Random Musings **

I was always the one used to rejections

When they all did not return my affection

But when we made a connection

For a change i did not experience dejection

But now All of this misery

Has sprung out of me

The Huge Tub of Ice- Cream

“I am enjoying a relationship with two men simultaneously. The first is called Ben, and the other, Jerry.”

-          Bridget Jones

Have you ever watched one of those cute yet cheesy romantic comedy movies where the usually female protagonist gets her heartbroken, and in order to soothe her pain she sits in front of the television with a huge tub of ice-cream. Usually this is a sign that she really couldn't care less that she is taking in a ton of calories, because who would care if she picked a couple pounds. She no longer has anyone to impress and she is hopeless. She is upset and the ice-cream is somehow “comforting” her broken heart...

This is an example of emotional eating. According to MedicineNet.com emotional eating is described as: the practice of consuming large quantities of food- usually “comfort” or junk foods- in response to feelings instead of hunger.

 The feelings we are responding may be hunger and even boredom, and for many students right now who writing their final exams the biggest culprit is stress.

And with exams come all-night cram sessions, sitting 3 hour papers, and coffee and of course the nasty anxiety and stress that comes along with them.

I have been there( I still am there): sneaking to the kitchen way past my bed time to devour a big bowl of cereal, or a toasted cheese sandwich. Chocolate is always there for us when we have had a bad day, and who cares if food does not actually solve our problems. It numbs the pain. And if you tend to be an emotional eater occasionally, maybe it would help to try some foods that might be just as comforting but with half the calories!

So instead of the tub of ice-creams try these snacks instead:

Frozen Yogurt

Plain/ Flavored Yogurt

Sorbet

Homemade Ice Lolly

Dark Chocolate

Coffee

Air-popped popcorn

Fruit salad

High- fibre cereal

Fruits

Almonds

There are so many other foods you can try whenever you feel like you’re in a slump. The most important thing is to put healthy nutritious foods inside your body, and it will make you improve the way you handle situations. If you’re going to overindulge by eating junk food because you’re having a stressful day, you are only shooting yourself in the foot.

You are not dealing with the challenges you are facing, in fact you are creating more problems in the future because how many more “stressful” days are you going have?

Are you going to overindulge whenever you have a bad day?

If you’re going to overindulge, at least do it in a healthy and responsible way. Your body will thank you for it.

** Ben and Jerry’s is an ice-cream brand 

Imani Dlamini 

50 Shades Freed by EL James (*Spoiler Free*)

"Romantic, Liberating and totally addictive, the Fifty Shades triology will obsess you, possess you and stay with you for ever.
When Ana Steele first encountered the driven, damaged entrepreneur Christian Grey, it sparkled a sensual affair that changed both their lives irrevocably.
Ana always knew that loving her Fifty Shades would not be easy, and being together poses challenges neither of them had anticipated. Ana must learn to share Grey's opulent lifestyle withoout sacrificing her own integrity or independence; and Grey must overcome his compulsion to control and lay to rest the horrors that still haunt him.
Now, finally together, they have love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of infinite possibilities.
But just when it seems that they really do have it all, tragedy and fate combine to make Ana's worst nightmares come true..."

My Rating: 6/10

My Comment: I must admit that I was a little dissapointed with this novel. Yes, there was some more intense moments, but it was just too predictable.

What I wish I had known in high school

Last week marked the end of my high school career (unless you count final exams which I have yet to write) and the beginning of... not being a high-school student anymore.

As I was sitting in the school hall for the last time as a high school pupil during our Valediction ceremony, I thought to myself how strange it felt singing the school song for the last time.  The past week had been a series of lasts: from the last grueling maths class to the last Inter-house Sports event where we would show the other schools our proud school spirit by cheering on our teammates. I could go on about the last couple weeks, but I got thinking about what I had learnt over the last couple of years. So I decided to compile a list of the few lessons I had gathered over the years (in no particular order of importance):

A bad grade on a test (or a couple) is not the end of the world

I am sure we have all received a not-so-great mark on a test or assignment. Its part of being a student and believe it or not, not even the smartest kids in class are immune to this ill fate. It’s a Monday morning and you studied your butt off (or you did not but you just thought with your superhuman powers you would find a way to "get by") for this History test on the Civil War.

 It counts a huge amount towards your grade average and you just have to be consistent. Your grin fades when it is a fail or not-so-great mark. You begin to cry (true story, I sometimes wished I was a slacker who didn’t care about their grades).

 Ladies and Gentleman, it is now the end of the world.

Not really. A bad grade or a couple bad grades( I have had my fair share) does not mark the end of the world, whether you are in grade 8 or even grade 12. You’re a student so just like everyone else you are not expected to know everything or be perfect. That one bad grade on a test won’t necessarily shut down your chances of studying at Princeton and working for the United Nations. You just need to keep learning until you fully understand the material.

 As cliché as this may sound, all that really matters is that you tried your best J

Not everyone has to like you (and that is okay)

Throughout high school I have managed to steer clear of the feuds or drama that is part of being in high school (OK, that is a lie). It came to my realization that that girl who always smiled at me in the corridors secretly wanted my blood (OK that is another lie).

It all started when I was elected Captain of the Netball Team in grade 11.  It was a toss up between me and Hilary* and I honestly did not care who was elected. I had never been given a leadership role before, and I knew how desperately Hilary wanted to be Captain.

It turned out that I ended up becoming Captain and she became Vice- Captain. She did not hide her disappointment. And her best friend did not hide her disappointment either. I could understand it, until hurtful things about me circulated, Hilary became cold, and words of how I did not deserve to be captain were spoken. Initially I was hurt. I felt betrayed that somebody was not happy for me (as self-centered as it may sound).

 But I got over it. Not everybody is going to be happy for you and you are always going to face criticism at some point. But you just have to keep doing what you were called to do and work as team personal feelings aside.

When teachers say: don’t leave this till last minute, please take their word for it

I feel like I don’t need to explain this one. We have all been assigned projects 2 months in advance, but for some reason we believe with our so-called Ninja skills we can produce a decent project in one day. Not all of us are capable of doing that. But the majority of us procrastinators are( myself included).

 I read somewhere that immediate gratification was more motivating than let’s say a reward that would only be attained in the long term. In this case the reward would be a completed assignment. Completing an assignment minutes before it is due is satisfying: you have proved the teacher wrong by completing it in a small amount of time. The stress and anxiety attached is just not worth it.

Sometimes we do underestimate the work given to us and the night before we realize how we have just dug a hole for ourselves. The project is more complex than it looks. My point is when you get an assignment, just start. You will save yourself so much anxiety (and coffee).

Never swallow more than you can chew

A friend of mine teasingly remarked that I was an overachiever. You know those annoying kids who join every club or society the school offers? Yeah. When I started high school, I joined as many clubs and societies I could, and I also threw in a couple sports too. Mostly because I was curious and I must have had a lot of time on my hands. I feel it is important to be exposed to different activities, be open-minded to trying something new.

But as the years progressed, academics got tougher and my time became more and more limited (and so did the amount of sleep I was getting). It seemed like I had too much to do, and I became incredibly stressed out. And as much as I enjoyed the clubs and societies I had signed up for, I felt like I was drowning in school work. Every day I had some meeting to attend, some rehearsal or a match to play in. So in my final year of high school I decided to truly focus on the activities that were meaningful to me. It was hard giving up a few sports, but you cannot be at two places at once.

Lesson: Make sure when choosing how you decide to spend your time, you are still leaving room for sleep and other things you need to function which brings me another thing...

Getting 2 hours of sleep in not wise

This is a no-brainer. It is common knowledge that sleep is extremely important, especially if you are student. And pulling an all-nighter to cram for that Biology test or complete that project is not wise.

Yes, life does happen. You may have been sick and unable to do any school work for days, or your invention for the Science fair may have turned out to be an epic fail (true story and to be quite honest those are more genuine than the dog eating the homework story).

 But sacrificing sleep for good grades is one of those things that seems like a good idea (and it may be for that particular class) but you shall suffer.

I am not going to go into details but the point is the next day you feel pretty terrible. What your teacher says goes in one ear and out the other...

Imani Dlamini

** Names have been changed.

Popcorn Bites: Cop Out (2010) (*Spoiler Free*)

 

Directed by: Kevin Smith

Starring: Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Juan Carlos Hernandez

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime

IMBD Synopsis: "A comedy about a veteran NYPD cop whose rare baseball card is stolen. Since it's his only hope to pay for his daughter's upcoming wedding, he recruits his partner to track down the thief, a memorabilia-obsessed gangster."

My rating: 6/10

My Comment: I honestly don't know what to say about this film, other than the fact I love Tracy Morgan in 30 Rock and I loved his character in this film. This film was a fifty fifty for me, nothing too special.

Fit Thursday: Halloween Workout Special

I am not a personal trainer, nor am I a fitness expert. And everything I post on Fit Thursday is through my own experiences.

Halloween has got to be one of my favourite holidays. And usually I'll dress up and give candy to trick or treaters then have a horror movie marathon. But unfortunatly this year I have to stay in and study (sob).
Below I have designed a workout for those that want to tone up for halloween, do three or more sets and do this workout everyday with an hour long cardio workout on the days in between. It is not necessary to use dumbbells in this workout, as long as you concract your muscles. All you'll need is a stopwatch or watch to keep track of time.
This workout does not include a stretch or cool down.

1. Warm up: Jog in place for 5 minutes. Do do any other form of cardio for a five minute warm up.
2. Spider standing side crunch: Stand with your feet hip width apart. Put your right hand behind your head and put your left hand on your hip. Move your hand behind your head down to meet your lifting knee. Do 30 seconds on each side.
3. Frankenstein's Dead Lift with Bicep curl: Keep standing with your feet hip width apart and keep your arms in front of you with your shoulders relaxed. Bend slowly at the hips and then come back up slowly. Once back up to standing, squeeze your glutes and give one slow bicep curl. Complete for one minute.
4. Flying Bat: Stay seated in a chair. Place your arms in front of you as if you're hugging a tree, slowly open your arms up, until your arms are in line with your shoulders and then move them back to hugging a tree. Complete for one minute
5. Witch flying broom: Lie flat on your stomach. Slowly lift up your ams and legs and then bring them back down. Complete for one minute
6. Dracula Squats: Do a regular squat (make sure your knees stay above your ankles). Once you've come up, raise up on your tippy toes with your arms straight above your head and bend your wrists to make as if you're scary. Then slowly reeturn to a regular squat. Complete for one minute.
7. Ghost Bicycle: Lie flat on your back with a constant contraction in your stomach. Move your legs in the air as if you're riding a bike. Complete for one minute
8. Jet packs: Stand with your legs hip width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend at the wasit, and place your arms on your hips with your elbows bent towards the back. Keep your elbow in place as you move your lower arm (Upper arm static) to straighten at the back. Complete for 1 minute.
9. Creepy Crawlies: Start standing. Slowly bend down till you reach the floor. Walk your hand out until you are in a plank position, do one push up and then return to standing. Complete for one minute.
10. Sneaky Lunges: Like a Regular lunge but on your toes. You can decide if you want to complete this as walking lunges or alternating lunges. Complete for one minute

50 Shades Darker by EL James (*Spoiler Free*)

"Romantic, liberating and totally addictive, the fifty shades trilogy will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever...

Daunted by the dark secrets of the tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Ana Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a US publishing house. But desire for Grey still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, she cannot resist. Soon she is learning more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades than she ever thought possible. But while Grey wrestles with his inner demons, Ana must make the most important decision of her life. And it's a decision she can only make on her own."

My rating: 8/10

My comment: This book was so much more intriguing than the first. I loved learning about Christian's history. The emotions in this book was so much more powerful. I especially loved the cliff-hanger at the end. I am looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy. :D

Stranger than fiction (2006) (**spoiler free**)

Directed by: Marc Foster

Starring: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

IMBD synopsis: ''Everybody knows that your life is a story. But what if a story was your life? Harold Crick is your average IRS agent: monotonous, boring, and repetitive. But one day this all changes when Harold begins to hear an author inside his head narrating his life. The narrator it is extraordinarily accurate, and Harold recognizes the voice as an esteemed author he saw on TV. But when the narration reveals that he is going to die, Harold must find the author of the story, and ultimately his life, to convince her to change the ending of the story before it is too late.''

My rating: 7.5/10

My comment: I haven't seen an Indie movie this good since "Whip It". Will Ferrell is one of my favourite comedy actors and seeing him in this type of role was different and exciting. This movie has an all-star cast, and you'll also get to see appearances by Queen Latifah (Chicago), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Secretary) and Tony Hale (from one of my all time favourite TV series, Arrested Development). This movie will have you in tears, both from laughter and sadness.

Book Club Tuesday: Lola and The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

"In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think.

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn't believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expensive the outfit- more sparkly, more fun, more wild- the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous, she's a devoted daughter and a friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighbourhood.

When Cricket- a gifted inventor- steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door."

My rating: 8/10

My Comment: I have watched many reviews on youtube about this novel and abouth the companion novel. I still have plans to read "Anna and the French Kiss" in a couple of weeks. It was nice taking a break from adult and classics books by reading a Young Adult novel for a change, a great book for lazy summer afternoons.

Hugo (2011) (**Spoiler Free**)

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz and Christopher Lee

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family

IMBD Synopsis: Hugo is an orphan boy living in the walls of a train station in 1930s Paris. He learned to fix clocks and other gadgets from his father and uncle which he puts to use keeping the train station clocks running. The only thing that he has left that connects him to his dead father is an automaton (mechanical man) that doesn't work without a special key which Hugo needs to find to unlock the secret he believes it contains. On his adventures, he meets with a shopkeeper, George Melies, who works in the train station and his adventure-seeking god-daughter. Hugo finds that they have a surprising connection to his father and the automaton, and he discovers it unlocks some memories the old man has buried inside regarding his past.

My rating: 5.5/10

My Comment: I have said this before and I'll say this again. I'm not a fan of sci-fi or fantasy movies (except Harry Potter). I have to commend British movies on one thing, though., and that is their great attention to detail. Next time watch a British movie and then an American movie straight afterwards and you'll see what I mean. It was nice seeing Sacha Baron Carter playing a role that isn't too crazy like Bruno and The Dictator.

Healthy Snack substitutes

When I first started eating healthy, one of the hardest things that I had to adapt to was snack substitutes. I bellow i have provided a list with categories: Crunchy and Sweet

Crunchy

1. Veggies (such as carrot sicks and celery; you can combine them with cottage cheese, hummus or peanut butter)
2. Popcorn (lightly salted)
3. Whole grain pretzels

Sweet

1. Cereal bars
2. Fruit
3. Dark Chocolate

If I am have deathly cravings (usually for chocolate) I always make some herbal tea or (if its still morning) a cup of black coffee.

My top 5 musical movies

Number 5.

Mamma Mia (2008)

Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd
Starring: Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan
IMBD rating: 6.3
IMBD Synopsis:The story of a bride-to-be trying to find her real father told using hit songs by the popular '70s group ABBA.
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Number 4.

Moulin Rouge!(2000)

Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo
IMBD rating: 7.6
IMBD Synopsis:A poet falls for a beautiful courtesan whom a jealous duke covets in this stylish musical, with music drawn from familiar 20th century sources.
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Number 3.

Singin' in the rain (1952)

Directed by: Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly
Starring: Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds
IMBD rating: 8.4
IMBD Synopsis:A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.
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Number 2.

Chicago (2002)

Directed by: Rob Marshall
Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere
IMBD rating: 7.1
IMBD Synopsis:Murderesses Velma Kelly (a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together) and Roxie Hart (who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn't going to make her a star) find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago.
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Number 1.

Funny Face (1957)

Directed by: Stanley Donen
Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Kay Tompson
IMBD rating: 7
IMBD Synopsis:Fashion photographer Dick Avery, in search for an intellectual backdrop for an air-headed model, expropriates a Greenwich Village bookstore. When the photo session is over the store is left in a shambles, much to salesgirl Jo Stockton's dismay. Avery stays behind to help her clean up. Later, he examines the photos taken there and sees Jo in the background of one shot. He is intrigued by her unique appearance, as is Maggie Prescott, the editor of a leading fashion magazine. They offer Jo a modeling contract, which she reluctantly accepts only because it includes a trip to Paris. Eventually, her snobbish attitude toward the job softens, and Jo begins to enjoy the work and the company of her handsome photographer

50 shades of grey by EL James (**Minor Spoilers **)

"Romantic, liberating and totally addictive, Fifty Shades of Grey is a novel that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

When literature student Anastasia Steele interviews successful entrepreneur Chrsitian Grey, she finds him very attractive and deeply intimidating. Convinced that their meeting wnet badly, she tries to put him out of her mind-until he turns up at the store where she works part-time, and invites her out.

Unworldly and innocent, Ana is shocked to find she wants this man. And, when he warns her to keep her distance, it only makes her want him more.

But Grey is tormented by inner demons, and consumed by the need to control. As they embark on a passionate love affair, Ana discovers more about her own desires, as well as the dark secrets Grey keeps hidden away from public view..."

My Rating: 7/10

My comment: Wow. What can I say? It wasn't anything like I've read before. This book was so compelling and addictive (just as described in the book description). I had actually first started reading the book in August 2012, until my sister made a comment (while I was reading it next to her in the car) that only perverts would want to read that book. The last week I started reading it again with my friend and finally finished it. As a virgin I wasn't intimidated by reading the sex scenes and the details they had. I was more intimidated by the fact that Ana was so in love with a guy that just wanted to hurt her. I admire the author's unique style of writing, though, and I'm looking forward to reading 50 shades darker. ;)

-Heather McIntosh