I’m starting by cheating, and it’s actually day five. Still, with what we have planned, I am starting a day early to try to maintain my post every two days, which with being on holiday is harder than I thought because we have things to do and we are busy, it’s natural to make the most of your time away and not sit around writing. But as I do write we are still on the beautiful Island of Skye, An amazing place
However, as my good lady takes slightly longer to get ready than me, if I go and use the shower and get ready for the day first, I will always have time to write as I wait for her. So here I am the morning after the morning of my reminders, the little nudges that won’t let me forget anxiety.
The good news is that they didn’t come back to say hello this morning, there was nothing there, and in total contradiction to what I had been taught to help beat the condition, I lay in bed this morning, and thought about yesterday morning. It wasn’t done in a worrying ‘will it happen again’ approach; I suppose I thought about it in a ‘come back if you dare’ threatening manner. But the most important thing is that it didn’t. However typical of my lifestyle, I had to get something to take its place, not one thing but two.
I got a cramp in my left calf as I swung out of bed, and if I get a cramp, that is where it will always appear, not very often, but that’s where it will ache and ache it did. That one or two minute initial shot of pain followed by an ongoing discomfort in the muscle. Secondly, I got a little bug in my overnight orange drink I always have, but at least I rescued the bug – is that classed as my good deed for the day?
And that is how I see my life. I think it’s a bit ‘yin & yang’, is it not? If something good happens, then something not so good will always happen. Recently I sold an old bike at a good profit with the demand the virus has brought for bikes. I also made money from a couple of bets on the European football championships, so what happens? Whilst out at work, I managed to scrape my car on a small fence post I hadn’t noticed. So profits from the bike and the bets wiped out in a three-second driving manoeuvre that went wrong, and that’s my life. Profit to loss in three seconds. No hint of anxiety this morning, but have a cramp (and a little unwanted friend) instead.
But here we are chilling this morning with a lovely fruit and granola breakfast supplied by our host, our night was uneventful, and the strangest thing was the view through the roof window at quarter past eleven at night, still light compared to this time in the West Midlands for sure.
As always, I have a quick ‘headlines read’ of the paper to see what’s going on in the world, and I was going to write about the football hooligans during and after the European Final, but again my attention was drawn to those concerning ‘Love Island’ headlines. I sarcastically mentioned it should be called ‘Fortune and Fame Island’ as, in my opinion, that is why people go on the show. Highlighted more so this series as I read that two contestants ended a relationship to go on the show. So to me, that sums it all up. If they were looking for love, why didn’t they persevere with the relationship they were involved in, but that’s me?
But there is more. Even I can see that these are good looking young men, and very pretty young ladies, and I have to say if anyone is offended by those comments such as Stephanie Hilborne, for once I’m going to say ‘I don’t care,’ they are handsome, and they are pretty, and that is life and how things are with men and women. So why do they need to go onto a TV show to find love? In my opinion, they could easily find a partner going to their local supermarket, never mind when they are out socialising in pubs and clubs, situations where many relationships start, at least where many of mine did, yes even once in a Supermarket!
But furthermore, if I was on my own these days and wanted love, there are so many apps and dating sites, I certainly wouldn’t need to be going onto a TV show to find a partner. My sister found love and has been happily married for some twelve years after meeting her husband on a dating site, and I know others who have been on dates using the same sites, so they do work.
Let’s be honest if you are prepared to go onto a TV show for a couple of weeks to supposedly find love, you would be ready to use an app or dating site for some time. And of course, there are the adult sites out there where dating doesn’t come into it, they are set up for no strings attached sex, so if you want love or quick sex, you can get it without ITV?
So we need to be honest here; it is not about love at all; it is about fame and fortune, glamour and cameras, which is what people want. It is common knowledge that previous winners have become very rich through the show, so love doesn’t come into it in my opinion. Are they prepared to forge a relationship with someone from the show, hit more headlines and earn more money? Well again, in my opinion, they are, and that will also be in their minds? A two to three-year relationship with someone else from the show will be a lucrative business. I am sure they would do it with someone they at least ‘liked’ but it happens, and as in all walks of life, relationships don’t work, but how much money will they have made by the time the relationship ends – quite a lot?
But like all aspects of life, there is a downside, and here are two stories that prove this. Let me re-phrase that please, here are two very, very sad stories that prove that! And it is the stories of Sophie Cradon and Mike Thalassitis who took their own lives after appearing on the show; there is also the death of host Caroline Flack as well. But it shows how some people are sadly not ready to deal with that fame and fortune that the show brings. The most poignant part of these two stories is this quote from mamamia.com.au where one of Mike’s friends said.
‘Mike went from being a normal guy to a celebrity to a guy that was on that show – within the space of six months to a year. That’s a lot to deal with. Love Island has got to open their eyes to this,’ Falcone added. ‘They’ve got to look at themselves and the way they treat their stars.’
I also noted elsewhere that ITV has a ‘duty of care,’ something I have mentioned many times where the pandemic is concerned. But people have sort of poo hoo’d my opinions, but people rightly say Love Island Producers should have a duty of care to the contestants. So please, what difference is there is a duty of care for Fred, the local butcher to have a duty of care to his customers during a pandemic, and Love Island producers having a duty of care for the mental wellbeing of these young people – sorry there is none. If people can die contracting COVID-19 in a local butcher or suffer mental health issues, and worse commit suicide after appearing on a TV show, the duty of care is the same when people can die.
I have written about this before, and it is something that I feel quite strongly about because if someone has died because of this show which they have done, then why is the show allowed to continue. Because people can be, will have been and have been fine whilst the show is aired, it is afterwards that they can’t cope with that previously mentioned fame and fortune. As someone who has suffered, I don’t know what these people will be going through as the demands on them will have created different anxiety and mental health issues to the ones I had. But I remember the bad days, and if they were or are anything like them, I can only feel for them. They were dark horrible days and I don’t wish them on anyone – and I mean anyone!
ITV has to take responsibility for allowing it to carry on. Surely Ofcom has to take some for allowing it to go on. Unfortunately, like me going into my local butchers, individuals have to take responsibility and maybe also family and friends. We all know what follows a series of Love Island, and it is the fame and fortune that people go onto the show for, admittedly on different levels, but it will happen, and it will change people, and we all have a part to play.
Personally, this type of show should not be allowed on TV, first of all as it is absolute nonsense and encourages youngsters to follow in the steps of the contestants under the sheets and out in the wide world. Secondly, because they are not going on the show to find ‘love,’ and last but not least and most importantly people have died because of the show. That in itself is enough to get this rubbish off our screens for good. At least, as mentioned, have the decency to change the name of the programme to ‘Fame and Fortune Island.’ And so telling us the truth.
We are lucky we live in a different world, and one I wouldn’t change. My world allows me to take a nice quiet holiday on Skye, walking the hills and taking boat trips. I’ll take mine every day of the week thanks.
My heart goes out to the families and friends of those who have been taken from us because of this show – thank you for reading, and stay safe.
Seals in Love
I can see you
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