The Blue lines that Define

So im thinking that one blog post a month is pretty good considering i havent posted for a year prior.  Anyhow, a story comes with this blog post.  I just came back from a semester abroad, as those of you who know me will know.  I am so poor, having no job to come back to and am currently just getting by.  This is the reason i still haven't paid for a parking permit for campus.  They are only about 40 bucks. But its 40 bucks i don't have to spend all in one go.  So instead, i drop my mum at work and then i go straight to uni at 8.15 in the morning even if i dont have class til 12, just so i can park outside where there will be empty spaces up until about 9am.  It is the exact same distance to walk from there onto campus as it is from the furthest car park. But, it is free to park because the campus doesnt own the street.

So there is more of course.  I was walking through the closest car park to get into uni- and mind you this car park was nearly empty.  However it was blue car spaces.  And anyone who goes to my uni will tell you for a fact that to own a blue car space you must pay significantly more than what the guy next to you in the yellow space is paying for.  Now looking down at my feet as i walked and watching the blue lines pass me by, i thought to myself why?  Its a small thing that not many people would think about, but in truth it is just another way we define people by status.  Just because someone can afford to pay more than me for a parking spot, does that mean that they should be able to park in a better spot than me, if i came earlier than he did.  I know what you're thinking- yes we do have these systems to cover costs of how much things that are deemed to be more luxourious will actually cost.  For example the renting of a hotel room.  Obviously a penthouse with fully stocked bar, several bedrooms, spa and all the other perks in a 5 star hotel is going to cost more than a twin economy room in a 2 star hotel.  But the point im trying to make is that the reason for that is because the costs associated with each of those rooms are different dependant on what is included in the package.  Therefore it is reasonable to assume that the price inflation covers the cost of everything included.

My argument is that these parking spaces, they dont cost more money to maintain than the yellow spaces. They are repainted once every ten years or so and are made of the same type of tar/ materials that the yellow spots are made out of.  So why is there a definition in where a person can park just because they can't afford to support the beaurocracy.  This attitude is what starts the concept 'if they can't afford to pay they can't have it'.  By seeing people in the blue spots pull up next to me in my yellow spots which are slightly farther away.  I automatically make assumptions about the person's background or even who they are as a person.  People who have less money and are deemed to be lower down in a social hierachy generally have a lower opinion of those who have more money or available resources than they do.  Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that everyone should not be allowed to further themselves and everyone should be earning the same amount of money.  I'm merely saying that there is enough status definition within society alone without us trying to encourage greater class divisions with the little things.

Another thing i associated with this is concert tickets.  For many concerts or festivals, there is different prices for different ticket releases.  It makes me wonder why, when the costs of the concert would already be covered in the original pricing.  What if a greater fan of an artist did not get paid in time to make the first release and then did not have enough money to pay the cost of the second.  Is society saying that they are less worthy to see them than the person who owns a box at the concert arena and doesn't bother showing up to the concert?

This is not a rant to discredit those who can afford the luxury of buying things at their most expensive; but merely an afterthought about the institutions who claim to give a fair chance to all, actually controlling what the populace is withing their ability to do.

Think about it,

Peace.
Shan.

The Joy of England. Pt1 House 22

So after my almost 6 month sabbatical from blogging, i decided it might be time to re-engage.  To tell you the truth, blogging has not been a priority these past months and i have rather enjoyed living life rather than just writing about it.  Having been exposed to less news and current affairs, television programs, radio and even music and movies than i ever have been before; i have found that relationships i have begun with people have flourished more intensely and i have definitely gained more experience in life.

Before coming to the UK i was entirely excited at the prospect of living at uni, on campus and meeting so many new people.  I have to say, this experience has been nothing short of amazing.  It has been exactly all that i had hoped for and more.  My mum was fearful that i would meet someone and fall in love and never want to return.  The truth is, she was right, i did fall in love many times over, with all of the people i have encountered on my exchange, and will never forget any of them as long as i live.  It is amazing, how as humans we have the capacity to make friends and grow to love them in the shortest period of time.

I wanted to dedicate this post first and foremost to these people.  I am quite sure you have all had much more of an impact on my life than i have had on yours.  Firstly, to my flatmates.  We really were a mixed bunch, all having way different interests and all doing way different things with our lives.  But that in itself was the beauty of it.  I loved that i was a novelty in the beginning and was teased for being aussie, it was a part of all of your charm.  I loved that i discovered how much aussie slang i actually do use by my speech eliciting a blank look every five minutes... until you began to figure out what i actually meant on your own.  I loved that i felt like i was in the company of family and didnt have to care what i wore around the house.  I loved that i could talk to all of them about different things and not every worry about being judged.  I love that some of them came out with me whenever i asked. I love that some of them struggled for english words and i smiled when they used the wrong one.  I loved the quick wit that came with a side of lame jokes.  But most of all i love them, the weird, the crazy, the annoying, the quiet, the bold and the comforting.

I enjoyed karaoke, having random gossip sessions in the kitchen, yelling at each other down hallways, going out for drinks and of course an epic LOTR marathon.  I didnt enjoy seeing them leave one by one, the knowledge that everytime i spent time with them i grew to love them a little more- only because i had less and less time with them or the fact that i only got to spend one amazing semester with these guys. I am so grateful to have known them all, and for them to have been able to stand me for that long.

22 Roberts way definitely became a home away from home and when others said that roberts way was a hole, i only ever remember thinking how much i loved it.  Yes i did have some troubles there, but the house itself was the best place to house all the craziness that was us and then some. If i had any regrets, it would be that i didnt spend as much time with them as i could, that i didnt knock on their doors enough for random chats or didnt stick around long enough when i passed them on my way out.

These people made my experience richer and had a large impact on the person i have turned out to be on the other side of this experience.

 so once again peeps, i've said exactly whats on my mind and nothing short of it. with this post i am officially resuming my blog. Many more are coming and i have at least 5 posts in this series to come...

Peace, Out.

Shan. :)