Cornwall

This is a photo I took of a beach in Cornwall, called Harlyn Bay. I changed it on Photoshop. This is one of my favourite places in the world!

New Job!

I got a job! Finally I have a new job! I haven’t had a job for about two months now and I have hated it. Not that I haven’t been doing anything, I’ve been doing my diploma in journalism and I’ve been writing. But I’ve hated not having a job. I’ve hated not being able to earn money. But now I can.

My last job I quit because it did my head in. I worked for a debt management company. It was there that I worked on phones calling people up during the day. It was pretty much cold calling and people hated me, but I didn’t exactly like it either. My job was to help people with their debt, so if people had credit cards and loans they were struggling with, I put them through to other companies who would help them pay them off. It was quite intense, having to talk to people about their debt everyday was a bit heavy.

But then we moved onto payment protection insurance. I called people up who were eligible to claim back money from their banks, and then again put them through to companies who were able to do that for them. I worked there for a year and a half until I eventually had enough. All day every day I got people swearing at me, some even telling me to get cancer and die. I completely understand that me calling them was annoying, but it was my job and I didn’t really appreciate being called a c**t and told to die.

I also stopped getting on with the people I worked with. My boss began to get on my nerves, he would pull me into the office by myself, pressuring me to work extra hours. I always felt intimidated so felt like I had to. I also worked with two boys around my age, and with them I felt like I was back at school, they annoyed the hell out of me. I hardly ever got any pay slips either and in the end I’d just had enough.

So I just quit. I finished work one Thursday and the following Monday I told my boss I wasn’t going back. It felt good and I’m glad I did it. Though I have missed having a job. But now finally I have one. I can finally learn to drive, buy clothes again and I might even get a tattoo.   

My Email To Star Magazine

Three days ago I emailed Star magazine as I wasn't happy with them putting Gary Barlow on their front cover and talking about his loss. As a fan of his, I don't want the press putting him and his family all over their cover pages. He and his family have asked for privacy right now and that should be respected. I have yet to receive a response from Star; this was my email to them.

Dear Mr/Mrs or whoever it may concern.

I am writing to inform you I have a complaint about ISSUE 445, dated 20th August 2012, over your cover content.

On this cover there is a picture of Gary Barlow titled, "Devastated. Grieving Gary. He'll Never Get Over Losing Baby Poppy."

I am very annoyed and upset at the fact that you have put a picture of a heartbroken man on the cover of your magazine, after he has asked for privacy for him and his family.

He, his wife and their family have just gone through a devastating loss, yet you have put him on your front cover.

They asked for privacy and you have disrespected that.

They also have children, children who can read what you have written, which could upset them further, which would also upset Gary further.

I also question whether this is of the public interest, as we fans don't wish to read this, as we wish to respect his privacy.

I look forward to hearing your response.

My Favourite Band - My Idols - Take That

Star Mag - Insensitive

I seriously cannot believe Star magazine. They’ve only gone and put Gary Barlow on their front cover, with the headline, “Devastated, Grieving Gary. He’ll never get over losing Baby Poppy.” No, of course he won’t. Say the obvious why don’t you. On the front page also, is a picture of Imogen Thomas holding her baby bump. Of course she’s very happy at the moment as she’s doing well in her pregnancy.

But for Star magazine to put a picture of Gary on the same page as a happy pregnant woman is, in my eyes, very insensitive. I don’t know why the press won’t just leave him alone, stop writing articles on him. Right now he and his family are going through a very tough time, the last thing they need is that tough time splashed all over the papers and mags.

The press don’t seem to understand the fact that Gary has children, children who can go on the internet or read the newspapers, and see what is being written about all of them. They don’t need that right now. Fans have respected the Barlow’s privacy, we don’t want to read it. It would be nice if the press could understand that too. Rant over.

Trolls

So I was on twitter a few days ago, and everyone was talking about some horrible tweets they’d seen about Gary. I myself didn’t look at them, I couldn’t. I had read some tweets about him from two other vile people, and I couldn’t understand what would make them say it. Literally within hours of him announcing he’d lost his child, there were nasty tweets all over twitter. Particularly from one evil person, who I will not mention the name of.

I have no idea what possessed him to say it, Gary and his family was going through a terrible loss, a loss which no one should have to go through and people were making jokes about it. Maybe it was to get lots of attention or maybe he just wanted to be hated, whatever the reason, the things he said were disgusting.

I don’t understand these “trolls.” I don’t know what satisfies them about having a go at celebrities or people like themselves. Where do they get off on it? They’re hated for what they’re doing. Their days are literally filled with making people feel like crap. And I don’t know why. Yeah I find a lot of people on twitter who annoy me, but I don’t start an argument with them and I don’t send horrible tweets to them. I let them get on with it, I have much more important things in my own life to worry about, than what they are tweeting about.

However, there are people in all walks of life, whether it is at school, college, work, or just the people around you, that do your head in or do things you don’t like. But to have a go at them about it, or to say horrible things to them, is just not on. You wouldn’t go up to a stranger on the street and say something horrific to them, so why do people do it on the internet.

It seems that they think they can hide away behind their computer and say what they want, that’s not the case anymore. Like technology allows them to say what they want, it has also allowed the police and internet providers to find these people, and persecute them. There’s freedom of speech and then there’s just plain going too far. Whatever you do, don’t confuse the two.

Paris - Eiffel Tower

This is a photo I took of the Eiffel Tower when I was in Paris in 2008, I edited it on Photoshop. Please no stealing.

My Life - A-levels

So today was A-level results day and I was one of those who got my results. I got C’s in Creative Writing and Media, and D’s in English language and Photography. I was pleased with the C’s, but very disappointed with the D’s. For the last two years I have worked extremely hard at my A-levels, and today it kind of all felt like a waste of time. I know I still have A-levels and like everyone else says, it’s not the end of the world. But when you don’t get the results you wanted or hoped for, it does feel like the end of the world, and right now I feel extremely disappointed.

The past two years at college have been pretty hard for me. During the summer between leaving school and starting college, I began to drift away from my friends and within the first month of starting college, we had drifted apart. The month after my Grandma was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout the first year of college, my Grandma underwent chemotherapy and I didn’t really have any friends to share it with. To go with that, I pretty much hated college and I skipped a lot of my classes, so much so, I was almost kicked out.

When I started my second year I turned things around, I went to every class and I worked SO hard. I worked really hard on my coursework and I revised loads for my exams. However a few months into my second year at college, my Grandma died. That made things harder. I got quite depressed and I didn’t want to do anything, let alone go to college and work. But I persisted for her. So now, after having worked REALLY hard for my A-levels and not getting what I’d hoped for, it makes it all that more harder. However I am still going to persist and work hard.

A little while after I started college I decided not to go to university. All through school I did want to go, but I really didn’t like college, and I couldn’t see myself being in education for another three to four years, or being in thousands of pounds of debt. I decided it just wasn’t for me. So instead I decided to either get an apprenticeship or go straight into a job.

At the start of my second year I started contacting places and companies to try and make this happen, but they each said one thing. If I wanted a job in journalism I would have to have an NCTJ Diploma in journalism. So I searched everywhere to find out how to get this. I applied at a few places and got in, but I then found a place where I could do this diploma online so it was cheaper, I worked independently and could do it in my own time. So that’s what I’m doing now. I didn’t need certain results to be able to do the course and I can earn money whilst I’m doing it.

So even though right now I feel disappointed and a bit down about my results, I’m not giving up. I will get my dream job of being a journalist and writer.

I’ll keep you updated on how I get on.

My Blog - My Life

My name is Louise and this is my blog. I am eighteen years old and I live in a town an hour away from London. For the past fourteen years I have been in school and college. I have now left college and have started a journalism diploma, this is my story.

Take That At The Olympics

On Sunday morning I was still not so sure whether Take That would actually perform at the Olympics or not. And I wasn’t so sure that they should. It’s not that I didn’t want to see them, I had been looking forward to seeing them perform for AGES and I got butterflies just thinking about it. But that was before Gary’s sad loss. I know from sad personal experience that it takes a long time to get over something like that, in fact you never actually do.

The Olympics closing ceremony was only a week after Gary’s loss, and I wasn’t sure whether he was ready or not. Despite that fact, I was really looking forward to seeing them, even if I was apprehensive. That night I sat through the whole ceremony, not getting my hopes up on whether they would perform. I know there were pictures circulating on twitter from their rehearsals, but they could still pull out at any time, and they’d have every right too. I waited for what felt like forever, until finally they came on stage.

The first few opening lines Gary’s voice wavered, you could hear the emotion and pain in his voice throughout the whole song. I’m not ashamed to admit I cried, I felt the pain with him, like every other fan. I am extremely proud of Gary for getting up onto that stage and singing his heart out; we all know he sung it for his wife, his children and his Poppy. He didn’t have to do that, he had every right to turn around and not to do it. But he did. Apparently he said he didn’t want to let Britain or his fans down, but there was no way he would have down that.

He stood on that stage with his head held high, singing his heart out. The whole world saw how amazing he was and how brave he was. One thing I am most proud of is the fact that the boys weren’t just a band that night. They were a unit, a band of brothers. They supported Gary and helped him through it all the way. Mark with his caring and comforting looks. Jason was his wacky, individual dancing. And Howard helping him through the vocals.

Sunday I was proud to say I was a fan; I was proud to say I have supported them and followed them for years, through everything. They are my band, and many other people’s band. Now when I talk about my favourite band, people won’t be asking who they are, because of that night, they will know.  

My Pain For Gary

Last week, on Monday the 6^th of August 2012, there was a statement released saying Gary Barlow and his wife Dawn had sadly lost their fourth child. Their daughter Poppy was stillborn. Upon hearing this news I began to cry. Some may find this strange or stupid, on the fact that I don’t know him and have never before met either of them. But being a Take That and a Gary fan, I feel as if I do know him, maybe not personally but from afar.

I have also empathised with their loss, as my auntie and uncle went through the same thing five years ago. They had struggled for years having children, but in 2007 they were expecting a baby. This baby was one of twins, however earlier on in the pregnancy one of the twins sadly died. Everything was going well, until five days before the baby was due it stopped kicking. My auntie rang the hospital but they said this was normal, however have since been told it’s not, by the next morning the baby had completely stopped kicking. The hospital told her not to go in until the afternoon, once they had got there they again had to wait two hours before anyone saw them. By that time the doctors couldn’t find a heartbeat and their baby had died.

Now I’m not saying that the NHS isn’t good, and doctors and nurses aren’t amazing, but I really do believe if my auntie was told to go into hospital as soon as the kicking had slowed down, I believe my cousin would still be here, but that’s a what if. You can’t spend your life thinking of what ifs, because it’ll just end up destroying you.

Two days later my auntie gave birth to a boy named Jamie, yet unlike other babies when born, he didn’t move, he didn’t cry and he didn’t open his eyes. A few minutes after his birth, my auntie and uncle had to sign a birth certificate and a death certificate. I don’t know what it’s like to go through losing a child, but I saw how it was for them. It is the most painful experience anyone can go through, whatever stage of pregnancy and however age your child is, no parent should lose their child. I had been so excited and so looking forward to meeting my cousin, but when I was told he had died, I broke down.

I have never cried so much and I have ever felt so much pain, I got seriously depressed and I have never truly got over it. No one should ever have to bury a child, I remember seeing the coffin and thinking how small it was, I know Gary and Dawn will go through the same kind of pain when they have to bury Poppy. It isn’t nice, I wouldn’t wish that kind of pain on my worst enemy, let alone Gary, Dawn and their family.

Even now, five years on, I still cry for my cousin and I still feel the pain, no one gets over something like that, but it does get easier. That’s something I’d like to tell Gary and Dawn, they will get through this. They have a strong relationship and have been through a lot together, with each other, their children and their families, they will get through this. It will get easier for them. One day, when they think of their beautiful baby Poppy, it will be with a smile.

Loves...

I love...first of all I LOVE Take That. I am a huge fan and have been for a few years now; I have seen them live four times, once on their Beautiful World tour in 2007, once on their Circus tour in 2009 and twice on their Progress tour in 2011.
I love...Paris. I went to Paris in 2008 and loved it. It was the most beautiful City I've been to, and I would love to go back. I went up the Eiffel Tower, saw the arch De Triumph, and went to two art galleries. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and one that I would gladly repeat.
I love...I also love London, the shops, the people, the hustle and bustle, the lights. When its night and you go somewhere like Halfords where the whole place is all lit up, it's beautiful. It's especially beautiful at Christmas. I also love Covent Garden, it's another beautiful place.
I love...Cornwall. I've been going to Cornwall every year for my holiday in the summer for the past 10 years. I met a friend there on the first year I went and we've been friends ever since, and continue to meet up each year. Cornwall is another place I find beautiful. The beaches, the little harbour villages. I go to a place near Padstow every year, and I could walk around that place almost every day and never get bored. They sell great ice cream there and pasties, and they also have this really nice tea room that has really nice food. The harbour is also really nice to walk around and it's peaceful, I will definitely continue going there.
I love...probably the most important of what I love, my nieces, nephew and little cousin. I have 4 nieces, one 12, another 10, the other 7, and the last one 4. My nephew is 13 and my cousin is 3. I love them all so much and would do anything for them.
I love...writing. I used to write for a magazine in my secondary school, and in college. In my spare time I also write stories. I hope when I'm older to be writing for a magazine or newspaper, and another one of my dreams is to have a novel published.
Last but not least...I love photography. I've loved to take pictures ever since I was little and have had a camera since I was a kid. I have a GCSE and A-level in it. I really like just taking pictures, of anything really. But I also like the process of producing those photos, whether it is in a dark room developing a film, or in Photoshop developing digital photos. I would like to someday also include Photography in my career.
So that concludes my loves.