is at an all time low capacity, smoking helps.

It becomes a part of your day, and a part of your life.

And when life is shitty, or boring, it is there, to help forget, wind down, absorb the day.

So today, after a VERY long, boring and dull day, I would love to go home and have a cigarette and a beer, or wine. I'd love to just sit there for 5 minutes, and not think of anything but having that cigarette, forget the day, wipe the slate clean, and enjoy my evening.

And no, the Nicorette gum cannot replace that feeling. no matter how much you try, it never will replace the cigarette.

So, instead of relaxing on my balcony today, with a drink, because for sure I will cave, I will sit inside, and slowly become grumpy and sullen and talkative because the one thing that I think will make me feel better, or help deal with my horribly unimportant existence, is gone.

I know its just the craving and addiction talking.

I know there is more in my life that a cigarette. and without the cigarette I will have more life.

and I know seriously that i dont really want a cigerette, but my body does.

But right now, I will be sullen, and drink my wine inside... away from the dregs of the ashtray that sits on my outside table like an open coffin.

Assumptions

Brittany Murphy, 32, died of a cardiac arrest in her home on the weekend.

Personally, I have loved her in everything she was in. Her vivacious character came through in every movie, you could tell she loved it. I don't think I ever heard a bad word about the actress, she was never too fat, or too thin. She didn't go commando out of lowered cars, she didn't take drugs, marry people for 54 hours, or sleep with 15 people who weren't her partner.

"It's horrible - the death of a beautiful young woman, a Hollywood icon; it has to be explained. It just can't be a tragic accident," he said.

"We don't want to accept that a beautiful young wife and daughter woke up one morning and died a tragic death"

Screenwriter Simon Monjack

Simon was her husband, partner, lover. And like he has said, my first thought was that she had taken drugs (i.e. Elvis dying of cardiac arrest ran through my head). Why cant celebrities just be a case of accidental and tragic death? Why does it always have to be something dramatic, when they are only really just normal people who are famous for their jobs?

Brittany Murphy was great, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm terribly sorry to hear that she will no longer grace our screens to entertain us, even if they movies she was in were all girlie, mind numbing type of movies.

The recession, or the $10 deal?

The economists tell us that Australia escaped the recession, because we didn't have three consecutive falls in the market. Woo-Hoo, so generally this should mean that people can still afford to live, have a job and be getting on with things.

Not so.
The most common complaint I hear myself (and others) say is "I haven't got any money." Not surprising, since the price of food and entertainment just keeps increasing, but pays don't seem to be keeping up with the mark. Myself, I didn't even get the inflationary 3% which most people receive, and yet I'm still expected to pay $4.40 for a Gatorade drink at the BP services station up the road from me.

When we hit the $10 or under mark for items, the variations in expense of things are clear...
1) Food Court Food: In a shopping centre, generally its fast food, and nothing of much nutritional value - I could not find anything to eat which included a drink for under $10, and really KFC and McDonald's were the cheapest thing there - no wonder we have such a high obesity rate.
2) Public Transport Prices: On the same day as the food court experience, I paid $8.40 for a return bus fare to the shopping centre, a half hour (bus)drive... probably more than it would cost someone with a car. To catch a train two stops in the opposite direction is $3.20, and for a return trip you can double that, unless its off peak. That is the cheapest train fare you can get. I suppose perhaps if people are eating McDonald's, and cant afford public transport the government sees that as a built in obesity scheme for society.
3) Pub prices: Its a fact that when a recession hits, people lean towards entertainment as a perk me up, an escapism from their troubles and woes. One popular venue is the pub. At the local dero bar, you can probably find some sort of jug for under $10, the AB Hotel selling their local ale for about $8, yet a jug of cider (the seasons most popular drink) is $21. No cider for me. To drink in the city (which is a $6.40 train fare to start with) its almost $10 a pop, at least $7 for a glass of wine, or a spirit, and prices go up when you are in more classy establishments or its later at night (i.e. Bank Hotel, prices are more expensive after 6).
4) Movie Prices: The one area of entertainment which has been comparably a cheap night out is the movies. But now, you cannot even get a ticket under $10 unless you are a 'tight arse Tuesday' type of person, reveling at the cheaper pizza's, cheaper movie tickets and generally anything that has a T.A.T. mentality attached to it.
5) AND YET... I have expanded my under $10 list this year, only out of necessity.
$2 clean skins - from Dan Murphy's
Feed yourself for a week - from my lovely local fruit and veg shop
$1.80 bread - from my lovely local bakery
2 ply toilet paper - as I cant afford the Australian made Sorbent
$8.50 Thai lunch special - courtesy of Big Boy Thai, and feeds me for 2 lunches
Clothing - the bargain bins at Glebe Markets - or not at all
Lucas Paw Paw Ointment - instead of $20 lip gloss from Body Shop that lasts 5 mins
Shop at the $2 shop - for your toiletries, generally you can get good brands at massive discounts
Glenmore Meats - about 3 times cheaper than my local supermarket, chicken packs for under $2

Living life without money most of the time makes you depressed. Having to watch every penny is a time consuming, soul breaking activity. Just once, I would like to be able to feed myself and go out to the movies in the same week...

We escaped the recession... right? The $10 deal

The economists tell us that Australia escaped the recession, because we didn't have three consecutive falls in the market. Woo-Hoo, so generally this should mean that people can still afford to live, have a job and be getting on with things.

Not so.
The most common complaint I hear myself (and others) say is "I haven't got any money." Not surprising, since the price of food and entertainment just keeps increasing, but pays don't seem to be keeping up with the mark. Myself, I didn't even get the inflationary 3% which most people receive, and yet I'm still expected to pay $4.40 for a Gatorade drink at the BP services station up the road from me.

When we hit the $10 or under mark for items, the variations in expense of things are clear...
1) Food Court Food: In a shopping centre, generally its fast food, and nothing of much nutritional value - I could not find anything to eat which included a drink for under $10, and really KFC and McDonald's were the cheapest thing there - no wonder we have such a high obesity rate.
2) Public Transport Prices: On the same day as the food court experience, I paid $8.40 for a return bus fare to the shopping centre, a half hour (bus)drive... probably more than it would cost someone with a car. To catch a train two stops in the opposite direction is $3.20, and for a return trip you can double that, unless its off peak. That is the cheapest train fare you can get. I suppose perhaps if people are eating McDonald's, and cant afford public transport the government sees that as a built in obesity scheme for society.
3) Pub prices: Its a fact that when a recession hits, people lean towards entertainment as a perk me up, an escapism from their troubles and woes. One popular venue is the pub. At the local dero bar, you can probably find some sort of jug for under $10, the AB Hotel selling their local ale for about $8, yet a jug of cider (the seasons most popular drink) is $21. No cider for me. To drink in the city (which is a $6.40 train fare to start with) its almost $10 a pop, at least $7 for a glass of wine, or a spirit, and prices go up when you are in more classy establishments or its later at night (i.e. Bank Hotel, prices are more expensive after 6).

4) Movie Prices: The one area of entertainment which has been comparably a cheap night out is the movies. But now, you cannot even get a ticket under $10 unless you are a 'tight arse Tuesday' type of person, reveling at the cheaper pizza's, cheaper movie tickets and generally anything that has a T.A.T. mentality attached to it.

5) AND YET... I have expanded my under $10 list this year, only out of necessity.

$2 clean skins - from Dan Murphy's

Feed yourself for a week - from my lovely local fruit and veg shop

$1.80 bread - from my lovely local bakery

2 ply toilet paper - as I cant afford the Australian made Sorbent

$8.50 Thai lunch special - courtesy of Big Boy Thai, and feeds me for 2 lunches

Clothing - the bargain bins at Glebe Markets - or not at all

Lucas Paw Paw Ointment - instead of $20 lip gloss from Body Shop that lasts 5 mins

Shop at the $2 shop - for your toiletries, generally you can get good brands at massive discounts

Glenmore Meats - about 3 times cheaper than my local supermarket, chicken packs for under $2

Living life without money most of the time makes you depressed. Having to watch every penny is a time consuming, soul breaking activity. Just once, I would like to be able to feed myself and go out to the movies in the same week...

The Reality of (reality)TV

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/12/wolcott-200912?currentPage=1

This is a brilliant article dissecting the world of Reality TV. The author even looks at the first Reality TV Show, Real Life from MTV.

This show lead the way for semi-adults (i.e. twenty-year-olds who have been promoted due to their youth) to say OK to teenagers when they act like spoiled 5-year-olds. Taking what they want, rather than asking for it and feeling that the world should bow at their feet.

No wonder they walk around with their heads in the clouds, they are waiting for someone to discover their life means enough to put them on a reality TV show.