BIG ISSUES

No, not my own.  I don't have any anymore remember.  This is now the new me speaking, the well adjusted, confident, aware of her blessings, grateful, peace-loving, never jealous, positive version of myself.  What I am referring to is THE BIG ISSUE as in the magazine.  No longer is it merely the trademark signature of  major cities where the salary potential is almost as high as the homelessness problem.   No more simply the bane of  Politicians and Corporate Bankers.  The Big Issue is encroaching upon the very fibre of middle class suburbia - worried, good well you should be.    At lunchtime today  I was approached by a foreign lady (no doubt one of those illegal iminent thingymejogs) stood outside (wait for it) the local Co-op in Shifnal.   Shifnal being the very epitome of posh middle England.  Now either I have missed a large scale natural disaster which has rendered the residents of said tincy wincy town without food and shelter, or she was pulling a fast one.   Homeless my backside.   Having said that I did purchase the magazine from her but only because I am a complete two-faced coward, oh and it had James Caan on the front who I think is a bit of a dish (does anyone even use that word nowadays?).  Incidentally I am referring to James Caan the Philanthropist, not James Caan the actor.  Although I wouldn't kick either of them out of bed - that would just be rude - and as I have said before, I am a desperate woman.

At this point I should make it very clear that I am not in the slightest bit anti-immigration.  I believe in freedom of movement between countries, so long as that movement doesn't mean in to my home stealing my belongings or abducting my children to sell on the black (or should I say caucasion) market.    Unless of course you want Danny in which case I am willing to consider all sensible offers.  Begging is a funny one though.   Several times I have given beggars actual food or offered to take them somewhere for a meal and they have practically laughed in my face, generally dealing in hard cash only.    I am guessing for some people life is so tough that drinking or injecting their lives away is the only bearable option.  Personally I think there is nothing better than eating your woes away with a KFC family bucket.

But do you see how complex everything is?.  Just when I make up my mind about a subject along comes a different slant which causes me to re-evaluate.  I would really like a hard fast rule book.  A 'Do's and Don'ts of life' if you like.  DO give to beggars.  DON'T eat red meat.  DO smack your children.  DON'T vote for the BNP (that's fairly obvious though).  DON'T buy from Gap or Mcdonalds indirectly supporting child labour in China and the IRA.   DO execute murderers and paedophiles (especially those).  So many issues that I can't form an opinion on.   Perhaps that's the point.....as we mature we change our minds about many of these things,  because age brings wisdom and perspective whereas youth is impossibly idealistic.   Or maybe I am just shallow and fickle as my science teacher once told me. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be another long run.  Last night I was completing my new Diary and writing out my training schedule.  When I got to Sat 13th March and the sentence "today's task - a nine and a half mile run" I wasn't sure whether to laugh, cry or go and fetch a hammer to break my own leg with.   Part of me wants to do it but the other 98% is panicking that it is a step, or jog too far.  This is where I need someone to talk me up and get my head back on track.  Trouble is everyone else around here thinks it's a joke too!  actually that's not quite the truth.  Chris believes I can do it but is concerned that (in his words) "you should be careful as running at that weight might well wreck your joints".   Why thank you darling.  You should be careful too my love as making comments like that might well wreck your sex life.

Anyway I am still here and still planning on going as far as I can.   Charlotte had her class assembly this afternoon which was based entirely on the subject of exercise and healthy eating.  At one point a child pointed to the audience shouting "and what exercise are YYYOOOOOUUUU doing?", which made me feel all warm and glowy knowing that instead of hanging my head in shame I could actually answer that question with pride.   They ended singing Jimmy Cliff "you can get it if you really want.........but you must try, try and try, try and try - you'll succeed at last".    That reassured me that I should have absolutely no problem ..after all trying is my middle name.