Sugar Sugar!

Four days into a new diet...

 

My intention was to blog about this after my first week as I'm not looking at this as the many faddy diets I've been on over the past twenty years.

 

I want this to be a lifestyle change, I'm wanting to do this to better my LIFE, not just to fit into that bikini when summer rolls around.

 

To keep myself on track I've been keeping a diary of everything that passes my lips and planning my meals: this diet was recommended to me and it's the paleo diet.

After reading a book by paleo guru Robb Wolf, the science behind this diet sold me as to why this diet works and how I could benefit from it.

Saying goodbye to breads and dairy was not a big deal as we are a household of specialist dietary needs.

BUT there is one thing that I am seriously craving and writing this blog right now is stopping me sprinting to the supermarket and gorging myself in it's sheer beauty!!

One LARGE jar of Nutella sounds like heaven. Just give me a spoon! !

My god! the craving for that stuff is strong, to wash it down with a nice icy cold fizzy glass of Coke.

Nothing finer!!!!!

WRONG!!!! WRONG!!!! WRONG!!!!

I have to say this to myself as though I believe it, I'm not past that caving in to it's lure; but how in a blue moon have I got so dependent on this stuff?

Well the answer is simple, SUGAR is in EVERYTHING, and I mean everything.... even broccoli and other veg are grown providing sweeter varieties, and this is a very dangerous game in regards to our health.

We've grown up being told ''sugar is high in calories but it’s not addictive'' but research suggests the opposite may be true.

Scientists are saying the chemicals released when we eat sugar travel along the same brain pathways that heroin does.

So taking sugary foods out of our diet triggers powerful cravings, causing us to eat up to six times more than our normal intake.

Scientists also discovered that removing sugar from the diet of rats put them into a state of anxiety, experiencing symptoms similar morphine withdrawal.

So why do we like it so much!?

Sugar stimulates the release of endorphins, this makes us feel good.
Too much on a regular basis means we become reliant and our own natural endorphins no longer quite reach the mark, we ‘need’ sugar to feel good.

Keeping this firmly in mind...

I've kept away from hard drugs in my life as it's a very slippery route, so why would I want to take the legal equivalent?

The answer is simple, I don't, just that I have been doing and the seductive lure of sticky sweet products takes hold.

Mind Games work for me:

I WANT... MY GOD DO I WANT ONE OF THESE!!

But I combine it with something I HATE... Not just HATE but TERRIFIED of:

THOSE LEGS STUCK IN THAT CREME AS I BITE INTO THAT EGG!!!

yuck.

No thank you!....

It works for all other sugary treats too.

So whilst I have been typing this my craving has passed, and I can head to bed being happy with myself that I am one step closer to not being held hostage by the seduction of this saccharine sweet- talker.

Lois' Lost (and Looney!) Luvs!!!

Ah, Valentines day! The most loved up day of the year. When every lady sees their significant other as a Superman.

But there's only one lady who can actually claim that her beau is - and that's Lois Lane, comix' premiere ball-and-chain.

But it's not always been smooth sailing with the Kryptonian Kourtship; other silver-tongued devils have attempted to step in on the Big Red S's turf. In the Silver Age it seemed like every other week, some smoothie or big monster was laying on the love lyrics to Lois, and to celebrate this smoochy day, here are fifteen of the wildest:


15. Way to gloat Superman, you dick.

14. We all like a horny devil, a bad boy and they do say the devil has the best tunes; but....

13. ''Lois, my lung may be iron, but my heart is putty... in your hands!''

12. Last chance!? How old is she supposed to be???

11. He's either a gimp or a Mexican wrestler. Kinky!!

 

10. Why does Supes always wait 'til they're making wedding plans to reveal the terrible secret?

 

 

 

9. Spoiler: It am Bizarro - Flash.

 

 

 

8. To be fair he IS a beast...

 

 

7. He's so adorable every girl would contemplate a Herko loving!

 

6-4 A terrific trio of Dark Knight Dalliance!

 

 

 

 

And this one is a team effort!!!

 

3. If you think Lois is a jerk for marrying Lex Luthor, of all people, just read Superman's thought bubble:

 

 

 

 

2. It's like some screwed up Back To The Future.

 

 

1. .... But in the end, it always comes back to The Man Of Tomorrow, which is as it should be.

You can Look But You Better Not Touch....

Poison Ivy is arguably taking the silver position in Batmans female foes.
Created in the Silver Age and who was oddly skipped over for the 1960s Batman TV show, she achieved screen immortality with the well loved 1990s Batman Animated series; and it could be said, Uma Thurmans regrettable Mae West-lite take in the horrible Batman and Robin movie in 1997.

In studying her whole history from 1966 to present. It was decided to opt for an amalgam, picking the best features from every classic incarnation, as per my clients request.

She was created from a standard Ballerina Barbie with the accessories removed and painted green.

 

 

 

The leaves to form the bodice were sculpted from two part epoxy and built up one by one over consecutive days till completed.

 

 

 

Layering shades of green to build texture and individuality to each leaf.

 

 

The necklace and the head band were formed using a mixture of two part epoxy and wire to hold the leaves together and firmly in place. The colour for the eyes and lips was mixed using shades of citadel paints. I didn't want a shade too overpowering as I kept with a natural olive green for her eyes this links into the necklace and headband to place a continuity with the costume shades.

 

 

 

Using green craft wire that can easily hook around her leg, the same method for leaves was used and a vine was created.

 

 

It's rare with customising that the base of a figure is one of the most enjoyable parts of the creation, but for me this was certainly the case. I didn't want to distract overly much from the doll as this is going to a Barbie collector but I could see ways of taking this further into the realms of a foliage folly!

 

 

These leaves are created by bending wire into the desired shape and then either dipped or dragged into a liquid resin and left to dry.

The feet of the doll were placed into clay to give the base weight and super glued down. More clay was added to the surround to help balance and so the wire leaves could be placed and bent into the desired position.

 

 

The pattern on the base was created by cutting the edges from painted doilies and glued into place using a clear/green glitter glue.

 

 

 

Which then gives you the a Poison Ivy styled Barbie that's worth standing on any collectors shelf!

 

 

 

 

 

Idioms, Metaphors and Expressions...

After buying the book IT'S RAINING CATS AND DOGS, Written by Micheal Barton. I felt I needed to express my admiration.

It's a guide book for people who fall on the autistic spectrum written and illustrated by a high functioning autistic young man, who found the way we talk and the world we live in very confusing whilst growing up.

For someone who is autistic meanings are very literal. There is no Reading Between The Lines...

You will find a high functioning autistic person or someone who may have aspergers syndrome can be obsessively logical with their comprehension of language.

They often have very good memories and very good vocabularies. So people will over estimate the ability for them to understand some of the more archaic concepts.

This can cause a breakdown in communication between someone whose brain functions autistically to what we call neuro-typical, someone whose brain processes information and can easily think in context.

The idea for Micheal's book came about as he started to illustrate the phrases he found hard to understand and writing what they really mean underneath the picture so he would remember.
Over the years Micheal had collected folders and folders of these illustrations though he didn't know at the time, these were the start of this book.

The simplicity of this idea and being brought together into a nice companion for the everyday world we live in and the way we talk is perfect for young people growing up who are autistic and for those who are communicating around them.

Since buying this book my child and I have read it each evening, the humour it brings along with understanding makes it very near perfect for us.

Covering: Classic Idioms, Shortened Expressions, Everyday Expressions and Sayings, Double Meanings, Metaphors, Instructions and Statements...

Being written by someone who has achieved so much as Micheal Barton who is currently studying a degree in physics, talks at conferences, and plays jazz piano and french horn and I believe very good in judo, he serves as an inspiration and encouragement to parents, carers, teachers and friends of anyone who has autism and also helps to show a little more understanding and sense to this weird and wonderful world that can seem so overwhelming for children who are high functioning autistic.

So now you know what your Christmas present is going to be!!! ;-)

Batman is cool... but one thing is COOLER!

Batman... he's the fictional character of many a girls dream, the dark knight... mean and brooding, good looking and a playboy to boot. He'd be quite a catch for any girl.... if he was real.


Personally Batman = Baggage so what's even cooler than the man himself? 


His CAR OF COURSE!!


After going to The Dark Knight Rises last week and seeing the new Nissan advert Juke Built To Thrill...sparked some thoughts on how the Batmobile has be used in genuine advertisements.

I'm sure there is many many more than my quick Internet search but have included a couple which I thought were the best/worst/funniest. But before all that? why the Batmobile and not the Black Beauty, The Spider Mobile or say the Sandmans Sand Car?

Well, for me it all comes down to design. If you think about it... the majority of cars as in what can/could/would have been in the world of Batman have been more realistic than other vehicles related to super heroes. I can't get excited about Wonder Womans invisible plane. But I can sure get excited about some of the gorgeous designs that came from America during the great depression and beyond!

Batman #5 1941 was the first time we saw what was called the Batmobile. Due to artists different interpretations the Batmobile changed frequently in it's size and shape and what features there are on each design and during it's 71 years there has been some ''Oh Yeah'' moments to the ''what on earth... ewww!'' moments of Batman history So without further ado! Presenting an advert from the 90s in the UK for the Austin Metro. I have to rate this a 10/10 for spoof plus it also refers to another advert with the quote ''Pick Up A Penguin''!

Just for kicks... It's Nissan again, but it's a 4/10. It's certainly Batman tv show inspired, But... it's rather half arsed.

So all in all I didn't come across that much but I'm sure there is someone out there that would know about this kinda stuff if I searched a little harder. It you favour the car easy on the eye then you should go and visit here!! FlyingBatmobile

Superhero Lipstick Art!

Two of my favourite things combine once more!

The brains behind this idea was photographer Jonathan Knowles! who teamed up with make up artist Celine Nonon.

So pucker up and meet some of the funkiest lips in the world!

Mwahhhhh! <3

Two Days Of Insight, Laughs and So Much More...

It has been three weeks since my home town of Manchester had a four day visit by the Dalai Lama.

For many years, I have read the basics of his teachings on love and compassion. It has been something that I am naturally drawn too. I don't require much to be happy, I'm not a person fueled by money or possessions but rather seek a calm and happiness which I can never quite reach in a very busy life of juggling too many things at once and not knowing how to slow down on it all.

I'm a regular Western mother trying to do my best with bringing up my son, with what he and I need to sustain a happy life, not exist but to live!

As well as having enough time and energy for myself of course! seemed a far out dream.

Like most, by the time you reach your early 30s, you have had ups and downs and have seen sad and bad times, but sometimes these times are the memories that tend to overtake and indulge my being

Not Healthy. Not Nice. Not a place I like to be in... 

When I read the Dalai Lama was paying my town a visit due to the violence that we had seen through last years riots. It was an opportunity that I saw to pay a personal respect to a man whose wise words have got me through some lonely times.

It has taken me three weeks to get this blog together as I received so much information I wanted time to digest what I had heard and a read over the weekend.


It is hard to put down in a sensible way; so I have chosen to use a header and some basic suggestions around such topic.
I attended the public interaction, Buddhism in the Western World and Buddhism and Psychotherapy talk.
The public talk I shall cover in this blog, but will touch upon the other two in blogs of their own.
Sat was family day and many youngsters visited from schools around the borough who performed and awards were given to some inspirational young people for the work they have provided in the community.
The atmosphere here was electric! such a good feel to the place.


Sunday was the start of the big talks and lectures.

In my heart of being the ''eternal student'', I came equipped with notepad and pen to take notes, it is these notes that I will be working from in this blog.
The event started with an introduction by comedian Russel Brand, who introduced the Dalai Lama to the stage, it was clearly apparent that this man is as happy as he is wise.

I seriously think it would be hard to find someone with no political angst towards him fail to be charmed as I have never seen anyone smiling and laughing as much as he did...
 He doesn't take himself seriously and was joking along all the way...

The local Tibetan community put on some traditional songs and dances.
It started with a song about the Himalayas and the land below which is used for farming and was sung to insight a good farming year.
The instruments were beautifully sounding, there was four Tibetan Loots, hammered dulcimer and bells. Percussion and beat was created by the dancing and stamping of the feet.
Children from the community came on to perform a song they had put together for his visit. 
They were adorable, all dressed in traditional fineray, about a dozen four to six year olds, they did so well performing to 20,000 people and the Dalai Lama sat on stage with them.


Translations of the words were being streamed upon two huge screens at the side of the stage.

The Dalai Lama started his talks saying that whilst he was here; his thoughts were with the people of Greece and that of the international Environmental meetings that were taking place around the globe.

He then went on to address that it was indeed Fathers Day, but he prefers mothers day.

Mothers are the nurturers.... Sharing stories of his own childhood, where his father was grumpy and would lay down the rules, but his mother was loving and caring.

He would ride on her back pretending she was a yak, and pull on her ears as to what direction he wanted her to go in.

How important that bond is, and the bond a mother has with a child, where he has seen total sacrifice for her children.

Human and animals alike-

We are one.

We're all social animals,

We like positive atmospheres, honesty, truthfulness, trust and confidence.

Humans have a biological factor of compassion but we need attachments, but we should aim for attachment on an un-bias level.

Through education and science, NOT religion or prayer, one can build and achieve these things to better oneself and the environment we live in.

Talks were about our hectic lifestyles and ecology and how with a few small and simple changes we all could make a greater impact for the better.

We should look at our health and mental state, and try to create a balance.

FEAR, ANGER, ANXIETY, eating away at our immune system so our body and mind can not achieve that important balance to live and enjoy our lives to the full in a non-selfish way.

CRISIS- Is it our own creation? man-made?, can we fix it with patience and working hard? does worry fix the problem?... NO. = Self torture.

Keep calm on an environmental level, we will experience emotions, but the mind and body should be thought of like the sea.

On the top we can see the waves, the waves represent emotion and impulse, but deep down there is calm, it is this calm that we should try to channel before acting or saying something we may later regret.

Nine times failure = Nine times effort... I liked this saying as we fail each time, we learn a little more for next and so on, till we succeed.

He shared ideas on how we can become better parents: Patience and sacrifice of our time and possessions for our children.

Showing affection and not being TOO KIND....

Something with the increasing shops that sell everything can become a lot easier for the parent on the shopping trip to give in to the ''I want''.

Grief: How we feel helpless and it creates an instant worry and inner stress, however sad we are will not change the situation.

Mindfulness; would the person you are grieving for want you to be going through so much sadness?

There is no solution to grief, so there is no point in being overwhelmed by it.
Look from a distance; It's sad... It's bad... but you're okay.

AND... he pointed out he has no healing powers or anything special, if he gets a rash, he sees a doctor, so if you are overwhelmed then seek a psychological specialist.

Karma- Good karma is created by ACTION. Blessing is only a form of word which means zero.

Basic human qualities is best blessing of all, Education is important NOT religion.

Education must include moral ethics, imprint from the bad experiences then use our intelligence, there is no use in keeping inner bad feelings.

That only HURTS OURSELVES.

Happiness: Is a sensory experience hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, feeling.
What one action takes in so many of our senses??

SEX of course!!

we shouldn't have hang ups about our sensuality.

Fate: Reduce our self centred attitude and negative emotions as if we don't we can become week in mind and body.
We shouldn't seek to change what is natural about ourselves.

Man and Woman- Spiritually there are no differences.

But it's proven that Females are more sensitive to emotional pain as we take a more active roll in caring as naturally we hold more compassion.

These are just a few things which really jumped out at me at this talk but at the very end of the question and answer session someone asked about whether he remembers any past lives?

Something I'm sure many are/would be interested in.

So he talked of the fact that they knew he was to become the Dalai Lama at the age of two.
The things that he talked about and could cite were not the normal thoughts and conversations of a two year old child.

Some of these things were to believed as ''past lives''.


But these are not important.

He is he, and he should be meaningful in HIS life, not past ones!!

As experience and thought develop those thoughts he once had as a young child soon get replaced with the present, as it should be.

He has never experienced visions or anything like this.

So is probably the least interesting Dalai Lama in regards to Buddha.

But he is sure he's the NUMBER ONE in POPULARITY!!

That's one thing I certainly do not doubt.