You know what? When I was in school I went crazy and ate utter junk - we're talking like 5 Mars bars a day. Why? Because I could. Because the junk was there and because I could buy it [with parent's money], I was a teenager and I didn't know any better. Yeah sure, healthy food existed, but that was for "other" people.
Then the inevitable thing happened: I got fat and it took many years to regain control of my weight, even after I graduated.
But you know what? Now I eat healthily, look after my body and indulge in a Mars *monthly* insted of *daily*.
I'm a firm believer that you *need* to make mistakes. That's the only way I learnt to take care of myself; when my own body ballooned. When you're a teenager you're a snot-nosed git and knucklehead.
Leasons learned the hard way are the ones most savoured. Sometimes you just have to be wrong before you can be right.
My family's home was broken into three times when I was young, so we learnt the following the hard way:
- Gravel, gravel and more gravel.
Cover the entire front garden down to the pavement/sidewalk right up to the sidegate/house windows with gravel. It can be dusty and gets into everything, but it's also noisy. If it's impossible to get to your front door without stepping on gravel, most theives will just walk away.
- Personalise.
I had a friend who bought a really REALLY old VW Beetle and she really went to town on it. She painted the words "Hi there" up on the roof, had each door a slightly different colour and left the inches of rust around the lights and handels.
Years later when it was time for her to upgrade to a decent car, she left the beetle in the WORST area of town to see if her customising really was a deterrant.
Three months later, it's still there untouched.
Same goes for bikes and motorcycles. If you make them your own, theives will have a much harder time concealing/hawking them.
- Automatic lights/motion sensors.
'nuff said.
- LOCK ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS - get decent double glazing in.
- Fake alarm/cameras on both front/side and rear of house.
- Never be afraid to annoy the local police, it's their job to provide security if you've taken all other reasonable procautions.
Get used to the phrase: "Ok so you're not going to investigate the prowler outside? Ok, I'm off to make a video diary of his movements / me shooting him / your inability to help. I'm sure the newspapers will be REAL interested. How do you spell your name again?"
- Get a big dog. Call it Tison, Zeus, Thor, Mars, etc.
- Have automatic timers for tvs and washing machines and lamps. Make sure to use them.
- Cut up all your cardboard boxes into tiny pieces. Dont advertise that you have a new PC/TV/DVD player/ monitor etc.
- Nothing looks quite so mean as a host of venus flytraps as your border plants. No kidding here, those things would deter King Kong.
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You know what? When I was in school I went crazy and ate utter junk - we're talking like 5 Mars bars a day. Why? Because I could. Because the junk was there and because I could buy it [with parent's money], I was a teenager and I didn't know any better. Yeah sure, healthy food existed, but that was for "other" people.
Then the inevitable thing happened: I got fat and it took many years to regain control of my weight, even after I graduated.
But you know what? Now I eat healthily, look after my body and indulge in a Mars *monthly* insted of *daily*.
I'm a firm believer that you *need* to make mistakes. That's the only way I learnt to take care of myself; when my own body ballooned. When you're a teenager you're a snot-nosed git and knucklehead.
Leasons learned the hard way are the ones most savoured. Sometimes you just have to be wrong before you can be right.
My family's home was broken into three times when I was young, so we learnt the following the hard way: - Gravel, gravel and more gravel. Cover the entire front garden down to the pavement/sidewalk right up to the sidegate/house windows with gravel. It can be dusty and gets into everything, but it's also noisy. If it's impossible to get to your front door without stepping on gravel, most theives will just walk away. - Personalise. I had a friend who bought a really REALLY old VW Beetle and she really went to town on it. She painted the words "Hi there" up on the roof, had each door a slightly different colour and left the inches of rust around the lights and handels. Years later when it was time for her to upgrade to a decent car, she left the beetle in the WORST area of town to see if her customising really was a deterrant. Three months later, it's still there untouched. Same goes for bikes and motorcycles. If you make them your own, theives will have a much harder time concealing/hawking them. - Automatic lights/motion sensors. 'nuff said. - LOCK ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS - get decent double glazing in. - Fake alarm/cameras on both front/side and rear of house. - Never be afraid to annoy the local police, it's their job to provide security if you've taken all other reasonable procautions. Get used to the phrase: "Ok so you're not going to investigate the prowler outside? Ok, I'm off to make a video diary of his movements / me shooting him / your inability to help. I'm sure the newspapers will be REAL interested. How do you spell your name again?" - Get a big dog. Call it Tison, Zeus, Thor, Mars, etc. - Have automatic timers for tvs and washing machines and lamps. Make sure to use them. - Cut up all your cardboard boxes into tiny pieces. Dont advertise that you have a new PC/TV/DVD player/ monitor etc. - Nothing looks quite so mean as a host of venus flytraps as your border plants. No kidding here, those things would deter King Kong.