Romance Heroes are alpha

This video is of a trailer on a documentary:



I've put a specific start-time to draw your attention the comments on alpha heroes. The whole thing is worth watching as a taster to the romance genre as a whole (as well as the hilarity of the Mr. Romance over-the-top-ness; are those crazy costumes/characters really necessary?).

Thanks to Katie.

The Barefoot Princess by Christina Dodd

The Barefoot Princess is second in a series called the Lost Princesses. I was not aware of this because I do try and read from the beginning. Nevermind.

This is a historical romance, set in 1810 in Devon, England (thank you, first page of Chapter 1. You can be surprised how often it's uncertain where and when a book is set).

Our heroine, Amy, is an exiled secret princess of an obscure kingdom that turned (mostly) hardened criminal by the age of nineteen. She has two sisters: the other aforementioned lost princesses. Jermyn who is twenty-nine if I recall correctly is the injured marquess of Northcliff.

Amy has been taken in by an elderly spinster called Miss Victorine. The village and Miss Victorine are very poor and neglected by their lords, on the verge of starvation. They don't quite understand it, he was such a sweet boy. Guess whom the "official" guy in charge of the place? It's Jermyn, although his shady uncle runs the estate. Amy comes up with a plan: kidnap Jermyn, get the money and run for it pulling in Miss Victorine and the whole village into her plans. Of course the best laid plans of mice and (wo)men...

I quite liked Dodd's writing style and the twists & turns of her novel. I didn't, however, particularly like the characters' ways; they both resort to dodgy methods to secure what they want although often their hearts do seem to be in the right place. They're constantly fighting for dominance and I think the author felt that Jermyn had to display a lot of it to compensate for his previous weak will. This led to some situations which definitely had an element of 'forced' which disturbed me.

Historical novels always run into the danger of cliché and one annoying one Jermyn had was having a hang-up over his mother, thinking she's a whore. There was a danger of it blending in with a lot of other historicals but quirks of wit and beauty with the writing distinguished it. I think she did a good job with exploring her characters -- which included not forcing me to like them. Amy's double background felt real with her flashbacks and the person she has become is implicit in all her actions.

I do want to read the next book, there was a thrilling taster of our next hero; who sounds like he has a bit more genuine darkness and balls in him than this one.

This book gets 3 out of 5 manacles from me.

UK Medical News Round Up

Circumcision:
I'm religious and am probably going to get any male children I have circumcised (would prefer waiting actually until they can decide themselves, but it seems like it's psychologically better for them to just have the same-looking genitalia for their whole lives). It's well known that the process reduces the rate of infection. However, let's not ignore the drastic complications that can occur. Having herpes, HIV, HPV or another sexually transmitted disease is one thing. Having mutilated genitalia from a botched-up procedure is another. There're well publicised cases on this with dramatic consequences with mental stability, gender and sexual identity. As with any other surgical operation, it depends on the experience and skill of the surgeon.

What can you do? Whoa, there, cowboy. Easy, now, and take into account the risks.

The Pope & Aids:
I have no idea why anyone would expect the Pope -- of all people -- to endorse condoms over reforming behaviour. This is a religious and moral figure; of course he has to endorse that and that's the way he thinks. If not, he wouldn't have ended up where he was. Also, I dislike most Parisians. They're fairly elitist. France is really making itself out to be very anti-religious, nevermind being just secular.

What can you do? Don't start a riot.

Increased suicide in children by three times:
This could be a bad thing or a good thing. Either more children want to kill themselves or more children feel they can talk about it to a helpline (assuming wanting to talk a helpline doesn't mean less children are getting support from sources other than the helpline). Number one reason for children wanting to kill themselves, clearly visible in the quotations in that article? Family, family, family: their parents' mental health problems, their marital problems and so on. That's not to say that is strictly true for each case (e.g. sexual abuse by non-relative). I wonder if relatively recent cuts in mental health budgets, the very recent recession or other factors have influenced this?

What can you do? Help the NSPCC.

Eczema:
More things strike the poor kids! I wonder if we simply have kids who're simply less fit thanks to advances in medical technology. This means that the more advanced the medical technology, the more alive sick kids who didn't die of something else earlier in their development. Could be a factor with some figures.

What can you do? Keep your and your kid's genes toxin free (smoking, drugs and alcohol: I mean you) as well as apparently subjecting kids to soap and bathing less.

More growth, more sweeties:
It makes sense to want more nutrition if you want to eat more.

What can you do? Don't misinterpret this piece of news. Obtaining nutrition through healthy foods is the better choice; it is not ok to allow a kid to stuff themselves with Mars Bars simply because you think they might be tall. Preventing obesity and the formation of unhealthy eating habits is more important, especially since it can lead to complications that give normal growth a hit.

Bone Marrow Transplant:
It's not all bad news! Successful bone marrow transplants for unrelated donors are life-saving.

What can you do about it? Absolutely free/all expenses paid -- join one of the bone marrow registeries, either in the UK or your own country. It should be no more painful than the process of giving blood and I know donors here are given general anaesthetic and sufficient painkillers if they have to undergo the less likely to occur method of direct bone marrow harvest. Blacks, mixeds & asians (i.e. non pure whites): they especially need you although everyone eligible signing up would be great due to the greater chances of a perfect match.

Early diagnosis of cancer:
I had to look at the video, just to see if a typical dude from Essex really came out with ' lethargic'. I didn't see him use that word but 'mate, you're an egg with eyeballs' was brilliant.

What can you do? Keep yourself fit, eat healthy, get yourself screened when you get called up to. Some diseases, though, you just can't avoid. Try not to panic, it can be as bad as the disease. throwing up at the idea of getting treatment that makes you throw up is ironic: you've achieved the same result without even anything given to you! Because you're in pain or can't do quite what you used to, it really doesn't mean you can't continue to enjoy life. Disease is a fact of living, and coping with it is something that -- to some extent -- everyone has to do.

Red Meat:
Is this really news?

What can you do: eat as much as recommended in the article (lean red meat, 30grams a day). More realistically, you can just cut your consumption of red meat (burgers, steaks) to once or twice per week.


Teenage pregnancy and sexual education:
You have to be careful with this. I'm all for giving kids the maximum information and I do mean the maximum information. Giving them figures and contraceptive methods is all well and good but you've also got to give them the figures of the psychological effects of using these methods if there are any (this particularly applies to issues such as abortion or coming from a family with a religious background. They're not going to stop feeling guilty just because they were sexually active for whatever reason). You've got to give a child social and psychological support for sexuality and monitor them for turning into a welfare-state-dependent-

stressed-out single mother.

Informing them that there is always a way out of pregnancy (or the consequences of STD; remembering that condoms do not completely eliminate risk), will only encourage promiscuity and perhaps misuse of contraception (well if it fails, there's always an abortion) as well as underestimating the psychological effects of having an abortion. You can't ignore that religiously, socially and by evolution, women were built for motherhood and acting against these instincts can have devastating effects on them.

Focusing on methods to discourage young sexual activity is the ideal. Pregnancy and abortion are risky particularly for very young women e.g. these sad cases of girls who died here in the UK.

What can you do? Not much, unless you're a parent or a teen. Keep discussion open so that they're comfortable talking to you in a toned down way about who they like or about sex or contraception, even if you might view their activity as inappropriate. Explore your family's differing views on your stances on contraceptive methods, abortion and sex. Doing this clinically, rather than personally, can help.

Just another doc:
Hopefully, all doctors would do what he'd done.

What can you do? Thanking your docs, nurses, health assistants and other team members -- while heartwarming and helps with job satisfaction -- isn't necessary. Showing your real appreciation for these masochistic professionals through your votes or protesting anti-healthcare professional policies/cases (e.g. victimising whistleblowers). That's where you really count.

Teenage drinking:
I'm fairly optimistic about a lot of things, but definitely not drinking. Binge drinking is too ingrained in British culture and these kids will find the money somewhere, somehow.

What can you do? No clue. Lots of silly ideas flying due to desperation of the situation. The problem with education is that people will think that they are responsible enough to do it, therefore drinking earlier. Stop encouraging teenage kids to drink heavily if you do so. If you're at university, minimise the act of drinking heavily as your idea of a fun night out: a play, the cinema, sports activities and other activities yield much more long-lasting pleasure accompanied of course with a modest glass of red wine if you're not teetotal. Dammit, people, use your brain cells instead of bidding them silent; you're a fun person and you don't need drink to have a damn good time.

Disclaimer: I'm a simple medical student, prone to mistakes. Obtain proper health advice from a fully qualified health professional whom you trust and who knows you & your history.

Signs

Here's a cute little movie about two people falling in... like/love:



I suppose it's a reflection of getting to know someone online in a way. I feel like there was a little bit of suspense in the end left.

I think, though, it highlights how a guy who just doesn't go for it is badly disabled. How realistic is this short?

Spring Awakening; Novello Theatre, West End Play

I managed to catch Spring Awakening on its first night at the Novello. It's a play about exploring sexuality as a teenager in an oppressive environment. It displays through its characters how a teen might have to react in this environment, and essentially what choices they have. This is perfectly captured in a quotation by Hanschen -- "the gay one" -- which I can't find. To greatly paraphrase, it says: rebel against the system, be defeated by the system or use the system. Due to its subject matter, it's got some very explicit scenes; I did have to look away! It is a controversial play that has been banned as well as causing theatregoers to simply walk out on it (I observed this personally).

There're some usual takes I share on it and some I don't: oft commented on is the anachronistic soundtrack. The -- definitely not safe for work! -- soundtrack itself (click to hear some samples) is a perfect antidote to the saccharine High School Musical experience. The song which embodied the concepts of the play: comedy which can be quite dark, rebellion and emotional suppression is "Totally Fucked" especially within the context it appeared within the actual play [semispoiler] One of our characters had to face the authoritarian opressors and their punishment [/spoiler].

The original play (and this is a musical) was written in 1891, but as you can see by the soundtrack, loads of changes have been made. To a modern audience, it reminds them of the cost and the reasons for the protection of their current freedom. Its puts into words through the songs what those in 1891 might say if they could speak with the voice of 2009. Or even those who're living in countries right now, where this opression and suppression is the norm.

This play went for the heartstrings and the throat: it goes for the bloody sensationalistic subjects. Even though you'll laugh, the play deliberately leaves you with a Hamlet-esque depressive emotion with the same inevitability of disaster. Hopefully: a lot of modern teenagers won't have too much to empathise with, except if their sexual discovery was tortured. It was painful personally for me due to that, as well as dealing [semispoiler] with talks of suicide, abortion and child abuse [/spoiler]; all of which have affected people I care about in my life and through them, me. Tears were drawn unwillingly out; I was teetering for a while but the moment of breakdown was [spoiler] when Moritz' father broke down too [/spoiler].

I'm a conservative person in many ways. I am the target for the messages of this play ( as well as the solidarity it gives to those who've experienced teenage problems including its aside to homosexuals, although I do have a question mark about the use of them for comic relief. Exclusion of this category was subtle, unlike the other subject matter in the play). It highlights to me that -- regardless of the consequences -- there will always be rebels against the status quo especially if you apply this to such issues as sex and religion. The choice by any society is therefore this: what do you do with them? Kill, imprison, hide them, give in or compromise? Another thing that it highlighted was how freedom of information is a good thing. Giving people the right information is important: the way you protect them is by telling them what this information means and how to handle it, not by suppressing it. A huge inevitability with this is discovering the wrong fragments themselves and applying it with horrible results. Always understand the full possible pros and cons for anything you're doing, for yourself or when you're making the choice for someone else.

There was a Shakesperean quality to the play, which should be clear with some of the observations I'm going to make and have made. The cast was sixteen strong, not including three of which were backing vocals which didn't have any official roles if I remember all this correctly. Out of these, two of them played the various adult figures (assorted parents, teachers, a priest, headteachers, healthcare professionals) wearing practically the same clothes; their ability to differentiate the characters despite this spoke for their fantastic acting ability. No doubt using the same actors was to impress the sameness quality of all authority figures's opression into the audience. The stage and props were minimalistic: the band playing was live on stage as well as some (possibly lucky) members of the audience with chairs on either ends of the stage for them. The chereography and placement of the actors was visually engaging: very symbolism-filled and symmetric, sometimes completely absurd and plain wierd (just like teens!). The actors themselves said miles with their movement and expression, the quality of the singing itself seems fantastic.

The protagonist of the play (Melchior) who is portrayed by Aneurin Barnard is no doubt going to get a fair share of female fans (as implied in the beginning of the play itself, through the female characters), with his emotionally wrought performance of his sexual and rebellious role. Those cheekbones don't hurt either. As an aside: Hanschen for some reason resembled Draco Malfoy (perhaps no coincidence for "the gay one") and Wendla resembled Hermoine from Harry Potter. It wasn't just me. I'm going to blame this on make up. Feel free to disagree!

With coverage by the BBC today and a 14+ age warning, this unique play will probably do well in the West End for a while on the caveat that the younger audiences are motivated to come see it as well as that older audiences aren't alienated by its -- perhaps lowbrow and "indierock" for some? -- presentation. Let's see if it does engage us young peoples, who no doubt think we've seen it all...

Whatever Spring Awakening is, it isn't boring.

Pointless Arguments: She's Not Fat!

We had just left a birthday party. The last words my mother had given the girl as we were leaving had to do with her weight: I didn't hear the whole exchange but I at least heard a reference to 'pills'. My brother and I were upset with my mother about this; not the nicest thing to leave a birthday girl with!

Me: "She's not obese." Why was I saying this? I had seen the girl, she was quite badly off. Just because she still maintained something like the hourglass shape did not mean she was not clinically obese. Thinking about how overweight and obese practically looked like, my mother was probably right.

My mother: "Did you see her? She is!"

Me: "She's only overweight." Why was this point so important to me? Was I prejudiced in some way? Did I need to think of this girl as "only overweight" because I liked her? Because she was a nice girl from a lovely family, who couldn't possibly let this happen to their lovely girl? Has my training in medicine already caused such a terrible overreaction to anything I perceive as unhealthy? I had even begun to go as far as to consider obese children as neglect and bad parenting; was I unwilling to apply this harsh label?

Mother: "It's causing her liver problems!"

Me: "The one thing obesity does not cause or worsen is liver problems." I was not even 100% sure about this, but I said it anyway. I checked with my friends later: forgot about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Ever since I've started my course, I seem to have developed an allergic reaction to smoking, drugs, alcohol and obesity to name a few things. I'm not sure how much of this is an overreaction, especially compounded on top of my Islamic beliefs.

I just don't want to turn into my mother in this scenario, overzealously dispatching advice 'as a friend' or in unsuitable situations. I don't want to see everyone as a disease or a potential disease, not a person. The last thing that girl wanted to be reminded of was her health problems, on her own birthday party!

From The Pan Into The Fire

Seeing as how I have recently dissed the Daily Mail, I shall illustrate the principle I was trying to expound. Like a skeptical reader of romance acknowledging that there can be brilliant romance novels, I will acknowlege that the Daily Mail can talk sense occasionally as seen in this article here.

No Daily Mail panic or hyperbole there! I don't think anyone's happy with this situation and I can't imagine the strain in America; the prevalence there seems comparable to here in the UK.