Thursday 28 July 2011

The thin ideal . . .

Wow I now have 4 followers. Excellent. Waves at David!

The healthy eating plan is going well at the moment. I had my first session with Ang and I am happy to report  I have lost half a stone.  Its not masses and the inpatient part of my brain really wants it to be but things are different this time. Its not a diet. Its a lifestyle change. As long as the weight comes off steadily and my body stabilises at a weight it deems right for itself I'm going to be happy. Because its natural, healthy and right. And above all you don't argue with nature do you? Its powerful forces that you just don't mess with.

I think in the past I get caught up in it too much. The diet stuff. Im sure loads of people out there can emphasis with me. You start off so great, then limit limit limit yourself and get miserable and grouchy. And then bam you seesaw the other way, lose control and are right back where you started. And apparently thats why diets don't work. Its a vicious cycle.

When I was at uni and a darn sight thinner - size 12 - 14, I chose to look at body image for my dissertation. Its shocking the diet industry, how much money they make from people who are insecure and unhappy with their bodies. Its shocking the images of the "thin ideals" that the media bombards us with putting these thoughts into the heads of people who don't measure up to the images they put out.

And even though I studied it, tested it and wrote a 10k thesis about it, I still fall for it. Tonight even, I fell into that trap. But its programmed into me. It has been for years. So its really difficult to stand back and say, "so what you are you. And love yourself."

Anita Rodericks always had the right idea, so heres a little reminder not to beat myself up or worry so much!

Sunday 24 July 2011

Waiting for Wings

I have just finished reading my friend Gavins book Waiting for Wings. The story chronicals a young boy called Jamie and his friend Dan sadly getting a brain tumour and dying from it. It deals with the themes of Angels, life after death, emotions and families. You experience the whole journey with Jamie, from being told Dan is sick, experiencing his journey to questioning  why life would put someone through that and what lies beyond.

Angels are a theme that runs throughout the whole book, intially through Jamies young sister Jade. The author uses clever metaphors around butterflies to explain the concept of another stage in life. That death is just that, moving forward to another stage, one we cannot fully see or comprehend yet. The story is bittersweet and emotional. More so to myself as I knew the person its dedicated too and what happened to him. Also I have always firmly believed in an afterlife and in Angels.

Although Jamie loses a friend, the message that its not the end and our loved ones are always with us is beautiful and comforting. Well done Gavin and thank you for writing such a lovely tribute to our friend Danny Cox.

Monday 18 July 2011

Forgot to mention . . . . . Waiting for Wings

Silly me. Gav's book Waiting for Wings is now on Amazon. I downloaded it this morning. Took me a while to figure out getting the kindle software on my pc. Don't have a kindle yet but one day . . . . drools. Anyway yeah going off topic . . . .  Congrats to Gav for writing this. Your an author dude!!! I will be reading and posting some thoughts soon. If anyone reading is interested the synopsis is:

It's a week before Christmas and at thirteen years old, the last thing Jamie expected was his best friend, Dan, to be diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour. Based on true events, follow Jamie as he is forced to ask life's biggest question - 'What happens when we die?' Be there with him as he is comforted by his little sister, Jade, who says mysterious things in her sleep, and his strange neighbour, Mr Legna, who seems to know everything.

Join Jamie as life's biggest secret is revealed to him.

"You're in good hands. Everything's going to be OK."

Waiting for Wings is a story about friendship, love and loss - but more importantly, it is a story of hope.

Due to its crossover theme it has been compared to Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, and Antoine De Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince.

"Amazing. A real little gem. Moving, funny, true to life and quirky and original all at the same time!"

"A story straight from the heart. Imaginative and sensitive; reflecting on life as it is and what the future could hold. It's brilliant." 


 

Apprentice finale

Well having managed to actually watch a whole series all the way through for a change, I recon the right person won. I know theres been a whole load of contraversy and people saying otherwise but at the end of the day Mr Hindside is an ideas man. And the Sir Sugar wants someone to come up with ideas of new stuff he can sell. Plus Tom had cracked Walmart. How many people can make that claim?

I'm not saying that Helen didn't do a good job, she did and had this years show been the same format as last year I think she would have got the job. But in terms of business proposals her's really was weak. And then her desperate attempt to sway the "dark lord" at the last moment saying she had another one around food, what the interviewers had suggested was terrible.

Susie I thought had potential but she was a little young and naive. She will be back though I think. We will see her again. Jim - wth? Mental business plan. Nice charming guy but definitely should be in sales. Now all we need is for Lord Sugar to hire Helen to work with Tom as the two of them together was a very good combination. She has the organisation skills and Tom the ideas. Together they would be unbeatable.

So Im just back from a walk. Im being a case study for a manager at work on healthy eating. Apparently if you want to lose weight diets is not the way. They are unsubstainable. I can vouch for that, how many times have I gone up and down several sizes? So I had my first meeting today, weighed myself, sobbed lol and we worked out some goals for this week:

1-drink more water - check doing okay today. Had a litre and a half. Am just sipping through another 50cl whole updating this blog.
2-Eat more fibre - check just been to Lidl on my walk and got wholewheat pasta, new potatoes and tortilla's. Because apparently also I am supposed to eat more carbs. When I diet I tend to go high on protien but Im doing it wrong.
3-Eat more fruit and veg - this is going to require some conscious effort on my part. However I now have plums, pears, kiwi fruit and tomato's. Going to take some to work and hopefully do better. I have had 3 servings of veg today and 2 plums, so good start.
4-Go for a walk every day. Even if its just a small one I need to get out for 10 mins min. Check just spent an hour walking to Lidl and lugging fruit and veg around. Which unsurpisingly is heavy lol!

The piano is slowly coming on. I am struggling with coordination on two pieces - Blow the man down and cafe vienna. I can play them slowly with a lot of concentration, now I need to practice practice practice until it clicks. My lavendars blues is so much better now and I like playing that piece. I will have to post another video up!

Sunday 17 July 2011

Harry Potter craziness . . . . some minor spoilers

I am probably one of the biggest Potterheads around. I have read the books hundreds of times and its been a huge part of my life for the last 10 years. I have dragged friends to buy books at midnight, read more fanfiction than I should admit too, liked Hank Greens songs far too much, have every DVD to date and watched them far too many times. You need to know that background as I now have to make a confession and an apology.

As the world knows, Deathly Hallows part 2 came out this week. And I stupidly thought I could hold out to the 20th in which me and my mates have agreed to go. I have to admit to the world now . . . .  I AM AN IDIOT!!!!! Im sorry guys, I got more twitchy as the week went on. Radio two had interviews, Potter was everywhere. Each time I went on google - pictures, clips, people talking about how great the ending was . . . . . . I apologise to Bex who suffered a women potter possessed on friday.

I ended up going by myself on opening day. Right after work, I had too. I was compelled. I had waited so long. I needed to see Voldy banquished. I had to see Ron and Hermione finally kiss. The dragon break out of gringots, Mrs Weasley say her immortal line , "not my daughter you bitch." It was just too much.

So thats my confession - Binny - I think you probably expected it having witnessed my obsessive personality for 20 plus years. Lou, this is your first glimspe of that side of me. It only airs for certain things - namely Potter and Stargate. I'm still coming Weds (Of course I have to view it another billion times!!!!) and I'm telling you nothing about the film. Ames - Well she knew Friday but knows me so well probably antiscipated it. Ian if your reading this blog, the above mentioned stuff was in the books and came out a few years ago so you can't yell at me for spoilers!!!! and I did put minor spoilers in the blog title!

Perhaps I am really really sad or perhaps I have a deep passion for something thats been a huge part of my life. I'm sure I can't be the only freak who had to watch it as soon as it came out . . . . . who knows! All I do know is the film is awesome and like the true Potter addict that I am I felt better afterwards.

Thursday 14 July 2011

Bad guys

So I have been meaning to put these thoughts up since Newcastle when in a post beer festival haze it dawned on me that most baddies are pretty ugly looking if they are blokes yet tend to be pretty darn sexy if they are women. I am going to try prove my point. Okay so we have:

Batman male baddies

The penguin - not a hottie!
 Mr Freeze - also not a hottie
The Riddler - green, red and question marks. Not sexy!
The Joker, well they say a smile says a thousands words . . .
Female baddies

Poison Ivy - red, green and sexy
Cat women. Even in a cobbled together leather number - still sexy.

Now with some exceptions naturally - Lex in smallville is pretty hot even with the baldness. But then in potter we have Ole Voldy - well hes well ugly. In the green lantern - some evil floating soul eating head thing . . . Thor - we get weird ugly frost kings, Doctor who - darleks, cybermen, spiderman - sandman, octopus man, he-man - skeltor, beastman, vulture man, whereas the women are all short skirts, makeup yadda yadda.

I think there is an uneven distribution in sexiness among the sexes of baddies. Now wasn't that a mouthful?????

At some point I may have to create a seriously sexy male baddy and of course come up with my own superhero to pitch him against.

In other news, my foot is starting to feel better. Still twinging but a lot less painful than its been the rest of the week. I can ALMOST play Cafe viena . . . very slowly. Whoop whoop oh and Torchwood is back tonight so I will be viewing it or suffering the wrath of Yoda aka Mr Bushby tommorow. Enjoy and peace out folks!


Monday 11 July 2011

Race for Life

So all in all a my first 5k a good experience. Didn't jog all of it but definitely jogged a nice amount. We came in at a time of 53 mins which for me isn't bad.

So a huge thank you to everyone who sponsored me and to Ames for partnering up with me around those wet, hot and soggy playing fields. Ames did brilliantly and raised £400 plus. So big congrats to her.

I definitely need to get back into running but at the moment I have managed to sprain my ankle. Heres hoping it heals up soon.

 Peace out!

Friday 8 July 2011

Race for life

So its the big day tommorow. I messed up my training over the last few weeks - I was doing really well at the running but then lost my confidence but Im gonna give my best shot to jog/run at least some of it. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has sponsored me for Cancer Research.

I will be running tommorow for a couple of family members and guy I grew up with sadly passed far too soon. So a big big thank you. I have over £100 in sponsorship money and that can help make a difference in the future. I'll try post a picture tommorow of me looking all red tomato like hehe!

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Lonestar state of mind


As I got told off by Chele yesterday for being a little lax on the posting front, I felt I better post something up pretty quick. I'll kick off with the obvious - theres a video above this text - or I sure hope there is when I post this as I tryed my best.

I have acquired a little baby keyboard and have been attempting to teach myself how to play. Now I am not the most coordinated of people, so getting the left hand to do something completely different to the right one at the same time is no easy feat!

Anyway this is me attempting one of the pieces in my Alfreds beginners piano course. Its not perfect, the timings terrible but I am getting better. It sounds fairly in tune so thats pretty good! I have no idea how to make the video less fuzzy - you know its me!

Enjoy, the first airing of Rooni's piano playing!