Two habits, not quiet a third and the farts

The 1000 word a day challenge has now reached day 17, it's surprising how fast it goes, but it certainly is a challenge and leaves me with little energy to write a here.  Which is my excuse anyway.  I now have two regular things I do each evening. One write a 1000 words and two play on Harvey.  I should really fit in there a third which would be some kind of exercise to get fit, lose weight and be healthier.  However there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. However, the reminder comes and slaps me in the face every time I put on a particular shirt which used to fit me but doesn't now. Especially around the waist where I can feel a tight pull.  I'm hoping eating chilli with your food speeds up metabolism, being on account it is spicy and fire like.  So maybe my stomach kicks into overdrive.  However at the rate I eat it looks like my breakfast, lunch and dinner should be nothing but bowls of chilli vegetables.  I blame the chilli sauce in my chicken noodle soup today for the farts.  Sparkling will be glad I'm not near her. Mind her occasional sinus problem is useful and avoids me having to worry about being told off for farting. It's got to be an age thing, and a food thing.  I'll have to check out micro bacteria yoghurt things maybe they will help.

Stereotypes what makes them what they are?

I was on the train heading to work when there sat a few seats away was an Asian man with his girlfriend. He had a turban on and looked like a Sikh. His girlfriend was holding his arm, she was small in stature, however in comparison he was both tall and muscular. In fact he was the stereotype of what a muscle man should appear. Wearing a tight fitting T-shirt, and bulging biceps and chest. He must of decided at some point to sculpt his body and had obviously spent a lot of time doing it. I prefer to sculpt my belly and spend an equally lot of time trying to get the perfect desired roundness. After a moment he pulled out from a bag a book, and as if to emphasise his physique the book was big as well. A large hardback. How come I wondered, do certain people do everything they can to become stereotypes. Versions of other people they have seen.  When I go to the pub, there are customers there who are stereotypes of what pub drinkers should be and this is in every way. Alcoholics who have pitless stomachs to the taste of their special drink. Some have shades of mental illness but not enough to be considered a nuisance to society to be institutionalised. Through a public square I walk yet another set of individuals sit in the sun enjoying the beautiful weather and drink from cans of larger, they have their families around them, partners drinking, pitbull like dogs, the men with shirts off, tattoos with a self made look. They argue with each other, act loud, swear and it's like they are telling the world to see them, look at them, they are what they are, even if it is detrimental. It is a demand for attention, it's not subtle or a request, it is in your face attention seeking. Their life is like this and they want you to see it all. It is who they are and there is no caring. Not unlike the body builder who just wants to be admired and to draw stares in a magnetic way, the loud delinquent families want to both draw attention and repel it. They are an oxymoron in many respects.  A little like my belly getting big, and then I quietly fart so as to gently try to reduce it and inadvertently repel anyone who happens to be too close.  Some farts smell others don't.

Do people know they are attention seekers or is it just audiences who see attention seekers. Should we just ignore them after all they are nothing in real terms.  I try to ignore them, I love to practice the art of ignoring them. Headphones in listening to the radio, making a path around and away from would be seekers. As if it is nothing in the world to walk past these creatures. Yet in another respect these people are fragile by their very own attention seeking activities. They have a need which the audience gives them. If they are not judged perhaps their world would be a lot more different. This is the same for glamorous individuals, the famous, the rich, the notorious. We can't be one thing so we become another. Am I too judgemental I wonder. I also wonder if I see a hint of histrionics in every stereotype. Do they ever have self realisation and break out of their behaviour mode, I ask myself. I've not broken out of the pot belly behaviour mode for years and it constantly vexes me to think this is the one item of my stereotypical appearance, fat, grumpy, ukulele playing, hat wearing little man. Which sums it up quite well.

If someone is happy with their lot, their problems, their turmoils then what does it matter what the rest of the world thinks. Even if they are a stereotype.  But if they become unhappy when they don't get the attention they seek then they might gain some insight, pump one iron less, drink one can less, eat one cake fewer than normal. Maybe what stereotypes are, are the accumulation of a set of habits which continue to an inevitable path. Habits which can at times be bad. I once heard if you continue heading in a certain direction, you'll end up at the destination the direction is taking you towards. Of all things a habit, be it stereotypical or otherwise is difficult to change or to stop.  Like Scorates said "we are what we repeatedly do, excellence therefore is not an exception, it is a habit." Sounds a bit anally retentive, obsessive-compulsive if you ask me. Now, is it a good thing or is it a bad thing?

Addictions defined

It has come to dawn on me, there are certain habits I have, which are probably addictions.  The thing is, an addiction is usually considered to be something associated with drugs. In reality this would be a somewhat narrow definition.  For habits are a kind of addiction, and a habit which continues for a long period of time could partly be termed an addiction.  Using the term addiction comes down to the negative intonations of the word.  Some addictions are no doubt good, it's the ones which are bad the word is commonly used with.  For example, smoking as opposed to watching TV or reading books.  So the word addiction has to be defined.  It is a habit which is repeated over a sustained period of time and creates a dependency.  Whether this is physiologically, psychologically, sociologically or behaviourally.  Furthermore all all addictions have a behavioural element to them.

The first aspect of any addiction is realising it exists, the second is understanding whether it is bad or not.  There are insidious addictions when only moments of clarity bring knowledge they are real, for example, watching TV every evening.  Mine is getting addicted to soaps and hunting down films.  I'm also addicted to the news and politics but this addiction I believe is not as bad as the amount of time I spend on the others.  There was a time when I used to exercise several evenings during the week.  I was a member of a gym, but somewhere along the line doing exercise became a chore rather than fun or a necessity.  I got lazy and preferred the comfort of a seat, hot drink, and vegetating in front of the TV.  So, the third aspect of an addiction is whether it causes harm.  I like eating food which is not good for me.  Fried food, or food from cafes or restaurants. It's cholesterol packed and the chefs do not make it with love. Food made with love is expensive or rare nowadays and this effects everybody.  Looking around the high street there are more fatter unhealthier people than there ever has been.  It is a national crime.  A fourth, aspect of an addiction is it is usually difficult to stop.  There is an effort involved in stopping the addiction and at the same time there is a need, or internal motivation to continue the addiction which struggles against the notion to stop it.  The physiological needs are easily recognised as they are based on a chemical desire in the body.  Be this blood sugar levels or brain neurotransmitters screaming out to be satisfied, as in the satisfaction nicotine brings to a smoker.  This chemistry, creates a dependency, as in alcoholism and how the alcoholic copes in the world.  The obese person is just unable to stop themselves from devouring yet another slice of cake.  They may want to but the effort and conscious desire to not do so is exceedingly difficult.  Perhaps this is why when one addiction is actually stopped it is then replaced with another.  I wonder if the circus clown is addicted to making people laugh, or if bees are addicted to pollen.  Addiction to this extent becomes life.  It is something which defines the addicted.  I like colourful socks and try to wear a different pair every day, it is a harmless addiction and probably would not be difficult to stop.  But eating fried rice is even though I know I really have to stop it.

Knowing I have certain addictions then allows me choice in the matter.  I choose whether to continue doing them or not doing them.  Even if they are harmful, although I probably avoid learning the full extent of those harmful addictions because I am adverse to further eye opening.  This is the issue.  I have to throw myself my own life saver, it is all down to me.  There are of course conditions which I can employ to help myself through this, such as changing my environment as best I can.  But when other people put temptation in my way then my conscious mind has a fight to stop the habit from taking over again.  It is exhausting.  As Geothe said "everything is hard until it's easy."  Wise words but totally unhelpful.  What I need are practical tips and guidance.  Recognising something is no in itself going to change the situation.

So if I'm looking to give myself practical advice it will be, to start slowly with one particular thing.  One little thing which is achievable and likely to confirm my own will power in any situation exists.  Make it definitive.  I will stop eating biscuits.  This is the one thing I am now going to try and achieve over the next week.  I will also being a conscious effort to avoid sweets or reduce my sweet intake.  There.  Two things now to do, two things which are easily defined.  If one can be achieved then so can the other.