I have started my first ever diet this week. It is a dare - or bet - or something. MM came up with the idea of eating as one of our mates does for a week. He is always munching on carrots, tomatoes and boiled eggs out at touch games and seems to only eat that kind of food. MM and others being sugar addicts cannot understand this obsession with fresh food. So we asked him to write down everything he ate for a week. We now have an Excel spreadsheet with our week's menu laid out for us. An example day would be:
Breakfast
1/3 capsicum
4-5 stalks broccolini
Mixed nuts
1/2 cup protein shake
Morning tea
2 carrots
1 banana
1 peacharine
Lunch
2 eggs
1 tomato
snow peas
Afternoon snack
1/2 cup protein shake
Dinner
Pan Fried Atlantic salmon
baby spinach
1 tomato
2 eggs
After
Coffee
4 Lemon crisps
As you can see - a lot of fresh food, no carbs. Obviously I can't eat the salmon so I am substituting tofu or beans when he has meat on the menu. So, this morning I had raw capsicum and broccolini and my first taste of protein shake. Not a fan of the shake - but I will need the protein since I am not eating as many beans and dairy products as I usually do. Have to say - thought I would be hungry but I am not. I haven't even eaten everything on the menu but I am full. It's not very satisfactory eating raw broccolini, but only 4 more days to go and I can go back to muesli and yoghurt!
I do enjoy eating fresh food, but I like to mix it up a bit more. Latchy's diet is the same every day except sometimes the dinner is different. I like to eat a variety of fruit and vegies and definitey need more beans in there!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
make up your mind
I think I am going to get new glasses. I have been wearing my goggles a bit more at work recently because my computer screen is pretty far away from my eyes. It has been helping. But I have also noticed that I might need a stronger lens since things are still a little blurry at a distance. And then I thought that in a few months I am going to be at Machu Picchu - amazing and wondrous site of an ancient civilisation widely described as indescribable but I won't be getting the real picture because of my slightly short sighted right eye. So some new glasses with transition lenses is the way to go I think. That way I can wear my goggles outside and still avoid the squinting business I hate so much. I found some great frames at SpecSavers. Actually it was kind of freaky, I just walked in on a spur of the moment thing, picked up some black and green frames and they were perfect! You can get 2 frames for $199 and the single frame would cost $149 so I am thinking I might get two pairs. It's good to have a backup I suppose. Eventually one of them will get lost or broken and it's cheaper to get two now than get another pair separately later. Mr Rudd is going to help me buy them too :)
That was the lunchtime excitement.
Not much other excitement going on today - except that one of my students is a cross dresser... Why do men who dress like women always choose to emulate slag fashion? I don't think I have ever seen man garbed as a well-dressed woman. It has been amusing though to see someone even more uncoordinated in high heels than my friend who shall remain nameless. She knows who she is. Seriously though, if I was going to dress as a man, I'd be buying myself some sharp suits, not hobo pants that hang in a gravity defying nature just below my butt.
It bothers me that being a 'woman' is seen to involve wearing lipstick and stockings, but I guess when you have a 5 o'clock shadow and back hair you have to do everything you can to avoid being seen as a man. Clearly there are people who, for whatever reason, feel like they have been born with the wrong genitalia and they know this just by what is going on inside them. We all know what sex we are in the same manner really - so why do we need such stringent exterior demarcations of male and female? Some women really do seem to enjoy the make up and high heels part of being female - but how much of that is their unadulterated desire to express their femininity? How do we know they aren't acting under pressure created by perceptions of what it is to be a woman - on a subconscious level of course.
Just from talking to other women and observing mother-daughter relationships other than my own I can see that I grew up on a different environment than most girls. I don't recall being obsessed with make up, or shoes, or clothes like a lot of other girls seem to remember. I didn't even know what makeup was until an embarrassingly late age - and even then it was a strange concept.
Other little girls were being groomed by their mothers for the daily ritual of hiding their faces behind orange powder and black pencil. It just seems such a strange thing to do, to start this process of self-deprecation and erosion of confidence in bare skin - and to encourage it in your own daughter seems even stranger. It seems like women are determined to perpetuate the myth that femininity can only be achieved through concealing oneself in some respect. And, groomed for it or not, we are all drawn into it eventually. I do not wear make up to go shopping, to play sport or to work, but I do wear it to go out dancing. Why?
There is no logical reason.
I think I am happier and more self possessed because I am not one of those girls who will hide in their car waiting for a friend to deliver mascara before they will go into work and expose their naked eyelashes, but the reality is I am just as sold on the femininity lie as they are. Maybe their version makes more sense because they are committed to making up everyday for every occasion in order to be a woman whereas I am picking and choosing the occasions where 'looking female' is necessary. If I am a women and I feel female then whatever I am doing is feminine, surely? If a woman plays sport then playing sport is a feminine thing to do.
Hmm, this has been a little rambling. I fear I am getting into Germaine Greer territory...
That was the lunchtime excitement.
Not much other excitement going on today - except that one of my students is a cross dresser... Why do men who dress like women always choose to emulate slag fashion? I don't think I have ever seen man garbed as a well-dressed woman. It has been amusing though to see someone even more uncoordinated in high heels than my friend who shall remain nameless. She knows who she is. Seriously though, if I was going to dress as a man, I'd be buying myself some sharp suits, not hobo pants that hang in a gravity defying nature just below my butt.
It bothers me that being a 'woman' is seen to involve wearing lipstick and stockings, but I guess when you have a 5 o'clock shadow and back hair you have to do everything you can to avoid being seen as a man. Clearly there are people who, for whatever reason, feel like they have been born with the wrong genitalia and they know this just by what is going on inside them. We all know what sex we are in the same manner really - so why do we need such stringent exterior demarcations of male and female? Some women really do seem to enjoy the make up and high heels part of being female - but how much of that is their unadulterated desire to express their femininity? How do we know they aren't acting under pressure created by perceptions of what it is to be a woman - on a subconscious level of course.
Just from talking to other women and observing mother-daughter relationships other than my own I can see that I grew up on a different environment than most girls. I don't recall being obsessed with make up, or shoes, or clothes like a lot of other girls seem to remember. I didn't even know what makeup was until an embarrassingly late age - and even then it was a strange concept.
Other little girls were being groomed by their mothers for the daily ritual of hiding their faces behind orange powder and black pencil. It just seems such a strange thing to do, to start this process of self-deprecation and erosion of confidence in bare skin - and to encourage it in your own daughter seems even stranger. It seems like women are determined to perpetuate the myth that femininity can only be achieved through concealing oneself in some respect. And, groomed for it or not, we are all drawn into it eventually. I do not wear make up to go shopping, to play sport or to work, but I do wear it to go out dancing. Why?
There is no logical reason.
I think I am happier and more self possessed because I am not one of those girls who will hide in their car waiting for a friend to deliver mascara before they will go into work and expose their naked eyelashes, but the reality is I am just as sold on the femininity lie as they are. Maybe their version makes more sense because they are committed to making up everyday for every occasion in order to be a woman whereas I am picking and choosing the occasions where 'looking female' is necessary. If I am a women and I feel female then whatever I am doing is feminine, surely? If a woman plays sport then playing sport is a feminine thing to do.
Hmm, this has been a little rambling. I fear I am getting into Germaine Greer territory...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Dance dance dance
Well well well. I had a bit of a crazy busy weekend. Very little sleep and lots of activity to report. The charity dinner was an absolute riot. The Slovenian Club is so dodgy. One of those places that seems like it is likely to house a dead body. Car parks with tall weeds growing from between the cracks in the concrete, brown brick, ensconced between a factory and a cemetery. Location Location! Despite the in initial concerns, after a little wine and a little antipasto it was all looking a lot brighter. The food was also a cause for great amusement. The entree was some kind of meat filled ravioli - they told me I would be getting 'something special'. 20 minutes later a plate of very al dente tube pasta came out with some tomato sauce dripped on it. Edible, but not worth a 20 minute wait! I didn't eat much of it, there was plenty of dips and antipasto on the table to keep me going anyway. The waiter was most offended when he came to clear our plates and I had hardly touched the food. I got the third degree and had to give some excuse about saving space for the rest of the courses.
The main course was a plate full of cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and potato. They all looked like they were frozen out of a packet ones. Covered in butter - but they were better than the meat alternative - a little horrid chicken parmy or a steak wrapped in dodgy bacon and drowned in gravy. All delivered to the tables by aging, balding, sweating, hairy men. Delightful! But the waiters were so nice you couldn't really complain too much. From our table you could see their women-folk in the kitchen washing all the plates in the sink BY HAND. Crikey!
After all the boring speeches and auctions had taken place the band finally came out and that's when the night got fun. Our table was carving up the dance floor. One of the blokes on our table had bid for, and won, a framed Cristiano Ronaldo shirt for $950. It was crazy large - as big as my desk. He was seriously regretting it the next day! The band went home at about midnight but we weren't ready to stop partying so we headed back home to continue dancing. I think I ended up getting home sometime after 3am. I could have easily had early night on Saturday but I was back out again for a Fringe show at the Gov.
It was a Best of the Fest Late Show. 4 different comedians. 3 of them were good. The third act was a girl. I was so hoping she would be good because female comedians are so often not. But she was shit. Awful. There was a bit of polite laughter, but overall it was an embarrassment. So disappointing. Felicity somethingorother - avoid at all costs. The second act was on drugs of some description, but at least he was funny!
So Saturday night ended up being a late one too. I caught a taxi to King William Rd with the others and then left them there to walk home. I did manage a sleep in on Sunday morning but really wasn't ready to get up and go to training for 11am. Glad I did though because the run around did me good. I then proceeded to MM's house with plans to continue painting. But it rained so I sat inside with Milky Joe on my lap all arvo watching recorded episodes of Gilmore Girls. It was a good way to end the weekend really.
It has actually been a bit busy at work this week, but I enjoyed it all a bit too much and have now completed all the tasks for the week but the week isn't over. There is always a gap! Well, now I have to go explain mailmerge to someone. Again.
The main course was a plate full of cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and potato. They all looked like they were frozen out of a packet ones. Covered in butter - but they were better than the meat alternative - a little horrid chicken parmy or a steak wrapped in dodgy bacon and drowned in gravy. All delivered to the tables by aging, balding, sweating, hairy men. Delightful! But the waiters were so nice you couldn't really complain too much. From our table you could see their women-folk in the kitchen washing all the plates in the sink BY HAND. Crikey!
After all the boring speeches and auctions had taken place the band finally came out and that's when the night got fun. Our table was carving up the dance floor. One of the blokes on our table had bid for, and won, a framed Cristiano Ronaldo shirt for $950. It was crazy large - as big as my desk. He was seriously regretting it the next day! The band went home at about midnight but we weren't ready to stop partying so we headed back home to continue dancing. I think I ended up getting home sometime after 3am. I could have easily had early night on Saturday but I was back out again for a Fringe show at the Gov.
It was a Best of the Fest Late Show. 4 different comedians. 3 of them were good. The third act was a girl. I was so hoping she would be good because female comedians are so often not. But she was shit. Awful. There was a bit of polite laughter, but overall it was an embarrassment. So disappointing. Felicity somethingorother - avoid at all costs. The second act was on drugs of some description, but at least he was funny!
So Saturday night ended up being a late one too. I caught a taxi to King William Rd with the others and then left them there to walk home. I did manage a sleep in on Sunday morning but really wasn't ready to get up and go to training for 11am. Glad I did though because the run around did me good. I then proceeded to MM's house with plans to continue painting. But it rained so I sat inside with Milky Joe on my lap all arvo watching recorded episodes of Gilmore Girls. It was a good way to end the weekend really.
It has actually been a bit busy at work this week, but I enjoyed it all a bit too much and have now completed all the tasks for the week but the week isn't over. There is always a gap! Well, now I have to go explain mailmerge to someone. Again.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
More frivolity
Tonight I am heading off to a charity dinner at the Slovenian Club. Or something like that. I am told there will be food, drinks and dancing. That's enough for me! I am a bit worried that I won't have enough time to prepare for it though since I have students delivering their own training this arvo and it seems like they are all keen to go overtime and take forever. I'd better be outta here at 5 on the dot!
It's been a quick week really. Slow at work again though. So slow. The floor above is having some renos done so there has been banging and drilling and all kinds of noises going on. Sometimes it's so bad we can't hear the phone ringing! I have been amusing myself by reading articles online. That tires my eyes out quickly though. Today I have brought an actual book to read. Might as well. Now I am reading Les Miserables which has been on my list for a long time. I really should brush up on the book club book which we are all going to discuss tomorrow. I have read 3 books since then so I might need a refresher on character names etc! I have decided to go with a soup this time - the host has to provide food. It's become increasingly lavish fare but I am just not up to cooking anything too time consuming. Hope everyone likes potato and leek!
Tomorrow evening I am off to the see the Best of the Fest at the Gov with some friends. It doesn't start until 10:30 so were are heading out for dinner first at about 8. Another late night! I am going to be so tired again on Monday... Tough life aye! Speaking of which - it's only 2 months now until I leave the country. Very excited. I have more and more things booked. Ihad to change my flight home yesterday because Qantas cancelled their direct flight from London to Adelaide via Singapore on the day I was originally coming back on. So now I get an extra day in Spain! That means I get back to Oz on September 7 at 6am or some ridiculous hour. I am not looknig forward to those flights - 2 whole days stuck in various planes. Yes, I think I really should buy an mp3 player before I go... This time I am taking every precaution and taking eye mask, ear plugs and a travel pillow. I have a lot of trouble sleeping in planes, but I am going to have to change that this trip!
It's been a quick week really. Slow at work again though. So slow. The floor above is having some renos done so there has been banging and drilling and all kinds of noises going on. Sometimes it's so bad we can't hear the phone ringing! I have been amusing myself by reading articles online. That tires my eyes out quickly though. Today I have brought an actual book to read. Might as well. Now I am reading Les Miserables which has been on my list for a long time. I really should brush up on the book club book which we are all going to discuss tomorrow. I have read 3 books since then so I might need a refresher on character names etc! I have decided to go with a soup this time - the host has to provide food. It's become increasingly lavish fare but I am just not up to cooking anything too time consuming. Hope everyone likes potato and leek!
Tomorrow evening I am off to the see the Best of the Fest at the Gov with some friends. It doesn't start until 10:30 so were are heading out for dinner first at about 8. Another late night! I am going to be so tired again on Monday... Tough life aye! Speaking of which - it's only 2 months now until I leave the country. Very excited. I have more and more things booked. Ihad to change my flight home yesterday because Qantas cancelled their direct flight from London to Adelaide via Singapore on the day I was originally coming back on. So now I get an extra day in Spain! That means I get back to Oz on September 7 at 6am or some ridiculous hour. I am not looknig forward to those flights - 2 whole days stuck in various planes. Yes, I think I really should buy an mp3 player before I go... This time I am taking every precaution and taking eye mask, ear plugs and a travel pillow. I have a lot of trouble sleeping in planes, but I am going to have to change that this trip!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Adelaide Cup Day is a winner
Fabulous weather yesterday and I made good use of it doing some work outside on a secret special project. Yay, I love surprises! Last night Milky Joe and I hung out watching some TV. He was all cuddy and wanting to snooze while I was awake, but as soon as I tried to go to bed he started going nuts and pouncing on me on top of the doona. Usually it's no problem because his little teeth can't bite through the doona, but last night he got his head under the edge of the cover and found my feet and gave them a good clawing. Out to the laundry he went. I wonder if he'll ever learn...
This week MM is off playing touch in NSW - good luck! Meanwhile my touch games have all finished, the women's GF has been postponed til after NTLs next week. It is nice to have a break, but I was just building up to optimal fitness and it's hard to keep it up when there's nothing scheduled to run around for. Might have to take up something else instead.
I am still on the hunt for a party frock for this Friday night. I am becoming increasingly pessimistic about finding anything though. Even Miss Gladys let me down with a bunch of crappy dresses - not sure why the asymmetrical dresses are back but I don't like it!
This week MM is off playing touch in NSW - good luck! Meanwhile my touch games have all finished, the women's GF has been postponed til after NTLs next week. It is nice to have a break, but I was just building up to optimal fitness and it's hard to keep it up when there's nothing scheduled to run around for. Might have to take up something else instead.
I am still on the hunt for a party frock for this Friday night. I am becoming increasingly pessimistic about finding anything though. Even Miss Gladys let me down with a bunch of crappy dresses - not sure why the asymmetrical dresses are back but I don't like it!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Some thoughts
Some things I have pondered today:
- Why there are so many different models of the same camera - stop giving us so much choice!
- How I am going to transport the saucepan set I bought today from work to home.
- Why is it winter weather already?!
- What to get my friend for her birthday. Still uninspired this year.
- Where on earth I am going to find a dress for the charity dinner next Friday - I've looked everywhere and it's all horrible.
- How much money do street performers make anyway?
- Is eating 7 mini Favourites chocolates worse or better than eating one normal sized chocolate bar?
- When am I going to the markets this week?
- Is it such a bad thing to eat Filipino bananas?
- Why do our cleaners not wipe desks, dust or vacuum? What are they doing?
- How cold is it going to get in South America?
- If Rudd gives me $900 should I spend it on something ludicrous for once in my life - or should I save it like I always do?
- If I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease would I kill myself straight away or later?
- Why do we need air conditioning every day of the year in buildings? Build some freaking windows!
- How does knowing that disaster capitalism buggered up the world help me? What am I going to do about it except be amazed yet again at human stupidity?
- Why do I get bored so easily? I need another challenge.
This list is not exhaustive.
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