The Lone Vegetarian

Posted in Body, Food & Nutrition by

The sky was an eery shade of red and the vermillion hues in the grass matched it perfectly. The sounds of cattle crying out sounded throughout the field. A baby piglet stared up at me with its lifeless eyes, its mouth slightly ajar. Blood was pouring out of its neck profusely.

#datvegetarianlyf

#datvegetarianlyf

This was the nightmare I had as a teenager that made me want to become a vegetarian for the right reasons. I had tried it once before, with the goal of losing weight by taking meat out of my diet, but it didn’t work out. Now, I can happily say that I’ve stuck with my vegetarianism for the past six years because of that conscious decision I made.

As a Pacific Islander – who are infamous meat eaters in their own right – living life as a vegetarian in a family full of carnivores is definitely as difficult as it sounds. With my busy schedule of combining college, work and my outside hobbies, I barely get enough time to cook a decent meal for myself. When I get home and there’s a chicken dish sitting on the kitchen counter, it’s either my job to a) Pick around the deceased animal and eat or b) Think of something quick and easy to make. On my most busy days, a pot of boiling water and a bag of pasta becomes my best friend.

Nine times out of ten, I have to cook for myself on my days off. Dinner will usually consist of meat which means I’ll have to cook my own vegetarian option. If my family is feeling sorry for me, they’ll either make the main dish vegetarian acceptable or take out a bit for me before they add the meat. When I go to extended family events or social gatherings, the meat-eater in my relatives and friends are very apparent and my options are very limited. I am usually only left with a bit of salad and baked potatoes on my plate.

Dining out as a vegetarian has become a lot easier than it was when I first started: I am aware of my options and know which restaurants cater to the eating-conscious. There are a few restaurants that have little to no vegetarian options so I’m left with ordering an egg and mayo sandwich and a glass of water.

I’ve learned most of the dishes in my arsenal from my mother. When there’s meat involved, I easily just substitute it with tofu and my own version of the meal is created! One of my go-to dishes is called a “Hawaiian Haystack” which was passed down from my mum: it’s basically a dish where you have rice and stack honey mustard tofu on top of that, and you continue to stack various ingredients on top of that, including cheese, dry noodles and pineapple. Seriously. Try it. Honey mustard tofu is to die for.

Life as a vegetarian in a family full of meat eaters is challenging,  but it’s not impossible. Nothing is impossible for me. Insert arrogant hairflip here.

– by The Black Widow

Tipping for Dummies: Round 1

Posted in Sports by

The 2014 NRL season starts tonight… and you know what that means: Tipping for Dummies is back!

Everybody's favourite Tipping for Dummies!

Everybody’s favourite Tipping for Dummies!

The opening round is sure to be a big one with several key matches taking place, perhaps none bigger than the first two.

Thursday March 6, 2014
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Sydney Roosters @ ANZ Stadium
Yes. This happened. Somehow, in the realm of possibility, these two were put together in the opening match of the opening round. The reigning premiers will start the defense of their title as they clash with their long-storied rivals, the Bunnies. One of the notable ins for this game is the Bunnies debut of veteran Lote Tuqiri.
SolSat’s prediction: Sydney Roosters
The Chookies have what, 98% of their premiership winning team playing in this opening game so quite solely based on that, the Chookies will win this one with a slight edge over their opponents. Don’t expect the Bunnies to go down without a fight, though.

Friday March 7, 2014
Canterbury Bulldogs vs. Brisbane Broncos @ ANZ Stadium
My boys will fly down to the state of cockroaches as they take on the Doggies in Friday Night Football. This is a key match for the Broncos as the debuting Ben Barba will collide with his former team in the big one for the first time. Bias aside, the Broncos have made key changes to their side as co-captain Cozza will play in the front row and Hoffman will play as five-eighth.
SolSat’s prediction: Brisbane Broncos
I am hoping for a Broncos win, of course, but I think with the new side – and the overall “refreshing” of the team – that the Broncos can take this one, much like they beat the Doggies in their last game for 2013. Minus the emotional farewell of Princey.

Saturday March 8, 2014
Penrith Panthers vs. Newcastle Knights @ Sportingbet Stadium
The start of Saturday footy sees the Panthers take on the Knights. The Panthers, like the Broncos, have had a reinvigoration of sorts, and part of this will be seen as new recruit Jamal Idris will start for Penrith despite a hamstring complaint. Michael Dobson will take over cutie Jarrod Mullen on the Knights side.
SolSat’s prediction: Newcastle Knights
My reason for this would be 80% intuition – I just feel as if the Knights have a better side, despite the omission of Knights playmaker Mullen. The newly formed Panthers side will put up a good fight and hopefully Idris will stay unharmed in this game.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs. Melbourne Storm @ Brookvale Oval
The 2013 runner-ups will face the favoured side of Melbourne Storm at Brooky Oval. The Eagles’ new recruits Josh Starling, Dunamis Lui and Cheyse Blair will make their debuts while the Storm are missing key player Cooper Cronk, who will be replaced by Ben Roberts.
SolSat’s prediction: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Again, going mainly off intuition, the Sea Eagles have been the most consistently good team in recent NRL history so I see them one-upping the Storm in what is sure to be a bloody brilliant game of league. In the end, all league enthusiasts are the winners of this one.

North Queensland Cowboys vs. Canberra Raiders @ 1300 Smiles Stadium
I’m sorry, 1300 Smiles Stadium is the funniest name of a stadium I have ever come across. Regardless, the team ledy by smiling Thurston and brute Scott will face the Canberra Raiders who, to put it bluntly, had a terrible season in 2013. The Cowboys are coming off their big win at the Auckland Nines while the Raiders are hoping to win and get the ball rolling.
SolSat’s prediction: North Queensland Cowboys
The Cowboys are truly premier contenders this year and I expect to see a stellar performance from the Queensland side on Saturday. Anthony Milford, who is going to be a baby Bronco next year (hallelujah!) will put up a good fight but the Cowboys will be hard to stop.

Sunday March 9, 2014
St. George Illawarra Dragons vs. West Tigers @ ANZ Stadium
In what is kind of not a home game for either side, two of the bottom teams from 2013 will face off in the Sunday opener as the Dragons take on the Tigers. Key Dragon player Josh Dugan will be out while the Tigers will play for the first time without Benji Marshall in the big one.
SolSat’s prediction: West Tigers
This game is a tough one to call and to be honest, I’m a bit skeppers about my decision. Regardless, I am backing the Tigers to take this one out, largely due to the fact of Dugan missing play. Here’s to a good game regardless.

Parramatta Eels vs. New Zealand Warriors
The bottom-rung team in the Eels have re-formed themselves in a desperate attempt to not get the wooden spoon for another consecutive year. They, however, have the formidable task of defeating the Warriors in round one, who had a spectacular showing at the inaugural Auckland Nines.
SolSat’s prediction: New Zealand Warriors
With all due respect to the Eels, who I truly believe will have a better season this year with players like Will Hopoate, but the Warriors have shown that they are a side not to be taken lightly, and they will go on to defeat the Eels on Saturday in what will be a surprisingly great match.

Monday March 10, 2014
Cronulla Sharks vs. Gold Coast Titans
After a scandalous year, the Sharkies will look to regain some of their fandom this year and will do so when they take on the Titans in the round’s closing game. Todd Carney has been named for the Sharks despite a hamstring injury and his Titans counterpart Aidan Sezer will look to take advantage of that.
SolSat’s prediction: Gold Coast Titans
Go with me on this one, I actually believe that the Titans, much like the Broncos, will have a much better season this year. Sezer’s kicking game is unmatched and with the return of Beau Falloon, the Titans are my pick to win this one.

Not only is my beloved NRL back but I also get the privilege of meeting the Broncos after their game on Friday night. Tis the benefits of being a club member. I highly recommend becoming a member and supporting your club!

– by The Black Widow

I’ve Given Up On M.Night Shyamalan

Posted in Entertainment, Movies, Opinion by

I want to take a little time to recall some brilliant films. Do you remember a movie about a child who could see and talk to dead people? I do, and I remember it being full of genuinely frightening moments and an atomic bomb of a story twist; this was The Sixth Sense, directed by M.Night Shyamalan only fifteen years ago.

This is what everyone looked like watching it, don't lie.

This is what everyone looked like watching it, don’t lie.

I also fondly recall watching Unbreakable for the first time, which also contained a mind-shattering twist and a damn good cast of actors; again, Shyamalan is responsible for creating this cult film.

Badass

Badass

And here is where the problem comes to light; can you recall a film about trees who make people suicidal? If you can’t, pat yourself on the back, you really saved yourself time and sanity. The Happening was also the work of Shyamalan, the same guy who created instant classics and then went on to produce pieces of actual poop.

OH GOD, WHY TREES, WHY?

OH GOD, WHY TREES, WHY?

I have tried to keep calm in the face of such terrible film making, telling myself that it’s okay. Maybe he’s a one trick pony and theres only so long he can make twist endings work, maybe his first few movies were some sort of fluke, a moment of his insanity that happened to work. I did this over and over: with films like The Village, and Lady in the Water. But god dammit if I’m not tired of trying so hard. Not after what he did, not after making The Last Airbender.

One of the best television shows

One of the best television shows

One of the worst things in my life (Sorry, kid)

One of the worst things in my life (Sorry, kid)

Shyamalan, if you’re out there and somehow reading this obscure article: WHAT THE FUCK, MAN? You don’t do that. You just can’t take a wonderfully-written, highly-praised, beautifully-animated television show, take all the good things out of it, and drop it on the big screen. I wanted to stick by you, even through the awkwardly directed acting and plot holes, because although I’m always disappointed by you, your films always seem to have an interesting premise. But no, you really fucked up this time.

But even amidst that awfulness there seemed to be a silver lining; this film was so bad that there was no way he would ever direct again. Then came After Earth (vomiting sound), and now he is in the mix to produce three different television programmes, and heres hoping that he just stays as the producer.

Smug bastard

Smug bastard

The purpose of this article was to mostly rant, but also to voice my genuine concerns. Why does this man keep making films? Who keeps giving him the work? And more importantly, how do we stop it? This is coming from someone who really loved the film Signs. In all seriousness, that movie planted the seed for my phobia of extraterrestrials, and any person that can induce that has some amazing power. But I think that power has been abused and needs to be taken away.

– by Josefina Huq

Dating Nikki: Second dates (and their myths!)

Posted in Dating Nikki by

Congratulations! You’ve made it past the first date – now what?

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The all-important second date has its hype for a reason – it’s commonly seen as the make or break for a potential relationship. Sure, your first date went fine enough that you’ve decided to see each other again, but that is based purely off first impressions and “clicking”. The second date, however, will take you more in-depth with your date (no sexual pun intended) so it’s on this date that you will regularly find something you really like or dislike about your date.

However, there are a few second date myths that I would like to personally squash right now.

Second Date Myth #1: It’s okay for me to put out now since it’s not the first date.
WRONG! Don’t let someone else’s anti-first-date-sex opinion affect your decision as to whether or not you go all the way on the second date. If you want to do it on the first date, why not? Nothing wrong with that, just like there’s nothing wrong with having sex on the third date or the seventh date or the night of your wedding. On the other end of the spectrum, don’t go into your second date thinking “I’m definitely getting some tonight.” Don’t be a pig. Oink oink.

Second Date Myth #2: I don’t have to get too dressed up because we’ve past the first date.
Unless your second date with this person is ten years in the future where you have become so accustomed with each other, this is wrong. It’s your second date, not your tenth. Don’t get too comfortable. I’m not saying dip your face in some cake to look good, but don’t get too comfortable with your date to the point of rocking up to his/her house looking like the troll from under the bridge. Just sayin’.

Second Date Myth #3: We did all the talking in the first date so I don’t have to try as hard to get to know him/her.
Again, second date, not your tenth. I’m pretty sure your date didn’t tell you every detail of their life so you don’t know them as well as you think you do. Put in the effort. It’s not that hard.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are a few tips for your impending second date:
[x] Don’t let your guard down in any way. You’re not in the clear (AKA relationship) yet.
[x] Do something less formal so you can get to know your date a bit more in a relaxed manner. Instead of the good ol’ dinner and a movie, do something more carefree and fun, like go bowling or ice-skating together.
[x] Surprise your date. Bring her flowers or surprise him by paying for dinner or dessert.
[x] And most importantly (cue the sappy love music), be yourself.

Happy dating, SolSaters!

– by The Black Widow