Overreacting? I think so...

A little snow and the whole of King’s Lynn falls apart.
School closures and snow days were just a few of the dilemmas faced last week due to the weather.
Over reacting? Just a little, in my opinion.
It has become clearer to me over the past few years that Lynn cannot deal with the cold wintery weather.
There are some who walk around, not fazed by the white wonderland, going about their everyday duties.
I was one of these people earlier this year; I dragged myself out of the warm, cosy, safe house that was my bed, layered myself up and walked the two miles to college.
When I got there, I was told that my lessons were cancelled and my tutors had not turned up.
Of course not everybody is going to be like me and put some effort in (It was a tough call between a duvet day and college work).
But this was when everywhere was an ice rink and snow was foot deep.
Now, the snow has made a small appearance yet again and everybody seems to take cover in their house.
I understand that people have to travel long journeys and may not feel safe driving themselves.
But I would like to point out that I still managed to have both driving lessons and remain in one piece.
I understand that buses may be delayed or cancelled which cannot be helped.
What I don’t understand is why a light dusting of snow caused so much dilemma when it is only the start.
People in Greenland live in the snow and ice, carrying on with their day to day chores.
So why are we so afraid of the winter weather?
Car crashes, slipping over, freezing to death? Possible but very unlikely.
We read the stories about those who freeze to death or get snowed in but is that really likely in a small town like this?
I would say the only ones at risk here are the obvious; the elderly, the young and the pregnant.
We all need to just get on with things like normal, last week was a practice for whats to come.
The worst is yet to come with the after mouth; we will be facing pot holes, cracking roads and for some, January exams.
So, just pull on your wellies, grab some gloves and throw a few extra layers on and you’ll be fine.

Why are parents so shocked when they realise their precious child has discovered alcohol?
To most it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise, they have all had the been-there-done-that experiences.
But some parents are still deluded into thinking their little angels will never grow up.
Unfortunately for them, they do.
And it happens sooner than expected in most cases.
Teenagers as young as 14 sit there on a Saturday night with their friends, having a swig of bacardi breezer.
When you’re 14, its the coolest thing ever to have a bottle in hand in front of your friends.
When you’re 16, you can’t go to a party without a case of beer or bottle of spirits, it just becomes the “norm”.
You read about under age drinking, wild student parties, and “broken Britain”, but I am pretty sure it is not as bad as it seems.
I remember the first time me and my friend got drunk round mine while we were looking after the house.
Music up loud, dancing around the garden, not even thinking about the consequences.
I think I can safely say that dancing around on an empty stomach full of vodka and orange juice was not the best of ideas (I still can not stand the smell of cous-cous since that night).
I know parents that have gone out and brought alcohol for their 14-year-old son and not even battered an eye lid when he asked.
Some parents have come to terms with the fact that if they don’t buy it, their kid will only go pay somebody to buy it for them (AKA big brother/sister).
But when big brother/sister aren’t home, you’d be surprised at who would buy a teenager a case of beer for a few quids profit.
And then there are the parents who blame the older sibling for their drinking influence.
Universities are yet to shake the image of being a three-year party away from home.
In reality, it is three years, working part-time, attending lectures and having a drink at the end of the week to chase away the stress.
To me, I think it is a bad stereotype, these are the future doctors and teachers who are being called party animals when they are most likely busy studying.
I’m not saying there aren’t people who do spend the three years away drunk but there are some bright sparks that know their limit.
As for “broken Britain”, what country doesn’t have problems?
Just because a girl flashes her knickers on a night out while not being totally sober, Britain is seen to be broken and have drink, anti-social behaviour and drug problems.
Fair enough, in the main  cities such as London and Manchester, but in Norfolk? I am very doubtful.
The truth is, teenagers are going to drink, no matter how much you try and prevent it,
they are young after all.
As my mum would say, “let them learn the hard way.”

So, it’s come to that stage where I’m let out on the roads, free to roam where I please (as long as it covers the junctions and round abouts, and  is the same route my driving teacher has chosen).
After passing my theory test back in September, I thought driving would be fine, after all, I would have a giant L on top of the car.
If only I wasn’t naive.
I started learning to drive around the start of October, it was so exciting being in a car, knowing that I was the one in control, making the car go vroom.
There was such a buzz about having a lesson that I would wait eagerly by the door for my instructor to turn up so I could have the full Hour behind the wheel.
Of course, this was all before I went out on the big, busy, bustling roads.
What do you do when you see a learner approaching?
Speed off to get away? Overtake? Take no notice of them? I’m sorry to say that other drivers have all done this to me.
We’ve all been in a car or bus or taxi and had a learner in front and cringe, thinking its the end of the world.
But all of the drivers out there have been in the same position.
Learners stall, go at the exact speed limit, will be slow pulling off but how else are they going to learn?
I was proud of myself that I managed not to stall on my first lesson, I was proud that I was learning so quickly, I was proud that I hadn’t caused any accidents (yet).
What I’m not proud of is the drivers around Lynn.
I’m sure that I am not the only learner out there that has suffered a bit of road rage or frustration thanks to other road users.
For Example, a male driver saw the need to over take me along A149. Fair enough I wasn’t going at 60 m.p.h., but I would say 55 m.p.h. is no slow coach.
It did not help that this was one of my first times in 5th gear and was already a bit scared thanks a massive lorry was going to be passing me.
Road users really need to be a bit more considerate when they see a giant L in front of them.
Most learners are not very comfortable being out on the roads for the first time, I wasn’t the first time I drove myself to college.
Now that I’ve been on the busy roads for a while, I have started to notice the glares from other drivers.
You just know they are saying, “get off the road”.
But just remember, we all have to learn some time.

“What are they for?” I hear this question frequently at work when children see the poppy box on the counter.
A poppy has been an iconic symbol of Remembrance Day, but how many know the real reason behind the flower?
My guess is not very many these days.
It is nice to know that the younger generation are eager to know what things mean and represent.
The disappointing side is that their parents ignore them or change the subject because they can’t answer their simple question.
I was shocked when this happened right before my eyes; parents have clearly forgotten the meaning behind Remembrance Day.
It is even more disappointing when they can’t explain to their young one’s what “Poppy Day” is or what it is represents.
A poppy has been worn every November since 1919 to mark Remembrance Day, or as it is sometimes known, Armistice Day.
Unfortunately, some people just wear the poppy as a fashion statement without meaning or cause.
We all see the judges on Xfactor walk out with there special made poppies as to complete their outfit.
Poppies were the only living thing to survive in Flanders’s field which saw some of the bloodiest fighting during World War One.
Perhaps introducing this part of history in to schools at a younger age might help.
It is sad to walk around the college campus and see so few without the red flower, students and lecturers alike, surely they should be setting an example.
Jon Snow, a reporter for channel 4, has been refusing to wear a poppy on air, branding it ‘poppy fascism’. Some have said he is ‘dishonouring the dead’ by refusing to wear the emblem.
After all, we were fighting for freedom; perhaps more will follow by choosing not to wear a poppy until the eleventh, like Jon has.
How people showing respect is seen as poppy fascism I’ll never know.
So why have so many of us forgotten about the hundreds of thousands of people that lost their lives in two world wars when not even a hundred years have passed?
Personally,I think people don’t realise how big or how much was sacrificed for them to live how they do now.
 I think it is disrespectful not to wear a poppy, even if it is not the eleventh.
The World Wars are a big part of our history, it should mean a lot to us who live around here, knowing that there are relatives and friends out fighting in Afghanistan, it won’t be long before the poppy represents them as well. 
A minutes silence and a small donation isn’t much to show respect for those that have died for us, is it?

“Alright Dumpling?” Would you class this as a endearment or an insult?
I got called this last week as I was walking from the Saturday Market and I still can’t decide if I was insulted or not.
In the end, they are calling me a round pastry ball that you normally eat.
Or They are calling me something they would use to call their grandchildren.
But I’m not short and to be fair, I don’t look like a little girl.
There are loads of endearments that the man could have used (probably not a leek like it was suggest in the office) but either way, I’m not fond of being called a dumpling.
We all get called something on a daily basis, be it “love” in a bakery, “darling” in a take away or “hunny” in a supermarket.
But why is it that us teenagers rarely call people by anything but their name?
Personally, I never call anybody ‘love’ or ‘sweetheart’, its just weird calling somebody older “sweetheart” when you are the young one.
But then you see it all the time, out and about. My mum does it, always calling people “darling” at work or when she sees someone in Morrisons.
Are they just forgetful and don’t remember their names so they use a pet name instead?(saying that, who would call their pet “darling”?)
Maybe that’s why we young ones haven’t developed the name replacement skill.
It is the same with men as well, apart from their common phrase is “mate”.
Clearly another nice way to say, “thanks but I can’t remember your name so you will be known as mate” (commonly seen in pubs and in work places)
I’m sure I’m not the only teenager to feel like this, wanting to call someone ‘love’ but bottling out at the last moment.
Old people really can get away with anything; telling you off, chat to you for hours, and forget your name.
Looks like I need to age a bit first before I can get away with it.

Future pieces

TWO new ideas i want to write about.
At work, we have a box of poppy's and it happened quite often last week, "what are the Poppy's for?" asked little children and most parents just said for poppy day.
Its shocking how the meaning of a poppy is lost among youngsters who only know that we wear Poppy's because its 'poppy day'!

The other thing was pet names. We've all experienced going around the market or in a shop and being called "love" or "darling" or other impartial names. But where did being called "dumpling" come from? i was pretty offended at being called a pastry ball.

SO NOW the government is worried about underage drinking?
Last week, a report was published on how the coalition government is planning on reducing underage drinking and related problems by increasing the price of alcohol to pub charges and blocking promtional packages on cases of beer and bottles of wine.
Responsible for around 33,000 deaths a year in the UK, the substance is avalible at any age in over 15 countries world wide but causes economic problems world wide.
Looking at laws surrounding alcohol, there is a very obvious factor which has caused teenagers to enjoy a drink when out with friends, linked to their younger life.
Kids as young as five are allowed alcohol substances in thier homes and supervised by parents.
Why parents would feel the need for a 5 year-old to have alcohol, i’ll never know.
Britian has been branded one of the worst places in the world for alchol abuse, in some places charging less that 30 pence for a pint of lager.
So, charging 50 pence a unit is meant to solve the underage drinking problem? I’m sorry to say that I very much doubt it.
The more a teenager is told not to do something, the likely-hood is, they will only do it more.
Sadly, alcohol is factor in half the crimes committed by under 18’s such as drink driving and vandalism, which is only set to increase if new forces are enforced.
The legal age to buy and consume alcoholic beverages is 18, however, a glass of wine or pint of beer is allowed for 16 year olds when they have a meal out with an adult.
Locally, we have tackled this problem significantly with regular patrols around certain teenage hotspots, such as Lynnsport and The Walks,
Due to the patrols, anti-social behaviour has decreased significantly over the past two years, but what will happen now police forces are being limited?
There are signs in restricted areas, warning of heafty fines, but do they really have much meaning if there isn’t a police officer around to enforce the rules.
All of the benefit cuts and new laws are supposed to create a “safe haven” and save the youth of today.
I’m sure I’m not the only one that is sat thinking how much this new plan is going to fail, soon alcohol will be prohibited in an effort to make England a “safe haven”.
Up to £30,000 debt after university and jobs becoming gold dust, I think it’s safe to say that this snowball is soon going to melt.