My girlfriend and I are (fingers crossed) moving into a new house this week which we are renting. I say fingers crossed because last we heard they were doing background and credit checks and we haven't heard from them since! Anyway we have obviously been looking around houses which are available to rent, and my rant is this:
Why do so many landlords seem to have absolutely no care for the state of the houses they are letting? I would never let a house to anyone which I wouldn't be happy to live in myself, and I don't believe the people who own some of the properties we've looked round would even consider spending the night there! Aside from the generally poor upkeep, dirtiness and shoddy DIY jobs, here is a list of things which I would expect a rented house to come with:
A fridge.
A freezer.
A washing machine.
An oven and hob.
Central bl**dy heating!!!
Suffice to say some landlords seem to think that all of these things are optional extras...
Ha! Well I moved into a rental over 3 years ago, and even though it was a fairly new build (2008 I think) my rental did NOT have fridge/freezer, washing machine or central heating (storage heaters, if you can believe that... and electric heaters in the bedrooms...) I mean, in 2008 REALLY???
It did however have an oven and hob.
I guess it's a question of Landlords get away with what they can. I pay more for the place I'm in, as I like it, and it is modern (apart from the heating...) but the other places I looked at, some didn't even have double glazing
Ive had a mixed bag of landlords to be honest.
My first didn't give a crap. His house was shitty, and us students made it shitier, the kitchen resembled withnail's. Whilst trying to play a prank on my flat mate and wake him by stomping on one of those industrial sized bubble wrap things, things went a little wrong. Suffice to say that not only did I wake him up, but also scared the crap outta myself by planting my foot through the floorboard. The carpet looked like a black hole as my foot disappeared... I fixed the issue by sliding a 6mm thick sheet of MDF under the carpet to cover the hole. The landlord never said a word. Full deposit back when I left.
The next landlord was the total opposite. Regular inspections carried out by a cross between Rosa Klebb and Irma Bunt. She was lovely. Permission was to be sought before hanging pictures and bluetac was forbidden. Her husband was just like Dennis in FYEO. Oh and when I moved out, my flat 'mates' trashed my room, then tried to stiff me for the gas bill. Half deposit back.
The last started out great. New to the whole 'renting for real now I'm not a student anymore' scene, the landlords lead me and my mrs through the process, wasn't pushy and everything was up front and transparent. It was a husband and wife team, just them managing their letting agency. They were great. Then as the business grew, they became utter wankers. The inspections never stopped, and issues and they were constantly busy, nothing got fixed and when the bathroom flooded, the 'emergancy' number (his mobile) just didn't answer and no calls were returned. When it came to leaving they got real arsey and after hiring a rug doctor, cleaning the over until the paint came off (no really, it did) and cleaning the place from top to bottom, they shafted me for a deposit, and even said I'd have to pay MORE towards a new carpet (which a carpet fitter had told me was shagged out of its life and at least 10 years old.)
All in all, I fuckin hated renting. I guess the trouble is in this climate people can't afford the big deposits needed to secure a house, so are left to the landlords mercy. The really big ball buster is round my way the majority of rents are more expensive than the mortgage repayments. Bastards.
Of course, renting is just a money grab. Live in landlords can be bad, really they advertise for a flatmate but they don't actually want one. They just need you to help pay off their mortgage or they can't make it work on their current salary. Ideally they just want someone to pay some money paid into their account each month. But for that to occur, they need to pretend to be a landlord and pretend to want someone to move in with them. They see you, the tenant, as money in their pocket and money isn't allowed to talk back or request they spend money on anything, it goes against your raison d'être. Even if you're mates already, once that becomes the relationship it defines it.
Speaking as a landlord who has been trying to legally evict a non paying tenant, I'm not all that sympathetic. The law is on the side of the tenant at all times - you arent even allowed to ask for rent twice. I'm thousands out of pocket, straddled paying a mortgage for some loser who still manages to have lotto, sky and beer money. He's given up work through "stress" and now tax payers pay his basic rent, leaving me a four hundred pound a month shortfall. I'm now bankrupting him and black listing him with agencies. In darker moments I've contemplated torching the house and claiming insurance. With him in it. But hey, I'm better than that it turns out, so I'll struggle on until I can get my property back. I'll then sell it and not bother renting it out again. There's a time to rent, and a time to buy. Long term renters are fundamentally not the type to get themselves in a position to buy.
Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. If you enjoy crime, espionage, action and fast-moving thrillers follow this link:
Feel like literally puking, my 9 month Landrover Discovery 4 was scratched to hell last night with a rock or key on both sides in my driveway, at least 5 separate scratches.
There really are a lot of c*&ts in this world!!
Unfortunately living on a remote Island 8000 miles away from the UK a proper respray is out of the question
There's not much worse than somebody damaging your car. Whether its something good like your disco, or a really cheap set of wheels - you buy what you can afford, so it makes no difference. It's so personal. If I caught somebody in the act of trashing my car, I'd literally kill them. Sorry about your car BTW
Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. If you enjoy crime, espionage, action and fast-moving thrillers follow this link:
See I'm certainly not condoning them, but crimes such as burglary, mugging or robberies have a motive, it's a source of coin for a criminal to use, sometimes to feed a family, most of the time a drug habit. Like I say, that don't make it right, but you can kinda understand why it's happened.
Vandalism however is pointless, no one benefits from it. What possible reason could anyone have (unless they're getting even over something) for scratching the crap outta your car, break your windows or smash your stuff up.
Hope ya get the disco sorted and you catch the bastard who did it.
Yup, vandalism really does suck balls. There is an arsonist at large in my neighborhood. Allready destroyd a single family house and several carbage sheds in the area. I am really feeling like starting to take late night strolls with my 6D maglite....
"I mean, she almost kills bond...with her ass."
-Mr Arlington Beech
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,699MI6 Agent
6 D Maglite
And I thought my 4 D Maglite was big.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
I have a 6D Maglite next to my bed incase, that someone bothers to "visit" us in the night.
Additionally after my wife saw it, she's much more peaceful* against me
*and I am aware that I have just opened the door for some silly banter for some of your nutters
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
People who start sentences with the word 'so'. I dunno why, but this annoys the bejesus outta me. It's even worse when there's a little pause involved. "So,.. There I was waiting for a taxi" X-( Christ, it's like telling me a bed time story. Which leads perfectly on to the next point.
People who don't take the hint. Ya know when someone is telling you something inanely boring and trivial and you just have no or very little interest in what they're saying. You try and make your excuses to go and get on with things, you might even turn your back and try to get on with whatever it was you was doing before afore mentioned bore interrupted you, but no, the hint isn't taken and mr/mrs boring git continues to ramble on. What are you supposed to do in a situation like this? Politely let the bore continue until they run out of cack to verbally vomit upon you, or be honest and truthful and simply state the fact: "sorry old chump, but you're boring me to the point where I'm contemplating sticking a fork in my eye as a distraction to your coma inducing tales of fabricated grade A bullshit, please run along and find some other unsuspecting victim to distract from their more important matters before I plant my size 9's towards one's gentleman vegetables/lady garden in a rather swift and forceful manner."?
So.... I was walking into a building the other day and the place is packed out with plebs (a term revitalised by some angry mobile chicane (more in a bit) riding politician) standing in the doorway. This is a similar action to standing in the supermarket isle with the trolley sticking out into no mans land, thus blocking everyone's way. Why can't people engage a slight moment of good old common sense and think "hang on, no one can get by here, I'll get out the way". Oh no, too much hassle isn't it, moving? Why not just stay stuck in place like a statue of crap, refusing to budge, regardless of the number of 'excuse me's and collisions. Or alternatively, engage brain and get out the fricking way.
Cyclists. Now don't get me wrong, I don't hate everyone. Well, ok, I hate most people. No hang on, hates a strong word, ok, I dislike a few people, and you get good and bad in all circles of life. But it would appear there's more bad than good when wheels are involved. I for instance, am a perfect driver, whereas for little old singular me, there's around 10 useless idiots who shouldn't be trusted with a kettle unsupervised, let alone a motor vehicle. The other day, whilst motoring along a single track road at a sedate 85mph, I happened to come across a cyclist and his cyclette on their bi-cycles. Regardless of the constant use of my horn (oh er) or the amounts if times I flashed my headlights, these cumbersome fools wouldn't move over. They probably enjoy standing in doorways and isles.. Anyhow, I luckily spied a convenient passing place, and overtook them. A half a mile later, I get held up by a builders arse winking at me in some roadworks and while said lard arsed bike rack shovelled dirt, I was held at his red light of a traffic signal. Then, along comes the daft cyclists, seeing nothing coming through the temporary traffic lights, they continue on, through the red light, leaving me to wait until released by lard arse, only to catch up and then have to repeat the previous overtaking manoeuvre all over again. Maybe next time, I'll continue too, and when the road gets really narrow, and as the grinding sounds of metal and cracking noises of breaking bones are heard, I'll simply exclaim "just following your fine example old bean!!" as the inept rule bending peddle monkies disappear under the wheels of 'windy city'.
Wasps. Really quite basic this one, and more an after thought than a real rant. Bees pollinate, flys feed spiders, butterflies look pretty. Wasps however chose a more mean existence by making their sole purpose in life to simply sting the living sh1t out of anything brightly coloured. Seriously, what are wasps for?
Ah the common cold. An infinite number of viral snot producing lurgies float around. Get over one, catch another.
Ok, so it's a bit of a bugger, headache, aches, hot n cold feelings etc. Now I can deal with that, but what I can't get, is what is the common cold for?! Seriously, what does the common cold do for the human race? It's like the medical version of a wasp. It serves no purpose other than to simply piss me off. X-(
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
Stoptober.
For those of you not aware of this, the NHS has launched 'Stoptober' this month as a challenge to stop smoking for 28 days, as you're more likely to quit if you stop for 28 days.
I cut down over a few days before stopping and have only had one cigarette since last Wednesday.
Several things annoy me about Stoptober. One is the competition I now feel between myself and others attempting this. Two is the resulting aggro from others when I've not done as well as them. Three is the non smokers who smirk, openly laugh or say something like 'well you should never have started', whilst I'm sitting in the pub chewing on straws or sucking on a pen, wondering what my chances would be of not getting lung cancer.
Despite the fact that my smoking habit had begun to annoy me, I'm missing it. I continue to ponder whether a few cigars a year or the occasional indulgence of one or two cigarettes would be ok. I am highly skeptical of the latter but still it is on my mind. This annoys me too.
Finally, the fact that I'm still young, young enough to continue smoking for a few years more without any major problems, means I can't help but think if I shouldn't just enjoy myself and carry on for a bit.
Less of a rant, more of a niggling/annoying CONSTANT thing.
Wasps. Really quite basic this one, and more an after thought than a real rant. Bees pollinate, flys feed spiders, butterflies look pretty. Wasps however chose a more mean existence by making their sole purpose in life to simply sting the living sh1t out of anything brightly coloured. Seriously, what are wasps for?
Wasps eat more flies than spiders as they are more active. They eat mozzies and ticks too. Arguably more effective than spiders on the harmful insect population. So leave 'em alone, they're great
Stoptober.
For those of you not aware of this, the NHS has launched 'Stoptober' this month as a challenge to stop smoking for 28 days, as you're more likely to quit if you stop for 28 days.
I cut down over a few days before stopping and have only had one cigarette since last Wednesday.
Several things annoy me about Stoptober. One is the competition I now feel between myself and others attempting this. Two is the resulting aggro from others when I've not done as well as them. Three is the non smokers who smirk, openly laugh or say something like 'well you should never have started', whilst I'm sitting in the pub chewing on straws or sucking on a pen, wondering what my chances would be of not getting lung cancer.
Despite the fact that my smoking habit had begun to annoy me, I'm missing it. I continue to ponder whether a few cigars a year or the occasional indulgence of one or two cigarettes would be ok. I am highly skeptical of the latter but still it is on my mind. This annoys me too.
Finally, the fact that I'm still young, young enough to continue smoking for a few years more without any major problems, means I can't help but think if I shouldn't just enjoy myself and carry on for a bit.
Less of a rant, more of a niggling/annoying CONSTANT thing.
1) think about how many extra years you'll get to live.
2) imagine the amount of guys who won't be turned off by the bonfire aroma ;%
3) think of the money you're going to save
4) peruse how many hours you can now stay in the nice warm pub while your old smoker friends stand shivering outside in the cold.
5) visit your local cancer ward and ask a patient if they wish they'd stopped smoking. Seriously.
I've seen the 'it won't happen to me' scenario before. I've also got quite a few mates who have quit, and not one of them regrets it.
Ah the common cold. An infinite number of viral snot producing lurgies float around. Get over one, catch another.
Ok, so it's a bit of a bugger, headache, aches, hot n cold feelings etc. Now I can deal with that, but what I can't get, is what is the common cold for?! Seriously, what does the common cold do for the human race? It's like the medical version of a wasp. It serves no purpose other than to simply piss me off. X-(
MG
.....pflergghhhh! Second week going. I'm trying to expel it in time for next weeks important job funktion. SWMBO says I've drank enough whisky as it is
"I mean, she almost kills bond...with her ass."
-Mr Arlington Beech
Hi FelixLeiter, the only thing I can say is that it messes up your skin big time, and that's worse for gals than guys, sorry to be sexist. It's really ageing.
Also, frankly, you sound addicted. Much as I was to sugar for years. So you start thinking, well, surely the odd one might not hurt, now and then? But you're thinking this from a position of weakness not strength. It's slyly worming its way into you again.
Some stuff can beat cravings; I keep banging on about Solgar's chronium piccolate, which beats sugar cravings but prob works for many others too. Get other vitamins in to help smooth things over, I suggest, to bolster you. Thing is, you're young, it's treacherously easy to put off doing the right thing, there seems to be a long road ahead of you and you can just prevaricate if you want.
Last night, sniffing my arse off, i sat down to watch '999 What's your emergency?'
For those who don't know, its a TV show on channel 4 here in blighty (the centre of known civilisation) that follows the emergency services in and around blackpooooool. I can't pronounce 'blackpool' like the natives as in order to do so, you have to go to the brink of throwing up when you get to the 'ck' bit in 'black', more like a 'blaacghhhhpooool' kinda thing, and the way i'm feeling i think an attempt at the true pronounciation would result in me spitting chunks.
Anyways, last night the show highlighted the scum living in blackpool and how they wait for the dole cheque to come in, and then compete against each other to the ultimate goal - drinking said dole money and pissing it up the wall, lampost, elderly person or anything else that stands still for long enough for the said chav to 'drop trou'.
one hideously looking 'being' (and i use 'being' as although i think it was called tracy, it didnt resemble a female) that basically thought it was a bit of a joke to get completely shitfaced and then have the police called out to calm her down. 'Tracy' has had the police come round over 140 times. In my 30 years of existance I have spoken to a copper probably about 5 times. I've not even been pulled over in my car.
so the programme continues, showing more inebriated scum gathering round a sole copper. the coppers target had called out the police, saying that he'd been glassed or something, and of course when the filth arrive, it turns out the caller is simply after some attention, bless.
the copper has him in cuffs, and the lout starts 'giving it large' shout at his mates to 'jump the bastard'. personally, if i was the copper i'd be **** myself at this point as he was on his own, had a guy in cuffs and surrounded by a large crowd. not an enviable position.
these miserable pieces of crap can't be bothered to claw their way out of the stenchfilled cess pits that they call lives, so instead they take the easier option, drink like a fish, make it disappear for a few hours, then spend the week robbing people and breaking into houses to nick stuff to pawn in order to feed the drug/alcohol addiction that they use as a release from everything, all of course at great expense to the hard working tax payer.
whats the solution then?
well the idea i had was pretty simple. instead of dishing out benefits in the form of just coin, why not hand out food tokens etc, and SOME cash for other items, so the chavvy scum are steered towards being a little more sensible with the easy earned dole cheque?
now don't get me wrong, the problem here has been caused by this nanny state we live in, where lazy bastards truely believe they have some kind of right to sit on their fat arses, not do a thing and then get paid for it. there are of course genuine people out there who need financial help, and getting over an addition isnt easy. but unless something changes, this **** is just gonna keep repeating.
i've seen it on both sides though. there was a guy on tv, on the news saying that theres is no point in looking for work. the only thing he could do was working in a chicken factory, and he'd have to work shifts etc, and he'd get paid minimum wage and be only marginally better off than sitting at home on the dole. what would you do? a stinking job on shifts, or sit at home?
there again, theres obsurdities on the authoritarian side. i've seen it where someone who had no legs asked to attend an interview to prove that he was disabled. the interview was to be held on the 3rd floor of a council building that had no lift. the mind boggles.
so whats really needed is everyone gets a good slap. lazy bastards get food token, genuine claimants get more help and the government instigates a bit of common sense.
Stoptober.
For those of you not aware of this, the NHS has launched 'Stoptober' this month as a challenge to stop smoking for 28 days, as you're more likely to quit if you stop for 28 days.
I cut down over a few days before stopping and have only had one cigarette since last Wednesday.
Several things annoy me about Stoptober. One is the competition I now feel between myself and others attempting this. Two is the resulting aggro from others when I've not done as well as them. Three is the non smokers who smirk, openly laugh or say something like 'well you should never have started', whilst I'm sitting in the pub chewing on straws or sucking on a pen, wondering what my chances would be of not getting lung cancer.
Despite the fact that my smoking habit had begun to annoy me, I'm missing it. I continue to ponder whether a few cigars a year or the occasional indulgence of one or two cigarettes would be ok. I am highly skeptical of the latter but still it is on my mind. This annoys me too.
Finally, the fact that I'm still young, young enough to continue smoking for a few years more without any major problems, means I can't help but think if I shouldn't just enjoy myself and carry on for a bit.
Less of a rant, more of a niggling/annoying CONSTANT thing.
3) think of the money you're going to save
I've seen the 'it won't happen to me' scenario before. I've also got quite a few mates who have quit, and not one of them regrets it.
Stick with it, you won't regret it.
Saving money is a big one. My Dad used to smoke. He quit back in the early 1990's. He tried doing some quick math. He figured if he was still smoking and still paying the $3 per pack fee, he would of spent well over $40,000 on just cigarettes. Prices of cigarettes have been going up every year. There's no way to tell what he would of spent if you include the inflation price. I'd take a guess and say $50,000+. We had this conversation about a year ago. He was also a drinker and would buy a bottle of Brandy every few days. Since he's quit both he has plenty of money to spend on things he wants. Now's the time to quit Felix. Think of the money you'll save in just one year. Good luck to you!
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
minigeff, Napoleon and Mr Martini, I must extend you my warmest thanks. -{
Since Tuesday, this week has not gone great and overall I've come to the conclusion that my biggest problem is that my smoking has become associated with too many things. There are the pre and post bus ride ones and the mid lecture ones, but these pail in comparison to two others.
I find it difficult not to smoke after a meal. Tuesday my friends and I went out to a restaurant and it was lovely, but I wasn't satisfied until I'd had a cigarette afterwards. I managed half an hour but eventually gave in, sneaking off ashamedly so my mates wouldn't know. We had gone to a bar which brings me to my second point...
I find it virtually impossible not to smoke when I drink. I've always done it and the association is imbedded.
So after buying a fresh packet for a bar crawl and nightclub last night (which I left early because it was too packed to get to the smoking area) followed by a beer festival tonight, I was really ready to give up for the short term.
However, your combined words have made an impact. Clearly this isn't going to be as easy as I had hoped, but there's still good enough reasons to keep going.
Since I'm new and getting to know people here, and this seems like the appropriate place, here's a rant about my week:
I'm a 30 year old college student who attends Don't Give a F@*k U!
Here's a list of the classes I take:
Class Number One: Advanced Grammar and Shut the F#&k Up
Class Number Two: Argumentative Apathy
Class Number Three: American Literature to 1900: Bored of Effing Up England, Some Puritans Decided to Screw Up Another Continent
Class Number Four: Art History III: Jasper Johns Has Not A Shred of Talent, Warhol is THE BEST!
Class Number Five: Learning Spanish (Poorly) with Freshmen Who Haven't Got a Reasonable Command of Their First Language Yet (English)
Oh, but wait the suckage isn't limited to school. I also engage in "work." Unfortunately, I am a freelance writer. Most of the time that is a decent enough job, especially considering it is hard to break into. But not this week. This week has been a week of insatiable, bi-polar, self-righteous editors from hell. Scabs, all of them I tell you, scabs!
My son has the croup. He's three. He gave it to me. Cough, cough, cough. ?:)
Every week, I buy a new pair of ear buds for my tablet. Every week, I inadvertently break them. Seriously.
I ran into someone I know well but haven't seen in a while and this was the conversation:
Me: "How are you?"
Them: "Good, and you?"
Me: "Well, ok. I'm a little under the weather and stressed. But I'll make it."
Them: "Well, you've always got your alcoholism to lean on." (said without joking)
minigeff, Napoleon and Mr Martini, I must extend you my warmest thanks.
Since Tuesday, this week has not gone great and overall I've come to the conclusion that my biggest problem is that my smoking has become associated with too many things. There are the pre and post bus ride ones and the mid lecture ones, but these pail in comparison to two others.
I find it difficult not to smoke after a meal. Tuesday my friends and I went out to a restaurant and it was lovely, but I wasn't satisfied until I'd had a cigarette afterwards. I managed half an hour but eventually gave in, sneaking off ashamedly so my mates wouldn't know. We had gone to a bar which brings me to my second point...
I find it virtually impossible not to smoke when I drink. I've always done it and the association is imbedded.
So after buying a fresh packet for a bar crawl and nightclub last night (which I left early because it was too packed to get to the smoking area) followed by a beer festival tonight, I was really ready to give up for the short term.
However, your combined words have made an impact. Clearly this isn't going to be as easy as I had hoped, but there's still good enough reasons to keep going.
Cheers FL, yeah from what you're saying your addicted. It's important to recognise that in terms of the importance of giving it up, but also in a funny way downplay it. I mean, it's not heroin, you should be able to stop. My mum gave up drinking tea of all things decades ago simply because she got addicted, if she couldn't get a cuppa it would wind her up, make her unhappy. But people react to it in different ways to withdrawal. The reason I didn't give up my sugar addiction, being around 2 stone overweight for a decade or so, is that I simply didn't quite accept I was addicted to sugar ie choccie bars. I thought it was something I should maybe cut back on for a week or so, that's all.
It's easy to see why ad men could promote cigs as healthy before we knew better. When you get your fix, you really feel like it's doing you the power of good. It was like that with me and sugar (ie in chocolate form). I used choccie bars both to gird myself for a big task in hand, and to reward myself afterwards. It becomes an all-purpose punctuation mark.
It's important I guess to see that it's nicotine you're hooked on, rather than the individual brand of ciggies you appear to have 'chosen'. I find it easier to say I've given up sugar than choccie bars, the latter makes me feel like a killjoy to myself. All the different ciggie brands probably glamorise the activity, and make you feel you've personally selected your brand of choice, like you have some personal say in it.
minigeff, Napoleon and Mr Martini, I must extend you my warmest thanks. -{
Since Tuesday, this week has not gone great and overall I've come to the conclusion that my biggest problem is that my smoking has become associated with too many things. There are the pre and post bus ride ones and the mid lecture ones, but these pail in comparison to two others.
I find it difficult not to smoke after a meal. Tuesday my friends and I went out to a restaurant and it was lovely, but I wasn't satisfied until I'd had a cigarette afterwards. I managed half an hour but eventually gave in, sneaking off ashamedly so my mates wouldn't know. We had gone to a bar which brings me to my second point...
I find it virtually impossible not to smoke when I drink. I've always done it and the association is imbedded.
So after buying a fresh packet for a bar crawl and nightclub last night (which I left early because it was too packed to get to the smoking area) followed by a beer festival tonight, I was really ready to give up for the short term.
However, your combined words have made an impact. Clearly this isn't going to be as easy as I had hoped, but there's still good enough reasons to keep going.
I used to smoke... but I was one of those annoying smokers that could take it or leave it... a social smoker, that only occaisionally bought a pack... however I did enjoy a ciggy after a drink at the pub.
Then my Uncle died early last year - of lung cancer... and I haven't touched one since.
Now this isn't a post boasting about my achievement - it's a post to say that don't let these things make you ill.
Seriously, they are cancer on a stick. I know it's easy to say... and much harder to do... but your health is so much more important that how they make you feel when smoking.
However, like all addictions, until YOUR ready to give up, then nothing we say will help. It has to come from you, and the desire to give up has to be stronger than the feeling you get when smoking.
The same goes for getting fit, losing weight, or any other change from a deep seated habit.
Also, seek support and help from people who are genuinly wanting you to succeed. Having someone to help you, will increase your chances of kicking the habit - and I'm sure there are lots of support groups out there, don't be afraid to use them
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
I quit 16 years ago, when we where expecting our first child.
It's tough but stick with it FelixLeiter007,
One tip I was given was to save the Money you've spend on Cigs
you'd be amazed at what you can Buy.
Think of all those Bond colectables you could get. )
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
I have seen my father in law dying of lung cancer (heavy smoker all of his life) at the age of 60 2 years ago.
I can tell every smoker that that kind of death has nothing heroic and all the people slagging off health issues with "we all have to die sometimes" will change their attitude latest when the cancer hits them too.
My wife reacts very allergic ever since when someone is even smoking in front of her open-air, she's simple tired passive-smoking from others.
Minigeffs suggestion is spot on! Visit a cancer station at your nearest hospital and ask yourself if that's worth smoking or not.
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I have seen my father in law dying of lung cancer (heavy smoker all of his life) at the age of 60 2 years ago.
I can tell every smoker that that kind of death has nothing heroic and all the people slagging off health issues with "we all have to die sometimes" will change their attitude latest when the cancer hits them too.
My wife reacts very allergic ever since when someone is even smoking in front of her open-air, she's simple tired passive-smoking from others.
Minigeffs suggestion is spot on! Visit a cancer station at your nearest hospital and ask yourself if that's worth smoking or not.
And to think that 'you're not going to be one of them' is so not true.
Bondtoys, I sympathise... when my Uncle was diagnosed... I was absolutely devastated. I was very close to him, and it took from July of 2010 to be diagnosed, to Jan of 2011 for him to die. 6 months....
I miss him so much... and I can't believe he's gone. He was like my second Dad... so, FL - don't let this habit do the same.
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
Comments
Ive had a mixed bag of landlords to be honest.
My first didn't give a crap. His house was shitty, and us students made it shitier, the kitchen resembled withnail's. Whilst trying to play a prank on my flat mate and wake him by stomping on one of those industrial sized bubble wrap things, things went a little wrong. Suffice to say that not only did I wake him up, but also scared the crap outta myself by planting my foot through the floorboard. The carpet looked like a black hole as my foot disappeared... I fixed the issue by sliding a 6mm thick sheet of MDF under the carpet to cover the hole. The landlord never said a word. Full deposit back when I left.
The next landlord was the total opposite. Regular inspections carried out by a cross between Rosa Klebb and Irma Bunt. She was lovely. Permission was to be sought before hanging pictures and bluetac was forbidden. Her husband was just like Dennis in FYEO. Oh and when I moved out, my flat 'mates' trashed my room, then tried to stiff me for the gas bill. Half deposit back.
The last started out great. New to the whole 'renting for real now I'm not a student anymore' scene, the landlords lead me and my mrs through the process, wasn't pushy and everything was up front and transparent. It was a husband and wife team, just them managing their letting agency. They were great. Then as the business grew, they became utter wankers. The inspections never stopped, and issues and they were constantly busy, nothing got fixed and when the bathroom flooded, the 'emergancy' number (his mobile) just didn't answer and no calls were returned. When it came to leaving they got real arsey and after hiring a rug doctor, cleaning the over until the paint came off (no really, it did) and cleaning the place from top to bottom, they shafted me for a deposit, and even said I'd have to pay MORE towards a new carpet (which a carpet fitter had told me was shagged out of its life and at least 10 years old.)
All in all, I fuckin hated renting. I guess the trouble is in this climate people can't afford the big deposits needed to secure a house, so are left to the landlords mercy. The really big ball buster is round my way the majority of rents are more expensive than the mortgage repayments. Bastards.
MG -{
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
www.cancerresearchuk.org
Of course, renting is just a money grab. Live in landlords can be bad, really they advertise for a flatmate but they don't actually want one. They just need you to help pay off their mortgage or they can't make it work on their current salary. Ideally they just want someone to pay some money paid into their account each month. But for that to occur, they need to pretend to be a landlord and pretend to want someone to move in with them. They see you, the tenant, as money in their pocket and money isn't allowed to talk back or request they spend money on anything, it goes against your raison d'être. Even if you're mates already, once that becomes the relationship it defines it.
That said, Hoogenstraten was one snappy dresser.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
http://apbateman.com
There really are a lot of c*&ts in this world!!
Unfortunately living on a remote Island 8000 miles away from the UK a proper respray is out of the question
http://apbateman.com
See I'm certainly not condoning them, but crimes such as burglary, mugging or robberies have a motive, it's a source of coin for a criminal to use, sometimes to feed a family, most of the time a drug habit. Like I say, that don't make it right, but you can kinda understand why it's happened.
Vandalism however is pointless, no one benefits from it. What possible reason could anyone have (unless they're getting even over something) for scratching the crap outta your car, break your windows or smash your stuff up.
Hope ya get the disco sorted and you catch the bastard who did it.
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
www.cancerresearchuk.org
-Mr Arlington Beech
And I thought my 4 D Maglite was big.
I'm not compensating, really am not!!!
It's just that if you wanna "Rodney King" someone... :v
-Mr Arlington Beech
Additionally after my wife saw it, she's much more peaceful* against me
*and I am aware that I have just opened the door for some silly banter for some of your nutters
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
People who start sentences with the word 'so'. I dunno why, but this annoys the bejesus outta me. It's even worse when there's a little pause involved. "So,.. There I was waiting for a taxi" X-( Christ, it's like telling me a bed time story. Which leads perfectly on to the next point.
People who don't take the hint. Ya know when someone is telling you something inanely boring and trivial and you just have no or very little interest in what they're saying. You try and make your excuses to go and get on with things, you might even turn your back and try to get on with whatever it was you was doing before afore mentioned bore interrupted you, but no, the hint isn't taken and mr/mrs boring git continues to ramble on. What are you supposed to do in a situation like this? Politely let the bore continue until they run out of cack to verbally vomit upon you, or be honest and truthful and simply state the fact: "sorry old chump, but you're boring me to the point where I'm contemplating sticking a fork in my eye as a distraction to your coma inducing tales of fabricated grade A bullshit, please run along and find some other unsuspecting victim to distract from their more important matters before I plant my size 9's towards one's gentleman vegetables/lady garden in a rather swift and forceful manner."?
So.... I was walking into a building the other day and the place is packed out with plebs (a term revitalised by some angry mobile chicane (more in a bit) riding politician) standing in the doorway. This is a similar action to standing in the supermarket isle with the trolley sticking out into no mans land, thus blocking everyone's way. Why can't people engage a slight moment of good old common sense and think "hang on, no one can get by here, I'll get out the way". Oh no, too much hassle isn't it, moving? Why not just stay stuck in place like a statue of crap, refusing to budge, regardless of the number of 'excuse me's and collisions. Or alternatively, engage brain and get out the fricking way.
Cyclists. Now don't get me wrong, I don't hate everyone. Well, ok, I hate most people. No hang on, hates a strong word, ok, I dislike a few people, and you get good and bad in all circles of life. But it would appear there's more bad than good when wheels are involved. I for instance, am a perfect driver, whereas for little old singular me, there's around 10 useless idiots who shouldn't be trusted with a kettle unsupervised, let alone a motor vehicle. The other day, whilst motoring along a single track road at a sedate 85mph, I happened to come across a cyclist and his cyclette on their bi-cycles. Regardless of the constant use of my horn (oh er) or the amounts if times I flashed my headlights, these cumbersome fools wouldn't move over. They probably enjoy standing in doorways and isles.. Anyhow, I luckily spied a convenient passing place, and overtook them. A half a mile later, I get held up by a builders arse winking at me in some roadworks and while said lard arsed bike rack shovelled dirt, I was held at his red light of a traffic signal. Then, along comes the daft cyclists, seeing nothing coming through the temporary traffic lights, they continue on, through the red light, leaving me to wait until released by lard arse, only to catch up and then have to repeat the previous overtaking manoeuvre all over again. Maybe next time, I'll continue too, and when the road gets really narrow, and as the grinding sounds of metal and cracking noises of breaking bones are heard, I'll simply exclaim "just following your fine example old bean!!" as the inept rule bending peddle monkies disappear under the wheels of 'windy city'.
Wasps. Really quite basic this one, and more an after thought than a real rant. Bees pollinate, flys feed spiders, butterflies look pretty. Wasps however chose a more mean existence by making their sole purpose in life to simply sting the living sh1t out of anything brightly coloured. Seriously, what are wasps for?
Toodles,
MG -{
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
www.cancerresearchuk.org
http://youtu.be/D99NHb6B03s
Colds.
Ah the common cold. An infinite number of viral snot producing lurgies float around. Get over one, catch another.
Ok, so it's a bit of a bugger, headache, aches, hot n cold feelings etc. Now I can deal with that, but what I can't get, is what is the common cold for?! Seriously, what does the common cold do for the human race? It's like the medical version of a wasp. It serves no purpose other than to simply piss me off. X-(
MG
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
www.cancerresearchuk.org
For those of you not aware of this, the NHS has launched 'Stoptober' this month as a challenge to stop smoking for 28 days, as you're more likely to quit if you stop for 28 days.
I cut down over a few days before stopping and have only had one cigarette since last Wednesday.
Several things annoy me about Stoptober. One is the competition I now feel between myself and others attempting this. Two is the resulting aggro from others when I've not done as well as them. Three is the non smokers who smirk, openly laugh or say something like 'well you should never have started', whilst I'm sitting in the pub chewing on straws or sucking on a pen, wondering what my chances would be of not getting lung cancer.
Despite the fact that my smoking habit had begun to annoy me, I'm missing it. I continue to ponder whether a few cigars a year or the occasional indulgence of one or two cigarettes would be ok. I am highly skeptical of the latter but still it is on my mind. This annoys me too.
Finally, the fact that I'm still young, young enough to continue smoking for a few years more without any major problems, means I can't help but think if I shouldn't just enjoy myself and carry on for a bit.
Less of a rant, more of a niggling/annoying CONSTANT thing.
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
Wasps eat more flies than spiders as they are more active. They eat mozzies and ticks too. Arguably more effective than spiders on the harmful insect population. So leave 'em alone, they're great
1) think about how many extra years you'll get to live.
2) imagine the amount of guys who won't be turned off by the bonfire aroma ;%
3) think of the money you're going to save
4) peruse how many hours you can now stay in the nice warm pub while your old smoker friends stand shivering outside in the cold.
5) visit your local cancer ward and ask a patient if they wish they'd stopped smoking. Seriously.
I've seen the 'it won't happen to me' scenario before. I've also got quite a few mates who have quit, and not one of them regrets it.
Stick with it, you won't regret it.
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
www.cancerresearchuk.org
.....pflergghhhh! Second week going. I'm trying to expel it in time for next weeks important job funktion. SWMBO says I've drank enough whisky as it is
-Mr Arlington Beech
Also, frankly, you sound addicted. Much as I was to sugar for years. So you start thinking, well, surely the odd one might not hurt, now and then? But you're thinking this from a position of weakness not strength. It's slyly worming its way into you again.
Some stuff can beat cravings; I keep banging on about Solgar's chronium piccolate, which beats sugar cravings but prob works for many others too. Get other vitamins in to help smooth things over, I suggest, to bolster you. Thing is, you're young, it's treacherously easy to put off doing the right thing, there seems to be a long road ahead of you and you can just prevaricate if you want.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Degenerate chavvy dole sucking scumbags.
Last night, sniffing my arse off, i sat down to watch '999 What's your emergency?'
For those who don't know, its a TV show on channel 4 here in blighty (the centre of known civilisation) that follows the emergency services in and around blackpooooool. I can't pronounce 'blackpool' like the natives as in order to do so, you have to go to the brink of throwing up when you get to the 'ck' bit in 'black', more like a 'blaacghhhhpooool' kinda thing, and the way i'm feeling i think an attempt at the true pronounciation would result in me spitting chunks.
Anyways, last night the show highlighted the scum living in blackpool and how they wait for the dole cheque to come in, and then compete against each other to the ultimate goal - drinking said dole money and pissing it up the wall, lampost, elderly person or anything else that stands still for long enough for the said chav to 'drop trou'.
one hideously looking 'being' (and i use 'being' as although i think it was called tracy, it didnt resemble a female) that basically thought it was a bit of a joke to get completely shitfaced and then have the police called out to calm her down. 'Tracy' has had the police come round over 140 times. In my 30 years of existance I have spoken to a copper probably about 5 times. I've not even been pulled over in my car.
so the programme continues, showing more inebriated scum gathering round a sole copper. the coppers target had called out the police, saying that he'd been glassed or something, and of course when the filth arrive, it turns out the caller is simply after some attention, bless.
the copper has him in cuffs, and the lout starts 'giving it large' shout at his mates to 'jump the bastard'. personally, if i was the copper i'd be **** myself at this point as he was on his own, had a guy in cuffs and surrounded by a large crowd. not an enviable position.
these miserable pieces of crap can't be bothered to claw their way out of the stenchfilled cess pits that they call lives, so instead they take the easier option, drink like a fish, make it disappear for a few hours, then spend the week robbing people and breaking into houses to nick stuff to pawn in order to feed the drug/alcohol addiction that they use as a release from everything, all of course at great expense to the hard working tax payer.
whats the solution then?
well the idea i had was pretty simple. instead of dishing out benefits in the form of just coin, why not hand out food tokens etc, and SOME cash for other items, so the chavvy scum are steered towards being a little more sensible with the easy earned dole cheque?
now don't get me wrong, the problem here has been caused by this nanny state we live in, where lazy bastards truely believe they have some kind of right to sit on their fat arses, not do a thing and then get paid for it. there are of course genuine people out there who need financial help, and getting over an addition isnt easy. but unless something changes, this **** is just gonna keep repeating.
i've seen it on both sides though. there was a guy on tv, on the news saying that theres is no point in looking for work. the only thing he could do was working in a chicken factory, and he'd have to work shifts etc, and he'd get paid minimum wage and be only marginally better off than sitting at home on the dole. what would you do? a stinking job on shifts, or sit at home?
there again, theres obsurdities on the authoritarian side. i've seen it where someone who had no legs asked to attend an interview to prove that he was disabled. the interview was to be held on the 3rd floor of a council building that had no lift. the mind boggles.
so whats really needed is everyone gets a good slap. lazy bastards get food token, genuine claimants get more help and the government instigates a bit of common sense.
the world is righted.
Vive le droit à la libre expression! Je suis Charlie!
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
www.cancerresearchuk.org
Saving money is a big one. My Dad used to smoke. He quit back in the early 1990's. He tried doing some quick math. He figured if he was still smoking and still paying the $3 per pack fee, he would of spent well over $40,000 on just cigarettes. Prices of cigarettes have been going up every year. There's no way to tell what he would of spent if you include the inflation price. I'd take a guess and say $50,000+. We had this conversation about a year ago. He was also a drinker and would buy a bottle of Brandy every few days. Since he's quit both he has plenty of money to spend on things he wants. Now's the time to quit Felix. Think of the money you'll save in just one year. Good luck to you!
Since Tuesday, this week has not gone great and overall I've come to the conclusion that my biggest problem is that my smoking has become associated with too many things. There are the pre and post bus ride ones and the mid lecture ones, but these pail in comparison to two others.
I find it difficult not to smoke after a meal. Tuesday my friends and I went out to a restaurant and it was lovely, but I wasn't satisfied until I'd had a cigarette afterwards. I managed half an hour but eventually gave in, sneaking off ashamedly so my mates wouldn't know. We had gone to a bar which brings me to my second point...
I find it virtually impossible not to smoke when I drink. I've always done it and the association is imbedded.
So after buying a fresh packet for a bar crawl and nightclub last night (which I left early because it was too packed to get to the smoking area) followed by a beer festival tonight, I was really ready to give up for the short term.
However, your combined words have made an impact. Clearly this isn't going to be as easy as I had hoped, but there's still good enough reasons to keep going.
I'm a 30 year old college student who attends Don't Give a F@*k U!
Here's a list of the classes I take:
Class Number One: Advanced Grammar and Shut the F#&k Up
Class Number Two: Argumentative Apathy
Class Number Three: American Literature to 1900: Bored of Effing Up England, Some Puritans Decided to Screw Up Another Continent
Class Number Four: Art History III: Jasper Johns Has Not A Shred of Talent, Warhol is THE BEST!
Class Number Five: Learning Spanish (Poorly) with Freshmen Who Haven't Got a Reasonable Command of Their First Language Yet (English)
Oh, but wait the suckage isn't limited to school. I also engage in "work." Unfortunately, I am a freelance writer. Most of the time that is a decent enough job, especially considering it is hard to break into. But not this week. This week has been a week of insatiable, bi-polar, self-righteous editors from hell. Scabs, all of them I tell you, scabs!
My son has the croup. He's three. He gave it to me. Cough, cough, cough. ?:)
Every week, I buy a new pair of ear buds for my tablet. Every week, I inadvertently break them. Seriously.
I ran into someone I know well but haven't seen in a while and this was the conversation:
Me: "How are you?"
Them: "Good, and you?"
Me: "Well, ok. I'm a little under the weather and stressed. But I'll make it."
Them: "Well, you've always got your alcoholism to lean on." (said without joking)
LOL. I'm as serious as a heart attack.
Nice meeting you!
Cheers FL, yeah from what you're saying your addicted. It's important to recognise that in terms of the importance of giving it up, but also in a funny way downplay it. I mean, it's not heroin, you should be able to stop. My mum gave up drinking tea of all things decades ago simply because she got addicted, if she couldn't get a cuppa it would wind her up, make her unhappy. But people react to it in different ways to withdrawal. The reason I didn't give up my sugar addiction, being around 2 stone overweight for a decade or so, is that I simply didn't quite accept I was addicted to sugar ie choccie bars. I thought it was something I should maybe cut back on for a week or so, that's all.
It's easy to see why ad men could promote cigs as healthy before we knew better. When you get your fix, you really feel like it's doing you the power of good. It was like that with me and sugar (ie in chocolate form). I used choccie bars both to gird myself for a big task in hand, and to reward myself afterwards. It becomes an all-purpose punctuation mark.
It's important I guess to see that it's nicotine you're hooked on, rather than the individual brand of ciggies you appear to have 'chosen'. I find it easier to say I've given up sugar than choccie bars, the latter makes me feel like a killjoy to myself. All the different ciggie brands probably glamorise the activity, and make you feel you've personally selected your brand of choice, like you have some personal say in it.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I used to smoke... but I was one of those annoying smokers that could take it or leave it... a social smoker, that only occaisionally bought a pack... however I did enjoy a ciggy after a drink at the pub.
Then my Uncle died early last year - of lung cancer... and I haven't touched one since.
Now this isn't a post boasting about my achievement - it's a post to say that don't let these things make you ill.
Seriously, they are cancer on a stick. I know it's easy to say... and much harder to do... but your health is so much more important that how they make you feel when smoking.
However, like all addictions, until YOUR ready to give up, then nothing we say will help. It has to come from you, and the desire to give up has to be stronger than the feeling you get when smoking.
The same goes for getting fit, losing weight, or any other change from a deep seated habit.
Also, seek support and help from people who are genuinly wanting you to succeed. Having someone to help you, will increase your chances of kicking the habit - and I'm sure there are lots of support groups out there, don't be afraid to use them
It's tough but stick with it FelixLeiter007,
One tip I was given was to save the Money you've spend on Cigs
you'd be amazed at what you can Buy.
Think of all those Bond colectables you could get.
I can tell every smoker that that kind of death has nothing heroic and all the people slagging off health issues with "we all have to die sometimes" will change their attitude latest when the cancer hits them too.
My wife reacts very allergic ever since when someone is even smoking in front of her open-air, she's simple tired passive-smoking from others.
Minigeffs suggestion is spot on! Visit a cancer station at your nearest hospital and ask yourself if that's worth smoking or not.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
And to think that 'you're not going to be one of them' is so not true.
Bondtoys, I sympathise... when my Uncle was diagnosed... I was absolutely devastated. I was very close to him, and it took from July of 2010 to be diagnosed, to Jan of 2011 for him to die. 6 months....
I miss him so much... and I can't believe he's gone.