Riia

So hello world, and goodbye world.

I'm on a bus to Riga.

Because that's what's going on right now.

And I'm listening to Peter Gabriel.

And I've sorted all my work things, and emails and some useful things.

And Riga is meant to be nice this time of year.

/ :)

And I sang my concert today. 

To school children.

Apparently, when the music teacher told the kids they were going to have a concert where I'm singing, this little one, a 7 year old girl, put her hand up, with a super troubled face:

"Are you joking with us, miss? Is she REALLY coming here?"

And yes I did.

And they were INCREDIBLE kids. 

So responsive.

And so inspired by the opera and the music.

So we agreed with the music teacher that me and the pianist would return to that school.

And it started snowing!!

Inconvenience today, but god almighty it's pretty. 

And so here I am.

Half way to Riga.

These are the days of miracle and wonder.

I have Love for all of you.

Yours truly.

Always.

M.

plug

Life is not Sunday on a park bench.

I need to stop watching my life go by.
I need to stop watching it all go by.


This is going to ramble-y.


I'm not a child, and the world is not them.
All those situations that made me feel unnecessary, unimportant, powerless.
Basically for all intensive purposes invisible.
So I duplicate this in my life.
Like a magnet, I pull from the Universe the situations, the people who make me feel like that.
Like a magnet, a really strong magnet.
Cause we are, super strong magnets.
Who pull, and pull, and pull, and pull, and pull, and PULL.
Relentlessly pulling, until we die, and the magnet stops.
Unless we become a different magnet.
No matter what, the only thing we cannot stop doing, is pulling.
And I have pulled the things that make me feel unnecessary, and powerless.
We duplicate.
And I have and am making my life a very long list of situations and environments where I feel powerless and unimportant.
And I do this to myself, unknowingly, again and again.
And feel this again, and again, and again.
Someone choosing someone else, me not measuring up, not being enough, feeling like leftovers.

And if the plug isn't in the drain, it will run empty, forever, until you just stick the plug in.
(Or the water runs out, of course..)

And the necessary anti-bodies for this, the plug in this instance is the understanding.
Understand the situation, deconstruct it, see it for what it is.
And understand that my worth is not equal to the situation.
Or maybe it's not even about the worth at all?
Maybe it's just a choice.
Choose different, want something different.
Make a decision.
Very powerful things, those.

And then give yourself the situations in which you feel necessary, important, and in control.
Opposite of powerless, and definitely opposite of invisible.
Make the opposite the mantra.

And fill it all up again.
Plug in, and everything.

this_is_where_i_come_to_think


Plug.
Yours truly.
M.

simple things

I really am a simple creature.
And I'm going to ride this wave, as much as possible.

With love.
M.

tuesday

Rock some pigtails, drop some filthy beats, drink your coffee and do some laundry.

Hello, Tuesday.

Get going.
M.

va-va-voom!

If you want it, I'm gonna be Va-Va-Voom.
I like "too much".

M.

spring

So.
Reasons I will miss London LOADS.
It's currently the 27th of January, and it is +10C outside. And it's sunny.
I mean, seriously?
Back home, we'll have to wait till like, April for this?
End of March, if we're lucky.

But then again, May at home is magical. And I've been moaning about this for about 4 years that I'm not at home during this great great month. And I will be this year.

Pros and cons.
And 10C.

London.
M.
Here's some spring pizza for you, and spring flowers.

role-models?

[I actually wrote a post on this exact same subject matter some months ago, but never posted it (and have deleted it by now.)]

I saw this photo today.
A girl posted a photo of herself on Facebook, in her underwear. Her subtle bottom line was something like this - "THIS IS MY BODY, F*CK YOU."
She is clearly overweight, and has the stretchmarks to prove it (which is her choice, she is fine with it, as she explains in the photo comment.)
She posted this as a message to all the people who have ever bullied her, or called her weight-themed names.



Now then.
The reason why this post annoyed me to ridiculousness is not the fact that the photo had around 30,000 comments (and thousands more "likes"). Fine.
Most of them were positive. Also fine.
However, a lot of them claimed her to be a brilliant role model.

.....WHAT?

WHAT ABOUT HEALTHY?


Further reading the 30,000, there were some who spoke sense.
If it is so no-go to glamorise being underweight, surely it is the same thing with being overweight.
This is not to say this girl wasn't pretty, or bubbly looking, I'm sure she has a lovely personality and all the rest.
However, the point is - what are we accepting, and endorsing.


I am ecstatic for this girl that she is happy in her own skin (which certainly is something to be very proud of), and that she is brave (for lack of a better word) enough to post a photo of herself nearly naked on Facebook (which again, is her choice to do so).
BUT.

IS SHE REALLY A ROLE-MODEL?


(DISCLAIMER: she does not claim to be one, however, the majority of the 30,000 seem to consider her as one.)
Would I really want this person to be the lifestyle beacon for my son or my daughter?
NO.

The anorexia problem is huge. "Skinny" and the problems that it carries with it - also huge.
So is unhealthy eating. So is leading an unhealthy lifestyle.

Seriously though. Seriously.
What is this m a d n e s s ?



This is one of the better, reasonable comments.
This is not a fat/skinny issue, it is a health issue. Being overweight or obese can result in a long list of health-related issues which include (according to the CDC);
Coronary heart disease
Type 2 diabetes
Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
Stroke
Liver and Gallbladder disease
Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)
-
These issues will only worsen and come with a higher likelihood with age. Being overweight and obese in America is why so many are having health issues and why the healthcare system is overloaded and extremely costly. I struggled with my own weight issues on and off from the 3rd grade until I was a young adult. This was due to being uneducated about a proper diet and living a mostly sedentary lifestyle. It is easy to blame others and to not take responsibility for yourself. I can understand the insecurity, name calling and bullying that this lady felt because I dealt with all that too - but celebrating being unhealthy is not a step in the right direction.
And yes, being overweight and obese is NOT healthy no matter what anyone says. I am glad she has the confidence that she possesses and yes she is beautiful girl, but simply accepting an unhealthy lifestyle is not going to truly fix anything. We are sending the wrong message when we enable people with unhealthy habits. 

Following on from what I said earlier about my children and role-models, there's this woman saying she's going to show this photo to her 9-year-old daughter. - - -

A
HEALTHY
LIFESTYLE


What happened?
Why is that not in the battle?
Why is it LITERALLY between ribs-sticking-out and stretchmark-ed?


WHAT HAPPENED TO HEALTHY?


No.
I will try my hardest to pass on a healthy understanding of food to my children-to-come, an understanding of a balanced diet. You absolutely should eat everything, but it is all about knowing how to eat it in moderation.
Making sure I teach my children how to cook and cook well.
And see that yes, people are different, but HEALTHY is one that applies to ONE AND ALL.

The opposite of "skinny" in this fight for health is not "obese". It is just that - healthy.

LET'S BRING BACK HEALTHY, PLEASE.
M.

SPU

2 Marias.
Always a problem.

M.

L'ÉTÉ

Now, let us all wink at this image, please.