So Long, My Friends
Oh, that sounded like I was saying goodbye. "So Long" is a funny phrase like that, isn't it? Well I meant it literally - it's been "so long" since I've written in here that loads has happened - just very little of it worthy of being blogged about. Blogs are like keeping your desk clean - you tell yourself you'll do it every day, but over time it gradually slips and then every now and again you have a big catch up and then do it regularly for a few weeks. Count this as a bit of a catch up, if you would.
So since I last wrote in here, I'm considerably lighter. I was never what you're call "fat" but I had a bit of body fat around my middle which is fortunately now starting to disappear. It took a complete shake up in both my eating and training to do it, but getting lean at the age of 37 isn't that easy, you know. I've still a way to go, but I'm pleased with progress so far.
One of the interesting things I've had to do is to stop enjoying the sessions at the gym. I think previously I was putting too much emphasis on "having a good workout" which usually meant enjoying it. Now, I really don't enjoy the sessions. Too much pain and too much hard work for enjoyment. But that's no longer the point. The same with the nutrition plan really - I'm on hardly any carbs, no dairy, nothing fried, no fruit... it sounds like torture, and the only thing which is keeping me going through watching friends eat lovely desserts whilst I sit there sipping a glass of water is the knowledge that only a few months ago, I was over two stone heavier and wearing jeans in a larger size. Weight loss isn't really the goal; loss of body fat is the goal. So I'm probably not going to lose more than a few more kilos at the most... but I'm already buying tshirts labelled "small" so it's not all bad...
So Eurovision was great this year, wasn't it? If only for the amazing Swedish half-time song. I've always loved Sweden (though it's a little riot-y at the moment, but I'm sure that'll pass) and that song made me love them even more. Men pushing prams, gay weddings and a huge fan blowing Carola off the stage in the middle of a song. What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, would've been nice had our Bonnie come a little higher in the standings, but there's always next year.
This gay marriage thing is dragging on a bit, too. A while ago the Commons voted for it, and that was the start of the process to get it done - but more rubbish and gibberish spouted by bigots starting every sentence with "I'm not homophobic but..." and we're still seeing the bill dragging its arse slowly through Parliament. Still, it'll get there eventually - it may just take a while.
I genuinely don't understand the opposition of straight people to gay marriage. That's not to say that every straight person opposes it, of course. Most of them (according to surveys) are in favour, and almost all of the rest couldn't care either way - but the it's the vocal minority grabbing all the headlines. Those who think that just because two blokes dress in suits and scatter pink confetti around the place the whole of society will crumble. All this talk of "well what's next? Polygamy? Incest?" - no, neither of those things are next. Once gay people have the same right to marriage as straight people then that's it. It's a shame that some of those people can't just be honest and say "I'm not so keen on the gays" rather than dressing it up as some moral crusade. It's fine - just say you're not keen on the gays - quite frankly, I'm not that keen on you either, Mr Tebbit.
In happier news, we paid a visit to the Olympic Park (or should I say Queen Elizabeth Park) the other weekend. You can pay fifteen quid to get a bus into the park and head up The Orbit to see what's happening to the park. On the one hand it's nice to see the housing going up, and really does give you the feeling that the site won't be wasted after it's all over and done. The new neighbourhoods are close enough to existing ones that it's easy to believe that the world outside the site will just encroach a little and what was the Olympic Park will disappear into the blur of flats and greenery which is East London. On the other hand, it's sad to see the dismantled remains of what was an amazing summer. Just as it's sad to take the bunting down after a street party. The party itself remains in your memory, but the fact that it's all being packed back up into boxes and the recycling packed into green tubs means that all the guests have gone and all there will ever be are the memories. The running track still has "London 2012" emblazoned across it. Good memories from a great year for this great city.
Oh - yeah - since last writing I've been to Canada too. Twice. Although once was just a very quick transit stop to change flights down to the US, but the second time we actually spent a while in Vancouver. Lovely city. It reminded me of Sydney a bit. Not quite a sunny, nor as Australian, but had that laid back vibe about it which UK and US cities just don't have. Weirdly, I bumped into somebody I know at the airport in Vancouver too; somebody I used to work with was on the same BA flight back to London as me...
I've also been doing some gardening (and contributed my regular posts to http://eastlondongardensociety.wordpress.com/ if you're into that kind of thing). Looks like the garden may be appearing in a documentary about the history of gardening in London, too. Guess I'll have to get out there and do some weeding then!
So, there you have it. Caught up to date. I promise I won't leave it for over a month again. Probably.
So since I last wrote in here, I'm considerably lighter. I was never what you're call "fat" but I had a bit of body fat around my middle which is fortunately now starting to disappear. It took a complete shake up in both my eating and training to do it, but getting lean at the age of 37 isn't that easy, you know. I've still a way to go, but I'm pleased with progress so far.
One of the interesting things I've had to do is to stop enjoying the sessions at the gym. I think previously I was putting too much emphasis on "having a good workout" which usually meant enjoying it. Now, I really don't enjoy the sessions. Too much pain and too much hard work for enjoyment. But that's no longer the point. The same with the nutrition plan really - I'm on hardly any carbs, no dairy, nothing fried, no fruit... it sounds like torture, and the only thing which is keeping me going through watching friends eat lovely desserts whilst I sit there sipping a glass of water is the knowledge that only a few months ago, I was over two stone heavier and wearing jeans in a larger size. Weight loss isn't really the goal; loss of body fat is the goal. So I'm probably not going to lose more than a few more kilos at the most... but I'm already buying tshirts labelled "small" so it's not all bad...
So Eurovision was great this year, wasn't it? If only for the amazing Swedish half-time song. I've always loved Sweden (though it's a little riot-y at the moment, but I'm sure that'll pass) and that song made me love them even more. Men pushing prams, gay weddings and a huge fan blowing Carola off the stage in the middle of a song. What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, would've been nice had our Bonnie come a little higher in the standings, but there's always next year.
This gay marriage thing is dragging on a bit, too. A while ago the Commons voted for it, and that was the start of the process to get it done - but more rubbish and gibberish spouted by bigots starting every sentence with "I'm not homophobic but..." and we're still seeing the bill dragging its arse slowly through Parliament. Still, it'll get there eventually - it may just take a while.
I genuinely don't understand the opposition of straight people to gay marriage. That's not to say that every straight person opposes it, of course. Most of them (according to surveys) are in favour, and almost all of the rest couldn't care either way - but the it's the vocal minority grabbing all the headlines. Those who think that just because two blokes dress in suits and scatter pink confetti around the place the whole of society will crumble. All this talk of "well what's next? Polygamy? Incest?" - no, neither of those things are next. Once gay people have the same right to marriage as straight people then that's it. It's a shame that some of those people can't just be honest and say "I'm not so keen on the gays" rather than dressing it up as some moral crusade. It's fine - just say you're not keen on the gays - quite frankly, I'm not that keen on you either, Mr Tebbit.
In happier news, we paid a visit to the Olympic Park (or should I say Queen Elizabeth Park) the other weekend. You can pay fifteen quid to get a bus into the park and head up The Orbit to see what's happening to the park. On the one hand it's nice to see the housing going up, and really does give you the feeling that the site won't be wasted after it's all over and done. The new neighbourhoods are close enough to existing ones that it's easy to believe that the world outside the site will just encroach a little and what was the Olympic Park will disappear into the blur of flats and greenery which is East London. On the other hand, it's sad to see the dismantled remains of what was an amazing summer. Just as it's sad to take the bunting down after a street party. The party itself remains in your memory, but the fact that it's all being packed back up into boxes and the recycling packed into green tubs means that all the guests have gone and all there will ever be are the memories. The running track still has "London 2012" emblazoned across it. Good memories from a great year for this great city.
Oh - yeah - since last writing I've been to Canada too. Twice. Although once was just a very quick transit stop to change flights down to the US, but the second time we actually spent a while in Vancouver. Lovely city. It reminded me of Sydney a bit. Not quite a sunny, nor as Australian, but had that laid back vibe about it which UK and US cities just don't have. Weirdly, I bumped into somebody I know at the airport in Vancouver too; somebody I used to work with was on the same BA flight back to London as me...
I've also been doing some gardening (and contributed my regular posts to http://eastlondongardensociety.wordpress.com/ if you're into that kind of thing). Looks like the garden may be appearing in a documentary about the history of gardening in London, too. Guess I'll have to get out there and do some weeding then!
So, there you have it. Caught up to date. I promise I won't leave it for over a month again. Probably.