·!¦[· MAKE SUMMER, NOT WAR ·]¦!·

Yes, I can safely say that it is that time of year again, when all things spectacular in life is at full bloom! Many people would refer to this as Summer. I am one of many who could quite happily be in company with this warm temperate era and list the very top 10 things about this glorified moment of our lives....lets celebrate all things summer!:

1. Those much-needed holidays from the stressful year that dragged us around. Whats even better, there is no norm of where to go; the world really is your oyster.


2. Helado, glace, gelato, мороженое, eiskrem, crème 'ebben....essentially ice cream and it is the perfect remedy to curing that soaring heat Summer always pelts at us.


3. Summer of love. That is all that needs to be said.


4. The coast. The place needs your presence.


5. Festivals, festivals, festivals...you have to go to at least one major festival in that life of yours! Summer flourishes like no-one's business in the world of festival, after all its hot, people are happy and music is blasting from all directions.
   
6. Long sunny days, short starry nights, summer really is Utopia.


7. More naps (a.k.a beauty sleep!) + generous doses of vitamin D in the air + the tendency to drink more water + trying almost every exercise in the book to get a beach body= a healthier you.


8. BBQs! Come on, what else could you eat in the Summer?? Whats more, vegetarians vegans, etc--- don't feel this means you cant eat anything: grill those vegetables!


9. Those huge shopping expeditions prior to your holiday, you know those sort of sprees that cost more than your actual vacation. Yes, it is a bizarre world today.


10. Frisbees, rounders, tennis, golf, basketballs....guys I think its time to raid all cupboards in the house.
    
    Essentially, what would live be like without summer?? I dread to think.
    Well, I have realised that there are three killer things that can drag it down:
    
11. When it rains, it rains!
    
12. Having sand almost cemented to your sun-tan lotion bottle
    
13. The mini-avians. Swatter at the ready, sitting curled up on the deck-chair as the ultimate protection. The wasps, bees and flies are on their way. You have been warned.

--> BARBIE <--....or really a Baddie?

For anyone born after the creation of the plastic friend in 1959, I am certain they would agree with me that Barbie was an essential element to help every little girl's (or a boy if he was brave enough) world go round by playing nothing but endless hours of dressing-up, cooking and impressing the king of all hunks- Ken.

However, has anyone realised that perhaps Barbie was the one that may have manipulated the culture of fussing over one's appearance? I am not being pessimistic here, but there surely must be a close link between the Utopian Barbie and the devastating dimension of stressing over body image.

Primary socialisation is vital, they are the first few years of every one's life where they develop the basic understanding of norms and values to society. Parents are the major key roles to subtly teaching their offspring about how big the world is out there, to saying thank you. Until, that is the entire population of vulnerable young girls were introduced to a plastic, slender, blue-eyed, tanned, so-called-innocent Blond. I believe that the constant presence of being with Barbie had socialised many into believing one should be like Barbie, after all she is pretty perfect- has hundreds of successful careers, tonnes of friends, a million action men and kens running after her, an amazingly maintained figure, a stunning face, ....the list is endless. What kind of girl would not like to have at least one of Barbie's incredible attributes? Therefore, it brings me to believe that the Barbie industry had sculpted the image of what is perfect...when really, it is far more fun to develop our own persona's and appearances that seem perfectly perfect to ourselves.

I feel that it hasn't been emphasized enough about the hazards of trying to transform your image into what is the optimum to the majority. Yes, recently there have been many shocking headlines from the media about supermodels dying and the new size double zero, etc. However, did you really know that it is physically impossible to actually have the body of Barbie? Scientists have researched that Barbie's proportions of 36-18-33 is inconceivable for the human species, her tiny feet are impossible for a human to walk in, and with a body frame of Barbie it would enable a human to carry just half a kidney!

I do have my days of fantasising over a figure that I would be happy to have once and for all, no longer stressing over my flaws. However, I think this is the one obstacle in life that can only be solved by: GET OVER IT. This is YOUR body, not Barbie's nor any other femme who looks like she is one Hitler's perfect girl of white-blond hair and piercingly blue eyes, still maintaining her innocence. It is yours. Love it. Live it.