Primary School

I'm in the S somewhere! 

Holbrook C of E Primary School, home of the great. 

It was the tiniest primary school in the area and it was the best place on earth. acc moi. 

I have been thinking a lot about primary school lately and all the little things that made me chuckle and when I thought that having the coolest snack for break time was basically the biggest issue of your life and in year three if it wasn't a Frube you may as well have gone and sat on the Betty no mates bench as you were not cool. 

So here are a few little memories that I'm sure a lot of people share too... 

The Spice Girls were big back in the 90's and I was always Scary Spice, because of my enormous afro hair (I always wanted to be Sporty Spice, but I just didn't fit the criteria)

There was always that one girl who braved the summer dress in March when her mum was convinced it was Summer and that the poor lamb would be too hot in trousers... 

Aparatus was THE best P.E. activity ever, those long wooden planks that you used to attach to a metal bar and walk up like you were a trapeze artist was the best. 

Having the sportiest boy on your rounders team was like having Suáez on your football team, no one could ever catch those balls and the Babe Ruth (no connotations to moi) walked round the posts like he was a Saint and everyone cheered and you got like a whole rounder for it. 

"Hands together and eyes closed" was the way you knew lunch was about to start. Being a C of E school we had to stand up and thank God for our parents, but mainly the food we were about to eat because by 12 we were eating each other's arms, or the sand pit, which ever was closest. 

Using that dome shaped robot in IT lessons was incredible (as we had like 1 computer in the whole school in year 2 it was all about those robots). Pressing its little buttons and watching it move around the room was insane and you'd bore your parents to death about it that night. 

Big holidays always meant making your parents a card or a present. I remember once taking my parents home a Christmas tree angel made out of a toilet paper tube, a doily and a straggly piece of yellow string, I insisted it go on the tree that Christmas, I never saw it again... 

Having to take the "pen test" before you were allowed a Bic in your life was like sitting your finals at Uni (I can imagine), I was stuck with my HB for quite a while, however I could count to 1000 by year 3. 

When Bull Dog was banned and everyone went on strike and wouldn't go to the playground at break time. My first "political" stand off. Not bad. 

Stuck in the mud replaced Bull Dog, that was definitely where I learned how to run - playing stuck  in the mud - ahh good times. 

You were the boss in year 6 when you got to sit on those apparatus benches during assembly - OR if you were selected to operate the OHP (Thats an overhead projector to anyone under the age of 15) and move the written out song lyrics. 

Hands down, thumbs up was a great game when you'd leant people's shoes, or who just sucked their fingers and you got touched by a slimy, deteriorating finger - ew. 

Ahhh the free milk we used to get aged five and a bit - the one that used to sit outside, in the winter it would be frozen and in the summer it would begin to curdle, potentially why I don't drink milk now, that put me off for life. 

Our school introduced giving our fruit for break time, which was always a bit manky, nevertheless, fruit goodness. However, there was always some silly baboon who dropped their apple and was told by the teachers to just go and wash it under the sink and eat it again - thinking back, that sounds vile. 

I used to fall over all the time when I was in reception/year 1, I was always coming home with scrapes and scabs on my knees and Savlon was literally called "the magic cream" as I'd be magically healed by the next day - That was the time I was convinced Jesus had come back as my Dinner lady - very interesting. 

When it was home time and you used to sing "footballs coming home, its coming home, its coming!" - just me? I was a football hooligan back then... 

Ringing the bell at the end of playtime was an incredible achievement and basically meant you were loved by the dinner lady and could at smug for the rest of the day.

You always knew it had been Christmas holidays when that kid came back with Bugs Life pencil case, rubber, pencils, crayons, sharpener (No one had a sharpener! or a red crayon for that matter...)

Ok I could literally go on all night... But I already fear this post is very very long. 

What good memories!

I'll be thinking of more all night!

RHS x

Cara Delevigne "IV Drippin"

The picture that put people off getting "hooked"

There is a latest "craze" in the celeb world - that is to attach yourself to an IV (Intravenous - "within vein") after an extreme night out. 

Rihanna's "IV Drippin"

According to celeb world, Rihanna was the first to introduce this back in 2012 when she tweeted that she was using an IV drip to hydrate herself quickly after a night out. Apparently she was rushed to hospital where they attached her to a drip, although that night she had been out partying hard at a gig and then at a strip club and taking drugs. 

Last summer there was a frenzy of paying nearly $1000 for a drip containing a cocktail of vitamins being pumped directly into the veins of celebs and athletes alike. what is wrong with just taking four Berocca? 

So anyway, five days ago Cara Delevigne put quite a scary looking photo on Instagram showing that she was hooked up to an IV, that definitely is not for the eyes of some Instagram viewers, I know I couldn't look at it for long. She jumped to twitter to explain that she was just having vitamins pumped into her as she was feeling like she had a "cold" - sounds like a very normal way to deal with a cold. Celebs are getting a lot of bad publicity for this kind of treatment, especially if they use it as a way to deal with hangovers. Something just doesn't seem right about it, or safe. It wastes the hospitals time as well. 

After taking someone to hospital because they were so drunk and seeing them having to be hooked to a drip so they could be hydrated quickly was a horrible site and I can imagine not one he enjoyed either (even though he was out of it). But he won't be and I won't be ever getting to that stage after witnessing that. 

Any thoughts on this extreme way of rehydrating? 

Coconut water? 

Stay safe 

RHS x

Fitness Thursday #4 Diva Derriére

If only we had South American ancestors...

For those who aren't loving the French inspired post, Derriére is another word for your buttocks, gluteals, bum etc etc I am currently nursing just below my hip bone as I have pulled mine badly, so badly I needed ibuprofen gel this morning. Nevertheless, you don't get a bikini bum without a fee pulled or sore muscles along the way - pain is gain! (but don't over do it please! I just went a bit mad on weights)

Ok, so I am not a big fan of squatting, I was in Summer and I tried that 30 day squat challenge and it gave me stretch marks!! Squatting only targets one area of your glutes so you need to mix it up a bit. Here are my favourite exercises to get an incredible derriére - the sooner the start the less you will need to do in your panic workouts two weeks before you go on holiday!

Top Tip - hover over the pictures to save to Pinterest to take with you to the gym!

6-8 Reps 3 Sets

WIDE LEG DEAD LIFT

Wide Leg Dead lift
 Select a weight suitable to your strength
(in hamstrings and glutes, somewhere between 4kg and 9kg)

With legs wide, bend at the hips only, not knees,
stand up using just hips
You should feel this in your bum and back of your legs.

CROSS BACK LUNGE

Cross Back Lunge - Select a 3kg-7kg medicine ball
 (can do exercise with out weights)

Step back with one leg, push weight through front heel, bend both knees

JUMP WOOD CHOPS

Complete for 1 minute (30-50) - 3 sets 

Stand with legs together, weight above head (4kg ish)
Jump into a sumo squat whilst taking weight between legs
Jump back up to legs together with weight above head 

OPPOSITE ARM LEG SUPERMAN

Great for back, abs and bum

Lie on your front and lift opposite arm to leg into the air, hold for 5 seconds,
 release and repeat on the other leg for 10 times on each side

If you don't have weights, do more reps and sets - till you can feel the burn basically! 

Do this routine for 15 minutes after 20 minutes of cardio for best results. Please stretch before and afterwards (we don't want Boots to run out of ibuprofen gel as I need it all) 

Happy toning!

RHS x

Lush 'Soft Coeur'

I think I became hooked with his product because it had a French word in it. That is a great reason to buy a product and would throw market researchers off course in a matter of seconds. I'm not a great lover of Lush, seeing as everyone I know (myself included) has some skin disorder ranging from mild dry patches so out of control eczema and Lush wouldn't be the place we could find steroid cream. However, for the odd things I can't help myself.

This is a massage bar, which I bought about three weeks ago and have only used twice. I thought it was more like a muscle rub but apparently, according to their website, it is a "Sweetly romantic massage bar with a soft cocoa and honey centre" - and they suggest putting a towel down before use as it can get "messy" - I was simply hoping to use it after an over-extrenuous gym session. Which is what I have used it for, so I'm throwing their instructions out of the window. 

For some reason I managed to pull my hamstrings and glutes in the gym yesterday, which I haven't done in ages and they hurt so much that I couldn't manage a run today in fear I'd need muscle replacement or something. So I reached for "Soft Coeur" when I got out the shower and it literally melts as soon as it enters your hands. Having a huge candle lit and the heating on didn't help its messiness, nevertheless the smell is incredible. It feels like a thick cream that melts into your skin and leaves you silky soft. I got the inner physio in me out with the old thumbs in the muscle technique, which was surprisingly a lot easier without the smell of deep heat or ibuprofen gel. 

So I am feeling a little less sore in the muscle department and very relaxed thanks to honey, cocoa and shea butter ahh. Now just to sleep off these pulled muscles... 

RHS x 

Lady Chatterley's Lover

(Please vote on my poll, on the right - not available on mobile devices - thanks!)

I am a Classics girl, give me a book written by anyone from Jane Austen to Leo Tolstoy and I am yours. I will link below my last few book reviews, however this isn't a review, as I'm not finished. I am precisely just before half way and the book already deserves a mention. 

I was bought several classics books as part of my Christmas presents (easily pleased) but the one book I wanted Lady Chatterley's Lover (D.H.Lawrence) my parents had a tough criteria to follow, as I didn't want the book with the naked lady on the front, covering her lady parts, that was just a no no. Anyway, as it is a book about that all the covers are a bit controversé shall we say, The one I was purchased was the Penguin Classics version with a man doing up his belt. 

The book was published in 1928 and sold out in the first day, a few days later it was banned and I can see why. In those days it would have been 50 Shades of Grey, white, blue, pink, everything. I wasn't expecting Jane Austen romance but I was expecting it not to be that explicit. Don't get me wrong, its tasteful and written in a respectful manner, I think it is the contexts and the situations that are all a bit random and controversial. 

The story of Lord Chatterley is that he is injured in WWI and at this time is already married to Lady Chatterley, Lord Chatterley remains paralysed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Lady Chatterley, who had already had a very fruitful and abundant young adult life was dissatisfied, Lord Chatterley suggests she gets a lover, she declines and gets more and more lonely and the rest is up to you to read! (or me to tell you in a post when I have finished)

So far it has been quite timid, but I am not on page 126 and it has just started to get a bit steamy. 

I'll recreate a paragraph:

"She lay quite still, in a sort of sleep, in a sort of dream. Then she quivered as she felt his hand groping softly, yet with queer thwarted clumsiness, among her `clothing. Yet the hand knew, too, how to unclothe her where it wanted. He drew down the thin silk sheath, slowly, carefully, right down and over her feet. Then with a quiver of exquisite pleasure he touched the warm soft body, and touched her navel for a moment in a kiss. And he had to come in to her at once, to enter the peace on earth of her soft, quiescent body. It was the moment of pure peace for him, the entry into the body of the woman. She lay still, in a kind of sleep, always in a kind of sleep. The activity, the orgasm was his, all his; she could strive for herself no more. Even the tightness of his arms round her, even the intense movement of his body, and the springing of his seed in her, was a kind of sleep, from which she did not begin to rouse till he had finished and lay softly panting against her breast."

And there we have it. She then went back to her house, to Lord Chatterley, dined and slept... That is where I'm up to! - How that isn't interesting I don't know! I can see why it was banned in the 1930's it was very controversial for those days, almost still now. 

From the bookworm

RHS x

Links

2013 in books

Oscar Wilde

Jane Austen

6 ways to stop procrastinating

I just thought I'd fire out a list of ways to avoid procrastinating, whilst I procrastinate.

v. pro·cras·ti·nat·ed, pro·cras·ti·nat·ing, pro·cras·ti·nates

v.intr.

To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.

There is it, in blue and white, you're lazy and you know it. Ok, not really, we all procrastinate.

I am currently supposed to be writing a Law essay, but I've just come back from the gym and really can't be bothered to start it just yet - I will in 30 minutes.

I've been on Facebook
Checked my blog
Checked my poll - can you please vote, just there, on the left, it takes a second (extra procrastination!)
I've lit a candle
I've had a cup of tea
I have washed up
I have checked my emails, rang my father and spoken to Natalie for 20 minutes all to avoid doing work.

Well, do no work no longer!

My toppest tip (fail for grammar) to avoid procrastination is to plan your week
I print out my week every Sunday evening and attach it to my wall just by my mirror so I can see every morning my horrific black eyes and my day.
I plan when I'm going to the gym to work around seminars and lectures
I then write in each day what I am going to do that day, usually I decide this on Sundays but sometimes my plans change
This was I know I have given myself enough time to complete my tasks

I also try to break down my tasks into smaller pieces. E.g. for an essay, break the load down into researching, reading, planning, drafting, re-reading, editing, drafting etc etc this way you feel like you have achieved much more

Reward yourself with as many biscuits as you can - I tend to have a long break (10-15 minutes) every hour for a cup of tea and a few biscuits (7 as I just informed Natalie) - or get some fresh air to clear your head, or to procrastinate! Use your break to procrastinate, just don't leave it too long!

Get rid of all distractions, be that your boyfriend/girlfriend, dog, window, Facebook, phone anything that may distract you - put your phone where you can't see it but leave it on loud, so you don't have a nervy b when not checking it for an hour!

Tidy tidy tidy! - I find I'm far more productive in a tidy environment, spend 20 minutes of your procrastination time tidying your work area - which will also help to move distractions - open the window to get some fresh air, this will make you feel much more awake and ready to study.

At the end of the day, think about what you have achieved, this will be really motivating, especially if you tell people what you have done, as they will only moan that they have done nothing all day - very satisfying.


Lastly, why are you reading this? Stop procrastinating!!


RHS x 

University secrets II

Here we go again... 

Yes, after the very popular University secrets post, it is time for another.

It has been seven months since I posted that one and all in all not much has changed, apart from the fact we are all out of halls and I occasionally wear a yellow top, emblazoned with my nickname "Mary Poppins", giving out kitkats.

Ahh second year...

"this year actually counts doesn't it"
"we got a 2.2 on an assignment - I'm going to fail in life" 
"remind me again why I signed up to this module... actually just this course in general?!"

"is our lecturer speaking in English?"

We have officially moved on from the start of First year, but that just means more to report on... 

Type "University Secrets" into google and you'll get everyuni.ac.uk telling you how to have a successful University career. Bull.

We know how to get our firsts and our two ones, what no one tells you about is University life, the nitty gritty - I'm not talking about secret spilling, I'm talking about those mad things that the people you live with do, where you wonder what planet some people were born on and the strange behaviours of your fellow colleagues at 3am after four too many sambucas. 

The constant, on going blah at Uni is the North South divide - I wrote a post on what the North taught me (I should have called it what Newcastle has taught me) but that was controversial in itself. I am from Derbyshire, you cannot get more central than central. The middle ground, the all round diplomat, I see good things and bad things about the North and the South. However, this isn't the case of Northerners and Southerners (there are a few exceptions - i.e. those that don't care). In the first week at University it was all about the North vs. the South, in fact if you get the wrong people together the debate still goes on. I'm talking accent throwing, job hunting, money, lifestyle... the list goes on. I personally prefer waking up to a field of sheep that end up packed in Sainsburys. But really, the North/South debate is refereed by the Midlanders. 

Cooking - finding out who can cook and who can't is an interesting time. I'm not talking my mother's definition of cooking which means turning on an oven and baking a potato and opening a can of tuna and being able to grate cheese without cutting a finger and working out how a microwave works. Microwaves, they have been my biggest cause for concern over two years. The people will know that I'm talking about them, I won't name drop. But one time (in Barker block), the place was almost set on fire by a young man trying to cook rice in a metal pan, by placing it in the microwave - lets just say I wasn't best pleased and corrected the cooking technique and then suggested he tries boil in a bag. There have been occasions of putting crisp packets in a microwave after too many beers at 4am - sparks were flying. There are poor souls in this world who don't have microwaves, so when faced with one, it can be quite daunting. Especially when a packet says "Cat E 4 mins, Cat D 5 mins, High Power 2 mins" - note, this does not mean you cook your food for 11 minutes - no no. It means you look at your microwave and check its power and then cook at the specified time. Top tip.

Reppin' -Ahh, becoming a rep, a right of passage that everyone should try. I'd think carefully about what type of rep you want to be, or should I say what you don't mind doing in front of people, because when it comes to hustings, there is no dignity, you have just go crazy to get the votes. Or take a more introvert way and become a welfare rep. I've written loads of posts about the first few weeks of my second year running after freshers and having A&E trips - but it is all part of the experience... although not so when they bring through the defib... awks.
Being a welfare rep also means looking after fresher and ticket reps - thats a non verbally expressed term of the contract (wheyy Business Law) - it is just an assumed thing and it needs to be done.
Rep training week consisted of making up hand shakes and presenting them to the rest of the rep team, participating in very drunken pub golf where many people did not play by the rules and a few mornings hungover.
Then the fresh blood arrived, manic hit.
International students may as well have got on a plane and gone to Mars speaking to Aliens because we were not getting through (Well I certainly wasn't)
Bags were lost at airports, we had to ferry around taxis, coaches and mislaid defrosting bacon.
The home students arrived two days later, more madness. The reps were incredible though, everyone was so hands on and the girls just basically admitted they couldn't lift a fly, so it was obviously the boys' job to take the 50kg suitcases up two flights of stairs - there's equality for you
Female reps were warned to stay away from Fresh girls arriving - as I did, gingerly...
The first night was the launch night - we had to go around our block to motivate everyone to go down and get drunk.
I knocked on one boys door (I don't know his name, probably a good thing), he had a girl on his bed - I thought that was rather soon so just stood there frozen, lost all professionalism and was like errr are you two coming to the launch? To which they looked at me like I'd disturbed their wedding night. Then another rep arrived for me to find out that this guy had been training with DU Rugby over the summer and that it was his girlfriend, whom he was dropping off home that night - phewww, I was thinking that hook-up was one for the record books (sorry for disturbing who ever you are!x).



Strange behaviour/ other randomness not previously stated
I'll just list this 

• Buying a bath for your communal kitchen area was controversial (although I'm sure very fun) the porters weren't best pleased mind. ("Mind"?! who am I?! it just sounded right in the sentence)
• Playing musical instruments at 3am was fairly normal, annoying, but normal, specifically around exam times.
• Going on city trips to relive your freshers year, I will be a fresher again!!! - then ending up almost dying from alcohol poisoning
• Entering into your old block pretending like you still live there and have a block party 
• Never have I ever becomes much more difficult to lie as everyone knows what everyone has done by now 
• Nothing is a secret in second year - no sneaking around corridors at 4am!
• Flat/house parties in the first term are purely for checking out the competition
• Secrets don't remain secrets in year 2, well some do, if you're clever in whom you tell, i.e. your rabbit 200 miles away - Thanks Gaga. 
• Did we ever find out who the Gossip Girl Twitter accounts belonged to?

Be good

RHS x

 

Sweet dreams

Sometimes lying awake over-thinking anything is enough to make you more tense, worried and therefore leave you sleepless (unfortunately not in Seattle). I have lots of secret weapons that I have been pondering whether to share or not, but I have decided, now I have heard a few people aren't sleeping well at the minute with exams, assignments and every day stresses, to tell everyone my secrets! 

I have just bought another box of Dr Stuart's Valerian Plus tea. I now swear by this, every night, an hour before I go to bed I have at least one mug of this. Valerian is proven to make you sleepy and relaxed. This tea is incredible, after a couple of sips you could fall asleep - its quite powerful! The taste took some getting used to, it contains Fennel which is the main taste. I'm not a big fan of Fennel as a spice but mixed with Hops, Limeflowers and Valerian Root it is a very tasty tea. 

My next secret is This Works: Breath In which is a rollerball for your pulse points (I use it on my wrists and temples, sometimes on my neck or inside of my knees if I'm feeling really exotic). It contains Lavender and Frankincense which is very relaxing, I sometimes pack this in my bag if I have a long day at Uni. It is very versatile and can be used for anything, not just sleeping. The smell is strong and once you've worn it to bed a few times it covers your sheets and they permanently smell of Lavender - mm-mmm. It is really cost efficient as well; I have had this for about six months now and I'm only half way through its 5mls! 

Team this with The Body Shop Dreamy Pillow & Body Mist for an added feeling of melting into Lavender. I only just realised that this is a body mist - its not Channel No.5 so I wouldn't leave the house wearing it as my perfume but for bed it is my perfume of choice. I spray it onto my pillow and sheets about five minutes before I get into bed. This is a really dreamy product, I take it when I go to hotels as I know this can cause a sleepless night, in a place you're not used to. It contains camomile and jujube - I have just looked this up and it has loads of medicinal uses. It is a natural sedative, traditionally used to alleviate stress, as an anti-inflammatory, wound healing and slowing the heart rate. I used to have the This Works pillow spray but that ran out really quickly and was quite expensive. 

Next is Kalms Sleep - don't be scared to take these tablets, I take between 3-4 a night, even if I'm tired already and don't need any extra Valerian. They promote restful sleep mainly, so once you're asleep, you're more likely to stay asleep all night. I also feel a lot more refreshed after I have used them, like I've had an extra few hours, which is great! and if  you take them just after you're meal at the end of the day, a few hours later you will be snoozing like a baby. I took these all the time when I was taking my A-Levels and have recently started taking them again, they are really versatile and completely natural. They have the same ingredients as the Tea mentioned above, so the two teamed together give the body extra Valerian which it will greatly thank you for when it needs to repair itself overnight. 

Last and potentially my most important product for a great nights sleep is Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturizer - Admittedly, not the cheapest of products, however it lasts for ever, I have had this over a year now and I'm nearly finished. But if I don't use a night cream - especially this one - I wake up and have to snap chat my friends my Shrek face - and yes I do mean with a slight tinge of green - If you get those snapchats when I forgot my night cream - I have only done it twice (I learned the hard way) - you are very loved. I use this as it sets my skin up for the day, there is no SPF in night cream and it is very rich to repair all your cells. Skin care is so important and protecting you'll thank yourself later for looking after your skin when you're young (although it is never too late!). Invest in a good night cream/serum and you might be able to go make-up-less the next day! 

So that is it, my secrets are out, but they were getting my worst kept secrets as all these products work wonders. Team them with a great film or book and turn off the electricals! And you are prepared for an incredible nights sleep! 

Don't let the bed bugs bite!

RHS x 

Another Soundcloud haul

It was a classic sleepless night on my behalf - I spent two hours, between 2am and 3am scouring Soundcloud - of which I had already spent an hour earlier in the evening. I am obsessed with Soundcloud and repost far too much, but it is all organised into little playlists to keep me happy. Add me on Soundcloud here or click on the cloud below my blog title.

So what did I find? A french DJ, A British singer/songwriter who has perfect lyrics and the guy who sings "Ready for your love" with Gorgon City - is it just me or does Gorgon City remind you of cheese? Cheese city, that would be my favourite place.

First the British beauty - Clare Maguire, she is on iTunes - but I recently found out anyone can be on iTunes, so nothing too special there, anyway she only has about 5,000 followers on Soundcloud and she certainly deserves more credit then that. She reminds me of a Laura Marling lyrics wise  and a Lana Del Rey deepness to her voice. This song is quite deep! 

Clare Maquire - Whenever You Want It

Second, the French DJ, gorgeous faced Monsieur Adi - he's mainly known for incredible remixes, including Laura Mvula, Bastille, Beyonce etc etc. But he has recently released (Actually it is being released sometime over the next few days I do believe) with A*M*E "What's Going On" - I love the violins at the start of this track, very French and musical, as opposed to electric keyboards that sound like an electrocuted piano score (if that has a sound). This one, we need to go back to 1989 - yes really, when we were all potential specks of sparkle in our parents' eyes. Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) was released by Soul II Soul - What's Going On - is a kind of "danced up" remix, very cleaver. Bravo Monsieur! 

Monsieur Adi Feat A*M*E - What's Going On

Look him up on Soundcloud above for free downloads!

Last but not least, is MNEK, played a lot on Radio 1 espesh with Zane Lowe. As I said above he is famous for his collaboration with Gorgan City, but everyone knows that one so I thought i'd spice it up with this one. If we can remember 11 years ago to 2003, Lumidee released "Never Leave You" - yes it really was that long ago, I was nearly 10 - aww. Well MNEK has "refix"-ed this song, and its certainly different!

MNEK - Never Leave You Lumidee Refix 

Hope you've enjoyed listening to the tracks! - Don't forget to follow me on Soundcloud!

Love,
RHS x 

Angora

"Hey I'm Ang" 

John Lewis has now joined ASOS and H&M in the ban of Angora. Now, I am currently feeling like a rebel; like I've killed sables for coats as I have several and I mean several Angora jumpers and cardigans. I do apologise to all the vegans/vegetarians/people who are bothered about this issue, but until you have one don't judge! 

John Lewis have said they regard animal welfare as one of their highest standards, yet they haven't any cases of Ang(ora) abuse to report - so what is the issue? Apparently rabbits like Ang and her mates are being put through pain when they are being shaven in China, although non of my jumpers are from China (or made in China) we can never be sure of the supply chain. 

One of the first shops to stop selling Angora-containing products was H&M (well, they have "halted" production of Angora products") - ironically the place I got my first ever Angora-containing jumper. It was a week ago when I bought another Angora cardigan which was in the Zara sale. Apparently Victoria Beckham is a big backer of this "NO ANGORA!" campaign (or just PETA if you can't see Vicky with a sign and throwing red paint over me), however I am sure she has several leather shoes and plenty of sables which Dave put under the tree for her. The rabbits aren't dying and they are growing their fur back. We shouldn't be scared of another form of animal wool which keeps us warm in the winter. Neanderthals weren't concerned about animal welfare when they were hunter-gatheres. MAYBE they were! I can imagine the conversation now: "Nea, we're going to freeze to death this winter as I just can't bear to shave the poor rabbits, they can live, we'll die" - or not. 

Don't get me wrong, animals who aren't treated well is a big no no, and you won't see me buying Basics eggs or chicken - I'm all for running wild and free over roaming hills - but I think it is a case of just being more aware of where your clothes are coming from. Angora prices have dropped significantly over the last two years as conditioned have worsened, therefore saving money, so if you're paying £15 for an Angora jumper, I wouldn't bother, stick to brands that you can trust! Or just stick to lambswool which is super soft. Or cashmere! yummy. 

RHS x 
disclaimer: no rabbits, not even Ang, were hurt during the writing of this post. 

Detox

keeping my room oxygenated! 

It has been nearly two weeks since my last blog post and Lord knows I have been busy. The first week at Uni is almost over (not worked too hard though, seeing as I had Tuesday and yesterday off) and that means there is only two months until we break up for Easter! What am I paying for again? 

I've been on a mad one over these past two weeks, consuming nearly 3500 calories a day, thanks to a ridiculous amount of exercise I've ben doing. My flat mates are getting slightly peeved at me leaving the house at 8am to do a 5k run before they've even woken up and they are definitely getting annoyed at my telling them how many calories I have burned using my Nike+ Fuelband - get one, you won't stop moving (to the S club beat... sorry.). I have been making/drinking/eating in some cases a lot of smoothies - buy fruit and freeze it in bags (that way your food doesn't go off) ready to blitz with milk/oj and a spoon of peanut butter for a protein kick! Every morning I've had porridge with a whole banana and a spoon of peanut butter and a mug of Dr Stuart's Detox tea - beauty from within and all that jazz! 

A slightly fuzzy 5k in under 30 minutes -
not bad after 4 hours kip

So it has been an exciting two weeks, I have so much more energy and am falling asleep at 10:30pm and waking up fresh as the daffodils on my desk at 8am - perfect time for a morning run! - watch the ice though, we almost had an A&E trip on our hands the other day! - things are getting rather chilly (thats if you're up North by the way, if you're in the South, then enjoy your tropical climate and think of us polar bear skating whilst we run). 

Although I'm eating a lot, don't think it is all healthy! Last night I devoured a whole pizza (which I added healthy-ish toppings to) and then had lots of chocolates to finish the night off. Our flat (and the President of the JCR) won the quiz! cha-ching! so we all had a bottle of wine each which we all drank last night - or not, we went to bed at 9:30pm - such grannies. 

That is what I've been up to the past two weeks, but I have noticed, whilst I have been not on here that my views have creeped past 12,000! which is fantastic news and makes me very motivated to write more. 

Have a good day my lovely llamas!

RHS x 

Post-run stretches

So you've been on your run and now you need to stretch, to stop blood pooling in your muscles, to relax and cool down your muscles and also to stay toned and avoid injury. This is the routine I follow after every gym and running session - This mainly focusses on legs, but add arm stretches if you've been working those too. 

The top 5 are quite tough on the knees - so be careful - clicking and crunching is fine!

Hold each for 20 seconds.  

1. Side lunge, face forward, keep left leg straight, right knee bent,
toes or all of foot on the ground. Lean towards the straight leg, hold. 

2. Pivot right into a runner's stretch: keep right knee bent, left leg straight back
behind, hands on floor - feel the stretch in the hip

3. Bend left knee to the ground, straighten right leg, keep hands on the floor
 (try to get forearms on floor), stretch inner thigh and hamstring.

4. Come up and balance, bend right knee and lunge forward, pushing hips -
to stretch the hip joint 

5. To stretch the quad pull foot gently, balance! - REPEAT 1-5 on the other leg. 

6a. Pretzel stretch - cross left foot over to the outside of your right knee

6b. Press right arm into left leg, twist to the left, stretch in glutes and back.

Now you're ready to get medieval on those abs! 

RHS x 

Fitness Thursday #3 How to run

I can imagine you are thinking one of serval things: 

1. There has been more than one Fitness Thursdays?! - yes my lambs, check my archive from August

2. I know how to run 

3. Of course Ruth is going to tell me about running... 

4. I don't want to run, I thought this post was going to have pictures of cake instead... wrong. 

So here we are, 9 days into the new year and I have only been on three runs, which is quite startling for a gazelle like myself. As I put on the running gear to head out into Antarctica to run this afternoon I realised there is far more to running than one step in front of the other with a slight moment when the soles of your trainers are not in contact with the ground and this occurs at a fast pace, no, there is so much more to it. 

Firstly you have the gear (but no idea?) running kit is expensive, but don't complain because it is the only sport where you don't require equipment (like a racket or a ball) to assist you - its all you baby! If you want kit that lasts, invest and it will last years. I received my mums gym wear a few months ago - which is still going strong! - if you're into 80's Reebok shorts that sit 10 inches above your tummy button and crop tops in the gym. If you have a pair of decent trainers (not moth eaten or 7 years old), shorts (although you might catch flu in this weather!) and a top you're good to go - oh and perhaps a hill or a long stretch of road! 

Secondly there is the music - you cannot run without music, well you can but it is so un motivating and also running to a beat makes you run so much faster - I have a fast and a slow playlist, with different bpms depending on how hard I want to work. If you're going for a long run (5k+) try slower music than if you're bossing out a 6 minute mile. 

Thirdly it is the motivation - I know sometimes I'd rather sit and eat cake whilst watching Come Dine With Me on 4seven than brave gail force winds but it is very worth it. The cold makes you're muscles tense more which tones them and as I found out today it makes you run so much faster! Get an app that speaks to you whilst you run - I use RunKeeper which seems to be the most popular one as it tells you every 5 minutes how far you have ran and at what pace (minutes/mile). The app also allows you to set music and chose a workout. I.e. if you want to set a new pace PB then the app will tell you how far off you are (sometimes slightly de-motivating). If you need more motivation, go to ELLE Running Club where they post lots of motivation for real runners! (not those skinny, photoshopped ones you find on Pinterest).

Fourthly food! - I don't follow a strict diet at all and if you want to lose weight then I guess you could but this post is about running not dieting. I eat a lot of carbs, in fact it is all I have eaten so far today (porridge and a bagel) and I've lost two pounds over Christmas so eat carbs! (and cake!). I usually try not to eat up to two hours before I go for a run (depends what you're eating and how big), after I've had breakfast (of porridge and a banana, not a full english!) I wait about an hour and then begin to get ready. 

Find a friend! - personally, I find I run a lot easier and more comfortably on my own (especially if I'm just running a fast mile or an actual training session) however I do enjoy a group run (for a 5k etc), so find a friend if you want to start running, someone who is the same ability as you will want to achieve the same goals, someone with a higher ability will be able to motivate you. 

Stretch! - this was my biggest downfall a few years ago I never used to stretch and the next day (next 3 days) I'd be in agony (and injured for a month)/ I'll put my favourite post-run stretches on another post. 

Lastly, enjoy running! It burns more calories per hour than swimming (a 14 minute run burnt 164 calories for me earlier, however I do have the advantage of two hills in that time!) and it tones your abs like nobody's business, also people look at you when you're out for a run like you're a crazy lady (or man) because you're in lycra in -5 degrees whilst they get fat in a hat and wooly coat. Don't leave it till May when you suddenly decide you need to get fit for summer so start running now because it isn't a one-week miracle worker! It helps to relieves stress (and keep your heart health top notch) ! Asses your workout afterwards, it is great to to see how many calories you've burnt and how fast you went - trying to beat those PB's is so motivating!

Try this (edit according to your level of fitness - this is for a beginner) 

Month one: 

Once a week go for a 10-15 minute run at a slow pace (maybe a 10k pace - do not think Mo Farah! - a 10k pace is one that you could maintain for 10,000m (50-70 minutes) 

Month two:

Go for a run twice a week (15-20 minutes) at an 5k pace - a pace that you could keep up for 30 minutes. 

Month three:

go crazy and got for as many runs as you can in a week - vary it so you don't get bored! 

Am I mad? 

Nah, I just love to run. 

Plain and simply - one foot in front of the other fast, even jog, bound! select music that suits how fast you want to run and don't eat an hour before you run to avoid any niggling stitches (which you can't get rid of unless you stop AND WE CAN'T STOP, WE WON'T STOP! - thanks Miley), get some decent trainers or look forward to shin splints, pulled muscles and a torn achilles and finally enjoy it! God gave you legs so use them!

Run forest run (Quote from my father... and Forrest Gump) 

RHS x 

The Super Bowl

There I go again, surprising you even further with my mass sporting knowledge. Or if you have a father who has watched NFL for the past 25 years then it is kind of in your blood, especially when after every Sunday tea it is on the TV for the next six hours. Last night was no different, it was the San Diego Chargers vs. the Cincinnati Bengals (like the tiger, rawr), it ended 27-10 to the Chargers (yes I did just Google that as I went to bed when it was 17-10). But it is a fascinating game that only lasts an hour (4 quarters of 15 minutes) but actually it lasts three hours on the TV - why? I have no idea, you need to watch it to understand. But it is a mixture of Rugby and Football, Rugby because  you run with the ball in your hands (to score a Try, sorry a Touchdown) and Football because its called American Football (non of it is like Football). They have to get the ball over 10 yards... blah blah... this is not the reason I started this post. 

Nice quads.

The Super Bowl which this year is on 2nd February (goes on till about 4am - but so worth it, especially if there are any Beyonce fans, she usually stars, singing the star spangled banner - get it?). ANYWAY, Beckham, that is David, not the other ones has his slot in one of the intervals where a T-commerce (an interactive form of marketing, if you're using a Smart phone to watch the game then you can basically buy the product) for H&M is being aired. 

A new David Beckham commercial, during the Super Bowl, it is only available in America up until that point so don't go nosy-ing around on YouTube. 

David Beckham,

That is all,

RHS x 

Tiny Dancer

oh my gosh, if anyone loves Ballet, or wants to have a go, or wants to get fit and strong (and oh so toned) without kettle bells or a treadmill, this is where to do it. 

Sleek Technique offer loads of ballet-inspired workouts - including private lessons - OVER WEBCAM with a one to one tutor (how incredible is that?!) and atm they are up to half price for some of them (there is a free 15 minute workout if you want to test it out first)

Dance like no one's watching!
I really should get back to my assignment now... to the theme of Swan Lake of course... 
RHS x 

It doesn't do to dwell

Happy Sunday! 

I love Sundays, my parents are playing golf (or spoiling a good walk, depending on how they play), I have to clean the kitchen (which I love because I'm an OCD clean-freak at heart), there is football on the TV (Derby County vs. Chelsea, BT Sport 1:30pm - see you there), I have an assignment to write (not so much to love about that...), later we will be partaking in a lovely Sunday tea - I believe we are having pork tenderloin (or latissimus dorsi as I like to call it), washed down with some excelled vin rouge from some region of France, followed by a few scoops of Ben and Jerries, finishing the assignment and reading. I have to have a relaxing Sunday as I go for a long run Monday mornings - we'll see about that. 

Anyway, the title of this post, I will admit, is a bit deep but I live my life by this quote (try to) and I have only just learnt who said it AND that it isn't the full quote! The full quote is "it doesn't do to dwell on dreams and forget to live" - now this to me could be interpreted very differently. Dreams as in "future plans and aspirations" or dreams as in "that really scary one I had a few nights ago". But this quote comes from J.K.Rowling - surely the biggest dreamer on the planet?! No one can write that many books about magic without a little bit of dreaming. Therefore I have edited her quote to "It doesn't do to dwell". 

I am the biggest worrier ever - hence why I am never having children and why I stay well away from anything merely bad for me and run just incase I get a blocked artery from eating two biscuits in one day. A bit extreme, but so, so true. If you dwell, the problem seems worse and gets blown out of proportion, but if you skip through life without a care in the world a) you're the envy of everyone, b) how do you do it? and c) you're probably living life the best way! A little bit of worrying is good for us as it keeps us on our toes but dwelling to the point of insanity never helped anyone and it drains your energy then you need to buy Manuka honey which never helps anyone because it is so flipping expensive. Forgetting to live is the worst part, you'll miss so much time and when you hit 40 you'll look back and see how much time you wasted worrying - trust me, a wise owl told me it once - not in a dream! Very philosophical for a girl of 20 - but I've had a lot of practise!

Have a good Sunday and a fabulous week! (I really must get back to my assignment) 

RHS x 

My favourite Soundcloud finds so far

I've been on Soundcloud for just over a year now (click on the little cloud under my blog title) and I love the way you are introduced to new artists that no one has heard of and then you hear them on Radio 1 Introducing four months later and feel like you could compete with Dr Dre. in the music production industry... maybe. Then there is the trap-y remixes that have you tripping out and the chilled covers by Mary-Jane Jones in Alabama U.S. - take a look, you'll understand what I mean (NB: I made Mary-Jane up - but she might be on there somewhere!) 

Here are my favourite finds so far:

Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness Cedric Gervais RMS - Trapped it! Remix - what isn't to like about a remix of a remix?

A$AP Rocky - Fashion Killa [E] - not a remix but Soundcloud is how I came across this beaut of a song; "her pistol go" is still a confusing lyrics but when it's A$AP Rocky, who cares?

Cameron Mitchell - Skinny Love (cover) - slowing things down with this beautiful voice. Love the video on YouTube to this too tres Indie. 

Rihanna feat. Kanye West - Diamonds (Remix) - great lyrics from Kanye (first name terms) then a sneak preview from Rihanna (nice of her to turn up)

Daughter - Medicine (Sound Remedy Remix) - I was first introduced to this by the lovely Natalie when I told her I liked Daughter but they (She?) needed to add a bit more of a beat for me to listen to in the gym and the Angel came up with this - Thanks Nat! - now, where not talking Skrillex or Ministry of Sound Pump It Up but were talking a beat better than the usual Daughter delivery...

Luke Sital-Singh - Nothing Stays the Same - What a good one to finish on, he starts very subdued but later in the track you can feel his passion and fantastic lyrics. Very impressed he has his own Vevo channel too! 

Join Soundcloud! You might discover something no one else has ever heard of and that's a great feeling. 

Happy listening

RHS x 

My year in books

Firstly, Happy New Year - I hope you've been sticking to your resolutions, or just thrown them out of the window, already disregarded your shiny new gym membership, opened the third tin of roses your in-laws bought you and haven't had one piece of fruit since the 30th December, because if you are in that situation, you're not alone. You're even more not alone if you didn't make any resolutions, because I didn't! I just made one promise to myself that I would finish all the books I was bought for Christmas in one year. Last year saw me enter head first (or eyes) into Classics, the more Classic, the better. I'm talking Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, D.H.Lawrence and the rest of the dead bunch. If the author (or authoress) is not dead, I'm not interested. I fell in love with Jane Austen about two years ago when I read Emma, which isn't the best book, its a bit long and nothing happens but Austen wrote in a very interesting style that had you hooked. So I started the year with another Austen Classic, but perhaps not the most well known... 

Persuasion - Jane Austen 

This did not fail to entertain, my favourite Austen novel, a lot like Pride and Prejudice but with more personality-driven characters and a past that unfolds throughout the book - a very clever piece and quite modern for its time. I wrote my second ever blog entry on this - so take a look to see a summary of the book in more detail - there is a part where Captain Wentworth writes a letter to the heroine Anne Elliot and I almost cried - says a lot about a book! This book certainly changed my view on classics and made me think that I could actually like them. It also taught me that back then Children were classed  as "invalid" and young ladies were sure to get a cold if they were to stand outside in winter. And that would never do. 

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Of course this is a Classic classic; I wasn't expecting the amount of detail but it is quite a long book, with a lot more characters than the film and a better storyline than the film. There isn't a lot I can say about this one as it speaks for itself, I highly recommend it as a summer read when you have time to read several chapters at a time as the story is difficult to follow at times - although always interesting. This made me quite in love with Jane Austen and my Tumblr blog description now starts with "Jane Austen books..." and I was right behind the woman who wanted Austen's face on paper money - I've calmed down a bit now as I started to read Sense and Sensibility and Northanger Abbey but just couldn't get into them. So I decided to start on a new venture... 

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde 

Well this was an eye opener, Oscar Wilde, the man who was sent to prison for "indecent acts with another man" and was married to a woman he couldn't stand, all this alongside having this book banned in most countries for a while. All of this comes across in his writing, there is clearly a man who has strong feelings for another man and another man who is very unhappily married, whose wife is always flapping around fussily. That aside, this book is by far the strangest for its year, (see my blog post on it for an intro), I didn't write in my post about the ending as Dorian Gray went crazy, he stayed young forever but his portrait became older and more withered as he committed more indecent acts that he hadn't had to worry about as it was only the portrait that was affected. The story is about love, death, drugs, sex, lies, murders, trust and friendship all of which are flipped into their opposites at some point during the book. The ending got a little obvious during the last few chapters but the way it was written was the work of a great author. A great read and a very different style and plot to that of sweet, love and marriage of Austen. 

Vilette - Charlotte Brontë

I wanted to write a blog post about this but I didn't have anything to write about, nothing happens in this book and it is 615 pages long and 1/10th of it is written in French - not so bad if you know a few phrases but having to constantly check whole conversations with the appendix got rather annoying, especially whilst sunbathing! But, I'll give this book credit it was a bit of a The Picture of all over again. This was about ghosts, loneliness, love, unrequited love and death. I first was drawn to this book as it was about a woman who travels to France in order to be a teacher at an all girls school - the girls who were described as rather outrageous and often out of control, which slightly reminded me of my all girl school days... but the most outrageous thing they do is go out at 10pm, don't return till 1am and attend a ball without a Chaperone - absolute carnage in those days. But the story eventually progressed slightly but had the worst, saddest, most confusing ending ever. I was convinced we were getting somewhere by chapter 47 but we didn't and it hit a wall and the abrupt ending was explained as because Brontë had lost her two sisters (who were also authresses) and couldn't ask them for advice. Deary me, poor excuse Charlotte, nevertheless it was an experience and required a lot of effort to plough through but there really isn't much of a story line to it. There were a lot of storms which caused amnesia, ghosts of nuns, jealousy and a bit about Catholics and Protestants which was interesting but I wouldn't go galloping to this book in a hurry. 

Lady Chatterly's Lover - D.H.Lawrence 

Ah, Lawrence, a fellow Midlander who was clearly rather sexually frustrated as his book was also banned from England and the US as it contains rather "explicit content" if your idea of explicit content is something along the lines of not actually that explicit. Although somethings you read and think "oh my, Lady Chatterly!". The story is quite sad so far (I'm on chapter 4!) Lord Chatterly was left paralysed from the waits down in the First World War - which leaves Lady C's life rather "unfulfilled" shall we say. If you're currently wondering why this book is in my possession as I'm usually used to Austen's novels where characters don't even kiss before they get married, my mother said she read it as a 17 year old and thought I'd like it, seeing as I like classics. We'll see about that. So anyway, Lord C suggests that Lady C gets a "beau" shall we say. Which is a little too late for him to suggest and she has gone and done it anyway. As I'm only 30 pages in there is clearly a lot of the story left to go and I'm sure it will all work out for the Chatterly's... 

If you are thinking of reading a Classic, start with Persuasion, if you like a bit more of a modern twist with a bit of 1920's 50 shades try Lady Chatterly's Lover - but if you really want a classic that you'll already know the story to try Pride and Prejudice (the Kiera Knightly film is brilliant but it is miles off the book which is a lot more descriptive and explains more about several other families). Either way these books over the past year have made me think, some quotes (especially those in Dorian Gray) are so powerful you want to get a poster made with it on and pronounce it to the world. My favourite of these is: 

"Never marry Dorian, men marry because they are tired, women because they are curious, both are disappointed" 

Happy reading

RHS x