tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20025303722339668532024-03-13T04:12:49.893+02:00The Southern CrossJust as the Southern Cross was used for navigation and journeys, so this blog is my journey to self-discovery.BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-7191829773542440042014-11-22T12:00:00.000+02:002014-11-22T12:00:05.178+02:00Breathe<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have always had a nasty habit
of turning molehills into mountains. I am the poster child for anxiety girl. I
imagine the worst that could possibly happen and end a nervous wreck with panic
attacks. Great recipe, just what the doctor ordered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_xdA-D0XuI/VGw6bzBvJwI/AAAAAAAAHgs/KL3LivFvRxY/s1600/anxiety-girl-header2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_xdA-D0XuI/VGw6bzBvJwI/AAAAAAAAHgs/KL3LivFvRxY/s1600/anxiety-girl-header2.png" height="150" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anxiety and panic are so
irrational. I know I shouldn’t, yet I can’t control it. I am ruled by my heart.
I went through a very bad phase mid-year to the point that I was prescribed
anti-anxiety medication. I know many people are against the use of medication,
but it certainly took me from basket case to normal, and for that I am very
grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I mentioned in a previous
post, I have been working on being more mindful. To be more self-aware. A technique
I started using was breathing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Allow the thoughts to come
forward, analyse them, decide whether it will matter in 5 years - usually they
don’t (Thank you for that piece of advice Joy), to breathe and let it go. And
generally the molehill was non-existent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OjYOXia1U-Y/VGxPTAEcV-I/AAAAAAAAHhE/6HQGXFvae7Q/s1600/IMG_28130119641853.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OjYOXia1U-Y/VGxPTAEcV-I/AAAAAAAAHhE/6HQGXFvae7Q/s1600/IMG_28130119641853.jpeg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Case in point, last week while I
was on site I learned that a misbooking had happened and that I was on the
Wednesday instead of the Thursday flight back home. I didn’t have the number
for the lady who does our bookings, I was on a construction site and at a time
when I should have already been at the airport if I was to leave on that day.
So I breathed, decided fuck it, I would try and solve it when I got back to the
office because right now there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. When
I finally got back to the office, everything had already been sorted out,
crisis averted. And I wasn’t a gibberish mess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I really hope that with continued
practice and awareness I can go off the meds next year January.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So in light of this new awakening,
I leave you with this rather fun song “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s4utB-1aX8" target="_blank">Infinitesimal</a>” by <a href="http://www.mothermothersite.com/" target="_blank">Mother Mother</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">"Infinitesimal"</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s a million, billion, trillion stars but I’m
down here low<br />
Fussin’ over scars on my soul, on my soul, on my soul, on my soul<br />
On my soul, I am so infinitesimal, oh<br />
<br />
They say it started with a big bang<br />
But they say it came out of a small thing<br />
Lately I’m feeling like a big bang<br />
‘Cause I’ve been making something out of nothing…Like my soul<br />
<br />
Millions and billions and trillions of stars but I’m down here low<br />
Fussin’ over scars on my soul, on my soul, on my soul, on my soul<br />
On my soul, I am so infinitesimal, oh<br />
<br />
They say it started with a big bang<br />
But they say it was really just a small thing<br />
Strangely I’m feeling like a big bang<br />
‘Cause I’ve been making mountains out of concaves<br />
<br />
Do you ever really think about the grains?<br />
Every little one’s got a million things<br />
Every little bit’s got a billion bits, and that ain’t it, no that ain’t it<br />
And did you know that when you really get close<br />
Nothing really touches, bro, just kind of floats?<br />
So when you think it might just come to blows<br />
Just so you know, it won’t, cause it can’t, bro<br />
<br />
There’s a million, billion, trillion stars but I’m down here low<br />
Fussin’ over scars on my soul, on my soul, on my soul, on my soul<br />
On my soul, I am so infinitesimal, oh<br />
<br />
They say it started with a big bang<br />
But they say it was really just a small thing<br />
Strangely I’m feeling like a big bang<br />
‘Cause I’ve been making something out of nothing<br />
<br />
Like my soul, just like my soul, you think it’s so infinitesimal<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-7857166728508413292014-11-20T18:00:00.000+02:002014-11-20T18:00:10.084+02:00Let it go<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For quite a while now I’ve been working
on being a nicer, more mindful person. By that I don’t mean saying thank you or
being considerate to the people I interact with, as I do that anyway, but
rather about monitoring my thoughts about people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh you know exactly what I’m
talking about. The thought you have when you look at someone’s outfit and think
“Girl, what ARE you wearing? That’s just a terrible outfit!”, or swearing when someone
cuts across traffic. That instant judgement of someone whose story you don’t
know. We all plead guilty. I certainly am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What kind of person am I if I am
so judgemental? I pride myself on being a feminist, pro-choice, accepting of
the spiritual diversity around me, yet does my instant judgement not make me a hypocrite?
I’m sure it does, and I’m not proud of it. And it got me thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I may not like someone’s outfit,
but they may not like mine. So what. Let it go (Cue Frozen soundtrack, because
life’s too short to not have soundtracks). We take things so personally when
they’re not about us at all. That guy who cut you off in traffic wasn’t even
thinking about you, he was too self-involved in whatever issues he’s dealing
with. So I try to not stoop to that level. Take a deep breath and let it go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Minimalist movements talk
about getting rid of the clutter in one’s lives in order to live more
fulfilling lives, as by having less material distractions you are able to focus
on more important things that feed your soul and you’ll be happier. I think
that also applies to the clutter of the mind, all those negative thoughts clouding
about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I may not be the best at parting
with material clutter, but I’m working on getting rid of my mind clutter. I
know I will fail at times (I’m awesome, not perfect), but if I can be that
small bit better, then that is better than never having tried at all.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-42270898544825655632014-11-19T18:00:00.000+02:002014-11-19T18:00:03.716+02:00Happiness<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today was International Happiness
Day. On Facebook there was an <a href="https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/events/1569443423274185/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming" target="_blank">event page</a> that asked for people to list one
thing that made them happy. I thought about it for a long time. What makes me
happy? All the things that came to mind were actually things that I am
grateful for, and I realise that underneath it all, what I am grateful for
makes me happy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grateful to be alive; for the
close bond I have with my parents; grateful for the wonderful people in my life;
for doing a job that I actually like; for a roof over my head; for sushi… and chocolate…and
wine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grateful for walking barefoot in
the grass; for feeling the wind in my hair; the smell of the rain and amazing
South African thunderstorms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grateful for my best friends, who
although they are thousands of kilometres away in London, are always there for
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grateful for these crazy monsters
who pile on top of me at night and purr me to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wtgtIKwfBDE/VGwssCRIRzI/AAAAAAAAHgY/Yd0RH1g7Fj4/s1600/cats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wtgtIKwfBDE/VGwssCRIRzI/AAAAAAAAHgY/Yd0RH1g7Fj4/s1600/cats.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grateful for love. Giving it.
Receiving it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I probably sound like one of those cheesy motivational posters, but love makes me happy. Such a small thing yet so big and powerful. </span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-32725801240799699192014-11-17T16:38:00.000+02:002014-11-17T16:38:08.965+02:00Re-Awakening<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few weeks ago a wonderful young
man passed away from cancer. We buried him on his 30<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> birthday.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Adam was a remarkable young man;
a true Mensch who would have changed the world had he only had the time. He always
saw the best in people, and through him we saw the best that we could be, and
we strived to be that better person. His enthusiasm and empathy for everyone
and everything knew no bounds. He truly felt and truly loved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is only when we lose such a
person that we remember how fleeting life is, how much we take it for granted
and how meaninglessly we plod through it. And this is tragic considering this
only life we are blessed to have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recently met two lovely people
who stimulate me intellectually and emotionally (and I hope will continue to do),
and through whom I (inadvertently) was able to get over my year-long writer’s
block. Such people are precious, their friendships something to cultivate like
a rare and precious flower. They will make you question your beliefs, your
aspirations in life, and the path you are currently walking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Between losing Batman, meeting
the Buddhist and the Doctor, I’ve felt my soul re-open, my hope in mankind rekindled
(this eternal optimist had lost herself somewhat). I’m appreciating each day,
spending as much time with my loved ones, and being kind to myself. Through
this I’ve found myself becoming calmer and more mindful, meditation has become
easier, and I’m feeling so much more – especially from a tactile point of view.
I’m rediscovering that infantile pleasure of touching surfaces and feeling the
trill of textures; scents intoxicate me. It is as tough I have fallen in love.
Fallen in love with me, with life, and with all the amazing people in it, all
over again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Carl Sagan wrote in Contact about
the universe:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For small creatures such as we,</i> t<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he vastness is bearable only trough love</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love Me. You. Infinitesimally.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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</div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-17416450293940770322014-11-17T16:24:00.000+02:002014-11-17T16:24:15.434+02:00I'm back
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been a while. But I’m finally back. Special thanks to all the amazing people in my life in this past year. I love you all!</span></div>
<br />
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BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-31040862172971629312013-07-04T00:00:00.000+02:002013-07-04T00:00:00.461+02:00Taking Charge: The Challenges<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Moving towards a healthier lifestyle has its challenges: there are days when I don’t feel like exercising, eating healthily, where I’m feeling demotivated… I can deal with these but I have found that my biggest challenge is eating enough protein.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know, right? I can just see your looks of puzzlement and surprise. How can I, a self-confessed carnivore, have a problem eating enough protein? Well, it’s harder than you think. With my new eating plan I’ve had no problems reducing my carb intake, but eating protein has proven a challenge especially as I have high cholesterol. It has been out with fatty meats - not that I ever ate much because I prefer lean meat but I do miss bacon! Red meat is a rarity as I only like the good cuts (read pricey and out of my budget) and I’ve therefore been eating a lot of chicken and fish. And then I went of chicken (it just tastes weird).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So what options am I left with? Not much it turns out. Beans and pulses are not an option for me because they are very starchy. Tofu is revolting and belongs in the same category as brussel sprouts and beetroot. I don’t eat eggs and there is only so much cottage cheese or ricotta anyone can eat. When my dietician told me how much cottage cheese I should eat in a sitting I thought she must be mad: a quarter to half a tub! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m starting to think that my disinterest in meat may be due to the fact that I am tired of cooking. There is nothing more demotivating than cooking for one person. No wonder single people live off ready-made meals. Woolworths knows what it’s doing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On a positive note though: I’ve reached an incredible achievement in that I do not actually beat myself up or feel guilty if I don’t stick 100% to my eating plan, or if I decide to not go to gym on a gym day. I think that not feeling guilty is not only good for the soul but it can help me achieve more because I do not view the slippages as failures any more. For someone with ingrain guilt complex, that’s major.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now to get my taste buds back into gear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-57818015531966289792013-07-02T11:39:00.000+02:002013-07-02T14:10:31.595+02:00Taking Charge: The Wellness Journey<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last month one of my decisions was to find a health and fitness buddy. Lucky for me, my friend Kerri told me that she also wanted to improve her health and fitness. We therefore decided to go on a Wellness Journey together. Part of this journey is to motivate each other on a daily basis and help each other through the tough cravings and the lack of motivation. We decided to call it a wellness journey because that’s the ultimate goal to be healthy and fit and to feel good in our own skins, physically as well as emotionally. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iASlDDtGu1o/UdKe2WgtyNI/AAAAAAAAB_I/UAqZQSFJWpk/s800/0709-a-wh-fitness-1847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" oya="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iASlDDtGu1o/UdKe2WgtyNI/AAAAAAAAB_I/UAqZQSFJWpk/s320/0709-a-wh-fitness-1847.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In order to not lose focus we’ve set ourselves a bunch of targets which we would like to achieve. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">My aim is to become fit, have automatic healthy eating habits, reach my 70kg goal weight and drop from a 36 top to a 34 and from a 40 bottom to a 36. </b>I will achieve this by:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sticking to my eating plan. This means:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preparing meals in advance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Drinking 2 litres water / day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Eating out as little as possible and then only having healthiest options on the menu.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not exceeding my 2 cheats a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Logging everything I eat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hitting the gym 3 x week:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When running I will gradually increase running time intervals. Currently two 5 minute intervals in a 20 min treadmill session.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Get a strength training workout from the gym.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Alternate between classes and strength training.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Walking for at least 1 hour once a week to train towards the 702 Walk the Talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">NO CALORIE COUNTING BECAUSE THAT’S GOING TO MESS WITH MY MIND.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So far I’m not doing too badly. I’m going more regularly to gym and one of the trainers has been very generous to show me exercise sets that I can do. Full body workouts that just kill me but I actually am starting to enjoy them and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yxFxjyNHO8o/UdKfAGdkYmI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/ya2Sh6Cw4RE/s842/lifting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" oya="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yxFxjyNHO8o/UdKfAGdkYmI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/ya2Sh6Cw4RE/s320/lifting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is me lifting 15kg (The trainer only told me afterwards how much it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sneaky!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last night Kerri sent me an email asking if I would be keen to do the <a href="http://tougherthandirtrun.co.za/" target="_blank">Tougher than Dirt Run</a> in November. My first reaction was “You have got to be kidding! Are you mad?” and then I thought about it. This is the year where I’m setting myself new challenges. After all, I decided to do the 15km 702 Walk the Talk. I’ve even started to attempt running, and I’m not coughing my lungs out when I do. So I said yes. It hasn’t quite sunk in, but crickey, yes, I’m going to do this and finish it.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nUXpM2W6X1A/UdKfKpAFfrI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/qIQG7Y7mSaE/s624/New+Microsoft+PowerPoint+Presentation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" oya="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nUXpM2W6X1A/UdKfKpAFfrI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/qIQG7Y7mSaE/s320/New+Microsoft+PowerPoint+Presentation.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">See you at the finish line!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-44003737310121231922013-06-03T00:00:00.000+02:002013-06-03T00:00:03.172+02:00Taking Charge : Part 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My friend Kerri sent me a link to a very interesting website: </span><a href="http://www.coachcalorie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">coachcalorie</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. It’s full of good advice on healthy eating and exercise. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s a list of things from one of their posts that should help me on my weight loss journey.</span></span></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Control Portion Sizes<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In our super-sized food culture, portion sizes have gotten out of control. Eating portions the size of your fist is a good start towards controlling your food intake. Also, don’t feel like you always need to finish off all the food on your plate. Leaving a couple bites will teach you self-control.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Be Consistent</span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">No one is perfect. We are all going to make mistakes. However, successful people are consistently living a healthy lifestyle. Over a period of time, they are eating healthy 90% of the time, and they are exercising several times a week. Make exercise and healthy eating part of your everyday routine and soon it will be as second nature as brushing your teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Plan<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A healthy lifestyle takes planning. Most mistakes occur from a lack of a plan. Plan your meals in advance so you know what to buy every week at the grocery store. Only buy what you plan on eating, and try to cook your meals ahead of time. The simple nature of reheat and eat makes it much more likely that you’ll stay on track.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get Active<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nearly everyone who lost over 50 pounds added in some form of physical activity. Even if it was just a little bit, the fact that they were more active helped them lose the weight. The trick is to find an activity you enjoy. Not everyone likes the same exercise. Find an activity you love to do, and then push yourself out of your comfort zone. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t Beat Yourself Up<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You’re going to mess up. We all do. Successful people don’t beat themselves up over it. They get right back on track. They don’t wait until tomorrow to do so either. Their healthy lifestyle and weight loss continues to move forward and make progress because they allow themselves to make mistakes, learn from them, and then end up stronger as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Surround Yourself With Positive People<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We are highly influenced by the people close to us. Many successful people had to move forward with their lives and leave old friends and lifestyles behind. It was a hard decision to make, but they understood how important it was to surround themselves with people who believed in their dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stop Making Excuses<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Successful people made the shift and realized that the reasons for why they weren’t reaching their weight loss goals were actually just excuses. It was a hard idea to accept, but once they were honest with themselves, they spent less time making excuses, and more time finding ways to accomplish their goals. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stay Positive<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Negative thoughts lead to negative results. You are the result of what you think. Keeping a positive outtake on your weight loss journey increases the odds of your success. You will learn a lot about yourself during your lifestyle transition. There will be many challenges and difficulties, but it’s important to understand that even though it might not be easy, it will be worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don’t Try to Be Perfect<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If your goal is to be perfect, you’re already setting yourself up for failure. No one is perfect. Even the people who seem to have the most perfect bodies didn’t get there by being perfect. Perfection is something many strive for, but ultimately something they will never achieve. Do your best!</span></span></i></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Never Give Up<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Weight loss happens the moment you don’t give up. Many people don’t realize how close they were to achieving success. There comes a time when things just click, but that doesn’t happen until you’re ready to throw in the towel and call it quits. The longer you stick with it, the higher your odds of success. Keep moving forward, and don’t ever give up!<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xGW9oiwNXxY/UaWz_2yWM2I/AAAAAAAAB9g/tpPs1nNSVog/s1600/41-once-you-learn-to-quit-habit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xGW9oiwNXxY/UaWz_2yWM2I/AAAAAAAAB9g/tpPs1nNSVog/s320/41-once-you-learn-to-quit-habit.png" width="320" yya="true" /></a></div>
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BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-11490083598751573512013-05-29T09:48:00.001+02:002013-05-29T09:51:58.075+02:00Hanging on to the Bandwagon<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I trust and respect myself and deserve to satisfy my inner needs!</span></i></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lA2M0tw4LUo/UaWyPxfxKPI/AAAAAAAAB9I/jdrjOvUIrcw/s1600/Pug-and-Bakery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lA2M0tw4LUo/UaWyPxfxKPI/AAAAAAAAB9I/jdrjOvUIrcw/s320/Pug-and-Bakery.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></span></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Thank you to Clemma for this cute pic that made my day)<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The last couple of weeks have been interesting, between going to the DRC for work, getting ill and eating big doses of antibiotics (dear Augmentin manufacturer, please make your pills smaller so that they are easier to swallow), and starting my first project managing role.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have managed to lose some more weight and cms since my last weigh in 3 weeks ago, so I’m definitely getting my carb / protein ratio right. I will not pretend that it has been easy. Being ill made it even harder to be disciplined. The last thing I’ve wanted to do is cook. I did manage to make myself some soup for lunches last week, but suppers have been opportunistic and far from being a healthy choice at the best of times. I’ve also not been to gym for 2 weeks and I’m craving it! My lungs are finally clearing up so I should be able to slowly get going again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I realise that I need to make a bigger effort to have home-cooked supper meals readily available. As my housemate is only home 2 or 3 nights a week, cooking for one is rather tricky. And I’m utterly not in the mood for cooking these days. There are some unidentified frozen dishes lurking in the freezer. I think it’s time to investigate them. Toss out what shouldn’t even be in the fridge. The sad thing is that there seems to me more condiments in that fridge than anything else (mostly my housemate’s. Do we really need that many? There are many variations on the chilli theme. I think she forgets she has that stuff and I don’t go near it, I like my taste buds). Once I’ve done that I need to be really prepared and disciplined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s very hard to do this solo. Last year I did a challenge with Sean and it worked well until he bailed out on me. I need to find someone who is determined to get healthy, who will not sabotage the process, and who will rise to the challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On the positive side of things, I am making more time for me. I have stopped accepting every invite that is being sent out. I am getting back in contact with my dear friends with whom I feel I have not been communicating enough. I’ve realised how much I miss them. I’m watching less TV, reading more and spending time in my garden. I’m also trying to look after my skin better: no more skipping on cleansing my face at night; I make sure that I treat my nails and cuticles every night; applying hand cream after every time I wash my hands; moisturising! This is all part of the Looking After Gerlinde Plan: pampering (without breaking the bank) and giving me some much needed love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So here is the plan for the coming weeks:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span>Find a health and fitness buddy who will not bail out on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span>Make more time to see close friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span>Sort out the fridge and toss anything unhealthy / old and manky / mysterious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BE DISCIPLINED AND PREPARED!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span>Plan weekly meals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span>Get back to gym (at least 3 times a week) and start training for the 15km 702 Walk the Talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span>Eat out not more than once a week, preferably not more than twice a month (my finances will be grateful too).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span>No take-outs or convenience meals (happy waist and wallet).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER SURRENDER!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-78996977781627810982013-05-09T12:56:00.000+02:002013-05-29T09:55:57.824+02:00Taking Charge<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 14.2pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This year I’ve been struggling to loose weight. Even though I've been following the weigh-less eating plan, which workined so well last year, this year not a gram came off. I therefore decided to see a dietician to determine where I was going wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It turns out that most of my eating was correct but I was eating too many hidden carbs i.e. milk and yogurt. That came as a surprise as I’d always considered those to be proteins. The dietician has put me on a plan where my breakfast and snacks are very different. I need to eat a protein at breakfast and preferably some in the afternoon too. It’s been quite the adjustment to give up my cereals for rye with cottage cheese. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At my first weigh-in I had l lost some weight and cms. I was elated. Then I went on holiday and the weight popped back on because it was harder to make good eating choices, and with easter eggs and hot cros bun temptation... Need I say more. Things went pear-shaped from there. I was trying to keep the amount of fat down while increasing protein intake in my meals. I found myself reaching for chocolates and crisps even though I knew I shouldn’t and that I would feel ill afterwards. I kept finding excuses for not going to gym. I kept finding excuses for everything.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It got to the stage where I felt desperate and weepy all the time (I shouldn’t feel that way as I’m on anti-depressants). I took myself to the shrink and had a big fat chat about everything that had been happening in my life. A light went on when I realise that I was emotionally running on empty. I’ve been giving a lot of my time and energy to my mom and some of my friends who were in dire need of it (you just don’t abandon friends and families in crisises). So much so that my reserves got depleted and I did what I always did: reach for food to fill that gaping hole in my soul, even though it didn’t satisfy the need.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I also spoke to the dietician who forbade me to count calories in any shape way or form. She said I could continue logging what I ate but that I must not even look at the nutritional information (unless I was buying ready-made meals). The good thing of that visit though was the fact that I had lost weight and cm, which has motivated me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I now need to do the following :</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I need to write a daily affirmation</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. If I can write 3 affirmations in a row then I must treat myself to something. I realise that is going to have to be something not money based as I’ve been doing the same thing with money as with food: buying things to fill the gaping hole. This will be tricky but I’m sure I’ll figure something out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I need to stop and analyse how I feel every time I reach for comfort food</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. This should help me identify if it’s boredom, emotional, hormonal related, as well as help step out of the vicious circle of using food as means of comfort.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I mustn’t beat myself up over bad food choices. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This feeds into the analysis of why I reached for the bad foods. I should strive to do better every time I lapse. Starting the moment after the slip-up (not “tomorrow I will do better”).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I should decide what my 2 cheats for the week are going to be at the start of the week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That way I can look forward to them and hopefully be less likely to slip-up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I need to make time for me, to allow myself to re-eneregise</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. This means I have to be a bit more selfish. This doesn’t mean that I stop giving the support, but rather give it out in controlled quantities. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I AM MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY! I AM IN CHARGE OF MY LIFE!</span></b></div>
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BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-50273485880461445122013-03-20T08:34:00.002+02:002013-05-29T09:56:11.191+02:00Road Tripping<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tomorrow is a public holiday (Human Rights Day) and the start of a nice week and a half long break. I have been looking forward to this break since December when I booked my plane ticket to go visit my friend Jen in Port Elisabeth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have been threatening for ages that I would go visit and I just never got around to it. Finally I decided to be spontaneous (It's amazing what a bonus will do) and I'm leaving on a jet plane on Friday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm so excited!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I've never visited PE. The only things that I know from that area are the </span><a href="http://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Addo Elephant Park</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, St Francis Bay and Jeffferey's Bay. Jen has promised to show me all the hidden gems, and when we are not traipsing around we'll be chilling by her house overlooking the sea. When they say seafront property, Jen's place is what they have in mind: sea, coastline, house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This Saturday we are going to Tsitsikamma to do the </span><a href="http://www.canopytour.co.za/locations/tsitsikamma" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Canopy Tour</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and then on to Knysna, where there happens to be a </span><a href="http://www.knysnaliteraryfestival.co.za/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Literary Festival </span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">that very weekend. We are lucky to have some free accomodation in Knysna thanks to a friend's mother who lives there. I've never done the Garden Route and am quite happy to finally be exploring some of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am equally looking forward to seeing Jen and catching up on everything that's been happening in our lives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bring on the Holiday Road Trip!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">PS: I will be posting about my adventures, don't you worry.</span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-83836516986278285442013-03-09T09:00:00.000+02:002013-03-09T09:00:00.911+02:00Ponderings on Urges<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I read an article today on <a href="http://www.women24.com/LoveAndSex/SexAndSizzle/Are-you-getting-laid-20130306" target="_blank">Women24</a> (yeah, not THE greatest source of literary writing but fun nevertheless) where the writer pondered on the lack of sex women seem to be having. She mentioned how pre-marriage people tend to shag like bunnies and then it dwindles (is this true my dear married friends?), most often the cause being having children, which I can understand as they do take up a lot of time and energy. Then she went on to say “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maybe ladies need to take their cues from men – don’t over evaluate or examine sex. In other words, don’t look for a reason, just a place!</i>” And another article I came across talked about how to have a guilt-free one night stand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now I have been single for almost 2 years. I also have not had sex in 2 years (and I have not had mind-blowing sex in 4 years). Am I sexually frustrated? More than<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>anyone can imagine! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I however refuse to have sex with total strangers just to satisfy my urges. Sex for me is deeply emotional. Also in this day and age of rampant STIs and HIV/AIDS, do you really want to get hot and steamy with someone who’s sexual history you know nothing about?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the years I have confirmed that the majority of single guys out there only want one thing from a woman. And shagging willy-nilly will not help anyone (man or woman) find a long-term partner. If a man is serious about a relationship, then I firmly believe he will wait a few months before jumping in the sack. Think of Sex and the City. Were the girls ever satisfied with their random encounters? Of course not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Am I an old-fashioned biddy? I don’t think so. When I was an insecure student I did have a few one night stands. I didn’t enjoy them and I felt used afterwards. It took me a long time and many unsatisfying encounters to realise that I’m worth so much more. I grew developed self-respect. I have not always made the best choice when it came to dating. Some men I ended up with because I was at a desperate stage, thinking I would never find anything else. They are the men I regret dating the most. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So even though my libido is through the roof, I will not head off for the nearest guy for a shag. I refuse to give in to our society’s propensity for instant gratification. I have come to terms that I am likely to be single for the rest of my life, as men feel threatened by smart, tall independent women (by the time you reach my age, the guys who aren’t intimidated by such women are all happily in relationships with said awesome women who were lucky enough to get to them before the rest of us). I am luckily not the type of woman who needs a man to feel happy. As a single child I learnt to be happy by myself. I don’t want someone to complete me but to complement me. I have my family, my friends and my cats. So I’m content. Yes a relationship would be lovely but not a necessity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And until I meet a man whom I’m attracted to physically and intellectually and who feels the same about me (highly unlikely as it may be), my sexual BFF remains my trusty rabbit. </span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-49830323469336685512013-03-07T12:43:00.001+02:002013-03-07T12:43:26.899+02:00Around the World in 80 Meals: Saigon<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We went to eat at Saigon in Rivonia. I love Thai / Vietnamese food so I was really excited as my all time favourite restaurant, Cranks, had closed down due to very shady happenings (attempted murder, cover-ups, scandal!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had quite a large turnout, around 20 people. Once everyone arrived we waited quite a while to place our orders. Having arrived at 7, ordering around 8, we only got our food at 9, after inquiring numerous times as to where our food was. Now I understand that we were a big table. But 1 hour? And later, after most people had left, deserts were ordered which took almost 1/2 hour to arrive. For 3 deserts! I mean really. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The food itself was okay. But I've had nicer food elsewhere. Many people have raved about Saigon but I will certainly not recommend it. You'll have a nicer selection, and tastier food at <strong>Kai Thai</strong> or <strong>2 Thai 4</strong>. And most definitley better service!</span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-31049534445226665082013-03-01T00:00:00.000+02:002013-03-01T00:00:02.863+02:00Movie Review: Les Misérables<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And herewith another movie review. I need to catch up on the lack of posts.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">LES MISÉRABLES<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For those who do not enjoy musicals this movie is not for you. Some friends complained that there was too much singing, but being a musical, singing is to be expected. I’m a fan of opera and I’m guessing that this would be the reason why almost continuous singing does not disturb me. But let me get to the review.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A solid performance was given by all actors. I was quite stunned that Russel Crowe could really belt out and I felt he even had a much better voice than Hugh Jackman. But great acting from both of them and from the rest of the cast too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Spoiler alert:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Set in early <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France_in_the_nineteenth_century" title="France in the nineteenth century"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">19th-century France</span></a>, it is the story of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Valjean" title="Jean Valjean"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Jean Valjean</span></a>, a burly French peasant of abnormal strength and potentially violent nature, and his quest for redemption after serving nineteen years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for his starving sister's child. Valjean decides to break his parole and start his life anew after a kindly bishop inspires him to, but he is relentlessly tracked down by a police inspector named Javert. Along the way, Valjean and a slew of characters are swept into a revolutionary period in France, where a group of young idealists make their last stand at a street barricade.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had never heard the musical but I knew the story, having read the novel written by Victor Hugo. It’s an incredible story about love, obsession and redemption. The music has some good anthems but it did not wow me like Phantom of the Opera did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you go watch Les<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>Mis</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">rables you will need to bring a big box of tissues with you. Be you man or woman you will succumb to the sniffles and snot fest. I’m not kidding. It will jerk your heart strings. The entire cinema, including myself, was sniffling and snorting by the end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My only gripe: the lack of a steadycam. Continuously moving camera bouncing up and down makes me nauseous. When I look at the world my brain acts as a steadycam and I therefore don’t understand why directors use that technique. It does not give a more “realistic” feel to a movie. It’s just annoying.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">But overall, do watch Les Mis</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">rables. </span></span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-15770154364302905652013-02-28T15:15:00.002+02:002013-02-28T15:15:47.641+02:00Movie Review: Argo<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With the Golden Globe and Oscar season come and gone, I have watched a couple of the nominated movies. First one on the list was Django Unchained. Next came <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Argo</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Les Mis</b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">é</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">rables</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ARGO<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As we know it won Best Picture at the Oscars. And for very good reasons. It is an extremely well directed film (well done to Ben Affleck for showing the world what he’s seriously capable of, and thank you to Clooney for producing and having the faith that Affleck could rock the world’s socks). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Spoiler alert:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> In 1979 the Shah of Iran fled into exile to the USA as the religious fanatic Ayatollah instigated a coup. During this time, protests happened all over Teheran and the American Embassy got besieged. The rioters broke into the embassy and took the embassy staff hostage. During the break-in, 6 staff members escaped and took refuge at the Canadian Ambassador’s house. Argo tells the story about how a CIA agent (played by Ben Affleck) concocted a completely hare-brained idea to get those 6 people out of Iran. The idea was to pretend that a movie director was location scouting for a sci-fi movie and had decided that Iran would be an ideal location. The embassy staff would be members of the directing team. The name of the movie: Argo. The Iranian government bought the story hook, line and sinker and the people were rescued. The embassy staff taken hostage were eventually all released after 444 days.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The movie is well paced, full of suspense that will have you on the edge of the seat. If you don’t find yourself egging on the plane to take off and get into international air space then there is something very wrong with you. The acting is excellent and what I appreciated is how closely the actors resembled the real people, without a mountain of make-up.<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Beside the good acting and well directed film I enjoyed the fact that they recreated historical events with great accuracy. Also, the synergy between Alan Arkin and John Goodman is wonderful.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wholeheartedly recommend Argo.</span></span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-89783798866964943712013-02-03T20:51:00.001+02:002013-02-03T20:51:35.951+02:00Fucking Predictable<p dir=ltr>I've fallen hook line and sinker for a guy who is not available. I suspected it but my heart wouldn't listen to my brain and I feel hard. And now my stupid ticker is paying the price. </p>
<p dir=ltr>Story of my fucking life. And I'm utterly mad at myself for letting that happen. </p>
<p dir=ltr>Round of applause everyone! I'll be here The rest of my life. Thank you! Thank you! </p>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-11464560373937916042013-01-31T12:51:00.001+02:002013-01-31T12:51:49.908+02:00Mies Julie: A Review<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last night I went to the Market Theatre (for the first time) to watch a remake of the 1888 play <a href="http://markettheatre.co.za/press-releases/read/mies-julie" target="_blank">Miss Julie</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The play has had numerous interpretations in the last Century, but I think this one will remain the most powerful. <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It was presented at the Endiburgh Fringe Festival in 2012 and was chosen to be amongst the best plays that year.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The South African playright and director <a href="http://www.farberfoundry.com/farber.html" target="_blank">Yael Farber</a>, reinterpreted the story, setting it in a kitchen in a karoo farm, 18 years into the new South Africa. It deals with the relationship between a young woman, Mies Julie, (played terrifyingly well by Hilda Cronje), a young black farm hand, John (outstanding performance by Bongile Mantsai) and Christine, John's mother (achingly haunting) who brought Mies Julie up as her mother dissacociated herself from the world. And throughout the story floats the ghost of an ancestor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It deals with ancestry, race, freedom, sexuality in a fiery intensive way. "<em>The storm is coming. It will break soon</em>" is repeated a few times and centers the theme of the play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I came across </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/dec/17/best-theatre-2012-mies-julie" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Guardian review</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, which encapsulates so much of what I felt watching the play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It runs until 24 February and I recommend you go see it. It is NOT for the faint of heart. Emotions will run hard and you will feel uncomfortable at times. But the intensity of the performances will blow you away. You will ache, you will cry, you will feel emotionally confused and will struggle to take sides.</span></div>
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I loved it!</div>
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BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-63658512366771241482013-01-28T08:37:00.002+02:002013-01-28T08:41:15.144+02:00Around the World in 80 Meals: Troyeville Hotel Review<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have recently joined a Meetup Group called “Gauteng Expats”. One of the events that are organised regularly is called “Around the World the World in 80 Meals”. The aim is to meet new people and discover new restaurants that are not your run-of-the-mill places. I'm going to do monthly posting on the places we visit, that way you, dear reader, are also inspired to explore our lovely city.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last saturday we went slumming in Troyeville and trotted to the Troyeville Hotel. It really is in a dodgy part of town. I came via Joe Slovo Drive but next time I will come via Bruma. It might be a bit longer but it’s less dodgy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The area might not be salubrious but the restaurant and bar were packed. I guess all the locals from Kensington know about this little gem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The restaurant at the hotel served really good Portuguese and Mozambican food. The menu was not extensive, but what was served was really good and very reasonably priced. I had the L.M. Prawns. Nice big ones. The manager was welcoming and came to give us the specials and his recommendations, the waiters were friendly and efficient, the food came fast and was excellent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All in all we had a great night. I met some nice new people and I’m looking forward to more Meetups.</span></div>
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<strong>Troyeville Hotel Address</strong></div>
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25 Bezuidenhout Street Troyeville Johannesburg 2094 South Africa <o:p></o:p></div>
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Telephone: +27 11 402 7709 Fax: 086 509 4584<o:p></o:p></div>
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BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-90690304014027299992013-01-18T13:58:00.001+02:002013-01-18T13:58:56.790+02:00Chalk and Cheese<p>I have spent the last to days in the tiny town of Kathu in the middle of the Northern Cape. The only reason the town exists is due to the very big iron ore mine next door. I refer going to site as going to Mars.</p>
<p>Because I was staying overnight I was booked into a guest lodge used by my company. I have to say that if ever I have to stay overnight in Kathu it will not be at Lidikwa Guesthouse. For the following reasons.</p>
<p>I arrived at the house around 5:30 after I had left the mine. There was nobody at reception. There was no envelope with my name and a pair of keys in it. I eventually found a gardener who was washing cars and he went off and located one of the helpers who in a very surly manner gave me some keys.</p>
<p>I found my room. Not big but clean and that's all I really need for one night. After a dip in the pool I took a shower. Luckily that I ALWAYS pack shower gel when I travel because there was no soap or shower gel provided. I mean, don't people wash their hands in this town?</p>
<p>Next I planned on charging my phone. Not one two-pronged plug to be found. I eventually unplugged the TV and precariously perched my phone as the plug was way up.</p>
<p>In the morning I rock up at the breakfast nook. No one in sight. I had been told breakfast was served between 6 and 8 and I got there at 6:45. A sign tells the guests to please help themselves to the lovely selection of cereals, fruits and yogurts. By cereals they mean Rice Crispies, Corn Flakes and muesli that has seen better days. No sight of fruit or yogurt. Nor milk for that matter. I finally located the kitchen to find milk. Then the urn for hot water was stone cold, clearly never having been switched on that morning. Although I called out to see if there was anyone, no one responded and I ended up getting a muffin and coffee at Wimpy.</p>
<p>And this is the place our company uses. I intend lodging a complaint. I don't want to hear excuses about how it's a one horse town and standards are different etc. I've had better service in the middle of seriously nowhere.</p>
<p>By comparison, last week I slept over in Polokwane at a stunning B&B called Victoria House. Superb service, friendly staff, spacious charming room (with all the essentials), royal breakfast. The owners even recommended restaurants where they have an agreement that the restaurant bill is spent to them to be added to the B&B bill. We ate at Rhapsody's where we were charmed by excellent service and great food. </p>
<p>I will certainly stay at Victoria House again. Lidikwa guesthouse? Not a chance!</p>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-69102780676919998492013-01-14T09:36:00.002+02:002013-01-14T09:36:21.269+02:00Getting Started<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With a new year come resolutions and these are generally adhered to for a few weeks and then get ignored for the rest of the year. Last year I did pretty well but this year I intend to excel!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I started on Weigh-Less just over a week ago and I shed 2kg, even though I was away on site visits and there were a few birthdays I attended. I feel that is a fantastic motivator to continue!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But to feel better here are 7 simple rules to get you kickstarted. They don't involve a detox because detox diets out there are more likeley to do you harm than good. And they are quite simple methinks.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cut coffee down to 1 a day and drink more herbal tea.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Drink ginger tea. It’s really easy to make at work and you can drink it all day, it’s a lovely metabolism booster and body cleanser. Or make your own ice tea without sugar (if you need the sweet use xylitol or stevia).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cut out all junk food (that includes soft drinks). You can do it! It’s actually quite awful stuff. Mostly made of cardboard with seasoning and oil.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Buy fresh ingredients and make your own salads and veggie dishes. You can add some lean protein on the side. And eat fruit twice a day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Leave out the carbs at supper time (or keep them to an absolute minimum, like a crumbed chicken breast or crumbed fish). It’s simple: you just don’t need an energy injection a couple of hours before you lie down to sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Try not to drink alcohol during the week and do some exercise. These go hand in hand for me. I always feel so great after I’ve had a spot of jump-up-and-down, I don’t feel like drinking... most of the time. And on weekends when you want some alcohol stick to a light white wine. A pinot noir is a very nice option. There’s a gorgeous one from Simonsig (available at Woolworths only) that will not make your wallet cringe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Water water water! Still or sparkling. Don’t go for flavoured as it’s full of sugar and other nasties. You can add mint, lemon verbena or lemon to your water for a refreshing flavour. And avoid fruit juices as they’re sugar traps. Get yourself a 750ml bottle for work and make sure you drink 2 of those while at work. Have a few large glugs every time you think you’re hungry. You’ll find that you probably only thirsty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s all about breaking the habit. Try the 21 day rule. If you can break it in 21 days, you’ve done it. And then stick to it for the rest of the year!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ginger Tea<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This makes 2 cups<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2cm fresh ginger<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 wedges of lemon <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Peel the ginger and chop it into thin slices. Place the ginger and lemon into a container and fill with just boiled water. Let it steep for five minutes before drinking. You can make a large jug and keep it in the fridge once it has cooled, but make sure to make a fresh one each day.</span></span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-62495743371441990932013-01-04T12:29:00.000+02:002013-01-04T12:29:11.174+02:00Kick-starting the new year<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2012 has predominantly been a good year. I achieved quite a fw things on my bucket list, I got to go to the UK for the first time and had a blast, I lost weight (though some came creeping back), I enjoyed my work and I met many new and interestng people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yes my grandfather died and I was diagnosed with stress and anxiety induced depression, but's all part of life. I miss my grandfather very much and there is a bif sore hole I walk around with. I will never stop missing him but with time the pain will lessen. AS for the depression, happy pills make life much easier and te ones I'm on don't affect me like othe anti-depressants would. I actuall sleep well, something quite novel to me, and my libido hasn't taken a dip. I accept that this is something I will be living with for the rest of my life and I'm okay with that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As for 2013, I think it will be a great year. Or at least, I plan to make it great. There are a number of things I am looking forward to: Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Metallica live in concert, and a trip down to PE around easter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then there is my bucket list, which is so much fun! I can't believe I waitedso long before putting one together. I guess I had to be in the right frame of mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I'm already starting the year 2kg lighter than when I left on holiday (thanks to insane temperatures in the kruger that made me live off water and a salad because it was too hot to eat anything else). My cousin Verena and my friend Lia's weight loss has inspired me to get back on board with weigh-less and to get fit again. I had done really well last year and then I got really ill over winter, that coupled with an overseas trip and my grandfather's death had a detrimental effect on the weight-loss and I piled on a couple of kgs. This year's aim is to loose 20kg. Fingers crossed. Healthy eating has started as of today and I <em>know</em> how hard 2 weeks of no coffee is going to be. That's the only part of weigh-less I don't like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So here's to 2013! Bring it on! And who knows, I may meet the man I deserve this year ;-)</span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-70888406180190574592012-12-11T15:09:00.000+02:002012-12-11T15:09:42.147+02:00My 2013 Bucket List<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having created a bucket list for 2012 was one of the best things I did. I’ve had a great year filled with fantastic experiences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On that note, I am creating my 2013 bucket list.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Visit Jen in PE and Taryn in Cape Town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do the Tsitsikamma and Magoebaskloof Canopy Tours. I am also hoping to do the Skyway Trail near Hazyview during the December break.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Regular outings with the Gauteng Expats Group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Regular attendance to Skeptics / Rumble in the Pub (or park depending on the mood).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Continuing exploring Jozi and surrounds with friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Attending a swing revival event. Miss Oh! whom I met at a burlesque tea party, says that there are a number of places around that host dancing evenings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Astronomy with Gastronomy. I did this once and it was so much fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Magaliesburg steam train tour. I did this when I was a kiddywink. With so many friends who have kids, I think it could be fun to do an outing that both parents and spawnlings can enjoy. See I’ve become much more comfortable around my friends’ kids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Going to the holiday house by the Kruger more often.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Other items to be worked on this year, not as pleasurable but with long-term rewards:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gyming 4 times a week and eating healthy in order to loose 20kg. I lost 12 in the first half of this year, so I think 20 in a year should be achievable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Annihilating the credit card debt by June.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Paying off the couch by June.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Definite events are going to see Red Hot Chilli Peppers in February and Metallica in March! It’s going to be a busy year, but a good one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What’s on your Bucket List?</span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-27192389648513656262012-11-23T12:44:00.001+02:002012-11-23T12:44:33.851+02:00Stranded on a desert island<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few days ago, my Gmail account on my phone would not synch. The next day I couldn’t even connect. And then Google Talk and Goggle+ stopped working. No connection to server. Yet Facebook, Twitter and the interwebs were working fine and dandy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strange and stranger. So I did the only thing I could and did a factory reset. To no avail. No connectivity to Google servers whatsoever. So here I am, stranded without my apps, without my email, stranded on the desert island of no connection to the outside world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or am I really?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was tremendously upset that my phone konked out on me. I’m only due for an upgrade in January. All my handy apps are now gone. No one can figure out what is wrong with my phone. I’m left with temperamental sms, calls and cumbersome browsing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I felt that the world was ganging up against me for no reason. And then I laughed. I was making a mountain out of a molehill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rewind 2½ years ago. At the time all my phone could do was calls, sms and internet browsing. Before that even less. 14 years ago I was excited to get a brick when I started university. And before that I survived just fine with just a landline at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then cellphones made their way into our everyday lives. Do you still remember how excited we were when the sms feature was launched? Then mms, internet connection, cameras, smartphones. All in the space of 14 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How quickly we get used to such convenience. How quickly we think we can’t live without our gadgets. How lost we feel without them. We have the world at our fingertips. We feel connected to the pulse of the world because a small piece of plastic and electronics gives us constant notifications of things happening around us (most of which are of no great importance or urgency). Had you asked me a few days ago what I would take with me on a desert island I would have chosen my phone (if there was connectivity on the island).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having this technical incident has made take a step back and re-evaluate my relationship with my phone. Only being able to send sms and make calls is not a bad thing. It will be good to slow things down a bit. After all, we’ve survived 12 000 years without instant connections. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only nuisance is that most of my numbers were are stored directly on Gmail, in case my phone broke or got stolen, then I would not lose my numbers. Well, I didn’t anticipate not having Google connectivity. I’m now stuck re-entering all the important numbers in manually. Serves me right not to have a backup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It will be good to take this smartphone break. I therefore apologise to all those who will try to contact me via WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, Google+. I’ll be checking those only once a day via my 3G card. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In January I will be upgrading to the longed for Samsung Galaxy S3. I find Samsung and Android a match made in heaven. I love the convenience BUT I will not let it take over my life. This reality check is far too important to sweep under the carpet and forget.</span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-76224327739416752212012-11-16T14:49:00.003+02:002012-11-16T14:49:52.283+02:00Rememberances<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">George Bergeon<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 April 1915 - 15 November 2012</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Celebrating Papi’s 95<sup>th</sup> Birthday!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There once was a little girl, who, every night after brushing her teeth, went to bed. But she didn’t go to sleep right away. She would lie there and wait. Until she heard the quiet footsteps to her door and he would slip into her bedroom like a thief in the night. There in the dark, they would sit side by side on the bed, nibbling away on pieces of dark chocolate. This went on for quite a while until one night they were caught by the little girl’s mother. The mother wasn’t very impressed. After all, grandfather or not, the little girl had already had her after-dinner piece of chocolate AND she had brushed her teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I must have been about 8 years old. I will never forget my mom’s expression. Arms crossed, tapping foot, frown on her face, marred slightly by the fact that she’s trying very hard not to laugh at the two mischievous imps facing her. Me hiding behind Papi, giggling, and him trying to look contrite and failing miserably. We still laugh about it today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Papi instilled a love of gardening in me (not just my passion for dark chocolate). He was always pottering and grubbing around. At one stage he even had 2 veggie patches. I remember picking ripe strawberries, and eating freshly picked home grown lettuce, scraping tomato seeds onto newspaper to seed the following year, pouring over garden catalogues checking which seeds to buy next. When I told him I had started growing my own veggies he was so proud and happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The gardener and his veggie patch.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have so many amazing memories of him. Us curled up in front of the TV watching <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Question pour un Champion</i>, going to the beach, visiting the family farm (there is a picture of us and the rabbits), waltzing through the corridors (me on his feet to be able to reach up), or us just in his study, me reading and him doing his crossword puzzles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Sundays he would go to the bakery to get deserts for lunch. He always got me a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Religieuse</i> (Nun: two choux pastries filled with pastry cream and stacked on top of each other with icing) and made sure I would get the Mother Superior (the biggest and fattest one).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Him and my gran would laugh when I refused to eat bread with my cheese (after all, if you eat bread there is no space left for the cheese). As I grew older, he instilled a love of good wine, and always made sure that there were a few bottles of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Muscadel sur lie</i> ready for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Peas in a pod<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Papi and my dad were thick as thieves. Papi always ensured that the bicycle was ready for when my dad came to visit. Dad would hop on and cycle around the beautiful countryside and come back with lovely charcoal sketches and watercolours, many of which are hanging around the house. It was on such a trip that I accompanied my dad and I had my accident. If my grandfather hadn’t insisted that his surgeon operate on me, I may not have the full use of my left hand. The surgeon had been dragged from his holiday as a result of a huge car pileup. He had just come out of a 10 hour operation when my grandfather saw him and begged that he do the operation. Such a man was Papi, that the surgeon, as exhausted as he was, agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Papi was my grandmother’s second husband. They knew each other from the days when Papi and my mom’s dad were posted in Africa. They were both in the military police and both families kept in touch from then on. The year Papi Francois (my mom’s dad) died of a stroke, Papi’s wife died of bone cancer. A few years after that, Papi courted my grandmother and they settled happily together. They have been together for 37 years. I think both of them were very lucky to have each other in their old age. They loved each other and Papi spoiled my gran and treated her like a queen. Today I’m wearing a ring he bought for her at the Carlton Centre 35 years ago.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Papi with the medals he earned during WWII.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He told my mom when her and my dad went to visit in September, a few days before his stroke, that the times he spent with us were amongst the happiest times of his life. I think he knew something was going to happen and he hung on as long as he could, so he could see my folks one last time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He collapsed in my mother’s arms while they were doing grocery shopping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The stroke left him paralysed and unable to communicate. A husk of the great man he was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am utterly gutted at his death, but I am glad that he is not suffering any more. That he doesn’t have to survive my gran. Mamie has declined into gentle senility and the only person she recognises is my mom. At least she will not have the grief of losing a man she loved so much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That was my grandfather. Kind. Generous. Loving. Funny. Courageous. With a zest for life. He touched everybody whose lives he crossed. He was larger than life and my hero. I miss him terribly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Je t’aime Papi. I raise my glass in your honour and memory!</span></div>
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BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002530372233966853.post-84641249594606715922012-11-08T10:10:00.000+02:002012-11-08T10:10:03.533+02:00Catching Up<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Seriously, this lack of writing is quite shocking. Could it be Novemberitis? I doubt it. Rather a mix of actually having a social life again and also going through a rough emotional time (my grandfather whom I love dearly is not long for this world but this is for another blog post).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A social life? Me? Yes! Can you believe it? Now if my gym attendance were like my social life, I’d be getting moerse vitality points. Yes, well…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve been going to my weekly salsa classes with much enthusiasm. It’s so much fun and I realise how much I’ve missed dancing. I met a couple of lovely fun ladies (Chiaki, Cheryl and Sandra). We get along really well and I think we will be seeing quite a bit of each other socially. We have already decided to continue with the dancing. It helps that I found out Braza offers free beginner classes on a Monday. That way we can practice our new-found steps and by the time we attend the December salsa party we won’t be stomping all over the dance floor but shimmying convincingly (or heading that way at least). And in January we can progress to intermediate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trotted to some art galleries with Talita. I really enjoy having a friend with whom I can go out and about on a whim and who enjoys cultural experiences as much as I do. She’s off to London in a few weeks’ time to go house hunting (amongst other things). And I am jealous. I would love to squeeze into her luggage and visit all those amazing art galleries and spending time with Erica and Hendri again. I’ve been back over a month and I miss them terribly already. Where is a TARDIS when I need one?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last night I dragged some friends out and we headed off to a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Skeptics in the Pub</b> meet. I haven’t laughed so much in a VERY long time. Total strangers (barring Michael whom I haven’t seen in ages and was surprised to see) with whom I instantly got along. I did however get a black mark against my name when I forgot Captain Kirk’s name. Yes, there were quite a few trekkies. Sue me if I prefer Star Wars to StarTrek (though the new StarTrek movie rocked!). There is something really awesome about being able to talk about EVERYTHING and not having to mind your P’s and Q’s all the time in case you offend someone. And laugh till your belly hurts. After a rather emotional day it was exactly what I needed. I’m looking forward to the next instalment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now to get back into the writing swing. I am not looking forward to writing my next post, but it’s going to be necessary. I’m going to have to disinfect my keyboard from all the snot and tears that are going to ensue. But it’s part of the healing process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And getting back to gym. I know I can do this…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
BlueRecurvehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059599867959297463noreply@blogger.com0