Saw this story in the LA times. Apparently 48% of teens (sic. American teens) bought no compact discs in 2007.
The times really are changing!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
30 day trial, day 4
Smoked twice. Feel like shit about it. Really wanted a smoke in the morning. Thanks to the encouragement of my amazing girlfriend overcame the temptation. Felt great all day about being a non smoker and having nearly kicked the tobacco out of my system. Went out for someones leaving drinks and in the company of some French guys ended up having a cigarette. Then a little tipsy on my way home, bought a pack of ten from tescos. Took one and binned the rest. Smoked my second cigarette. Felt appalling as a human being.
Now I can feel myself wanting another smoke, I can smell the filth on myself and I'm really peed off and angry. Still I hope this will serve in contrast to the fantastic feeling I had as a non-smoker this afternoon and spur me on to avoid all cigarettes in the future.
Sorry for letting myself down!
Still I haven't touched a take out coffee...
Now I can feel myself wanting another smoke, I can smell the filth on myself and I'm really peed off and angry. Still I hope this will serve in contrast to the fantastic feeling I had as a non-smoker this afternoon and spur me on to avoid all cigarettes in the future.
Sorry for letting myself down!
Still I haven't touched a take out coffee...
Monday, February 25, 2008
30 day trial, day 3
Today was the third day of the trial. The first day back at work and the first full day without cigarettes.
Going without take out coffee was pretty easy-it meant I got to work a little faster and saved me a fair bit of money. Ordinarily I'd get a mocha and croissant from Starbucks on the way into the office. This clocks in at around 4 pounds.
This morning I got a croissant from pret a manger and a coffee from the free vend machine. Total cost 95p!
During the day avoiding coffee was more of a challenge. We have costa coffee stores in the office and going for a coffee in the morning or afternoon is usually quite a good break.
Still I just stuck with water and found that I feel a lot more awake than at the the end of a normal day guzzling coffee.
Cigarettes-now they were more troubling. Although I don't actually feel like I want to smoke, I don't miss the smell, the foul taste or the cost. There is a part of me that misses a coffee and cigarette although I know that there is nothing particularly nice about a coffee and cigarette beyond not having to work while you enjoy them.
In terms of symptoms-I couldn't sleep properly last night and woke up five or six times, I've had a mild headache most the day, been fidgety, not able to concentrate fully and mildly irritable. It's been particularly severe (understandably) around those times I usually most looked forward to smoking-walking to and from work, at lunch and right after dinner.
Despite all the irritation I am glad I've quit and viewing the whole experience as a mild illness that will soon be done with.
By day seven or so i think it should be smoothe sailing.
Going without take out coffee was pretty easy-it meant I got to work a little faster and saved me a fair bit of money. Ordinarily I'd get a mocha and croissant from Starbucks on the way into the office. This clocks in at around 4 pounds.
This morning I got a croissant from pret a manger and a coffee from the free vend machine. Total cost 95p!
During the day avoiding coffee was more of a challenge. We have costa coffee stores in the office and going for a coffee in the morning or afternoon is usually quite a good break.
Still I just stuck with water and found that I feel a lot more awake than at the the end of a normal day guzzling coffee.
Cigarettes-now they were more troubling. Although I don't actually feel like I want to smoke, I don't miss the smell, the foul taste or the cost. There is a part of me that misses a coffee and cigarette although I know that there is nothing particularly nice about a coffee and cigarette beyond not having to work while you enjoy them.
In terms of symptoms-I couldn't sleep properly last night and woke up five or six times, I've had a mild headache most the day, been fidgety, not able to concentrate fully and mildly irritable. It's been particularly severe (understandably) around those times I usually most looked forward to smoking-walking to and from work, at lunch and right after dinner.
Despite all the irritation I am glad I've quit and viewing the whole experience as a mild illness that will soon be done with.
By day seven or so i think it should be smoothe sailing.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
You know it's an HBO historical drama when...
The opening credits take longer than your TV dinner. I'm watching Band of Brothers and apart from the feature length title sequence with mock operatics and dodgy mock sepia photographs it is pretty good.
So WTF?
Because I really have a deep rooted affection for myself I was reading my previous posts. Apparently I can't remember what I was doing or thinking 2 weeks ago.
Anyway I noticed that I begin a significant portion of my posts with 'So...'
SO! SO! WTF.
I'm relatively literate, fairly eloquent, my grammar is lacking but still, when did I start writing and talking like a 17 year old American girl.
In Star Trek (a topic I promise to post about-bet you can't wait) they have a term called 'Cultural Contamination'. In fact I'm pretty sure that this term is not limited to Star Trek but the Enterprise has far more intellectual standing with me then the French sociological/political establishment.
Anyway they get really stressed out about talking to primitive cultures or leaving any technology behind on planets they visit. I always thought this was a little overblown. But 'OMG' inadvertent, infrequent exposure to America's next top Model has turned me into a moron!
I re-read the post (as I said I really do enjoy reading about myself) and I noticed that beyond repeated use of the word SO, I seem to start every other paragraph with ANYWAY. ARRRGH
Anyway I noticed that I begin a significant portion of my posts with 'So...'
SO! SO! WTF.
I'm relatively literate, fairly eloquent, my grammar is lacking but still, when did I start writing and talking like a 17 year old American girl.
In Star Trek (a topic I promise to post about-bet you can't wait) they have a term called 'Cultural Contamination'. In fact I'm pretty sure that this term is not limited to Star Trek but the Enterprise has far more intellectual standing with me then the French sociological/political establishment.
Anyway they get really stressed out about talking to primitive cultures or leaving any technology behind on planets they visit. I always thought this was a little overblown. But 'OMG' inadvertent, infrequent exposure to America's next top Model has turned me into a moron!
You know you have worked in a bank too long when...
You have an inexplicable urge to consume vast amounts of 'Fiji Water'. Seriously at what point did £1.25 a bottle become a reasonable investment. Yet I am convinced it tastes better-it fell as rain before the industrial revolution don't you know. This means that the rest of you are drinking water filled with smog and all the other rubbish that has crept into the atmosphere. I on the other hand get the real deal-true pure water. Allegedly.
Still I'm a sucker for marketing.
Perhaps it reflects something deeper however. According to Steve Schmidt (John McCain's campaign strategist and former campaign consultant to Bush, Cheney & Schwarzenegger)
"among independent voters there are life styles and behaviours that identify them as Republicans or Democrats. For example, the GMC Yukon is a Republican vehicle, and Volvos and Subarus are the most Democratic vehicles. Republicans have Fiji water preferences, versus Democrats who have Evian water preferences"
Given the fact I'm not American, this is a bit academic but he is right about one thing, given the opportunity I would back McCain. Evian is naive in my book.
Still I'm a sucker for marketing.
Perhaps it reflects something deeper however. According to Steve Schmidt (John McCain's campaign strategist and former campaign consultant to Bush, Cheney & Schwarzenegger)
"among independent voters there are life styles and behaviours that identify them as Republicans or Democrats. For example, the GMC Yukon is a Republican vehicle, and Volvos and Subarus are the most Democratic vehicles. Republicans have Fiji water preferences, versus Democrats who have Evian water preferences"
Given the fact I'm not American, this is a bit academic but he is right about one thing, given the opportunity I would back McCain. Evian is naive in my book.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
No coffee, unexpected side effects
Turns out that there is one other side effect to not drinking take out coffee. A massive craving for beer!
All day today I've been walking about completely untempted by Starbucks but craving a pint. Sadly my friends were out of town. In the end i wasn't willing to drink in a London pub on my own. That way leads to destruction. So I bought a few fine ales on my way home to enjoy alone in the privacy of my bedroom. Surely a much healthier approach!
If this continues I might be replacing the 30 day trial with a 30 day stint in rehab.
Cheers
All day today I've been walking about completely untempted by Starbucks but craving a pint. Sadly my friends were out of town. In the end i wasn't willing to drink in a London pub on my own. That way leads to destruction. So I bought a few fine ales on my way home to enjoy alone in the privacy of my bedroom. Surely a much healthier approach!
If this continues I might be replacing the 30 day trial with a 30 day stint in rehab.
Cheers
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