Antique Roadshow

I am totally addicted to AR(Antiques Roadshow). I was at the gym today watching this show and smiling away despite working pretty hard on the elliptical trainer. I love the old manor houses and estates they usually hold the show at. I love the presenters and their old fashioned charm and most of all I love looking at all the antiques. 

I love the 1700s and 1800s in England. The reason for my love of this era is entirely due to the likes of Jane Austen and Elizebeth Gaskell. I do know of the reality of that time, especially if one was not of noble lineage with plenty of money. A time when women were objectified and considered to be not as smart as men I suppose, ruling of the commoners by noblemen who were born into power and did not earn it or particularly deserve it, diseases were rampant. I have seen videos showing the rampant syphillis and other illnesses in microbiology lectures. To add to all of these and more, there was also no running water or toilets!

In my imagination though I entirely chose to believe the picture Jane Austen paints of rolling hills and long summer days. Of walks in the park and being idle all day. Marrying Mr Darcy and living in one those huge manor houses. 

I love to see how some of the objects from that era have passed down from generation to generation and family members still have them today. The history behind some of the pieces are so amazing, romantic, sad, sweet and stir a myriad of emotions. I love the idea that we are looking at a piece of history. A brooch a Victorian lady wore out to a ball. lovingly given to her by her sweetheart:) 

Looking at this show I understand the appeal of antiques. I have often coveted the antique jewellery they have on the show. If only I had the wealth!

Anyways, I know this is a rambling post, but I felt sentimental about the antiques roadshow for some reason today and thought about writing about it in my blog in memory of the episode I saw today. It also helped me work out harder and longer at the gym for which I am thankful too;)

Fear

I'm so scared of not meeting my soulmate, 

I'm worried that even if I do meet him, I'll be too shy and give him the cold shoulder hence the relationship going nowhere!

I'm so freaking out! I so need to stop doing this!

Boys!

I met up with a boy recently, introduced by my parents. I hadn't met any one on my own so I thought why not? I'll give it a shot. He seemed like an ok guy, my parents liked his parents and most importantly for my mum, our horoscopes matched up!

Gosh the whole thing was a disaster from the start. He wanted to meet up straight away without talking on the phone or emailing. I found this a bit weird as I would have like to have gotten to know him better before meeting up. What is the point in meeting up if we have nothing in common, have distinctly different views about life or just did not get along? I however went along with the whole meet up against my better judgement. 

He arrived late! There was absoloutely no chemistry whatsoever and I found him to be a little bit odd. I spoke with him on the phone after that once and then just called the thing off. It seemed to me and I may be wrong here that he was completely under his parents' thumb. He's nearly 30 and still living at home. He did not seem at all strong or like he had a mind of his own. 

I was really worried about not giving this more time. Who knows with time maybe we would have found more things in common? Maybe chemistry would have miraculously appeared as I got to know him better. I just couldn't tolerate the fact that he was still relying on his parents so much for all his decisions. 

I sound totally retarded now. I am freaking out now about not finding a suitable partner. I am terrified of having to spend the rest of my life alone! 

I wish I could meet Mr Right! Where art thou?

The continuing story

I bought the soundtrack to the boat that rocks a while back and have loved it, being a big fan of 60's and 70's rock and roll. I finally saw the movie yesterday. It was funny but I found it hard to get into. I am listening to the sound track on i-tunes as I type this post though and continue to love it:)

So since I wrote that post about on sat about my increasing weight, I didn't panic as I usually do! I have been going to the gym somewhat regularly and trying my hardest to stay away from chocolates. I slipped up yesterday and had a couple of caramel squares but for the most part have been eating pretty well. Working nights was really messing with my eating but now that I am back to the land of the living it has been much easier. 

Unfortunately I go back to doing nights in a couple of weeks again and thats when the real test lies! 

Muffin Top

I've gained a few pounds! About 15 compared to this time last year! My clothes are getting too tight and Horror of horrors - I can't fit into my work pants anymore. My jeans are tight at the thighs and can't hardly get them up and forget about the waist. Either I've got a massive muffing top or can't do up the button at all!

I panicked yesterday. I worried that I was going to get back to my obese weight! I nearly cried but managed to just hold now. After taking a deep breath I have decided that what I need to do is get back on track! 

I've been eating a ton of chocolate every day. I've been slack with my diet. I've been eating too much and been uninspired with exercise. I'm an emotional eater especially when I'm upset/feeling blah and I've had a lot to feel blah about lately.

Enough of the self pity and self indulgence though! It all stops now and I am so back on track. I've been really good with my food so far today. I'm proud of not helping myself to that Crunchie chocolate bar after breakfast! I'm going to go to the gym today too! 

Time to kick those pesky pounds away!!!

Flashback

I was reading through one of my favourite blogger's recent guest post she had done for K's blog about Maurice Utrillo's mother. I then googled Maurice Utrillo to find out more about the life of this genius born to the amazing woman she had written about. It is a fascinating story, especially the information about his mother - A true feminist and survivor who lived life on her own terms! I admire the way she lived her life so much. 

The funny thing was that his paintings grabbed me. I wanted to enter those paintings. They were so simple yet so captivating. This got me thinking about my very short but amazing trip to Paris a few years back. I went over there with my cousin for a couple of days and we did a very rushed touristy tour of Paris. We went to a couple of museums and of all the paintings I had seen then, One particular artist's paintings grabbed me. Something about them made me feel so happy. I didn't want to move away from them. My cousin had moved on by now to look at Picasso's paintings, but I was captivated by this artist's work. I took photos of a couple of his paintings so that I could look up his name later as there was no way I was going to remember his name when I got home. It was a painter I had never heard of. Unfortunately by the time I'd gotten home from vacation I got caught up with everyday life and university and forgot to look up that artist:(

So yesterday After googling Maurice Utrillo, I went back and looked at my photos of Paris. I was amazed to realise that the paintings I had loved so much were indeed by Maurice Utrillo. I have fallen in love with his paintings all over again. I really want some of his paintings in print. I would love to own his paintings and for the 1st time I understand the allure of art collectors somewhat. Ofcourse I am never going to be able to afford his real work would gladly settle for prints. Now I need to find a place that sells his prints. 

I was so excited to re-discover his work after all this time. I spent many happy hours perusing his work on the internet yesterday and admiring his work all over again:) A big thanks to K's Fine art friday and Notes of an anesthesioboist.

Foot in mouth Syndrome

I've been shoving my freakin' foot in my freakin' mouth all the freakin' time!

I've been sounding like an absoloute idiot because of it!!!

I should just stop talking, so that my bosses and collegues don't think I'm a freakin' loser:(