Thursday, 24 March 2011

My heart goes out...

In light of the recent earthquake, tsunami and radioactive incidents in Japan I have to say my heart goes out to everybody who has been and will be effected by these terrible disasters.

The earthquake, which was extremely high on the Richter scale hit on 11 March this year, and was shortly followed by a tsunami (as a result of the earthquake) washing away everything in its path. The effects of these events can be seen for miles, and now radioactivity from several explosions at the Fukushima nuclear plant is spreading for miles across Japan. These string of events have left Japan in crisis and have affected thousands and thousands of lives. It is always such a shock when natural disasters like this happen and also a reality check that nature should never be underestimated!

The media has been full of shocking stories of families separated and talking to people who have lost almost everything precious to them. As one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, this must be one of their biggest set backs yet. It is brilliant to see everybody in the country uniting, queueing patiently for the lack of supplies and carrying on as calmly as they can, showing that human strength helps us overcome in these disasters.

When I think back to the disasters in Haiti a few years ago I remember how every country stopped and rushed to their help, I have failed to see this yet with Japan. The world is watching on, and although there is aid on its way, the natural disasters that have affected the country are battling for media attention with the outbreaking war in Libya.

On Loose Women the other morning, Carol was saying how can humans be fighting each other so much when there is this disaster going on? Events like this in Japan show that humans aren't invincible and there are bigger things to fight than each other.

This post might seem a bit political in comparison to my other but my heart really does go out to Japan, who can't help the disaster that has happened to them.

Snow after the Japan earthquake and tsunami. REUTERS, courtesy alertnet.org

Friday, 18 February 2011

Goodbye Big Fat Gypsy Weddings!

Feeling a sudden and aching void in my life! Tuesday saw the last in the series of the ridiculously addictive "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding". The show was a massive hit, apparently it pulled in more viewings than the Brit Awards did! Which I honestly don't find hard to believe. I did have to record the Brits because I couldn't bare the thought of not watching the last in the series of BFGW! Sad? I know, I know.

Why is this show so addictive though??? I mean you hear of some people who watch it just to laugh at the poor brides, and admittedly there have been a fair amount of OMG moments in this series but secretly I think I envy these girls.

Don't you just hate it but love it.

Hate it because you know that their dress is 10 times bigger and 10 times more expensive than you know yours will ever be. Hate it because they get their dream dress hand made. Hate it because there are none of these wedding rules or conventions. Hate it because that castle cake is exactly what you dreamed of when you were 6/7 and the only world you knew was Disney?

But.....love it because you get to see what the 6 year old you dreamt up as a wedding. Isn't this what we were all imagining when we married our "boyfriends" in the playground at primary school with our daisy chain rings, hoard of bridesmaids and probably a wedding a week? Or is that just my school that done that........

Admittedly when I marry I'm hoping for an elegant affair, maybe somewhere hot, relaxed with a Sangria in hand but I think I'm not alone in saying that I'll be walking down that aisle wishing I did look like a Disney bride.

Here's to the next series, lets hope its even more over the top and I'm praying it starts a trend!