Keeping up with the Joneses

The news today tells us that more and more people and families are getting heavily into debt, and more people are declaring bankruptcy. One of the main reasons for this is the new generation of loan companies that spam us on cable TV every day, making out it's so easy to just take out a loan for that new car, new kitchen, or a nice holiday. And people are so easily fooled by them.

Blame was also directed at the "keeping up with the Joneses" habit, and the peer pressure and nagging of children to always have the latest most expensive gadgets, the fancy 16th birthday party, the limo and expensive dress for their Prom night, the next X-Box and the latest iPod, and oh can I have a laptop for Christmas please????

Again I ask WHY CAN'T THESE PEOPLE SAY NO??? Why do they care so much what the neighbours think of them because they've not bought a new car for nearly 5 years? Or because they only ever holiday in Britain and not Dubai every year? Or because they shop in Primark and can't afford to spend £50 on a new skirt?

Why can't they say to their kids "no you can't have that because mummy and daddy can't afford it", or "you can't have an X-Box each you will have to learn to share"...."you can't have the latest iPod because you already have an earlier one and it's just as good". Are they scared that their kids will be bullied and victimised at school if they can't keep up with the spending? Can't they teach their kids to not give a sh*t what other people say or think about them, as they themselves shouldn't give a sh*t what the neighbours think about them? If friends or neighbours of mine sneered at me because of what I don't have, I wouldn't be counting them as friends and would have nothing to do with them.

When I was at school I was the Queen of Frump. While all my friends had "clothing allowances" and went to Top Shop every Saturday and wore trendy clothes, I was wearing clumpy shoes, knee-length socks, frumpy pleated skirts and mum's hand-knitted jumpers. Try as I might I couldn't get a clothing allowance, wasn't allowed to wear trendy stuff without a big argument and hassle, and wasn't allowed to go to town with my friends unless my brother also accompanied me. I endured sniggers, sneers, and sarcasm, but every time I pleaded with mum she flat refused. And I had to just deal with it. I didn't throw a strop, threaten to hang myself, smash my room up, just cos I couldn't get what I wanted. I learned to just deal with it and not let the sneering bother me.

At Christmas time I would write my Dear Santa letters, and each year I didn't always get everything I asked for, but I knew that stropping about it woudn't change anything (I still want the game "OPERATION" though!!!) I hassled my mum for ages for a pony of my own, and received the same old answer "we've got no land and we can't afford one". I got riding lessons instead. Nowadays would a parent take out a loan just to buy a pony for their little girl???

I saw that TV programme "Bank of mum & dad" the other week, where a financial expert comes in and helps young people who are in debt. One 23 year old girl had run up a debt of £25,000 through her addiction to shopping and insistence on always hitting the expensive shops. When she was interviewed about her habit, she was smirking and laughing and seemed to not be taking it seriously at all. She said that when she argued with her boyfriend, her revenge on him was to "go spending".

Her parents didn't help her by LENDING her more money to go shopping with!!! Her boyfriend didn't do a thing to sto her spending, and the little madam was just doing what she pleased with no thought to the mess she was getting herself into. How can any parent stand by and watch that happen to their child?????

If people would grow spines and start standing up for themselves and simply saying NO, and not giving a shit what people thought of them, debt wouldn't be such a problem. There are some things in life you just can't afford. Bloody hell, I'd love a Lotus Elise, I'd love to make over my whole house, I'd love to be able to shop for new clothes each week, I'd love to do more travelling - but I simply can't afford it. I'd love to have a dozen different costumes but it ain't happening, I just have to settle for my lot and be happy with what I've got. I could be a LOT worse. Why can't everyone else have the same attitude???

The only winners that come out of all this are the banks and loan companies.

The Mile high Club

So all the Sunday papers are today full of the blonde air hostess that shagged Ralph Fiennes, selling her story about their "passion" in an aeroplane toilet. How Fiennes, who was on his way to a UNICEF conference about AIDS, didn't bother to put a Johnny on (do as I say not as I do) and how they continued their shenanigans in his hotel suite when the plane landed.

Then she speaks of her "heartache" because she thought "the experience was a lot more than just about sex" and how upset she is that he didn't help her lie to keep her job, when her antics were discovered, and how she "hoped there would be an ongoing friendship". And now she is all angry that she has "been used" and so is whoring her story to all the papers for every penny she can grab.

"He is a millionaire movie star and I'm a struggling air hostess on £12,000 a year. I have financial problems and nothing to fall back on. What will I do now?" she whines. WELL YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BEFORE YOU DROPPED YOUR KNICKERS LOVE. I mean, exactly what did you expect you stupid bint? A marriage proposal? A proper relationship? Ralph ending his career to be with "the one he truly loves"? I don't bloody think so. "I'd like to introduce my wife, we met after I shagged her in a Qantas toilet......"

You gave him everything he wanted within the first 5 minute of meeting, why would he want anything else to do with you? You cheapened yourself by letting him screw you like a common slut in a back alley, why would that attract him to you for a future relationship? Most men wouldn't turn down sex on a plate if it was offered to them, but deep down afterwards they'd probably not view the giver of the sex as anything more than just a quick bang. They'd never admit it, but they wouldn't respect the woman at all. Men like the chase and the pursuit, so don't give them the "kill" straight away FFS.

So next I expect to see Miss Robertson starring in an amateur porn film about her adventures, then turning into the next Abi Titmuss, and turning up at the opening of an envelope. Why the fuck do newspapers give these people column space? Why am I even wasting 10 minutes of my life writing about this???!!