Valentine's Day - One of Those Marmite Days?

Again you know me an off the cuff little ramble on my thoughts on the 'V' word. 

Well it is the 1st February and of course I'm talking about Valentine's Day. It's one of those marmite days, if you don't know what marmite is slight explanation in Britain you either love or hate Marmite, hence the title.

I fall into the if you are in love with someone then probably you tell them you love them or express it in some other way, but of course there are people out there and I am talking about men and women here, this is no man-bashing blog far from it, that maybe don't & this day gives them the little excuse to say what they really feel in their heart without feeling silly if they've never done anything like that before.

I fully understand that there are people that have been hurt in the past and don't want reminders of Valentine's Day but it does come around once a year and really there is no getting away from it however much people want to.

Slight explanation here from me I sometimes think like a man (last time I checked I wasn't one!) but sometime I do think like one or can definitely see things from a man's point of view, so this is no woman bashing blog either it's an inclusive blog.  In my opinion some women want to be treated like princesses every day.  Big mistake in my mind, I think these women could be termed 'high maintenance' and I am definitely a 'low maintenance' type of gal.  They expect gifts, flowers, you get what I'm talking about.

In my opinion money doesn't come into the equation if you love someone or want to tell them that you love them then those three little words should be enough.  But then who am I to comment, I am single woman with no husband or boyfriend.  I'm just a woman of thirty eight who has an opinion on Valentine's Day.

Of course every single shop that you walk into has some form of window display on the subject and most type of media do to - why do you think I'm writing this blog!!!

What in essence I'm talking about is that if you feel comfortable telling the person you love every day that they are loved then fantastic, if you're one of those people that only properly demonstrate it once a year on Valentine's Day then fantastic too.  If you don't like Valentine's Day for whatever reason then that's your business too.

I can't remember the last time I had a Valentine's Card probably over 10 years ago and no I won't be rushing to the door on 'V' day to see if a little bird has dropped one off in my letterbox and no poor Julie's on that one too.  If I was with someone I would just take it as red the first time they told me they loved me that that was enough.  See told you I was a low maintenance gal. 

Go with what your heart tells you to do is my thinking on the subject, shower people with gifts, tell someone you love them once, or hide under the duvet.  I won't be doing any of them but that's just me and that's all I can ever be me just Jewels :)

One last thing though :-

Jewels xxxx

Footballers - To come out or not to come out that is the question ....

A tiny little blog inspired by a BBC3 programme on gay footballers.

This is told by a straight woman who is into football in a big way I'm even a season ticket holder for Tamworth FC (yes we did play Everton in the FA Cup) but let's get back to the matter in hand.

This is my blog so these are my opinions, I know plenty will disagree with me but you know when you have something welling up in you that you have to spout forth, well this is one of those times.

To come out is a personal choice and shouldn't be forced on footballers for one, but maybe and I have no experience of being within a team so this is just a spectator's view, maybe if gay footballers who wanted to come out, did so en masse then of course it would make the papers, but maybe it wouldn't be so hard on them, coming out individually.

Many years ago footballers would have been chanted at for being of a different colour - in my experience that doesn't happen so much anymore (well in my club it doesn't) and we have a rainbow of colours that play for our club.  There is the odd comment you sometimes hear from other fans, but then isn't that their ignorance showing through?

I think what is needed here is for the FA and all the clubs in the leagues including non league clubs such as my own is to really openly talk on this matter, maybe this documentary might help, I really hope so because who cares whether you be a plumber, dentist, doctor or footballer whether you are gay or not.

Being a footballer in my experience involves a lot of banter between the lads but all of it harmless and can be because you like a different kind of music, banter is a great thing and I think in these enlightened times certainly in my club and I know full well we aren't in the Premiership, that if someone said they were gay I think the answer would be no big deal. 

We live in different times now, the footballers of today have been brought up with gay people at school, laughed at gay comedians jokes, maybe even know someone gay.

So really in essence what I'm saying is that if a footballer came out as gay, just as if an actor or anyone else I might know of came out of their own volition why would I care?  I enjoy football for football's sake not for who they sleep with.

My blog, my opinion, I truly hope in 2012 that we embrace each other as human beings not by the colour of our skin or our sexuality.

Jewels xxx

Typical Libran?

Tiny little off the cuff, as always blog on the the speck in the dust of the world that I call mine.

I've never really thought of myself as a typical Libran sure I can't make up my mind sometimes, see it's taken me a couple of hours to write this blog as I was umming and ahhing over whether to do it, so I think there goes a tick in the typical Libran box there, a trait a lot of us Librans share.

That is where I thought it stopped.

That is until I decided I had many traits when I thought about it.  Well I didn't but I do now.

I used to flick through the newspapers thinking yeah yeah maybe that might fit me.  Now a huge world of beauty has opened up to me.  No I'm not talking about the sort of beauty between a man and woman or man and man or woman and woman, but the sort that sees beauty in nature and as such I've taken up photography, only a little mind and I'm not great at it - but if you don't try, you don't get do you!

I'd been feeling ill for a couple of weeks (yes I can hear the aww poor Julie at the back) nothing really just a bad case of the flu, then I kept dreaming about taking black and white photos.  Weird huh?  Yeah I thought so too, that's why I thought there has to be something in this let's dig a little deeper.  So I dug and it was like woah I started taking pictures of a park down the road from me absolutely loved that, felt much better for actually doing something and something that I wanted to do.

Today I couldn't wait to rush into the garden and take some photographs in no way are they brilliant, but they're my little stab at bringing beauty into my life.

I'll add one for you to like or dislike it's up to you, I kinda like it but I would say that wouldn't I!

Typical Libran - hmm I think typical human being really who is having a whole new world of experiences opening up to her and I'm grateful for it.  Sure I'm easy going and like things in balance but don't we all?  I'm not saying I don't believe in astrology I just think we all have unfulfilled potential in all of us.

I'm just branching out now into a whole new world and yes this was a photo I took today!

Jewels xxxxx

LOVE is a four letter word?

Well of course Love is a four letter word, but I'm meaning do we think of it as a bad thing when we're not in a relationship.  Hell no would be answer for me!  I thought I would write a little short blog on love.

Love hasn't alightened on my shoulder yet, maybe it will maybe it won't, if you read my previous blogs you'll understand, my experience of men shall we say was a little tarnished due to being beaten up and I'm saying it again because I want all the people who are out there right now to think it's not just me, Julie is a normal girl it happened to her.

Enough of that though, what I wanted to express in this blog is that although chances have been offered to me in this life I've not taken them up, but know I am ready to take on those chances.  A woman of 38 saying she's willing to take a chance, yes, you are right I have left it a bit late, but who is to say what is around the corner, my prince might come now, in 10 years time or never.  It's about being happy and secure enough in myself that's important it's a corny old saying but to let others love you you really have to love yourself and how many of us do that.  Jewels raises her hand!  I do!

So many of you will have had good experiences and I think that's fantastic and wish you all the luck in the world on your journey through life with the one that you hold dear, for those who have had their world tarnished by others, my advice though I am ABSOLUTELY no expert on matters of the heart is to stop trying to look for love.  If love wants to seek you out it will, you can of course try all the usual things like going out to bars, dating sites but in my opinion we all have a destiny, a path that has been laid out in front of us, if that path is winding and a bit rocky I'm sorry about that but if you're path is filled with gold I'm happy for you too.

Love is a four letter word, but in the best sense of it, I'm happy being me right now, should someone come knocking now I would let them in, also I'm not one of those clingy birds I think that's a mistake a lot of women make they don't let men be themselves or try to change them or if you are in a gay relationship just change the wording around.

Be yourself, just be, people love you for the energy you give off, you give off positive vibes you get them back tenfold in my experience now.

Jewels xxxxx

A strange little blog but I thought about it this morning and this is very off the cuff just like all my writing is, it comes from the heart - don't all the best things comes from there?

So what makes Jewels the happy person that she is?

OK, let me tell you what makes me happy, family makes me happy and more than ever this weekend I have realised that, I went to my cousin's wedding a cousin I hadn't seen in years, saw his daughters and son and realised that I have such a lovely family around me that I am blessed in so many ways, firstly through my family always being there for me, no going hippy on you you're not interested in that are you!  That makes me happy.

I'm happy that I've told everyone that I used to get beaten up by my boyfriend, that has been a huge relief for me to say it outloud and for people to think that I am an OK person despite of this because that was never my fault.

I am happy because I'm not ill anymore I don't know how many of you know this well you do know if you're reading this blog I couldn't walk about a year ago my legs swelled with water, I had labyrnthitis and this is a big one here I had a bit of anxiety well a lot actually - but hey it happens to a lot of people and as you can see I am a WHOLE lot better.  Health is so important & you don't quite realise how important it is until you've lost it so that make me happy I have now regained my health.

I am happy because I have managed to go down from a Size 30 to a Size 16 or 14 in UK terms that has changed my life immensely because although I'm no sylph like girl I'm me and that's all I can ever be just me and I love being me now I used to get people shouting stuff at the street at me when I was bigger now its weird people compliment me I still can't get used to that.  Its silly things like people in a shop i.e. men and women saying that I look nice I don't really know how to react - silly huh for a woman of 37 but because I've never really experienced it I am trying very hard to know how to react.  I now smile and say thank you because I think they mean it - it is very nice hearing that and I'm not putting this up for more people to say it, its just an "odd state of affairs" for me to have people complimenting me.

I am happy because I have regained a whole new interest in music .... something maybe in the pipeline there but lets leave that for another time its opened up a whole new world to me.

I'm happy since my nan died and this is getting personal here its like I have become a whole new brighter Julie maybe she's looking over my shoulder who knows?  Its like I've found Julie again I lost her for a long time I hope you understand what I'm trying to say.  I lost who I was through some stupid fella beating me up now I've regained me.

Do you know what I don't care what people think of me that makes me so happy I always used to put a bag in front of me, always wear a coat people that didn't have weight issues may not understand that but it was sort of hiding behind things because I didn't feel worthy enough now I don't and that makes me so happy - today I went out without a coat on - not a big deal huh yeah it was for me!!!!!

Being very open and honest here a big thing that has made me very happy is that I have a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome that was partly why I was bigger before it means that you produce too many eggs that can't be fertilised, Posh Spice has it lots of people have it I am one of them, nah don't want to be Posh Spice thank you very much, but 20% of women have it so if you have it speak up its nothing to be ashamed of and really too much information here but if you want to know why I'm happy about 5 years ago my periods came back they went for 10 years gosh I am revealing a lot about myself but that has made me so happy because yes that means that when I decide to hopefully it won't be as hard as I thought it was to have kids and that virtually has me crying here because that is a big important part of my life that I want to succeed in.

I'm happy because I unburdened myself of all my silly little things, my silly little I can't do this I can't do that I CAN DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THIS IS A WHOLE NEW BRIGHT SPARKLY JULIE THAT WILL TRY HER UTMOST TO ACHIEVE EVERYTHING SHE HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO ACHIEVE.

That's why I am so happy all the time and no I'm still not going to put up a piccie of me when I was bigger I'm happy now I obviously will be happier if I lose more weight but Marilyn Monroe was a Size 16 so who am I to argue with that.

See you do know Jewels now don't you I am an open book maybe too much of an open book at times but that's me now and that makes me happy, see if I have touched one person saying I have the condition I mentioned above I'll be happy, if I touch one person because I said I was beaten up I'll be happy.

Being happy comes naturally to me now it didn't before I sort of hid behind a lot of things - now I am JULIE and who thought it would happen before the big 40 I certainly didn't - thank you illness for bringing out the true Julie you really don't know how grateful I am that I have gone through certain things because it means now I can get on with life and think yep thats me and do you know what I LOVE BEING ME!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSK9kkM7GL4

That's how I feel now listen!!!!!!!!!

Jewels xxxxx

OK lets see a bit more about Jewels digging deeper here another taboo subject Anorexia

So you know a lot more about me now some not so nice, well I'm putting this one up in the hope that this doesn't or isn't happening to someone else now.

You all know I have lost weight 8 stone, you all know why its important to lose weight safely, here comes the big thing, I am doing it safely this time, exercise and a proper diet and I felt the time was right to tell people about this it's another deep breath and putting it up sort of blog but if I can help one person, one parent to tell their child not to go through something like I did then it was worth me writing it huh?

So you're thinking OK what is this thing its called Anorexia, yep I said it outloud then & a few people knew not many any of you reading this now will know, it was 18 years ago I had it for a year and I was six stone I am not even going to put up a photo of what I looked like then, it was like looking at a skeleton. 

The thing is anorexia is nothing about models, wanting to look good its all about control its trying to take back a bit of control in your life for something you felt out of control with, I've worked through my issues and got better really quickly because I sought help.

Family played a huge role in this, once I told them they rallied around, you are probably reading this and thinking yeah that was me too a lot of us have been anorexic but again its one of those taboo subjects I want to make it not a taboo subject I want if you're a parent to make sure that like me your child isn't exercising for up to 5 hours a day only having an apple for lunch, ducking out of dinner, I'm doing this purely for aww no poor Julie's because funnily enough I have a whole different approach to eating now I sensibly eat - the whole reason I was bigger before is a different story one we might get on to it was nothing about the bounce back from anorexia.

I want you or your kids to be as happy as I am now I am beyond happy you can all tell that and of course anorexia never completely leaves you I still look at the calories on things but I do it in  A HEALTHY WAY NOW NOT AN ANOREXIC WAY.  So please don't think I'm going hurrah I've got down to a size 14 because I'm heading that way again cos this girl is too savvy for that Julie is doing it because she wants to be the best person she can be in a healthy way.

Please if you have kids, check their eating habits, if you know someone who has anorexia encourage them to go to a doctor, tell someone again thats how it all starts just tell someone and there is lots and lots of help out there there was for me 18 years ago so now there is even more.

If you take one thing away from this look at me now, do I look happy, contented with my life, with how everything in it is going yes I do comes back the answer because I asked for help, its the only way to get better.

Again hope I haven't shocked you but things like this have to be brought into the open, I've been a Size 6 UK size now I'm a size 14/16, love my curves, love I'm doing it the right way, its again taken me a lot of courage and soul searching to write this because its so personal but sometimes you have to do things that are hard on you to help others and that is my goal in life to help as many people as I can.

Other people have been amazing to me, I want to repay them back.

Look at me now I'm not anorexic anymore do you want to be like me, does your child want to be like me, full of giggles and not worrying about food then look into my eyes see there's hope there that you will get better because you will - I did - why not you?

You are finding an awful lot about me but I'm an open book I don't keep things hidden.

Lets definitely make the next subject a lighter one.

Love Jewels xx

Something Very Important In the Life of Jewels That I Would Like You To Read - I Am Doing This To Help If I Can

So, after my last blog on music I thought to myself well to know the real Julie you need to know a little of her past.

This has taken me a lot of courage to do this and I don't want any well done's or anything like that for doing this, I'm doing this because I don't want anyone else to go through what I did, so you're thinking quizzically what did she go through, what's so different from me, well maybe nothing if you read on.

Can you remember what you did on your 22nd birthday, I can, it was the first time I got hit by a man, yes you read that right and this isn't some man hating blog AT ALL I think men are fabulous (like totally they are they are great, they are funny, they are sexy, they are brilliant, now I do I really do and that's no word of a lie) but this is a tiny bit of my story and it works both ways, women hit men as well and it happens in same sex relationships as well.

So, it's come as a slight shock to most people on here, a few people knew not many but if I can help one man or woman though telling my story then me sharing this has been worth it.

I probably haven't suffered half the amount of abuse that a lot of you women and men on here have but again this is my story, so here's how it goes.  I went out with a man for ten years, throughout most of that ten years he hit me, nowhere that people could see, my family never knew (they do now don't worry and I have totally laid this to rest with help - if you're going through the same thing I advise you to do the same thing).

He hit me on my 22nd birthday because I couldn't park properly in a space that's how stupid and ignorant people are that physically and emotionally control you, there's no rhyme nor reason to why they do it - its just a control thing, they feel like own something i.e. you and can treat that person how they want to, the abuse didn't end until I was 31, he used to hit me on the back of the head, legs, back, tell me how fat I was, yeah I was a lot bigger but this again was all about control.

People and I am saying people here not men because I fully realise it works both ways carry out this type of behaviour because there is something lacking in their life, IT IS NEVER YOUR FAULT - IF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THIS IF YOU TAKE ONE THING FROM THIS - REMEMBER THAT SENTENCE.

They whittle away little by little your self confidence - why did you think I found it hard to accept compliments about the way I looked?  It was because of this simple as that, once someone continually puts in your head that you aren't worthy, that you don't look in any way normal you start to believe it and I know you're thinking now why Julie, why did you let it go on, I once I told my family and a few people realised why, because he had whittled away every bit of self confidence I had.

People that knew me at school knew me as a happy-go-lucky gal and that's what I am now and that is why I am so happy - I've released myself from those constraints of that person, I realise I am worthy, I realise I look as good as the next person, I realise that what that person did was completely wrong and will never ever let anyone treat me like that again - EVER!

If you are going through something similar I want you to know you are not alone, it doesn't just happen to you, it's not anything you are doing the person that is doing it to you is AT FAULT, NOT YOU, please tell a friend, a family member, if you're a member of an organisation tell someone, that's how you start to get through this.  I wasn't married to this man nor had children with him so I fully realise it's a lot harder when you do have those ties.  There are organisations out there that can help you, please get in touch with them, tell a doctor, tell anyone you trust, just tell someone because the feeling you experience once you know you aren't alone and aren't all these things that that person has told you you are is IMMENSE.

I am beyond happy now, I wanted to share my story not for any poor Julie comments, I feel sorry for the person that did that to me, what made the person do it?  I'll never properly know but you know what now I don't care, why waste one more minute of my energy which is completely POSITIVE on a person that wasn't.

I can't change my past in relation to this but you know what I think it's made me a stronger person I can now tell genuine people and all of my friends on facebook are genuine that's why you're my friends.

Am I guarded now?  No!  That's what I want to get across I want you to feel those butterfly wings fluttering like me if you're going through what I went through, I want you to soar, I want you to feel good about yourself, so if someone is treating you in the same way I was treated or worse please take a minute whilst reading this and think you know what if I tell someone I trust maybe I just might be as happy and content as Julie is now.

It's taken an awful lot of deep breaths and thinking about it all to put this out so publically but I have nothing to feel ashamed of I now realise that, I want you to feel the same.

A bit of a long post but I think something so important needed to be, I hope I haven't shocked you, made you upset because I am absolutely fine beyond belief now why do you think I do silly videos, show my face, say what I want because now Julie has emerged and wants to grab on to every bit of life that she can.

You can do the same, it just takes that first conversation with someone you trust - I know one out of every four women in their lives has some form of emotional/physical abuse in their life that means 200 of you out there may experience this if I can stop one just one person having to go through what I went through I'm happy I posted this.  I'm happy I posted it anyway, look at me, I AM WORTHY, I AM AS GOOD AS THE NEXT PERSON, I NEVER DESERVED TO GET HIT - NEITHER DO YOU.  Am I fine as I am? Of course I am!!!

Please read this if you're a man/woman/parent anyone if you can help anyone by passing this on please do.

Take care and lets make the next post a bit lighter but it needed to be said I needed to help if I could.

Please take a listen to this song you beautiful flowers and I mean that to both men and women, just change the wording around if you are a man going though this, it says it in one song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zbn7Khv8zM

Jewels xxx