Blog Hop! Writing and Things...

I'm fashionably late to the Blog-Hop party but better late than never I say!

Kate from One Small Life has invited me to share with you about my writing and then nominate a few other folks to do the same. I will start by changing this thing up a little bit because I have lots of pals who are creative but may not use writing as their main vehicle for their creativity. I'm going to talk about writing but the people I nominate can do what they like with it - I love hearing about how people get creative.

I've only just begun to feel comfortable saying I am a writer. I haven't had anything major published but I write regularly, I love it and I am studying writing and editing so I finally feel like I can claim it. So here goes!

What am I working on?

Right now I am working on a non fiction book about being a good community. This is a long term project that I plan to develop during my course over the next couple of years. There are also other little things I have been working on too - I just submitted a piece of flash fiction to the Visible Ink Anthology and I have my fingers and toes crossed that it will be published. I also recently wrote a bio for musician Mezz Coleman.

Why do I do what I do?

It all began with blogging for me. I never knew that writing was something I enjoyed or was any good at until I started my very first blog in 2003 to help me find a community to share my weight loss struggles and triumphs. Over the years I have had lots of different blogs chronicling my different life stages - weight loss, prengancy, family, fitness, craft and now this blog, which is evolving all the time. I have returned to my health and fitness blog roots with my new blog healthsquee (It's also in the menu bar up the top of this page).

My blogs have been my companion through my 20s and I really feel they have helped me to figure myself out, expand my thinking and find my people. Through blogging I discovered my passion for sharing ideas and being creative and it has been the catalyst for me beginning an Associate Degree in Writing and Editing, which I have discovered was the missing ingredient in my already wonderfully full life. Creativity was missing for a long time and it's BACK now! Which is just ace really.

So why do I do it? I do it because I love sharing and receiving from others. I have some things to say and writing is my avenue. Writing is easier than talking when I want to get my message across and be understood. I do it because without a creative outlet things can get quite bleak.

How does my writing process work?

I think a lot and make lots of notes. Many of my ideas never come to fruition but some do- after a lot of pondering. I am very undisciplined with my personal writing and blogging but much more organised with professional and uni work. I blog in fits and starts and have lengthy breaks, which over time and with a bit of bloggy maturity I have stopped stressing and feeling guilty about - it's just the way it is. It's my hobby and it's OK if it's inconsistent. If it were my business it would be a different story.

How does it differ from others in my genre?

I really don't have a genre. I hop all over the place and try different things. I am hoping I will look back in ten years and have a couple of non-fiction books under my belt. That'd be nice. That's not a very satisfying answer to that question but in the spirit of being unapologetic about my writing - who cares?!

Meet my friends!

Here are a few really ace people you should go and visit. I am going to ask them to do this task but if they choose not to, you should still go and visit them!!

Lauren Carter at Owlet

Dee at Wild about Melbourne

Mezz at Mezz Makes Stuff

Tarryn at Butter and Buntings

Kathryn Ledson author of Rough Diamond and Monkey Business

A few of my favourite things... a photo post

This post is my contribution to Pip Lincolne's "My Favourite Things"  link-up. It is by no means an extensive list... just a few things around my house that make me happy.

The Daily Telegraph thinks I'm a feral and it's making me giggle

I was described as a 'feral' today on the front cover of The Daily Telegraph... well, not me individually, I was just one of a giant collective of ferals. Were you one too? 

Yesterday I was one of 25,000 ferals people who gathered in Melbourne city to protest the budget and call for an election. The Daily Telegraph would LOVE you to believe that the only people protesting were hippy, patchouli wearing, dirty ferals because that would indicate that it is only the seemingly insignificant loony types who bothered to turn up to express their rage at this rotten budget. 

I tell you now, it was not at all like that. I was so proud to stand among an extremely varied, peaceful yet angry crowd of Australian citizens who want change. I walked alongside bloggy friends Carly Findlay and Kerryn Woods... fellow ferals in arms.   

I'm quite keen to let you know that I only saw a couple of what the Telegraph might describe as "ferals" (I did get a whiff of patchouli at one stage mind you) but the rest of the crowd were made up of sensible looking mums and dads with their kids, business people, old folks, indigenous people, people with disabilities, people who were born here and people who weren't. You might even say it was a cross-section of the community, all united by the knowledge that what the Government is doing is unjust. You might say that... yes!

Citizen journalism for the win people! Read the newspaper by all means, but take it with a grain of salt and tune in to Twitter for the real stories.

If you want to get involved in further action please visit

www.bustthebudget.com

Look at these ferals... they're wearing disgruntled retiree costumes

Carly and I enjoying the gathering of ferals angry people

How to portion a chicken and other things I learnt from Ruth Bruten...

If you've met Ruth Bruten you'll know what I mean when I say that being with her is like being in a Tove Jansson Moomin Troll story. So scandi-cool and funny and quirky and interesting. Ruth is multi-techni-colourful in her Marimekko prints and cloppy clogs and even though you're not quite sure where she's taking you, you KNOW it's going to be a super fun adventure...

Right now, if you don't know her I bet you're wishing you did! Riiiight? Yes.. thought so.

I was lucky enough to win a couple of tickets via Steps Australia to Ruth's Clever Clogs Cooking Class which was held at the beautiful Hobba in Prahran.

Taz from Butter and Buntings (who also happens to be my sister-in-law) snapped up the opportunity to join me and so we met up beforehand to stress out about whether our knives were sharp enough and to eat high end Malvern Road samosa before heading in to mingle with a bunch of lovely foodie blogger types.

Hobba is delightful! I definitely plan to head back there to eat something delicious one day soon. Before the class began Ruth bubbled around giving hugs and being a bit nervous while the guests all enjoyed a little tipple before sidling up to the extra-tall bench and demonstrating 4 recipes she has developed using only one chook!! 

FOUR recipes from ONE chook!! ONE!

A broth, a soup, a salad and fritters and she sent us home with a wee booklet containing a bunch more chickeny ideas to try at home. 

Ruth taught us all about great Aussie ethical meat producers and why it is important to buy from a farmer instead of from a supermarket and I am well and truly inspired to make better choices in this area. Here are some ace meat producers we should all be supporting:

Plains Paddock Lamb

Warialda Belted Galloway Beef 

Bundarra Berkshires Pork

Jonai Farms (Pork & Beef) 

Isola Chianina Beef

Greenvale Farm (Pork & Lamb)

We then donned cute green and white stripy aprons and picked up the huge cooks knives that were provided by Steps Australia (we needn't have stressed about the sharpness of ours) and were guided through the process of breaking down a chook like an expert. 

I was so proud of my efforts! I can honestly say that Ruth's class has changed the way I view chicken and I highly doubt that I'll ever buy a pre-portioned chook again. It's so much more economical to purchase a whole chicken and to be able to get so much from just one bird means a family without a lot of spare cash can actually afford to buy from an ethical producer. Win!

SO!

I really think you should go to Ruth's next class... She didn't tell me or pay me to say that but I think that anyone from a novice to an experienced cook would find her classes inspiring and full of useful information. In case you missed the link up there, you can find out more information about Ruth's Clever Clogs Cooking Classes right..... 

HERE!

Carly Findlay :: Ichthyosis Awareness Month :: Why YOU should care

Pic by Rick Guidotti

Today we are lucky enough to hear from the effervescent Carly Findlay. Carly is a Melbourne based writer and appearance diversity activist who is currently spreading the word about Ichthyosis Awareness Month and she has been kind enough to answer some questions for The Squee.

WHY IS ICHTHYOSIS AWARENESS MONTH IMPORTANT TO YOU?

I was born with a lifelong, severe and rare skin condition called Ichthyosis. It means scaly red skin. It's medically and socially challenging - with sore itchy and dry skin, occasional hospital stays and lots of staring, questions and comments from strangers.

I blog to raise awareness of what it's like to look different. Blogging has allowed me to reach out to the Ichthyosis community as well as inform those who know very little about the condition, and also be published more widely. I also speak about my condition and consult on blogging and self advocacy through storytelling.

Last December my photo was misused on the content sharing website Reddit (http://carlyfindlay.blogspot.fr/2013/12/how-to-win-internet-or-how-to-defend.html). My photo was ridiculed and diagnosed by hundreds of strangers. While not a pleasant experience, I took to the site and write a response so the ridiculers would see the real me. I directed them to my blog and, you know, some of these people who clicked on my photo to gawk said they learnt something and developed compassion. The Reddit situation showed me just how powerful blogging can be, and I wanted to give the same chance to others affected by Ichthyosis.

Through the whole month of May I will be featuring guest posts on my blog from people affected by Ichthyosis. There are more than 30 stories this May - from patients, parents and grandparents, partners and even a non-human!

I have created a video for the Blog Project, where I encourage people to celebrate their uniqueness: http://youtu.be/-9wu_G8WfrU

Sharing these stories on my blog gives people a platform to be heard - without sensationalism and without pity. Their stories in their own words raise the expectations of people who look different. The stories show strength, challenges and triumphs, life change, a 'normal' life lived, self acceptance and hope. The condition affects 20 people per million, and there are more than 24 types. These stories through May will show you the sheer diversity in symptoms, appearance and treatment.

The Ichthyosis Awareness Month Blog Project also empowers the contributors. Jaime, a contributor from last year, told me: "I was diagnosed with Ichthyosis Vulgaris about 3 1/2 years ago...I love what you do. You helped inspire me to come 'forward' into the public and actually reveal my secret. I used to be ashamed of what I have, but now I'm ready to embrace it. I hope to connect with others who have Ichthyosis too…".

I've met amazing people working in appearance diversity fields - the staff at Centre for Appearance Research, Changing Faces and Rick Guidott

Sharing stories brings people together. Since last years IAM Blog Project, I've met - virtually and physically - many, many people with Ichthyosis. I am currently travelling overseas. So far, I've met Larisa, Carolyn, Mellissa, Michael, Aurora and Matthew, Kallie, Evan and Dianna (top left to bottom right).

WHAT CAN WE DO TO SPREAD AWARENESS?

You can follow my blog - carlyfindlay.blogspot.com and read and share posts. I'd love this to reach people outside of the Ichthyosis community as much as those in it. All of the posts are located HERE.

I'm also sharing links on my Twitter (twitter.com/carlyfindlay) Facebook (Facebook.com/tune.into.radio.carly) and Instagram (Instagram.com/carlyfindlay).

GET INFORMED PEOPLE!

Appearance diversity is about more than just shape and size. It's about different faces, different appearances being present in the media. We see so many homogenised images of people in our magazines and on screen - and there's a beauty ideal, and I want to change that.

A few years ago my blog was discovered by staff at the Centre for Appearance Research in the UK. They asked me to speak at their conference. You can read my speech here: http://carlyfindlay.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/couldn-handle-looking-like-you.html

Also see changingfaces.org.au and positiveexposure.org

ANY MORE WORDS OF WISDOM?

Before you ask why someone looks different, say hello! It's the polite thing to do

15 Delicious things to do with spinach

image from superitch.com

The weather is getting cooler here in Australia (YAY!) and it is the perfect time to plant some spinach! While you're waiting for your seedlings to grow into something edible why not head to your local farmers market and grab a pre-grown bunch so you can try one of these delicious recipes.

Need more convincing that you need spinach in your life? Camilla Cahill (APD) from The Scoop on Nutrition says this about the folic acid that is found in my favourite green:

"Folate, or folic acid, is one of the B group vitamins which help to improve mood and cognitive function. A study involving 9670 participants from the SUN cohort found significant positive association between low folate intake and the prevalence of depression in men. But rather than rushing into supplements, the UK Mind Guide to Mood and Food recommends you go for whole foods first and see a nutrition expert for assessment. I love some wilted spinach on wholegrain toast which provides about 160ug (40% RDI) folate."

Gluten Free Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas - Spinach 4 Breakfast 

TO THE RECIPES!

Spinach 4 Breakfast share a delicious Gluten Free Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla recipe

110 Days of Real Food shares a Spicy Potato and Spinach Soup

A Beautiful Mess, the makers of one of my favourite apps, share a yummy Apple and Spinach Smoothie

Tree Hugger shares a SOUPer comforting Creamy Fennel, Spinach and Asparagus Soup

Sailus Food shares a warming Aloo Palak Potato Spinach Curry 

Making Thyme for Health brings us a hearty and easy Lentil and Spinach Soup

Green and crunchy Spinach Burgers from The Village Cook

Ryding to Health shares a wintery Pumpkin, Leek and Spinach Quiche

A Ten Minute Haloumi andSpinach Gozleme with Black Cumin seeds from Ruth at Gourmet Girlfriend

Jo Whitton from Quirky Cooking shares her recipe for "Shrek Juice"

Philippa Moore shares a satisfying Garlic Chickpea Spaghetti with Chilli and Spinach 

Emma Stirling (Dietician) suggests putting some spinach on this Perfect Polenta Pizza

A yummy Spinach Dip in a Cobb Loaf from Kidspot

A personal favourite! Spinach and Feta Eggs from Make it Love it

Egg Muffins with Sausage, Spinach and Cheese from Two Peas and Their Pod