Be Kind to Yourself

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Be Kind, Be Kind To Yourseleves, Be Posit, Happy, New Year Resolutions

Be Kind to yourself.

Be Positive about your world.

Find yourself surrounded by people that make you feel negative?
Spend less time with them.

Care too much about other peoples’ opinion?
Stop it now their judgements do not matter.

Denying yourself a slice of cake?
Just eat it as life is short.

Have a hobby you enjoy?
Do it more even if it is silly.

Still pursuing a dream or goal?
Keep at it we only live once.

That voice of self-doubt whispering at you?
Drown it out with positive affirmations.

Surround yourself with people, pastimes & goals that make you feel happy.

It takes two resolutions. Just two simple resolutions in 2012.

Be Kind to yourself.

Be Positive about your world.

Clank Clunk

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Adele, MRI Scans, Medical, Health, Knees

Clank Clunk Whirr Whirl. This is the sound of the MRI machine. Today was not my first encounter with the metal beast and yet again I thank the Lord for making me 5ft 8in – that extra height that got me teased at school means my head gets to stick out the end. A fortunate fact not to be dismissed in the world of MRIs. As well as a mind numbing 25 minute scan there was the added bonus of an extra half hour of various maintained knee angles. Plus some strange muscle clenching required with the instruction to remain still. A command that prompted the contrary corner of my brain to shout Do A Jig! Do A Jig! It was like an intensive surreal Pilate’s class. Except no meditative music just the Clank Clunk Whirr Whirl. Still its not all bad as I was offered a choice of cds to listen to on headphones. Adele’s 21 album was my choice of diversion which made the whole experience just that bit more civilised.

Equals

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Daniel Craig, Equals, International Women's Day, James Bond, Judi Dench

Climb Every Mountain

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Ben Nevis, Challenge, Charity, Justgiving, National Three Peaks, North Wales, North Western England, Scafell Pike, Snowdon, Sponsorship, Underprivileged, Unicef, Western Scotland

Please sponsor my lovely husband and his team as they take on The National Three Peaks in 24 hours between the 25th & 26th of July 2009.  This daunting mountain-endurance challenge requires climbing the highest peaks of England, Scotland and Wales.  

Ben Nevis in Western Scotland at 1,344 metres (4,409 ft)

Snowdon in North Wales at 1,085 metres (3,560 ft)

Scafell Pike in North-Western England at 978 metres (3,209 ft).

As you can imagine it is no mean feat and involves almost 765 kilometres (475 miles) of travel, not to mention all the ascents and descents.

In these hard economic times if you can even spare a few pennies it would be very much appreciated. Money is being raised for UNICEF in support of their amazing work with underprivileged children around the world.

http://www.justgiving.com/charitychallenge-2009-nationalthreepeaks/

Let the Sunshine in…

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Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni, Hair, Hippie Culture, James Rado, Milos Foreman, Sexual Revolution, Vietnam

Tonight I am planning to watch the musical Hair on dvd for the first time. I know, it’s shameful that I have reached my 30s and yet never watched it. I have always loved the music from it and in preparation for tonight’s groovy event I have done some research into Hair’s history. It was written in the 1960s over a period of three years by two young actors, Gerome Ragni and James Rado. In 1966 the composer Galt MacDermot joined them and created a fabulous musical score in apparently just three short months. After many successful years on Broadway and the West End a film version was finally made in 1979. Directed by the talented Milos Foreman, the film was nominated for many awards including the Golden Globes and César Awards. Often heralded as the first true rock musical it born out of an era when the sexual revolution and hippie culture was in full free spirited swing. In the age of conscription to Vietnam it raised the morale dilemma of whether to take a peaceful stand and resist the draft and or take up arms to support the war effort. A theme that is as surely relevant today as it was in the 1960s.

Psychologies Magazine: July 2009

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100 Classic Book Collection, Nintendo DS, Psychologies Magazine, Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare

Wii Fit Frenzy

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Addictive, Age, Daytime Musings, Exercise, Stamina, Weight, Wii Fit

Mr Chat Noir has kindly bought me a Wii Fit as the gym is no longer a viable option after my ankle surgery. Most of the exercises are low impact so its the perfect weapon of choice in the fight against my flabby chat fat. However, since wrecking my ankle I have done little or no exercise so you can imagine the dilapidated state of my muscles and stamina. My first morning of exercise was very exciting, it was all new, shiny and addictive. Very addictive. Cut to several days later and my calf muscles are screaming in panic every time I even walk past the Wii Fit. Hmm, perhaps I was over zealous. Yet this uncharacteristic response to exercise was understandable given that the Wii Fit generated a hefty virtual version of myself complete with generous muffin top. This was after weighing me, ahem.  This chubby avatar was accompanied by some dubious Laurel and Hardy style music. Hmph. Telling me that my Wii fit age is about 2 decades older than my real age didn’t help either. So, its back to the Wii board for more punishment even if my calves appear to be on strike and gaining rapid support from the other remaining muscle groups.

Scent of a Woman

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Audrey Tautou, Chanel, Chanel No. 5, Classics, Coco, Icons, Marilyn Monroe, Perfume

As the fizzing excitement surrounding the Coco Chanel / Audrey Tautou biopic mounts the latest Chanel No. 5 advertisement has been released. Its a beautifully shot piece of short film that is in keeping with Chanel’s trend for presenting their iconic fragrance alongside the latest muse of the day. My personal favourite being the luminous Marilyn Monroe who boosted sales in the 1950s with her coy admission to sleeping only in Chanel No. 5.  In 2004 we saw  Baz Lhurman / Nicole Kidman’s breathy ethereal rendition which  was equally mesmerising. As an ‘Amelie’ addict, I love the latest reincarnation featuring another Audrey Tautou / Jean-Pierre Jeunet collaboration, even if it is a blatant trailer for the new film. So despite suspecting that Chanel No. 5 does not suit me, I still want to buy it after watching their latest brief glimpse of old school glamour. Aint advertising grand.

The Flora London Marathon

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Charity, Donations, The Flora London Marathon, The NSPCC

My lovey sister is running The Flora London Marathon tomorrow in order to raise funds for children’s charity The NSPCC. This post is an unashamed plea and attempt to raise more funds for this incredibly important charity. I have posted the link for donations below if you are at all able to make a donation:

http://www.justgiving.com/ladyochre

The NSPCC is the UK’s leading charity specialising in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. It is the only children’s charity with statutory powers, enabling it to act to safeguard children.

Subjective Subjectivity

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Books, Imagination, Opinions, Reviews, Subjectivity

Reading and reviewing books can be a strange business. Essentially its your own opinion and response to a piece of literature. How it affects you and makes you feel inside. What thoughts may follow from the ideas presented. Which images it pulls into your imagination. At least, that’s the enjoyment I hope to get from books. Sometimes we can love a book and never ever want it to end. Other times we can hate a piece of text and resent its use of our time. Yet will expressing our opinion affect others’ view of our intelligence or emotional depth? Even if it does should we even care? Well, vive la difference I say. What a tedious world if we all liked the same thing. So read it and weep I say, or not, after all its your choice n’est-ce pas!