Oscar Predictions 2016

Can I just say - Leo DiCaprio - give the man an Oscar! I am not a "fan girl" but give the man his due, he is a phenomenal actor (I was SURE he would win for Wolf of Wall Street). I don't care what his performance is like in The Revenant (having not seen it yet) but for the love of God, give - him - an - Oscar!

My Oscar predictions, based on nothing but who and what I have liked or think will win, are:

Best Picture: The Martian - this was both heart warming and comically genius. There is a heavy field of contenders but does every Oscar-winning picture have to be gut-wretching or blood-thirsty?!
Best Actor: Leo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Carol
Best Supporing Actor: Easy! Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Best Supporing Actress: Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Animated Feature Film: Inside Out
Cinematography: The Revenant
Costume Design: Please let it be Cinderella -- I so want THAT dress
Directing: The Revenant
Make-up and Hairstyling: The Revenant
Music: Writing's on the Wall, Spectre
Production Design: The Martian
Visual Effects: The Martian

We'll find out on 28th February!

Sad News

To quote Elton John,

It's sad, it's so sad
It's a sad, sad situation
And it's getting more and more absurd...

It was only yesterday that the news broke that Oscar Pistorius had shot dead an "intruder" in his South African home.

I am still reeling over the news that Oscar Pistorius has now been charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. I hope this God-awful tragedy has just been an accident and not something sinister as eluded to in the press.

I was shocked to hear that nearly 50 people die in South Africa a day and I honestly can't truly comprehend living in an environment where there is a high crime and mortality rate. But I am anti-gun. For every case where a gun has been used to save someone's life, there are far too many other instances where it has taken lives by accident (mistaking someone for an intruder). For every case where a gun has been used to save someone's life, there are far too many other instances where it has been used in schools and taken the lives of children.  For me, that cost is too high.

This whole situation has left me bereft. A loss of a young life and questions over the intention of an international sporting hero who had done so very much to change our views on "disability". Tragic all round.

Mystery Solved... Richard III found!

It has been rumoured for a little while but today archaeologists confirmed the skeletal remains found under the Council carpark in Leicester is missing, disgraced King, Richard III. The skeleton shows severe trauma to the skull and an arrow in the back!

More news about this seriously cool story can be found here: http://news.sky.com/story/1047231/richard-iiis-remains-found-in-council-car-park

What an awesome find!!

Oscar Predictions

After seeing both Les Misérables and Zero Dark Thirty, my Oscar predictions are:

Best Picture: Les Misérables (I know everyone else is saying it's been Django and Lincoln)
Best Actor: Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables
Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Best Supporing Actress: Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables
Cinematography: Life of Pi
Costume Design: Les Misérables
Directing: Lincoln
Film Editing: Zero Dark Thirty
Make-up and Hairstyling: Les Misérables (although The Hobbit is a close second)
Production Design: Les Misérables
Visual Effects: this is a close one ... Life of Pi or The Hobbit.. Mmm. I'm going with Life of Pi

We'll find out on 24th February!

Nine Months Later....

So here I am, sitting comfortably, about to launch myself back into the Blog-o-sphere nine months after I left it so abruptly. We didn’t have a falling out. Nor did my computer go on the fritz (although I still twitch remembering the two weeks I was iPhone-less); life just took over.

And now I’m back.

So what did fill those nine months?

I returned to full health, albeit seven months after my surgery and five months after my last blog post. And it feels good.  

“When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied.”

 Herophilus

That being said I write today full of cold and not feeling so rosy but I’ll take common ailments over serious health complaints any day!

Another biggie was leaving the College and starting a new role at the University. The role and job offer came out of the blue and have become a major example of my philosophy that everything happens in perfect timing. I know it’s positively uncool to love your job but as I have never been one to follow trends, I am out and proud about my job love! The environment is nurturing and tranquil; the role interesting and dynamic; my colleagues are friendly and respectful and my boss is wonderfully encouraging and extremely easy to work for. If these weren’t enough in itself, I have wanted to work at the University for close to ten years so to finally be here and find it’s as wonderful as I had hoped ... well it’s a win-win-win for me.

A new year and a new opportunity to try new things and challenge myself. First cab off the rank? Yoga, baby!

 

For the girl who was unceremoniously dumped from ballet and physical culture (aged 5!) no one is more shocked that I am, as my teacher has called me, a yoga superstar! Don’t get me wrong, I am unable to turn myself into a human pretzel but I am loving the classes, trying something new and also improving each week.

Life is all about balance and the improvements in my life have been met with equal measures of difficulty. A large part of last year was learning the news that my brother was terminally ill and moving forward with this. I have grown a lot as a person since his diagnosis and believe we are all in a better place now than when we first learned the news. Call me Pollyanna but I have a strong positive belief we can overcome this and a brighter, better future awaits my brother.

Finally, I will leave you with this thought....