The 50 Most Boring Things In Life Revealed

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Frostie

Changing duvet covers, people who Instagram their meals and Ed Sheeran have been voted among the nation’s top 50 most boring things.

And the average Brit is bored for over NINE years of their life, a study has found.

Brits describe themselves as “bored” for over three hours a day, and say that on average, they feel like they have “nothing to do” at least twice daily.

Work is one of the most common places for boredom to strike, with 22 per cent of respondents saying they’re bored for up to two hours – or 25 per cent – of their workday.

The study of 2000 adults in the UK was commissioned by online gaming company Casumo.com, whose spokesman said: “Boredom can be a real problem for many people, even if they’re happy with their lives in general.

“Boredom can sap productivity, and make people feel like there’s nothing good going on in their lives.

“We were surprised to find that people are more likely to feel bored at home than they are at work, and perhaps this shows a lack of imagination on the nation’s part, that they can’t entertainingly fill their free hours.”

Being stuck in traffic emerged as the most boring thing about modern life, aggravating over half of the nation.

This was closely followed by waiting in queues at the post office, being put on hold, and the humdrum routine of everyday life.

A slow internet connection, listening to drab football pundits’ analysis and cleaning the house also appeared in the list of the most boring things in life.

As did PowerPoint presentations, the Kardashians and unnecessary work meetings.

Four in 10 respondents said that they are bored more often now than they were as a child, and the most common time of day to experience boredom is 12:44 pm.

On average, Brits say that their lives stopped being exciting at the age of 37 and a half, and three quarters say they wish their lives could be more exciting.

And 25 per cent of Brits say that can’t even remember the last time something truly memorable happened to them.

Almost a tenth of the nation believes that all of their time drags past slowly, and a further 46 per cent say they notice it happening sometimes.

Casumo’s spokesman said: “A quarter of the population say that playing games online is one of the ways they defeat boredom. We can help with that, but unfortunately, we can’t do anything to make being stuck in traffic more exciting.”

THE 50 MOST BORING THINGS IN LIFE

1. Being stuck in traffic
2. Standing in line
3. Being on hold
4. Junk mail
5. Slow internet connections
6. Listening to politicians
7. Watching TV adverts
8. The routine of everyday life
9. Sitting in a waiting room
10. Queuing in the post office
11. Having no money
12. Tidying up the house
13. Waiting in for a delivery
14. The Kardashians
15. People who Instagram their food
16. Football pundits’ analysis
17. Unnecessary meetings
18. Cleaning the bathroom
19. Reality TV shows
20. Doing the washing-up
21. Selfies
22. Television shopping channels
23. Emptying the bins
24. Paying bills
25. Delayed trains
26. The daily commute
27. Formula 1
28. New mums on Facebook who constantly upload pictures of their baby
29. Social media challenges
30. Small talk
31. Changing a duvet cover
32. Waiting for a train
33. Phone calls that could be quick emails
34. Looking for a parking space
35. Company-wide emails
36. Filling tax returns
37. Horse racing
38. PowerPoint presentations
39. Places without Wi-Fi
40. Trailing around behind your partner in a clothes shop
41. Dieting
42. Waiting for your phone to recharge
43. Waiting for the oven to heat up
44. Rice cakes
45. Ed Sheeran
46. Gardener’s World
47. People telling you about their dream
48. Working overtime for no extra pay
49. Replacing the toilet roll on the holder
50. Bargain Hunt

Leading Charity Highlights Work of Inspiring Female Researchers

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

Leading charity highlights work of inspiring female researchers

International Day of Women and Girls in 2017

As the largest charitable funder dedicated to diabetes research in the UK, leading charity Diabetes UK is putting the spotlight on the organisation’s inspirational female researchers ahead of International Day of Women and Girls in Science* on 11 February.

Diabetes UK is dedicated to supporting the leaders of diabetes research. Currently 54 women scientists funded by the charity are working to change the lives of people with diabetes. Ground-breaking research funded by the charity for longer than 80 years has been instrumental in improving diabetes care and moving us closer to a cure.

Diabetes is a huge and growing problem in the UK which costs the NHS £10 billion every year. If not managed properly, it can lead to causes serious consequences for people living with the condition which can include sight loss, limb amputation and kidney failure.

In the UK, there are more than 4.5 million people who have diabetes of which more than 1 million people have Type 2 diabetes but don’t know they have it because they haven’t been diagnosed. Almost 12 million people are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes UK’s Research Communications Manager Dr Emily Burns said:
“All of our fantastic researchers play a vital role in helping us to know diabetes, and fight diabetes. This International Day of Women and Girls in Science we recognise the achievements of our amazing female researchers, who have had a huge impact on the treatment of diabetes. They will continue to be leaders in the world of diabetes research and care. There are of course many more people doing incredible work and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them for everything they do.”

For more information about diabetes, visit www.diabetes.org.uk

A Day in the Life of author Rosie Jackson

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Tracy Baines

A prize-winning author, Rosie Jackson is widely published. Her books include The Glass Mother, The Light Box, Mothers Who Leave and What the Ground Holds.

Rosie is a Hawthornden Fellow 2017. She is a member of Arts and Health South West.

My days vary depending on where I am with any writing project. When I’m in the middle of something big – my memoir, say, or putting together a collection of poems – it’s easy to be disciplined. I can happily sit at my desk six or seven hours each day and sometimes into the night as well, writing, editing, re-writing, re-editing… But in the fallow periods in between, I’m more self-indulgent, going for long walks, to see galleries, films, friends, travelling, rather like a camel stocking up on culture for the dry patches.

I live alone, so can be as flexible as I like with my time. But my 17^thcentury cottage and its demanding garden always find some job to tempt me away from my study, especially in the summer, and I have to be strong-willed to keep the writing going. It’s important to me not to get isolated. I belong to a couple of monthly peer groups – in Frome and Bath – for my poetry work, and am collaborating on my next project – a book of poems about the English artist Stanley Spencer and his first wife Hilda Carline – with Devon poet Graham Burchell. Exchanging poems with him by email for critique every few days helps sustain the momentum. I go to poetry readings and cafes, and also run writing groups, on memoir and poetry, which all add to a sense of creative community. Next month I go to Hawthornden Castle in Scotland for a fellowship – a whole luxurious month of nothing but writing, all meals provided. Thank you, Mrs Heinz!

Like most of us, I spend a lot of time on the Internet – there are so many excellent sites, blogs, tips, research, resources available at the click of a mouse- and I feel tempered use can really improve one’s work. I love receiving messages from people I don’t know who’ve suddenly discovered my books.

I make sure I exercise every day, even in the midst of a project. Nothing too fanatical, but for an hour at least I walk, cycle, or do yoga, and swim half a mile each week. I’m very impractical – oh, for a DIY husband! – and have to gear myself up to do jobs like checking car oil and tyres, buying replacement hoover bags, let alone decorating. I’d far rather be inside a book, whether my own or someone else’s.

What tends to get squeezed out is reading. If I’ve cleared time to be at my desk, I’m more likely to be writing than reading, and I need to find more time for that. It’s all about balance really – alone time and being with others; living enough to have something to write about; sitting and moving; being with words and in a space of silence.

I do try to carve some time out each day to do without words altogether. They are not, after all, as important as what we do, as the life we actually live.

Comforting Recipes From Nicola Millbank AKA Milly Cookbook: Hangover Spicy Rice

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

Hangover Spicy Rice

Serves 1

Perfect after the night before and a doddle to make; you’ll be feeling better in no time.

Ingredients:

– 2 tsp. of vegetable oil

– A few cherry tomatoes, halved

– 1 spring onion, finely sliced

– 1 pack of microwavable brown rice

– 1 tbsp. of soy sauce

– 1 tbsp. of sweet chilli sauce

– 1 tsp. of toasted sesame oil

– Juice of 1 lime

– A good pinch of dried chilli flakes

– 1 free range egg

– Extra soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce to serve.

Method:

– Heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the spring onion and tomatoes. Cook down for a couple of minutes until softened and then add in the pack of rice, frying for a further 2 minutes.

– Pour in the soy sauce, sweet chilli and sesame oil and squeeze in the lime juice. Allow to fry for a further few minutes, stirring occasionally.

– In another small frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil and fry the egg until cooked in the middle and crispy around the outside.

– Plate up the rice, top with the fried egg and add a dash of soy and sweet chill sauce to serve.

Catherine Balavage’s Poetry Book What Do You Think?: A Collection of Poems Free Until 27th January

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

Some good news for poetry fans, you can get Catherine Balavage’s poetry book, What do you think?: A collection of poems, for free until the 27th January 2017. It is free on Amazon Kindle across the world. The book has received good reviews and has reached no 1 in the women’s poetry fiction chart on Amazon. Get your copy of What do you think?: A collection of poems here.

Amazon’s exciting new writing competition

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Margaret Graham

Amazon’s New English Language Literary Prize – The Kindle UK Storyteller Award sounds just the thing to attract aspiring writers

Winning author to receive £20,000 cash prize and be recognised at central London award ceremony this summer

Amazon UK has announced The Kindle Storyteller Award, a new literary prize recognising newly published work in the English language across any genre. The prize is open to all authors who publish their book through Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon.co.uk between 20^th February and 19^th May 2017.

Readers will play a significant role in the competition with the award shortlist compiled based on a number of factors that measure customer interest in the titles, followed by an esteemed panel of judges – made up of both Amazon experts and literary authorities – selecting the Kindle Storyteller 2017 winner. The prize will be announced at a central London ceremony in July, with the winning author being rewarded with a cash prize of £20,000 and a marketing campaign to support the book on Amazon.co.uk, as well as the opportunity to have their book translated for international sales. (Source: beginners guide to buying Amazon shares)

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a fast, free and easy way for authors to keep control and publish their books in print and digital to a global audience, and receive up to 70 per cent royalties on their work. On any given day, up to 25 per cent of the Top 100 books on the UK Kindle store are published through KDP.

The Kindle Storyteller prize is open to submissions of new English Language books from all authors and genres, and entries must be submitted using Kindle Direct Publishing. Titles must be previously unpublished and a minimum of 5,000 words with no upper word limit. All books entered into the Prize will be available on Kindle and Fire devices as well as the Kindle reading app for iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets. Print copies will also available to buy on the Amazon.co.uk store.

Kindle Storyteller opens for entries on 20th of February and titles must be entered into the KDP Select programme for 90 days in order to be considered.

For more information, authors can visit www.amazon.co.uk/storyteller

Cabbie’s Burns Night Recipes

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Frostie

Crabbie’s are’re doing Burns Night right – with a brand new Scottish menu created especially for the occasion. Scots chef Jacqueline O’Donnell, who appeared on BBC2 show Great British Menu, has helped us to create the perfect three course menu that pairs beautifully with a glass of our finest ginger beer.

Starter; Haggis bon bon with Crabbie’s Ginger beer & beetroot

Serves 4

Oven 180c Gas 5

200gr Good quality haggis

50gr panko bread crumbs

1pk cooked beetroot

100ml Crabbie’s Original alcoholic ginger beer

2 tbsp Apple sauce

1 egg beaten

50gr plain flour

50gr panko breadcrumbs

Chop up haggis and mash whilst raw shape into 12 small bon bon shapes
Roll into flour then coat in beaten egg then roll in the breadcrumbs until coated
Spray an oven tray lightly with oil and place bon bons on pop in oven for 15-20min until golden brown
Meanwhile chop beetroot and put in a blender add the Crabbie’s until a soft puree season with salt & pepper to taste
When serving add a teaspoon of apple sauce just to secure the bon bon on the plate and serve the beetroot puree at the side. You can also serve with a side salad

Main; Duo of Venison Loin on thyme & hawthorn jelly served with Original Crabbie’s, warm red cabbage black pudding & ginger apple salad

Serves 4 Oven 200c Gas 6 Use a stove to oven frying pan

4 x 200gr Venison Loin (You can substitute the venison for Beef fillet)

4tbsp Hawthorn jelly (Redcurrant if you can’t find the Hawthorn)

1 Knorr beef stock pot

100ml Crabbie’s Original alcohholic ginger beer

½ red cabbage finely sliced

2 slice of black pudding

1 pink lady apple finely sliced

1 tsp stem ginger chopped very finely

1 tsp butter

1 sprig of fresh thyme

Sear in a hot pan the 4 pieces of meat season well & place in oven for 8-12 mins depending how pink you like your meat (Venison can get quite dry if cooked well done so try not to go past Medium well, in order to keep the dish moist
Bake the black pudding slices for in the venison pan for only 5 minutes then remove
Add 4tbsp of Crabbie’s to a pot bring to the boil then add the tsp of butter add the red cabbage and cook just until the liquid has gone
Crumble the black pudding into a bowl and mix with the apple and stem ginger
Once the cabbage has no liquid tip into the bowl with the black pudding & apple
Once meat comes out of the oven set aside on a plate and make the sauce in the pan you cooked the meat in remember the handle is HOT!!
Put the pan onto the heat and add left over Crabbie’s whilst pan is really hot, this de glazes the pan and gets all the flavour and bits of meat off the bottom then add the stock pot jelly with 150ml boiling water bring to the boil adding in a sprig of thyme just until its up to the boil allow to reduce slightly to the consistency of a sauce
Spoon a pile of the red cabbage warm salad onto the plate slice the venison and pour sauce over
Enjoy

Pudding; Iced Crabbie’s Cranachan with ginger shortbread thistles

Serves 4. best frozen over night

200ml of fresh custard (You can use shop bought)

100ml whipped double cream

100ml Crabbie’s Raspberry alcoholic ginger beer

1 200gr of frozen raspberries

50gr Pinhead oatmeal

25gr brown sugar

50ml raspberry coulis

Shortbread

100gr plain flour

50gr cornflour

50gr icing sugar

1 tsp finely chopped stem ginger

100gr unsalted butter

Bring to the boil and Reduce the Raspberry Crabbie’s by half then add to the raspberry coulis allow to cool
Fold whipped cream & custard together then add a few raspberries and raspberry coulis folded through to be quite swirly not all of the mix pink (if you do go too far that’s ok!)
Pour mixture into a clingfilm lined bread tin or deep mould terrine and put in the freezer overnight is best
Make shortbread add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until a soft dough roll out to as thick as a £2 coin cut into shapes and bake in an oven 150c for 20-25 allow to cool first
Place pinhead oatmeal & sugar in a hot pan until sugar dissolves and coats the oatmeal allow to cool
Remove cranachan from the freezer and take off clingfilm then roll into the oats until they stick and cover the outside of the cranachan
To serve add a few raspberries to the plate with the shortbread & slice the Iced cranachan
Serve with a full glass of Raspberry Crabbie’s & enjoy!

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From a Mother to Another Is Collecting Again To Reduce Clothes Waste & Help Syrian Refugees

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Catherine Balavage

Frost loves the From a Mother to Another initiative and is proud to support it again this year.

From a Mother to Another, the initiative from JoJo Maman Bébé, starts collecting again on 22^nd Feb 2017. The aim; to reduce the shocking levels of clothing waste that end up in a landfill whilst helping those in need in the UK with distribution via Trussell Trust food banks, and thousands of Syrian refugees living in Lebanon. For full details of how to donate visit http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/FAMTA

JoJo will be collecting good quality outgrown or unwanted baby and children’s clothes in, sizes 0-6 years and children’s shoes. Customers are requested to make up complete outfits, with shoes in a separate bag and donate at one of their 80 stores across the UK and Ireland. Full list of stores can be found here http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/stores.

Nearly a third of the UK’s clothing ends up in landfill, equating to 350,000 tonnes a year. By extending the life of clothes by just three months of active use, carbon and water waste could be reduced by up to 5-10% a year. Sending good quality, little worn hand-me-downs to those in need would mean they are worn by many more children, extending the clothes lifespan.

In the UK the emergency clothing packs will be distributed by some of the Trussell Trust’s 420 Foodbanks. In Lebanon the packs will be distributed by a number of partner charities on the ground. Helen Frank’s from Trussell Trust explains; “I am delighted Trussell Trust Foodbanks will be participating in the From A Mother To Another campaign for the second year running, it is a natural fit to The Trussell Trust’s ‘More Than Food’ approach, which offers additional services to help alleviate poverty in the UK. Over a third of three-day emergency food supplies provided by Trussell Trust foodbanks go to children in crisis. Last year the packs were gratefully received by over 1000 families”

Laura Tenison, founder & CEO of JoJo, visited refugee camps in the Bekaa Valley on the Lebanese Syrian border in early 2016. Laura explains what she found when visiting the camps; “The situation is dire and has not improved over the last 12 months. The millions of women and children living in makeshift tents are in urgent need of emergency humanitarian aid to help until it is safe to travel home – just a few miles across the border. They left Syria with whatever they could carry. Their children have outgrown their clothes long ago and are often in rags. The gift of a FAMTA pack brings tears of gratitude. Children are dying from the cold, we just had to help.”

JoJo Maman Bébé will cover the extensive costs of checking, sorting, shipping, customs clearance and managing the logistics of delivering the parcels to the partner charities in Lebanon and to the Trussell Trust’s Foodbanks across the UK.

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