That sums up the story behind the lovely little board game my husband brought me for Christmas Sure I was expecting the Buffy Season 8 trade books, but this was a great surprise- only slightly spoiled by the fact that my dad told me the day before Christmas what it was!
Beloved husband brought me Forbidden Island for Christmas- he knew I enjoy playing co-operative board games like this and we'd played it before at the wonderful Chapter Arts board gaming sundays when we could wrangle a babysitter. It's a beautiful little game, lovely art work and I love the fact that the box is in fact a beautiful tin, with a place for all the bits! The fact that this was the first thing I thought when I tore open the wrapping paper told me that I am now starting to be a serious board gamer!
You generate the island randomly with some gorgeous tiles. There are 8 tiles where you can collect treasure across the island and a heli-pad- then the island starts to flood. Flooded tiles are flipped and if you draw ta flipped tile's card for a second time that tile is removed- it's sunk. If the treasure squares flood before you have that bit of treasure you drown, if the heli-pad gets flooded it's game over- and the island sinks fast.
As far as game play goes, it's fast- you can play a full game with 2 people in 20 minutes, less with more players. It's also very easy to pick up and play, taking only a moment to explain the game mechanic to new players. The other thing I love about the game is that it's truly co-operative- there's no sabotage mechanic here, you either all get off the island, or all drown! What's not to love!
The game can be purchased here via my amazon affiliate account
Other reviews are available via boardgamegeek.com
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Great expectations
The truth is that I've been really really depressed.
Somewhere in all the stress of beloved husband's finals and our relocation, Daughter two's refusal to sleep and events with my mil I fell down without noticing. And because I hadn't noticed I couldn't start to get up.
I became someone I didn't like, I was grumpy, snappy. Everything was too hard, everything made me sadder. And I didn't even understand what was wrong. Which in retrospect I should have done, because I've felt like it before- but before was before husband, before children- I had reasons to be sad then, but no excuse now. That's how I felt.
Sometime before Christmas I realised that I was depressed- I was stupidly ridiculously depressed and felt ashamed- ashamed I hadn't noticed and had been so useless to my husband and children, ashamed that I had become depressed when I had no right to be. Ashamed most of all that I hadn't even noticed how bad it got.
It was anxiety more than depression even, the constant worry about practical issues, and more than that, an existential crisis. I had my 10 year highschool reunion last summer. Before I hand I worried people would think I was wasting my life now, after I worried if I wasted my twenties! I'm a sahm and I don't feel like I'm all that good at it- I can't clean, I'm disorganised and as much as I love my girls the day in day out emotional pressure can be a little much at times.
So I got help- I went to my GP, started on some anti-d's that had worked the last time I felt this low. And it is helping.
Then I looked at the reasons that I was unhappy- the biggest one was that I was lonely, so I started trying to be a better friend- I wrote to some people, I called some people. And that really helped. Now I have a little itty bit of a social life.
And that helped a lot- I started remembering the feeling of being myself.
But I was still beating myself up about existential stuff- wasting my life and education, not supporting my family enough, by staying at home.
Last week I had a phone date as part of my better friending exploits with one of the most together people I know- she is awesome and one of my all time favourite people, Michka. This is her blog post about that conversation.
As I read it late last night my first thought was that I'd had no idea how hard she was finding things and wanting to help her. My second was that I actually gave her really good advice- really good advice that I need to take myself.
I've spent the last week panicking that I'm some kind of failure who's not living up to their potential because I don't have a masters, or a PhD, or a professional career. When I should have been focusing on my writing and my family, those are the things that really matter to me.
Sometimes I think the only thing you need to know to be truly happy is let go of what you think you ought to do.
Somewhere in all the stress of beloved husband's finals and our relocation, Daughter two's refusal to sleep and events with my mil I fell down without noticing. And because I hadn't noticed I couldn't start to get up.
I became someone I didn't like, I was grumpy, snappy. Everything was too hard, everything made me sadder. And I didn't even understand what was wrong. Which in retrospect I should have done, because I've felt like it before- but before was before husband, before children- I had reasons to be sad then, but no excuse now. That's how I felt.
Sometime before Christmas I realised that I was depressed- I was stupidly ridiculously depressed and felt ashamed- ashamed I hadn't noticed and had been so useless to my husband and children, ashamed that I had become depressed when I had no right to be. Ashamed most of all that I hadn't even noticed how bad it got.
It was anxiety more than depression even, the constant worry about practical issues, and more than that, an existential crisis. I had my 10 year highschool reunion last summer. Before I hand I worried people would think I was wasting my life now, after I worried if I wasted my twenties! I'm a sahm and I don't feel like I'm all that good at it- I can't clean, I'm disorganised and as much as I love my girls the day in day out emotional pressure can be a little much at times.
So I got help- I went to my GP, started on some anti-d's that had worked the last time I felt this low. And it is helping.
Then I looked at the reasons that I was unhappy- the biggest one was that I was lonely, so I started trying to be a better friend- I wrote to some people, I called some people. And that really helped. Now I have a little itty bit of a social life.
And that helped a lot- I started remembering the feeling of being myself.
But I was still beating myself up about existential stuff- wasting my life and education, not supporting my family enough, by staying at home.
Last week I had a phone date as part of my better friending exploits with one of the most together people I know- she is awesome and one of my all time favourite people, Michka. This is her blog post about that conversation.
As I read it late last night my first thought was that I'd had no idea how hard she was finding things and wanting to help her. My second was that I actually gave her really good advice- really good advice that I need to take myself.
I've spent the last week panicking that I'm some kind of failure who's not living up to their potential because I don't have a masters, or a PhD, or a professional career. When I should have been focusing on my writing and my family, those are the things that really matter to me.
Sometimes I think the only thing you need to know to be truly happy is let go of what you think you ought to do.
Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Unhealthy at this size
Healthy at every size works on the basis that you can be healthy however much you weigh, whatever your BMI and fat percentage.
I firmly believe and agree with that idea.
I also think that I am not healthy at the size I am now. For me this is not healthy. I am 29 and I weigh about 6 stone more than would be a "healthy" BMI.
I have personal experience with disordered eating. And healthy at every size and the wondrous bloggers of the HAES network, such as the worshipful Kate Harding at Shapely prose were the beginning of my journey back to healthy (and sane) 6 odd years ago now.
And now I have developed a pretty good relationship with food. This is important to me because having grown up with one parent with a serious eating disorder (my father) I know just how terrible an impact this can have on children. The last thing I want is for my children to grow up with food issues because my I have them.
So I've put in serious work, as the americans might say, on getting through those issues. And it's paid off. Which is great, but now I want to start to work on the other half of the equation, I want to get healthy.
It's not that I want to loose weight, I want to be able to run, as much as I can with the physical limitations of a dud ankle and a bad back. I want to be strong and fit and show my girls that everyone can find pleasure in physical activity.
The reason I hated sport as a kid?
Well for one I wasn't that good at... for two I thought it was something for other people- generally the stupid kids were good at sport, and that was nice for them, but I was smart so I didn't need that. I was such a condescending teenager!
I don't want my girls to think that way- I want them to take joy in movement. At the moment it seems like they do- they both love dancing!
So I've been exercising, I'm starting light, with 30 minutes of wii fit every other day. So I'll revisit this in a month or so- see how my excersise regime is working out!
I firmly believe and agree with that idea.
I also think that I am not healthy at the size I am now. For me this is not healthy. I am 29 and I weigh about 6 stone more than would be a "healthy" BMI.
I have personal experience with disordered eating. And healthy at every size and the wondrous bloggers of the HAES network, such as the worshipful Kate Harding at Shapely prose were the beginning of my journey back to healthy (and sane) 6 odd years ago now.
And now I have developed a pretty good relationship with food. This is important to me because having grown up with one parent with a serious eating disorder (my father) I know just how terrible an impact this can have on children. The last thing I want is for my children to grow up with food issues because my I have them.
So I've put in serious work, as the americans might say, on getting through those issues. And it's paid off. Which is great, but now I want to start to work on the other half of the equation, I want to get healthy.
It's not that I want to loose weight, I want to be able to run, as much as I can with the physical limitations of a dud ankle and a bad back. I want to be strong and fit and show my girls that everyone can find pleasure in physical activity.
The reason I hated sport as a kid?
Well for one I wasn't that good at... for two I thought it was something for other people- generally the stupid kids were good at sport, and that was nice for them, but I was smart so I didn't need that. I was such a condescending teenager!
I don't want my girls to think that way- I want them to take joy in movement. At the moment it seems like they do- they both love dancing!
So I've been exercising, I'm starting light, with 30 minutes of wii fit every other day. So I'll revisit this in a month or so- see how my excersise regime is working out!
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Make a plan!
Part of my journey back to feeling healthy has been getting more organised.
You see its a bit of a vicious circle, you start of thinking that you've not got anything done today, so you're a failure, so why try to get anything done. Ouroborross. However the solution to feeling overwhelmed is to break the problem down into smaller tasks, right? So I've started making a plan.
Now I have a list of tasks to do everyday- the list starts small and includes things that have to be done, as you start to accomplish more you can add more to the list. I do mine in excel so that I can keep track and it looks nice, but a piece of paper will work just as well!
Doing it in excel has the advantage of enabling me to combine the to-do list with menu planning; we're on a post-christmas budget and the best way to cut my spending is to menu plan! By keeping it in excel I can check back on what we've eaten over the previous weeks and ensure variety, use leftovers efficiently and save links to recipes I want to try.
Having it all laid out in front of me makes it easy to think about other commitments and incorporate them into my menu planning too. For example on Tuesdays me and my husband have a regularly board gaming club, which means we need something fast for dinner.
When you have two little children who go to bed right before supper-time "something fast" means cook in advance! So tonight we're having a lovely pot roast! Which I cooked yesterday and to make dinner time go even more smoothly I even prepared the side dishes in advance- they were on my to do list yesterday!
You see its a bit of a vicious circle, you start of thinking that you've not got anything done today, so you're a failure, so why try to get anything done. Ouroborross. However the solution to feeling overwhelmed is to break the problem down into smaller tasks, right? So I've started making a plan.
Now I have a list of tasks to do everyday- the list starts small and includes things that have to be done, as you start to accomplish more you can add more to the list. I do mine in excel so that I can keep track and it looks nice, but a piece of paper will work just as well!
Doing it in excel has the advantage of enabling me to combine the to-do list with menu planning; we're on a post-christmas budget and the best way to cut my spending is to menu plan! By keeping it in excel I can check back on what we've eaten over the previous weeks and ensure variety, use leftovers efficiently and save links to recipes I want to try.
Having it all laid out in front of me makes it easy to think about other commitments and incorporate them into my menu planning too. For example on Tuesdays me and my husband have a regularly board gaming club, which means we need something fast for dinner.
When you have two little children who go to bed right before supper-time "something fast" means cook in advance! So tonight we're having a lovely pot roast! Which I cooked yesterday and to make dinner time go even more smoothly I even prepared the side dishes in advance- they were on my to do list yesterday!
Monday, 21 January 2013
Absence makes the heart grow fonder?
At least I hope so; I'm back!
So it's been a little while since I posted, for a couple of reasons.
I've been feeling a bit down, which is never good. I'm not really sure why I've felt down. After a ridiculously stressful year things were just starting to turn the corner when I started feeling down. And then it's been Christmas and new year and all kinds of busy things liek that.
Now, I'm starting to feel better. I've struggled with depression for most of my life, and having the last couple of years off from it meant that I didn't really notice until I was swamped by it.
So I'm back and this week will be posting a bit about what I have been doing for the last couple of months and the exciting projects I'm working on now!
So it's been a little while since I posted, for a couple of reasons.
I've been feeling a bit down, which is never good. I'm not really sure why I've felt down. After a ridiculously stressful year things were just starting to turn the corner when I started feeling down. And then it's been Christmas and new year and all kinds of busy things liek that.
Now, I'm starting to feel better. I've struggled with depression for most of my life, and having the last couple of years off from it meant that I didn't really notice until I was swamped by it.
So I'm back and this week will be posting a bit about what I have been doing for the last couple of months and the exciting projects I'm working on now!
Sunday, 19 August 2012
Too damn hot
This week it has been too hot and humid to do anything. I have a rule; any day when the back of your knees are sweating is one where its too hot.
And I had a week of feeling low with it- because not only was it hot and humid it was too wet to go anywhere so I ended p staying home and feeling a bit rubbish and sorry for myself.
And I still do, but I have to pick myself up and keep going. So I'm trying too.
I read the most amazing book a few weeks ago- truly brilliant!
It's called turbulence by Samit Basru. Two word review: Sub-conti superheroes. You can purchase it here in hardcopy and here for kindle. It was original, funny, human and with really well drawn believable characterisation. People were stupid because they were stupid, not because it was a vehicle to drive the plot. The writing is witty smart and efficient. I loved it and I would recommend it always!
And I had a week of feeling low with it- because not only was it hot and humid it was too wet to go anywhere so I ended p staying home and feeling a bit rubbish and sorry for myself.
And I still do, but I have to pick myself up and keep going. So I'm trying too.
I read the most amazing book a few weeks ago- truly brilliant!
It's called turbulence by Samit Basru. Two word review: Sub-conti superheroes. You can purchase it here in hardcopy and here for kindle. It was original, funny, human and with really well drawn believable characterisation. People were stupid because they were stupid, not because it was a vehicle to drive the plot. The writing is witty smart and efficient. I loved it and I would recommend it always!
Monday, 6 August 2012
Blanket heavy!
I am loving this blog
I learnt to crochet when my grandma couldn't teach me how to knit left handed. (Still looking to learn!) I love it, but always struggle to find patterns that are just right for me and my style. Well Lucy at Attic24 has me hooked with her sumptuous stripes and frou-frou flowers. It is gorgeous and I cannot wait to get stuck into one of her blankets...
I'm torn between the granny stripe which I think is just kooky and the hexagon blanket, because as everyone knows, 70's sci fi was all about hexagons.
Sidebar- I've adored glarkware and its products since my earliest forays on the internet back in... the noughties. I came there via twop and even though now I'm old and boring and they would no-longer really suit me, I love them!
However I will have to wait as before I can do anything fun like that I have to finish unpacking this house! And make curtains so I can stop making my husband hang a sheet over our bedroom window every night.
My girls need curtains too and I picked up some fantastic fabric while at john lewis for 30 minutes last week,
Isn't it a hoot? I think the girls will love it!
But then, inbetween writting the book, teh internets, my gorgeous girls and my handsome husband, I'll go crochet crazy!
I learnt to crochet when my grandma couldn't teach me how to knit left handed. (Still looking to learn!) I love it, but always struggle to find patterns that are just right for me and my style. Well Lucy at Attic24 has me hooked with her sumptuous stripes and frou-frou flowers. It is gorgeous and I cannot wait to get stuck into one of her blankets...
| Image belongs to Attic 24- such a wonderful looking blanket! It makes me want hot chocolate and snuggles! |
 |
| If you've seen space 1999 you know this to be true... |
I'm torn between the granny stripe which I think is just kooky and the hexagon blanket, because as everyone knows, 70's sci fi was all about hexagons.
Sidebar- I've adored glarkware and its products since my earliest forays on the internet back in... the noughties. I came there via twop and even though now I'm old and boring and they would no-longer really suit me, I love them!
However I will have to wait as before I can do anything fun like that I have to finish unpacking this house! And make curtains so I can stop making my husband hang a sheet over our bedroom window every night.
My girls need curtains too and I picked up some fantastic fabric while at john lewis for 30 minutes last week,
 |
| Image from John Lewis, copyright theirs. |
Isn't it a hoot? I think the girls will love it!
But then, inbetween writting the book, teh internets, my gorgeous girls and my handsome husband, I'll go crochet crazy!
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