Because you're worth it...?



A while ago, I noticed the wording on a TV advert for cosmetics. It said the product was designed “to correct nature’s imperfections”. Once hooked by what I at least considered to be quite an insidious tag line, I got to listening to more adverts for similar products, and most are of the same vain.

I touched on the power of television earlier in this blog (see January) and here we have a perfect example. The lady advertising the product(s) has “flawless” skin – this in itself then insinuates what perfect actually is – the target audience are no longer in a position to make the decision as to the condition of their own body as the TV advert has subliminally forced the image onto the world – what is worse, this image creates a “right” and a “wrong” – so if your skin has a dent, a lump, a discolouring or whatever, you are “imperfect”.
Additionally, your confidence is then tested as you go out into the world in which everyone else has succumbed to the same advertising premise, and inevitably you buy the product advertised, if nothing else then to conform.

The whole process is so manipulative and self sustaining surely it must be questionable.

It’s clear to see the effects, as we only look at ourselves in this way, which clearly shows which opinions have been influenced and which haven’t. Take these for example, all trees with lumps, bumps, growths…





…all stunningly beautiful, and yet if this was someone’s skin, it would be seen in some sense of pity, perhaps even distasteful. Does nature suffer a lack of confidence to display such anomalies? No, of course not…then why do we? We are after all part of nature….perhaps as a species we have forgotten, or perhaps the TV has made us forget.

Caravans, the British, and a wry sense of humour



As followers will already know, the foibles of the English language are a constant source of inspiration and entertainment to me, so during today’s journey home, I was wondering why on earth you can have “lashings of ice cream” (and why does lashings of ice cream somehow sound so much more delicious than just “lots of ice cream”?) and you can also get “lashings” in regard to ropes on a boat…someone must know why.

...point of note, the daily grind of the commute can be made so much more entertaining with an overactive brain :) 

Anyway, it was while mulling these thoughts that I came behind a caravan called a “Tornado”.

Not only does a Tornado exist, but apparently you can (or could) buy a “Whirlwind”, a “Storm” and somewhat dramatically, a “Superstorm” (all rather nice vans from Elddis)

Now you’d think a caravaner would be on an endless quest for holiday weather, sun, blue skies, that kind of thing – I’ve “vanned” myself (in an “Ace” no less, which is hardly an imaginative name, but at least sends a positive message) – you have to have a sense of adventure sure, but these people are not mad, so why the names synonymous with getting awfully wet and cold?. I wonder if anyone made a caravan called a "Drizzle"......which by the way is both light rain and a method of adding topping on to a cake......

drizzle
ˈdrɪz(ə)l/
noun
noun: drizzle
  1. 1.
    light rain falling in very fine drops.
    "Scotland will be cloudy with patchy drizzle"
    synonyms:fine rain, Scotch mist, sprinkle of rain, light shower, spray; More
    "they shivered in the cold drizzle"
  2. 2.
    Cookery
    a thin stream of a liquid ingredient trickled over something.
    "top with a drizzle of sour cream"


....how anyone from overseas learns our language is a mystery!

I reckon us vanners are all just equipped with a twisted sense of humour, as once in your caravan, you can settle down for the evening with a lovely cuppa…..“BlackThunder Caravan Coffee” anyone? (I kid thee not!)