In the immortal words of Staind, it's been awhile...
So, at this point I've probably suckered most of you in by mentioning teenage prostitutes. This worries me... still, as I'm going to weed out the pervs straight away by stating that this is pure bait-and-switch from where you dirty so-and-so's thought I was going with this!
To business then: For those of you who have been around me for the past few years, it's not news to you that I've piled on a few pounds. I'm not exactly near the size where you have to cut the side off my trailer to get me some fresh air or anything but it's fair to say that I'm not the skinny wretch I used to be. I'm not going to get thrown off a plane a la Kevin Smith, but if you're sat next to me on a bus, it's gonna be snug. I am what the Scottish like to refer to as 'a big unit'. So, it's probably time to get serious about shifting some weight.
Problem is, I'm aware that I can be a lazy sod and as we as human beings are wont to do, we can get complacent and dial it in rather than show a level of commitment, whether it be because we are just not cut out for whatever task we set ourselves, or because we are scared to fail, thus making it easier to just not try and never experience that feeling, particularly if you are prone to negative thoughts to begin with. So with that in mind, some sort of motivation is in order - question is, where to find it?
The answer? Right here...
http://www.smodcast.com/sminterview/
Listen to interview #2 with Jamie Walton, founder and president of The Wayne Foundation, a charity that has been set up to provide shelter and help for teenage prostitutes looking to get out of the sex trade. This is something that Jamie has been through herself and the tale she tells is just heartbreaking. I made the mistake of listening to it at work on a Monday morning and by the time it was over, I just wasn't in the mood for doing any more work that afternoon. It's a tragic story and anyone that doesn't feel any kind of tugging at their heartstrings while listening to it probably doesn't have a heart to begin with.
The story does have a happy ending, in so much that after much help and support, Jamie is now the head of a charity that is actively trying to make a difference to these kid's lives and it's a testament to her strength of will and courage that she is able to talk about the horrors of her past in such a matter-of-fact way now. If this woman is able to rise from the ashes after something like this, it's not exactly a stretch for me to forgo the odd doughnut or go for a swim now is it?
With the above in mind, while it's all well and good that I'm going to improve myself, it's not enough for me. I need to make this count, which brings me to the real point of this post. October 2012, yours truly is going to be tackling this bad boy:
http://www.mhsurvival.co.uk/page35.asp
Why October 2012? Mainly because I'm in no shape to tackle a jog to the corner shop at present (slight exaggeration but you get the point), let alone tackle something like this without being conditioned to do it. This gives me plenty of time to get some sort of structure together to build up to what is for me, quite a big challenge. How does this affect you, you might ask? Because I'm going to be raiding your pockets that's how! Yes, I'm going to be doing this ridiculous task not just for myself, but in order to raise some money for charity - specifically The Wayne Foundation, if I can find some method of donating as I don't think I can do it via Just Giving (because of course, that would be easy...).
The irony here is that by making all of this public, I'm actually putting more weight on, certainly in terms of expectation. It's one thing to let myself down though and another entirely to let everyone who sponsors me down, so no matter whether you are donating because you feel it's a worthwhile cause or whether you just want to watch a fat man sweat and get muddy, every penny that goes in the pot will be well worth it come next October.
If anyone feels the need to help in other ways as well, be it coming for a run or a swim, recommending some tasty healthy recipes, or simply spreading the word and generating some more coin for the cause, then all help will be gratefully received.
Let's get sweaty...
Tuesday 24 May 2011
Saturday 30 April 2011
Death in the family
Something I've been meaning to write for a while...
Saturday 10th April 2010. A sad day for many people and one that caused me to shed a few tears (I feel we are familiar enough with each other now for me to share this detail).
It's difficult to describe the loss of something in your life that you take for granted, something that you always assume will be there during the good and the bad times. Something that has shared your life and touched it in more ways that you can possibly fathom.
People deal with loss in different ways. Some are quite open about it, some are more stoic. Some look to other places to try and fill the gap that this sudden departure has left in their lives, while others seek to withdraw and retreat. Others still choose a bitter path, ranting at the unfairness of it all and how things could/should have been different. Personally, I've chosen a path of resigned acceptance. All things considered, the writing was on the wall for a while and this knowledge didn't make it much easier to deal with but it did allow me to focus on what was important. The good times. The smiles. The laughter. The joy.
I wish that circumstances in my life had been a bit different - that I was able to spend a bit more time on the things that were important rather than assuming what once was there will always be there. Hindsight is a wonderful thing is it not? Even the greatest and noblest of institutions eventually fall, the passage of time is something that no-one should consider trivial.
It's been over a year now and the loss is still felt keenly amongst those of us that cared. I have so many fond memories that will forever live with me, each one bittersweet as there could have and should have been more. Time is apparently a great healer, but the repercussions of that day will still be felt amongst those of us blessed enough to have been touched by something greater than the petty miseries of day to day existence.
Rest in peace my friend. You were one of a kind, never to be equalled.
I'll miss you Gabe.
Shame on any of you who thought I was talking about Jilly's...
Saturday 10th April 2010. A sad day for many people and one that caused me to shed a few tears (I feel we are familiar enough with each other now for me to share this detail).
It's difficult to describe the loss of something in your life that you take for granted, something that you always assume will be there during the good and the bad times. Something that has shared your life and touched it in more ways that you can possibly fathom.
People deal with loss in different ways. Some are quite open about it, some are more stoic. Some look to other places to try and fill the gap that this sudden departure has left in their lives, while others seek to withdraw and retreat. Others still choose a bitter path, ranting at the unfairness of it all and how things could/should have been different. Personally, I've chosen a path of resigned acceptance. All things considered, the writing was on the wall for a while and this knowledge didn't make it much easier to deal with but it did allow me to focus on what was important. The good times. The smiles. The laughter. The joy.
I wish that circumstances in my life had been a bit different - that I was able to spend a bit more time on the things that were important rather than assuming what once was there will always be there. Hindsight is a wonderful thing is it not? Even the greatest and noblest of institutions eventually fall, the passage of time is something that no-one should consider trivial.
It's been over a year now and the loss is still felt keenly amongst those of us that cared. I have so many fond memories that will forever live with me, each one bittersweet as there could have and should have been more. Time is apparently a great healer, but the repercussions of that day will still be felt amongst those of us blessed enough to have been touched by something greater than the petty miseries of day to day existence.
Rest in peace my friend. You were one of a kind, never to be equalled.
I'll miss you Gabe.
Shame on any of you who thought I was talking about Jilly's...
Thursday 21 April 2011
Perhaps we'd better start from the beginning...
Hi,
Lovely to see you! You look great! Are those new shoes? Have you lost weight?
So, why a blog? A couple of reasons really. First and foremost, it's nice to have an outlet to express one's thoughts, be they positive or negative. Secondly, because I enjoy writing and it's a good opportunity to practice the craft. Thirdly, because some pushy bastard got it into their head that apparently I'm vaguely amusing in some manner or another and actually have something relevant to share with the world. I won't specify who though, that secret will go with me to the grave.
After Ian Saul's badgering though, I saw his point and so have set this up in order to share some of my nonsense with the world (and by world, I obviously mean the two people and five cats that may well read this shit). I'm very much aware that as I'm a bit of a gobshite, I should perhaps lay down a couple of disclaimers before I start getting into the meat of it all...
1) Everything that will be written here will be my opinion and not the opinion shared by any organisations/employers/chosen deities that Imay have any involvement with.
2) As such, you are more than welcome to dis-agree with my opinion and I'm more than happy for folk to leave comments, although it would be nice if they were sensible and not of the 'ZOMG, y do u h8 the 'Biffy so much?!?' style. If I'm using proper sentences, you should too. It's only fair.
3) I won't be passing anything off as fact unless I can support it with documentation. As the reader of a blog that is far more amusing for the attitude of the writer than the actual content, I would like not to come across as the complete tool that this person does (or that most of you know me to be...)
4) Should anyone have any suggestions as to something to write about, send 'em along. I lack imagination after meal times.
I may add more disclaimers as we go - I'm happy that the majority of the people that are likely to read this aren't complete cranks so I think we should get along famously.
Nothing much more to add other than I hope the posts following this introduction provide suitable entertainment. I don't know how often I'll post but let's say once every couple of weeks, provided something worthwhile pops into my head. Otherwise I'll just be blogging about cereal and the state of my underwear.
Think I'm gonna enjoy this...
That colour really suits you by the way.
Lovely to see you! You look great! Are those new shoes? Have you lost weight?
So, why a blog? A couple of reasons really. First and foremost, it's nice to have an outlet to express one's thoughts, be they positive or negative. Secondly, because I enjoy writing and it's a good opportunity to practice the craft. Thirdly, because some pushy bastard got it into their head that apparently I'm vaguely amusing in some manner or another and actually have something relevant to share with the world. I won't specify who though, that secret will go with me to the grave.
After Ian Saul's badgering though, I saw his point and so have set this up in order to share some of my nonsense with the world (and by world, I obviously mean the two people and five cats that may well read this shit). I'm very much aware that as I'm a bit of a gobshite, I should perhaps lay down a couple of disclaimers before I start getting into the meat of it all...
1) Everything that will be written here will be my opinion and not the opinion shared by any organisations/employers/chosen deities that Imay have any involvement with.
2) As such, you are more than welcome to dis-agree with my opinion and I'm more than happy for folk to leave comments, although it would be nice if they were sensible and not of the 'ZOMG, y do u h8 the 'Biffy so much?!?' style. If I'm using proper sentences, you should too. It's only fair.
3) I won't be passing anything off as fact unless I can support it with documentation. As the reader of a blog that is far more amusing for the attitude of the writer than the actual content, I would like not to come across as the complete tool that this person does (or that most of you know me to be...)
4) Should anyone have any suggestions as to something to write about, send 'em along. I lack imagination after meal times.
I may add more disclaimers as we go - I'm happy that the majority of the people that are likely to read this aren't complete cranks so I think we should get along famously.
Nothing much more to add other than I hope the posts following this introduction provide suitable entertainment. I don't know how often I'll post but let's say once every couple of weeks, provided something worthwhile pops into my head. Otherwise I'll just be blogging about cereal and the state of my underwear.
Think I'm gonna enjoy this...
That colour really suits you by the way.
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