5 ON FRIDAY

As you know I've been sick all this week, so to round off all of that I wanted to share five things I do when I'm sick to help me get through it all.

1. Neti Pot

I can get horribly congested each time I get sick. From there, it normally leads down to my chest and prolongs everything. What I have found helps with that is a neti pot. What it does is flushes out your sinuses and nose with a saline solution, which also helps dry things out. With it on its own, I can usually get through things a lot easier because it helps to clear out my nose a lot more effectively than blowing it does.

2. Probiotics

I can't stress how much taking these while I'm sick helps. When I get sick, I normally have to go on antibiotics otherwise I'm sick for weeks. Antibiotics can, unfortunately, kill a lot of good things in your body which is where the probiotics come in. They help to reestablish all of that. I've also found that when I'm probiotics, I'm less likely to get things like thrush from my antibiotics - which is something that can happen to ANY woman or girl who has to have them. It's less than fun, so I would definitely suggest taking a course of probiotics at the same time as your antibiotics.

3. Vicks rub

This stuff is a life saver. It helps clean my nose when I'm sleeping at night and I also use it with hot water to kind of steam out and clear out congestion when I don't want to use the neti pot. It's also amazing to just have in a hot bath!

4. Hot Showers/Baths

I like a hot shower at any time of the day, but when I'm sick I love them even more. It helps with aches and pains. The steam helps to clear out congestion and it just feels nice to wash off any cruddy illness for a few minutes.

5. Rest

This one kind of goes without saying. I'm generally someone who tries and pushes through everything illness wise that I get. It sucks but it's the truth. I've found that if I take the time off and just relax and rest I'm more likely to make a fuller recovery. I also reduce to risk of passing everything onto people who aren't T.

Until next time,

(aka - Sophie)

FIVE ON FRIDAY | Favourite Mystery Books

I had originally planned on writing a list that had to do with singular books, but as I tried to think about the books I love I realised that too many of them were series. So instead of getting five books, I thought that I would suggest 4 different series and a lone book that I love.

1. Phryne Fisher Mysteries by Kerry Greenwood

If you’ve got Netflix, you’ve probably seen a mystery series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries floating around, especially if you love TV mystery shows. These are the books in which that TV series is based on. My Mum and I are both a fan of this series, she was actually the one who put me onto them. They are a fun little romp through 1920’s Melbourne with a Lady Detective who is much too modern for the times that she lives in. Kerry Greenwood does an amazing job of researching the era and creating this world for Phryne to solve mysteries. She delves into some of the things that were going on at the time and creates amazing, fleshed out characters that you’ll fall in love with.

To find out more about the series check out Phryne's Website

2. Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich

If you’ve seen the movie One For the Money with Katherine Heigl, push it to the side and give the books that movie is based on a try. The Stephanie Plum series is not exactly a series series, it’s what I call a chick mystery, written in the style of chick lit with a mystery thrown in for fun. If you don’t like that kind of thing then I would probably skip this series, but I often find myself gravitating to it when I need a fun, easy read that doesn’t really take itself too seriously.

For more about this series, check out Janet Evanovich's Website

3. The Tournament by Matthew Reilly

Take a thriller writer, give him Queen Elizabeth the 1st and send her to the middle east for a chest tournament that turns deadly and you’ve got this book. Matthew Reilly has been a favourite author of mine since I was sixteen and he had talked about this project for a while before he actually announced it. The story itself is amazing, told from the Point of View of Elizabeth the 1st, it tells of a trip she makes to the Ottoman Empire with Roger Aschem so that England can take part in a get Chess Tournament. During the tournament, a guest is killed and Aschem is asked to find the killer and Elizabeth helps him. It’s fast-paced, fun and really worth the read.

To find out more about this book, check out Matthew Reilly's Website

4. Corrina Chapman Series by Kerry Greenwood

Ok. Ok. I know that I have already got a series by Kerry Greenwood on this list, but the Corrina Chapman series needs to be on here as well. Set in modern-day Melbourne, Corrina is a baker who finds herself in the middle of mysteries whether she likes it or not. Written with amazing detail like Phryne, if you like a cast of quirky characters, this series is worth the read.

To find out more about this series, check out Corrina's Website

5. Captain Lacy Regency Mysteries by Ashley Gardner

Sometimes it’s nice to read a mystery series about a character who isn’t rich and is a little down on his luck. Captain Lacy does that brilliantly, giving a vast world filled with characters while explaining what life was like on the bottom of the ladder. If you don’t mind a little romance thrown in for fun, this series is worth the read.

To find out more about this series, check out Ashley Gardner's Website

Until next time,

(aka - Sophie)

5 ON FRIDAY | True Crime Podcasts

A few years ago when I was blogging, I took part in a link party called Five on Friday. Since then I've been trying to find it, but from my digging around I've discovered that it's died down.

I really enjoyed doing it at the time. It was a way for me to come up with one subject and list five things to do with it. Often it was five great things that had happened during to week.

I still want to take part in this so I thought I would just do my own and if someone comments that it's still going, I'll join up and join in.

This week I wanted to share five of my favourite True Crime Podcasts.

For the past few years, I have done a lot of drive to and from work. Often spending over two hours a day going to and from work. Podcasts became a way for me to pass the time as I drive, as often I can get bored listening to music all the time.

This year it's going to be a lot easier, but I still enjoy listening to podcasts, only now I'm doing it as I'm studying or writing blog posts or researching things for The Bulletin Board.

1. Casefile

Picture Credit: iTunes

While Serial was the podcast to get me into True Crime podcasts, Casefile was the first podcast that I listened to that became one that I listened to each week. Told in a narration style, the Casefile team do an amazing job with the research and telling the case, while being respectful to the victims. You can find out more about the podcast HERE.

2. Australian True Crime

Picture Credit: iTunes

I discovered Australian True Crime late last year and I'm so sad that I didn't discover them sooner. Meshel Laurie and Emily Web cover True Crime through interviews with law enforcement, survivors, victims families, families of criminals, journalists and man other avenues. It gives a broad look at the many aspects of True Crime and has introduced me to a number of people who have been involved in a variety of cases. You can find out more about the podcast HERE.

3. Last Podcast on the Left

Picture Credit: Last Podcast on the Left

I discovered Ben, Marcus and Henry when I was having car problems and was having to take a LOT of public transport. Their particular brand of humour, mixed in with their True Crime and horror topics have helped me pass many hours of driving and sitting on a bus. I will admit, that their brand of humour is not always for everyone, but for me personally, I enjoy the depth of research that they do to put out the episodes. You can find out more information about the podcast HERE.

4. Wine and Crime

Picture Credit: Wine and Crime

Now I'm not normally one for a lot of chatter when it comes to my True Crime podcasts. The chatting the boys from Last Podcast on the Left do it probably as far as I can go, but when I discovered the girls from Wine and Crime I just fell in love. They cover a theme a week, go into the psychology and have a bit of a laugh at the same time (never at the expense of the victim, however). You can find out more about the podcast HERE.

5. Criminology

Picture Credit: Criminology Facebook Page

I have been hearing a lot about Criminology since the Golden State Killer was discovered as they were covering the case when he was arrested. I'm halfway through the first season on the Zodiac Killer and it's quickly becoming a favourite. They do a great job at research and really go into depth about the cases that they are covering. You can find out more information about the podcast HERE.

I have a lot of other podcasts that I love and I'll more than likely share them at a later date, but these are the ones that I'm always going back to to regularly listen to or that I'm currently loving.

Until next time,

(aka - Sophie)