pep·lum/ˈpepləm/ (Noun):

1. A short flared, gathered, or pleated strip of fabric attached at the waist of a woman’s jacket, dress, or blouse.

This autumn and winter, the scent of a woman is back in fashion – and nothing emphasises a woman’s waist (and therefore her curves) like the peplum. Love it, hate it, not have a clue what on earth it is – it has most definitely landed (again) and is, judging by the trends for S/S 2013 in the northern hemisphere, here to stay for the foreseeable future.

So why should we embrace the extra fabric – and what’s the best way to wrap ourselves up in it? Wardrobe Witch takes a look at this tricksy trend – and who can do what with it, and what should not be worn by anyone except a 6’2″ stick insect on a runway in Milan…

The peplum is, as the definition above fairly dryly states, an extra bit of material that is used in a pleat or circle around the waist of a garment. The modern rendition is used assymetrically, minimally, in materials that are being reimagined – such as boiled wool – and the 2012 version doesn’t have to engage in the exaggerated ‘have shoulder pads and peplum, will travel’ approach of the 1980s, which was the last time this 50s trend (I love the fashion roundabout) last swung by.

There are few women who can’t rock the look in one form or another; but it is a case of choosing wisely, not wantonly. Play to your body type. If you are petite, stick to a solid coloured dress with a very minimal frill; if you are not a frocky chick, go for a great tailored jacket with a subtle flare to it in a great winter colour.

A patterned, knee length cocktail dress is a truly showstopping look if you are blessed with good (not necessarily perfect) proportions – just make sure to keep the accessories toned down. This is not a look that lends itself to busy-ness in shoes, handbags or scarves. The dress has to speak for itself – and more importantly, let your personality speak loudest, not your frock.

I am a big fan of the peplum in a very fitted work jacket with a full knee length skirt – a plain jacket in a solid cool wool or with a little texture, combined with a a heavy silk or brocade skirt – heaven – and it can easily take you from day to night. It can also be combined with jeans, black pants and over the knee boots or a fitted pencil skirt. Very versatile and flattering. A pixie cut or ponytail suits this sort of severe look – it is sophisticated and lets the prettiness of the peplum shine.

The trend for the upcoming S/S 2012-13 season is florals all the way – which will mean even more careful accessorising. For winter, if going with a dress or a jacket and skirt option, opaque tights and a suede pump or ankle boot will look style savvy and minimally chic. In keeping with the ladylike image – ditch the earrings and try a brooch – necklaces are usually a no-go as necklines tend to be quite severe.

It’s not a look that everyone will embrace – but I like it. It gives people without curves definition, and people with curves the chance to show them off. Just approach with caution – and remember that Dynasty was a long time ago…and the looks on that show were scary even then!

(image of cranberry wool jacket from Jigsaw)

Having a passion for fashion and an obssessive need to organise led Wardrobe Witch to the natural conclusion in 2011 – become a professional ‘clutter clearer’ and stylist. Experienced in consulting and with a raft of contacts at hand, she opened her own company, started a FaceBook page to test the waters – and magic seemed to happen! The only downside? Friends and family now complain that their access to free consulting sessions (and WW’s extremely well-stocked wardrobe) has been limited – the trials of being a style sorceress… tip for the summer? Go vintage sundresses – simple and sunny! Check out the fabulous WW website and have a chat by tweeting to her on wardrobewitch1 or on Facebook WardrobeWitch.

We all have a day to day makeup routine that we have been doing for years. A bit of foundation here, some mascara there and out the door, sound familiar?

Our day to day look is usually quick, simple and rarely do we question if it’s up to date with current looks or actually still flattering our faces.

Having the same look every day is a bit like having a security blanket and change can be scary, but taking it slow and changing one small thing a day will leave you feeling liberated and leave others wondering why you look so refreshed!

You don’t have to be a hardcore fashionista to keep up with current make-up trends! You could update yourself while standing in line at the supermarket by flicking through the latest magazines, the trick is to pay attention to the ads. Advertisers hire Make-up Artists and Stylists to create images that are on trend to sell their products, so a quick glance at how the models look will give you some insight into what’s happening in the style world.

Lip Service

One of the hottest trends and the easiest to add to your daily look is bright bold lips! Red, Coral, Orange, Pink, and Purple are all the hottest lip colours for the season.

If you’re not usually a lipstick wearer, you might think that you look ‘funny’ with lipstick or that it just doesn’t suit your face, but in most cases it’s not that you look bad in the lipstick, it’s that you’re not used to seeing yourself in it. Unfortunately the only way to overcome this is to be brave and wear the lipstick and eventually you won’t recognise yourself without it!

Some of the hottest lipsticks of the season are:

Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Jungle Red  $39

This is the ultimate red lipstick! Velvety, non-drying and worn by many celebs, this lipstick is THE red to own.

Hourglass Velvet Cream Lipstick in Fever (Fuscia) $45

Creamy and highly pigmented, this lipstick doesn’t bleed and is waterproof.

Rimmel Kate Moss Long Lasting Lipstick in Coralicious (Coral Red) $11.95

 

 

It’s all in the eyes!

So maybe you’re not the lipstick wearing type, there are other options! The other big make-up trend is all about the eyes, eyeliner to be specific. This is also really easy to add to your daily routine – it’s very effective and just takes a second to enhance those beautiful eyes of yours.

On a ‘technical’ level, eyeliner actually has two purposes, to give the appearance of full thick eyelashes and to make our eyes appear to be longer and wider than they are.

When applying liner the idea is not to draw the eye-liner onto the skin of the eyelid, this can lead to a gap between the liner and your lashes. Try aiming for the roots of your eyelashes instead and you should be able to get a very fine and straight line.

If you are unsure how to apply eyeliner that best flatters your eyes, then pop into any cosmetic store or counter where they can sit you down and show you what could work best for you. Leave it to the professionals to do all the hard work for you then you can replicate on your own later.

Experimenting on your own will also have great benefits but try to experiment when you don’t have anywhere important to be, then there is no pressure and you can take your time.

If you make a mistake, don’t panic! So many women strive for absolute perfection with matching lines and evenness but in reality no two eyes are exactly matched so why would your liner be?

If you feel like you have really made a mess of it, before you grab your make-up remover and start again just ask yourself, is anyone actually going to notice? Maybe you feel that one side is two millimetres longer than the other or that one side is slightly higher than the other, and it’s so easy to become obsessive about perfection, but I promise you, no-one else will be looking as closely at you as you do. Take a deep breath, walk away and come back in a minute or two to reassess the situation and it might not be as bad as you first thought.

Here are three of my favourite and easiest eye-liners to use:

 

Stila Stay All Day Liner in Black $32

The most solid of blacks, this waterproof liquid liner is designed to stay all day with no smudging and it delivers on everything it says!

 

 

Prestige Waterproof Eye Pencil in various shades $13.50

If you have trouble keeping your eyeliner on, this is the solution! Lovely and soft to apply, this pencil will last and last.

 

 

 

MAC Liquidlast Liner – Aqualine $35

Want to try something different? Give this fun colour a try! It’s a rich colour liquid eyeliner that combines long-lasting wear with a non-smudge, non-flake precision line.

 

 

Check your cheeks!

If you’re still unsure about wearing a bold lipstick or trying more eyeliner, there are still the cheeks to accentuate – and there is nothing like having a rosy healthy glow to perk up your day! Even if you’re not feeling your best, with a bit of blush you can fake your way to fabulous.

I often find that blush is the most unused product in an everyday make-up bag when it should be the most. Ladies tend to be confused about where to apply it, and the key is to think about where your natural skin reacts when you blush. The apples of the cheeks! You should start your blush application on the apples and then sweep it up the cheek bone, to avoid rosy circles.

A great alternative to powder blush is a cream blush – it’s easy to apply, versatile and you can keep it in your handbag for touch-ups any time. A hot tip for cream blush is apply it before your foundation so it looks like the glow is coming from under the skin, making it a lot more natural. You can also use a cream blush on your lips as a lip tint and swipe it on your eyelids for an instant pop of colour.

My favourite blushes to use everyday:

Nars Blush in Orgasm (or any colour) $45

Read any make-up blog or make-up review site and you will see Nars Blush as the highest rated blush product. The colour Orgasm is designed to suit any skin tone and can be used every day but all the colours are high performers and deserve your attention.

 

 

Stila Convertible Colour Blush in Peony $40

You need such a small amount of this cream blush to get the gorgeous glowing cheeks you are after. It has also been designed to be used as a lip tint and has a mirror in the lid for easy on the go application.

 

 

Body Shop Lip and Cheek Stain in Rose Pink $28.95

This lip and cheek stain is sheer and buildable for controlled colour. Even though it comes with a wand, I would recommend dabbing it on with a finger to make it look more natural.

 

I hope I have convinced you how easy it is to stay up to date and, just like a new outfit, if you want to try it on before you buy then don’t be afraid to go into any cosmetic store to get the ladies to try on any new look you’re thinking of adopting. This way you can get a professional to apply it first and you really get to scope out if it’s a change you will be excited about.

I look forward to seeing all of your bold lips, accentuated eyes and glowing cheeks around Canberra this winter!

Predominantly involved in fashion and dipping into freelance television and celebrity event make-up, Lesley has been working with make-up since 2006. For Lesley, it’s not just the creativity of make-up art, but the opportunity to work with a diverse range of people that keeps it interesting; “Every woman is different in what she needs to feel beautiful and I enjoy finding out what that is and showing how to achieve that look.” Visit Lesley’s website to see her amazing work and follow her on Facebook for the latest news.

If you’re a woman of childbearing age you may be at risk of iron deficiency.

In fact, iron deficiency is the most nutrient deficiency across the globe, with a estimated 30% of the worlds population being anemic primarily due to iron deficiency (World Health Organisation).

Iron deficiency is not only caused by an inadequate intake of iron in your diet. Excessive blood loss (especially menstruation), times of increased need (pregnancy), excessive vigorous exercise (athletes) or a disorder in which iron absorption is inhibited are also causes of iron deficiency. Left untreated, iron deficiency may lead to anemia.

A common side effect of our busy lifestyles (working, running households, raising children, running businesses, keeping active, running errands etc) is fatigue. If you’re feeling noticeably fatigued or run down you may need to have your iron levels checked.

Don’t self diagnose iron deficiency. Taking supplements or making dietary changes if you are feeling excessively tired or fatigued will do no good if the problem isn’t low iron stores. Always see your doctor and a nutritionist/dietitian before taking any vitamin or mineral supplement. If you’re going to pay money to bridge a ‘nutritional gap’ in your diet you may as well be sure that you need to.

In the meantime, it certainly doesn’t hurt to take stock of your diet and make sure that you’re getting enough iron to meet your body’s needs.

As women, our body’s requirements for iron are much harder to meet than a man’s. That’s primarily due to menstruation. Monthly blood loss through our period means that our iron needs are more than double what a mans is, yet our energy needs are much less. Because of this we need to be pretty strategic in our meal planning to ensure that we’re maximising our body’s ability to both receive and absorb iron.

Iron is not a very bio-available mineral. This means that it’s not easily absorbed by the body. In fact, at it’s best bio-availability we only ever absorb up to 25% of the iron that actually goes in our mouths.

The Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) for iron for women of childbearing age (or who are menstruating) is 18mg per day. If you’re pregnant this recommendation increases to 27mg per day (NHMRC). The RDI takes into account that only a small amount of the iron we eat is actually absorbed by the body so don’t try to take in more than this unless instructed to do so by your doctor.

Iron from our diets comes in several forms. Heme iron and non-heme iron.

Heme iron comes from animal food sources such as beef, pork, lamb, seafood, kangaroo, other game and poultry. The iron in these foods is present as hemoglobin and myoglobin, hence the name ‘heme iron’.

Non-heme iron is the form of iron that comes from all other food sources. Foods such as spinach, dark green leafy vegetables, kidney beans, other legumes and sesame seeds are non-heme sources of iron. Other non-heme sources are foods that have been enriched or fortified with iron such as breakfast cereals and drink bases (Milo, Ovaltine etc). The iron from non-heme sources is what we call less bio-available. This means that due to a variety of different factors, the iron in these foods is not easily absorbed by the body.

So how do you ensure that you are eating and absorbing enough iron?

1. Maximise your intake of heme iron sources.

Iron from heme iron sources is much more bio-available and is the most easily absorbed by your body.

Aim to include some red meat 2-3 times a week, chicken or turkey 2-3 times per week and some kind of seafood 2-3 per week and you’ll be doing pretty good. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan you may need to seek advice from a nutritionist or dietitian and have a personalised eating plan drawn up to help you meet your body’s iron needs from non-heme iron

2. Include Vitamin C rich foods with both your heme and non-heme iron sources.

When eaten at the same time, Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron from your meal. Foods that are high in Vitamin C include most fruits and vegetables, especially broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red capsicum, oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, lemons and limes.

An example meal following this principle would be barbecued lamb chops on a lentil puree and topped with a tomato salsa. Serve with wilted baby spinach and steamed broccoli drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice.

3. Be mindful of foods that decrease iron absorption

Foods that contain phytates and phenols decrease the absorption of non-heme iron. These are foods generally high in fibre like wholegrains and cereals. It’s important to eat fibre so please don’t cut it from your diet, just eat it at other times throughout the day, or make sure that you are eating plenty of foods containing heme iron and you’ll be fine.

Tea and coffee also contain substances that decrease iron absorption, so drink them in between meal times or swap them for fruit juice or water.

An interesting study that compared a meat-based diet and a vegetable based diet, found that women with low iron to begin with had stable iron status on the meat-based diet and poor iron status when consuming the vegetable based diet, even though their iron intake was the same. This research shows how important it is that the right kind of iron is eaten to maximise its absorption by the body.

Kate Freeman is passionate about honest, simple nutrition information and inspiring people to make positive lifestyle changes to achieve their health and fitness goals. Her online business Kate Freeman Nutrition is all about providing simple, practical, easy to follow nutrition and exercise advice that you can apply today. Please visit www.katefreemannutrition.com.au for more information. Kate is married with two young children and lives just across the border from Canberra.

I am sure that this post will garner controversy, and so be it. But this is something very, very personal to me, and the anger that I feel this morning on behalf of a very dear friend, a gorgeous, once golden girl, who now sees herself as nothing short of dross, as well as all women, is overpowering.

This beautiful, talented, funny girl – whilst living overseas for work – went to a party last year. She met a bloke, whom she chatted randomly to, and went home. That was that.

The next night, he followed her, mugged her, beat her within (literally) an inch of her life and raped her.

She is 23 years old.

This morning, after months of traumatic court time, and after he had been found guilty, his sentencing went ahead. He was given three years, because he was found to have expressed remorse and to have a chance of rehabilitation.

Three years.

My darling girl spent months in hospital and rehab. She no longer has a spleen. She cannot fly home to Australia still because of the damage he did when he punctured her lung. Her liver is irreparably damaged.

Then of course there is what he has done to her soul.

She was, before this happened, one of the happiest, most trusting people on the planet.  She is still amazingly unselfish. This morning, when I found out the news, I texted her to check on her welfare. The first thing I got back? ‘I am worried about you. The cold cannot be good for your Parky. Please tell me you are OK? xxx’.

My admiration and love for her is so fierce that sometimes it frightens me.

I admit to a very personal bias here. I was sexually assaulted when I was 17. And violently. And let me say this; anyone who beats and rapes a woman isn’t, in 99.9% of any situation, feeling remorse for it. They are not feeling anything but power and satisfaction at besting someone weaker and less worthy than them.

I have counselled rape victims as part of my own path towards accepting what happened to me, and the only thing that has gotten me through at times is the strength of those girls and women – most of whom knew their attackers, like me, like my friend – and have managed to keep themselves together.

Sometimes less rather than more, but strength is seen in different guises, and for some women, it simply means getting out of bed and brushing your teeth and hair every morning.

My next statement is where I think I am either going to be lauded or lambasted.

I hope, and this is going to sound vindictive as all get out, that those three years of gaol time are a living hell. I don’t want him to be enjoying an Open University education. I don’t want him to end up in a minimum security facility because of good behaviour. Most of all, I don’t want him to think that he is being rewarded for expressing guilt – because he is guilty. Why should he be given a pat on the back for admitting to acts of total depravity against a woman who was kind to him?

Rape is a crime that has an exponentially high rate of recidivism. There is rarely remorse. It occurs within friendships, within families, within marriages. The men that rape women are not in it for sex – they are in it to demean, and to assert power and to humiliate.

They are not real men.

Rape is a crime that occurred in a London street to a young girl who now cannot breathe properly and has lost the sunshiniest aspect of her sweet smile.

I’m sure that three years will heal all her wounds.

After all, I’m not still jumpy after 23 years.

If you or someone close to you has been impacted by rape, please contact The Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on 6247 2525 or text 0488 586 518. They provide a 24/7 crisis line and counselling to victims and their families.

The term ‘I would rather read than eat’ was coined for Kate Stone-Crouch at the early age of six, when she precociously and confidently stated this to her mother when requested to eat her lunch.  Business owner and book junkie, Kate is the book critic for a group of country newspapers, and is still fonder of the written word than a 7 course degustation…just.  She reads anything, everything and things you would never think could be put betwixt the covers of a tome. She just turned 40, is not coping with it, and is married with catkids.  She calls Canberra home…mostly!  And of course, she is just waiting to share her love (and occasional vitriolic hatred) of publishing in the Noughties with HerCanberra’s witty and well-read followers!  Find her blog at 40isthenew30 or tweet to her: oskythespy

An imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins, is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection. imdb 

There are much longer synopses online but that will do. There have been so many TV ads and cinema trailers for this I think everyone must have a pretty good idea of what they are in for. Unlike other tell-all-trailers though, not all the jokes are in the promo, thank heavens. Although, given that the jokes do have a Burton-Depp weirdness to them, if you laugh out loud like I did you may laugh alone.

Which is a shame, as the weirdness is way more accessible than in other Burton films and I thought Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Barnabas deserved more appreciation than it got. The voice he uses, for instance, should have everyone talking – oh, sorry! He uses a deep, English voice that sounds suitably old-fashioned in 1972 (which is when he finally escapes from the coffin the witch imprisoned him in). The gravitas of this voice makes the lines he delivers even funnier … and I could pretty much listen to him recite the phonebook with it.

Barnabas isn’t just the driving force for his family, he is the centre of the film and charismatic Depp works every moment he is on screen, with his 200 year old fish out of water being the entertaining heart of the film. His trip through 1972 Collinsport, once he has escaped from his coffin, is a hoot.

Apparently Depp was also the driving force behind getting this film made, being a fan of the original. Love for the old TV series is so great in the States that people like Michelle Pfeiffer were begging for roles. Anne Hathaway and Lindsay Lohan (not two names I thought would ever be in the same sentence) both wanted the role of Josette (Barnabas’ true love) but lost out to Bella Heathcote. And just so you know – she is not only Australian but also played the only principal female role in the excellent film Beneath Hill 60.

I am not aware of much of a cult following of the series here in Australia. I was living in Canberra for the mid-70s and it never screened. Mind you, we only had one commercial station in those days (you young people just don’t know how lucky you are … TV only came in two colours then too). I was aware of it though, through my addiction to American teen and supernatural magazines and always wanted to see it – a vampire with morals? An unfulfilled love spanning centuries? A family that included werewolves, ghosts and monsters? Who wouldn’t want to see it!  The series was cancelled in 1971 but lives forever in reruns and perhaps online, somewhere.

But I digress – the film is not the series but is the origin story of the series. I guess if it is good enough for Wolverine and Thor, it is good enough for the Collins clan and Burton has not stepped too far away from the original vibe. To quote Wikipedia:

Dark Shadows was distinguished by its vividly melodramatic performances, atmospheric interiors, memorable storylines, numerous dramatic plot twists, unusually adventurous music score, and broad and epic cosmos of characters and heroic adventures.

… and that’s pretty much the movie in a nutshell. The music is fantastically daggy, the references to the era spot-on and there are certainly numerous dramatic plot twists – which would actually be my biggest criticism. Too much story for the 113 minute running time.

As for melodramatic performances, whoa! We have a pouty teen, an orphaned child, a womanizing no-good, ghosts, a drunk psychiatrist and Eva Green as the villainous witch. She could only be more evil if she twirled a moustache or said ‘I’ll get you my pretty – and your little dog too.’ My only niggle with her is that the villainy and her French-doing-an-American accent get in the way of her lines sometimes. The ‘sex’ scene between her and Barnabas is hilariously slapstick though and her ‘reveals’ of her dastardly doings are pure soap opera – which is what the TV series was – by the final showdown I was almost expecting her to say ‘I am really your sister’ or ‘I shot JR’.

All in all a pretty good flick and certainly worthy of a couple of hours on a lazy weekend.

And I have to add that I love the title – are there any other sorts of shadows? Pink, fluffy shadows anyone … anyone?

Do you love Johnny Depp as much as I do? What’s been his favourite role for you?

Ros saw Star Wars and immediately wanted to fly the Millenium Falcon. Unable to do that she became a Jill-of-all-trades as her army husband whirled her around the world – and back to Canberra 10 years ago. She has worked in public programs and museum education ever since. She gained an MA in writing whilst getting two daughters through high school – both are now at university and undeniably fabulous (according to her). She can worry as an Olympic sport so she sees lots of movies instead.

I read this lovely little zine called ‘Spoonful: A Happiness Companion’ that is…well it’s a happiness companion. It features quirky poems about happiness, well-written stories about appreciating every day things, and, my favourite, a section about celebrating failure. In it, people write what their biggest failure was and what they learned from it.

Since I like the idea so much, I decided to do my own today. Firstly I would just like to point out that this isn’t my biggest failure. Being awkward, uncoordinated and impatient has led to quite a few failures in my twenty four years, not the least being dropping out of not one, but two degrees (yes, you read that right) with less than six months to go.

But one thing I have noticed in the zine, and in my own experiences, is that it’s the little things that can really break you. Things that are absolutely no big deal can seem like the most important thing in the universe for reasons that no one else could possibly understand (and which you often don’t understand either).

So my biggest failure, or the one that stands out in my mind the most, was this St Patrick’s Day. You see, I suffer, or used to suffer, from a case of laziness. I was one of those people who was always coming up with ideas but never following through. It wasn’t until I was drunk in Dublin and rambling on about coming back in October with absolutely no intention of actually doing so, that I realised, why not? Why shouldn’t I go back in October? And with that thought, I decided to finally start committing myself to the things I said I was going to do.

The day before that life-changing decision I had told Joel that I was going to have a party for St Patrick’s Day. So, with my new-found doallthethings persona, I WAS going to have that party. When I got back I told everyone about it, looked up recipes, went shopping for decorations and was generally running around being awesome at life.

When the day rolled around I got up early, put on the new green dress I had bought for the occasion, filled the house with streamers and stuck cardboard four leaf clovers on the wall, and by the time Joel woke up I had beef and Guinness stew simmering away while I danced around to Irish music I had downloaded.

And gosh I was proud of myself. Here was I, probably the most hopeless person on the planet, actually getting things done and more importantly, not messing things up. It was symbolic for my new found life- one where I didn’t get lost or trip over or forget anniversaries or never do what I say I would.

So, understandably, I had a mild panic attack when a few of the streamers came down and we were out of blu-tak. Joel, being the amazing husband that he is, offered to go out and get some. Since he knew how important this was to me, he drove around to four different supermarkets to try and find some.

When he came back, triumphant, half an hour later, he was greeted by this sight: The house so full of smoke both me and cats were choking, cupcake batter everywhere, all of the streamers on the ground, and me covered in burnt beef & Guinness stew crying “I b…b…burnt my fingerrrrrrrr!!!!”

It was disaster. I had burnt all the food, ruined my dress, and being in a crazy amount of pain for such a small injury didn’t help much either. I fell apart. Absolutely feel apart. For reasons I don’t really know, I had decided that this day was the.most.important.day.of.my.life. It would determine my entire future.

I had put in so much more work than I normally would, tried so much harder than I normally would, and yet it still feel apart just like it normally would.

So I cried for about an hour and almost cancelled the whole thing.

But while I was crying Joel got the stains out of my dress, put up the decorations, bought a heap of chips and lollies and brought me a glass of whiskey and coke (not going to lie- this was probably what helped the most). He dried my tears, tried to comfort me, and ended up in uncontrollable laughter.

And it was then that I realised how stupid I was being. I had placed so much importance on something that really wasn’t a big deal- and something that was probably a bit ambitious for someone like me. I’m not neat, I’m not organised, I’m a terrible cook, and every single time I have tried to organise something in the past it have ended up almost burning the house down.

I learned that day that I will probably always fail at things like this. I learned to leave all the planning, cooking, and decorating to my talented friends. I learned to always have a back-up plan if I ever feel the need to attempt something like this again. I learned that stories like these are part of the reason why my friends and family tolerate love me.

And most importantly, I learned to laugh at myself, which is a very important lesson indeed.

What is your biggest failure? And what did you learn from it?

Kaylia is a career-student who is currently doing her MA in Writing and Literature. A student/office assistant by day and a blogger by night, she dreams of one day having a job where she doesn’t need to wear shoes to work. Read more of her fabulous work here. 

Recently our house was the setting for mad panic and extreme desperation. Cupboards were emptied onto the floor, plastic bags torn open and the contents dispersed, cardboard boxes dusted off and peered into. Somewhere was a pile of hand-me-down football boots, bottle-green socks and shin pads. I was sure. And I hoped beyond hope that some of them would fit the waiting pairs of feet.

Somewhere in the garage (or perhaps the shed?) were footballs – round ones. I was sure. And if everyone would only help then we would find them a lot more QUICKLY. Am I yelling? Oh. Sorry.

I’m guessing this scenario was repeated in households across the Capital as various junior winter sports kicked off their first games for the season.

Team sports are fantastic for growing kids’ muscles, teaching them physical skills, and keeping them fit and healthy. Kids need about 90 minutes of exercise a day and this is one way of getting those minutes up.

It’s not just about their bodies of course. Teamwork is a skill that needs to be taught and the sporting field is one environment they can learn it with obvious results. Kids learn quickly that a goal cannot be scored on one’s own – even when a person scores they have been handed the opportunity by their team mates. Although I’m sure almost everyone dreams of ditching their position and running the length of the field in order to single-handedly save the game. “And the crowd goes wild!”

So what else do kids learn through team sports? They learn the importance of having rules, knowing them and following them. They learn to try hard, do their best, and to be a good sport. They learn to lose well, cope with making mistakes and also to have fun. These are skills everyone needs and what better time to learn than when they are still young?

But there are others who need to learn skills at junior sporting matches – the parents. We have all heard stories of the “ugly” parents banned from particular grounds or games for poor behaviour on the sidelines. Nasty incidents have led to many clubs introducing a Parents’ Code of Conduct, all of which are pretty similar.

Let’s take a look at what you, as parents, need to remember.

It’s about them, not you.

The kids are playing the game, they are participating in sport for their enjoyment, not yours. It’s not about what you can get out of it but what they can. You should definitely encourage them to participate but never force them. Some parents have unfulfilled dreams and long to see their child fulfill them. If you still cringe every time you look at your “Runner up 1987” trophy this could be you.

Focus on the effort.

Sport is so much more than winning and losing. Focusing on the child’s skill development and participation helps them see their own progress. Never ridicule them or yell at them for making a mistake or losing. Losing is disappointing, but let’s not make it a bigger deal than it has to be. You can help your kids deal with disappointment in a safe environment. And you can ensure that they know you are never disappointed in them.

Encourage kids to play by the rules.

Fair play is good play and kids learn your attitudes. Teach them to resolve differences without violence and to respect officials’ decisions – even if they think they are wrong. Do this by example: nobody gets it right every time and parents abusing refs from the sidelines only encourage kids to show the same lack of respect.

Appreciate good performances and skilful plays by all participants.

Yes, that means clap when the opposition scores a goal. This is old fashioned good manners: they’ve done well! And they’re all kids. Many teams give three cheers for the other team after each game. Sometimes it does appear to be through gritted teeth on the children’s part, but the adults are leading the way and the players learn by example.

Love the coaches, officials and administrators.

They are volunteers and without them there would be no children’s sporting activities. Show your gratitude with smiles, happy emails, Moët champagne and diamond jewellery.

We found the bag of football necessities and, miracle of miracles, the boots did fit. My two football players both had fantastic first games, not because they are brilliant footballers (although one did score a goal – woohoo!), not because they won (both their teams lost this round), but because they were having fun with their friends and enjoying being a part of something bigger than themselves. And sitting in the autumn sun cheering them on, I must admit I had fun too.

Heidi Silberman lives in Canberra with her husband and four gorgeous children. She would really like a large caramel soy latte, thanks. She is a performer and tutor for Impro ACT. When the house is quiet Heidi loves to write about her kids on her blog, Postcards from Planet Chaos, at http://cupofteatime.wordpress.com/

I’ve been a big fan of Bic Runga since I first heard ‘Sway’ (her first international hit). The last time I saw her in concert was when she last toured Australia about six years ago. Unfortunately, my main memory of that event was not the concert—it was my friend and I getting lost driving back from Bulli to Canberra at some ridiculous hour, with no map, no GPS, and no vision (due to incredibly thick and creepy fog). Clearly not the smartest move. But, as you can see, we made it back, and so I got to see Bic Runga again; this time at the Street Theatre (a much more convenient five minutes from my house).

Before I get into my Bic-worship (you may have figured out by now that my music reviews are a little biased), I should probably say something about the opening act, Ollie Brown. Winner of Australia’s Best Busker in 2011, Brown is just starting to make a name for himself. His songs were likeable enough, and he seemed quite comfortable on stage. However—and I’m not sure if I’m maybe just getting a bit old—some of his banter felt a bit awkward to me, and while some in the audience seemed to find it hilarious, I would have preferred it if he’d talked less and sung more.

But back to Bic—I’d gone to a few of her concerts before the Bulli fiasco, and had been suitably impressed each time. After hoping for years that she’d come back to Australia, I was incredibly excited when I found out she was finally coming again, and that Canberra was on the list.

I’m pleased to report that this concert was just as good as the others. When Bic came on stage she launched straight into it, opening with a big smile appropriately followed by the song ‘When I See You Smile’ (her version, not the Bad English one). The set list as a whole was well chosen, featuring a mix of fan favourites from her previous albums interspersed with songs from her new album, Belle.

I need to point out that not only does Bic Runga sing, but she also plays the guitar, keyboard and harmonica, and she played at least one of them during almost every song. Her band were equally talented, moving from the keyboard to the drums, or guitar to keyboard to trumpet.

I have to say, I think there’s really something special about smaller, more intimate gigs where it’s just the singer and their instruments. Maybe it’s because they’re really quite vulnerable—there are no stage effects, big screens or back-up dancers for them to hide behind or rely on, it’s just them. This is even more apparent in a venue like the Street, which is small enough that those on stage could probably hear if someone in the back row talked. But a setting like this was just right for Bic to show off her talent.

At the end of the gig, my friend commented that Bic sounded just like she does on her CDs, and that concerts like that are the best ones. I would definitely agree.

Bic Runga’s latest album, Belle, is out now. For more on Bic, visit her website or find her on Facebook.

Michelle moved to Canberra vowing to stay for two years at the absolute max. Six years later, she’s a bona fide Canberra convert. When she’s not working in her day job as a public servant, she’s adjusting to being a uni student again, enjoying Canberra’s culinary delights, or finding fun things to do/see in and around town—and getting as many of her friends as possible to come along for the ride.

A list of restaurants that reads like the Who’s Who of Australian fine dining is putting its weight behind the Camp Quality Supper Club, taking place in six cities across Australia in May.

Almost 200 restaurants, many with multiple chef’s hats, are lending their support to the event which raises money for children living with cancer and their families.

Aubergine, Flint in the Vines, Public Bar & Dining Room and Alto are just a handful of the restaurants involved in the Canberra event on Thursday 24 May.

Each restaurant has donated a table of 12 each which Camp Quality is now taking bookings for. Diners will be served a stunning dinner complete with French champagne from Champagne Taittinger and local wines from award-winning McWilliam’s, and water from FIJI Water.

Each table of diners will then be chauffeured in style by Lexus to a secret “Masquerade Ball” where all the Camp Quality Supper Club guests from across the city converge to party the night away with live entertainment, dancing and drinks.

In addition to the “Classic” dinners, unique “Signature” events are also available and individuals and smaller groups can join in the fun at “Mystery” dinners.

Camp Quality parent Marcia Sy, mum to seven-year-old Jamaica, described what Camp Quality means to her:

“Jamaica was three when she was diagnosed with a rare cancer in her lung. We were in hospital for two years while she had an aggressive chemotherapy treatment. Camp Quality made Jamaica very happy in hospital- she loved Giggle the robot coming to visit and Camp Quality shouldered the bills for TV shows in hospital which meant a lot to us as she would get so bored…

Then the camps helped us all make friends and she has so much fun. We hope people reading this will book a table at Supper Club so more families like ours can receive Camp Quality’s support.”

Camp Quality believes in improving the quality of life for children living with cancer and their families through unrelenting optimism and the healing power of laughter. The charity runs performance and education, hospital, family assistance and recreation programs to help create fun and supportive communities for children and their families living with cancer.

Find out more and book your table here.

Let my recent silence bear testament to the truth of what shall follow… I have succumbed to the dreaded autumnal lurgy. Don’t let this happen to you, Ladies! “But what can I do?” I hear your anxious refrain. The truth is that sometimes, despite your best efforts, you WON’T be able to avoid these seasonal ailments. It may be in your power to make sure that the duration, severity and impact of any illness you do get is minimised however, so read on…

Immunity Busters

Your immune system reflects your overall state of health. Every hormone that is produced reactively by (for example) stress, sleep deprivation or disease will affect how your body reacts to attacks by the viruses and bacteria you come in contact with. It stands to reason that keeping your body as healthy, well-rested, stress-free and optimally nourished will be protective against infection.

Everyone needs a certain level of “stress” to function normally- let’s call that “normal daily life” shall we?- but if we operate at constantly high stress levels our inner resources are exhausted in maintaining this ongoing state of high alert. The first sign that this might be happening to you may be that you become flat or unwell on weekends and holidays, when the adrenalin you’ve been running on is gone.

You may also be environmentally predisposed to come into contact with loads of germs. As a mother of daycare-aged kids and a GP I’m frequently exposed to new viruses, and at times (like now) I lose the battle. You’re at higher risk too if you have young kids in daycare or school, if you are a healthcare worker, childcare worker or even an office worker if your building is poorly ventilated and overcrowded (ever hear of “sick building syndrome?).

You may also have a chronic condition which compromises your immune system (eg. smoking, HIV, immune-suppressant medication or having had your spleen removed) or makes infection more likely (eg. diabetes, hospitalisation).

Immunity Boosters

Nutrition

As well as making sure your diet meets all the daily intake recommendations there are also certain foods and nutrients that have some evidence supporting their use as immune-boosters, such as vitamin C, zinc and echinacea. There are also many different vitamins and nutrients recommended by natural therapists, some supported by evidence and others not so much.

If you feel like trying any type of dietary supplement then make sure you are well-informed about their potential side-effects, interactions (with other medications or medical conditions) and cost.

Exercise

Keeping yourself fit with regular exercise boosts your immune system as well, by improving mood and reducing stress. Improved lung function from aerobic exercise will also help you to compensate for any coughs or lung infections that come along.

But exercise junkies beware: when you’re unwell you mustn’t overdo it; you’ll just exhaust yourself and deplete your healing resources. So ease up when you’re sick, even if it means missing that half-marathon you’ve been training for.

Rest & relaxation

Most general advice for boosting immunity will recommend sleep and stress reduction, and with good reason. There is lots of supportive medical evidence, not to mention the fact that most of us have learned through bitter experience how easily we succumbs to illness when we’ve been “under the pump”.

If you suffer from recurrent cold sores or genital herpes you may also notice new lesions at times when your immune system is fragile. Read the signs, listen to your body.

Immunisation

Depending on your age, occupation, family situation, state of health and even cultural background there will be different immunisation recommendations for you, some of which may be government-funded; for example pneumococcal vaccination for immune-compromised, elderly and indigenous people. Influenza vaccination is strongly recommended and free for those considered most vulnerable in the community, as listed in this Victorian Government factsheet:

• 65 years of age and over
• Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
• Indigenous people 15 years of age and over
• Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• Any person 6 months of age and over with a chronic condition predisposing to severe influenza illness that requires regular medical follow-up or hospitalisation such as:
• cardiac disease
• respiratory disease including severe asthmatics
• kidney disease
• diabetes
• impaired immunity
• neuromuscular disease
• Homeless people.

Regardless of whether you qualify for government-funded vaccination however, if you are a busy person with responsibilities and people who depend on you it is worth considering paying for a flu vaccination. Even some chemists are running flu clinics.

If you are concerned about the possible risks or side effects associated with vaccinations then be informed: make sure you’re not subject to myths and misconceptions about them and weigh up the argument for and against based on facts. As always, speak to your doctor, practice nurse or community health worker for more information.

Hygiene

Common sense prevails! If you’re sick then don’t cough on other people. Wash your hands frequently and avoid kissing or breathing on others (unless you WANT them to suffer…?). Don’t go to work in your crowded office if you’re coughing up a lung, and if you’re in a supervisory position then make sure the culture of your workplace is supportive of sick leave.

Some of my patients may even see me sporting a face mask during nose and throat exams occasionally, meaning that one of us probably has a respiratory illness and I’m trying to protect the other!

Germ warfare

Antibiotics- YOU DON’T NEED THEM FOR EVERY COUGH AND COLD, PEOPLE!

GP’s often feel pressured by patients to offer them but unless there is a clear indication that your illness is bacterial in origin (and most of them aren’t) then it is inappropriate to treat it with antibiotics. Indeed they may cause side effects like stomach upsets, thrush or allergic reactions, and increase bacterial resistance in the community so that the drugs are no longer effective when they are needed.

If you have a cold you need to rest, drink loads of fluids and use symptomatic treatments for the runny nose, aches, fever, etc. (available over the counter from the chemist). Then if you don’t improve, worsen, or have an underlying medical condition which makes you more vulnerable you should see your doctor.

If you do need antibiotics then it can be useful to take probiotics as well (eg. Inner Health Plus, Yakult or acidophilus yoghurt) to help replenish the good bacteria in your gut. And for the record, most antibiotics are now known NOT to interfere with the pill, but check with your doctor or pharmacist to be sure.

Dr Kelly Teagle lives in Canberra with her daughter Bella (5) and son Alex (2). She graduated from UQ Med School in 2001, is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and holds postgraduate qualifications in Women’s Health. Dr Teagle is the Principal of WellFemme Women’s Health Services; for private consultations phone the Annie Lim Group Family Practice in Deakin on 6162 0463 or Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT (SHPACT) on 6247 3077. You can email Kelly at wellfemme@grapevine.com.au or visit the Wellfemme facebook page. Watch this space for the WellFemme website coming soon!