Violet jam, bespoke happiness, and cosy cardio
The giveaway this week is ‘Knife Drop’ by Nick DiGiovanni.
This week, I cracked a new publication, which is always a thrill for a freelance writer. My first article for body+soul was published, focussing on an important topic – breast implant illness. I’d always thought any trouble with implants was only caused by ruptures, but that turns out not to be the case. For some people, they can cause havoc in the body simply by being there. I spoke with two women who have experienced the condition, along with two experts, for the piece to find out more.
I love discovering more about various health issues by writing about them, but it feels extra satisfying to highlight a condition that deserves more recognition. This feels like one of those pieces.
On Twitter (now ‘X’, ugh), I’ve posted a few times asking for suggestions of illnesses or health issues we need to shine more light on. I’m happy to hear about these things in the comments here as well. It might be an illness you or family members have, or one you’ve simply heard about and suspect is underreported. I’m all ears if you’d like to share. I often save these suggestions and refer back to them in the following months when pitching health articles to editors.
Have a wonderful, healthy week.
xx
News
1. Let me say upfront: I’m not a soccer fan. At all. In the past week or so, Aussies have barely been able to move without hearing about our country’s female soccer team, the Matildas, and their incredible run in the FIFA World Cup. A 30-something-year-old male I know asked me last week whether I’d be watching their match, and I said no. He suggested that as a feminist, I should be supporting women’s sport. While I saw his point, I can be proud of women’s athletic achievements and not watch every single moment myself. What was more important, I thought, was that he was excited about it – a guy who generally thinks women have achieved equality and these days are just fond of having a whinge. I reckon female sport went up several notches in his estimation after he kept raving about how exciting the Matildas’ games were. Their match with England became the most-watched show in Australian history. So much for those who argue women’s sport just doesn’t get the ratings to justify equal pay with men. That’s what I’m proud of, even if it is soccer.
2. It might seem like a fluffy topic, but it’s good to see happiness getting the attention it deserves. The conclusion seems to be we know less about it than we think, and it’s different for everyone, depending on our likes and dislikes, personalities, past experiences, what we lack or have too much of, our relationships, and a bunch of other factors. Maybe looking outside of ourselves for answers and googling what should make us happy isn’t the best way to go. I reckon it might be about training ourselves to notice what brings us joy, and then doing more of those activities. That’s what I’m aiming to do at the moment.
Reviews
1. Fascinated by what happens in real-life witness protection programs? Me too. I found this article fascinating. There are plenty of movies and TV shows based on wrong-place-wrong-time scenarios where innocent bystanders witness violent crimes and are whisked away to a new life, but in reality, most people in witness protection are criminals themselves, which makes sense, really. I guess the on-screen representations tap into our secret fantasies about being pulled out of our normal life to create a whole new identity. It has a certain allure, at least in the realm of make-believe. Also a useful discussion about the impact of social media on keeping witnesses’ new identities under wraps. Cool stuff.
2. This week I tried the Mineral Water Cleanser by Kit: ($30 for 100ml) and can I just say: I don’t get it? Maybe micellar water cleansers are not my bag. From the instructions on the bottle, this stuff seems intended for morning use, but it smells like lavender to me, which makes me want to fall asleep. I tend to wash my face in the evenings, so I like a cleanser that will take off most of my make-up (bar colourstay formulas, for which I have a heavy-duty make-up remover). This water cleanser seems to do bugger-all as far as actually washing off anything. It smells great and is refreshing if you want to hydrate your face in the middle of a summer’s day. Cleansing? I’d look elsewhere. Maybe it’s just me, though, since this product gets stellar reviews on the Mecca site.
3. Stumbled across the concept of ‘cosy cardio’ this week and I think I’m in love. It’s essentially a rejection of needing to look like you stepped off a runway while going for a jog. If you must do cardio (I’m no fan of it, myself), you’re gonna do it your way – messy bun; your comfiest workout gear; maybe with the lights turned down low in the privacy of your own home; or sipping an iced coffee on a brisk walk around the neighbourhood. You get the idea. Whatever gets you through to your daily step goal. It’s a rejection of the ‘no pain, no gain’ approach to exercise and I’m extremely here for it.
Raves and Faves
The top eight picky bits in my lazy girl lunches
Some days, I’m working from home and scraping together whatever odd assortment of foods I can get my hands on for lunch. It’s like a little picnic at home. Here are my favourite weird midday meal picks.
1. Raw cauliflower
I’m not so hot on the steamed version unless it’s drenched in melted cheese, but the raw version of cauliflower is so darn crunchy and delicious. I’ll definitely add it to my plate if I have some lying around.
2. Dried fruit and cheese
Dried fruit is one of the mainstays of our snack cupboard, so we almost always have it on hand, along with some cheddar or cheese slices. Add a few crackers and you have a mini cheese board.
3. Baby salad vegies
Cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, and tiny cucumbers? Yes, please. At least one of these is often lurking in our fridge’s crisper and I like these vegies much more if I only have to commit to the small version. Putting a couple on my plate.
4. Fruits dipped in peanut butter
Sliced apple or banana dipped in peanut butter is an extremely good time and takes almost zero preparation. In winter, blast the peanut butter in the microwave for a few seconds for a warm, gooey dip.
5. Mini Caprese salad
If I happen to have leftover bocconcini cheese and basil from making a pasta, it’s time to think about a next-day Caprese salad using sliced tomato and balsamic vinegar. So easy, so tasty.
6. Leftover roasted sweet potato
Any second-day roasted vegies will do, but the ones we have most often are sweet potato or regular potato.
7. Pimped instant noodles
Instant noodles sure are tasty but aren’t the healthiest. To remedy this, I’ll often add chopped spring onions on top, or boil up some frozen peas and/or broccoli along with the noodles. We usually get Indomie’s mi goreng flavour.
8. Violet jam and cream on bread
Jam usually sits in our cupboard collecting dust. I’m not a toast-haver, and jam is generally too sweet for my tastebuds. However, we recently bought a small jar of Beerenberg’s raspberry and violet jam (not sponsored) and let me tell you, it’s the tits. I have it on grain bread with cream, because that’s much better than toast, right?
Giveaway
Last week’s giveaway, The Work Wives by Rachael Johns, was won by Cath Harnish. Fab stuff! Cath, I’ve emailed you.
After something a tad fancier than picky bits for your meals? This week’s giveaway is Knife Drop by Nick DiGiovanni. Fill your name and email address in here to enter.
Playlist of the Week
’90s boy bands 4 eva: