annaj

Nooooooooo. Do you think someone finally told them?

Instead of Anne of Green Gables can I suggest Lucy Maud Montgomery's less well know Emily trilogy. They're similar (orphaned heroine living with aunts) but follow Emily Byrd Starr, a marginally less cutesy heroine, from ages 10 to 28. They're mostly about her trying to balance her dream of being a writer with her obligation to be a good murray women and not disgrace the family name. Hardly gritty, but lovely books, and Emily is a more interesting character than sunshine Anne.

No, missed him on Jonathon Ross..... because I was at the Roundhouse seeing them live. Totally still got it - voice and looks (although I did spot a teeny tiny bald patch, but I'm blocking it from my mind). See for yourself (is it very backwards of me to still think it's crazy how fast stuff makes it to the internet. Oh and it's not my video, obviously, I'm am very respectful of copyright laws) and just for Sean which is one of their best.

Not sure what you're getting at Keef, but ok, I'll rephrase. I'm sure there are lots of jobs as people facing as mine or even more so, but mine is pretty heavily dependant on my ability to interact with people. Better?

Moten Harkert. Yes, I'm emtirely serious. Ok, so it was mostly pretty light weight pop, but that's an amazing voice. Eva Cassidy Tori Amos

Waaaiiiit a minute. I'm away from the screen for a couple of hours and we've gone from me not liking enforced fun and outdoorsiness, because it brings back rather unpleasant memories to me being unsuitable for a customer facing role and only in my job for the money. What now? First the people facing thing, since Sean has already defended me (thanks Sean, made me blush) I won't go on too much, but seriously Huguenot, I doubt you can find a more people facing job than mine (although I call them patients not customers) and I am good at it. I'm good at it because I'm good with people in real, and sometimes very serious, situations, not becuase of my ability to perform in a fake situation. As for being a killjoy who only does their job for the money, well, gosh, paulino, that's quite an assumption. I love my job. I don't think I could do it if I didn't because the hours are horrible and it's mostly thankless. I work closely with a large team of people and we have to trust and rely on each other. Some of them I like, some of them I don't, some I'm indifferent to. I think that's natural and I think that's ok. Over the years I have made some close friends through work (and picked up a husband) but I don't think it's an essential to be best mates with everyone I work with and I don't think that would make me better at what I do. In fact, in my job a little bit of detachment is an essential.

Yes, all that too Ted, I hate enforced fun and joining for all those valid and eloquently expressed reasons too...... but it is a lot about feeling like a fat, miserable, teenager again.

Don't hold back Huguenot, say what you really think! It may be extraordinary, and I admire your noble sticks-and-stones attitude, but it's how I honestly feel. I was a miserable, bullied teenager and games lessons were a regular, painful humiliation. I am completely uncoordinated. I can't throw or catch or hit anything with anything at all. However bad you're imagining, I'm worse. When teams were picked I was picked after the seriously overweight (I was only chubby remember) and hirsuite girl who still worn knee high socks in secondary school and wasn't allowed in assembly because of her mother's beliefs. That's how bad I was. Now, I'm a sucessful, functional, popular adult, but when someone suggests a hour or two of jolly hitting balls with sticks I'm that girl again and it's horrible.

I know, i'm with you on that Moos. I often thought he was making a good point, sadly usually wrapped up in unnecessary antagonism, but I've tried to draw him out a few times recently, maybe actually find out what he thinks or even find some common ground, and it was a complete waste of time. He simply wasn't interested in having any of his preconceptions and prejudices challenged. Oh well. *joins Sean in waving to lenk, busy telling himself he showed us*

Well, ok, no, not anymore. But that's a fairly recent thing. Chubby was how the kind people described me until not that long ago.

As the chubby, uncoordinated, weedy and motion sick one, I can safely say that you're absolutely right Moos. Any kind of hearty, outdoorsy, team activity fills me with absolute dread. I have honestly, as an adult, cried at the thought of the humiliation of the work rounders match. I also reallt dislike all kinds of indoor team building and trust games. Mostly because it's always so completely and cringeworthily (real word?) obviously what you're supposed to do, but everyone just stands silently or dithers. I'm the sort of person who feels sorry for the teacher (sorry, facilitator) if no-one engages, so end up being all jolly and trying to engage everyone whilst screaming on the inside.

Wasn't it. Possibly the best flounce we've ever had. Even better than snorky asking for his account to be deleted then sensationally claiming to have been banned on the Nunhead forum. Anyone care to place a bet as to when the next four-lettered user named, bitter, narrow minded, chip on shouldered, broken record will register and take up lenk/penk/honk's fight. As for the rest, some passengers are rude and some are nice and some are normally nice, but sometimes have a bad day. Some drivers are rude and some are nice and some are normally nice, but sometimes have a bad day. Hmm, I somehow feel like we've been here before.

Oh, the late shop on Eccy road. Happy memories. Every shop there was a rot shop. Did you ever eat in Tilly's Tea Room just up the road from there *Bob*? I may have served you a full english breakfast in another life...

What Huguenot said

Don't get too distressed, dulwichpetcarers, I'm fairly sure BBW is trying to do a TedMax. Keep practicing BBW, you'll fool someone one day ;-)

Here we go.... I'm fairly sure it started here and as far as I know the OP wasn't joking, so, yes, it pretty much is about the collective SE22 neurosis.

Right. "They" are narrow-minded, whereas you, of course, are enlightened and broad minded. Except that you constantly judge, generalise and dismiss people on the basis of class, colour, profession, parental status or anything that makes them not exactly like you. Do you really not see the irony in your, somewhat tired and tedious, stance?

*fixes Ted with a steely glare* *holds up card saying BLUFF*

Me too, Keyara!

I'm sorry? Have I missed something? Where have I said anything personal or distorted against you? If you mean PRs posts they were, perhaps, a little defensive, but they weren't personal against you. I read them as simply the frustration of someone who is tired of being singled out and patronised for being childless. But I suppose we all read from our own perspective, don't we.

The irrational that you've put in quotes was a reference to your original post. At no point have I said that there isn't a fierce and strong protective parental instinct and at no point have I said that I, as a non-parent, have experienced it or know how it feels. Nor have I judged the OPs decision to take action when she wasn't comfortable. What I have said is that a non-parent can offer a different and equally valid perspective and possibly one not influenced by strong, defensive emotions and fear.

Congratulations Mockney! I had heard the happy news, but haven't seen you around to congratulate in person. As far as swine flu goes, Nero's advice is pretty much spot on. The advice for pregnant women has been contradictory and unhelpful. To say that pregnant women are more susceptible to infection is simplistic, not strictly true and alarmist in my opinion. The immunological changes that allow a women to carry a child and not respond to the paternal antigens are extremely complex and not fully understood and there are some infections and immunological conditions that are more severe during pregnancy. No infection is ideal during pregnancy and pregnant women probably are a little more susceptible to swine flu, but the vast majority will have a mild flu illness without complications. In other words, don't confine Mrs Mockney to the house just yet! As for Oseltamivir in pregnancy, like many drugs, it's completely untested in pregnant humans. Animal studies have shown no teratogenic effects and surveillance of pregnant women who have taken it hasn't shown any adverse effects, but it can't be guaranteed to be safe and so is not licenced during pregnancy. This is an extremely common situation with lots of drugs, because it's not regarded as terribly ethical to conduct randomised controlled trials on pregnant women, and the decision to treat (off licence) or not to treat is made on an individual basis based on risks and benefits. This best source of information, in my opinion, is The Health Protection Agency Website Quids, I don't see anything wrong with your calpol and cbeebies approach, the chances are it is swine flu, because there's a lot of it about, but she's likely to be fine. The only advantage in calling the GP is that you may get oseltamivir for the rest of the family and possibly avoid you all getting it. PR, if you're prone to respiratory problems, it's not unreasonable to regard yourself as high risk and act accordingly. As for the question of how you know it's swine flu, well, you don't for sure, but it's not flu season and there are or have been lots of confirmed cases out there, so if you get a flu at the moment there's a good chance it's swine flu. The bottom line is still don't panic, people have died and will die from this flu, but people also die from normal flu and its complications all the time. It's just not reported. This flu is likely to continue to spread and more people will be affected and some will develop complications, but most will have a week off work feeling groggy and then go back to normal.

Nice piece of trivia knowledge, lenk, although I don't suppose it comes up in pub quizzes that often. Unfortunately, just the mention of Sam Fox leaves me with her song "Touch Me" going round in my head and I'm holding you repsonsible...

Ah, yes, Huggers The Sun Paradox. Frontpage headlines screaming "PAEDOS ARE EVERYWHERE" and page three showing Tiffany from Leicester - just turned 16... she's luuurverley... Edited (just for you MickMac) to say that, of course I'm not saying that all sun readers or page three admirers are paedophiles (I mean it should go without saying, but on here nothing does). I'm just agreeing with huggers in his/her opinion that society sends out some confused and confusing messages.

Ok, so, jenren and sawyerphin, you're both saying that your powerful maternal instinct drives you to fear the worst and, by your own admission jenren, is at times irrational. So, if that's true then surely it's the duty of non-parents to provide some much needed rational perspective and remind you that just because your protective instincts percieve danger, there might not actually be any? Rather than the whole world adapt to your enhanced and emotional sense of threat. As I've already said, if the OP didn't feel comfortable she was right to act on that, but like several others on here I didn't think the, now removed, "Parents beware!" was necessary or constructive and I don't really see the point of the thread.