Weight loss: psycho analysis

As you may remember I am on a break from Jenny Craig. This started because of a course of medication I was on. I have chosen to continue my hiatus to set myself up for weight loss; looking at the physical and psychological reasons I put on weight and have not been able to lose it. Continuing to work hard and not see any results was causing me unnecessary stress. I am doing what I think is the most sensible thing.

To set me on the right track I have started seeing a psychoanalyst. I won't mention her by name (yet) as I haven't discussed these posts to her. Our first session looked at my goals and the goals for us working together:
How do I want my life to be?
What do I want to get out of this experience?
It also acted as an in depth "getting to know you."
She is so lovely that it already feels like she is a friend who truly cares about me (and is just extra interested in me). We talked about each area of my life, identifying my satisfaction level and how that area would look if it were what I wanted it to be. The most interesting part was identifying my "captain" through a visualisation. The captain is my inner leader who will help me to better express who I truly am. I also think they will fight on my side when I'm beating myself up - in my head this is quite an amusing picture, reminiscent of Street Fighter (my captain and myself squaring off against each other). I think I'm off to a good start and I'm looking forward to where this takes me.

I have finished my visits with the anthroposophical nurse. I will continue to take the liver pills she has given me for a further two months. I am considering changing doctors to one who has anthroposophical training because my doctor keeps testing the same things even though they come up negative each time.

The pole dancing classes continue. I think I am working harder than I was; I get out of breath and I hurt after each class - it is much harder to get up the next morning.

In my next post I plan to talk about detoxifying body wraps. Can they really make you lose centremetres?  Tune in next time to find out.

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


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

Wellington Medi Spa

Tonight I had an hour massage at Wellington Medi Spa on the Terrace, and I think it was the worst customer service I have ever had.

My appointment was at 5pm and as soon as I arrived, I was greeted by a large man, slothed over one of the two chairs in the foyer, talking very loudly on a cell phone. I could only assume he was a relative of the owners, or the owner himself (I later found out he was the owner). Once I checked in for my appointment and had taken a seat, I was told I had been double booked. Great. It would be 30 minutes before I would be seen to. I went to get a coffee.

When I got back, it was 5.45. I was told that it would be 6.15 before I was seen due to "technical issues". Or I could re-book for Friday and get an extra 15 minutes. I decided to wait, because at this stage, I was so wound up, I needed that massage. Thank God for smartphones huh?

The staff (owners - family business from what I gather) were talking very loud at the counter, which I feel is really unprofessional and very un-relaxing for a day spa. There was audible displeasure from other staff about working there, and visual displeasure from other clients about the wait.

In the end, the massage was amazing, but I would never return.

[Editors note: We are always reluctant to post negative reviews but our reviewers experience at Wellington Medi Spa was pretty appalling, so much so that it overshadowed the treatment itself, despite the treatment being "amazing".]

Weight Loss: The Journey

I attempt to make my posts as positive as possible. This is a real struggle. I am frustrated at my lack of progress. I feel I am letting my readers down. I judge myself more harshly than others judge me; this woman is an inspiration.

My visits to the anthroposophical nurse have been peaceful interludes; all cocooned in blankets with my liver compress I take a wee nap. I haven't noticed any difference but I suspect it will creep up on me. I am on pills for three months to improve my liver function in addition to four treatments with a liver compress.

I struggle on with pole dancing. Much like my anthro treatments I think one day my progress will surprise me. Although I'm at least twice the size of the other students I never feel judged, I appreciate that.

This whole weight loss is a journey for me and appropriately I have just finished reading The Journey by Brandon Bays. My initial thoughts on reading this book were around cancer; not wanting to read about cancer and not believing someone can heal themselves of it. The more I read, the more it felt as though the author was talking to me. She talks about her tumour saying "I'd grown arrogant - thinking it couldn't happen to me"; that may as well be me talking about my weight. One of her first clients visited her because they wanted to learn from their illness, that it meant something. I believe this is true of my weight; I need to learn the lesson my body is trying to teach me.

I plan to attend a little retreat to go through the Journey process; a series of exercises to get to the root of my emotional issues around weight.

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


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

The Truth Game

Saturday night was the premier of the Simon Cunliffe play The Truth Game Circa Theatre.

The evening started with the full house gathering well before the performance to share, in anticipation, the new production. The crowd included a number of established artists, an MP and a head of a government department amongst others.

The set was great, the cast excellent and the story line intriguing and believable. We were given an English lesson as well.

Having worked in and for a number of corporates including one Australian owned, and another American, the corporate politics’ were realistic as were the inter-personal battles between the old times and the new; male versus female; corporate, management and other staff, and the couple who worked together but their relationship was at an end.

Without giving too much away, the performance flowed well with twists and turns, some obvious but others not so.

The performance on the night was excellent, the acting marvellous and quite believable as each actor fitted their role perfectly.

But I’m not sure what OSH would have to say about the second story of the set!

We would certainly recommend a visit to Circa to view The Truth Game.

13-10 November: Tuesday, Wednesday 6.30pm, Thursday to Saturday 8.00pm, Sunday 4.00pm
Price: $46/38

Le Burlesque Au Moulin

Le Burlesque Au Moulin! is a good musical with fantastic singing, a great live band, brilliant choreography and costumes, yet if half of the acting scenes were left out, it wouldn't be any less of a show than it is.

The set up of the stage area is nice, yet small. It is taken up mostly by the presence of a live band, and I wonder where the scenes will take place, yet they fit it nicely without over crowding. There are some tables close to the front set out for the audience that fit in with the scene design, yet there is some confusion if patrons are allowed to sit there as some are reserved, some are not. They are a nice touch, but it had a "not allowed to sit here" feel.

The show kicks off with the band playing a number and the eerie narrator (Benjamin Priest) telling the story, introducing our burlesque girls. The girls are great with a good dance number that is well structured, they are very mesmerising as they should be.  The leader of the burlesque girls (Janelle Pollock), who I shall call Mistress Rouge as no one in the show had a character name, has great stage presence and a great voice. She, throughout the whole show, holds every scene.

Next up is our introduction to our main male protagonist, the Ewan McGregor character (Jesse Finn); the two guys who are just always around (Jeff Bell and Sam Benton); and the girls who will prominently be the backup singers (Kirsty Moir, Ingrid Dyer and Bonnie Riley). I found this scene very awkward to watch, it feels clunky, which isn't helped by the following scene where the group after getting drunk and singing Children of the Revolution together, head to the Moulin Rouge where a big mash up of songs and characters happens. It's over the top and a bit awkward.

The main female protagonist is introduced now - the Nicole Kidman character (Cassandra Tse). She is overshadowed big time by Mistress Rogue simply because she is so great. Our next character is shortly introduced and I discover that Mistress Rouge has some competition - Diva Nicole Kidman (Sheree Moanaroa). Sheree plays the bitch fantastically, and her voice is amazing. Her duet with Cassandra for Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend is great and I want to see more. She is over the top - but in a good way.

Three of the burlesque girls (Kirsty, Bonnie and Hannah Bain) have a song to convince Cassandra that she needs a gimmick to get through in the business of burlesque. It's a good laugh, but Bonnie could do with being less stiff - she is like this as a back up dancer too, whilst Kirsty is a little too excited in her moves (good to see, but there's no consistency between the three girls. Their singing styles really compliment each other, but their movements could be more in sync).

Jesse a.k.a Ewan McGregor, has his first one on one scene with Cassandra a.k.a Nicole Kidman. It's sweet, and it's the famous Your Song, which has a lovely opera backing voice by Master Moulin (Chris Green). Chris's voice really adds a beautiful element to it. Yet the scene is let down by the lack of chemistry. Cassandra claims she's falling in love. She's not really portraying that very well. It's the same with their other duet - Come What May - a great scene that was hindered by the lack of 'love'.

And to close off Act One, of course Lady Marmalade was performed. Great performance there - but was there a piece missing? It was noticeable. And the narrator presence was creepy.

Act Two kicks off with a good song number by Marley Araiti, good opening after the interval, yet the next few scenes lack excitement - Ingrid Dyer brings it all back with a great hit I'm a Good Girl - well sung, well acted, very funny.

While the characters worry about the state of the Moulin Rogue's finances, Master Moulin starts up with Queen's famous The Show Must Go On. I was nervous about this - anyone doing a Queen song has got to nail it. But it was wonderful. There was tension, intensity, beautiful harmonies. Wonderful.

The 'evil' character is brought on - the investor (Waylon Edwards) to save the Moulin Rogue, yet at a price. Roxanne is performed to a Tango with Stacey Neale. Brilliant Tango and brilliant tension in the scene as well. There is fear brought on by Waylon, and a slight craziness. The song is added to by Jesse, distraught his love is caught up in this. Adds very nicely to the scene.

To finish things up, Diva Nicole (Sheree) has a solo which is very strong yet reflective of her character. The show wraps up its characters paths and ends with, of course, Lady Marmalade, but on a very strong note - a note which has been the strongest the whole show; that Sheree and Janelle were the best in every scene and that this could have stood as a musical with much less of it's acting scenes, and still be fantastic. Nonetheless, it was a fun show to watch, and the singing and dancing was amazing.

A Speakeasy Theatre production.
Showing: 4-13 October, 7.30pm at the Gryphon Theatre