Pets are for life - not to be abandoned/thrown away/left behind

It saddens me so often to see so many animals treated like disposable items, who can just be thrown out and dumped or abandoned by callous irresponsible owners. Everyday there are posts on forums and websites looking for good homes for poor helpless four legged friends.

Why do people take on animals if they can't have them for life? Expats who've brought animals over from their home countries, only to leave their pets behind when they leave, because they didn't factor the cost of flying them back, the paper work, vaccines, blood tests and potentially quarantine. Or people who've taken on abandoned animals, only to re-abandon them later on. It's like throwing a child away, animals become part of your family, they have feelings, emotions, personalities and aren't soulless creatures that some believe and then gives them the right to treat them badly.

My latest addition to the family is Chloe, a lovely little cat who was sadly left behind by her owners. She was a pet sit and they just never came back. Poor Chloe is 15 years old, so it was always going to be hard to find her a new home, but I took pity on this old dear and took her in. My other cat is 12 anyway so I thought they'd make good company for each other. Now Chloe, instead of being housed in a maids room, has a nice garden to run around in and a big villa to call home. 

People really need to stop and think before taking on animals, because pets are for life, not something you just throw away when life gets a bit hard. Animals give unconditional love and we shouldn't take that for granted.

Flashing the flesh

You know it still never ceases to amaze me, that after all the stories you read in the press about people getting into trouble for their clothing choices, or lack there of, that some just don't learn.

Just the other day whilst I was out and about, I saw a woman parading around with a barely there skirt - if you can call it that - which basically skimmed the bottom of her buttocks! Seriously, no one wants to see that ANYWHERE!!!!

At clubs, bars and brunches there seems to be a competition going on as to who can reveal as much as they can, without literally being naked. I'm surprised that many establishments haven't started to implement dress codes. Whatever happened to the term 'Less is more', where you don't have to leave the house looking like a hooker to attract attention. Sure some people might have a body to die for and are going for the 'If you've got it, flaunt it' approach, but it just amazes me that so many people seem to forget where they are.

Oh and it's not just the women either, as you very often see blokes walking around with not much on either. There's a time and a place, but shopping malls and posh eateries are not it. Mind you on the beach I do have to laugh at the blokes wearing budgie smugglers - seriously they're not attractive and no one wants to see that. A good pair of boardies is far better, much cooler and more attractive.

Boozing your life away!

Certain people might shoot me down for this one, but quite frankly I couldn't give a damn! A nasty little cycle that I've noticed over the last couple of years is the tragedy of people revolving their lives around alcohol, where they can get it, how smashed they can get and then how bad they feel afterwards.

In recent times it's become an annoyance for me, as I try to organise weekend outdoor activities, which people initially seem keen on - but then oh wait, they've a big night planned and know they'll be hung over to hell the next day. With the endless events, free booze offers for girls, brunches etc it would seem that some people seem to live their lives from one drink to the next. I do wonder what would happen if they got invited to something where alcohol wasn't available. Are they capable of having a good time without the sauce? I have my doubts.

In my college days I was very often DES, the designated driver, no problem, didn't bother me in the slightest as I'm perfectly capable of going to a club, dancing the night away and having a good time without the slightest drop of a drink. I'd challenge many people to have a go at that and see if they could actually do it - I suspect it would end up in a 99.9999999999% fail rate.

My other pet peeve is people bragging on twitter or facebook about their mammoth nights out and just how rancid they feel the next day. Hey wake up! It's not big or clever and nobody really cares! It's your own fault, self inflicted, so why on earth should anyone take pity on you? Hey I'm no angel, been there, done that, bought the T-shirt, but I'm not going to brag about my stupidity.

I guess I feel sad for these people, because I'd hate them to one day finally wake up and have them feel regret at what they missed on because of the need for a drink. In my book that's an absolute tragedy. So maybe give it a rest for a while hey, look at the world through a clear head and realise what you could be missing out on.