Movies that I saw in April and May

1. The smurfs (6/10)
2. Love in the afternoon (7.5/10)
3. Deuce Bigalow: European Gigalo (7/10)
4. Idiocracy (8/10)
5. The nanny diaries (8.5/10)
6. Wish upon a star (7/10)
7. Wedding crashers (8/10)
8. Woodstock (9/10)
9. Mama (6/10)
10. Fame (5/10)
11. Funny Girl (6/10)
12. My fair lady (7/10)
13. Sweeny Todd (8/10)
14. Roman Holiday (9.5/10)
15. The way we were (6/10)
16. The shining (7/10)
17. Wait until dark (8/10)

Where have I been???

As you may or may not have noticed, the blog has been a little bit empty this month. So this blog post is to inform you where the hell I have been and what is going on in my life.

Hair loss

Let's start with my hair. Since August of last year I have lost a great amount of hair. At first I thought it was because I wasn't eating meat so I increased my vitamin supplement intake. (I now take Vitamin B; zinc; flax seed oil; Iron). But a couple of months went by and nothing improved. I then decided to start using a lower sulphate shampoo and conditioner, but nothing improved. Then I thought to go to the doctor, she wasn't my usual doctor but a substitute wouldn't hurt me. I told her that I wanted to go back on birth control since I figured  that maybe my oestrogen levels were low. she then prescribed me Qlaira which was different to the Yaz that I was on previously, nothing improved but I was on it for 3 months. Then, in April I decided to go back to my doctor (this time I made sure that it was my normal GP) and he did blood tests for my iron, thyroid, testosterone, calcium and liver. the following day he phoned me and told me that I was testosterone deficient. So now every day I use a cream and he also put me back on Yaz. I have noticed a HUGE difference in my hair ever since.

New hair, new me

So after that whole debacle about the hair loss I decided to cut and donate my hair to charity. my hair was really long but also quite thin. last minute I also decided to permanently colour my hair for the first time. I feel more myself these days with my new hair.

Death and Conflicts

Last week we got some unsettling news... my mom's Yorkie puppy past away. I grieved a lot, he was so tiny and healthy the one day and the next he was sick and having seizures. The vet said that he had Hepatitis C and died there at the vet. I personally believe that there was some inbreeding involved. Then the following day my gran's cat died. So last week was just the week for deaths.

I also got into a conflict with my boss, at the crèche I work at, who told me that my mother's day cards were horrible. I worked 3 fucking hours on those cards. I might quit that job, the reason will be in the next paragraph below.

Vomiting and stomach pain

So the 3rd of May, I started vomiting and having severe stomach ache, after I eat. That went for about a week and a half until my mom couldn't take it anymore and said that I have to go to the doctor. I then found out that I have a peptic ulcer from stressing so much. Well, who wouldn't with three jobs plus studying to do. All he gave me was antacids and Urbanol which helps treat anxiety. I also have to give up spicy foods, caffeine, citrus foods, and fried food. How am I going to live without coffee?????????

Anyways, blogs will be back up and running from my side as from today. I also will not be doing weekly weigh-ins anymore due to all the extra hormones anymore. I will, however, do a weigh-in after each workout programme. Enjoy your weekend x

Heather McIntosh

Book Challenge (quickie) update

1. Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (book 30): 9.5/10
2. Dash and Lilly's Book of dares (book 31): 6/10
3. Mila 2.0 (book 32): 4/10
4. The storyteller (Book 33): 10/10
5. Delirium (book 34): 8/10
6. Plague zone (book 35): 3/10
7. Gimme a call (book 36): 9/10
8. Nights in Rodanthe (book 37): 7/10
9. Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (book 38): 6/10

My battle in being an all-rounded student

Before the start of the university year, I envisioned how my “varsity experience” would be. I had made an elaborate list of the student societies I would join, among those being a member of the campus newspaper and the singing ensemble. I had planned to maintain an above average GPA, while having a vibrant social life. My social life would be spent having intellectual debates on politics, religion, and philosophy over glasses of wine, while exploring what our new city-like surroundings had to offer for a small town girl like me. It would rather be like those portrayals of college in those Hollywood movies (minus the binging on excessive amounts of alcohol and maybe a little more PG rated).

I would depart from my usual tendencies of allowing my life to revolve around my academics alone. Throughout my high-school career, I had enough of the complaints from my friends, and yes, even my own very academic parents on how I needed to “take things easy” and chill. Which in a way they were justified in their concerns, considering the amount of sleep I got (or rather did not get).

Sadly, I find myself in the same predicament this year. Not that I spend all my time studying, but let us just say the whole “ balancing act” thing has not been working as planned. Yes, I do try! Yet it seems I still get the “you’re working too hard” remarks from family and friends, the latest being a text I received this morning from my dear aunt:

“I hope you’re having some fun too missy. Life isn’t all about tests and exams”.

However, text was not what first motivated me to write this post. Rather it was my little 12-year old sister’s remarks on my lack of a “life”. While she jokingly remarked on my social awkwardness, she concluded by saying:

“I bet you spend all your time at the library”.

 In other words, she was saying I do not have a life. (Unless you count watching re-runs of Glee during my spare time, with my politics textbook to keep me company.)

I protested trying to prove that my life was more than just books, books, and… more books. Not that I care what she or any I would do anything to not be another statistic of “college dropouts”.

I had been dwelling on how unsatisfied I was with the whole “varsity life”. I was happy with my grades, because I had put so many hours in them, but I really questioned how well rounded I was. I had not joined the campus newspaper, in fear I would not have enough time to immerse myself into my studies. I had not really gone out with my friends, or taken any part in the campus “life” per se.

 It was unlike high school, when I had a little more balance… I had class time, sports time, cultural activities and other duties to keep me busy. This time, I had nothing. It was the same monotonous routine off: get up, go to the library, get back home, and sleep.

That is not good enough. Do not get me wrong, I love my books and my academics always come first! Yet I feel I am closing myself to learning outside the library. A day not being on campus is like death: I have the nagging feeling I should be studying… 

As much as I hate to admit, my sister and all my loved ones do have a point: I need to take it easy and have a more balanced life.

 There is more to life/ varsity than the library.

P.S. I still maintain, the campus library is still one of the coolest places!

Imani Dlamini  

100 book challenge update- The Skinny Rules

The Skinny Rules by Bob Harper (book 28)

With so much conflicting weight-loss advice out there to confuse your efforts, it’s no wonder you haven’t been successful losing weight and keeping it off. But with Bob Harper, superstar trainer and co-host of NBC’s hit show The Biggest Loser as your personal authority and coach, you can and will finally shed the pounds—whether you want to lose two or two hundred!
 
Distilling Bob’s vast knowledge of nutrition, weight-loss strategy, and human nature down to twenty simple, nonnegotiable principles, The Skinny Rules will help you step away from a reliance on processed foods and the need for so much sweet and salt and step into a newly thin lifestyle. And Bob’s methods couldn't be more straightforward.
  
A virtual GPS to your weight-loss goals, The Skinny Rules takes the mystery out of the process, offering the fastest route to your skinny destination.

My Rating: 9/10

My Comment: I really loved this book. I think that Bob had some really good points. For a more in depth review, look out for my  Fit Thursday post where I will give you all the details of the book and how I will apply them to my own life.

100 book challenge (quickie) update

1. Never too far by Abbi Glines- book 18
2. The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern- book 19
3. Second Chance summer by Morgan Matson- book 20
4. Frostbite by Richelle Mead- book 21
5. The treachery of beautiful things by Ruth Long- book 22
6. Torment by Lauren Kate- book 23
7. The last Dragon slayer by Jasper FForde- book 24
8. Fallen by Lauren Kate- book 25
9. Scent of magic by Maria V Snyder- book 26
10. Legend by Marie Lu- book 27

Movies that I saw in March

Below I have compiled a list of movies that I saw in March:

1. Beverly hills chihuahua 1
2. Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2
3. Beverly hills Chihuahua 3
4. Almost famous
5. Silver linings playbook
6. Dazed and confused
7. Head of state
8. Driving miss daisy
9. This is 40
10. Madagascar 3
11. The silence of the lambs