From The Mind of Merc - Sapphire Jubilee

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about the sapphire jubilee.

2017 marks the 65^th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth and is consequently her Sapphire Jubilee. Yet despite all her previous jubilees there has been no celebration or seemingly even acknowledgement of this fact.

True there has never been another monarch who celebrated their sapphire jubilee – Victoria reached her diamond but fell 1 year and 5 months short of the sapphire and George III missed out on his diamond by 1 year and 9 months. True also that at the start of this year the queen was plagued with ill health so perhaps the more superstitious amongst her entourage may have not wanted to rock the boat. True finally that there are still 2 months left of this year but, as her accession was February and her coronation June and both these months have passed, the lack of any festivity seems strange.

I have watched as each month passed with no celebration, no fete to commemorate this historic event. I think it is incredible for a king or queen to live this long and I am at a loss to understand why it seems to have been overlooked. I can only hope that (unlike her previous jubilees) the plan for some reason is to celebrate it in the 65^th year of her actual coronation (it’s not as if only jubilees for years ending in a 0 are the only ones celebrated – for example, Queen Elizabeth’s 25^th or silver jubilee in 1977)

Yet this seems strange both for the reasons mentioned above and because Victoria’s subjects (or perhaps her ministers) were so eager to celebrate their queen’s longevity that they brought forward the idea of a diamond jubilee (which is technically the 65^th year) to mark Victoria’s 60^th – an action that was mirrored in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth. (Maybe that’s it – this is technically her proper Diamond Jubilee – which has already been celebrated and so hasn’t been marked this year) But why would the Brits want to pass up an excuse for a party?

Even if this milestone was to go unmarked there was also the fact that this year is the 70th or Platinum Wedding Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip but, yet again, this appears to have gone by unremarked and unhailed.

I am not an out-and-out royalist but I still think for a monarch to reign for 65 years should be commemorated somehow.

Anyone else with me?

Disney Life Hacks #11 – Cinderella

 Continuing my Disney Life Hacks series today - those little tricks the Disney stars use to achieve the unlikely, unbelievable and impossible.

Today, Cinderella shares her top tip:

Shakespeare Rap Battle - Midsummer Night's Rap

Another Whitney Avalon parody - this time using a two hander.
(The inspiration for this one can be found here)

Princess Rap Battle – Rapunzel & Flynn vs Anna & Kristoff Shakespeare Rap Battle – Midsummer Night's Rap

[Verse 1: Hermia]
I’m the one who has the most beauty
This is proved by the fact all the boys want me
I am the sweet young maiden, despite what you think, ‘kay?
I’m daddy’s princess who will get her way
‘Cause I’m the best, can’t be denied
And out of my suitors I’ll choose who’s by my side
Because princes, aristos and nobles, when they’re looking for a bride
Want me and not you - so sad, you have no-one by your side
You can’t touch dis - don’t try - go ahead and cry
Watch as every man you love seems to just pass you by
I can’t believe how dumb you are, of course I won his heart - duh!
Say it again, I attract men, you can never play that part - ugh!

[Verse 2: Helena]
Think that you had a blackout, and I know what you lack now
You can’t handle the facts now, gonna hand you some back now
Pretend you’re so pure but I know it’s all an act now
Time to give you a reality smack down
Hermia thinks she’s so strong but forgotten when love falters
And suddenly it jolts her when Lysander love for her alters
So adored yet so abhorred, had to elope to win
When his keenness grew thin you still wouldn’t give in
You’re not the most beautiful of that you are so afraid
The word on the street is that you’re not even a maid
A superficial dupe don’t know what made you madder
That you weren’t the best or finding my game was badder

[Verse 3: Lysander]
I kinda liked you girl, but that was all just a fantasy
There is just one girl I want and that is very plain to see
I won the girl your man wanted - didn’t need money
You are so sad, girl, it’s so sad. Girl - Hermia’s my honey
Her father might rather she wed a rich courtier
But our love to founder? Not something we fear
You think I loved you? Well, someone should have told ya
Cause hun it could never last, when I woke up grew colder

[Verse 4: Demetrius]
Don’t be rude, Lissy, you cannot forget what you said
Despite what you tell yourself in your head when in bed

The words you said behind Hermy’s back, 

About everything that your princess lacks
Love Helena, and I won her, you’re left with the second prize
You might say that you’re not jealous but I see love in your eyes
You're just a terrible loser only better as a snoozer
You're just no good and should go back to being a boozer

[Verse 5: Hermia (Lysander)]
Can I interrupt here Miss Perfect’s plan
Just to remind her that I had her man
Just so pathetic, and a nervous wreck
Don’t stand a chance when you compete with idyllic
(So desp’rate for a man but all you found was desolation)
It’s you and not me that really is the poor consolation
You’ve always been beneath me and some things still stay the same
(Because any way you play you can never win this game)
This Ancient Greek doofus is still so deluded
Believing the effects of what a bad night’s sleep did
Of course you think you won, but know he really wanted me
You are the weaker one why don’t you go cry by a tree

[Verse 6: Helena (Demetrius)]
You've got an attitude that won’t quit but that’s not a good thing
Soon Lysander will regret what he got for a wedding ring
While we're on the subject, ‘cause I just have to ask
But could he even afford one? ‘Cause that is a costly task
(I am richer grander nobler and we will never want
When you look to your man you’ll find Lysander can’t
By great Oberon I will keep going on
Until you admit we have won this song)
You think you’re just so perfect. But now this part will kill
You’re just a spoilt brat – no discernable skills
You had to find a husband because no one can live for free
And you pissed off your dad big time so enjoy poverty

Honey, Honey, Honey - !!!NEW!!!

I can't believe I didn't think of this parody before - it seems so obvious when you listen to the lyrics. (But then again why would you think of mixing ABBA with Winnie the Pooh?)

Money, Money, Money Honey, Honey, Honey not by ABBA

I know for me that life is good, here in the Hundred Acre Wood

With my friends
But I cannot help how I feel – my mind’s always on my next meal
Never ends
In my dreams it’s all I see
It haunts my ev’ry fantasy
So I will seek it ev’ry day, my need will never go away...

Honey, honey, honey
It’s not funny
It is my whole world
Honey, honey, honey
Soft and runny
It is my whole world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I would do
Just to get a little honey
It is my whole world

A lot of that is hard to find but I can't get it off my mind
Silly (old) bear
And if I happened ‘pon a bee I bet he wouldn't share with me
So unfair
All that I try, all that I do
Is just to get a lick or two
It might seem dumb to be this way, it’s how I choose to spend my day...

Honey, honey, honey
It’s not funny
It is my whole world
Honey, honey, honey
Soft and runny
It is my whole world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I would do
Just to get a little honey
It is my whole world

Honey, honey, honey
It’s not funny
It is my whole world
Honey, honey, honey
Soft and runny
It is my whole world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I would do
Just to get a little honey
It is my whole world

It is my whole world

From The Mind of Merc - Diets

(I thought I had already posted this thought but it turns out I haven't so here goes)

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about diets.

I don’t understand dieting. I mean, if it’s for your health then fine. If your weight is affecting you’re ability to carry on living – then it makes sense you would need to (try to) lose weight. But otherwise why would you put yourself through that? We all have such a short span upon this earth – why waste it being miserable?

Picture the scene - you’re having a lovely day out with your friends:-

Friend: What dessert are you having?

You: Oh, no – I won’t.

Friend: But everyone else is.

You: But I want to drop a jean size so I’ll pass.

Now you’re the Party Pooper.

Or how about you’re celebrating a achievement in your family

Family member: Champagne for everyone!

You: Oh, no thanks – I’m watching my figure.

Family member: So?

You: So do you know how many calories there are in champagne?

Moment ruined.

To me, the suggestion that you should forbid yourself from something you want because it might mean you won’t fit into clothes that aren’t your size is ludicrous. Here’s a novel idea – why not get clothes that fit you? With plus size becoming more socially acceptable (at last) there is much more choice and variety available for the majority of us who don’t fit into a size 6 summer dress. Make your wardrobe work for you – not the other way round.

I have a theory that everyone has a set weight that they are either biologically or genetically determined to fluctuate around. They may lose a little, they may gain a little but they will always hover around that weight. Evidence for my theory comes from numerous comments made by friends who have dieted that, having stopped dieting, have eventually gone back to the weight they were before – but not more than. If that is the case then whatever you do will ultimately have little to no effect.

So instead of reaching for that calorie counter, reach for mirror and start learning to love yourself just as you are – because I seriously doubt you’ll be alone. You do not need to be thin to be beautiful and healthy. And you certainly don’t need to diet to be happy.