The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl

The First Step

I wrote this two weeks ago but got busy with Christmas and forgot to post. Doing a helluva lot better now, but methinks an update is in order! Hope you are all having a happy new year. Rock on 2010!

It's been almost seven weeks since the Ranting Orangutan entry and it almost took that long to finally do something about my depression. I'll just come out and use the Big D word now. Looking back though the archives the other day, this started brewing over two years ago, and if I'd been bold enough to admit it earlier it may not have got so messy.

After the Ranting Orangutan I ran wild with the I Feel Awful theme. My head was like wool and I could not focus on anything. There was lots of weeping and ten pounds worth of mindless eating to add to the ten that had already crept on over the year. There was that smothering hopeless black hole feeling.

I ran away from the work Christmas party. We were getting ready in the loos when the dread and panic swooped over. It was a strange, physical reaction... shaking and nausea and wanting to shrivel into a ball on the bathroom floor. I just could not face going out. It really really really sucks to sob all over your colleagues and not know why.

I nicked off home to the safety of the couch, thinking this isn't me, something's wrong here... but still didn't do anything. Then the whole panic-and-run routine happened again at kickboxing the following week. Bloody hellfire.

I finally went to the doctor on Tuesday, but not before doing five different online Are You Depressed tests to get some empirical evidence. I also took a comprehensive list of all the things I did to try and get better on my own over these past months, so the doctor didn't think I was a slackarse drug fiend.

It was the same old words I wrote about 1999 and 2002 - the feeling like a fraud, the feeling like a failure for not being able to solve things on my own; the almost wishing for a broken limb or a giant, festering wound on my forehead so there was a proper, visible reason for being so bleak. But the doctor was kind and helpful, not the take-the-pills-and-get-outta-here type. She was all about the one-step-a-time, mind and body approach. Groovy.

Why is it so difficult to own up to the Big D? There's the stuff in the paragraph above, and also the not wanting to feel like a pain in the butt to my family. Plus the memory of someone who used the Big D as their crutch, as an excuse for treating people like rubbish. I have an illness so that is why I might be a fuckwit sometimes... I don't ever want to be lumped into that category. But going to the other extreme and pretending there's no problem... that's gotten me bloody nowhere.

I don't want to spend another another year living in slow motion, all detached and fuzzy. I have seen dear friends lose loved ones to incurable illnesses this year... depression is something I can so easily manage, if I just accept it, stop worrying about what people think and get on with the getting better!

So that's what's been happening. Six days later and it already feels less like I'm walking through molasses. It's good to have taken that first step.

Here we go again

Two thousand and ten. Rhymes with pen, den, hen, Sven, and Here We Go Again!*

Happy new year, groovers. Are you resolutioning this year?

Last year I made three No Year's Resolutions, a.k.a. The Minimum Standards Agreement:

1. Write down what I eat
2. Exercise a minimum 20 minutes a day and
3. 10.30PM internet curfew.

This started out excellently then degenerated as the year went on - especially the bloody internet curfew. I am bring the curfew is BACK as of now. Here be my vow! So we'll need better time management, no more eleventh hour deadlines, and less email and social media faffery.

I'm back on the case with Item 1, for both dietary and documentary reasons. I still like having a record of what I ate - words to transport you back to places and meals of yore, as opposed to obsessing over calorie counts.

Item 2 is back in place, technically. If you count incidental walking to and from the bus stop, I make the minimum! This year the goal is to chill out. I'm cutting back my gym sessions from four to just two (both kickboxing) and the rest will all be done at home. I ran myself stupid last year trying to squeeze everything in, at the expense of other stuff. And I've missed the wee home "gym" so much. After three weeks of inertia I did a new Cathe DVD this week and pow, the home gym love was back. Especially the bit where I flopped to the floor for abdominals and got to stick my nose in the nice new clean carpet. Hubba hubba!

Last year I also resolved to read 52 books in 52 weeks... fail! I read 36 - still more books than I’d read in the past five years combined. I won’t be attempting this one again. I found myself picking easier or shorter books just so I could read them quicker! Where's the fun in that? This year I am just going to read whatever I fancy and to heck with the quantity. I want to start with a big fat Russian classic.

So no big goals for 2010, aside from properly addressing why 2009 became quite a shambles and being more thoughtful about how I do things. I want to think before I act - trying to say Yes to the right things and No to the wronguns.

I might make more concrete goals later in the year but right now I'm just enjoying the snow and the feeling of the world slowly coming back in to focus.

Thank you also for your comments on the last post, you rawk and it is always comforting to know you're not alone.

* your accent may vary.

Two Fit Chicks Episode 07 - Getting STARTed in 2010

So much for my resolve not to leave things to the last minute. The weekend went wonky thanks to an encounter with some evil White Russians on Saturday night but I had made a side-resolution to get off the couch be more social. What do you do when two resolutions collide?

Somehow after 9 hours, 7 cups of tea and one fat wedge of Christmas cake the podcast was distilled down to just 35 minutes. And I'd well and truly busted the internet curfew. Bugger!

Today's episode is called Getting STARTed in 2010, the uppercase letters being one of Carla's natty acronyms! We also chatted to a bunch of great bloggers about how they got started on the road to healthier living.

By the way, we hope to chat to lots more people in 2010 so if we've not hunted you down yet please don't think you're not LURVED!

» Check out Episode 7 over at the Two Fit Chicks website

Announcing The Dietgirl 9th Birthday Sell Out!

This here blog turns the crusty old age of nine today!

It has been a grand old time and I wanted to say thanks again for coming along for the ride. I have made some amazing pals through this beast. Thank you for all the laughs and inspiration and wonderful comments and emails. Again I sincerely apologise for not being able to keep up with the replies, but I do read them all and do a little chair dance!

Over the years many people have asked why there's no advertising or giveaways on this blog. Is it because you're an artiste? An elitist snob? A raging communist?

It could be the above. Or it could be I'm too lazy to figure out how to fit ads into my templates. Or it could be, to paraphrase Mr Darcy, that PR companies so very rarely get in touch with anything handsome enough to tempt me. 99% of press releases are completely irrelevant to me and/or you lovely readers.

A typical request:

Mr Diet Girl,

Would you like to write about  Crazy Bob's Tastee Granola Bar that's only available in the USA and is laden with dodgy sweeteners and orangutan-destroying palm oil?

In exchange for 500 words of copy and 16 links in your sidebar we will give you one (1) Crazy Bob's Tastee Granola Bar...

So there you have it, nine years of non-commercial bloggery. If the Total Greek Yogurt people offered me a trip to Greece to visit the yogurt plantations... that might be a different story.

All that said, today I am going to break tradition. For the big bad birthday, I'm busting out a giveaway!

After years of offering feck all, now I'm trying to make it up to you, like an estranged parent with an ice cream cone.

For one week only, may I proudly present...

The Dietgirl 9th Birthday Sell Out starts this Monday 18 January. I'll be giving away one prize per day, for nine consecutive days.

Basically all I did was ferret through my cupboards and think about what stuff I liked to eat and do and wear and whatnot. Then I became a shameless hussy and wrote a megaload of emails to the people that make these various products. I asked if they fancied donating a prize to The Dietgirl 9th Birthday Sell Out? A number of them responded favourably to form a delightful hodge podge of prizes.

We're not talking OMG Oprah Put A Car Under My Chair kind of prizes, but they are cracking wee things that I absolutely adore that I was highly tempted to keep for myself, made by some really sound companies.

Best of all, most of these giveaways are open to readers from anywhere in the world. None of that crushing USA ONLY stuff around here! Well, a couple are UK Only but how often does the UK get to lord it over everyone since the Empire crumbled?

Anyway, if you want to join in The Dietgirl 9th Birthday Sell Out, be sure to come back this Monday 18 January when the first prize will come up for grabs. All you will have to do to enter is leave a comment with a valid email address. Winners will be chosen by a random number generator. Giddyup!

WIN! Audio workouts from @CardioCoach - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 1

The prize: Cardio Coach Volume 1 MP3 workout

Available to readers from: Worldwide

What the heck is it?
Cardio Coach™ is a downloadable audio workout program for your iPod / MP3 player and is designed for any type of cardio machine (bikes, treadmill, cross trainer, elliptical, stair stepper, rower etc.) and features a patented levels & zone system for any fitness level, from beginner to advanced.

Why do you dig it?
I wrote about Cardio Coach™ in 2007:

.. a dude called Sean O'Malley with a rather sexy voice tells you exactly what to do; suitable for any piece of cardio equipment. When to go fast, when to go slow, when to stretch; it really does make the time go faster! I have conversations with Sean in my head. I hate you Sean. Oh we're almost there? Fine then. I'll do it. Only for you. Fetch me another bottle of water Sean. You're the best Sean. HIGHLY recommended.

There are 10 copies of Cardio Coach™ Volume 1 to be won, each worth $14.95 USD.
Simply leave a comment below to enter! Entries close Tuesday 26 January 2010 at 10.00 GMT.
Winners will be drawn at random.Click here to view terms and conditions of the prize draw.

BONUS! Don't despair if you miss out: All Dietgirl readers score 25% discount off all workouts until January 31. Just enter the code dietgirl at the checkout.

Terms and Conditions - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out

Here are the terms of the Sell Out which I meant to post earlier. Don't dob me into the Blog Police!

1. To enter a Sell Out prize draw, leave a comment on the post(s) of the prize(s) that you'd like to win.
2. One entry per person per prize.
3. Duplicate entries will be removed.
4. Winners will be chosen at random using a random number generator.
5. You must supply a valid email address to win. If a winner is drawn and the email address doesn't work, another winner will be drawn at random.
6. You don't have to write anything special in the comments but feel free to say hello or write a haiku or rant about your day or tell us what you had for brekkie!

Groovy to see all the entries so far! I cracked up at this one from Alison:

For shame - I de-lurk not to comment on a particuarly funny entry, not to offer congratulations on achievements newly reported, not to send words of encouragement on dark days. No I de-lurk for the chance of winning something. Shallow-ness exposed. Ah well.

Don't worry, folks. De-lurk to your hearts content! I know there's some blogs I've stalked for years and have just been struck dumb when it comes to leaving a comment. So please, go forth and be in it to win it. Sell Out! Sell Out! Sell Out!

WIN! @rudehealth porridge and muesli feast - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 2

The prize: a Rude Health jute bag filled with enough Rude Health porridge and muesli to keep you going until Spring

Available to readers from: UK only.

I am spewingly jealous of this prize. Get a load of all this porridge! So many flavours. I just want to rip open all the boxes, pour them into the bathtub and splash around. Or just eat them all.

What the heck is it?
Rude Health make organic cereals without any dodgy things in them. From their website: "We source sustainably-grown food from producers we trust. We select the best GM-free ingredients and create cereals just the way we like them. Our packaging minimises waste too; we use recycled, recyclable materials wherever possible."

Why do you dig it?
I like that these cereals have lots of big flavours going on, but not too many flavours going on. I hate when a muesli looks like an untidy jewellery box - clashing, tangled lumps of stuff. The Rude Health flavour combinations make sense! My favourite might well be No Flamin' Raisins, not because I have anything against raisins but it sounds like a cereal that would be endorsed by Alf Stewart from Home And Away.

There is 1 mega porridge and muesli feast to give away. 5 runners-up will each receive two boxes of fruity porridge: Top Banana & Fruity Date. Simply leave a comment below to enter! Sorry, UK residents only. Entries close Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 10.00 GMT.

Check out the other prizes on offer here.
Click here for terms and conditions of the prize draw.

WIN! 'An Honest Kitchen' magazine - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 3

The prize:
Three lucky winners will each receive one copy of An Honest Kitchen, the e-magazine all about delicious, simply prepared seasonal food.

Available to readers from: Worldwide

What the heck is it?
An Honest Kitchen is the creation of nutritionist and writer extraordinaire Limes & Lycopene and food blogger and ace photographer Lucinda Dodds of Nourish Me. The magazine is about, "Food that’s balanced and made up of ingredients which improve your health, served in realistic portions. Along the way we’ve tried to simplify, cut back on processes, find ways of making the cooking easier and show the food as it really is. Honest food."

Why do you dig it?
It's a stunner of magazine. The photography is gorgeous, the writing is delicious to read, and the recipes are great. How do you like the sound of Spiced North African Chicken, Beef Medallions with Cauliflower & White Bean Mash or a Lentil, Ricotta and Rocket tart? Hubba hubba. The mag is also full of great tips and nutritional information in a helpful, non-jargony way. You can feel the care and hours of effort that Lucinda and Kathryn have poured into it!

There are 3 copies of An Honest Kitchen e-magazine to be won. Winners can choose from the Winter edition, or the bumper Spring/Summer edition which is out on 26 January.
Leave a comment below to enter! Winner will be drawn at random. This prize is open to readers anywhere and everywhere. Entries close Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 12.00 GMT.

Check out the other prizes on offer here.
Click here to view the terms and conditions for the prize draw.

WIN! Weight Loss Resources membership - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 4

The prize: Courtesy of Weight Loss Resources, one winner will receive:

• 6 months membership to Weight Loss Resources
• a Food & Exercise Daily Diary
• a copy of The Calorie, Carb & Fat Bible 2010

Available to readers from: UK only.

What the heck is it?
Weight Loss Resources is a cracking set of online tools to help you bust the lard. Features include:

• The biggest UK food database
• Food diary and analysis tools
• Calorie requirements calculator
• Goal setting facilities
• Monitoring of weight, body fat and BMI
• Reports and charts on weight and nutrition
• Add your own recipes and automatically calculate nutritional information
• Exercise activity database
• Members forum
• News, features and tips including a monthly column by me!

Why do you dig it?
I've been a member since 2004 but didn't really put the site to good use until early 2005 when I was in a desperate rush to fit into my wedding dress. I found the site to be a no-nonsense way to track my food and goals. You enter your height and weight, you decide how much you want to lose each week (from 0.5 -2 pounds) and it tells you how many calories a day to eat. It also tallies up carbs, protein, fat and fibre.

You can also run little reports which appeals to my inner geek - I sleep better knowing precisely how many grams of apples I've eaten in a week, ho ho ho. Best of all it has a comprehensive UK food database - I've tried other sites but most of them are US-based so you have to manually enter foods. Only thing missing from WLR would be a dedicated iPhone app, although the site works fine on a mobile browser!

One winner will receive 6 months membership to WLR plus the Calorie & Carb Bible and journal.
Leave a comment below to enter! Sorry, UK residents only. Entries close Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 10.00 GMT. Winner will be chosen at random.

Check out the other prizes on offer here.
Click here to view the terms and conditions for the prize draw.

WIN! Enell sports bra from @lessbounce - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 5

The prize: One Enell sports bra in the colour and size of your choice, courtesy of LessBounce.com.

Available to readers from: Worldwide

What the heck is it?
The Enell sports bra allows the large chested lass to exercise without discomfort. It may not be the sexiest garment, but your boobs will not go anywhere in this thing!

Stern expression may or may not enhance your workout.

Why do you dig it?
Before I got my Enell I couldn't do high impact cardio without pain. I'd hug my chest when we did jumping kicks in Body Combat class so things wouldn't jiggle. But that all changed in 2004 when I strapped myself into this beast and found I could finally gallumph around to my hearts content, pain-free.

I bought my Enell from LessBounce.com, who kindly donated this prize. The company was started by fitness instructor and personal trainer Selaine Saxby when she couldn't find a good sports bra locally. Now they stock sports bras suitable for all sports for chests of all shapes and sizes. They have great customer service, a handy bra finder on the homepage and they ship worldwide. You and your boobs cannae go wrong!

Simply leave a comment below to enter! This prize is open to readers anywhere and everywhere. NB the bra is designed for the more generous bosom, 32C and up. Click here for the measurement chart.

Entries close Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 12.00 GMT. Winner will be drawn at random.

Check out the other prizes on offer here.
Click here to view the terms and conditions for the prize draw.

WIN! SuperJam 100% pure fruit jams - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 6

The prize: One reader shall winneth six jars of SuperJam 100% pure fruit jam, courtesy of the jam man himself, Fraser Doherty.

Available to readers from: UK only.
But read on, globetrotters, if you like a good enterpreneurial tale!

What the heck is it?
SuperJam is a range of 100% pure fruit jams; sweetened with grape juice and made using Super Fruits, such as blueberries and cranberries. Nothing artificial is added and SuperJam is much lower in sugar and calories than regular jams.

SuperJam was created by Scottish teenager Fraser Doherty, after being taught to make jam using his Gran’s secret recipes at the age of fourteen. From humble beginnings, the company now supplies major UK supermarkets and is even included in a museum exhibit as an example of an ‘Iconic Scottish Food Brand’.

He also runs huge SuperJam tea parties all over the country for elderly people,wth live music, dancing and of course scones, tea and jam. You gotta take your hat off to this guy. See here you cranky grown-ups, not all the youths are doing nowt but drinking and spewing up kebabs in the street!

Why do you dig it?
Because it's Scottish! And it's a fantastic story. And the labels are groovy. Oh yeah, and the jam is good. It's sweet but in a fruity, not sugary way. I love a blob of it in my porridge or on toast with almond butter. It is also magic on a freshly baked scone. Mmm mmm.

Simply leave a comment below to enter! Sorry, UK residents only. Entries close Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 12.00 GMT. Winner will be drawn at random.

Check out the other prizes on offer here.
Click here to view the terms and conditions for the prize draw.

WIN! The Spark book from @sparkpeople - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 7

The prize: Four readers will receive a copy of The Spark, courtesy of SparkPeople.com.

Available to readers from: Worldwide.

What the heck is it?
The Spark is a book from the experts who created SparkPeople.com. It distills the wealth of information, plans and tips on the website into handy book form. Best of all it draws on the wisdom of "successful losers" from the site with inspiring before and after photos. The book is out now in the US and out in the UK from tomorrow.

Why do you dig it?
I was invited to read an advance copy of the book last year and now you can find my verdict on TheSpark's website:

How novel to see my floating head next to a quote that I actually said, as opposed to all those fake ass acai berry testimonials!

There are 4 copies of The Spark to be won. Simply leave a comment below to enter! Entries close Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 12.00 GMT. Winner will be drawn at random.

Check out the other prizes on offer here.
Click here to view the terms and conditions for the prize draw.

WIN! Uber Prezzie Box from Natural Balance Foods - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 8

The prize: Two lucky gits will win an Uber Prezzie Box of tasty treats from Natural Balance Foods.

Available to readers from: UK only.

What the heck is it?
Natural Balance Foods are "a little young British company dedicated to promoting health, humour and helpfulness. This means we make really delicious, natural nibbles that taste good and do good." This prize contains 20 of their finest treats:

• 3 Trek bars: Mixed Berry, Cocoa Brownie & Peanut & Oat
• 2 Trek Flapjacks: Oat Crunch & Cherry Crunch
• 3 Nakd bars: Berry Cheeky, Apple Pie & Cocoa Loco
• 4 Nakd Nibbles: Berry Cheeky, Apple Pie, Cocoa Loco & Banana Bread
• 4 Nakd Raisins: Cherry, Orange, Lemon & Pineapple
• 4 Nakd Nudies Gluten Free: Cashew Cookie, Cocoa Orange, Ginger Bread, Pecan Pie

Why do you dig it?
I was looking for a UK alternative to Lara Bars and had even tried making my own by blasting dates and cashews in the food processor. All I got was sludge and a smoking applicance. Then I found Nakd bars in a health food shop. They are ace for a 3pm snack or a great energy boost on a long walk. My absolute favourite is the Nakd Nudies in Cocoa Orange - it tastes like a squishy Terry's Chocolate Orange but it's just dates, cashews, raisins and cocoa and a hint of natural flavour. And only 130 calories, bonus.

There are 2 Uber Prezzie Boxes to be won. Simply leave a comment below to enter! UK residents only. Entries close Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 12.00 GMT. Winner will be drawn at random.

Check out the other prizes on offer here.
Click here to view the terms and conditions for the prize draw.

WIN! @dorsetcereals flake and porridge frenzy - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 8, Part II

We have a second prize today as this one came a wee bit late to the party. It's UK only, but hold your grumbles... 6 out of the 10 half of prizes have been worldwide! Tomorrow's 10th and final Sell Out is all inclusive :)

The prize: Dorset Cereals Fruity Porridge sachets and Tasty Low Fat Flakes

Available to readers from: UK only.

MOAR OATS! You can never have too many oats.

What the heck is it?
Dorset Cereals are another great wee UK company hailing from the rolling hills of Dorset, obviously. They make delicious porridge, muesli, granola, bars and slices all stuffed full of tasty fruit, nuts and seeds. Today's prize is a big box of their brand new Tasty Low Fat Flakes, a marvelous mingling of apples, cranberries, cherries and raspberries with barley and wheat flakes. There's also a box of Fruity Porridge Simple Sachets so you're 2 minutes away from hot porridge, jazzed up with either apple and raisin or raspberry and cranberry.

Why do you dig it?
They make tasty goods without any funny business. There are no polysyllabic ingredients on the box. I particularly like their Fruit Nuts and Seeds bars for an arvo snack - toasted flakes, fruit, nuts and seeds, held together with butter, finely chopped nuts and agave syrup. Just 136 calories a pop.

There are 3 prize packs to give away, consisting of a box of the new Tasty Low Fat Flakes and 8 sachets of Fruity Porridge. Leave a comment below to enter! Sorry, UK residents only. Entries close Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 10.00 GMT.

Check out the other prizes on offer here.
Click here for terms and conditions of the prize draw.

WIN! $100 @cathe Download voucher - DG 9th Birthday Sell Out Day 9

It's the final day of the Dietgirl 9th Birthday Sell Out and today's prize is a biggun!

The prize: One $100 USD voucher for Cathe Downloads.

Available to readers from: Worldwide

What the heck is it?
Home fitness guru Cathe Friedrich recently released her entire 150+ workout catalogue in digital format, so you can watch your downloads on any computer or video-enabled mobile device, like an iPod.

Why do you dig it?
If you've been reading this blog for any length of time you may recall I like working out from home and Cathe is my favourite loungeroom arsekicker. I wrote a comprehensive review of Cathe Downloads back in November, so you can read all about it here, including a list of my favourite Cathe workouts. Or you might want to step back to the beginning and download some Step N Motion, circa 1989!

Ye Olde Cathe

Leave a comment below to enter! This prize is open to readers anywhere and everywhere. Entries close Wednesday 3 February 2010 at 12.00 GMT. Winner will be chosen at random.

Check out the other prizes on offer here.
Click here to view the terms and conditions for the prize draw.

UPDATE June 2010: I've now become a Cathe Downloads affiliate, so if you purchase any Cathe workouts using this link, I'll receive a small commission. Any sales will go towards hosting fees for this blog so if you fancy supporting Dietgirl.org I will love you for life. Thanks for your consideration! :)

Sell Out Summary plus Cardio Coach winners

Man oh man all this pimping is exhausting. Thanks for all your entries! That's all the Sell Out prizes announced now, and aside from Cardio Coach, you can still enter up until Monday 1 February  Wednesday 3 February* 10.00 GMT.

Here's a summary of what's up for grabs:

• Day 2: Rude Health porridge and muesli feast - UK only
• Day 3: An Honest Kitchen magazine - worldwide
• Day 4: Weight Loss Resources membership - UK only
• Day 5: Enell Sports Bra from LessBounce - worldwide
• Day 6: SuperJam 100% Pure Fruit jams - UK only
• Day 7: The Spark book from SparkPeople.com - worldwide
• Day 8: Nakd Uber Prezzie Box and Dorset Cereals Flakes & Porridge - UK only
• Day 9: $100 Cathe Downloads gift voucher - worldwide!

If you'd like to enter please leave a comment on the corresponding entry of the prize. Not on this entry or the terms and conditions entry.

The Day 1 Cardio Coach prize has closed and the random number generator has spoken! The winners were 23 Sheila, 25 Ana, 49 SK, 78 asydfoodie, 109 Ellen K, 131 carrie, 167 FitFunk, 189 Briana, 190 Katie, 194 Fiona. You've all been notified by email.

For those who missed out, you can take advantage of the 25% discount consolation prize if you order by January 31. Just enter the code dietgirl at the checkout. Workouts are already nicely priced at $14.95 USD and even better with the discount.

Also for those who asked:

1. You can test drive Sean's accent on the Cardio Coach website.
2. Yes that is Sean himself trying to douse his hotness with water in the picture!  

* UPDATE: I thought it was Monday then realised I'd put Wednesday on the contest posts. Still a few more days to enter!