September 27, 2012

Weight Loss: exercise, inspiration and unpronounceable words

I made good use of the beautiful weather last weekend by going for several walks. I have also kept up the two walks I have each week with friends. I am continuing with my pole dancing. I don’t feel like I am making much progress but my teacher is really supportive. There was a piece about one of her students recently in the Hutt News*. Seeing the male ballet dancer on Sunday’s New Zealand’s Got Talent inspired me. He suffered from childhood obesity. He trained for only four years to get where he was. Maybe I can get there too.

I’m still on a break from Jenny Craig. It has been making me think that I need to look at the root cause of my weight problems because I haven’t addressed those and they may be why I haven't been losing weight. I have some tough decisions to make because I’m not in a financial position to afford to do both.

This week I purchased clothing a size bigger than what I have been wearing. Like so many overweight people I have been squeezing into clothes that are too small and fooling myself. It was an awful wake up call and produced disgust at myself, my body. If I do put Jenny Craig on hold for longer I worry I will feel that I'm not doing anything to lose weight.

On the recommendation of a friend I visited an anthroposophical nurse which is a bit of a mouthful. She was so friendly that I felt at ease even though I had no idea what it was about. We did a full medical history and managed to link all of my problems to my liver. My treatment was a ginger patch, a compress on my back, while I was cocooned in blankets for three quarters of an hour. I'm as sceptical as the next person about these sort of things but the patch burned. It didn't hurt but it felt like it was burning, seeping warmth into my body. Afterwards the area wasn't even warm to the touch. There are three more treatments, I am interested to see how they will progress. And my only homework was to ingest something something bitter; I now have lemon in my water. That is the sort of homework that I can handle.

Next time I hope to have some clarity about what I'm doing next and I will review a book called The Journey which I have read in preparation for a retreat I am taking once I've saved up enough.

So, keep reading and you'll be seeing less of me next time.


Special thanks to: Ian Tilley PhotographyJenny CraigKiwi Pole Fitness
* Page 65

September 24, 2012

Carousel Cabaret September 2012

Magenta Diamond was the host for September's Carousel Cabaret. I think this is a first time the show has had a female host(ess). If it is possible she was more risque than either of the male hosts I have seen, but somehow less offensive. Maybe it's because she exhibits such joy in being on stage; in getting the crowd to yell; in shaking her (initial emblazoned) arse; in getting to ride three ponies (the two stage kittens, excellent actresses with whom she had a charming repartee, and an unsuspecting male audience member) while using a voice like a kindergarten teacher.

Gracie Hart opened the evening with her beautiful voice. It was a shame that her microphone was too loud and made the audience cringe. Luckily it was fixed for her song later in the night, Fever. She was elegant in manner and dress...and undress. I missed her last performance at Carousel but am so glad I caught this one. I hope she returns.

International starlet Miss La Vida came down from Auckland to perform. She repeated her 'Big Butts' act from her last visit, this time it was even better. I love how she does classic burlesque but puts a comedic and often modern spin on it. For her first act she danced for a blow up doll gentleman then took offense at his attitude and dealt with him to the adoring roars of the crowd.

Fanciforia Foxglove performed to her strengths with a naughty/nice act that she refers to as 'Sweet Old Fashioned Girl' which reminded me of her debut. Her outfit matched perfectly from hat, gloves, socks, fan all the way down to undergarments. My favourite part was the exquisite jewelry. She is heading off overseas for a couple of months and I really hope she comes back. The Wellington burlesque scene will miss her.

Do you remember the guy who gave an impromptu half time show, fully dressed, on the pole at the last Carousel? His name is Andre Corey and on Friday he was on the main stage. Dressed as a sad hobo clown he bounced across the stage, did a headstand on a chair, then showed the audience a smiley face painted on his bottom. Magenta reminded us that someone had to paint that...and she watched.

It looks like Carousel won't be a monthly event anymore, I imagine because Venus is so busy. The upside (downside?) of this is that the starved fans will fill the seats at every event. The San Francisco Bath House can accommodate more people than previous venues. I was glad this time wasn't as packed at the last but you never know what next time will be like. See you there?

Next show: 14 December
Price: $35 (cash)
Venue: San Francisco Bath House

September 17, 2012

Information Security Awareness Day

Last weekend in2securITy hosted the Wellington Information Security Awareness Day at Victoria University. This weekend the same event was meant to be held in Dunedin at the University of Otago but unfortunately was cancelled. An earlier event in Hamilton was successful and next weekend one will be held in Auckland.

in2secruITy is a not for profit organisation that exists to help interested people get experience and work in the information security field. They have been running for less than a year and already have some great sponsors but they can always use more. The event last weekend was part of their tour of New Zealand; giving free talks to let the community know they exist and what they do.

The audience were of all ages, male and female. The speakers were professionals in information security, well respected and some of New Zealand's best. The talks were fun, informative and interactive. At the start of the day they showed a venn diagram which showed different aspects of security and all the professional roles. The talks throughout the day covered each of these different roles.

This was a really good all around introduction to information security. It was surely not CPD course as one disappointed attendee had expected. Information security is vitally important but not much understood.

If you are interested in computer security you could also check out ISIG (Information Security Interest Group) who meet the last Thursday of every month in Wellington and Auckland. The next meeting will be next Thursday. Kiwicon, New Zealand's own hacker conference, is coming up in November, tickets are on sale now.

September 12, 2012

Weight Loss: lots of updates

Jenny Craig
I have continued to have health problems. I am taking another break from Jenny Craig while I finish a round of medication which I hope will fix some of my health concerns. I am trying to keep up healthy eating and exercise in the absence of the Jenny Craig eating plan.

My consultant has been very supportive. She mentioned that some clients have problems with the preservatives in the dried food so we removed them from the equation. When I am back on the programme I will be planning my own menus.

Exercise
As everyone knows, exercise is an important part of weight loss and general health. It is something I detest so I struggle to motivate myself in this area. I am very lucky that two of my friends have offered to walk with me each week. So I get half an hours exercise along with socialising twice a week. Their support is important to keep moving.

I have started pole dancing lessons once a week at Kiwi Pole Fitness in Lower Hutt, the only pole dancing studio I know of outside of the city. The class is a mixed beginners which means that some girls are able to climb the pole while others get dizzy from spinning. I'm not a fan of the décor or lighting but some students appreciate not having to see themselves in glaring lights, I can't argue with that. I enjoy watching the more advanced students and the instructor perform moves though I find it difficult to believe that I will one day be able to them as well.

Photo
Here is my updated photo. I don't think it looks any different from my previous photo which isn't surprising considering the progress I have (or haven't) made.


All in all a lot has happened but I feel frustratingly like I am still in the same place.

Keep reading and you'll see less of me next time.


Special thanks to: Ian Tilley Photography, Jenny Craig, Kiwi Pole Fitness

September 10, 2012

Docteur Sketchy - Les Folies de L'Amour


The September edition of Dr Sketchy gets all French ‘n’ fancy with Wellington’s brand new cancan troupe, led by local star Courtney L’Amour ( if you don’t speak the lingo, it’s pronounced “le folly de l-amour”).

First of all, I’d like to point out the added touch of having a bowl of sweets always waiting for us at the door (this month it was mini Whitaker’s chocolates). The little thingscan really make something extra special.

Numbers were down slightly from previous months, the horrendous weather no doubt to blame, I was extremely grateful to the staff for letting me come up early to take shelter! Mighty Mighty is the perfect venue for a show like Sketchy, though working with such a small stage must prove a challenge to performers, especially with four ladies up there at once!
The upside of a smaller audience was better views of the models on all sides and having an entire troupe of cancan lovelies to draw meant plenty of choice for models and poses to give our artistic muscles a work out, it also allowed the performers to rotate and have breaks, it can’t be easy to perform then hold poses on and off for 3 hours.
The routines performed by the troupe were everything one could hope for from a cancan; cheeky, lively, and above all fun. There was a red headed songstress and accordion player (her stage name escapes me) who sang beautifully, despite having only arrived back in the country at 3 am and having learned one of her songs that morning. I hope we’ll see more of her about the place.

For me personally, this was one of the best Dr Sketchy shows I’ve been to, I had a brilliant time watching the performances. I think my art may even be improving!

The next Dr Sketchy show is 13th October featuring Atomic Ruby and Optimus Fine in “Robots vs Aliens”
Tickets on the door: $14 ($12 if you have a studen id/community services/Grey power card)