Wednesday 25 September 2013

What happens when you force kids into stardom? Top 5

All parents want the best for their children but with stardom so coveted around the western world is it any wonder so many child stars are ending up having incredibly public meltdowns. Being in showbiz and constantly under public scrutiny is enough to send anyone round the bend but for a kid who grows up with it and then tries to navigate the difficult world of Adulthood with a back catalogue of embarrasing TV shows and music career it seems to all too often end up in a car crash of publicity stunts and media humiliation.

Our top 5 child stars gone wrong is a list of reasons why you may not wish to push your kids to that TV show audition or pay those thousands for music lessons!

1 - Miley Cyrus

Now famous for twerking with a bloke old enough to be her dad she is a constant car crash of see through dresses, bum flashed and weird hair cuts. This Child TV star who hit the big time with a long running TV show Hannah Montana is the epitimy of everything that is wrong with over sexualisation in the music business. With female stars promoting promiscuis behaviour and competing with each other to be the most outrageous it is only a matter of time before they all start just appearing naked on stage....oh wait a minute we already have Lady Gaga do that!

2 - Britney Spears

The first real disney casualty. she was the recipient of unending press speculation and scrutiny from so many different angles. Leading to a mental breakdown at a ridiculously early age and then being constantly criticised from her parenting skills, relationships or up and down weight loss and gain. If you make millions before your 18 perhaps it would be a better idea to just retire, try to find a normal life.

3 - Michael Jackson

I don't think Michael Jackson was ever a real boy, he was a product of extreme pushy parenting, from dragging him around tours across the globe to the weird allegations of his enjoyment of childrens company this guy never really stood a chance. As talented and loved as he was it was shocking to see the industry literally kill him with attention, but being so famous so young must surely then make you more peculiar as you have never had a chance to be a normal person.

4 - Christina Aguelera

The big battle of Christina vs. Britney for the adorable pop princess crown was interesting media viewing, hyped to all extremes. Looking across at Britney's career she may feel herself lucky to have not won that particular battle given the outcome for her foe.

5 - Rebecca Black

The ultimate pushy parenting comes when you decide to blow a wad of cash on your kid making a record, the record is bad and I mean really bad so your kid then ends up getting more hate mail than the leader of the taliban! This is a sure fire way to screw your kid over by pushing them hard regardless of talent, believing in your kids abilities and lying to them are an important lesson to take from Rebeccas brief fling with fame.

Monday 16 September 2013

5 of the best ways to quit your job...go on do it now!

Gone are the days of life-long careers working your way up the ranks of a large company or local industry. People these days if they are able to get a job grow tired and bored of it moving on average every 2 to 3 years. This is in part due to the pursuit of more money but also due to the lack of staying power, let's be honest nobody wants a boss like Simon Cowell pointing out your flaws everyday, or worse a foul mouths ranter like Gordon Ramsay who will most likely send you insane with stress and anxiety.

So if you find yourself at that point in time you need to leave your job ask yourself the following question: Can you afford to burn this bridge? If the answer is Yes then here is some great ways to do it, otherwise just enjoy these nuggets of other peoples strength!

Tell the truth - The temptation is of course to lie and say your pleasant goodbyes to those people who used to say good morning to you but had no idea what they did for a living, get your crap bottle of leaving wine and then sail out the doors with a smile on your face. But why should you have to pretend that it's ok, why not just blow your load and tell everyone the truth, "thanks for the work but I'm no longer deemed good enough bye!" That is exactly what Groupon CEO did when he penned a letter to staff saying "People of Groupon, After four and a half intense and wonderful years as CEO of Groupon, I’ve decided that I’d like to spend more time with my family. Just kidding — I was fired today."

Write it in a cake - Penning your letter of resignation can be tedious, the fine line between bitter honesty and polite sentiment. Most letters don't come as a surprise, if you are at that stage then others around you have probably already told your boss you are miserable, either in an attempt to get your job or simply because the brown stain on their nose was rubbing off. Baking a cake is a win/win situation, people get a nice cake, you get to say goodbye in a tasteful way! (get it TASTE-full)

Do it on Social media - Facebook has often gotten employees in trouble with their bosses, forgetting they are on your friends list is a bad mistake to make. 

But if you intentionally quit your job on Facebook it will go down in history and get the gossip going around the water cooler. Being able to say what you want is always easier in written format, the lack of instant reply lets you get out all your grievances in one go. But remember anything written can be saved and used against you, so don't be asking for a reference any time soon.

Just go AWOL - After a particularly hard day at my catering job during my University days I decided I wouldn't go back, to be honest I was on my fifth shot of tequila when I decided, knowing the chances of me waking up the next day were slim so there would be no way I was going in. 

The boss was a dragon, the type of women you see in Victorian period dramas directing all those house maids and servants around. I just never went back in, having another job in the next week I figured best to just never mention I was already employed around the corner. About six months later I received some back pay (minus the cost of my uniform that I had never returned) and that was that. Being a Uni job it wasn't really something I was relying on for references but to my surprise there was a glowing reference from my boss, so perhaps they realised the errors of their tyrannical ways and hopefully it made some future employees life a little easier.

Do it on National TV - Being a journalist and having morals doesn't usually go hand in hand, but this video shows how damaging it can be to your boss to quit in front of the customers. Especially if there are thousands of them watching you. Making a public stand can actually open doors of employment up elsewhere creating a mini-celebrity persona for you. 

So that's it, you have now got a way to quit your job, if only you had a sure fire way to pay your bills then you could use one them tomorrow!

Sunday 8 September 2013

Stag do T-Shirts....The Rules!

The stag do t-shirt is a must for any bachelor celebrating their limited time before marriage, as a memento they are great for the group and can really help start the fun. As part of the best man's responsibilities the stag do is the main one, forget remember the wedding rings if you get the stag do wrong you will go down in history as a lame best man. So start things off with a bang with your t-shirt design but be careful not to get it wrong. Here are some tips about how to get it right!

Avoid offensive language

Nobody wants to see offensive language and if you are likely to come across the general public it could land you in a lot of trouble, a funny nickname might be hilarious to your friends but don't fall foul of the authorities by branding your top with rude words!

Cater for your group

You may find the group is a large mix of ages, some will be used to wearing t-shirts but older gents may prefer a nice polo shirt, although it is more expensive it will certainly be received better if you cater for this preference!

Keep your activity in mind

Getting into a club with a t-shirt branded as Boys on Tour may be like a Mission Impossible film, so unless you are Tom Cruise you may wish to tone down the message, a subtle left hand breast design for a weekend clubbing would be great, but a weekend away at a festival go all out and get those designs big and bold!

Make them personal

There is no point in getting simple designs, make them memorable, and ensure you personalise each one to your party, a simple name badge can help the party flow as the group may have some members who don't know everyone, certainly a better way than the awkward "Whats your name again?" Conversation killer.

Make sure the group wear them!

If they are hideous no one will wear them, so make sure the gang are all happy with the design, that is apart from the groom, you can set him apart with a garish and bright top which will leave nobody mistaking who he is!

If you want your own personalised stag do t-shirts why not check out the great range on offer at Dunbar T-Shirt Shop. Great priced packages available for all budgets!