Weekly Update No46

I am in the mood for trying again.

I got up early[er than usual], weighed myself for the first time in yonks and am the heaviest I've been for even longer. In a bid to stop me having cravings and eating crap later on, I have had 50g of porridge oats with water (185kCals) and have started tracking what I'm consuming again.  I've got a different book to the 2B mindset one, but it still records the same information, plus how you're feeling on that day.  As I'm not recording 3 things I'm grateful for atm, I hope I can add that into the same book, even if I decide to copy it up later. 

For now, I will track how many calories I'm eating though it's not something I want to do long-term.  Counting calories has worked for my husband, who in the space of a few months has gone from being the same weight to me, to as skinny as he was when we first met.  I doubt my transformation with be that quick (not least because I don't want to start running 10+Ks every weekend!), but I can use calorie counting as a tool, to hopefully stop me eating that extra snack or two when confronted with how much energy it contains, that my body will efficiently store as extra fat.

I may start watching the 2B Mindset videos again.  At the weekend, I was talking to a friend about her weightloss, and though she used a different program, the essence was very similar to 2B Mindset.  I felt a bit awkward because I knew everything she was telling me, and I believe everything she was telling me, I just am not putting it into practice. 

I am going to start (again, again) doing my Body Groove videos. I have scheduled in my diary alternate Friday mornings to do it with a friend, and if she can't make that time, or the weeks where I'm busy, I will try and do at least half an hour at a different time in the week.  Yes, I know I should be aiming at 30min exercise per day, rather than per week, but I really am that busy.  The time I am at home, I am either tutoring other people's kids, HEing my own, doing housework (ish), or sleeping.  I do have some other bits of time, and am now endeavouring to use them more wisely.

And another friend has suggested I sign up for DiabeticsUK Swim 22 challenge: Swimming the width of the Channel (22miles) in 12 weeks, in your local pool.  I have said I would like to join her doing it, but I'd do the smaller 11mile challenge, as even that will be hard for me.  Once upon a time, I used to be a good swimmer and was in a swimming club.  Now, however, I don't have the stamina, and I would have to do a mile/week in the pool just for the smaller challenge.  If I can't find the time to do 30min BodyGroove each week, it will be more of a challenge to find 1.5hr+ to go swimming (once you've taken account of travelling to/from the pool and changing), not to mention, finding someone to watch DD2 if it's on a weekday. That said, I do enjoy swimming, and I would like to do this.  I probably would have to buy myself some prescription goggles, if I can get up to the speeds I used to swim at, but initially swimming in my glasses should be fine.  (I have an old pair that I use for swimming.)

So yes, I've woken up today and I feel motivated.  I know I need to change my body, and choosing the ridiculous time of 'leading up to Christmas', at least means this is on my own terms, and I don't have the added peer pressure of New Year's Resolutions or whatever.  (I don't know if you've noticed, but when under pressure, especially of the peer variety, my natural inclination is to rebel.  When talking about dieting, this means self-sabotage.)

The Queen's Corgi Film

Today, as part of the Into Film Festival DD2 and I went to watch The Queen's Corgi.

It was our second doggie film in two says, and we hoped it wasn't as emotional as yesterday's. 
We needn't have worried.

***Spoilers in this paragraph***
On a superficial level, this film is enjoyable.  It's an animation about the Queen's top dog, who gets tricked by his jealous "best friend" into leaving the palace.  He ends up in the pound, where he meets some other dogs who become his true friends and help him get back into the palace.  They arrive back in time to stop the coronation of ex-best friend, and it all works out in the end.
***End of Spoilers*** (that matter)

This film is terrifying.  Yes, most of the terror will go over the heads of kids (my daughter said she enjoyed the film), but it still normalises dysfunction.  Since I've got home I had a quick google to see if other people saw what I saw, and whilst I'm pleased I'm not the only one (see links below), it's scary how much I didn't notice (eg Trump saying "grab some puppy"!!!).

The worst scene for me was the one between Rex (the Queen's corgi) and Mitzi (President Trump's [fictitious] corgi).  The Queen and Trump, having decided that their dogs should marry, leave the dogs alone to get acquainted. Rex, however, isn't interested.  The scene that unfolds for what felt like hours, was the 'fun' of Mitzi chasing Rex, trying to kiss him (and more), ignoring his pleas, ignoring him saying "No", basically saying that you can ignore the consent of the other person.  In this #MeToo era, this is a horrendous thing to be teaching our children.  We would never allow children to watch such a scene if it was being acted by humans, but cartoon dogs - it's fine.  Not only that, it totally minimises the fact that men can be harassed, abused and raped too.  It is no more 'fun' because the perpetrator was a woman, than if it were a man.

(And yes, things happen in cartoons that we wouldn't watch in real life - eg the road runner and an anvil - but the whole premise and style of that cartoon to the anthropomorphism in The Queen's Corgi is different.)

The violence of the fight club didn't bother me tbh (maybe my sensitivities are misplaced? Having read other reviews, I can see that other peple didn't like the reference - I just think they'd go over kids' heads) though I didn't like the fact the dog was put in the washing machine for training.  It is not uncommon for there to be news reports of dogs and cats to be put in washing machines (I won't give links because it's horrible).

Finally, ignoring that Buckingham Palace doesn't have any working fire alarms or smoke detectors (a fire of that size should have been detected), at the very end of the film Charlie (ex-best friend dog) is forced to marry Mitzi, and everyone is happy that the systematic rape and abuse is not happening to Rex. The End.

Independent's Review 1/5
Movies4Kids Review 2/5
Guardian's Review 2/5
Flickering Myth's Review 1/5
JumpCut Online's Review 0/5

After watching the film, and reading the views of others, I had to go back to Into Film to see why they included it within this year's festival. They say this film has the themes of Animation [yes] and Anti-Bullying [yes, now I think back to it, there is a scene in the pound when Rex stands up to a bully, but it is by far and away not my main memory of this film].  I think it is quite telling that on the Into Film site, there are currently 4 reviews, all by children.  Unfortunately, I can't seem to work out how to add my review to the site, without setting up a Film Club (which I don't want to do).

Weekly Update No45

Another week I haven't weighed myself, and another week I'm late doing this post.  I think because I haven't been weighing myself I haven't got as much to say - which may be a good thing? I am trying to be more conscious about what I'm eating, and looking for more nutrient rich foods, as well as cooking at home a bit more than I have been.

Anyway, this week (and last week, and next week) we have been participating in Into Film's Film Festival which has free films for schools and home educated children, which has meant we're out of the house at 9am each day.  Yesterday we saw A Dog's Way Home which was an emotional roller-coaster, but all worked out in the end.  It was a good film, but take a pack of tissues with you as it has some sad moments (and when you think you're past the sad bit, there's another one, and another one...).  It may not be for more sensitive kids, but is a lovely film overall.

Today we saw The Queen's Corgi, which deserves a blog post of its own.

Sei Thrillers by Ty Hutchinson

Last September I reviewed book 1 of this series.  Books 2 and 3 continue the story of Sei and her attempts to be reunited with her child.

The blurb says:

Sei learns about an individual involved in the abduction of her daughter—a man so vile, so foul in every way, that the mere thought of him turns Sei’s stomach. Has her daughter fallen victim to him?

To make matters worse, Sei must do the unthinkable when she finds this sicko. She must befriend him.

Again, this is well written by Hutchinson, keeps your attention and I read the books very quickly as I didn't want to put them down. Sei gets within a hair's width of her daughter, and has to use all her skill and ability to keep tracking her.

The tension continues, and while I was disappointed that Sei hadn't found Mui at the end of book 3, it does mean that there are two more books to enjoy in this saga.

A Life of Balance by K P Yohannan

The book description says:

Remember learning how to ride a bike? The hardest part was learning how to stay balanced. Once you mastered that, you were ready to go anywhere.

The same is true of life, especially for those of us who sincerely seek to follow Jesus Christ. All truth has two sides, and balanced attention to both sides of the coin is necessary to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Otherwise, our passion for the Lord can quickly turn into fanaticism and our ministry will eventually fade away.

In this short booklet, K.P. Yohannan discusses Biblical balance in 11 key areas of life, such as

*Discipline and Freedom
*Faith and Common Sense
*Love and Doctrine
*Zeal and Wisdom

Learn how to develop the balance which will keep your life and ministry healthy and honoring God.

This is a good little book, only 78 pages, full of wisdom.  I read a chapter at a time, and each helps point you back to Christ and get balance in your lives.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

I bought this book because my 12yo had homework to draw a scene from one of the poems in this book, but had come home without the text!

So I bought the book.

My initial impression was that it's not really suitable for Yr7s (11 & 12yos).  DD1 does know all about sex etc - we're upfront about answering any questions either girl may have - but I still felt she's a bit young for this book.  That said, as I continued reading I felt better about the book.

The blurb says:

Xiomara has always kept her words to herself. When it comes to standing her ground in her Harlem neighbourhood, she lets her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But X has secrets – her feelings for a boy in her bio class, and the notebook full of poems that she keeps under her bed. And a slam poetry club that will pull those secrets into the spotlight.

Because in spite of a world that might not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to stay silent.

A novel about finding your voice and standing up for what you believe in, no matter how hard it is to say. Brave, bold and beautifully written - dealing with issues of race, feminism and faith.

The book is raw and blunt.  It is written through the eyes of teenager Xiomara as she learns how to be true to herself.  She questions her faith and her family, and is full of mixed emotions about school, boys and every day life.

I read the book in 2 days, and yes, I will allow my daughter to read it should she want to.  It is thought-provoking and gets to the core of what it feels like to be a teenage girl, misunderstood by those around you, battling desires and rules as you go through adolescence and try to make it in life.

Adam's Journey by Alex Albrinck

Last year I read and reviewed books 1-7 of The Aliomenti Saga.  It's a great series that I loved all the twists and turns, bringing SciFi, time travel, and fantasy together with an innocent man who is told he's the saviour with an egotistical maniac who wants him dead.  Go on, read it.  The series is great.

Anyway, I held off reading the eighth instalment, Adam's Journey, because I didn't want to ruin the series as some sequels who go back to a story line don't quite hit the mark... Boy, was I wrong!

As soon as the book started, I was swept away into the world of nanotechnology and magic, immediately remembering everything that had happened previously and watching wide-eyed as I saw the same stories from another perspective, getting better whilst simultaneously being more complex.

The blurb says:

The greatest journeys in life are often those taken in silence, with no one else watching. They are the journeys of self-discovery, when one learns one's true history and destiny. They are the times when self-discipline must trump the massive desire to act in a manner that offers a short term benefit... but a long term disaster.

Adam long knew he faced such a journey, one he'd face completely alone. He didn't know how he'd ever begin; fate seemed stacked against him. And yet he knew the stakes, knew that his failure -- or his discovery -- could doom him and those he loves most.

And then... fate smiled on him. For just a few brief moments, the window opened, and he commenced that journey.

He--and the world--would never be the same.

Despite me saying the plot is intricate, it is actually an easy read.  The story is well written so you always understand as much as you need to know at that time, without it becoming too complicated or difficult to follow.  Though some things you don't fully understand until later in the books, there are no plot holes, and everything comes neatly to an end, without it becoming twee.

I have some more books written by Albrinck that I can't wait to read.