So this week has been fairly productive. I finished the intro to my dissertation, just need to proof read and then send off to my supervisors for review. I finished the most boring essay I've ever written about antihyperglcaemic drugs. I learnt how to do the radioimmunassay for melatonin for my dissertation, which apparently didnt come out too badly for a first try :) I get to practice again next week. I went shopping for the trails, and bought;
4 loaves of burgen bread
4 boxes of all bran
9 ready-meal Lasagnes
21 apricot muller lights
21 banana's
and a load of other stuff too. Needless to say we looked a bit nutty at the checkout. And it came to £70, which I'm hoping to be reimbursed for soon. On the plus, I got a shedload of clubcard points out of it. And a voucher for 5p off every litre of petrol. If only I had a car, hehe.
The other big thing that happened this week was the murder mystery party I had to organise for the court of residence that I mentor, as a part time job while living on campus. It was a lot of stress, and wasnt sure that it wasnt going to be a complete disaster! But luckily people turned up, and they threw themselves into it, and were all good sports. So on the whole I think it was a success.
Oh, and I bought a size 18 pair of jeans today!!! Hurrah! So even if I didnt loose weight this week, I can still celebrate that I'm at my lowest weight in years, and evidently my lowest dress size in a while too :)
On another note. I hate Odeon cinema's. There customer care is appauling.
I put on 2.5lb. Not happy at all. That is only my fourth gain since I started in september, and my biggest gain ever. And I honestly think it was undeserved. I went to the gym 3 times, and I wrote down everything I ate for the first 4 days (and the last 3 days, although not written down, were not that bad). Walking round tesco last night it was very tempting to say 'screw it' and buy a curry. But I resisted, and I am determined to do well this week, to proove that it was just a glitch. Who knows?
Look what just dropped into the studio inbox while on air...
If your not listening... why not? We're live on air at www.gu2.co.uk and you can listen back for up to one week. Go on,you know you want to. The shows called Sounds of Europe and is on every monday from 9pm.
I'm finally going in the lab today to do some work for my dissertation. Up to this point, we've just met to discuss the project over and over and over, and until last week we hadn't actually satrted the trials. But! Last week we got our subjects to run a baseline urine collection, and so I have 70 vials of pee pee sitting in my freezer right now (gross I know) just begging to be analysed. I can't wait! I love lab work, its the one thing thats got me through my degree, and I loved/miss my job in Turku that was hands-on everyday. Today I should be learning how to run a radioimmunoassay :) I get to play with radiation, mwhahahaha. Wish me luck!
Yesterday me and Rach went to see Valentines Day in the cinema. We had a moan about how the cost of a cinema ticket had gone up so much in the past few years. But the film was pretty good in the end. Given the chick flick binge me and Rach have been on lately (Bridget Jones 1&2, Notting Hill, 27 Dresses, Ugly Truth, Bride Wars and possibly another one I've forgotten), we thought we'd go check out this one on the big screen. Judging from the trailor, it looked like an american version of Love Actually. But in my opinion it was missing something, something wasn't quite right. I think there was too much going on, and in too shorter space of time (the plot taking place entirely on valentines day). All this resulted in poor character and plot development. That being said, it was a entertaining film and worth a look. With an undenialbly good (and attractive) cast, btw. Just don't expect too much...
So last night the union here at my uni was holding a headphone disco (or sometimes called a silent disco). The idea is there are two DJs playing different tunes, but its played silently over what I can imagine is some sort of radio wave. Everyone in the club then has a set of headphones set to the two frequencies to listen to whichever DJ you prefer. What also is fun, is to just take your headphones off and listen to all the drunken people singing to two different songs, and try to guess which is which. I chose to stay sober folllowing the awful hangover I'd been having all day, and while it meant the night was a little boring toward the end when everyone else was particularly drunk, I did appreciate being able to get up this morning without too much trouble, hehe.
The diet has been going very well so far too, which is great. Following the great hangover of 2010, I still havent got much of an appetite back, but a long gym session with my home girl Sofee made me feel totally energised again and ready to crack on with my exciting essay about some antidiabetic drugs that I can't spell the name of right now, and their mechanism of action (which involves those evil nuclear receptors that I thought I was rid of after completing the receptors module last year, but they have come back to haunt me!).
Oh, I also did another mentor shift tonight, and tried desperately to persuade people to sign up for my murder mystery party that I have been organising for weeks now. I need at least 20 people to come, and thankfully already have 10 sign-ups. So fingers crossed we get another 10 by tuesday! Will keep you posted...
Wayhay! All my hard work paid off! I'm so happy with this. I was hoping for about 2lb, so this is just fantastic. Lets see if I can keep it up. Clearly the extra gym session and the veggie week (hadnt touched any meat until my hangover cure fry up this morning) are working, so will stick with them for a little while longer. So, drinks to celebrate? :p
Goodness me, the last few days have been a blur. I'm feeling a bit worse for wear today after an unexpected night out, which resulted in the consumption of far too much red wine and not a lot of sleep. Wednesday is the only day of the week where I have a 9am start, so why oh why did I decide to stay out on a tuesday. I still feel decidedly hungover. And I'm out dancing again tonight, at a silent headphone disco. I don't intend to drink... much. Anyway, I did have fun last night, so it was all worth while. If I can just survive tonight, then I can sleep all day tomorrow.
Tonight I also go a weighing :) I have stuck to it religiously the week. Until the wine last night of course. But I haven't been able to stomach anything more than cous cous today, so that should make up for my sins. I'll be weighing in 2 hours and I'm not sure I'll be eating before then, so lets hope for a good loss, haha.
Other news this week. Lectures are hardcore. But I've been enjoying them (well, more than usual at least). Also, my murder mystery social for the court life mentor scheme is finally coming together. Its on tuesday, and I'm looking forward to it, and want to get it over and done with at the same time. Just so I can go back to concentrating on more pressing matters, such as my looming dissertation presentation!
Gonna post a song to liven things up. I'm listening to Dima Bilans latest album, and this is my favourite song. Its rather good...
So after a hit and miss attempt at being good on my diet this week, I stayed the same. At least it wasnt a gain, but I thought I might have got away with a pound off. Oh well. So this week I really am starting again properly. I have bought lots of lovely Quorn stuff so that I can have a veggie week (or Green days as its called on the plan). And I have a food diary to fill out for the week, so I'm going to go back to basics and working out syn values for everything and what not. I went to the gym this morning too, which should help. Only 30minutes, but every little helps. I guess my body's got used to me doing my Zumba classes, and they arent that hard, so going to the gym might kick start my weight loss again. This week's challenge is tonight, with a meal out with my work mates. We're going to Zizzi's, and bread (so pizza) is a bit of a no-no on the diet. But I have chosen already what I am going to have, and I'm going to stick to it. Which means I am going to plan the rest of my meals today aruond that. So fingers crossed I can still get a good wieght loss next wednesday. I will keep you updated!
Not much to update on this week. Feeling revitalised and optimistic about the upcoming semester! The timetable is good, and I have plenty of things to look forward to, including a friends birthday party on the weekend. Today I have been a super busy bee, and have written another 2 pages of my dissertation! That brings the total to 5. Out of 60. Hmm. Anyway, look, I drew a beautiful picture in word to explain the action of PKA in melatonin synthesis...
This morning my beloved cat passed away. She was at least 14 years old, and had been ill for a while following a stroke. It was a sad end to the weekend, but I was glad to know she hadn't suffered and that I got to say goodbye. So this is just a tribute post to the scared big kitten we adopted from a rescue centre 10 years ago, who grew to be a member of the family, and has been a great comfort to me over the years. Rest in peace dear Kaska.
So sadly A1 didnt make it through. But I'm ok with that. So long as they still keep making new material, I'll be happy. I dont think much of the song they did choose. The bloke is easy on the eyes and he can belt a good few notes, but the song is just the same old same old. Oh well. I quite enjoyed what I could watch of the show tonight though, and think I will have to watch MF this year too, even though the only acts I vaguely cared about were on tonight, and both got through to the final. Might discover some new talent though. Here's hoping.
A1 are competing in the final to represent Norway at Eurovision this year. I'm so excited. I loved this band as a youngster before I went into my teenage angst emo stage. Even despite my fondness for them from a reminiscing standpoint, I do genuinely like their new material. So I'm hopeful for them to win tonight so they continue to produce new music, and maybe, just maybe, do a show over here again so me and Rach can go and scream at them like the fangirls we are inside.And if they dont win, well... it better be Alexander Stenerud or Venke Knutsen who beats them or there will be trouble!
So I have been at home for two days now, and loving it. Its so nice to have other sources of entertainment than a laptop. I watched some TV with my mum (dancing on ice and corination street, staples of my mums tv diet), and have been taking advantage of my brothers christmas present. He got an Xbox, along with Guitar Hero, which I have successfully kicked his butt at ever since :) I am particularly pleased with my 358 note streak on Bleed American. Its the one computer game that I am good at. I am willing to endure the resulting R.S.I.
Then last night I headed out to Hertford. We started in the Snug in Hertford for some very cheap, very strong cocktails (it pays to know the bar staff), before heading onto the Stonehouse for a boogie. We may have been one of the first on the dancefloor, but after another bottle of wine and such I didnt care about anyone else. I was just enjoying the music and felt liberated that I knew noone other than my friend and so could dance without any cares in the world. Bliss.
Today my brother has taken over the telly (meaning no cable tv or xbox) so I have been forced back to the internet, but its been a nice break. I dont want to go back to uni :( Although there is plenty to look forward to this week. I think my new semester, new me resolution is going quite well so far :)
Lets add a song. A highlight from last night, and a guilty pleasure I've been enjoying a lot lately...
Yes, I am finally heading home after what seems like forever. I spent just a week at home for Christmas before spending new years in Turku, and then having to rush straight back to Guildford due to the snow. The last four weeks have then included study study and more study. So I cant wait to get home, see my family, pick up some clean clothes, and have a good old fashioned night out in Hertford with my home crew. Its gonna be good. Just the unfortunate matter of a 2 hour exam on human viruses to get through first. Yesterday, I was reminded of a band called Traffic that took part in the Estonian national selection for eurovision last year, and have been listening to some of their other stuff on youtube. I rather like this one, a duet with Maaraja called Meie Laul (our song), and have been playing it for the last two days while studying. Unfortunately it may now forever be tied in my mind to the Norovirus :/
Each wednesday night I will be trotting along to my Slimming World class, and seeing whether I got away with my naughty treats for the week. Alas this week I didnt :( I put on a pound. But it was totally deserved. Tomorrow the diet will start again with a vengeance, and I am determined to loose some weight by next week. I have a booze-filled friday night to look forward to (after a chinese buffet lunch with the family) so will be a challenge, but I will be back to my beloved Zumba class on monday, so hopefully that will help. Either way, I've still lost over 2 stone since I've started, so this is just a minor hiccup.
So hello *waves* Welcome to my brand new blog. I'm not entirely sure if setting this up now is the best idea, as the new semester starts next week, and its destined to be a busy one, so we'll see how long this survives. But right now I should be revising virology, so I need a distraction :)
Its been a life-changing couple of weeks. I have made some big decisions in the past two weeks, and had some made for me. I'm still struggling to decide if those were the right decisions. But I'm trying to put everything behind me, move forward and start the new semester as a new me!
Some of you may know me from my previous blog, Tales From Turku. Well, just to update, from where I left off. I returned to the UK, and had planned to return to Turku to complete a masters, and to be with my Finnish boyfriend. Recently I have decided that I just cant leave my family and friends and I dont have the money to go straight back to Finland, which meant the end for me and my boyfriend. As sad as it is, I think I made the right decision. My family have come to mean too much to me in the past few months, and I just cant leave them again.
As for other goings on. After returning from Finland, I gourged myself of home comforts and put on half a stone in one month. So I joined Slimming World, and have now lost over 2 stone! Having done weight watchers in the past, I would highly recommend Slimming World. Its so much easier to stick to in the long run! I weigh again tonight, but have had a bad week health wise (both mental and physical) and exams have got in the way of me concentrating. So we'll see how well I do. Also I have joined the gym. Shock horror! I hardly go to the actual gym, but there are Zumba classes every week, which I love. And I go to the occasional Step Aerobics too. They are building a big sports complex about 30mins walk away with a swimming pool, so when that opens I'll be going to that pretty often too I think. I love swimming :)
Other than that its just been work work work. I have my dissertation coming up, which I've been worrying about a bit given that we only just got ethical approval. We're studying the effect of melatonin on postprandial insulin secretion. In case your interested. Which I am. Luckily.
The only other thing thats been going on thats worth mentioning is of course the return of Sounds of Europe, the radio show I do with my lovely housemate and best friend, Rachel. It airs on 1350AM GU2 radio in the Guildford area at 9pm mondays, or you can listen back for up to one week at www.gu2.co.uk. Its full of wonderful music. Such as the song I'm going to leave you with now. Its called The Best Is Yet To Come by Novastar, and I think its quite fitting for my current frame of mind...
I'm a student in my final year, studying Biomedical Sciences. Follow me through my ups and downs while I try to share thoughts on music and film when I have the time.
