A craving...

A craving...

I harbour a guilty secret.  Something which I am ashamed to admit to.  And I know better, I should never partake in it.  But I cannot resist.  The cravings overcome me and no matter how much I try to think of other things, I am drawn to that neon lit sign.  The smell that wafts through the air hits my nostrils and sets my mouth salivating, brings evocative images to mind and feelings of joy to my own being.

Do you feel the same way too?  Can you resist its allure or do you give in and find yourself inundated with pangs of hunger whenever you pass-by.  And it does not occur everyday, but once in a while, you feel it.  The feeling of resistance is one of futility.  No matter how much you try, that craving suddenly hits, and no amount of distractions or anything else can stop you from entering the fluorescent lit store and ordering - junk food.

For me, the cravings were particularly bad when I used to work the night shifts.  Suddenly and without warning I would pass a burger king and just salivate over the thought of a Melted Double Cheeseburger.  Or who can resist the Hot Wings from Dixie Fried Chicken.  And there is nothing like the taste of a greasy Donner Kebab gently sinking down to the bottom of my stomach, lubricated with masses of chilli sauce.  Being an ex-employee of McDonalds, I am more immune to the offerings of that particular chain.  And this is not an everyday thing I am talking about, but once in a while, I am just carried away by the need for something bad.

And now, as a self-employed man?  Well, my working patterns are now mainly in the early hours of the morning and so I can no longer be enticed by the wafting smell of late night chicken bars.  Instead, I now have a new craving.  The fry-up!

What’s with this Obsession with Celebrities?

What’s with this Obsession with Celebrities?

Are people living such miserable lives these days that they find themselves waiting with baited breath to hear the next bit of juicy celeb gossip?  I don’t get it, I really don’t.  So what if Paris went to jail?  So what if Prince William takes his girlfriend out for the night?  Do we really care if a soap opera actor wears Versace or Wang on the red carpet – and what’s the big deal about the red carpet anyway?

It seems that celebrities have taken fame and made it into a huge business.  It’s not even necessary to be talented anymore, all you have to be is the girlfriend of a football star and suddenly you’re a >   What’s the chances that the same person would have become these things if they hadn’t been connected with their famous sportsman partner?  I’m only guessing here but I’d say the odds would be against it!

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An offshoot of this celebrity obsession has been the rising fame of the paparazzi.  Once a group of photographers fighting one another for the best shot at an awards show or movie premiere, now they believe it’s OK to chase women driving their children to school because the women are famous and that’s what the public wants – really?  I’m one of the public and I don’t want to see a mother having to put her children in danger for the sake of a non-authorized photo.  The only good headlines on this is when we read of a celeb who’s had enough of being harassed by photographers hitting back at a member of the paparazzi, but then the celebrity ends up in legal trouble – am I the only one who sees a twisted logic in this?

Watching the media battle for the most sleazy headline and “ugly” photo of a celebrity I’m reminded of the history lessons where the Romans cheered as people fought in vain for their lives against gladiators and lions.  Whilst I firmly believe that many so called “celebrities” are self made people with little talent for anything other than self promotion, I do believe that the obsession with all celebs is getting out of hand.   Unfortunately the paparazzi are right when they say that the general public is to blame because if the public didn’t buy the magazines, they wouldn’t chase the celebrities to get the photos to put in the magazines - so I guess the message is “People get your own life!”