Crunchy vs. Smooth; the great peanut butter debate

I was tweeting with a friend this week on the topic of peanut butter. And specifically on which one is better. She was decisive in this matter and said that she liked both however if push came to shove and she had to say which was better, she would have to go with crunchy.

I, being more indecisive as I usually am, said that it completely depended on what kind of mood I was in. And thinking about it there are many other factors too such as how I am feeling, who I'm with and most importantly, what I'm eating it with.

Now I love nuts, and I love nut butters, but peanut butter has a special place in my heart. And I'm not talking about that Skippy stuff with it's added partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (very bad for you), and sugar.
I prefer my peanut butter to be peanuts, peanuts, peanuts, with a little dash of peanuts and salt and sometimes peanuts.
Yes, I know companies add oil, usually palm oil or vegetable oil, i.e. oils with none or very little health benefits.
But this isn't a health rant, boring! As all things are okay in moderation, except perhaps trans-fats, aspartame, MSG and glucose corn syrup, but pretty much everything else, unless you're allergic, then I strongly recommend avoiding!

But, back to the issue at hand here.

CRUNCHY VS. SMOOTH

Now, I personally feel that smooth is my preference after a hard day, or emotionally draining day. There is something hugely comforting about coming home from stress and hard work and eating a peace of  bread (gluten-free off couse!) covered in perfectly smooth peanut butter with lashings of Grandma's deep pink, dripping, seed-studded, feel-good homemade raspberry jam. There is no effort needed to eat this, it is all soft and good. There are not bits of nuts that need to be crunched down, it's just easy chewing. After a tiring day you don't want to eat something that takes effort!

When comfort is key, I must admit that a peanut butter with little added sugar can sometimes be preferable. As long as it's not Skippy.
When I'm ill, and I haven't eaten anything for near 24 hours my go-to meal is always lightly toasted bread smothered in smooth, slightly salty peanut butter, topped with beautiful golden honey and garnished with banana slices. When you're completely wiped out after an illness you don't want the harshness and abrasion  of crunchy peanut, you want the smooth, texture that sticks to your teeth, as if it were giving you a hug.

However on a normal day, when I am not ill, emotionally or physically, you know, those days when you can jump out of bed and get on with life easily enough; well on those days I like my peanut butter, loud and crunchy!
I like my peanut butter to be more savoury than sweet, I mean it's far more natural that way, and it tastes much better. Who wants added sugars and syrups that were synthesised in a lab? Eeew, no thanks!
 Besides, if it's not quite sweet enough than you have the excuse to add honey.

Crunchy peanut butter on rice-cakes is a brilliant pre-exam meal. And if you're like me, it's a good post-exam meal too.

So to be really honest, I really don't ever want to have to choose between the two. I love my peanuts whole, blended to a semi-smooth butter, and completely pulverised into a smooth and comforting goodness.

And of course there are all the different things you can make with peanut butter.......... hmmmmm, the possibilities are endless..... now I must go in search of peanut butter.......

How about you guys, which do you prefer? How do you enjoy your peanut butter?

Also, I know it's early but international peanut butter and jam day is on the 2nd of April!!

Chow now!

Penultimate Ballet Class

In less than an hour I will be at my second last ballet lesson, possibly forever. I've been attending my ballet school for seven years now. And this year three of us are leaving. I must admit that while I am eagerly anticipating college in California, I am very sad to say 'goodbye' to my amazing ballet teacher, and my friends. One of the girls used to tie my shoes for me, she did this for a whole term as I was not very good at it! I've relied on various girls in my class to teach me steps that I did not know due to an absence from class. And one of the girls held my hand during an exam so I would not cry after seriously messing up a port de bra exercise.

We are an odd bunch of girls. But we all mesh, and get along, We have a real laugh, and even though classes can be stressful sometimes, especially in the run up to exams or shows, we have always kept going.

When I first started dancing at LBS, there were about fifteen girls in my class, now we are down to six, myself and five other girls. Our teacher used to be super strict with us too, but she has mellowed so much, and we are very adept at sidetracking her; we love it when she goes off on a tangent and describes the latest ballet she saw, or the origin of a particular dance.

I cannot quite contemplate how much I am going to miss these girls. I've taken four RAD ballet exams, performed in three shows and had a ball for the last seven years at LBS.
The amount of times we have giggled through pirouettes, or stumbled over bar de bourges, or attempted to dance as light weight fairies, fallen on the floor after a jete, and countless other balletic feats.

I love my ballet babes!! And I am going to miss them enormously, and even if I take classes in CA, I will never find girls as amazing to dance with as them <3

Vain, me? Yes, guilty...

Title says it all really.

For years I've been under the impression that because I don't cover my face in foundation, blusher, rouge, eyeshadow, mascara, lipstick and powder, and because I don't really bother with my nails, I just cut them short and very occasionally paint them, that I was far from being a vain person.
I have acquaintances who refuse to leave the house without their makeup on. I know people who keep their nails in top-tip condition, and visit the nail salon often.
I also know people who spend an absolute fortune at the hairdressers. Who dye their hair once a month, and fret because they cannot remember what their natural hair-colour is anymore.

I was actually banned from wearing make-up, except from lip-gloss, nail varnish and concealer for the worst of spots, until I turned eighteen. And once I was eighteen it didn't really appeal to me, especially when I realised how expensive it all was! I am indeed a skin-flint, and the thought of forking out an additional £10 or more a month on what I viewed as grown-up face-paint, was not pleasant to me whatsoever.

I've always thought that wearing a tonne of make-up was akin to lying, because that's not the real you, it's a created face, and beneath all that powder your face is far more unique and interesting. With all that make-up you just look like any other girl is striving to look like a doll, with flawless skin, thick eyelashes, perfect complexion, etc, etc.

But I'm not saying make-up is inherently evil. Don't mishear me. I'm just saying that being completely obsessed with it, and not letting anyone see you without isn't healthy.

Now, as I said before, I'm not one of those girls. But does that mean I'm not vain?

No, I'm afraid not. My vanity merely lies elsewhere.

Namely, my hair.

Now I don't spend much time at the hairdressers, in fact the last time I was at a salon was the 18th of August 2011, if I recall correctly. I have my hair cut by a local lady, who charges far less; remember what I said about being a skin-flint?!

However, my most prized possession is.............

my pair of hair straighteners.

I love them. I love having my hair silky smooth and shiny. And the thought of having to buy a different pair that I can actually use in America is simply horrendous to me! No lie. I have been researching and googling and I can't seem to find a pair that equal my current pair for a decent price. I am really quite annoyed and unhappy about this situation. 
So I deduce that maybe I have a small problem here. Like maybe, I'm vain.

Hmmmm, yep, more than likely. I must be honest I don't really like people see me without my hair straightened. Confession time, when I was about fourteen, my Mum had bought me my straighteners and I was hooked, addicted, obsessed, whatever, and we had to go out somewhere, and I didn't have time to straighten my hair before we left. And boy, did I sulk about it! I was pretty miserable kid that day. Thankfully, I don't behave like that anymore. But, that doesn't mean I'm not vain.

I used to get up super early to wash, dry and straighten my hair whenever we were going out for the day; Woah, did I say, 'used to', as in past tense? I mean I still do!

Maybe I need to learn a lesson here. Is frizzy hair the end of the world?

In which I watch THOR!!

I am a major Comic book hero fan! Batman, Captain America, Spiderman, Ironman, you name it I love it.

However Thor was one that I didn't really know much about. But when I realised that he featured in Avengers assemble, and was a Marvel Comic hero I had to watch it of course.
I watched it last night. So I am now finally ready to watch Avengers! Which I plan on saving until my flight to LA, along with the Hunger Games; I've got to have some things to make an eleven and a half hour flight exciting, otherwise I'd probably go mad.

Anyways, on we go.

I will start of by saying that, I love Tom Hiddleston. Not in the irritating, fangirl way; you know, the girls who sit in front of you at the cinema and sigh and squeal the whole way through the film and really, really get on your nerves. Nope, definitely not like that.
On the other hand, Chris Hemsworth, well, I found him...... annoying. Even though, I'd only ever seen him in Star Trek, and the trailers for Cabin in the woods and Snow White and the Huntsman. Yep, that's the truth, hehe, confession over.

However, having seen this movie, I am now even more impressed with Tom Hiddleston, he truly is a superb actor. And I don't find Hemsworth quite as annoying, so good job all round really.

So, casting ran as follows,

Chris Hemsworth as the arrogant, vain and frustrating god, Thor.

Tom Hiddleston as the silver-tongued god of mischief, Loki.

Anthony Hopkins as King of Asgard, the god Odin.

More minor yet important characters include,

Natalie Portman as the woman of science, Jane Foster.

Jaimie Alexander as the female warrior of Asgard, Sif.

Idris Elba as the gatekeeper, and Sif's brother, Heimdall.

There are of course many others including, Agent Coulson, Darcy Lewis, Erik Selvig, Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun, and of course, Jeremy Renner cameo as Clint Barton, aka, Hawkeye.

Moving along. 

The storyline is about growing as a person really. Thor is arrogant and likes to be noticed; he is also headed for the throne of Asgard, when his Father Odin dies. His brother, Loki is far less exuberant and colourful a character to begin with. However it quickly becomes clear that he is not to be trusted. After disobeying a direct command from Odin, Thor is banished to Earth. Where he learns to respect others and be humbler and serf-sacrificing, etc, etc, etc.

Turns out Loki has issues too, and before you know it *BOOM* fight! 

Turns out Thor's a pretty nice guy really. And Loki, well.. I'll let you watch the film and find out. But turns out Odin knew what was going on all along, and wanted to teach his son a lesson. 

To be honest this film doesn't have the best storyline. In fact it's probably rather weak; but I do still think it's worth a watch. There are valuable lessons that can be learnt from it. And it's got a few laughs. 

                                           "This drink, I like it, ANOTHER!"

Yep, this is  while he's still a doochebag!

Also, I must admit, I wasn't hugely impressed with the soundtrack. It was barely there. I usually notice the music. But not this time. I hope the Avengers soundtrack is better.

Another that I found weird, Thor sounds American, and Loki, British?! But they were raised in the same house? Okay then......... We'll just suspend reality for a moment, *wink, wink*

The costumes were pretty epic too. Watch out for Loki's deer helmet! And Sif's outfit it pretty cool too.
I wasn't hugely impressed with the CGI around Asgard, and the Bifrost, however in retrospect it highlighted the fact that Asgard is not like Earth, it is a separate realm, and has a magical quality, after all it is home to the gods.

But, all in all, not bad. Go watch it!

What were your thoughts on Thor?

Updating......

Whew, it's been a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time!

Anyway, this is more of an update than a blog post.
The college have started to process my application, so I should get my visa in six to eight weeks, which is super exciting.

I've sorted out someone to collect me from the airport in August. She's an old friend, I haven't seen her since I was about seven, she is about four years older than me, with three babies of here own. So I am really looking forward to seeing her again and meeting her family.

I have bought a few summer clothes off ebay and from our local charity shop, however it is rather depressing that I only been able to wear one of them as the weather here is simply awful! I was woken up at half past five this morning by rain hammering down on my windows. I really don't like cold, wet weather.

Next week I am going to start doing some serious reading. My Dad has a pile of books he thinks I should read before I go to Bible college, so I excited about that.

Oh, and I still haven't quite got my head around the fact that I won't see my Mummy for a whole five months.............. and of course my Daddy and siblings, but especially my Mummy. Who am I supposed to ask about laundry? Can I wash this colour with that, etc........???