Winter Warmer: Chicken Noodle Soup

It's a blustery Wednesday morning and I am sat back in my bedroom, which is giving me a slightly surreal feeling. You see, these last few weeks I have been living on a university campus, and have become rather accustomed to the small rooms, plastic furniture and temperamental ovens that often feature in student accommodation. It's nice to be back home, to see my family and my little cat friend who sometimes visits. But at the same time, I am enjoying the sense of independence I have living and providing for myself. I have surprised myself in many ways, but one more than others....

When I first arrived at university, I had a theory that, when given the choice between cooking a proper meal or frozen food, I would always go for the frozen. The only two dishes I could be bothered to make at that time were carbonara and risotto- I spent my summer living off the two. So I presumed that university life would be no different. Amazingly, I could not have been more wrong. I actually surprised myself by what I was willing to cook. I made homemade pizzas, soups, pies, pastas, cookies, cakes and more. Every night was a new adventure to experiment with food, an opportunity to create new dishes with the leftovers in the fridge. And one of my favourite concoctions was my Chicken Noodle Soup.

With winter fast arriving, along with the flu, this soup is the perfect winter warmer. It'll help to boost the immune system and fight against those nasty cold symptoms, as well as give you that snuggly, cosy feeling. Best served with cuddly blankets and a side serving of trashy tv. My preference would be 'Say Yes To The Dress'.

Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 Chicken breast
3/4 Pint Boiling water
1 Chicken stock cube
1 Tsp Chopped red chilli
1 Tsp Chopped ginger
3 Mushrooms, chopped
1 Handful Broccoli florets
50g Spaghetti


Instructions:

-Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the boiling water. Place chicken breast, chopped chilli and ginger into saucepan and pour over chicken stock mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes on a medium heat

-Meanwhile, chop the broccoli and mushrooms.

-After 20 minutes, take the chicken breast out of the stock mixture and shred with two forks. Place back into the water and add the spaghetti. Cook for 5 minutes.

-Add the broccoli and mushrooms to the saucepan and cook for a further 7 minutes. Serve in soup bowls.

You Want To Unicycle... HOW FAR?

"You want to unicycle how far?" Was the question on my mind when we started planning the trip. My brother had suggested it and, all loving a challenge, we had foolishly accepted. It would be two days, three nights, four unicyclists and sixty-seven miles. Those sixty-seven miles being the perimeter of the Isle of Wight.

Of course, it seemed like a good idea when we started planning. Sixty-seven miles over two days would mean we would only need to unicycle 33.5 miles per day. That seemed simple enough- according to google maps, cycling 33 miles would only take 3 hours on a bike so it would only be a little longer for a unicycle- if it were twice as long then we would only be cycling for 6 hours per day. However, there were still a few minor details that we had forgotten to consider... one being that we will need to carry giant bags with tents, cookers, food and clothes. The other being that we don't really know how to unicycle.

When I say we don't know how, I mean that we aren't capable of covering different terrains yet. My brother has had plenty of practice and will be perfectly able to complete the route. Two of us (including myself) are able to control the unicycle to a certain extent but cannot cover tougher terrain such as grass or hills. We are also a little unsteady still so cycling on roads or pavements is currently out of the question. And as for the fourth member? He started learning today. And by that, I mean sat on the unicycle while clinging to a climbing frame at a children's play park. We have a long way to go and not much time so I am going into what I call immersion- full on, intensive unicycling practice until I feel I am capable of tackling the Isle of Wight expedition.

Unfortunately, staying on the  unicycle is only one part of the challenge. Of course, we shall have to set up tents, navigate and cook for ourselves, packing away everything into huge bags the next morning which will press down onto our shoulders and make our journey even more challenging. And dare I even mention the pain? Put simply, unicycling hurts. Even with a comfortable seat, cyclists may still be prone to chafing which will be a huge hindrance when travelling a distance as long as ours. Being female, it will be significantly easier for me to ride than the rest of my group, all males. But even so, I will be sure to come armed with padded bike shorts and anti-chafing gel. Are you feeling uncomfortable about this topic? I have 'unicycle chafing' as part of my internet search history. Let's just hope no-one sees that...

So we now have a month to master the art of unicycling before we embark on our expedition, with which we shall hopefully raise some money for charity. And I am beginning to question... is this actually possible?

Curing Unadventurous Eater-ness

I have always been an unadventurous eater. I remember the days when the thought of a stir fry or an apple crumble scared me. On holiday in France, I refused to eat crêpes, wouldn't touch a mussel and would only order spaghetti bolognese to eat. Believe me, I was not an easy child to feed, growing up. My food horizons (what a lovely metaphor!) were limited. So... how did I change that to become the slightly more adventurous eater today?

Most people think the way to cure close minded eaters is to go out to restaurants and get them to order a not so 'safe' dish. Given the choice back then, I would not even consider anything that wasn't also featured on the children's menu. Trying new food at a restaurant never worked for me- there were always plainer alternatives for me to order instead. But if you take away the alternatives, you'd have no choice...

So how can we eliminate those 'safe' dishes from our plates? "È facile!", as the Italians would say. Cooking lessons. Yes that's right. And when I say cooking lessons, I don't mean a professional chef's course where you can earn your cordon bleu. I mean the simple, one day courses where you learn to cook using simple, fresh ingredients.

I remember my first cooking lesson, a school trip to a small farm with a lovely shop selling fresh produce and a wonderfully equipped cooking school. We were set the task of making lemon zested meatballs and pasta, with toffee apple crumble for dessert. It is hard to believe that I was skeptical at the time. The dishes I now love were once something I eyed with caution. After watching the demonstration and repeating the steps, we sat down at a table to try out our dishes. Faced with no other choice, I had to try it. And believe me, I'm glad I did. It is now a family favourite and, you could say, my signature dish.

But just keep in mind that the phrase 'cooking lessons' can cover all sorts of courses. Patisserie, Italian cuisine, Indian or bread making, every course will vary and make you step outside your culinary comfort zone.

So.. How well have these lessons effected me? Well, to put it simply, I'm better. I'll still never touch a salad (but it's tried and tested), but I've had zebra, x-rayed chicken (don't ask) and rice crispies from a wine glass with a fork (again, don't ask). Result!

Performing on Stage: Can You Face the Challenge?

Many actors will admit that no matter how experienced you are, the fear of performing on stage never truly disappears There are always the initial nerves as you first step on, as the curtain opens and you are exposed to an audience who may applaud or criticise your work. For some of us, the initial adrenaline shuts us down. It overpowers our senses and stops us from being able to perform. For others, it only wakes them up and gives them an energy of excitement that flows into their work. I think last night proved that I was the latter of the two.

I have been attending drama classes since I was 10. I have never been a huge fan of the large drama companies who have many branches across the country- my friend's experience of a similar dance company was one that I would not like to experience myself. Instead, I have been dedicated to a small local group for 8 years and last night I was sad to take my final bow on stage. Last night was, sadly, our final show as the group is now having to close. It was an emotional night, especially for three of our group, including myself, who have been attending classes for years. Despite this, we were able to perform to our fullest and successfully performed the pieces we had been rehearsing for months.

But how is my drama group relevant to you, dear reader? Well, this is where I'll get to the point. For those of you who haven't really given drama much thought, I would highly recommend you try it. Performing in a play can greatly increase your confidence and allows you to escape the stress of day-to-day life. As you become a different person, the pressure and worries from your life tend to melt away until you are no longer yourself- you are your character. For me, some characters come more easily than others. Playing Grandpa Joe in our performance of Charlie and the Chocolate factory was difficult for me as I hadn't much insight into the elderly. As for last night's play, we performed a few scenes from the play Teechers, by John Godber. I played a chavvy (a british stereotype- google it) guy, completely unlike myself, but I found that he was much easier to portray as I have known people similar to him and so was able to draw from them to create a much more believable character.

For those shyer people amongst you, I would still recommend that you give acting a try. Believe it or not, I am usually quite shy around people. However, give me a script, put me on stage and I'm fine. I think a fear of being judged can often be a hindrance to people's lives but when you are on stage, you can't really see your audience- the lights are either too bright or you are in character and so can't pay much attention. Either way, you'll find that not being able to see your audience can actually help to reduce that fear.

Now that I have left my drama group, I shall be joining a drama society at university. It just goes to show... once an actress, always an actress.

iPhone Photography: The Most Effective Applications

It's not unknown that the camera on the latest iPhone models is something of a gem- one of the main persuasive factors for my upgrade. That and the fact that my last phone was held together with duct tape. But up until recently I had know clue how incredibly powerful the iPhone camera can be.

The majority of people are aware of the basic features of iPhone cameras: How to focus, how to apply filters, how to adjust the brightness. However, the actual camera application on the iPhone has very limited features compared to the array of apps available to download. I have currently been experimenting with a few and so here are my recommendations:


First comes 'Tadaa SLR'. This app costs £2.99 so for those people who don't like paying for apps, I'm afraid this one isn't for you. However, Tadaa SLR is worth every penny, as you'll find out if you make the excellent decision to download. The most enticing function of this application is the wonderful ability to focus and blur images. Whilst the iPhone camera can focus on specific objects, it does not compare to more complex cameras which can blur out the entire background. This problem can be easily solved with the use of this app, which allows you to adjust the focus of the photo after you take it. You simply highlight the area you want to focus on and the rest of the image is blurred. Alternatively, you could simply use a circular or linear focus. The results look far more professional than the original photos- it just goes to show that you don't always need a fancy camera to snap some good quality shots.

Here are some of my photos edited using Tadaa SLR

In this photo, I selected the basket of scones to be in focus, which stand out clearly from the faded background.

Here I highlighted the fork to be in focus, whilst the rest of the picture is slightly more blurred

Whilst there are other adjustments that can be performed using Tadaa SLR, I tend to use another app that has more options. I introduce you to Snapseed, an application by google which is, believe it or not, completely free. Snapseed offers an array of features, allowing you to adjust the basic elements of images, including brightness, contrast, saturation and so on. Images can be easily altered and a small selection of filters can be added. This may sound rather similar to those features offered by the standard camera app, but there is one filter in particular that can completely transform images. This filter is the 'HDR Scape', which helps to emphasise both the shadows and highlights in a picture. Whilst I'm not 100% sure on the specifics of what it does, I do know that the results can be spectacular.

Here are a few of my own photos edited on Snapseed, all of which use a HDR effect to a certain degree.

The reflection of this vase has been enhanced with the use of the HDR filter to give a more dramatic effect.

BEFORE: This is my original photo without a filter. As you can see, the water shows little reflection and the clouds are pale with only a few grey tones visible

AFTER: This photo has a HDR filter. The reflection of the water is enhanced and the grey tones in the clouds have also been brought out. The photo now captures the beauty and the colour of the scene more accurately. 

Repix is another app that I have been using to add a more abstract edge to my photos. Whilst the app is free, I have purchased the Master's Collection which costs £4.49 and includes several effect brushes, filters and frames. The key persuasive factor in downloading this pack, and the app itself, was the amazing assortment of effect brushes. The app itself already contains many brushes for you to experiment with, including a camera flare effect, poster effects, edge enhancers and blurrers. However, the app cleverly features a 'test' page where you can try out the brushes available to purchase on a photo designed to enhance their use. After testing a few I knew that I had to purchase the whole set and it was a small price to pay for the numerous photographic possibilities available.

Below are a few photos that I've taken including various effect brushes.

This was a photo of scaffolding outside a shop in a neighbouring village. I added a paint brush called 'Daubs', which is part of the Master's Collection, to transform the image.

This was already quite a spectacular photo thanks to the presence of mountains in the distance, but by adding a few effects, I was able to change the photo to resemble something I like to call a story book picture. I firstly added a swirl of the 'Sparkler' brush around the subject's body, then added a 'Magic Dust' brush for the smaller coloured dots, and then used a 'Bokeh' brush for the larger flares. Whilst all these brushes were part of the Master's Collection, I used the 'Edger' brush, one of the starter brushes, to create the weird story book feel.

To enhance the beauty of these already stunning flowers, I added a 'Magic Dust' brush for the sparkles, as well as a touch of 'Glow Smoke' and 'Bokeh' for the trails of light/ flares at the edge of the picture. A filter was also applied

Of course there's one more app worth mentioning, although I don't rely on it as much. For those who like to experiment with adding a splash of colour to black and white photos,  Effect Touch lite is perfect. Of course there are many 'colour splash' apps that allow you to add areas of colour to black and white photos, but most of them either cost money or bombard you with adverts. Effect Touch lite, however, has neither of these things. The app is completely free and has no adverts. While it has only a few features, it includes a monochrome paint brush, meaning that you can paint on black and white areas to images. This essentially means that you can paint on the black and white areas desired and leave the coloured areas you want. This is shown in my example below.

The brightly coloured flower in this photo contrasts nicely against the black and white background, making the image a little more interesting than a simple black and white shot. 

I hope that you find these recommendations useful and that they will encourage you to further explore the world of iPhone photography.

The Art of Unicycling

When people think of unicycling, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the circus. Acrobats and clowns perched on top of a one-wheeled contraption, tossing juggling balls up into the air. Outside the circus, however, they aren’t common. Or at least not in most towns. Where I live, there seems to be a growing unicycling community. Of course, when I say this, I don’t mean that the whole town has started to learn this art form, but there are about 8 or so unicyclists which is generally a larger community than in most towns. But what is so great about this clown-ish form of transportation?

Of course, many people think that unicycling is incredibly difficult. Truth be told, it isn’t. Of course, it will be a daunting task at first as even getting onto the unicycle is a difficult process that requires support of some sort when you start out. Unicycling requires you to balance on two axes, which takes some getting used to. However, within about 3-4 solid hours of unicycling, my brother was in full control. I am getting there, practicing little and often, and have finally learnt to steer. I am yet to learn how to steer without flailing my arms about like an idiot, however. As for falling, the risk is generally quite low. You will fall a lot when you start out but the likelihood of hurting yourself, however, is lower than learning to ride a bike. When you fall, you will either fall forwards or backwards, never to the side. This way, the unicycle falls from between your legs and you will generally land on your feet. This is just from my experience, however. The worst injury I’ve experienced while unicycling was when I fell off and the unicycle fell, bounced off a pillar and hit me in the shin. To be totally honest, it was harder learning to skateboard, something I was taught as a kid.

Naturally, one rather interesting part of unicycling is the looks that you get from the public. Unicyclists are a rare sight, so when you ride past someone you may get a few glances. You may even get the occasional comment. Such comments may include

• A reference to the circus
• An exclamation os some sort, such as ‘sweet’, ‘nice’, ‘awesome’ etc.
• A claim that the person speaking could unicycle just as easily

It’s amusing how welcoming and friendly people are to unicyclists. Cars may even slow down to watch you ride- It’s all very flattering! But the main reason I unicycle is because it really is, truthfully, honestly, unbelievably fun. 

There’s something about riding along, racing along the pavement and hopping up kerbs that really is exciting. I find that going through the whole learning process can be a real challenge and that I always want to improve myself- when I finally manage to cycle a long distance, I have a great feeling of achievement. I have been out with my brother’s friends before in the evening, participating in unicycle races and watching as my brother and his friend perform some sort of ridiculous unicycle dance- I think that it can be just as fun as skateboarding.

For those that might overlook this curious and strange sport, don’t. Unicycling really is an amazing form of exercise and entertainment. Who else can say that they know how to unicycle?

The Truth About Learning To Drive

Yesterday evening I finally booked my theory test- the second hurdle to getting my driving license. The first being getting in the car and learning to drive, the third being taking the practical part of the test. I've been learning to drive for about 20 weeks, so I'm slowly improving and finally feel as if I am capable of getting in the car and driving without too much input from my instructor. I find it strange, however, how most people cannot wait to get their license. Because, personally, I have found learning to drive to be one of the most stressful experiences of my life.

When I initially started learning, there were several occasions where I messed up. It's natural- every learner driver is going to make mistakes. Many a time have I stalled the car, turned too little or had trouble when trying to quickly overtake a cyclist. Everything is new when you're behind the wheel and when you don't have the confidence in what you're doing, it is more likely that you'll mess up.

One of my most stressful driving experiences was when I was sat, first in the queue, in front of a traffic light. When the light turned green, I stalled. It went red. I waited. The light went green, I stalled, it turned red. Cars behind me were beeping and whilst my granddad got out the car to give the car behind a piece of his mind, I scooted over to the passenger seat and refused to drive. Sometimes I still feel my heart rate increasing as I sit waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

Another moment was when I was turning into my road. After waiting for oncoming traffic to pass, I went to turn but realised that I wasn't in gear- the car wasn't moving anywhere. The cars behind me were beeping and I felt under so much pressure that by the time I had got the car into gear, it wasn't clear for me to turn, but I did anyway. More honking. More beeping. Me getting home. Me crying. Me not driving for a week.

People think exams are stressful but, truth be told, I have found learning to drive much more testing than any exam I've faced. When you're on the road, there are so many drivers who will get angry at you. They might beep their horns and shout profanity just because they can. Just because they are protected by some metal bubble that means you can't give them a slap when they do. On the road, some people don't care about the learner plates. The truth is, some motorists are just assholes. Mean, horrible, sour people who have no compassion or empathy, despite the fact that they were once learner drivers as well.

I'm thankful that I'm not the only one who has had such experiences. I know of someone who drove around town with their handbrake still on. Another someone who, when attempting to pull away on a hill, rolled back and tapped the car behind. Another friend drove into another car, luckily only his friend's. The fact that other people I know have experienced such things helps when trying to cope with the pressure I feel on the road. These three people now have their licenses. As for mine.... I'm working on it. But fingers crossed that, from here on out, it'll be a smooth ride.