IQ Test I was surprised that my IQ is 132

Trying to Lose Weight with Chronic Illness.

Firstly I should explain, this blog is my personal opinion and I'm not a nutritionist.

It may be easier to get professional advice if you are classed as "obese" with your BMI rather than simply overweight, where you need to lose a stone.

There is a two stone parameter between being skinny and overweight, so you can see how it's easily done, and gaining weight can easily occur.

With chronic illness and disability, there is every chance people suffer joint pain because of rheumatoid arthritis, or muscle pain due to fibromyalgia. Pain clearly stops people being active, and a lack of ability to exercise, over time, can lead to a very gradual weight gain. This can be so gradual, that people you know don't notice. Therefore faituge, pain, possible diabetes, or if not diabetes, a predisposition towards carbohydrate sensitivity and insulin resistance can compound the problem. As can hypothyroidism, where the metabolism is sluggish.

I honestly feel that sugar is highly addictive. The more you eat the more you want to eat, and it's possible to crave more and more chocolate. In this situation, trying to be more active, such as doing the DIY or outside jobs, can simply mess with your metabolism, and leave you craving food even more.

There aren't always simple answers, other than nip it in the bud. I strongly recommend Mary Shoman's Thyroid Diet Book. This can put you on the right track, to get you to understand whether you need to control your carbohydrate and sugar intake or lower calorie intake. There are a choice of plans, so you can tailor it to suit yourself.

In my situation I start the day with porridge. I have a smaller bowl than I used to. I've switched from a banana to a peach or pear.

Lunch is typically a hard boiled egg and salad. I may have a yoghurt. Other days I just have a yoghurt. I don't have two yoghurts a day.

Dinner is typically meat or fish with veg or salad. I do not have potatoes. I have done away with the one new potato that I used to have.

I'm not having any bread, pasta or rice either.

I've not had crisps or a chocolate bar for five months. Treats such as cake are rare, if somebody has baked, or in a social situation.

It is tough going, but after all those months, I have lost that stone in weight. I wish I was more comfortably within the normal range, as I'm pretty much only just within what's classed as a normal weight. I don't feel that gives me much leeway.

I often think to experience some hunger means you aren't putting on weight. However please don't take it to the extreme, where you walk around feeling starving hungry and weak. If you cannot get off the sofa due to no motivation or strength, or feel shaky and on edge or snappy, you are clearly not eating enough. You may lose a couple of lbs but at what cost? Is it worth feeling that bad? Some hunger towards mealtimes is OK as long as it's not extreme like that. Driving hungry is dangerous too. Plus a lack of strength through not eating enough leads to bad posture and slumping in order to fold over your stomach to soothe it.

People often talk about a survival response. i.e. you eat too little and your body stores the fat, thinking it won't eat... I don't know whether it's a myth or not... either way if being hungry makes you feel ill, you are clearly not in a position to adapt to eating so little, or going about things slightly the wrong way.

For example if I started the day with two boiled eggs (no toast) that would be bad and I'd feel ill. Whereas eating the porridge, provides a sustenance feeling, to set me up for the day. So it's about finding what works for you, and if by nature, you are somebody who cannot skip meals, don't torture yourself by making yourself too hungry.

Then you get into what do you do if you are out? I have gone to bed hungry after eating at a pub meal. I saw people's plates piled up and thought I'd put on weight if I ate that. I simply ordered the soup (which wasn't even nice, it was full of stringy meat).

Perhaps just control what you eat on an everyday basis at home, find what works for you and stick to it. If you are in a social situation you may as well enjoy yourself. What about sharing a chocolate brownie, rather than having the cake to yourself? Perhaps there are ways of moderating it like that?

Then the odd thing is when you can almost forget to eat, because you aren't hungry. So be careful not to forget your lunch, as eating late at 15:30 can lead to what feels like an emergency starvation situation, and it's more difficult to satisfy the hunger. This can easily be done, if you are busy or engrossed in something.

Please do read boxes and packets properly. Light granola can have more sugar than ordinary. Please check out the yoghurts, and find no added sugar organic. Have fruits. Be careful with snacks, as some snacks aren't as healthy as you think and defeat the object. I honestly think that my pitfall was so called healthier snacks, which you'd think were better than chocolate bars, but still defeated the object. I also found that smoothies defeated the object.

You'd think your figure and your weight shouldn't be the most important thing. Yet with that attitude, that is how the weight gradually creeps on, without you thinking about it. Clearly people can be otherwise healthy, but be prone to carrying a bit too much weight. But if you are ill and have a disability, that tendency to gain weight, seems to double in my opinion. Therefore it's not easy, as you can feel like you can self deny everything, and be in a static situation, versus slightly gaining weight overnight for enjoying that carbohydrate or dessert.

Only you can find your way through this. There is obviously a huge industry, with weight loss classes, weight loss supplements. I strongly recommend you save your money and enjoy it on other things, and find your way through this. It may involve a lot of trial and error, sometimes being too hungry and ill, other times thinking you'll never get there. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

CREATIVE WRITING 2

There are times when it is interesting to discuss how our creative writing is progressing. I have learnt quite a bit recently. Some of the things I am going to mention, may sound common sense; but if put into practice take more consideration and time.

As a general thing: Anything that happens in a story, ought to have consequences.  Rather than something happens and then you don't hear it mentioned again; or it doesn't have an effect further down the line.

Otherwise happenings can fill-in; but they are still for a reason. The character visits his/her Mum, or he/she does errands, may sound everyday, but they are included for a reason. i.e. to give a sense of everyday routine. Plus these everyday events show how they get on with others and the sort of relationship they have with others. These happenings can also show their thoughts, daydreams and having something making them come back to the here and now.

It is better to have your character have something happen, to prevent him/her going somewhere/doing something, rather than just deciding against it. i.e. some sort of emergency or argument, or something cropped up. Or why was he/she late? This ends up creating more of a word count, than just writing that he/she walked down the road and toyed with the idea of going to the place and changed his/her mind etc. This is a bit dull really and does not give a sense of the unplanned; or a sense that he/she almost did something.

Another of my concerns is that I'm sure it could be easy to make a character one-dimensional. i.e. he/she is somebody who has done these things.  These things he/she has done may be defining moments, but isn't there more to the person?  It is easy to think of your character's taste in music or books or TV; but what about other experiences? e.g. relationships, what made their relationship work? Why did they fall in love? If the defining moments are negative experiences, what are the character's experiences that are more positive?  There doesn't need to be a scene about your character doing somebody a favour, but it can crop up in conversation, between characters, that he/she used to help somebody out.

No doubt if you bring out these things, the reader will care more about what happens.

No doubt a story is only as good as your ideas and twists. I'm sure it is hard to find that one event/thing that makes the penny drop in your character's mind. i.e. something happens to make him/her have a change of heart. Yet it is easy to think of people they meet along the way, or little things that happen along the way, but are they big enough?

Creative Writing

Automatic writing.

For the past few weeks, I have attended a creative writing course on a Thursday evening. We started off by doing "automatic writing". We were given a phrase like "before I knew" or "now there was something to be done". Then write constantly, without changing anything. You have to by-pass your self-censorship and just write, plough on and not correct. Apparently this is a good writing exercise and with practice, the ratio of good to bad writing improves.

I find it interesting, that out comes a conversation I had with somebody a couple of years ago. I wrote about my general life experience, such as learning to drive, or moving house. After all you are not going to give away too much of yourself, to a new class, when you know you have to read it out.

I enjoyed contrasting writing when angry and writing relaxed. The short, punchy sentences, are contrasted with more poetic, descriptive sentences. Even with automatic writing, it is interesting how instinctual I was in this respect. Certainly when we were relaxed, we wrote less and took our time.


Writing based on a picture.

We have also done writing based on a visual stimulus. It is interesting what you are drawn to. I ended up picking a picture of an archway at the grounds of Attingham National Trust mansion and grounds. The amazing thing was, that a few weeks later, I actually found myself there! This was totally spontaneous and it was 4pm and my husband and I wanted to kill some time in a shop or cafe and saw a sign for the National Trust property. I instantly recognised the view as we drove through the arch.


Getting back to the actual creative writing. There were some autumn leaves on the ground and the tutor explained that if you are writing about change of seasons, that can also translate to a change of circumstances of a character, such as being between jobs. I wrote a third person descriptive as though I was stood at the arch way. Plus I described hearing a car pull up and was subsequently advised that this leads onto describing another character and who got out of the car. I was able to draft a bit of a story, in rough, describing how relaxed the character was, as she was on a rare day out, enjoying some time between jobs. Plus bumping into her nemesis from her old job, plus meeting American tourists. It is surprising how much of your past experience you can bring to your writing as I am sure most of us have met somebody you would rather have not. Or had the pleasure of chatting to somebody who is on holiday in your own country.

In class, I expected that the archway was by a car park, yet in real life, you drive through the arch as the arch is by a main road. You then have to drive quite far to get to the car park. It was interesting to see how similar, yet different the place was in reality.

Keeping a notebook.

We were advised to always carry a notebook. To write down something funny, or anything that you overhear. Plus you can write down descriptions, or collage ideas, be it people you see, or a place, so you can work things into a story.

I have found having time to kill, sitting outside Costa Coffee; or if I arrive early somewhere and sit in a car park, all good opportunities. It is surprising what I have noticed in a few minutes, something unusual tends to happen, or even something ordinary happens that I feel could be used.

Creating a character for a story

In many respects, I find it easier to describe what a character is like as a person, how he reacts to things etc, rather than what he looks like. Same with naming the person. After all, I wouldn't want to write a story about a roguish guy, who has the physical characteristics of somebody I know, or has the name of somebody I know. Nonetheless we were given a sheet of 40 questions. You would know the answers if the questions are about yourself, to do with what their handshake feels like, possessions, passions, health, making friends easily, siblings etc.


The thing that has surprised me: all too often a main character is a version of yourself! In many ways, you are drawing on past experience to write something. Then I had a crisis of conscience. I wondered if you have had to experienced something personally, in order to write a story centering around it. Or if a story is based in a place, do you need to have been there.

People were surprised by my concerns. We have all been stressed, so you can draw on how that felt, to write about a stressful situation, even if you have not been in that specific situation. There is always more to draw on than you think, especially in your imagination with regards to how you expect you would react in a situation.

In many ways you are potentially giving a lot of yourself away. Possibly the reader could wonder how much of it is autobiographical, even when you are writing about a fictional character. Yet you have the freedom to bring in bits of yourself, your past experiences, and it's all OK because it's in character!

Nonetheless, I am sure you need to do a good amount of research to write something properly. To fill in the gaps, make things plausible and realistic. Surely you should read up on a topic or meet somebody. Perhaps you could do that research as you go along, and it must be time consuming, but above all else interesting.


When we were told to write something and bring it in, I had no idea what to write. After all, we were not given a topic. Clearly the tutor doesn't want us all to be clones of each-other or her own writing style. Nonetheless a quick conversation at home, something that a friend of my husband had said to him, and something I saw on TV: I was off and my story had begun! In my story, I am very close to this character and inside his head, with his thoughts a lot of the time.

It is interesting to bring in your work for feedback with the class. There is a lot of emphasis on how a story makes you feel. That a story must make the reader feel something. Especially in terms of liking, or relating to the character, or disliking the character. You find yourself asking questions about what the character does, because you expect him/her to have done such and such. It is good to get ideas, especially with regards to how your character relates to other people. No doubt attending a creative writing class, gives you the permission and courage to write something. After all, unless told otherwise, they assume your writing is fictional.

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

You will be aware of a craze that has swept through department stores and gift shops during the past year or two. I find it interesting that the poster was not widely used during the war, but has captured many people's imagination several decades later. A little history keep calm

I think it is a shame that the original designer is unknown. These days the slogan is everywhere, on mugs, t-shirts and magnets, plus all over the Internet. No doubt you will have spotted many funny or rude variations of the theme. The more obvious one telling you to "Now panic and freak out".

keepcalmomatic

As you can imagine, I was in my element, when I found this website. As somebody who likes parodies or retro things, I have to say, I lost myself in this site for a couple of hours recently. You are only limited by your imagination, your hobbies and interests.


Here are examples of two of mine: The first one is rather topical, in the world of blogging.

One hobby I have is knitting. At times it needs a surprising amount of concentration and patience. I have had one or two disasters, such as an exploding knitting needle, or running out of wool. I have to say, my Mum is always on hand to rescue me if I hit a snag. I thought it was fitting to get this printed on a canvas bag as a birthday present for my Mum and at the same time, get one printed for myself.

Google celebratory images/doodle

I am sure we all take it for granted, that Google regularly post a doodle image instead of the usual logo. They are displayed to celebrate an anniversary of somebody famous, a scientist or an artist.

I have to say, I like these images. It's always a surprise when I see one, rather than the usual Google logo.

Yesterday's design really grabbed my attention. It was to celebrate the ice cream sundae!

The ice cream sundae was apparently created in 1892. Still I am not sure why a 119th anniversary was the chosen anniversary to mark, because it is hardly a round number.

It is the image that I love, this has to be one of my favourite doodles (apart from the pac-man doodle). You can almost imagine that you are sitting in a retro ice cream parlour! Is it just me, or does the doodle make you hungry for ice cream as well?

I love the retro quirkiness of this image. It is pictures like this, that wouldn't look out of place on one of those metal signs that you can buy in gift shops. (I don't mean an image to promote Google, but an image of an ice cream sundae, with a similar background). If a similar image was available to buy, I would like one, to display in the kitchen.

Perhaps not all doodles have to be technologically orientated. Why not honour the ice cream sundae! Perhaps it is important for the little things in life to be celebrated, so we don't take them for granted without ever wondering how long they have existed, or when or why they were invented. Why not celebrate a little decadence, something out of the ordinary. The invention of the dessert may not be life changing, with regards to technological progression, but we all have eaten it. We all like to indulge in a little treat now and then. Be it after a shopping trip, or a meal out with family. The ice cream sundae is of course part of everyday language, we all know what the dessert is when you see it printed on a menu.

I can think of so many occasions when I have enjoyed an ice cream sundae. You can kid yourself that if you only eat ice cream you are not eating anything too calorie-counting. To have something nice and refreshing on a hot day is always a bonus, especially if you have the chance to enjoy a sundae and not just an ice cream from an ice cream van. To have a surprise when you taste the difference ice cream flavours, or crunch your wafer, those little nuts, or indulge in the sauce that goes with it. What isn't to like about the ice cream sundae?

One way or another, I bet the doodle has reminded people about how much they like ice cream. No doubt it has made us all look forward to a nice summer day, when after all outside, it is rather grey and overcast.

I have often been surprised how difficult it is to find ice cream sundae dishes to buy for your house. I don't mean that they are rare as in a collectors item. But when we got married in 2002, they were not on our wedding list, because the department store didn't sell them. It was a few years ago, that I managed to buy some. I hope department stores are stocking up with ice cream sundae glasses, because Google may be responsible for a shortage. I bet you'll spot a few people eating a sundae over the forthcoming weeks and months.

It's interesting how an image can take you down memory lane. To times when you enjoyed eating something, to imagine looking ahead to the first ice cream sundae of the year. In the UK we have started to have some nice weather recently.

I wish we could take a claim to fame about the ice cream sundae in the UK, but sadly we cannot.

History of the sundae
I wonder what other Google logo variations we will see this year.

LIFE IS...

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

I hope you like these image quotes. I got the idea from some quotes that are on three fridge magnets, that I purchased recently. I often like to browse and look at fridge magnets in gift shops; be it on a day out, or on holiday, or even at the motorway services. Quite often there are amusing or inspiring quotes on a magnet and it can be quite easy to find something that reflects your circumstances.

30 INSPIRING SONGS.

 

I have always liked music with an inspiring or uplifting message. After all don’t we all need that extra strength and determination to get through a bad set of circumstances?

I have compiled a list of personal favourites that I consider to be the best inspirational or motivational songs. As always this list reflects my eclectic music taste; some music, being more recent, other songs being a bit older. I cannot even begin to rate these in an order, as all these singers are legends and very talented.

Do take some time to look up these songs and have a listen. Is your favourite inspirational song listed? Which songs have inspired you the most?

1. Katy Perry – Firework
2. Eminem – Not Afraid
3. Boy George – Yes we can
4. Boy George – Turn to dust
5. La Roux – Bulletproof
6. Gabriella Cilmi – On a mission
7. Christina Aguilera – Soar
8. Christina Aguilera – Fighter
9. Avril Lavigne – Keep holding on
10. Alicia Keys – Superwoman
11. Jordin Sparks – One step at a time
12. Gabrielle – Dreams
13. Sammy Davis Jr - The Impossible Dream – (there are 75 singers who have sung The Impossible Dream. Do take a look at i-Tunes or Wikipedia to find a version you like).
14. Marvin Gaye – Aint no mountain high enough (Or Diana Ross’s version)
15. Nina Simone – I shall be released (Bob Dylan also sang ‘I shall be released’)
16. Nina Simone – Feeling good
17. Nina Simone – Please don’t let me be misunderstood
18. Stevie Wonder – Don’t worry about a thing
19. Bobby McFerrin – Don’t worry, be happy (Or Jimmy Cliff’s version)
20. Ben E. King - Stand by me
21. Louis Armstrong – What a wonderful world
22. Lighthouse Family – Be happy
23. Lighthouse Family – Lifted
24. K’Jon – On the ocean
25. Seal – A change is coming (Or if you prefer Sam Cooke’s version)
26. Sade – Soldier of love
27. Johnny Nash – I can see clearly now
28. Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush – Don’t give up
29. Snap – I’ve got the power
30. Queen – The show must go on

PLEASE KEEP TO THE PATH

This image is on my computer desktop and also in a frame. I took this photograph at Martin Mere, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Burscough, Lancashire.

http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit-us/martin-mere


Out of all the exotic birds, it was this pair of native mallards who caught my eye. I like the sign because it is a positive sign, telling you to keep to the path, rather than keep off the grass. Of course you could pass by this sign and not be able to take such an endearing and comical image again. Needless to say, the ducks sat there, for most of the afternoon. This was until of course, a young child ran across and disturbed them.

FREEDOM QUOTE ~ 10

Orange Man Breaking Free From Ball & Chain. By Leo Blanchette.

FREEDOM QUOTES ~ 8 & 9

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

FREEDOM QUOTE ~ 7

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

The Axis of Awesome - How to Write a Love Song

I saw "The Axis of Awesome" for the first time recently on Jason Manford's TV show. They performed "How to write a love song" and I really couldn't stop laughing and relating to so much of what they were singing. I certainly think they are very funny and this song is such a true parody of a lot of music out there.

I hope you don't think I have included these sorts of "cliche love songs" in my blog ha-ha. I do believe this is the reason why people say they don't like love songs, because they think they are all the same and are all "Totally generic love songs".

I have to say, this is quite topical for me, as we have recently had Valentine's day. Plus as you know, I have posted quite a bit about romantic music, love quotes and have posted three of my own romantic poems.

If there is a UK tour at some point, I'll certainly get tickets. In the meantime I am certainly looking up other comedy songs of theirs.

Overall they clearly have musical and comedy song writing talent. I am sure The Axis of Awesome can only write the songs they do through having a lot of music knowledge.

I hope you enjoy watching this as much as I have.

FREEDOM QUOTE ~ 6

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

FREEDOM QUOTE ~ 5

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

FREEDOM QUOTE ~ 4

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

FREEDOM QUOTE ~ 3

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

FREEDOM QUOTE ~ 2

Alcatraz  © It's all about ambivalence

Stone walls do not a prison make

Nor iron bars a cage;

Minds innocent and quiet take

That for an hermitage;

If I have freedom in my love,

And in my soul am free;

Angels alone, that soar above,

Enjoy such liberty.

~Richard Lovelace

FREEDOM QUOTE ~1

© Copyright. Its all about ambivalence

21 SONGS ABOUT FREEDOM

Leo Blanchette.

Freedom is a concept close to everybody’s heart; therefore it is no wonder, that so many people have written songs about it.

Here is a compiled list of my personal favourites. They are listed because I believe they give a strong message and get a positive statement across. Do take your time and look these up and have a listen. What do you think? Are your favourite songs about freedom listed? Or can you think of any more that you like?

1. Stevie Wonder – Free
2. The Cinematic Orchestra – Talking about Freedom
3. Fontella Bass – Talking About Freedom
4. Arethra Franklin – Think Freedom
5. Bob Marley – Get up, stand up
6. Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues
7. Boy George – Pentonville Blues
8. George Michael – Freedom
9. Jimi Hendrix – Freedom
10. The Soup Dragons – I’m Free
11. Paul McCartney – Freedom
12. David Bowie – Changes
13. Bob Dylan – Blowing in the wind
14. Run Kid Run -  Freedom
15. K’naan – Give me freedom, give me fire
16. Queen – I want to break free
17. Elton John – Philadelphia Freedom
18. Erasure – Freedom
19. Jurassic 5 – Freedom
20. Akon – Freedom
21. Lighthouse Family - I wish I know how it would feel to be free