You know when it's freezing cold outside? You know when it's freezing cold and there's about fifteen people waiting at the bus stop? You'd think people would have their money and passes ready for when the bus gets there, so that everyone can get on as quickly as possible. You know when the bus finally arrives, and people start lining up, how there's always someone who cuts in front of the queue? Fair enough, I'd assume they had their bus pass in their hand and be ready to just fly past the driver. But no, they always have to stop when they get on the bus, pull their gloves off - ever so slowly - and start digging around their bag for the correct change. When this happens, and they are effectively keeping about 14 people out in the cold, don't you just want to go past them, hold your bus pass up to the driver while the annoying person is digging out pennies, and go sit down? I do anyway. And I wouldn't cut the queue if there was a risk of anyone else getting held up, trust me, on the contrary I feel I am doing other poor people a favour as they won't have to wait as long.

Anyhoo.

This morning, the driver calls me back and has a go at me for not waiting in line. It's not like I was holding the queue up. It's not like I was hindering him from taking the fare off this woman I walked past. It's not like I did it for shits and giggles.

I know, silly thing to be annoyed about. But so what? Pet hate, and all that.

So, what is with bus drivers - or any public service employee - who can't even be civil to people? If you have to let your frustrations out on other people, get a new job where you can sit in a little office in the back of a building and stop trying to get power kicks from the innocent people you are there to work with. Or, get a blog. It works pretty well for getting aggressions out ;-)

Over and out,

Julia xx

This guy from the charity Shelter came up to me today. He obviously wanted me to give money. Now, he was very very convincing, and seemed like a very nice guy. The right mix between charming and persuasive. He told me three million people in the UK are living in either below standard housing or on the streets, and that one million of them are children. It makes me feel very guilty, the fact that I can't make a long term committment to donating money - I suppose I could this year but what happens next year? I don't know if I'll be struggling to find a job or strugling financially to get through a masters. Either way, after being guilt-tripped for a good ten minutes, I managed to say I'm unable to committ to putting up a direct debit but that I'll look into the charity.

I know I shouldn't feel guilty - I do do good things. I am volunteering for a local school, working with children with 'limited abilities'. Instead of throwing things and clothes I don't want away, I give them to charity. I know I don't do much, but I do do more than most people. And although it's not a competition, I'm just trying to calm my guilty conscience. If I could I would do more.

I should just use the excuse that I don't have an English bank account so can't set up a direct debit, would be so much easier to walk away... ;)


xx

So... writing isn't easy. I'd like to think I'm being challenged, but the truth is I'm just plain lazy. If it doesn't work straight away, I want to give up. But giving up now would just be silly, got a fair few months left of this. Haha.

Family coming this weekend! Can't wait:) And no, I'm not just saying that cos they're reading this. I am actually looking forward to having to clean my house top to bottom, having to beg my friends to behave, if only for a couple of days, and forcing Mickey to have a shave and make smalltalk... Haha, only joking, I love cleaning really.

Am currently sat in a computer lab on campus trying to decide whether I can be bothered staying til three to go to a SCAN meeting. The question is, do I WANT to write for the uni newspaper? Honest to God, I do not know. Joanna says I do, so maybe. Will see!

xx