I swear I didn't put extra SPEED in with the Cat Food.

Sparrow Priscilla, my fur child. The girl is not right! I fed her this morning, the usual routine. What was yummy and delicious last night is no longer. I get the look that only a cat can give. The "WHAT? YOU EXPECT ME TO EAT THAT?" look. She then does me a favour by having a small nibble of the food and then walks off. The routine is always the same.

30 seconds later, she gets this wild look in her eyes and starting racing around the lounge like a cat doing an impersonation of a race horse. Quite a strain on the Cat's Mother's nerves I can tell you and ended as it quite often does. It resulted in me losing it completely and resorting to blasphemy - "Will you stop that @!!**# galloping!"

What does it take to get these people excited?

I was watching Antiques Roadshow UK on TV last night. I always find it interesting to see what the things people bring along are worth.

Anyway, before I get off on a tangent, a man had just finished showing the expert his antique collection of war medals. The expert had spent a great deal of time sharing his knowledge and the medals origins. Interesting stuff. Well, I thought so. The man looked about as interested as if the expert had just discussed the origins and age of a toilet seat. No expression on his face and if this guy had a personality he wasn't aware of it.

Then the expert asks the owner if he knows what is worth. The man says he has no idea. The value was stated as about 9,000 pounds. 9,000 pounds! Wow!

What is this stiff's response? Wait for it. His dead-pan expression does not change and he says "Right". No excited expression, no smile, no thanks, kiss-your-bum (as we say in New Zealand sometimes), NOTHING!!!!

Right, end of that rant. Here's another example though. Radio stations run competitions. The prizes vary, holidays, stereo equipment, there's an endless list. Anyway, I heard another guy. The DJ rang him. "Congratulations! You have won an all expenses paid trip to London". Again, another personality-inept stiff, he comes up with a dead-pan "Great". What????!!!!!!!

If I had just been told I had won a trip to London for free I'd be bouncing and whooping, announcing it to the world! He didn't even thank the radio station, the DJ's sounded if they were wondering why they bothered and the guy who won seemed completely unmoved by his win. What is it? He wins a free holiday to countries all over the world every day of the week, so it's all become a bit boring and hum-drum to him. Oh please!

I really have to question what is will take to get some people excited about anything. In this world that can be unfair at times, why is it that undeserving stiff's win prizes, have good luck in a monetary way and they can't even smile, look excited or show some gratitude?

It's a bit disturbing.

What happened to their innocence?

I am constantly in awe of how children are losing their innocence about the world. Maybe I see it more because I am a teacher. Children seem to know too much or more than they should about adult things.

Sex being the most common. I was told the other about a little girl I have taught by a colleague that she told another girl that she wanted to have sex with her. What? Where does that come from? This girl is nine years old. I have to ask what that child has been allowed to be witness to?

When I was nine I was climbing trees and falling out of them. I was still a kid and I played kids games. Maybe I was a bit of an innocent. I didn't even know what sex was, I knew that it took a mum and dad to make a baby, but that was it. That was all I needed to know at that age.

What is happening in our world? Why are children having their right to be children taken away from them? I know teenagers are having sex earlier and earlier now, but really, a nine year old having thoughts about having sex? Mind you, she is not the first kid I have come across who knows more about the adult world than is healthy.

Ok, I may be seen as old fashioned by some, but let kids be kids. It just seems a shame that the world is full of crap that exposing our kids to stuff that no child deserves to see. It really is a shame and to me, disturbing. Food for thought anyway.