I was 18 and working in a bar when I got chatting to a friend of my then boyfriend. Me and the boyfriend parted company a few months later. The friend in question said he was there for me if I needed anything. He made sexual advances towards me
and I told his girlfriend (who was a friend of mine). The man then became obsessed with making my life hell. His girlfriend had dumped him as it wasn't the first time he had attempted to cheat on her.

When I now look back aged 23, I realise I was the prime target for him, I had no family nearby and he knew I didn't have  anyone to help me. He would come into the bar and tell me he was going to 'have me raped and cut into tiny pieces.' He
said he would burn down my house whilst I was sleeping in it.

Nobody believed me when I told them what he was saying. On the outside, he was charming and funny, everybody liked him. He had a lot of friends, nobody would believe what hell he was putting me through. He used to text me up to 100 times a day  making threats at me. He would hang round by my home, jump out of doorways at me in public and smashed two of my windows.

He also threatened to inject me with a drug filled or aids contaminated needle.

He never physically attacked me, it was always a psychological game to him.The more fear I showed, the worse he would act.

He would follow me round in public and make slicing motions across his throat as he was looking at me. I eventually went to the police, they told me until I had reported three separate incidents, they couldn't do anything as it didn't amount to
harassment or stalking. I would start to physically shake whenever I saw this man.

Everyday I woke up believing that was going to be the day that I would die because he would kill me. I even contemplated suicide as a way out from that living hell but in a logical moment, realised that if I done that, he had won.

He rang me up telling me that one particular night was my last one as he had a gun and was going to shoot me. He was stood outside my home and fired a gun off. Still, the police didn't take any notice.

He tried to pay someone £2000 to throw sulphuric acid in my face. Only then did the police realise what I was up against.

The only reason they acted was because I went down to the station in hysterics telling them that if they didn't act on what I was saying, I would kill him before he could kill me. At that point, I was six months into the stalking, my nerves where
in bits, I couldn't eat, sleep or function properly and I quite happily could of done 10 years in jail in order to get a  peaceful life and not have to face the man. By this point, I was mentally broken and believing all the horrid things he called me and said about me.

I ended up quitting my job and leaving my home to go to an area where I didn't know anybody and vice versa. The police  eventually arrested and charged the man with malicious communications, threats to kill and harassment.They bailed him and
he fled. He has not been seen since.

Only when he was arrested did people start to believe what I was saying. By then, it was too late, the psychological damage had been done and I didn't (and still don't) trust anybody. This man put on such a good act that people thought he was decent,
they also believed him when he said I was lying.

To this day, I still live in fear, partly for myself and partly for women he will have met after he fled. For a long time,  I blamed myself for what had happened. I have now realised that at 18, I was naive, he was 29 and should of known better.

I get angry when I think about how my life was destroyed but yet he has been able to just get on with his. His behaviour still has an effect on me to this day, I have a phobia of the dark, I don't go out after dusk and I'm frightened of new
people.

On the bright side, I can't imagine ever going through anything else so terrifying, so I am proud to say that even though I am still affected by what happened, I came through it, I'm getting to be a survivor.

If anyone else has had any similar experiences, (or just has any sensible advice to offer me) please let me know how you overcome it. I have spent years blocking out the memories of this experience and I know I have to confront it and move forward, I just don't know how to.

On Sunday when the footy's on I settle in my chair
With an esky on the cabinet to counteract the glare
A cushion put strategically to ease my aching back
And a pizza on the bookshelf just in case I need a snack.
I rip a tinny open, take my first long sip of grog...
Then my wife says "Don't forget, dear, it's your turn to wash the dog!"

If you know a greater turnoff, any sadder blight on life
I pray you'll keep it secret, don't ever tell my wife!
I squirm, I twist, pretend I'm deaf, sink lower in the chair
But I hear the voice of conscience drowning out ‘Australia Fair'
It strangles my ambition for a quick dash to the pub
So at last, with great reluctance, I go out and find the tub.

Our dog is much more cross than bred, it always seems to me
Many a carnal canine paused beside his family tree
And his favourite form of exercise is: up the garden path,
Round the shed and through the hedgerow, when I call him for a bath
"Come back here, you stupid animal!" I beg, I plead, I cry
and the caller from the lounge room hollers out "A try! a try!"

"He mustn't have cold water..." so I heat it like a sauna
Then I trap him with a tackle through the rose bush by the corner
Trailing blood and petals, and still smarting from the thorn
While he renders his objections digging furrows in the lawn
I drag him and I tie him to the drainpipe with a rope
Then I seek first aid (and sustenance) - that's when he eats the soap.

The fullback takes a kick at goal - two points may turn the match
My beer's gone flat... there's iodine in every tingling scratch
With leaden heart, unwilling hands, and thunder on my brow
I pull my rubber boots on, ‘cos I know what happens now
It's like some children's peep-show or some low-cost comedy
I wash the dog and then the bugger does the same to me!

Yes swearing is a churlish thing with women-folk around
But I swear some day I'll take a certain creature to the pound
My eyes are full of froth, he licks my face, he thinks that's cute
Then he vomits half-a-cake of mangled soap into my boot...
And the wife goes "Oh, the darling, do you think he might be sick?"
So I say "I'll take his temperature... just pass me that stick!"

Well, the footy match is over, my pizza's on the floor
I'll have to watch the news tonight before I know the score
The dog is washed and rinsed and dried and given a shampoo
It's too late for the session, but then... what's a man to do?
I sadly tip the water out, drain every final sud
Then the rotten bloody mongrel comes and rolls in all the mud!

If we came from an ape, we're in pretty bad shape
It's kind of like the raisin that came from a grape
We call them an animal, but who's the smarter mammal
Have you ever seen a guerrilla smoking a camel
For argument sake, there had to be a mistake
How much prozac does a monkey have to take
But if the theory is true, our intelligence grew
So why do we do all the dumb things we do
There've been no cases filed, out in the wild
About a chimpanzee who's been beating his child
The evolution track, put us ten steps back
Apes don't steal bananas to buy more crack
I'm sure monkies would agree, we ruined the family tree
We're the branch that puts people like Jerry Spinger on T.V.
Next time you're at the zoo, here's a project to do
Go tell the monkies that they're smarter than you

(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' . that will bring on a 'whatever').

(8) Whatever: Is a woman's way of saying F-- YOU!

(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.

I think that things are worthwhile when you get a sense of achievement or satisfaction from things.

Say someone does voluntary work and they know that they are helping a good cause or other people with what they do. Knowing that you have helped somone is a wonderful feeling.

Completing an art project or writing a book would also bring the same feelings. A person would feel proud of themselves and feel like they have accomplished something by completing their project.

In some cases, hard-work can make things worthwhile, like when people have worked really hard and are then rewarded with a promotion, that gives a sense of fulfillment.

In my case, seeing my boyfriend smile when I have cooked tea and then my cats sitting purring on my knee makes anything worthwhile :)

The most difficult promise that I made was one to my ex partner. I promised him i would never give up on him and that was a hard promise to keep.

When I was keeping to it, I made my own life very difficult, I lost friends and I lost alot of peoples respect.

Each time he messed up, I would try to put everything right again, just for him to undo it all a few weeks later.

Even though we split up a number of years ago and I met someone else, I still done all I could for the man.

I tried to help him as much as I could, but when I look back, he didn't ever want help. Things came to a head about a year ago when he had the opportunity to receive professional help, he turned his back on it. At that time, I realized that I had to walk away and turn my back on him, I couldn't keep my promise to him anymore if he wasn't willing to help himself.

Sometimes i get angry that i wasted so much time and effort on him for absolutely nothing, but then I think, it's his loss, not mine as I haven't lost anything by turning my back on him, in fact, I done myself a favor by doing that as I am able to lead my life my way, him on the other hand, well he lost the only person in the world who still wanted anything to do with him. I hope one day he realizes what he lost.

I wasn't looking for it, but some how it came, and found me.
Before I had a chance to react, it wrapped it's warmth around me.
Like a thief in the night, it has come and gone.
I have nothing, but that vision to reflect upon.

Until chance comes again, I'll let my thoughts dance upon the wind.
All day long, in my mind, I walk love's lonely street.
Like a tired man that longs to sit, but just can't find a seat.
Then, there it was again, up ahead, to light my way.

Only to vanish once more, just like all my yesterdays.
Until chance comes again, I'll let my thoughts dance upon the wind.
I don't know where I'm going, and where I've been isn't much to speak of.
I just know my heart is always showing, leading me to some far off love.

Just when I give up the fight.
Here it comes to make the bad things good, and the wrong things right.
Only to leave me lost and lonely again.
Drifting away as my thoughts dance upon the wind.

It has a name, I think they call it friend.

1. I wish I lived closer to my family.

2. I love animals almost as much, if not more, than I love people.

3. I think alot of old people are ruder than younger people.

4.I don't have any regrets. I class some things as life lessons that had to be learnt the hard way.

5. I am a Hello Kitty fanatic.

6. I have always wanted to learn how to cheerlead ... Unfortunately I'm now too old and it isn't a big thing in this country.

7. I am a practically a clone of my mother.

8. I once got arrested for stealing a traffic cone whilst drunk.

9. I never pretend to be anything I'm not to please other people.

10. I once walked in to a wall opposite a place I worked (yes I saw that wall everyday for years and still can't work out how I walked in to it!) and broke my nose.

11. I was at one point the youngest person in the UK to hold an NLC.

12. I get terrible car sickness.

13. I am very amusing and can make people who are normally very miserable laugh.

14. I love my parents (and i'm not ashamed to admit it!) and would be lost without them.

15. I am obsessed with the TV show Unsolved Mysteries.

16. I'm glad (though people can never understand why) I left school before I was due to and didn't go back to college until later. At least now I'm there because I want to be and have had years of work experience.

I learned that love comes when you are least expecting it to. when you are looking for it, it is never there but decide that you don't want it, it suddenly appears.

Love is also a two way street, it is about gve and take and it can't just be one sided. It is not about changing yourself or another person, it is about being accepted for who and what you are.

Love should never hurt, it should always feel good. Love is about respect and understanding.

My boyfriend was an angel in disguise. He came along at a point when I was at rock bottom and he picked me up and helped me to get sorted. If it wasn't for him, I would be dead by now. He has had so much patience with me it is unbelievable. He has encouraged me to follow all my dreams and taught me to believe in myself. since meeting him, I have done things that I never thought I would be able to do. He works so much and so hard to pay the bills so that I am able to go to college. He frequently tells me how proud he is of me for turning my life around. I couldn't of done it without him.

1. I am only 4'11 in height.

2. I have a scar by my left eyebrow.

3. I have had 5 tattoos done but had one covered over.

4. I am 21 years and 10 months older than my sister - There are no others in between us.

5. I love peanut butter and jam sandwiches.

6. I don't understand religion or politics.

7. My eyes are a strange turquoise colour.

8. I constantly talk in my sleep.

9. I am hopeless at DIY.

10. I only go on about 3 nights out a year.

11. I smoke way too much.

12. I am a good boxer.

13. I think my worst feature is my jaw.

14. I hate stuck up people and false airs and graces.

15. I am terrified of the dark, birds, corned beef and motorbikes.

16. I love Alfred Hitchcock films.

17. I am not at all customer friendly.

18. I have acute bronchitis.

19. I prefer to have a few good friends as opposed to lots of acquaintances

20. I really want to go to Transylvania.

21. I am hopeless at maths.

22. I won ‘beautiful baby' two years running.

23. I sleep at strange times.

24. I am very random.

25. I am obsessed with reading and watching films.