Changing appearances

This theme came to me earlier this week when a new FB app, which enabled you to change your profile to make you look younger, appeared and many people jumped on this and used it. I am always wary of these apps and looking up any info about it I came across this ‘

Facebook users are being warned against a New Profile Pic app which some experts believe is sending data to Russia.The app uses facial-recognition technology, allowing users to modify the picture they upload and create a new image they can share on social media.’

But that is not what I really wanted to write about. Changing appearances can relate to changing the room in a house or buying a different car or different clothes so that the image we send out to others is different. We decorate our houses in different ways and often change the decoration to suit the way we feel at that time. If we don’t like what we do then we can change it.

Another common changing appearances is done with photos. I know many who will take a photo and change it so much so that it looks nothing like the original. I am told that this is to make the photo perfect. For me, when I take photos, they are a record of what I have seen so it is not necessary to change them to look like something else.

Many change their appearance with make-up and cosmetic surgery because they don’t like how they look or like showing signs of getting older. Personally I like my grey hair and wrinkles, they are part of who I am and show that I have experienced life in many ways. And some cosmetic procedures cannot be reversed if you don’t like them.

What are your experiences of changing appearances? Do you decorate your house frequently or change your garden layout? Do you buy a different car so it makes you look richer or better off? Or do you like what you have and appreciate it? My motto in life is this ‘If you don’t like what I wear, or how I do my hair, or what I think or say, then that is your problem not mine. I am who I am and its tough if you don’t like that.’

Expectations and disappointment

I am often told that my expectations are too high. But if we don’t have high expectations what will happen? Expecting someone to do something well, encourages them to do well. If you expect them to fail then you are putting the thought of failure in their minds so they do fail.

Is it wrong to expect our water to be clean, our food to be healthy and uncontaminated, our clothes and houses to be well made? Is it wrong to expect our politicians to be truthful and care about those who vote them into their position of authority? If we are honest, caring, compassionate and loving, is it wrong to expect others to be the same?

There is a lot to think about on this topic. Going with the flow is good but should that stop us from expecting better things? Does going with the flow allow things to happen that are not good for us? Are there times when we have to make our expectations known to those in power so that the flow becomes better and smoother?

Recently my son and I have been growing plants from seed organically so that we can have a plant ‘sale’ for a brain tumour charity. Where I live, someone died recently from a brain tumour and we have all been trying to raise money by having bring and buy sales, running half marathons and so on. Currently I have around 100 plants in my garden area ready for new homes and my son has another 100 or so not quite ready to go out in the garden. We did not price them but asked for donations. 50 pence minimum was suggested. Some plants are perennials and in their second year so quite large and ready to flower. Others are a bit smaller but growing rapidly and will bring a lot of cheerful colour to a garden. I expected most people to donate freely and in most cases this is so. However there are those who don’t have the cash currently but will pay later. I get the feeling that having now got the plants that the money owing will be forgotten. None of these people are struggling for money and spend quite lavishly on holidays and other things so why is the thought of donating maybe a couple of pounds not acceptable? Last year my son and I did give plants away freely but decided to ask for donations to the charity this year but there are those who still want the plants for free. Are my expectation too high? I hope to raise at least £100 and there will be around 200 plants in total for ‘sale’. So this is where the disappointment comes in. But many thanks to those that have already donated some of them very generously.