Facebook’s new “Real Name” policy has sent a wave of emotions around the world. There are many reasons why people do not want to use their real name on Facebook, and the majority of these reasons are not sinister! You may need to use an alias due to employment, teachers and prison guards come to mind as people who may not want to be found by their peers, what about people fearful for their life due to an ex partner, ex criminal ties, past gang affiliation, or people who are LBGT and don’t want to be publicly outed, and just every day people who don’t want to be added by co workers or ex classmates.
For me personally up until recently I used Tha Karla simply because this is my social media alias. Tha Karla all started when I went to sign up to something and Karla was already taken, The Karla was already taken, and I was like you know what I am THA KARLA! I have Tha Karla for Email, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Instagram (well kind of its tha.karla) and of course my blog is also tha karla, so why is it that I logged onto facebook a couple of months ago only to be advised by Facebook that I was not a real person, Tha Karla was not my real name and should I wish to keep using Tha Karla on Facebook I had to provide government Id to Facebook!
This is just ridiculous atleast my name really is Karla!!! I have seen so many names that are not even close to real yet I am the one singled out!
I remember a time when it was highly popular to use a pseudonym or alias online and people were warned not to use their real identity, so when did this suddenly change? When did it be considered socially acceptable to use your real name? So why Mr Zuckerburg is it that I have to use my real name? Is it so you can sell my information to companies to smart market me, is it so the intelligence agencies can have a database of the world? Why Mark, Why? Wasn’t facebook started out as a rating site for attractive woman? When did facebook become so political and driven by monetary gain! What happened to the mystery of online profiles?
Side note: back in the day I was #1 on HotorNot.com for like a day or something (using an alias of course)
Society has changed so much and so quickly, not only is it now okay to use your real name, it is a policy of one of the most popular websites on the internet today, as is the rise in popularity to document every waking moment online and give pictures and locations (geo tagging or check ins) to further assist in the identification of not only your real name but your whereabouts too.
Who is identifying you, you may ask? It is more like who is not identifying you! Of course we have the usual suspects Exes, people you went to school with, people who you went to uni with, people you used to work with, people who now date said exes, even random curious people who saw a mutual friend like or comment on your photo or latest over share of your life, not to mention the creepy next door neighbour, the spy agencies whose job it is to monitor the online world need I continue, which is is why people should have the right to use an alias whether it be on Facebook or instagram or whatever online forum you chose.
With the rise of cyber crime, cyber bullying and identity theft, it may not be the wisest move to post every intimate detail online creating a digital footprint of your latest relationship disaster or the recent birth of your child, and most importantly giving people real time access to your real name, real date of birth, whereabouts, etc.
For now I will keep using my aliases in hope to protect whatever privacy we have left in the modern world.
Last night I attended the long awaited Australian Premiere of Magic Mike XXL which is no surprise to those who know me, since I have been a long time fan of Channing Tatum from the first time I saw him it was love at first sight, apparently this was also the case for his beautiful wife Jena who went onto marry him after co staring in step up.
Channing has come along way since She’s the Man and Step Up arriving on the red carpet in a three piece suit…Surely I am not the only one who thinks that this is highly inappropriate attire given the movie he is promoting! Also in attendance was the older and almost sexier co star Joe Manganiello, known as “Big Dick Richie” in the movie, as well as the men who made the movie happen- Writer/Producer Reid Carolin and Director Greg Jacobs. Although thousands of woman of all ages kept screaming for Channing and Joe, I would like to give Reid and Greg a big cheer too and say Thank you for giving us a sequel.
First things first, the red carpet and the celebrities (or lack of celebrities) the ONLY person I recognized on the red carpet (besides those sexy movie stars Chan & Joe) was newcomer Matt Wilson (aka Aaron Brennan) from Neighbours; who also happens to play a gay male entertainer on the Australian soap.
After the never ending parade of poor fashion, and people who I no idea about finally took their seats up next was “Australia’s own Magic Mike Dancers”.
Australian dancers pretending to be the guys from “Magic Mike”
This was disappointing, not because they are bad dancers or unattractive, totally the opposite, however I had secretly hoped when I read “Magic Mike Dance Performance” on the run sheet that this would mean Channing would be dancing on stage, right now, in front of me! Sadly it appears that Channing only dances when he is edited to perfection… sigh!
Finally the moment everyone is waiting for; Channing, Joe, Greg and Reid introduce the movie, the ladies scream and the movie screens. Meanwhile the cast retreat back stage, presumably eating, drinking, smoking cigars, and doing whatever it is movie stars do. At first I spent a good first few minutes of the movie wondering if I should try sneak back there but then Channing’ s character hears Pony on the radio and starts a seductive dance full of sexual innuendo with power tools and I decided I didn’t want to risk getting kicked out of the premier after all.
Anyways….I wont go into details, as I am sure by now everyone who wants to see the movie has seen the movie, and as for my Australian fans who have to wait until Thursday I wouldn’t want give anything else away, except that the character “Mike” used to work in another club, his nickname was “White Chocolate”…. and I much prefer that stage name to “Magic Mike”!
Cast Q&A
After the film the cast, director and producer appeared back on stage for a question and answer. I wont go into too much details, you can watch it here for yourself LIVE on Periscope but what I will say is that Channing hinted at a live Vegas Magic Mike show (Think Thunder from Downunder) and that he might even be in it, if that happens I am going to need deporting from the US!!! I would be front and centre every show- check back here for a kickstarter page to help fund me should this Vegas show ever eventuate.
Apologies the photos are a bit blurry but you can only do so much in a dark room, with a camera phone, and a cast covered in spotlight; I would also like to mention I am devastated that I didnt get to take a picture of Channing with me, but the crowds camped out overnight, it was just too cold and too stalkerish to stand around and wait for him, although if his people want to contact my people karla@thakarla.com I would gladly venture back out in the cold for a chance to get a hug and get a picture with the man himself!
Anyways ladies and gentleman it was a great night but by the end of it I had a headache from all the screaming that went on before, during and after the movie at the Australian Premiere of Magic Mike XXL (Qantas Credit Union Arena – formally and always known as The Sydney Entertainment Centre)
If you are lucky selected Hoyts cinemas are doing advanced screenings Wednesday night for Magic Mike XXL and for everyone else get out there on Thursday and watch the movie because lets face it the rest of the world has already seen it and you wont be disappointed, except for the fact you are not in it.
~Karla
Yes I cook ‘from scratch’ homemade fresh meals, and no I don’t use packets, jars, cans and pre made meals you put in a microwave (I don’t remember the last time I even turned on the microwave) I have a selection of herbs and spices, that with the right ingredients make delicious meals better than any can, jar, or packet found in a supermarket.
People think cooking from scratch is very time consuming but its not. The most simple, quick, and easy meals usually only have 4 or 5 ingredients to give it the flavor and take anywhere from 10-20 minutes to cook.
Think coriander, chicken, egg, rice, salsa, guacamole and corn bread make delicious burritos
Pumpkin soup is also quick and easy to make fresh, I don’t even know why the supermarket is full of all these cans, dips, packet and jar sauces when it is simple and easy to make these things from fresh and or organic ingredients at home.
The trouble with cooking from scratch is making sure you have all the ingredients on hand, last night I ran out of flour and the sauce just wouldn’t thicken until I turned the heat right down. If this was a packet or jar sauce it would have thickened in seconds and that is scary, the amount of chemical and thickeners and synthetic ingredients in our food.
Google recipes of your favorite frozen or packet/jar mixed food and you might be very surprised how quick, easy and possibly cheaper it is to make it yourself.
Image courtesy of KEKO64 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Before you walk away with out reading this hear me out. I am not one of those smug couples blogs. Honestly I am probably the last person to give anyone relationship advice, I dated someone for 8 years…..and long story short, he broke up with me, 2 weeks later he left the country and within 3 months he was married! Was I mad? Only because he broke up with me! 1 month after we broke up I had already met someone else and he pretty much moved in a week later. I am happy to report 5 years on; the ex is still married to his (imported) bride- I dont think she has a choice! and I am (by choice) still happily living with what many close to me referred to as the “rebound” guy. Moral of that story, life is to short to “slow it down” and don’t overlook the rebound guy! I am going off track, back to the purpose of the blog ( do these things really have a purpose?)
Date Night: Lots of people find it strange that we have date nights, its not routine and its not pre planned weeks in advance. To be honest I think it is an excuse for me to get dressed up after work and have some cocktails.
Alize, Vodka, Lemon, Pinapple and Apple
Date night is not about sex, or about turning off our phones and “really connecting” or having a “child free night out” because every night is a child free night when you don’t have kids! Like I said before its about making an effort for each other, an excuse not to cook. Date night breaks up the routine. Routine that can breed contempt; why am I always the one doing the cooking? I cooked you can wash up, I’m going to read a book and ignore you half the night routine. Sometimes on date night I take pictures of cocktails, put them on instagram, and practically ignoring the poor guy, but looking totally gorgeous while I doing it.
Sometimes Date night is just going to the shops, grabbing a quick bite to eat in the food court and buying stuff for the house, linen and what not; or even a new game for the PS4. Other times its bowling, laser tag, favorite restaurants or a cocktail bar.What ever “date night” is, it’s time spent together and I think that is what a lot of people forget to do, spend time together enjoying each others company, especially with work and kids thrown in the mix.
Those that play together, stay together.
How true are those words! I think if you consciously make the decision to spend time together it reminds you why you got together in the beginning.
Halal approved Vegemite does not bother me! I like Halal products because they substitute pork gelatine and that is A Okay with me because I do not eat pork. What bothers me is Kraft changing the recipe and the crazy people on facebook who have an issue with Vegemite simply because it is Halal and Kosher approved… do you even read what you eat or jumping on some cray bandwagon???
Here is just some of the brands you probably still buy that surprise , surprise are also Halal approved, Aldi -butter, stock cubes and cheese , Nestle- Allens lollies, Kraft anything condiment, salad dressing, jam, Nescafe coffe all of them!, all Kellogs cereals, coco pops, nutri grain blah blah, Tassal salmon the blue packs, Black Swan dips, Sanitarium soy and other products, Dolmio sauce, Leggos sauce, Cadbury chocolate, Hubba bubba, Extra, PK, Coon and Kraft cheese, Jalana and Vaalia yoghurt, Sirena tuna, Sara Lee cakes, deserts, treats, Weis bars, Four N Twenty pies, saussage rolls, Garlos, Mrs Macs and Vils pies, Lilydale meats, Steggles chicken, Cavos meals, Pacific West meals, So Good milk, Maggi noodles, Musashi protein powders/bars, Ostelin vitamins and cough syrups, Vetta, Sun rice, enjoyo, Minute chef, Fantastic & Sun Rice crackers, Captain crackers, Ritz, Oreo, Chips Ahoy, In a Bisket, Jack Links Jerkeys, LaZuppa soup, even Marmite, im also pretty sure most franchise fast food outlets are also Halal approved, so if you are boycotting Vegemite because it is Halal certified you better start Boycotting everything else or shut the front door!
Me personally, I am just sad that they are changing a 90 year old recipe to appear “healthier” by slightly reducing sodium. At least they will still be selling the original vegemite, If I didn’t have original recipe I don’t know what I would do.
As promised, a few of my favourite pictures from my recent visit to the Great Barrier Reef
