Stop stealing art

Pirating and stealing an artist’s work rather than paying for it undermines the entire creative process and the artist's right to make a living from their art. Your right to see/read/hear/own a copy of their work does NOT precede the artist's right to make a living. You have a right to see/read/hear/own it when you pay for it! To steal their work for your own convenience is selfish not to mention criminal. You wouldn’t walk into a store & steal off the shelves so what do you think gives you the right to steal an artist’s work online. 

Those of you who choose to pirate and steal an artist’s work clearly have no compassion or gratitude for all the hard work, talent and heart that goes into bringing us their work.

If you wish artists to keep creating the books, music, etc that you enjoy you have to pay for them. If you wish your favourite artists to keep producing work stop stealing from them. Have some respect; not only for the creative process but the hard working, talented people behind the art, because without their vision there is no art. 

#iheartheadlock

To whom it may concern,

Nothing is more important to an indie film than the love, blood, sweat & tears of the creator. This & more went into the making of Headlock. Mark doesn’t just make films he creates art, the title of which is a huge part of this creation & the cornerstone by which the film has come to be known across social media since its inception in July 2014. For just over four years Mark, cast, crew, fans & film buffs alike have been posting, following the film’s journey & anticipating the release of the film under the name Headlock across Twitter & Instagram. It’s something we are all passionate about & none more than Mark himself. As the person who wrote, directed & stared in Headlock he is intimately connected to this film at every level & a lot of thought went into giving the film a name that did it justice. That name is Headlock. 

The instant I heard the title Headlock I was intrigued by what talented filmmaker Mark Polish would unleash on the world. Headlock is unique, it draws you in & it sparks the imagination. Having had the honour of viewing Headlock I can say without a doubt that this title suits the compelling story of brain trauma perfectly. By contrast ‘Against the Clock’ is mundane, generic & sparks no sense of imagination. My first thought was actually ‘sports’. Mark’s artistic vision is incredible & with that comes a title as unique & intriguing as his work. This vision should be respected in its entirety.

We all know the film as Headlock, we all love the title Headlock & for four years we have been following the journey of & looking forward to the film Headlock. It’s heartbreaking to see a production company try to undermine a filmmaker’s artistic vision & for what, the sake of alphabetical order... I don’t know anyone who picks a movie based on where it falls in the alphabet or who is so incredibly lazy that they won’t scroll past ‘A’. Is it your intention to only produce films that start with ‘A’? 

I will never understand why production companies think they have a right to change anything about the work they have been trusted to release to the public. If you don’t like something about a project don’t agree to take it on; once you do you do so as a whole. By changing the name, especially four years after it’s creation, you are not only stealing Headlock’s identity you are risking the success of the film. Not everyone spends endless hours online & as such there is bound to be a percentage of people who awaiting the release of Headlock will miss it as they aren’t looking for the release of a movie called ‘Against the Clock’. This is an unacceptable risk. Mark & his team have worked long & hard to bring this incredible film to audiences & the built in audience have been anticipating the release of Headlock. 

Please don’t change the name of Headlock to some generic claptrap that has no sense of adventure, has nothing to do with the story being told & ultimately disrespects Mark. This film is his vision & Headlock is the title, the only title, that does justice to his vision. 

#iheartheadlock

#saveshadowhunters

The last thing I expected to see trending when I checked Twitter on my lunch break at work was #saveshadowhunters 

As far as I’m aware this is a popular show & it’s not usual for Netflix shows to be treated as carelessly as network shows. But more than that it is an important show; probably the most important show to hit our airwaves since Star Trek: The Original Series paved the way for a franchise that remains relevant today. 

I can’t think of any show since Star Trek that is so socially relevant & does so with such honesty & integrity, which is in large part thanks to Cassandra Clare’s ‘Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments’ series of books the show is based on. A series that requires at least one more full season to do the six books justice. 

Using a supernatural backdrop to tells its stories Shadowhunters doesn’t discriminate with its three dimensional characters that are representative across gender, race & sexuality. The characters & story arks are well fleshed out taking us on a journey we can invest in. We get to see not only the character’s strengths & successes but their flaws & vulnerabilities as well, all of whom are brilliantly brought to life by the actors who portray them. The relationships be they friendship, family or romantic are realistic as they go through the ups & downs of any relationship. The women in the show support each other rather than acting like competition to keep at arm’s length. And through it all the show tackles social issues with natural storytelling that isn’t forced or political but simply human (& Shadowhunter, vampire, werewolf, warlock, seelie & demon). 

To say that the cancellation of Shadowhunters is a loss is an understatement. The importance of this show in a world that has lost its way & amidst a generation who has taken the fight for equality in a misguided direction is immense. It takes a special ability in storytelling to bring nuance to social issues without feeling like you are being preached to. Cassandra Clare & the team behind Shadowhunters have this ability; such a shame to let it go to waste. 

Be sure to check out all the books in Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunters universe for more adventures with the characters you’ve come to care about. 

Wisdom teeth

A week later & I still feel traumatised. And no I don't think that is too strong a word for having had four difficult wisdom teeth removed. The aching was annoying but nothing I haven't had to put up with before. It's everything else that is doing my head in. They nicked something that connects to my nose while in there so I can’t blow it until mid next week so as to avoid damage. I couldn't use a straw in the first week (again re causing damage) which would have made drinking so much easier in those first few days. I hate laying on my back but I am not yet game to put the pressure from my heavy headed sleeping on my cheeks plus I toss & turn when not in a forced position. Brushing my teeth is hard & I hate having food stuck in my teeth so I'm still nibbling everything with my front teeth. Eating has never been my strong point & I'm the person who has rarely eaten on my left side in over 20 years as it's the last side I lost a tooth from & I could never bring myself to chew with the gum all tender & now I'm being told to just eat normally, it's fine. I don't think people understand just now not fine it is to try & eat normally when I've had my gums cut into, my lower lip is still partially numb & all my teeth feel like they have been rearranged. It feels like I'm gumming my food & the closest I've come is chips. It's not fine. It's far from fine & I honestly don't know how long it will be before I'm brave enough to try eating with my molars again. I just need my mouth to feel normal...

General PSA

For those who haven't noticed; I do NOT think like you! Stop painting me with your brush & assuming that my motivations are the same as yours because you will be wrong every single damn time. I am not in the slightest bit interested in competing with the world, I do not think I'm better than you & I do not post from a place of self interest. I want what is best for everyone, because we are all human & all have to share this planet. The fact that so many people get so defensive over the idea that they consider things from a neutral perspective instead of a personal one says way more about you than it does me.

Like everyone else I have my own beliefs, opinions, likes & dislikes but my solution isn't to all be me it's to let everyone be themselves. I don't have to believe in something for it to be true to someone else. I don't have to partake in something for those around me to partake in it. I don't have to like something just because you do. And vise versa. Your actions outside of yourself have consequences. I'm not asking you to do anything more than consider them before acting. Your words can't be taken back & they do leave scars on others even if you can't see them. Luckily I don't care what you think of me so your words don't hurt me, but your actions do offend me when you think you have a right to treat people like garbage.

Also by the time I give my opinion on such things I've already considered numerous different points of view & have choosen the one that I feel is beneficial to many. Just because most people think about themselves first doesn't make that my motivation.

News flash we are all humans & the Earth revolves around the sun. Grow up & start being part of the whole instead of thinking everything is about just you. Just because something doesn't directly affect you doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

The personal attacks on my character need to stop. I am none of the things people keep accusing me of. All I want is a better place for all. I am not the enemy so quit treating me like one. I'm not the world's punching bag for those not open to a point of view that is collective rather than singular. If you can't have a civil, intelligent conversation without personal attacks you are not welcome on my posts. If I wasn't the person I am just consider that you could have been responsible for depression or suicide by now. Be glad I don't take thinks personally but rather socially.

I am not after pity I'm after the same respect that you yourself expect.

New Year Revelation

Let's make this the year terrible things do not happen before people understand they are important. The year when people care because it is the right thing to do: not a fad or for personal gain. The year when we come together as humans to embrace not only our oneness but the differences that make us unique and special. If you only care when there is a headline or a celebrity endorsement you are part of the problem. Instead make every day a day for equality, acceptance & caring. Make a difference! Make your actions count, because words can only go so far. Make this the year that we stand up to governments, bigots and extremists. It’s time to say enough is enough, because if we don't nobody else will. Our rights to choose and be safe are fundamental; it’s time to stop putting personal beliefs and outdated documents ahead of society. Stand up, be a voice of change. Stop being passive and reactive and start being proactive in making this world a better place for all. Raise the next generation to take care of this planet and all that live here. Complacency is no longer an option! Compassion, understanding, acceptance, selflessness and respect are key to a brighter future. Be part of the change; don’t sit back and watch life happen only to complain about it later.  

Everyday Feminism

Just because the surface is clear doesn't mean the underlying current is. Yes it is great for people to speak up for women’s rights and debunk the stigma surrounding the terms feminism and feminist. But to only take part in or notice of the fight when a celebrity has given a speech and go back to doing nothing when the hype dies down is an affront to women everywhere.

It is insulting to act as though women's rights only matter when endorsed by a celebrity. The fact that some people are only willing to get behind a cause because it's attached to a celebrity and for as long as it is prominent in the media is sad. Women's right to equality is worth more than a celebrity endorsement; our lives are not marketable commodities. Our rights to equality and to be taken seriously are not on par with shampoo, cat food and coffee. 

Do you have any idea how heartbreaking it is to tell people how they are hurting you, themselves or others and be dismissed only to see those same people take notice when someone they don't even know personally tells them the exact same thing. How depressing it is that your opinion is seemingly worth less to those who care about you than that of a stranger. 

If people need celebrity endorsement to understand or share the importance of human rights then this planet is seriously more screwed up than most realise. People should know that equality and in this case specifically feminism are important because they are female or know females. It should not only be important for as long as the hype of a celebrity's speech is in the media. It should not only be important simply because of fame period. It is more than acceptable to speak out without the need of someone holding your hand. If you are only sharing because 'OMG it's XXX' you are missing the point of this important issue. This is an issue that needs to be addressed and noticed every single day because we live in the 21st century and it's long overdue that women are treated equal to men. The general public may not have fame but by ignoring the message because it doesn't come from someone famous is insulting to everyone trying to make this world a better place. Our voices are just as important. Our struggles just as significant. This needs to be important every day because if only celebrity's comments are treated as important than it diminishes the overall importance of the cause. Take a stand not because a celebrity told you to but because it is the right thing to do. Be part of the solution every day, not just when it’s made trendy to do so. 

And if you think it is easy being a feminist out of the limelight think again. I may not have experienced anything as serious as death or rape threats but I deal with harassment and rudeness on a regular basis for voicing my beliefs and standing up for my rights.

·       I have been accused of soap boxing

·       I have been told I take things too seriously and read too much into everything

·       I have been told I'm a man hater

·       It's been assumed I must be gay

·       I have been told too many times: ‘that’s just how it is’, ‘it was just a joke’, ‘you’re only one person’, ‘why don’t you just stop’

Human rights are something I have been passionate about since I was three. Respect, equality & self-worth are infinitely important to me. And yet people still attack me over my beliefs and praise celebrities for saying the exact same thing. How does that even make sense! To mock, hate or ignore feminism is to perpetuate the problem. The fact that equality and feminism still offends people or is something to be complacent about is an insult to females everywhere. 

Quit being a sheep, open your eyes, dig deeper, see beyond the surface and fight for equality because it is the humane thing to do. Take equality seriously, it's not a fad or something to forget about when the media buzz wears off. Women you are worth it. Men you have women in your lives. Stand up for them, stand with them and speak out!