Dublin Pride 2010

Today I'm off to the Dublin Pride Parade 2010. I'm very excited about this parade for many reasons.

Colour & Festivities 

No one does a good show like a queer and I know the pinnacle of their week long festival will not disappoint. With the theme 'we are family too' I'm dying to see what weird and wonderful concepts, floats and costumes those in the gay community will come up with it.

My Little Brother 

Oisin, is the chairperson of the Dublin LGBTQ Pride Festival 2010 this year and I couldn't be prouder. The perfect, peaceful and prosperous manner in which this years Pride Festival has been conducted and run is a testament to his excellent organizational and leadership skills. He will definitely make a great Taoiseach one day; his life goal.

Photos, Photos everywhere! 

Recently I've been learning how to use an SLR camera; yes I know I am terribly behind the times but there is something exciting about having to wait and see what your pictures turn out like! I'll be bringing my new baby into town today to test out many of the cool features and hoping to snap some amazing pictures!!

If you're about and want some fun pop on down. The parade kicks off at 2pm from the Garden of Remembrance full details on the Dublin LGBTQ Pride Festival 2010 can be found here

It's my birthday!

I love birthdays! One day to totally spoil yourself and get spoilt! Everything can be paused and you only need concentrate on the good in your life! I love birthdays! Can't wait to wake up in the morning and for it all to start.

Happy Birthday Me!!

I have a lump.

Well several if I'm honest. Three that are causing the major concern.

I have to see a surgeon. 

A plastic surgeon; no not for the lipo or boob lift I one day thought possible but for an 'excision biopsy' on each of my lumps. 

I realise

That people have these types of procedures every day and for the most part they are fine. It doesn't stop me worrying though.

A week from today 

And I will meet with the surgeon. Am nervous and staying as positive as I can about this. I realise that the likes of skin cancer isn't as terrible as many other cancers out there and it isn't even the thoughts of cancer that scares me.

What scares me

Is that treatment might eliminate my already limited chances of having children and my appointment with the IVF Clinic is only weeks away. :(

I might be sick

Yesterday was such an awful day it some ways.

I had been worried about myself for a while but was convincing myself it was nothing at all. It didn't work. So I made a doctors appointment.

It didn't go so well. I'm not ready to share what it is yet but I have to collect a referral letter for a surgeon later.

I'm a little worried and upset.

Thank god for Crunchy Nut

Since being put on a wheat free diet there are many foods I'm not allowed; for most like bread and pasta there are terrific alternatives so I don't miss out much. Some of the foods I still do really miss are tuc crackers, sausages, onion rings, biscuits, cakes and a whole host of other things that are bad for me.

For the most part 

I do pretty well, especially when eating at home. I've only ventured to eat out a couple of times and will only go to dinner at friends who I know are conscientious of my diet requirements [for a long time many people thought this was a self imposed diet and not a medical requirement.] 

I had the most trouble with breakfast,

It's never been a meal I particularly liked. For many years I didn't eat it, but I realise how important it is for me to function and for my diet and weight loss. Because of my wheat free diet [and lack of interest in breakfast] I can never think of interesting foods to tantalize my taste buds in the morning. For the most part of I have porridge or toast; not terrible exciting starts to the day.

In the shops yesterday I broke down 

Looking at the variety of cereals on offer and listing the ones that I couldn't have. Of course there are Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes but they just don't do it for me. In utter frustration I stormed off to the milk when James came around the corner holding the 'holy grail'.

Thank crunchie its Friday! 

It his grasp was a box of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, healthy, tasty, yummy [nice ad] and most importantly WHEAT FREE!!  Am now off to relish in my new breakfast option!

Update TWO to Weight Loss: My Ugly Truth

Week Two is over 

And I am as surprised as the rest of your to report that I have lost MORE weight!I'll admit that this week I was brilliant with the auld exercising at all. I did focus on tummy crunches and thigh crunches [at least that's what I'm calling the thigh ones!]

The results 

I've lost a further 2.5 lbs AND a further inch lost total for this week of 4.5 inches of my body. 

My even 'newer' body stats

I am 5 foot 6 inches

I weigh 15 stone and 6 1/4 lbs [ 216 1/4 lbs] - Total weight loss = 4.5 lbs

I am 46 inches around my belly - Total inch loss = 1 inches

I am 39.5 inches under my breasts - Total inch loss = 1 inch

I am 46 inches around the hips - Total inch loss = 2 inch

My thighs are 26.5 inches - Total inch loss = 1 inches

My upper arms are 12.5 inches - Total inch loss = 2 inch

I feel fantastic! 

And shocked and surprised! In total from March, I have lost 1 stone, as of today! Most of that was due to the wheat free diet was on, but the last 4.5 lbs has been down to my healthy eating and exercise routine of the past two weeks.

Still to go

16.3 lbs, to be achieved by July 31st, 2010 - that's just a little under 3lbs a week - something I haven't achieved as yet but I'm still geared and focused to the goal!

Wish me luck!

Labour Nightmares and Packie Bonner = I'll make an awful mother!

Sex and the City 2

Bet you didn't see this post starting here; an unlikely beginning but its where me and all the girlies got together last night. [Yes I know we're about 2 weeks behind the rest of you but its the only date that suited us all!]

So SATC2 brings us all together, we laugh, we cry, we bawk, we crave and we leave the cinema...

Drink anyone?

We head to our local, pull up on stools and order the obligatory cocktails [mocktail for me - still thinking of the diet!] and of all things start to discuss labour [no not the political party] cause its exactly what you do, drinks in hand when you've just come out of SAT2, isn't it??

Perhaps I should clarify

One of our girlie group has just given birth [5 weeks ago], another is 3 months pregnant and one of the girls announced at the end of the show that she was 8 weeks pregnant ... so the line of conversation isn't to hard to imagine.

Moving to the point

We shock ourselves with weird and cruelly horrible labour stories, drink up and head home. My head hits the pillow and the fun really starts! I start to dream... or perhaps I should say, it starts as a dream and quickly turns to a nightmare...

I'm in labour...

In the dream, now obviously having never been in labour I make it up - one twisted, screwed up labour... the whole time my 'conscious' was bracing itself for the pain, that thankfully never came!

It's a boy!

Unnamed, we take our bundle of joy home. Well not to our home, the 'home' we have in this nightmare. In our 17 bedroomed mansion [I wish!] there isn't room for a Nursery so the baby sleeps downstairs, in the office, in a proper bed, which has been put on top of the desk!

A good nights sleep

I sleep like a baby, pun intended, and totally forget about my brand new off spring downstairs all night, as does my comatose hubby. Morning comes and I hear the baby roars, spring from the bed, head downstairs, roaring baby soaked.

There is not a nappy in sight!

Hand child to husband and go in search of nappies. Husband puts child on garden table. Baby falls off, bounces [yes my baby bounces] queue appearance of my mother.

'You're an awful mother, I can't believe you put your baby on the garden table and haven't changed or fed him!' [Both husband and mother then disappear!]

The ambulance is here
[as occurs from thin air in dreams]

In the form of my friend's little red peugeot, filled with all my friends from the SATC2 outing! We head to the hospital deciding on the way to call into my [dead] granddad's house for a cup of tea and a wee.

We take a wrong turn

And end up in a part of town we do not know and get lost. Urgency for hospital, thirst for tea and need to wee all gone.

Queue Packie Bonner

Who gives us directions and asks us to play football. WHY NOT?? Materialise football field and teams. Fight over cheer leading pom poms

FYI the baby disappeared

Probably just as well considering the mothering skills I displayed! Ps am free for any babysitting jobs! Enquire within.

I want a chocolate biscuit

Or two! GOD what I wouldn't give for a chocolate biscuit [or packet!]

Wrong on SO many levels. 

Not only would this hamper my wonderful weight loss efforts [3 lbs and counting this past week] but it would also feed my food addiction [not to mention the chocolate addiction] and I would never just be able to leave it at just 1 [or even 2] biscuits.

Also, it might just kill me.

Ok, that's a pure exaggeration. Though it would make me very, very ill, - damn wheat intolerance. SO not only can I not have a chocolate biscuit because it would ruin my diet, and my addiction control BUT its bad for my health... how can you argue with that?

Still not fair though!

Update to Weightloss: My Ugly Truth

Week one is over!

And I am still alive! I've even had a night out [and away], sneakily had 4 alcoholic drinks and still lost weight!! 

The results: 

I've lost 2 lbs and a total of 2.5 inches of my overall body! 

My NEW body stats:

I am 5 foot 6 inches

I weigh 15 stone and 8 3/4 lbs [ 218 3/4 lbs] - Total weight loss = 2 lbs

I am 47 inches around my belly - Total inch loss = 0 inches

I am 40 inches under my breasts - Total inch loss = 0.5 inches

I am 47 inches around the hips - Total inch loss = 1 inch

My thighs are 27.5 inches - Total inch loss = 0 inches

My upper arms are 14.5 inches - Total inch loss = 1 inch

Compare to my starting body stats here

I feel great

As I am sure you would! Its been a struggle at times; especially eating out last night. I really wanted steak but settled for the homemade burger and a hand full of chips and a very small spoon of cheesy potatoes. I'm getting into the knack of eating burgers without the buns and really much prefer it! Much less bloated [well obviously] then before - wheat is such an evil, evil ingredient!

I was worried 

About eating out in the restaurant, especially when it came to dessert; there were really NO wheat free options bar the fruit salad [what restaurant doesn't have ice cream?] so fruit salad it was and I felt better for it afterwards! That's not to say that I would have murdered the profiteroles or carrot cake but c'est le vie - and I am skinnier because of it!

Looking forward

To next weeks result already - here's hoping I'll be another 2 lbs lighter!! [If so that would make 1 Stone for me since March, when I first started the Wheat Free diet.]

The Big Diet Test!

Today is Day 6 

One day away from the official 'weigh in' and I'm going away for the night. Probably not such a good idea.

I want to enjoy myself 

But I also don't want to wreck all the hard work I've put in over this past week. It's mostly the alcohol portion of the evening I am worried about. I've known for a few months that this night was coming up, but somehow when I said last week that I would give up alcohol for the next two months I seemed to blank this coming outing. 

Not only is there my weight loss diet but... 

Tonight will be the first night I 'eat out' since starting my wheat free diet in March. I've been to a wedding, but that was fine because the kitchen had already been informed of my dietary requirements. Now I'm 'on my own' to decide what's safe to eat and what's healthy! I big deal for me.

I've never had a good relationship with food

Well I've never had a healthy relationship with food. Faced with the good and the bad option I would always go for the bad option - its just in my blood!

What will I do next... 

Be good or be bad? - will tonight throw me totally off my motivation... [I hope not.]

Is the female psychi screwed up, or is it just me?

In my efforts to lose weight I am trying to stay as active as I can during the day and evening.

I've discovered

That I snack ALOT while sitting in front of the TV, and often I'm not even hungry. I just associate watching TV with eating. So I'm watching less. I'm out in the garden alot, which is helped by the lovely weather and am cleaning alot which I hope is helping with the weight loss too.

I am getting frustrated

Though, not with the exercise or lack of eating or anything like that but with the fact that while I am 'active' my hubby is lounging about. It's my choice I know and it does seem mad to me to feel like this, but it irritates me when he is sitting there relaxing and I am running around the place.

Is the female psychi screwed up?

I know I am not the only one to react to such a situation in this way. BUT mine is without reason [in this instance]; well reasonable reason. I am chosing to stay active to achieve my end goal which is to lose weight and hopefully get pregnant. I am happy to keep moving in order to help me with this goal but I am mad, annoyed, frustrate and irratated by my TV watching, dosing hubby!

I should point out

That my hubby is a very helpful partner and I'm not mad cause he never does anything. I know that even in my active state that if I asked for help he would help me; thats not the point here.

My point is

And I'll admit this openly, cause I think [well hope, for just this post] that I don't have many male readers, and if I do [hi!] you'll get a kick out this; I think us women [or maybe its just me] are so complex, confused and complicated that half the time we don't even have a notion what is going on in our own heads!

In my opinion we all need 'help'; correct me if I'm wrong!

Book Review: Things I wish I had known by Linda Green

Don't judge a book by its cover. 

An old saying, but a true one. This book disappointed me. The cover promised me something that the book didn't deliver.

A [very] quick synopsis. 

The story focuses on Claire Skidmore and her obessions as a teenager with a United Footballer, 'the list' she makes at 15 of how her life with turn out in 20 years and the impact all this has on her life at 38.

I was excited. 

To begin reading 'Things I wish I had known' but this quickly changed when mere pages into the book I realised a large portion of the main characters lives would revolve around football. For me football is a big turn off and something I hate featured in books I read.

Regardless of the football 

I battled on and was determined to read the book. I did like much of the pop culture references and its current moods and tones but there was no getting away from the fact that [for me] football was at its core. Not only that but

I couldn't figure out where the story was headed. 

Now you would think, brilliant - it will keep me guessing until the end, exactly what I want from a good book, but well, I lost interest. The writer just didn't grab me. For me this wasn't a 'couldn't put it down', in fact I had to force myself to pick it up and in the end I didn't even finish it. I reckon I had about 40 or so pages left but I was done, well there was that and I had to get it back to the library...

If you are a football fan or don't mind it featuring in a book you will have better look with this than I. Overall I found the whole thing so-so.

5 of out 10 :(

5 Healthy Reasons to Eat Dark Chocolate!

A square a day could keep the Doctor away!

Seriously! 

While not everyone cup of tea, dark chocolate has been used to treat 'aliments' and 'conditions' for hundreds of years. To clarify, dark chocolate is chocolate with a cocoa content of above 60%. While some, including this blogger, find dark chocolate a little bitter, listen to what it can do for you before you reach for the diary milk [or even the apple] instead.

1. Dark Chocolate can reduce high blood pressure. 

It's been reported, by The New York Times [so it must be true] that dark chocolate may be more effective then many leading antihypertensive medications on the market. How? It's all down to the flavonoids in cocoa, they help to balance blood pressure and reduce blood clots - clever little things aren't they?!

2. Dark Chocolate can relieve PMS and boost your mood. 

This I found interesting! Many of us fairer sex will be used to craving certain foods at certains times of the month ;) Prehaps its been our body telling us what we needed all along? The caffine [another close friend of mine] and other chemicals help to boost our mood and relieve premenstral symptoms. Now before you start buying up shares and shelves of dark chocolate listen to this... not only will it do all this for us it will ALSO [or at least the chemical phenylethylamine in the chocolate will] trigger the feeling of 'falling in love' in some cases.[Ok off to the shops with you now, I'll wait until you get back.]

3. Dark Chocolate can reduce the risk of dying of a heart attack by up to 50%. 

The good people at John Hopkins have done a study, which has discovered that those who ate a couple of squares of dark chocolate a day their blood platelets clotted slower which would result in a 50% less chance of them dying of a heart attack. [Perhaps we can all brave the bitterness a little?] 

4. Dark Chocolate helps to ease chronic fatigue. 

[There are a hell of a lot of studies going on with dark chocolate] another has found that in adults who suffer from chronic fatigue eating 1.5oz of 85% cocoa [or more] reduced their fatigue! 

5. Dark Chocolate eases a persistent cough! 

[You guessed it!] Another [UK] study has discovered that theobromine, a component in cocoa, may be more effective as a cough medicine than standard drug treatments. 

In Conclusion  

I think there is very little that dark chocolate can't fix or accomplish - who knows the Presidency might be next :)

Quick, Simple and Easy Morning Exercise Routine

So this is what I used this morning [day 3]. After the slightly 'more intensive' routine I used on Monday [day 1] I was still a little sore so I searched for something a little less strenuous! The video itself is terrible, as in its production, but the exercises are simple, easy and can be done anywhere - which I loved.

I can definitely feel each of the muscle groups working after doing this and I feel great!! 

That would be an ecumenical matter! [In the words of Fr. Jack Hackett!]

Today I did something unusual, even for me: I was interviewed for a vox pop for a religious site for school children.

I'm not that religious.

Maybe thats is the very reason I got in?

My father is possibly one of the 'highest up' 'civillians' in the country so, he of course, was asked first and then his family.

When I first heard about it, at which point he had already said we would do it, I was concerned as to what we might be asked and how he [or they] would want us to answer. Because of who my father is and who my father was, relgion has played a rather promiant role in our lives and while I would consider myself catholic, I would not consider myself religious.

Thankfully

My father assured both my brother and I that he did not expect us to put on 'a front' or be false and he was very happy for us [ politicaly gay actist brother and left wing, non practicing catholic with issues] to be ourselves.

Unfortunately

My brother wasn't able to attend due to his crazy schedule and so on 'our' behalf I answered questions on 'God Like Qualities', 'My understanding of being eucharistic' and 'what prayer means to me'. It really wasn't all that religious at all, at least my answer weren't. The one 'intersting' thing I did learn about were pray shawls, any of you ever hear about them? Marvellous things altogether - but thats for an entirely different blog!