flora Women’s Mini Marathon 2009 June 4, 2009

Congratulations to the 40,000 men and women who completed the Mini Marathon last Monday June 1st.

It really was a great day, the sun was shining and everyone was in good spirits. It’s also amazing to see so many charities being supported and how dedicated people are to help out.

Congratulations again, also a  huge thank you to everyone who sponsored me in aid of the DSPCA. Here’s a couple of pics I snapped with my phone, they’re probably a little blurry, I only walked it but I was worried if I slowed down too much heat stroke would set in. I’m definitely going to get in shape and run it next year (I said that last year too).

Peace out

Some of the 40,000 participants

The 9k marker...nearly there

Euphoria, the finish line is up ahead

My head hurts May 2, 2008

 

I have a headache, so why you ma ask am I sitting in front of my laptop? Well because I didn’t get chance to watch this week’s Zero Punctuation review yet and i’ll be damned if anything gets in between me and that bitter, crazy english man.

I’ve suffered from migraine for a ling time, since I was about 12 or so. Ranging from headache with blurred vision to full on hemiplegic migraine (not cool). For anyone who has never experienced one or it you’re one of those people who refers to every headache as a migraine (I hate you people) the most pleasant way I can describe them would be if someone was standing on your head, pushing on your left eyeball and punching you in the stomach at the same time. So if like me you have had to endure this I researched a few different remedies to try and shake them off or possibly prevent them. Should be useful with the exams coming up.

Apples 

One forum suggests that eating apples can help to relieve migraine and insists that when over the counter medicine doesn’t help Granny Smith will.

Vinegar

At least three people on the site suggested that vinegar has helped them to recover from their migraine: ”An old fashioned remedy for any headache was to soak a piece from a brown paper bag with cider vinegar and apply it to the forehead. Something about breathing the fumes helps in some cases, anyway”.

Avoid Carbs

Stodgy carbohydrates sugar and caffeine are all triggers for migraine

B Vitamins

B Vitamins are good for warding off migraines. In particular, vitamins B2, B3 and B6. Migraines have also been liked to a deficiency in magnesium. Black beans, soy milk, oysters, whole grain breads, nuts, halibut and spinach are all rich in magnesium. Regular headaches can also be a sign of iron deficiency and anaemia. 

 

How to get through a particularly bad migraine

1. Get warm. If there’s one thing i learned it’s that feeling cold only makes it more frustrating and unpleasent. Throw on comfortable clothes or lie in bed.

2. Stay away from light. there’s nothing worse than having to put up with head pain and eye pain. It only makes you feel sicker.

3. Take deep breaths, make sure you get plenty of fresh air. Take a nap but leave the window open. 

4. Try not to think about it too much. I know it sounds crazy but I know from experience that lying around feeling sorry for yoursef makes it worse.

Break out the Nostalgia May 1, 2008

As I’m writing this blog, among the many many arbitrary thoughts running through my brain, is The Beatles‘ song The Long and Winding Road. Why? Because it hit me right between the eyes earlier that tomorrow is potentially my last college lecture…ever! Thanks to my lack of computer skills and my general incompetence I spent most of my second last day and night in a freezing computer lab wishing I could turn back time and pick an elective I wasn’t terrible at. Now in fairness I’m usually okay at computer stuff but I’m not the most organised person in the world which I learned today is a major part of web design. Who knew? There’s nothing like going from out of control maniacal laughter to floods of tears in under ten minutes, all in all it was a proud day for strong women everywhere.

I just realised in the last week that assignments and exams aside, college is a test of endurance. I’ve had subjects in that past I didn’t like (ahem, radio) or were really challenging (*cough* media law *cough*), but part of the experience is learning that you can’ always just do the subjects you want or are good at. In many professions like journalism you will more than likely down the line end up doing a job you hate and college. In this way college prepares you for the real world in ways you don’t even know. 

I’m getting old March 9, 2008

I’ve had my suspicions for quite some time but I can now confirm that at the tender age of
21 (going on 22 in my defence) I have well and truly entered mid life. I’ve started worrying about savings and investments and even started looking at my options with regards to the job market and apartments available to someone on my income. Although since I don’ have any form of job at the moment my options are a) cardboard box b) stick it out with the parents for another year or so.

I had this revelation where I have all my revelations, on the bus. I was coming home from Bray on the 145 last night and when we got past Cherrywood a group of girls no older than 18 got on with some fairly questionable looking bottles of “club” and a brain cell between them and all I could think was “If that was my daughter I’d be ashamed”. We all go through a crazy phase at some stage in our adolescent lives. We’ve all been in Supervalu on a Saturday night buying beer and pig hearts but at a certain point most sane people realise that this behaviour really can’t last forever, If you think it can you’re either stupidly wealthy, have emotional issues or are Charlie Sheen (who I guess is both really). But for most of us at a certain point we just have to grow up.

Maybe it’s just me. I have always liked a certain amount of stability on my life, with of course an adequate amount of spontaneity to keep things interesting. Although not too much and obviously not in aspects of life where this might upset balance or harmony (I’m a woman I’m allowed to be unreasonable)! I like that I am happy spending nights in on the couch watching DVDs with the mister and that I’m about as low maintenance as you can get. Is it wrong that I spend my Friday night playing Lego Star Wars? No! And if you think it is you obviously don’t know me…or have never played Lego Star Wars!

I like knowing that when I go home on a Friday night other people’s nights are just beginning. This might sound strange to some people but it makes me think back to the younger wilder version of me that actually played the social game and cared what people thought about her and I thank my lucky stars that I’m not her anymore. I like when people who judge my decision not to go to clubs (I don’t see the point) or get mind numbingly drunk (again…point?) tell me that I’m missing out. It makes me laugh inside, just a little. Because when 3am comes and they’re sitting in Abrakebabra sobering up, mascara running down their chin, counting pennies for a taxi wishing they hadn’t spent all their money on “After Shock” they would trade their Jimmy Choos to be in my position, sleeping like a log.

The Final Countdown January 19, 2008

In the middle of my finals at the moment which is just a laugh a minute! I was awake until about 4am last Tuesday the eve of my first exam just lying in a state of tension watching the level of glow-ocity of the sticky stars on my ceiling slowly fading out.

1st Exam Media Research and Cultural Studies went alright though for all my panicking and plans to run away and join a circus…but not the kind with animals because that’s just cruel. Maybe I’ll start my own circus, “Cirque De Lunier” one where people act like animals. Focus Jane FOCUS. Either way it went alright, I’m pretty sure I passed it which I’d be happy with at this stage.

2nd Exam Business Journalism was a different story altogether. It felt like the more I studied for it the less I knew, as if the stress of the subject was actually absorbing knowledge from my brain and keeping it for its own sick use. I spent most of the night before the exam rocking backwards and forwards on my bed cradling my laptop hoping that if I cried and prayed enough I would be blessed with some kind of Divine Inspiration.

The luas ride into college was great. There’s nothing claustrophobic people love more than being surrounded by walls of people and hot confined spaces. I had to get off two stops early and sit down just to get away from the wheeled purple prison.

I was pleasantly surprised with the exam paper though. I think I may have actually managed to pass which I’m telling you would be just fine and dandy for me. I’ll settle for my GPA taking a hit if it means I don’t have to do business studies ever again EVER!

I’ll keep you posted about Monday’s exam, the one where we have to, and honestly this is a past paper question, “reorder these facts gathered by a lazy journalist” as well as rephasing gramatically awkward sentences. I’m not too worried about this one, unless they’ve decided to trick us somehow and we have to do the exam blindfolded, in the dark, listening to Leon Jackson…shudder.