It’s been a long year full of challenges and changes. I think, if I’m honest, it has been a tough and, in some ways, rather depressing year. I certainly don’t think I’ll look back on 2010 with positive eyes.

However, I have had some lovely experiences in other countries and managed to work through much of the pressures of work and academia … and I have come out the other side.

With Christmas fast approaching I am starting to think more of change, more of happy and sad times … probably just more introspective …

What to do next …

I’ll sit back, think some more … but I can only think for so long as to make it worth the energy I definitely need to be able to put something into action …

I will return and hopefully this time with a new enthusiasm, a new approach and ready to trek headlong into the New Year that’s calling …

things moving forwards

legs are feeling reasonable after the 14 miles worth of running … just need to keep stretching a little

and … wow … wow … first set of 6 chin ups UNASSISTED … i can’t help but be completely chuffed with myself

it was one of my goals

i even did 4 with a 2.5kg weight around my waist … oh i’m just chuffed with it all ….

hoorah! i feel like i rock and that its all going somewhere

more of these feelings please … more of these goals met …

smiling :O)

How you live your life reflects your attitudes, goals, and your idea of what is right, acceptable, and good.

Take it all day by day, step by step, attitude by attitude

“Activity and sadness are incompatible.” – Christian Bovee

all can change … and …. ”When you’re through changing, you’re through.” -Bruce Barton

i need to learn to say ‘NO’ for me … for my own good … to help achieve my own goals … to reduce the chances of doing things i don’t want too

so … here goes …. NO .. feels quite good

but not sure how i learn to apply this to “you really want a pint” … “oh one fag won’t hurt, just smoke tonight” …  NO … errrr … NO

i guess there is probably some truth in this … i do tend to say ‘YES’ to people more often than i perhaps should when its to do things that normally i wouldn’t choose to do

but then again, i am writing this and (some would say lying to myself) actually thinking i sometimes enjoy the pint and the fag after work … if only i could end it after one or two … and thats the challenge that i cant master … so throw it all out OR keep trying to just have ‘one’

thats the decision …

thats the challenge …

and thats difficult …

i feel better without either of these two particular addictives … so then isn’t it an easy choice … just don’t have them?

if only it was that easy …

but perhaps it is?

perhaps its finding that change in thought process?

that twist in my attitude … hold on to it … guard it preciously

“Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny” – Frank Outlaw

and that should be a lesson to us all … i don’t want my character to be entrenched in a fog of cigarette smoke and the waft of booze … that isn’t me … even though others may disagree … its not who i want to be in my heart

so there it is …

my brain continues to challenge my heart

the main cause of which has been around the overuse of chocolate and alcohol … 2kg’s worth of weight gain to now deal with

…serves me right … but i have learnt another lesson on ‘slippage’

at the end of the day i don’t feel bad about it all … why should I … this was always going to be an ongoing project …. a deep challenge …. an life change

and to expect it all to happen overnight with no slips, trip and falls … well … that would be silly

so … i have realised the weight gain … the body fat percentage is up to 21% from 18% … dehydration factor is down 2% as well … so … if you read that correctly ….

- not enough water

- too much fat

- not enough exercise

- failing to use Livestrong.com properly

all realised … and … off we go again

HOORAY and HOORAH and never forgetting … all these psyche challenges can be dealt with … exorcise w/exercise

rather odd really as i usually have so many things spinning around in my head … but not today

i have made arrangements for my evening in london … shopping on regent street (as its late night) … dinner … bed …

and no nasty addictives to be seen … really want to prove to myself that this is possible and that i can do it … that i can survive london without having to give in … there is no need!

well, for someone who has nothing much to say, i’m doing quite well!

need to find my running plan too and get it in the diary!  thats wandering a little too much at the moment … actually, lets sort that out tonight

well .. i won’t bore your butt off any longer with my ‘terribly disinteresting randoming’

enjoy the day … whatever you might do with it … try to make it count

x

its just bee one of those lovely days … walking by the sea, running by the river, weight training, lazing around in the sunshine … all very lovely

how nice it has been

hope others have had such a lovely day too

i’m yawning now … all that sea air has made me nice a dozy

time to end the weekend with a lovely bit of sofa bathing … excellent way to prepare for the week ahead don’t you think!

Oh and finally, my lovely set of scales tells me that my Body Fat % is c. 19-20% – good good good  :O)

- why is rocky road choc so darn tastey and tempting
- why is self control so hard to improve
- why was quantum of solace only mildly entertaining
- why was the bond theme so ‘not James bond’
- why …
- why …
- why …

incidentally, someone on radio 4 the outer evening suggested that people only write blogs becuse they think their lives are so damn interesting – his words not mine – well, I write a blog purely as. a way to get some random thoughts out of my head

I doubt anyone finds them interesting but if they do then all the better

all I know is that it works for me and people with such negative and synical thoughts should perhaps button it or write a blog themselves!

hope today has been filled with interesting things for y’all to blog about. I have just walked through today but it has been very restful and I got my mac to play on my tv.

so

for me

I accomplished something and I rested.

hooray for today and hoorah for tomorra

see you on the other side of slumber town

nite y’all and may your dreams be pleasantly creative x

well i just did … so it’s done

its fair though today … i’ve worked hard and then come home and managed to kick myself out of the door and do a 9km run

i really didn’t want to go … i mean REALLY didn’t … but i somehow found myself autopiloting the runners on and just getting out there

it rained on my run … that was nice actually … somewhat refreshing after being stuck in an office all day (not to mention a meeting for a good couple of hours) … just the fresh air in the face just seemed so refreshing

however … i have come home and i have an aching achilles … hmmm …. i have stretched and stretched again … hoping that overnight rest will deal with any residual issues

otherwise its sports massage for me tomorrow night or something … and i’d rather not on the basis that it doesn’t burn kcals or build muscles!

new pet shop boys album is going down very well i have to say…. for some reason it takes me back to their earlier stuff even though it does sound new … the xenomania influence i suspect

great for running … each song just seems to chipper me along … a success by my measure anyhow

i’m not going to witter this evening … i’ll give you a break

nite y’all … hopefully a better blogging day tomorrow when brain may work!