Oh, You Rebels!

You may have noticed those things between programs and during the program, called adverts. They’ve been around for a while, advertising double glazing by shouting at you, spot creams with Vanessa Hudgen’s telling you she’s stressed, Piers Morgan being a twat and saying M&S food is okay, and the latest trend – rock stars and big Hollywood stars advertising insurance.

Namely two insurance companies; Norwich Union (which if you didn’t know is changing its name to Aviva), and Swift Cover. During these times of an economic downturn with banks queuing up to be bailed out by the government, it’s good to know that the insurance companies can still afford big names to advertise them.

Norwich Union have a whole cast of big names, costing them £9 million, with Alice Cooper, Bruce Willis, Dame Edna Everage, Ringo Star and Elle Macpherson. They all asked themselves what would have happened if they hadn’t changed their name. Dame Edna Everage is a bit random though don’t you think? Oh, and just so you know, Norwich Union is not changing their name to get international fame, but purely because they’ve been brought by a company abroad, who have no idea where Norwich is.

Swift Cover responds with a grotesque advert where we join Iggy Pop, with a bear torso, telling me that he is concerned about his insurance, Swift Cover are the best, and therefore we should all run to the phone and change our insurance to Swift Cover. Isn’t is good to know that rock stars have moved on from the times they rebelled, and now make sure they have full comprehensive insurance on their mansions, tour buses and 19 year old girlfriends.

Then Direct Line come along and go, ‘We don’t need a big star to advertise us’, then turned on Dave, and chose two people at random. The lucky fellows chosen were the comic geniuses, Paul Merton and Stephen Fry. I personally prefer this advert, maybe because it’s not so ‘in your face’ and maybe because they’re two of my favorite comedians. You’ll never know.

The point is though, do we really need a host of giant names to get our attention, or will two normal folks have the same effect? Well, we have our own opinions.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, that seems to be the traditional way of starting conversations and what-not, by wishing the other person a happy new year, full of prosper, enjoyment, happiness, love and then make a joke about how quick the previous year went.
‘Can you believe 2008 has gone so quick? It feels like only yesterday I was eating an Easter egg!’

Another traditional thing people do at the end/start of a year, is to set themselves targets to improve themselves in their eyes. Some you find give up within a week or two, others last a bit longer, maybe in to February and some may actually succeed and last the year without biting their nails. These are what people call a ‘New Year’s Resolution’.
I fit into none of these categories. I don’t bother with New Year’s resolutions. Not because I think I am perfect, far from it in fact. I just feel there are other ways to fail and other ways to make you feel bad and depressed.

The most common resolution appears to be ‘Going on a diet’. Now, that really annoys me for a few reasons. One of the reasons is that everyone who goes on these diets, doesn’t need to. You look at these people, who go on the New Year’s diet, and you think, ‘But you have nothing to lose you skinny girl!’ The people, who should go on a diet, are the people who say ‘Oh, my New Year’s resolution is to stop swearing’. Your immediate reaction is to swear at them for being so stupid. It is ridiculous. Another thing about the New Year’s resolutions that annoys me is the people who make a giant list of things they feel they need to achieve to better themselves. No one can be that unperfected.

What I do is set myself rules. You may be saying that is exactly the same as a New Year’s resolution, well it isn’t. One of my rules for this year is to stay happy, and try not to let anything get me down and stay positive. See the glass as half full, some people may say. This for me is a vital rule, as I am very good at getting myself depressed, over something silly like a butterfly, flying away from me and leaving me by myself, for a moth. That’s it for me, there is no need to bombard myself with rules.

Although, because I’m against resolutions, it doesn’t mean I don’t wish everyone the best of luck with theirs, because I do. Whatever makes you feel happier is worth doing in my opinion, even if other people don’t agree with it. So, that is my philosophical ending, and I hope you take notice of it!
I hope you have a good year, and continue to not read my blogs.