Sad Thought

I remember a time when gorgeous craft supplies weren't so easily accessible, but it's quite trendy now.
... I feel sad thinking that maybe it will go out of fashion, and I won't be able to get things in the future. I also see lots of fantastic things right now that of course won't be in fashion in the future- scrapbooking paper designs. :( But I can't afford them now, and even if I could I think I'd still want more in the future.

Sad Thought

Sad Thought... in the future there'll be very few photos of the 2000s... because they were all just kept online and never printed.

My Weight Loss 'Secrets'

In 2008, I went from 69 kgs to 55 kgs. I am very short, so this was a huge difference. I felt really proud of myself.

People asked me 'how did I do it?'

Here are my 'secrets'.

1. Eat stuff you like.
Yep. I'm serious. Don't waste calories eating stuff you don't like or don't really want, out of politeness. Learn to say 'oh that looks lovely but I'm not really hungry right now' when offered biscuits, cakes, or even a giant steak. And don't just eat random junk because you're a bit peckish. How much do you REALLY like those chips? Really? Wouldn't it be better to eat some cherry tomatoes right now, that you actually enjoy and are better for you? Or eat nothing?

2. Don't feel bad about eating. Just eat in moderation.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eszter/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

There's no food that's really bad- it's just bad in certain quantities. You like chocolate? Eat two squares instead of 2 rows. Then put it away. You've had your chocolate pieces for today! Full? Stop eating that meal and put it away for lunch tomorrow. Want dessert? Go for it. Just don't eat five scoops of icecream. This way you don't 'miss out'. Don't feel you have to live a life just eating vegetables and nothing else. This is what put me off originally. It depressed me.




3. Save foods- understand it'll most likely be there for you tomorrow too.

I think I got a big possessive about my foods, I was thinking if I don't eat it now, it'll be ruined tomorrow, or eaten by someone else! Just because I don't eat it *now* doesn't mean I can never eat more of it again ever, even if it is ruined tomorrow- I'm full now, and had enough now. It doesn't matter if other people have had more. So, make use of doggy bags, of gladwrap, fridges, freezers, and leftovers for lunch. And that chocolate will still be there the next day.

4. Eat frequently but little.

This way your metabolism can keep fuelled, and you don't feel hungry. By 'frequently', I was eating a little every two hours. This totally stuffed up when I went back to uni though, this year. :(

5. Gum.

Chewing something sweet actually convinces my body that I've just had some sort of tasty snack- but it's very very few calories.

6. Know calories.

Understand how calories and metabolism work. You don't just need to eat less than what you're eating now, if you're already eating way too much for your body size- that's still gaining weight, just less quickly. And understand that the fitter you are, the faster your body processes energy. I figured out how many calories my body actually needs. I ate about that, and then did more exercise every day. It was also illuminating to find out how many calories are in different foods. When I was in my first degree at uni I'd often eat two packets of dried noodles for lunch. I found out in 2007 that those noodles are about 400 calories or more a packet- I could certainly not afford to eat 800 calories just for lunch! Finding out some of the foods has now put me off those foods for life, and I don't even miss them.
Some people get too stressed about calorie counting- my mother for one. But if you don't have at least a vague awareness of it, I think that you're less likely to be successful.

7. Drink water

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorispindler/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

This hydrates you, which does all sorts of wonderful things for your body and metabolism, makes it easier to exercise (at least it did for me!) and also, most of the time when your body is saying it's a little peckish, it's actually thirsty. I'm really bad at remembering to drink water- it could be good to get into a habit (like I did) of tallying how much water you drink a day.

8. Food/drink diaries
Just for a few weeks, write down what you ate that day. Perhaps get a trusted friend to look at it. Just knowing that a friend will look at it, in combination with a promise to yourself not to cheat, can make you moderate what you eat, and how much water you drink.

9. Diet soft drinks and other low calorie options.

I don't feel like drinking my calorie intakes. So yep, 'diet coke, and a pizza please', if the pizza can fit in for that day. Coke has a lot more calories than you realise.

10. Home Made Foods
Home made pizza is soooo much better for you than pizza from Pizza Hut. And if you have my boyfriend's recipe, you'd be drooling. It also doesn't take that long to cook!

11. Find an exercise you like

http://www.flickr.com/photos/procrasti-nate/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Not me.



I can't stress this enough. In late 2007, I took up ballroom and latin dancing with a group of friends. Decided I'd take the plunge and learn, I'd always been interested. That then moved to some of us taking up swing dancing, which I still do today, slowly rising through the ranks of abilities. I LOVE it. I love that I get to dress up, get to chat to all sorts of different people, that I'm feeling far more coordinated and less clumsy in day to day life, that it's all vintagey and feels wonderfully old fashioned that I can go out dancing with my friends and not have it involve alcohol and loud music, that I feel good and happy doing it, that I can help newbies out, and I'm proud of my abilities. I could have just gone walking on the treadmill alone.
Find an activity that suits YOU. You need to combine healthy eating with exercise- make it something you're NOT going to resent and put off. Don't just hit the gym, unless that is the activity that suits you.

12. Put signs up.

I put signs up saying "Do you really want these biscuits?"
"Are you really actually hungry? Drink some water".
It only works as long as the signs are 'fresh', but it does work.

13. Stress/willpower

Sadly, I think one of the things that made me lose weight was stress. It gave me more willpower somehow. Don't do that if you can avoid it. But I thought I'd be honest. Willpower however is important- people say 'oh, I couldn't possibly lose weight!'
But they CAN! If they have the willpower. (Well, 99% of people who say that could if they wanted to. But perhaps not with their current mental state).



11. Have a goal.

I wanted to be able to fit into pretty dresses. I also wanted to win a weightloss competition. It was fun competing against my friends, and also having a goal to work towards.

12. Go do things

Don't just sit around at home. Get hobbies. Go out walking. Walk to the shops. Get a 'life'. (not just a job). You're moving around more if you do, and are distracted from thoughts of food.

13. Don't be afraid that you're too fat to be seen.

You're not too fat to dance. Too fat to swim. Too fat to go to the gym. Too fat to find love. Too fat to do anything at all, unless I suppose you're housebound but even then you could dance with just your arms!
"Ugh, no one wants to see me in bathers"- you're not THERE to be seen. You're there to swim and have fun. "No one can dance with me, I'm so big". Well, I know two very large girls in my dance classes, and a few very large guys- it's no big deal. And we're not doing lifts anyway, you don't until you get muuuuuuch better than I might ever be.
If people laugh at you for being in your bathers, that is THEIR problem- you are out, getting exercise, doing what you want to do and having a fun time doing it. Force yourself into some self confidence, and go out and do it all.



A sad note though: I've gained weight back, because of university- university meant I was sitting still for longer, couldn't see friends as often, eating less frequently and worse foods, had to sit around and read and write a lot at home, and so on. I'll be trying to follow my own rules again from now on.

Eco Friendly Lifestyle- Guest Post

This is a guest post from Frugal Mom in MA. AKA, ShabbyChic72



I am just your ordinary thirty-something stay at home mom who tries to make an effort each day at living an eco-friendly lifestyle. One of my biggest attributes ( at least I consider it to be one!) is that I am frugal. There is a distinction between being cheap and being frugal. I prefer to reuse, reduce and reycle! And from this comes my love of all things vintage! I believe things were forty or fifty years ago were better quality and back then people were eco-friendly before things changed.

One of my favorite things to do is to shop at thrift stores and yard sales. I find beautiful cloth napkins that make me feel like I am dining in a five-star restaurant when I use them at home. The other option is to use paper napkins and feel like your are eating at your local fast-food restaurant and killing trees! Vintage napkins are eco-friendly, cost effective AND beautiful!

Another love of mine is Pyrex. The beautiful designs from decades ago that our moms had when we were growing up. Before microwaves and plastic covers were invented! And the best part is you can find them at yard sales and thrift stores! They are inexpensive, beautiful AND they have glass lids so you don’t have to worry about chemicals being released into your food!

And like many women, I love, love, love jewelry and purses! I love it when I stumble across a beautiful purse or piece of jewelry from years ago. What a hidden treasure! It is usually inexpensive and I am reusing and recycling, so how can my husband complain?

I am a coffee and tea drinker. Over the years I have found many beautiful vintage teacups and tablecloths at yard sales and thrift stores. I am a bit of a girly-girl, and I have two daughters, so to me this is fun to be able to have my tea in fine china and a fancy tablecloth! I don’t need the Queen of England to invite me for tea, I can feel special right at home and know that I am recycling and at little to no cost!

Maybe thrift store and yard sale hunting is not for everyone, but at least it is my passion and my conscious effort to having an eco-friendly lifestyle! This is also why I started shabbychic72, my online vintage store at etsy.com. Hopefully others will find the beauty and benefits of all things vintage!


Photo by

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicestalan/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

Happy New Decade!

In this time of New Year, I hope that you are happy and safe, and have plans to improve your life for the next year, if you are happy and safe or not.

Last night I reconnected with some of my old friends, and I had a fantastic night over at a friend's house, playing pool, dangling our feet in the spa, eating, playing boardgames and wii, and playing with sparklers and bubble blowing and the dog. It was warm, and we were in tshirts, bare feet and half of us in board shorts. We saw my friend's ultrasound images. We ate a home made icecream cake. Our night was simple and wonderful. We didn't see fireworks. We didn't get drunk. We didn't go out to some huge party. We didn't dress up. We did have a great time, and though we do like fireworks, we also just like being ourselves.

I've not had time to think about my resolutions yet, but I am resolved that this year will be full of adventures and development and achievements. I had a great 2009, learning many new things, finding a boyfriend, going back to university, getting over (more or less) depression and anxiety and perhaps a silly thing, but I've had a great time with my websites. I often freak out about all the things I didn't manage to do in a year, but this year I feel quite contented, even though there's that niggle that maybe I could have done more.

What are your New Year's thoughts?

Treadmill Time

That '15 lbs' that you gain (though of course I'd use kilograms!) when you go to university seems to be true. I was normal in High School, I assume because I was walking between classes, was carrying heavy bags, walking to the bus interchange after school and it was more acceptable to run around. I gained a LOT (... probably... hmn. 10 kilograms? A lot on my short frame) during the first year of uni and didn't really notice it until 2.5 years ago when I finished my degree. Then I put myself on a 'diet' (as in, just cut down how much crap I was eating.), started dancing, and did more walking on the treadmill. In a year, I lost 15 kilograms, it was crazy, I was as light as I was as a 14 year old!

Then I started up this education degree and ... yeahhhh. 7 kilograms gained back (still less than I was after my first degree). Boo. I just didn't have time to go out as much. Even though I was dancing 2 or 3 times a week, I was eating less healthily and not walking around as much in the home.

The past two or three months I've had insane homework and teaching time, so I've not been able to go to dancing as often. Also my Wednesday dancing ended forever. :(

I felt so unfit walking around in the Yorke Peninsula, when a year ago it would have been no problem (and until 3 months ago I could have easily danced for 2 hours non stop without a problem. Different muscle use I suppose.) I think I need a treadmill program. I would go out walking on the streets but unless I go late at night (with someone else, I think!) then it's too hot to go out.

Another motivation is that my boyfriend wants to travel more with me- backpacking. And he's more into adventure travel than I am. I'd be happy wandering around museums. But he wants to go on lots of walks as well as museums. And I suppose, if I were in a strange city I'd be wanting to walk around all day and it could be quite hilly.
I need to get myself fit again! I just walked 5 kms and I don't think that's a bad effort.

I want to put myself through some sort of program and see what happens with it. Got any to recommend, for someone who can't go outside right now?

Gobsmacked

At last year's Lobethal Lights, (see previous entry) we witnessed something that totally shocked us. My Mum, brother, his girlfriend and I were walking along the main road. There's a house there with a verandah, and it had these toys that were moving up and down on a mechanism, attached to 'parachutes' I think it was. All these different toys were clipped onto it. There were people all over the place even though it was dark.

Suddenly, a car pulled up. It was full of laughing teenagers. One jumped out and ran up onto the porch. I don't know what we were thinking, maybe that she lived there. She grabbed one of the toys, ripped it off of the clips that were holding it, and ran off back into the car.

We just stood there, totally shocked. Our minds had all gone to about five different assumptions before we realised what was going on, and by the time we had, it was too late for anything but my brother's girlfriend to call out something telling her off.

Sorry, Lobethal people, that we couldn't save your bear. :(

When have you been gobsmacked?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lapstrake/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Lobethal Lights and the Beach

This post contains random parts of my life, a date idea, and tourism in Adelaide ideas. Plus probably other stuff.


Yesterday was a hot day, almost 40 degrees, and my boyfriend and I decided to go to the beach- one of the many things on our Making The Holidays Great list we've made. We went to Semaphore Beach, which I highly recommend if you want a very safe swimming beach in the Adelaide area. We went with my pool noodles, were laughed at by a drunk/weird man who thought I was a boy (seems you're a boy if you're not in a bikini!) who said we looked as ridiculous as his three legged dog, and threw a ball for his dog. Drunk/weird but at least funny. The water was beautifully warm, and so we sat in probably waist deep water enjoying it for hours. We got out, and then went to get some chips with chicken salt and tartare sauce... mmm. Met some seagulls, felt sorry for another 'gimpy' one that was missing a foot, and fed that one 6 chips. The other seagulls were so angry with that seagull by the time we left- they actually came up and pecked it in the back of the head a couple of times! Whoops.

As we sat on our towel at the edge of the dunes, big black clouds were rolling in on the horizon. Instead of making a run for it, we decided we'd stay and watch, as huge bolts of lightening were shooting across the sky in the distance, and it was still warm. We stayed until it started to rain, but it didn't bother us as we were still in our bathers. I think we got the better deal than the people who ran home!

We then decided a bit randomly, that we'd drive up to see the Lobethal Lights. Lobethal is a town in the Adelaide Hills that has a huge reputation for its Christmas Lights on most of the houses. They get many thousands of tourists yearly. We're going to see their Pageant on Tuesday, but that gets so crowded we thought we'd get an early look in.


So, we made the 30 or so minute drive up through the twisting Hills roads through a short cut that my boyfriend knew of because he used to live there. We originally intended to just drive around, but we changed our mind and walked around, still embarrassingly dressed in bathers (though I'd put on a sarong and a tshirt) and with our hair looking like we never wash it. We explored many of the places that he used to hang out in as a child, even though it was dark. This whole thing was a lot more spontaneous than I usually do, and I greatly enjoyed it. We explored one of the Christmas markets they have, saw many lights, laughed at bogans, ate a boysenberry icecream, drooled over the pancakes that we couldn't afford as we'd only brought enough money for chips, and were rained on in a humid, huge drops, sort of way.



Then came home and played Sims3.

All in all a fantastic afternoon/evening/night out! :D

20 Ways Ordinary People Can Change The World Via The Internet

20 Ways Ordinary People Can Change the World Through the Internet

I was thinking the other day that ordinary people can do so much to change the world without even getting off their computer. So I wrote a list of ways.



1. Create a website that you think needs to be made, or help on someone else’s website.

2. Use websites such as freerice.org and raise money for charity while you play or view. Use bookcrossing.com and share the joy of seeing a book travel around the world. Search for other websites like that. Basically, have interesting and useful fun online.

3. Buy online from people who hand craft items if you can’t shop locally- support local/independent workers rather than corporations or factory machines. Etsy is good for this, but there are others. You’re paying for ethically made items, and for artisan made (often custom made!) items that take hours. You’re getting a bargain. Similarly, buy second hand online, or swap.

4. Link to great sites where you can. You’ll change the owner’s world, and if they really are great, you'll change the life of whoever now has a chance of seeing the link.

5. Comment on or talk about things that are important to you. There’s a lot of chatter on the internet, but the chatter could represent you and your opinions. One drop of water raises the sea. Don’t leave everything to other people and assume someone else will say it, if it really matters.

6. Protest.

7. If you like something you read on a website or a forum, tell them. Compliments can make people happy. There’s real people on the other end of the ‘series of tubes’ that make up the internet. People seem to only take the time to complain.

8. Make someone’s day.

9. Share your CPU cycles to cure diseases, study global warming or explore space. You’re not using your computer all the time, you might as well be part of a super computer system doing research.

10. Give advice. The internet is full of people needing help and advice or a shoulder to lean on temporarily. Or mentor someone.

11. Age does not matter on the internet- use that to your advantage.

12. Reach out to a friend or family member. So, it’s better to call or visit. But where that’s not possible, taking two minutes to send a message online is a very good alternative.

13. Write something profound- a blog entry, article, fanfiction, forum post, it doesn’t matter.

14. Interact with other cultures or thoughts or types of people. Both sides will learn something.

15. Add to the positivity in the world.

16. Find new friends, and then meet in real life with them if possible.

17. Use the internet to find ‘real life’ causes to help.

18. Study. You’ve got a wealth of information at your fingertips.

19. Research or learn better ways of living. If you change, the world changes slightly.

20. Think of other ways to add to this list, then do them.

Digg This List

Image from Flickr.

The Future

If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting.

A piece of advice that my friend has drummed into me (in the nicest way possible). What do you want, and how do you plan to go about getting it? Are you unhappy with how your life is now? Have you tried to change anything?