Strawberry Smoothie

 

I'm four weeks into my new job now, one of the many benefits of which, is that I no longer have to get up at 5:20 am for the 5:59  am train to London. Now ? Well, now I can drive to work in 20 minutes, and I can drop little CC off at school on the way, and I don't start work until 8am.

 

This has made a massive difference to our morings, instead of arriving in London at 6:30 am, I'm just getting up. After a quick walk with little DD it's time to think about breakast. I have never breakfasted at home before, so I now find I have a whole world of breakfast oppurtunities at my fingertips.

I have already made a green juice yesterday, but I didn't take a photo... CC didn't like it, BB did. So I promised CC that this morning we would have Strawberry Smoothies. And We Did. We used Total Greek yoghurt, which gives the smoothie a great protein boost. If you don't have yoghurt, you could use banana instead.

 I dug out the Kenwood Smoothie  maker from the top of the kitchen cupboard, and gave it a good rinse... I'm now seriously running out of worktop space since I have the huge juicer, the smoothie maker, the kettle, the toaster, the microwave and the coffee maker all in very close proximity competing for space on  the worktop, but that's the way it is...

Here's the ingredients:

Strawberries I used the rest of the carton shown below and didn't open the new one...I think there were about 14..
Total Greek Yoghurt 1 small pot
Skimmed milk  - We filled it up to 700ml on the Kenwood mixer
Vanilla extract - About half a teaspoon
Sugar - to taste - we used a tablespoon. BB thought it was too sweet - I didn't !

Method:

1. Hull the strawberries and place them in the blender
2. Top with skimmed milk - up to 700ml
3. Add yoghurt
4. Add sugar
5. Add vanilla
6. Whizz!!! (Don't forget to put the lid on first.)

7. Spend half an hour washing up! BUT it's well worth it.

My Bucket List 2013 - An update

Back in 2011 I wrote my Bucket List, and now two years later I thought it was prime time to give it an update, and let you know what's been done and what new items I want to add.

9) Run a marathon Booked for this October but if BB gets a place in his Ironman that same weekend - guess who has to defer ?? Er, ponder, ponder ... it's not going to be BB is it.. ?

So, BB didn't do the Ironman, and since then, I have done not one marathon, but two! Kielder was great, South End not so great. The training was tiring, but I loved it ! I ran 8 miles today, so I'm still running. I guess on this updated Bucket list I should add a Half Ironman, before I can do that I need to improve my swimming. So, first on the new list:

1.  Improve my swimming and complete a Half Ironman

11) Use my MBA for something other than thinking 'Well ! If I were the boss, I would be doing A, followed by B, with a little dose of C, and a sprinkle of D. That WOULD work'.

I finally decided to take the plunge and find a new job. After 17.5 years in my previous position, it has to be said that I am still pinching myself... I still can't quite believe that I did it ! I am now Clinical Trials IT Manager. If it's related to clinical trials, and in the realm of IT, then I'm all over it.. It's early days, and I have lots to learn, but then that's what I love doing.

12) Leading nicely on to ... giving it another try with the cake/food idea. Everyone that eats my food loves it - well, except for that time that I made some sort of BBQ'd chops for a couple I barely knew and well, they were slightly overdone and maybe dry(ish), and little did I know that she had just had a gastric band fitted. Ten visits to the bathroom later.. was it the food ? Was it the gastric band ? You know what ? I don't even want to think about it.

Other than that, everyone loves my food and thinks I should be a professional cook on some level. When the Chef job came up at work (in the work canteen, well more like a posh canteen ..), more than one person said to me 'Chef's job's up - that's your dream job'. Funny. Defintely a scratch that needs another little itch.

I haven't really given this a scratch, more of a tickle really. I got into using Twitter a lot more, and being more active online generally. Through this, I became friends with Total Greek yoghurt and got invited to some of their food blogger events, and blogged about their great products. I finally felt like a real food blogger. It made it all worthwhile.

2. Do more food blogging, and sport blogging and well, blogging in general...


13) Change job. There I've said it. I've worked at the same place for fifteen years this year... The problem is that it's a great job with great people - why would I leave ??

The above hasn't changed. It was a great job with great people. I left because I changed. I asked myself: 'Is this the only job you want to have ever done ?' The answer was a definite 'No'. I wanted to do something else, somewhere else. As it is, the position also has some major benefits my commute has gone from more than fifteen hours a week to five hours. I no longer travel on public transport, I can drive myself to work. The best part on a non-work level, I can now spend every morning with my little CC and I can take her to school on my way to work. Having never spent mornings with her, this is a major change for all of us. On a professional level, I have more responsibility, it's a senior role, it's still technical and it's in an area that I wanted to make a contribution to: Cancer Research. It's a Win-Win-Win. I feel blessed to have the opportunity, and I'm determined to make the most of it.

3. Develop professionally in my new role

Well I could go on, I haven't mentioned visiting Australia, or spending more time with my mom and sis, or finally finishing Labour of Love, or having a massive party very, very soon .. but I won't.

I have spent some time with my mom and sis. Me and Mom had a great shopping trip in Brum at Christmas, just the two of us and it was really special. We are definitely going to be having more of those. For my 40th, I did have a massive party. It was really great, with lots of friends and family. I therefore must add the following to the Bucket List:

4) Throw more parties

Well, that's all from me for now - have you updated your Bucket List lately ??

New Technologies

New technologies ?? Well, new for me anyway, some of them have been out for a while. Here are a few of my favourites:

Prezi: Use Prezi to create funky presentations easily. I created one about Disaster Recovery for SQL Databases. You can see it here, it's really simple and took about two minutes to create.

Survey Monkey An online Survey Builder. I have not created any, only used them. Mumsnet use Survey Monkey when they are seeking bloggers to test a certain product. Sharepoint also has a Survey tool. Try it out !

Pingg I created some electronic inviations for my recent 'Not-Insignificant' birthday. If you're fed up with paper invitations and want to do something a little more modern, then try this. You can also use it for 'Save the Dates' and to send Thank You messages after the event.

Voki Use voki to create an avatar with voice. The image at the top of this page is created using an avatar site without voice - I think it was Doppel Me It's a pretty good avatar, but I really wanted an Avatar with voice.  I added this one to my facebook profile instead..

About Me A great web page to fill with information all about yourself ! Add your facebook account, twitter account, an email address, work details etc. If you click the link you will go to one that I created in just a few minutes.

QR Codes are those odd-looking squares with lots of dots and squares that you see on products, in newspapers, and out and about. To be able to read these codes you need a QR-code reader on your phone, tablet or other electronic device.

I just created a QR code really quickly at the QR Codes site using the  samelink in the About Me above. Please see ir below, try and read it with your phone and see that it takes you to the same link.

Well, have fun trying some of these out.

Turning Forty

Just a matter of days ago, I turned 40..

I had already had a legacy moment a few years ago, when I started to question what my footprint on the world might be.. and, whilst keeping this on a quiet simmer, as I approached this milestone birthday, this feeling burned even more..

As it happens, this coincided nicely with CC finishing her first year at grammar school. CC has shown such amazing independence this year, which has given me the confidence to be able to branch out.

I must just mention, by the way, that CC has just been selected to represent her borough at the London Youth Games 2013 taking place in July. I'm so pleased for her. She will be competing in the Aquathon event - swimming 200m and running 1km. Good luck CC!

But more about my life decisions later, I ran a great half marathon a couple of weeks ago, but it has to be said that the less I am running, the less I feel like running. Even though I know I feel great after it ! That's not good is it. So, what to do ? Well, I need to find a new focus, in terms of a new race, so if you know of a good running event coming up, please leave me a comment.

Another aside, I must say 'Well done' (understatement!) to my cousin, who just ran an absolutely amazing time of 3:36 in Milton Keynes marathon a couple of weeks ago. That really is a fantastic result, and I'll be honest, I'm jealous, but only because, at the moment at least, that seems like a time that will never, ever be possible for me. (I'm crying into my hankie... regretting mispent youth, and all that...) That really is an excellent, excellent time and, dare I say it, particularly for a female runner.

I've been having some fun online lately extending my social profile. So, you can now find a little page about me here: http://About.Me/Carolyn.McNamara or you can connect with me on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is such a fantastic networking tool. Also, don't forget to follow me on Twitter, my twitter name is @KookyGirlBlog

Returning to the original post title, just exactly how did I celebrate my birthday? Well, firstly BB and CC took me to Sardinia for the Easter break. We flew there, and had the most fabulous time, the sun shone and the Italian food was amazing, and the people so friendly. I want to go back !!

Then, on the eve of my birthday, I had a huge party, with all my family and friends. We built a marquee in the garden. BB was very popular with the music as he had pre-compiled a play list of music videos from my 'formative' years, we then connected the PC to the TV monitor, and we got an extra long HDMI cable and had another TV monitor in the marquee. So, we had five hours of classic music videos.. 'Ice, Ice Baby' at 3am anyone ?

To be honest, I don't like to be the focus of too much attention..therefore I didn't have an 18th, a 21st, a 30th or  a big wedding.. I decided that this was therefore a time to celebrate.

I would love to hear how you are extending your social profile, or celebrating your special days this year. You know what to do...leave me a comment !!

The Job Lot

The Job Lot is a brand new ITV comedy, which has it's first episode broadcast TONIGHT on ITV1 at 2130.

So, why am I so interested in this new comedy ?? Two big reasons: Claire Downes and Stuart Lane. They co-wrote the series with Ian Jarvis. Claire is my best friend, and Stuart is her partner. I've known Claire since we were 11 and we became close friends from the age of 15. That's twenty-five years ago.

Claire is an amazing, successful woman. I am in awe of her staying power, enthusiasm, energy and talent. Stuart is equally amazing. What he doesn't know about films isn't worth knowing.

If  I know Claire and Stu, their comedy is going to be an amazing success. This is their time and they, and their fellow writer, Ian, deserve to bask in the limelight. Well done guys !

How to find out more about Claire, Stuart and Ian, and specifically The Job Lot.

Follow The Job Lot on Twitter - @joblottv

Follow Claire on twitter - @iamClaireDownes

Follow Stuart on twitter - @itsStuartLane


Most of all watch The Job Lot tonight ! I'll be watching!

Selsdon Half Marathon 2013 - A Review

I was only a little disappointed when the Selsdon half marathon was cancelled three weeks ago, it was raining and cold, which isn't much fun over 13 miles.

The organiser emailed offering a choice: run in 3 weeks, or defer to 2014. I procrastinated. I haven't been running as much as usual - was I fit enough ? I did the Trail man Human Race event last weekend. That 8 mile slog through the mud left me exhausted.  I did a little local loop through the park with DD earlier in the week, and that was the whole of my prep.

Still, last night I dug out the kit, the trainers, the Garmin watch, the CompressSport supports, the gels, I even dug out my i-Pod thinking I was going to need every available prop, and had it all set up and ready to go. And so we went.

And what a day it was, firstly it was dry. Yippee! Also, ever so slightly sunny, but cool enough for a good run. The event is organised by the Church of the Latter Day Saints, and the Start and Finish is in their beautiful premises. Since many runners had deferred to next year, I think there were more marshalls than actual runners. One of the marshalls came up and spoke to us, and was really very, very friendly. As was the man who gave me my race number.

The course was varied some hills, followed by nice down hills, but mostly flat and mainly through the streets of South Croydon. Although, sometimes we went through some dirt/mud tracks. I started well, with the first 6 miles under my belt in about 55 mins.

I took a gel whenever there was a water stop - so that was at 4.5 miles, 9 miles and 11 miles. That strategy worked well today. I overtook some runners on the second half and had a few 'battles' with some runners too. You know how it is when someone runs at almost exactly the same speed as you, and you take it in turns to try and outrun each other. In the end I focussed on my own race, which is all that really matters.

I crossed the line in 2:01:58 and that '58' is really important as I've already run a 2:02 half marathon, although the poor girl next to me thought that I was going for a sprint finish. Nah, it was all about me getting a PB.

BB and CC were there to support me and said I was about 6th woman, but I'll have to see what the final results say. Actually, I was 9th woman - results are out already!!. Still.. pretty happy with that ! I was 45th out of 71 runners, which includes males and females. Counting up the numbers, it seems that out of that, there were another 11 females and 15 males that finished after me.

The goodie bag was pretty good too - with a medal, banana, water, little chocolate bar and non-wicking, cotton t-shirt. Everything you need, really !

All in all an excellent, well organised race. Well done Selsdon half marathon. BB has already pledged to run it next year!

Here's a photo of me at the end - utterly exhausted.

To do an MBA, or not to do an MBA, that is the question..

I don't often talk about my professional life here on the bliggy-bloggy, but if you want to know a little more about me check out my About Me link.

A few years ago now, I had set myself a personal life goal of completing my MBA by the time I reached 30. So, when my little CC was no more than 6 months old, and I had already gone back to work full-time. I started a part-time, distance-learning MBA.

I completed the course in 2 years, each module was studied over three days and then an assignment and project were set, I also did a final dissertation. It's true to say that I couldn't have completed it without my BB, as there was many a night that I was doing the night shift in the front of the laptop, whilst BB was sleeping and, of course, he looked after little CC whislt I was at university studying.

Graduating was a defining moment, I really felt complete and I was SO looking forward to not studying any more... Ha, ha since then I have completed the Foundation exam in IT Project management, an A+ Hardware exam and just this month I became a Microsoft Certified Professional in SQL Server 2008.

But that's by the by, so what does an MBA give you ? Well, if you're not a manager already, it enables you to see the bigger picture and really understand where your managers are coming from, you now understand their priorities. If you are a manager already, it gives you expertise on all facets of management. Here's the subjects I studied as part of my MBA: Marketing, Financial Management, Finance, Human Resources, Corporate Strategy, Marketing, Project Management, Entrepreneurship, Research and Statistics. My dissertation was about Corporate Social Responsibility Policies in FTSE-250 companies, and whether having such a policy has an impact on share price.

If you are thinking about starting your own business, an MBA will give you everything you need to make it a success, except the idea, of course.

I enjoyed the MBA, I met really interesting people whilst attending the course, and whilst I'm in a job where an MBA is not required, it has to be said that in my current role right now, I use the skills that the MBA gave me every day.

If you are thinking of doing an MBA, my advice would be to go for it !