<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><default:channel xmlns="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" rdf:about="http://eastender.blog.co.uk/"><title>http://eastender.blog.co.uk/</title><link>http://eastender.blog.co.uk/</link><description></description><dc:language xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">en-UK</dc:language><admin:generatorAgent xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" rdf:resource="http://www.blog.co.uk"/><sy:updatePeriod xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/">hourly</sy:updatePeriod><sy:updateFrequency xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/">8</sy:updateFrequency><sy:updateBase xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/">2000-01-01T12:00+00:00</sy:updateBase><image><title>http://eastender.blog.co.uk/</title><link>http://eastender.blog.co.uk/</link><url>http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/63/d07ccaeb6f7e949ae66ff8114594ba_160x200.jpg</url></image><items><rdf:Seq><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/20/looking_back_at_my_life~1055297/"/><rdf:li rdf:resource="http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/19/my_first_ever_blog~1053019/"/></rdf:Seq></items></default:channel><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/20/looking_back_at_my_life~1055297/"><default:title>Looking back at my life........</default:title><default:link>http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/20/looking_back_at_my_life~1055297/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2006-08-20T21:34:22+02:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;Well today, I have spent at least 6 hours looking back at my life of 32 years - reflecting on what if's, if only's, I wish, etc. I know 6 hours is probably not enough time but I can sum it up - a sad, lonely, bitter, confused life. Don't get me wrong - I know all of these words are negative - but I do have some really great members of my family who look out for me and I look out for them. But - when I look back at my life - these are my highlights:&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;* Earliest memory - watching my dad beat my mum. I was only 8 but I remember that day as if it was yesterday.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;* Being verbally abused by my dad on every occasion.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;* Me being responsible for the eventual break up and divorce of my mum and dad - I intervened and called the police who arrested my dad on at least three occasions.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;* I left sixth form colege at 18 as that was about the time my dad left for good and as eldest child of three, I went out to work purely to help my mum with paying bills etc. I finally decided to go to uni after a year after lots of persuasion from my mum, but decided I would only go to a local uni so that I could live at home and work. Whilst doing my full-time degree course, I continued to work 35 hours during evenings and every weekend. I was shattered but managed to get a good degree (2:1)&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;* After uni, I continued to work where I was working whilst I was at uni. It was only 2 years ago I took courage (as I turned 30) to decide to leave and do a postgraduate course - this led to another career.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;* Relationship wise - all my relationships have been doomed. Following the break up of my parents, I have never trusted anyone to get close to anyone. I even convinced myself at one stage that I was ready for marriage and stupidly got married but this lasted less than a year. I even convinced myself as being gay, but then I change my mind and fancy women. I go through these phases of confusion regularly.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;Health wise - I have been conscious of my weight and appearance since I can remember - I am approximately 12 and a half stone but I feel overweight. In the past I have starved myself, made myself sick after eating and also taken slimming pills which have been banned in the UK (obtained through the internet). Coming from an asian-indian background, I am also fairly hairy and have also resorted to shaving my chast and back regularly. I paid over £1000 once for electrolysis in London - it hurt like hell and I wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy. A couple of years ago, I was also off work for approximately 4 months with stress and had lost over 3 stones in that time. When I eventually returned to work, I was monitored every lunchtime to see if I had eaten anything. Although I would in front of them, I would then go to toilet and bring it all up. I still take the slimming pills - I know they are banned but they seem to work and I dont feel hungry with them.&lt;br&gt;
* I wish I had regular / decent friends - not just fellow work colleagues or fellow students - who I seem to lose touch with very quickly.&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;* Up to now, I am still in this career (which took off 2 years ago after my postgraduate course), but my heart is now set on pursuing what my first degree was in about 10 years ago. I am scared as at age of 32, am I sacrificing a regular income for another 2 years of expensive studying?&lt;/p&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;* I keep on telling myself life is short and I should never look back - but am I right? Is it just me or is life this bad all the time?
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/20/looking_back_at_my_life~1055297/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>Well today, I have spent at least 6 hours looking back at my life of 32 years - reflecting on what if's, if only's, I wish, etc. I know 6 hours is probably not enough time but I can sum it up - a sad, lonely, bitter, confused life. Don't get me wrong - I know all of these words are negative - but I do have some really great members of my family who look out for me and I look out for them. But - when I look back at my life - these are my highlights:</p>
	<p>* Earliest memory - watching my dad beat my mum. I was only 8 but I remember that day as if it was yesterday.</p>
	<p>* Being verbally abused by my dad on every occasion.</p>
	<p>* Me being responsible for the eventual break up and divorce of my mum and dad - I intervened and called the police who arrested my dad on at least three occasions.</p>
	<p>* I left sixth form colege at 18 as that was about the time my dad left for good and as eldest child of three, I went out to work purely to help my mum with paying bills etc. I finally decided to go to uni after a year after lots of persuasion from my mum, but decided I would only go to a local uni so that I could live at home and work. Whilst doing my full-time degree course, I continued to work 35 hours during evenings and every weekend. I was shattered but managed to get a good degree (2:1)</p>
	<p>* After uni, I continued to work where I was working whilst I was at uni. It was only 2 years ago I took courage (as I turned 30) to decide to leave and do a postgraduate course - this led to another career.</p>
	<p>* Relationship wise - all my relationships have been doomed. Following the break up of my parents, I have never trusted anyone to get close to anyone. I even convinced myself at one stage that I was ready for marriage and stupidly got married but this lasted less than a year. I even convinced myself as being gay, but then I change my mind and fancy women. I go through these phases of confusion regularly.</p>
	<p>Health wise - I have been conscious of my weight and appearance since I can remember - I am approximately 12 and a half stone but I feel overweight. In the past I have starved myself, made myself sick after eating and also taken slimming pills which have been banned in the UK (obtained through the internet). Coming from an asian-indian background, I am also fairly hairy and have also resorted to shaving my chast and back regularly. I paid over £1000 once for electrolysis in London - it hurt like hell and I wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy. A couple of years ago, I was also off work for approximately 4 months with stress and had lost over 3 stones in that time. When I eventually returned to work, I was monitored every lunchtime to see if I had eaten anything. Although I would in front of them, I would then go to toilet and bring it all up. I still take the slimming pills - I know they are banned but they seem to work and I dont feel hungry with them.<br>
* I wish I had regular / decent friends - not just fellow work colleagues or fellow students - who I seem to lose touch with very quickly.</p>
	<p>* Up to now, I am still in this career (which took off 2 years ago after my postgraduate course), but my heart is now set on pursuing what my first degree was in about 10 years ago. I am scared as at age of 32, am I sacrificing a regular income for another 2 years of expensive studying?</p>
	<p>* I keep on telling myself life is short and I should never look back - but am I right? Is it just me or is life this bad all the time?
</p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/20/looking_back_at_my_life~1055297/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item><default:item xmlns:default="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" rdf:about="http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/19/my_first_ever_blog~1053019/"><default:title>My first ever blog</default:title><default:link>http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/19/my_first_ever_blog~1053019/</default:link><dc:date xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">2006-08-19T22:17:03+02:00</dc:date><default:description>	&lt;p&gt;Hello to everyone - this is my first every blog. I hope I have set this up properly.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;small&gt; &lt;a href="http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/19/my_first_ever_blog~1053019/#comments"&gt;Comments&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/small&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</default:description><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[	<p>Hello to everyone - this is my first every blog. I hope I have set this up properly.
</p>
<p> <small> <a href="http://eastender.blog.co.uk/2006/08/19/my_first_ever_blog~1053019/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>]]></content:encoded></default:item></rdf:RDF>
