The Other Side Of The Fence

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIegKZ2YwPzUm8zgieZICepAZV_dmrQAzPN11fNcQ7qyfv4RFkIIOjiB6LBWCsC2lZuiLhzpCx81b87Li5t7POpolpv0IwHD_hpddhvcoU0LhArHabx49WzoNamewgVhKytSQle_n0Oeo/s1600/the+fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIegKZ2YwPzUm8zgieZICepAZV_dmrQAzPN11fNcQ7qyfv4RFkIIOjiB6LBWCsC2lZuiLhzpCx81b87Li5t7POpolpv0IwHD_hpddhvcoU0LhArHabx49WzoNamewgVhKytSQle_n0Oeo/s1600/the+fence.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my BFF's and I decided to take a mini road trip to our previous place of employment, which is about 45km from Small Town, SA. The intention of our visit was to catch up on all our friends and workmates we hadn't seen in almost 2 years. Turns out, this journey would serve a far greater purpose for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first thing to jog my memory about working in a far out place was the early mornings. I had long forgotten what it was like waking up before the sun does, at minus 8 degrees in the middle of a frosty winter, barely making it on time to catch the shuttle bus. I grimly recalled the endless road works, which added an extra 30 minutes to the drive. I also recalled the 7:30 coffee with colleagues every morning, which always made up for agony of getting there. I had remembered a place where I loved my job, where I had found something I actually enjoyed doing, while getting paid to do it. Had I been foolish to leave all this behind? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Driving through the entrance of my old workplace felt so unfamiliar, it was a place I used to know so well and now I was a complete stranger to it. A sea of faces I didn't recognize greeted me. New offices had sprung up where there used to be open spaces. Progress had been made on things I had starting working on before I left. There were, however, minor touches of the past; the odd poster I had designed on a wall, a picture frame on a friends desk and an emblem I had stuck on my old office door. It was nice to see that a little piece of me was still there.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our surprise visit was long overdue, as our old co-workers were just as excited to see us. Warms hugs and shouts of glee filled the quiet office corridors. Everyone tried to look busy and content, but the cracks beneath the surface were evident. The hallways were soaked in stress and the pressure of meeting deadlines had taken it's toll on them, showing through strained smiles. The first thing they all asked was "What's it like out <i>there?</i>" They were eager to find out what opportunities lay on the other side of fence, wishing that they too could leave the iron gates of this establishment. The first thing I asked was, "What's it like back <i>here?</i>". I was eager to find out what I had left behind. The replies were all the same, "Busy, as usual", with an added, "You should come back." I wanted to respond by saying, "You'd like me to return, yet you're so desperate to leave." But I knew better not to. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before this visit, I had been thinking of all the fond memories I had at work, wondering why I had left. On seeing the low morale & languid labouring, it made me (kinda) appreciate my current jobless state. The workmates left behind yearned for the greener pastures they think we enjoy. Why is it that we always seem to want what other people have? It maybe true that the grass is greener on the other side, but we forget that wherever there's grass, weeds are sure to grow. No matter which garden route you chose, there will be stress and difficulty. Often we focus so blindly on other people's lives that we lose sight of what's right in front of us. So, instead of longingly peering over into someone else garden, nurture the one you're in.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div>

The Other Side Of The Fence

One of my BFF's and I decided to take a mini road trip to our previous place of employment, which is about 45km from Small Town, SA. The...

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Little Black Dresses

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Here are some pretty Little Black Dresses worn on the Red Carpet this past week.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><br /><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPAaf8tyuqlhi_L1ec2PFz_FKnnic4vgcH3syeEuEhGnn4_VohEssi68BBuP313RHAmI8afHYlpEbGS-mccV1KGG38-yczsnCinOg51EiX04gb-d30txRqoG7dRDj_yWZtHo0yJ4oIh0/s1600/Little+black+Dresses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPAaf8tyuqlhi_L1ec2PFz_FKnnic4vgcH3syeEuEhGnn4_VohEssi68BBuP313RHAmI8afHYlpEbGS-mccV1KGG38-yczsnCinOg51EiX04gb-d30txRqoG7dRDj_yWZtHo0yJ4oIh0/s640/Little+black+Dresses.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><br /><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Glee</i> actress Dianna Argon wears an adorable short-sleeved dress by Prada, teamed with a red ribbon belt & Sam Edelman heels. TV actress Abigail Spencer glams up this vintage black dress with splashes of gold. Lea Michele wears a belted Zac Posen dress with a pleated skirt and striped Christian Louboutin peep toes. Olivia Wilde is demure in a long-sleeved draped Michael Kors dress with nude Brian Atwood pumps and a Jimmy Choo clutch bag.</span></span></td></tr><br /></tbody></table>

Little Black Dresses

Here are some pretty Little Black Dresses worn on the Red Carpet this past week. Glee actress Dianna Argon wears an adorable short-sleeved ...

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Friends For Life

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQoaiCxFXmtUqkkcL8UVWh2T0nJfGHzWKBOTzcr56qfivSTLmZPfu5_2WXot8Ch-v9V-FiPkZQXjC0obyhU46s6XI1OwlVMyfgauRJRVbAn-s_n69zNshaR_nAkjL2AFzVCzPh-HVvII/s1600/gg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQoaiCxFXmtUqkkcL8UVWh2T0nJfGHzWKBOTzcr56qfivSTLmZPfu5_2WXot8Ch-v9V-FiPkZQXjC0obyhU46s6XI1OwlVMyfgauRJRVbAn-s_n69zNshaR_nAkjL2AFzVCzPh-HVvII/s1600/gg.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Making new friends in Small Town, SA is virtually impossible, as new and interesting people don't move here, they move out. Far out. Once you turn 18 and get your golden ticket for finishing high school, young adults leave the safety of the small town and move to the city to fulfill their dreams. Most of them don't ever return but a few do come back, loyal to the hometown that raised them. I am one of those few patriots. After four years in the Big City, I came back to the place that will always be my sanctuary. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The hardest part about leaving the city was leaving all my friends behind. I feared that living hundreds of kilometers away from social civilization would mean that our relationships would change. They would still get together and hang out every weekend as usual, while I lived a solitary small town life. They would be there for each other at every turn and exciting milestone, while I would miss out on every delightful memory. I was afraid that their lives would all move on, without me. Their recollection of me would slowly fade away, we would lose touch over the years, have absolutely nothing in common anymore and eventually, all we would be are just random strangers. When I look back now, I realise that all my fears were unwarranted and I should've had fate in the foundation of true friendship.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we all live in different parts of the country, I only get to see some of my best friends once every few years. Each time we meet, it's as though nothing has changed between us. We're still the same group of lively, giggly, gossipy girls; just slightly older and a little more wiser. We can spend hours filling each other in on our current lives and laugh, cry and cringe as we reminisce about the past. So much has happened in our lives during the time in between, but the bonds of sisterhood remain as strong as ever. Lives have moved on, we're up, we're down, sometimes lost, but always found again. We've experienced life, love, loss, failure, success, complications and conquests. All this may have changed who we are as individuals, but it hasn't changed who we are to each other. Caring confidantes, considerate companions, sympathetic sisters and selfless soul mates. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cUsWKuE5QFWtMdumS-ud7iJbur_mgD-EA1O1tgVpkXa9j8XMmChARN9_45Wql7AE062hK2KqI81j0i0tf45Lc43RWXJfvIbq8P2z4lSEXE7KdlzbIr0SVSVYMZSbif-gSDLjj_hXF5k/s1600/ff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cUsWKuE5QFWtMdumS-ud7iJbur_mgD-EA1O1tgVpkXa9j8XMmChARN9_45Wql7AE062hK2KqI81j0i0tf45Lc43RWXJfvIbq8P2z4lSEXE7KdlzbIr0SVSVYMZSbif-gSDLjj_hXF5k/s400/ff.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes, we are lucky enough to meet a few precious people in our lives, who leave their imprints on our hearts and make an extraordinary and everlasting impression on us. These are the most special kind of friends; and even though you only get to see them every 2 years, it feels as though not a day has passed since you were apart. If you've also had the good fortune of meeting such supportive and inspiring souls; hold on to them, as friends like these are few and far between. </span></div>

Friends For Life

Making new friends in Small Town, SA is virtually impossible, as new and interesting people don't move here, they move out. Far out. Onc...

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Friday Frills

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJxbiNTbh1bXxXGhAYhSS0GpJz7P1kEQCYVG6nxrhgfWZOiTZMohbT9gLQy273BDcvvFjX7QRskUb2xE-lp2NExu6t96BFwdpaleQGZsvPs00sUYz8kavwNt2UQt7TWYAV6AXt74P4rY/s1600/quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJxbiNTbh1bXxXGhAYhSS0GpJz7P1kEQCYVG6nxrhgfWZOiTZMohbT9gLQy273BDcvvFjX7QRskUb2xE-lp2NExu6t96BFwdpaleQGZsvPs00sUYz8kavwNt2UQt7TWYAV6AXt74P4rY/s400/quote.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>

Friday Frills

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Divas and Darlings - People's Choice Awards

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Red Carpet Fashion</span></span></b></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">People's Choice Awards 2011</span></i></b></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /><br /></i></b></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 37th annual People's Choice Awards were held on Wednesday in Los Angeles. Here are some of the styles worn on the Blue Carpet.</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><br /><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FxEs6Eks3RmZK4fFerQ7oROMgR1uQmraeTNkm13NmIJ-HFKL_jWLteqlQVmzUJaznZX4b64bd2lb70wpuHros27NtTyu8dWonyv0CxtQoVEuSLDHh5aH4FI2ieegEPs5j2pkbKdBsfY/s1600/fashion+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FxEs6Eks3RmZK4fFerQ7oROMgR1uQmraeTNkm13NmIJ-HFKL_jWLteqlQVmzUJaznZX4b64bd2lb70wpuHros27NtTyu8dWonyv0CxtQoVEuSLDHh5aH4FI2ieegEPs5j2pkbKdBsfY/s640/fashion+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><br /><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Kardashian sisters all chose to wear metallics. Khloe looks elegant in a flowing floor-length gown by Alexander McQueen. Kendall Jenner wears a draped one shoulder mini by Bebe, paired with a black belt and brogues. Kim stepped out in a glitzy gold knee length dress by Catherine Malandrino.</span></span></td></tr><br /></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><br /><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9EMtYTHJaK0M1LL3uGPuC3n6Rf9G0wYhjb8Yuz4Be1ealKM9iXI5JSmGBYySO41gHOsKNsA_aeiJ6c5j7K9Pkzv5AIg6qyFA9eUjPqfnBch2Y7IHey5QL1fDfBsyRkdT3PhqkwQNetg/s1600/fashion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9EMtYTHJaK0M1LL3uGPuC3n6Rf9G0wYhjb8Yuz4Be1ealKM9iXI5JSmGBYySO41gHOsKNsA_aeiJ6c5j7K9Pkzv5AIg6qyFA9eUjPqfnBch2Y7IHey5QL1fDfBsyRkdT3PhqkwQNetg/s640/fashion.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><br /><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Country Star Taylor Swift looks pretty in peach in a ballet-inspired dress by J.Mendel and nude Prada heels. Emma Roberts rocks the ruffles in a LBD by Christian Dior. Malin Akerman looks sophisticated in a white cap-sleeve cocktail dress by J.Mendel, brightened up by a ruby red clutch and heels.</span></span></td></tr><br /></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">These are my least favourite outfits of the evening</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><br /><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9k-0sJu2miB7tnusPjSINcN5pDppUNWI989DYuJneALdOrxnCj4Xud-w2Y2cX-kxta0QSwbcdolRwCKdvWSk7XXz3OTd1L_80yQVF-9xlexFnYZPZAsSyUdQkghjFsK16P-GK9p7gXE/s1600/fashion-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9k-0sJu2miB7tnusPjSINcN5pDppUNWI989DYuJneALdOrxnCj4Xud-w2Y2cX-kxta0QSwbcdolRwCKdvWSk7XXz3OTd1L_80yQVF-9xlexFnYZPZAsSyUdQkghjFsK16P-GK9p7gXE/s640/fashion-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><br /><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">L</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ucy Hale wears a satin ensemble by Lebanese designer Ronald Abdala, paired with silver Rene Cavollia sandals. I'm not a fan of the fluorescent shiny mustard. Vanessa Williams wears a bad combination of long sleeves, shimmer and eggplant in a dress by Japanese designer Tadashi Shoji. A super tanned Ashley Tisdale wears an outdated pastel-print maxi dress with strange cutouts on the bodice by Farah Angsana.</span></span></td></tr><br /></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i></i></b></span>

Divas and Darlings - People's Choice Awards

Red Carpet Fashion People's Choice Awards 2011 The 37th annual People's Choice Awards were held on Wednesday in Los Angeles. Here ar...

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The World's Weirdest Diets

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2U55cjIUj8Ljk4kI_3QOYHg0QRwDlBAUXOYGZ0-qlf6rfi-4z2dULgbLEiSqWDte-oXAZw-EV_fNdW5b5Zmnl65SEZUc9YvuqjXfG35ik7WE4ZMjGGK9bqB8bfUXcLdWrHQddwrEfaw/s1600/72713_148499065196716_148300601883229_239881_6376446_n_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2U55cjIUj8Ljk4kI_3QOYHg0QRwDlBAUXOYGZ0-qlf6rfi-4z2dULgbLEiSqWDte-oXAZw-EV_fNdW5b5Zmnl65SEZUc9YvuqjXfG35ik7WE4ZMjGGK9bqB8bfUXcLdWrHQddwrEfaw/s400/72713_148499065196716_148300601883229_239881_6376446_n_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">This past holiday, most of us have had our cake and ate it too. Lots of it. We welcomed the new year with snugger fitting clothes, some extra pounds and an overall rounder appearance. To kickstart the weight loss process, many of us will attempt the <i>dreaded</i> diet. This will probably include you holding your nose as you throw down a bottle of apple cider vinegar, drink cups of strangely scented slimming tea and get hoaxed into buying all sorts of diet pills, which will turn you into a jitterbug and keep you awake for weeks. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You attempt to only buy fresh fruit and veg when you're at the grocery store, but get sidelined by the smell of freshly baked doughnuts from the bakery. Then you (accidentally on purpose) turn into the snack aisle and with one swish of sugary sweetness, your diet flies out the window and junk food sneaks back into your kitchen cupboard. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cNjKcOshE-PhjQ0pzMEKv0G8HGXqFvc7vyNB5VoyditzGauJ5mhRvk0Dcq3vcT79SIb4q27BONBIlwEKJz0Py1R7H66PEBeW8x2nmjgHJs8lmJwYoF6yM8acAnMQlzStLtvet9JIE7M/s1600/20081207140058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cNjKcOshE-PhjQ0pzMEKv0G8HGXqFvc7vyNB5VoyditzGauJ5mhRvk0Dcq3vcT79SIb4q27BONBIlwEKJz0Py1R7H66PEBeW8x2nmjgHJs8lmJwYoF6yM8acAnMQlzStLtvet9JIE7M/s400/20081207140058.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><br /><br />We've always been told that in order to drop the kg's, we have to have a healthy balanced diet, cut out sugar, carbs and anything with taste as well as exercise until our knees give in. There is no quick and easy solution to losing weight. Or, is there? Well, according to some absurd dieting tricks, you can, and fast. But is it actually safe? Crazy diet regimes may work for short term fixes, but in the long run, it can cause your body some serious damage.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b>Here is a round up of the weirdest diets I have ever heard of:</b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Cookie Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, don't be fooled into thinking that all-you-can-eat Oreos, Choc-kits and Chips Ahoy is the basis of this diet. Not at all. This diet, created by physician Dr. Siegal, will have you eating 6 hunger control cookies a day, made from a 'secret' amino acid protein blend, combined with prune sweetened oats. Anything that's a 'secret' should not be consumed in my book.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Raw Food Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Raw foodies believe that cooking food breaks down necessary enzymes and by eating food that's raw, you will have greater energy. On paper, this diet sounds like an extremely healthy one to follow, as raw foods have more nutrients and antioxidants than of food which has been cooked. You will be safe from additives, chemicals and preservatives too. The raw food diet consists mostly of organic fruit and vegetables. But you can have uncooked rice if you want to. Say goodbye to your roast chicken and hello to the carrot sticks. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Cabbage Soup Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This classic option entails a diet of cabbage soup - and only cabbage soup, for seven days. All the spice in the world wouldn’t make this leafy green veg more palatable. On the up side, there are no restrictions on quantities, you can eat as much cabbage soup as you want. Aimed at the dim and desperate, this diet claims that you can lose up to 4.5kg in just one week! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Baby Food Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The reason babies weigh under 10 kilograms is because all they eat are little jars of low calorie pureed food. That's exactly the amount of food they need. For an 80kg adult to replace their normal meals with baby food is just out right ridiculous. All the bottles of Purity on a supermarket shelf will still not be enough to fill you up. However, this diet is ideal if you're too lazy to chew. Which brings us to... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Chewing Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the early 1900s, Horace Fletcher unveiled a new weight loss technique, under which you had to chew your food 32 times or 100 times a minute, without swallowing it. He theorized that your body would absorb all the nutrients it needed and you would be able to enjoy the taste of food without the risk of weight gain. He must've been the skinniest health food faddist of the Victorian era. There is truth to the fact that chewing your food thoroughly is good for your digestion, but just make sure you swallow it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Lemonade Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also known as the Master Cleanse, this diet is very popular with celebrities. Drink a mixture of water, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and lemon juice for 2 weeks, and you will lose 10kg. No food required for this diet at all, so it will really save on all that time you waste cooking. This is a potentially dangerous way to lose weight and could you really stay sane while guzzling down a sweet spicy sour drink for 12 days in a row? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Red Bull Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another senseless celebrity supported slim down. Try having Red Bull, water and nothing else for 8 months. The results? You will lose 45kg like a young New Zealand mum did, after trying to shed post-pregnancy weight. Consuming up to 14 cans of this energy drink a day will suppress your appetite, but be prepared for the serious health repercussions. Like a heart attack, stomach cramps, anxiety, shaking, nausea, exhaustion...the list goes on. That's why this drink was banned in Norway, Uraguay, France and Denmark. Red Bull gives you wings? Yup, flies you straight to the ER. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Ice Cube Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Need a snack? Why not have an ice cube? Not just any ordinary ice cube though, but a block of Hoodia. These ice cubes contain lemon juice mixed with 90% of pure Hoodia, which is a plant extract that is believed to restrain your appetite and cravings. Hoodia was supposedly used by the San living in the Kalahari, to ward off hunger while on hunting trips. It curbs your cravings and it's cooling on a really hot day. At over R500 for a 40 day supply of these frozen cubes, I say just have some for free from your own freezer. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Grapefruit Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Do you like grapefruit? Enough to eat it for every meal? Well, on the grapefruit plan, you will…for 12 days. Grapefruit for breakfast, lunch, snacks, supper and dessert.  Sound boring? Absolutely. Will it work? Probably, but only because your daily intake on this diet is around 600 calories or less. However, it should be noted that just as quickly as the weight drops off, your weight will rebound when you begin eating like a normal person again. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 5 Bite Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Alwin Lewis's book, “Why Weight Around?” describes a diet that allows you to only eat 5 bites. Per meal. That's it. Talk about portion control. You can have 5 bites at lunch and 5 bites at supper. You can drink stuff too, but only if it has no calories. After 3 days, your body should trick itself into thinking that it's satisfied with bird-sized servings. Try it if you want to look like Victoria Beckham. Actually, I think she eats less than that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><b>And finally, the most delusional diet in the world is:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Cotton Ball Diet </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ever wondered what a cotton ball tastes like? Me neither. Can humans possibly consume them? Apparently so, there are some people (and supermodels) out there who do. They eat these fiber-filled fluffy balls of goodness that makes you feel full, so you won't feel the need to eat real food. There are 2 ways to eat them, dry or soaked in gelatin. Deeelicious! If you live to survive this one, let me know.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">All that Diet Talk has made me hungry. Anyone for 5 bites of a Lemony-Grapefruit flavoured cookie with a side of cabbage cotton wool soup? Nope, didn't think so <b>:) </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0;">Snack inspiration...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEY6nfLPgWKC7jFDV0mNNSeGZxvR2fshPxF8Cbt30rauIyCAlkW_0hyphenhyphenIPZHdFfr7oLuFn0C_A0WZhOYXRawUHEl7l0S6IyYPJhqrp9pp5mg1mB0Eguk3yRUFKx7w4gWUgvFsATZeiYhJI/s1600/5215455169_45fc818f22_z_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEY6nfLPgWKC7jFDV0mNNSeGZxvR2fshPxF8Cbt30rauIyCAlkW_0hyphenhyphenIPZHdFfr7oLuFn0C_A0WZhOYXRawUHEl7l0S6IyYPJhqrp9pp5mg1mB0Eguk3yRUFKx7w4gWUgvFsATZeiYhJI/s1600/5215455169_45fc818f22_z_large.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">*Images from Weheartit</span></span></div><div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.81cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px;"></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.81cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0a253e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><br /><br /></span><br /><br /></div>

The World's Weirdest Diets

This past holiday, most of us have had our cake and ate it too. Lots of it. We welcomed the new year with snugger fitting clothes, some extr...

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In Search of Sustenance

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNfcaM1wv3kmusyZ0pSlcXm16gYQWgpSPknVkdO8EKkvvHrcGzNNFfv1BTfViVAOg56rDWsUvGY_Uc6MNpfOmE1CmeenEGMbCffo1lb4XJdVUzY3VidoOk3xu2ofXkJN8ugZVr_ct0-M/s1600/Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNfcaM1wv3kmusyZ0pSlcXm16gYQWgpSPknVkdO8EKkvvHrcGzNNFfv1BTfViVAOg56rDWsUvGY_Uc6MNpfOmE1CmeenEGMbCffo1lb4XJdVUzY3VidoOk3xu2ofXkJN8ugZVr_ct0-M/s400/Blog.jpg" width="288" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Besides for a starburst of sparkles in the sky, New Year's in Small Town, SA was pretty much uneventful. So, we decided to take a 50km drive and spend the day in Much Bigger Town, SA. Things there were quiet, all shops were closed and streets were empty but evident of the massive party the night before. While most revelers were re-enacting The Hangover, families picnicked in the park. I was looking forward to eating out at a fancyish restaurant, seeing that we have none in my hometown. Arriving at the empty parking lot of the designated restaurant; we found closed doors, chairs up and shutters down. It was disappointing, but we decided to try another place on the other side of town. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As we drove up to the entrance, large letters inside read “Sorry, we're closed.” That's not a problem, we thought, we'll just drive around and find somewhere else to eat. That clearly was enough optimism for the first day of the year, it actually was a problem, because everywhere else was closed. Alright, alright, I would be lying if I said absolutely every eatery was closed. Mcdonald's was open, but no one was in a mood for an MSG overdose and a tasteless, trans fatty, super-sized slice of cholesterol. Trying to find an open restaurant on New Year's Day is like trying to find sense in a Wayan's Brothers movie. There is None. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It was past 3pm on our hunger hunt, when we came across a small eastern restaurant. Someone in our group suggested that we try it out, just for the 'experience'. Faint and famished, we all agreed. We entered hesitantly, looking around and realising that we were a tad bit overdressed for our dark and dingy surroundings. Walls that were once cream and orange had a dusty brown tinge, burgundy chairs and plastic covered tables lined the sticky floor and all that separated us from the kitchen was a faded floral curtain. Sweltering in the 30 degree heat, I wondered how many food safety and health regulations were being violated in the dining area and kitchen. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The menu had an identity crisis, offering traditional dishes from all over India, Pakistan and China as well as modern fast-food favourites. I chose Chinese chow mein, while everyone else settled for peri peri chicken made on an open fire outside. Maybe hunger is the best spice, as once our flavourful meal arrived, we couldn't get enough. You really can't judge a book by it's cover, or in this case, a restaurant by its dilapidated décor, as the results can turn out to be far more pleasant than you thought. The aromatic dishes were a delicious end to our good food quest and a spicy start to 2011.</div></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div>

In Search of Sustenance

Besides for a starburst of sparkles in the sky, New Year's in Small Town, SA was pretty much uneventful. So, we decided to take a 50km d...

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