In other matters. Sproglet is due home today from her adventures Al Italia...
Welcome home my lovely :)
Oh yeah, comedy - no I've been lazy again and not gigged in over a week. Bad lazy Jo. No getting rich and famous for you!! I have a gig next week. Yes, one gig...Wow. Rock on. Top Comedy Commitments.
Today, partly because I left the flat quite late and partly thanks to that lot of numpties, the RMT being on strike, I rolled into work at around 11. Then I took nearly two hours for lunch, so I'm kind of making up time now. Not actually with work stuff, but I am here in the office and ready to jump to attention, should any Performance Monitoring emergencies arise. It must be re-assuring to the general public to know.
Excellent - I'm all blogged out too. I think I might have a cuppa.
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Gymmage Update
So, I went to see Fitness First on Monday and it was really grim in there. I hope that isn't libelous or anything, but it was really dingy and cramped. My gym Buddy Niamh agreed with me as well, she said it made her feel claustrophobic!
Not to mention they tried to tell us it was 51 quid a month, when I don't know anyone that pays more than 40 quid for FF membership. So, there we have it - it wasn't just me being silly after all. (Apologies to any FF users for being nasty, perhaps it is just the City Road one that is so wholly unpleasant.)
Re the comments from before. Virgin is spitting distance from work. It is 2 minutes away. FF is 4 minutes away, so I'm definitely at the right one! Hoorah... I do go at luncthimes occassionally, but even though it is close and even though I only work-out for around 40-50 minutes, I can't get there, get changed and work-out and get showered and changed again and back to work in less than 1 hour, 30 mins. Often if I faff around, and I'm infamous for my faffing, it takes me two hours. My manager might tolerate that, but when you consider the time I roll up to this joint, (yes, blogging on the Council's time again.) well, it could appear that I'm never here. *gasps-shock horror* So it is better really for me to go after work and sometimes by the end of the day I really don't feel like it.
So the thing is... I said I was pondering option 1, (to stick with Virgin and go to the gym more regularly) and seeing the FF grimpit really made me realise what side my bread was buttered - or should I say reduced fat spreaded? Well, whatever your spread of choice, I know which side mine is on...Get this....
I have been to the gym Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday...Tuesday: I went for a swim out of celebration at the wonders that are the lovely Virgin Active facilities. I am feeling much better about it already.
I don't know tons of people who use the gym, but I had a few lonely boring visits lately, where I went without Niamh and didn't see any of the staff I know and like to say Hi to. Maybe that took the fun out of it for me.
This week, Niamh and I have been across to the gym twice together and I've seen Nicole (the ex-PT) twice and all three days I've seen Roman (the ex-sometimes-stand-in-for-Nicole-PT). That man is so ridiculously hot. Well, I think so anyway. Either way, it seems to make it a lot more jolly if there are friendly faces and I get that extra bit of encouragement.
I had my WW weigh-in last night. The outcome - I had stayed the same weight as the week before. This is a good result really - as my overall approach to WW has been to eat salad slightly more often , but otherwise carry on with my normal unhealthy ways, while hoping for the best. I got myself a points calculator. It makes tracking points a piece of piss. So, maybe that will help me stick to the plan a bit more. Watch this space.
After WW, I went to the pub and got bladdered on five or six pints of premium lager. Points? what points? While at the pub, I got told of a fabulous way to lose weight called "Pig to Twig." Apparently, I absolutely must read this book!!! It is simple and easy and the weight just falls off. I am beside myself with excitement. I wonder if I can Pig to Twig while WWing. It could all get too much if I'm not careful.
The same friends (Sue and Lucy*) who told me about the book, also said I didn't really need to lose weight (women always say that to other women.) Women, hear this - I am above my healthy weight range, as was told to me what I must weigh by the government and I won't rest until I get back in range. Or something like that.
They, Sue and Lucy, proceeded to tell me I was an incredibly attractive woman and intelligent too. I will be seeing a lot more of these friends from now on. I don't know where they had got the impression that my self esteem needed that kind of boost. Moi - doubt myself? Pah, the very thought!! Of course, they were very drunk, but still - what lovely things to say.
*Sue and Lucy are real people. It is purely co-incidence that one is named after my cat. When I start taking diet advice and compliments from the kitties, please lock me up and throw away the key.
Not to mention they tried to tell us it was 51 quid a month, when I don't know anyone that pays more than 40 quid for FF membership. So, there we have it - it wasn't just me being silly after all. (Apologies to any FF users for being nasty, perhaps it is just the City Road one that is so wholly unpleasant.)
Re the comments from before. Virgin is spitting distance from work. It is 2 minutes away. FF is 4 minutes away, so I'm definitely at the right one! Hoorah... I do go at luncthimes occassionally, but even though it is close and even though I only work-out for around 40-50 minutes, I can't get there, get changed and work-out and get showered and changed again and back to work in less than 1 hour, 30 mins. Often if I faff around, and I'm infamous for my faffing, it takes me two hours. My manager might tolerate that, but when you consider the time I roll up to this joint, (yes, blogging on the Council's time again.) well, it could appear that I'm never here. *gasps-shock horror* So it is better really for me to go after work and sometimes by the end of the day I really don't feel like it.
So the thing is... I said I was pondering option 1, (to stick with Virgin and go to the gym more regularly) and seeing the FF grimpit really made me realise what side my bread was buttered - or should I say reduced fat spreaded? Well, whatever your spread of choice, I know which side mine is on...Get this....
I have been to the gym Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday...Tuesday: I went for a swim out of celebration at the wonders that are the lovely Virgin Active facilities. I am feeling much better about it already.
I don't know tons of people who use the gym, but I had a few lonely boring visits lately, where I went without Niamh and didn't see any of the staff I know and like to say Hi to. Maybe that took the fun out of it for me.
This week, Niamh and I have been across to the gym twice together and I've seen Nicole (the ex-PT) twice and all three days I've seen Roman (the ex-sometimes-stand-in-for-Nicole-PT). That man is so ridiculously hot. Well, I think so anyway. Either way, it seems to make it a lot more jolly if there are friendly faces and I get that extra bit of encouragement.
I had my WW weigh-in last night. The outcome - I had stayed the same weight as the week before. This is a good result really - as my overall approach to WW has been to eat salad slightly more often , but otherwise carry on with my normal unhealthy ways, while hoping for the best. I got myself a points calculator. It makes tracking points a piece of piss. So, maybe that will help me stick to the plan a bit more. Watch this space.
After WW, I went to the pub and got bladdered on five or six pints of premium lager. Points? what points? While at the pub, I got told of a fabulous way to lose weight called "Pig to Twig." Apparently, I absolutely must read this book!!! It is simple and easy and the weight just falls off. I am beside myself with excitement. I wonder if I can Pig to Twig while WWing. It could all get too much if I'm not careful.
The same friends (Sue and Lucy*) who told me about the book, also said I didn't really need to lose weight (women always say that to other women.) Women, hear this - I am above my healthy weight range, as was told to me what I must weigh by the government and I won't rest until I get back in range. Or something like that.
They, Sue and Lucy, proceeded to tell me I was an incredibly attractive woman and intelligent too. I will be seeing a lot more of these friends from now on. I don't know where they had got the impression that my self esteem needed that kind of boost. Moi - doubt myself? Pah, the very thought!! Of course, they were very drunk, but still - what lovely things to say.
*Sue and Lucy are real people. It is purely co-incidence that one is named after my cat. When I start taking diet advice and compliments from the kitties, please lock me up and throw away the key.
Monday, 8 June 2009
The Dreaded Gym
I've not been to the gym in weeks. So I've been thinking about cancelling. Facing the fact that it might be time to cancel is leaving me feeling a bit defeated. I don't feel relieved about freeing myself from an unnecessary 70 a month membership. I just wonder why I can't get on with it and use the bloody gym more.
So what do I want?
I want to have the motivation to go. To get on the fitness band wagon and start to feel a bit less embarrassed about my wobbly tum and other wobbly bits. Hmmmm.
Tonight I'm going to check out Fitness First. It is the cheaper option to the Virgin that I currently belong to. Chris goes there, so maybe he would drag me along to classes with him at lunch times. I don't think I like it there though. I've been once before and I'm only really going to see if it is as bad as I remember or if I'm just being a bit silly.
You see the thing about Virgin gyms is they have a pool. When did I last swim? Probably about six months ago. I love the idea that I could swim though!!
Oh and they supply the towels at the one I go to as well. But they don't supply towels in all their gyms and if you go to a Virgin Active where there is no complimentary towel service, they make you pay a pound even though the membership you've paid for your gym includes towels. Bonkers. No towels at all at FF though, so extra laundry would be in the offing and an even bulkier gym bag.
Oh and I have a weird sense of loyalty to the Virgin and to the PT, I don't even work out with anymore. I think she'd like it if I stayed at Virgin, but I never see her these days anyway.
On the other hand, there is a Fitness First quite close to where I live, so I might use that at the weekends, where as getting to a Virgin gym on a weekend is a bit more troublesome.
I don't really know what to do.
So what do I want?
I want to have the motivation to go. To get on the fitness band wagon and start to feel a bit less embarrassed about my wobbly tum and other wobbly bits. Hmmmm.
Tonight I'm going to check out Fitness First. It is the cheaper option to the Virgin that I currently belong to. Chris goes there, so maybe he would drag me along to classes with him at lunch times. I don't think I like it there though. I've been once before and I'm only really going to see if it is as bad as I remember or if I'm just being a bit silly.
You see the thing about Virgin gyms is they have a pool. When did I last swim? Probably about six months ago. I love the idea that I could swim though!!
Oh and they supply the towels at the one I go to as well. But they don't supply towels in all their gyms and if you go to a Virgin Active where there is no complimentary towel service, they make you pay a pound even though the membership you've paid for your gym includes towels. Bonkers. No towels at all at FF though, so extra laundry would be in the offing and an even bulkier gym bag.
Oh and I have a weird sense of loyalty to the Virgin and to the PT, I don't even work out with anymore. I think she'd like it if I stayed at Virgin, but I never see her these days anyway.
On the other hand, there is a Fitness First quite close to where I live, so I might use that at the weekends, where as getting to a Virgin gym on a weekend is a bit more troublesome.
I don't really know what to do.
- Stay at Virgin and make the effort to go regularly again.
- or... cancel Virgin and join Fitness First and see if that works out better, despite the loss of the pool/towel benefits.
- or... No gym. Cancel the membership and try and exercise in my own time with walking or some other activities.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Blue Skies on a Tuesday
Oh Hai,
It seems odd that I haven't blogged since this time last week and I kept meaning to, but it has been a really quiet week and other than overdosing on BGT, I've achieved very little. Not that enjoying the guilty pleasure that is BGT is any achievement. So, in brief, I've acheived nothing. OK? Happy Now?
My Sprogs goes to Italy tomorrow. Have fun there Sprogs and you take good care of yourself and don't eat too much lasagne. She has taken herself down to sunny Croydon to stay with her parentals tonight before flying from Gatwick tomorrow. As a result I'm off to WW alone this evening. I'm having the same traumatic expectations as I had last week, except last week there was a surprise last minute weight loss. Trust me: surprises like that don't happen two weeks in a row! I think I may have ballooned.
The week though: I haven't gigged, I haven't found (or even looked for) a new job, I haven't dated (or had any random overnight romances). It really has been a quiet week. There are a few highlights:
Had Fambly day in Brighton on Saturday. My niece is walking now. Yay for her. Oh, does that smack of bitterness? No, she was very cute and her toddling is divine! We went to a place callled Zizzi for late lunch and I had their Rustica pizza, which is huge. Yum Yum. Well the pizza wasn't that fantastic, but it was pizza and it was huge. Both of which I'm in favour of. I had a Twister as we walked along by the Brighton sea front. Only 85 calories in a Twister. Yum again... I didn't go in the sea though. Somehow a trip to the sea-side isn't complete without a paddle or a swim.
I got bitten by a ferret on Sunday. Actually the ferrets were very sweet and the biting was a bit of a shock, but handling them was still a highlight. We get so little animal interaction in our volunteer role at the zoo, that you takes your thrills where you can find them. Thankfully, I didn't panic, when his little teeth latched onto that bit of flesh on your hand between thumb and forefinger. I was putting him down just as it happened and although he was reluctant to let go, even once on the ground, he didn't break the skin, so I like to think he was only playing.
A little tickle under the chin or some other distraction meant he did let go after a few seconds and I was a little more cautious with them after that, but still happy to pick the little fellas up and show them to the public, which is why we there really... I am quite a confident ferret handler and that was only my second time. Must be all the practice with hamsters and rabbits as a teenager and kitties my whole life. Show them you're in charge and they are happy as larry. (Apart from the one nip, we all had a whale of a time. At least it was me that was bitten and not some little kiddy) Ferrets are smelly and dirty, but still cute and cuddly. How does that work? Or am I just a complete nitwit about all God's little creatures?
Chris suggested we had lunch in the Park today. I had a salad box from the local cafe and we had half hour in the sun on a bench. It was lovely. Shame everyone keeps saying the weather is due to change.
Look out for that oh so over due over achievement this week. I'm gigging tonight (Well going to the Comedy Car Crash) and I have all sorts of smashing stuff planned for the weekend. *ahem* Jo rushes to make smashing weekend plans, to give this blog some kind of purpose for a change.
I was told to keep this blog. Unleash your creativity I was told. These last few weeks, it just serves to remind me how fricking dull I can be.
Oh, just remembered the little birdy I rescued from my bedroom on Saturday morning. It was 5.30 am and I'd just fed the kitties, (Early Brekkie wake up calls.) so they were in the kitchen, when I heard this weird little scratching. I realised I'd heard the noise earlier too, but now both kitties were accounted for and out of the room, so it wasn't them arsing about, as I'd previously assumed.
I looked around a bit and hidden inside a crown of golden (cardboard) that I had made once for fancy dress, was a little brown birdy. It was nestled on a green felt pixie hat, that I'd made for Oxfam Stewarding pixie duties last year, that was under/inside the crown. Fancy that... a little birdy making a little fortress from my fancy dress headwear stack. Well, I rescued that birdy. I threw a teatowel over it's little crown/pixie hat hiding place, so as not to panic birdy when I moved it and I took the whole lot outside. When I lifted up the tea towel and the crown the little birdy flew away and up into a tree. I went back to bed, slightly weirded out at how long the little birdy had been in my room, but glad I'd been able to rescue it.
I threw the pixie hat and the crown away. They had bird shit on them.
OK maybe I'll do some work or have a cuppa or find something else incredibly important to do now. Did someone say Frappuccino? Why not indeed :) Laterz.
It seems odd that I haven't blogged since this time last week and I kept meaning to, but it has been a really quiet week and other than overdosing on BGT, I've achieved very little. Not that enjoying the guilty pleasure that is BGT is any achievement. So, in brief, I've acheived nothing. OK? Happy Now?
My Sprogs goes to Italy tomorrow. Have fun there Sprogs and you take good care of yourself and don't eat too much lasagne. She has taken herself down to sunny Croydon to stay with her parentals tonight before flying from Gatwick tomorrow. As a result I'm off to WW alone this evening. I'm having the same traumatic expectations as I had last week, except last week there was a surprise last minute weight loss. Trust me: surprises like that don't happen two weeks in a row! I think I may have ballooned.
The week though: I haven't gigged, I haven't found (or even looked for) a new job, I haven't dated (or had any random overnight romances). It really has been a quiet week. There are a few highlights:
Had Fambly day in Brighton on Saturday. My niece is walking now. Yay for her. Oh, does that smack of bitterness? No, she was very cute and her toddling is divine! We went to a place callled Zizzi for late lunch and I had their Rustica pizza, which is huge. Yum Yum. Well the pizza wasn't that fantastic, but it was pizza and it was huge. Both of which I'm in favour of. I had a Twister as we walked along by the Brighton sea front. Only 85 calories in a Twister. Yum again... I didn't go in the sea though. Somehow a trip to the sea-side isn't complete without a paddle or a swim.
I got bitten by a ferret on Sunday. Actually the ferrets were very sweet and the biting was a bit of a shock, but handling them was still a highlight. We get so little animal interaction in our volunteer role at the zoo, that you takes your thrills where you can find them. Thankfully, I didn't panic, when his little teeth latched onto that bit of flesh on your hand between thumb and forefinger. I was putting him down just as it happened and although he was reluctant to let go, even once on the ground, he didn't break the skin, so I like to think he was only playing.
A little tickle under the chin or some other distraction meant he did let go after a few seconds and I was a little more cautious with them after that, but still happy to pick the little fellas up and show them to the public, which is why we there really... I am quite a confident ferret handler and that was only my second time. Must be all the practice with hamsters and rabbits as a teenager and kitties my whole life. Show them you're in charge and they are happy as larry. (Apart from the one nip, we all had a whale of a time. At least it was me that was bitten and not some little kiddy) Ferrets are smelly and dirty, but still cute and cuddly. How does that work? Or am I just a complete nitwit about all God's little creatures?
Chris suggested we had lunch in the Park today. I had a salad box from the local cafe and we had half hour in the sun on a bench. It was lovely. Shame everyone keeps saying the weather is due to change.
Look out for that oh so over due over achievement this week. I'm gigging tonight (Well going to the Comedy Car Crash) and I have all sorts of smashing stuff planned for the weekend. *ahem* Jo rushes to make smashing weekend plans, to give this blog some kind of purpose for a change.
I was told to keep this blog. Unleash your creativity I was told. These last few weeks, it just serves to remind me how fricking dull I can be.
Oh, just remembered the little birdy I rescued from my bedroom on Saturday morning. It was 5.30 am and I'd just fed the kitties, (Early Brekkie wake up calls.) so they were in the kitchen, when I heard this weird little scratching. I realised I'd heard the noise earlier too, but now both kitties were accounted for and out of the room, so it wasn't them arsing about, as I'd previously assumed.
I looked around a bit and hidden inside a crown of golden (cardboard) that I had made once for fancy dress, was a little brown birdy. It was nestled on a green felt pixie hat, that I'd made for Oxfam Stewarding pixie duties last year, that was under/inside the crown. Fancy that... a little birdy making a little fortress from my fancy dress headwear stack. Well, I rescued that birdy. I threw a teatowel over it's little crown/pixie hat hiding place, so as not to panic birdy when I moved it and I took the whole lot outside. When I lifted up the tea towel and the crown the little birdy flew away and up into a tree. I went back to bed, slightly weirded out at how long the little birdy had been in my room, but glad I'd been able to rescue it.
I threw the pixie hat and the crown away. They had bird shit on them.
OK maybe I'll do some work or have a cuppa or find something else incredibly important to do now. Did someone say Frappuccino? Why not indeed :) Laterz.
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Tuesday Blues.
It is WW tonight. I'm expecting more disappointing news. grrrrrr. OK, so I could have tried harder with the point counting and the being more active and drinking less booze and eating less burgers. I could have tried. I should have tried. Ah f*ck it, who really cares.
Perhaps I'm approaching this all wrong, but I think my life had enough disappointment in it without adding to my problems with fat club. I think Sproglet will be going it alone before long. God I can't let my Sprogs down. I did join for a reason. I do have spare poundage that I should be trying more to shift. But, while I'm on the subject of Sproggles...
I'd like to thank my special Becki Sprogs for being a sweetie and coming over to drag me out of myself and out of the pit (flat) for a walk around Leyton Shallow Ponds yesterday. We ate healthy snacks before we went and only had one pint of Guiness after two laps of the "lake".
Then we had dinner together as well (only 7 points) and watched soaps and Britain's Got Talent. I liked yesterday best out of all the days this b/h weekend.
We are going to a birthday do after WW. In the pub. Ha ha ha ha. Yay the pub ... Hooray for booze. Long live chubby drunks.
Christ on a bike, could I sound any more like Bridget sodding Jones. I will endeavour at some stage this week to get a freaking life. OK, maybe not this exact week, but at some stage in the near future. A life full of success and fancy parties. A life full of safe sex, prescription drugs and middle of the road rock and roll. Sorry reader, it can't always be award winning comedy. Hang on Bridge Jonesy probably was award winning comedy. I like her. She wears big knickers. Get over that!
Perhaps I'm approaching this all wrong, but I think my life had enough disappointment in it without adding to my problems with fat club. I think Sproglet will be going it alone before long. God I can't let my Sprogs down. I did join for a reason. I do have spare poundage that I should be trying more to shift. But, while I'm on the subject of Sproggles...
I'd like to thank my special Becki Sprogs for being a sweetie and coming over to drag me out of myself and out of the pit (flat) for a walk around Leyton Shallow Ponds yesterday. We ate healthy snacks before we went and only had one pint of Guiness after two laps of the "lake".
Then we had dinner together as well (only 7 points) and watched soaps and Britain's Got Talent. I liked yesterday best out of all the days this b/h weekend.
We are going to a birthday do after WW. In the pub. Ha ha ha ha. Yay the pub ... Hooray for booze. Long live chubby drunks.
Christ on a bike, could I sound any more like Bridget sodding Jones. I will endeavour at some stage this week to get a freaking life. OK, maybe not this exact week, but at some stage in the near future. A life full of success and fancy parties. A life full of safe sex, prescription drugs and middle of the road rock and roll. Sorry reader, it can't always be award winning comedy. Hang on Bridge Jonesy probably was award winning comedy. I like her. She wears big knickers. Get over that!
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Adventures of Oglet and MacEvoy
It would be incriminating and fool hardy to say when, where or how this all happened, but Uncle Barry (yes you saw him first as my online stalker...) well, Barry and I had reason to wind up spending a funny sunny day together very recently and these were a few images that came about as a result of that day.
You see, not entirely irresponsible - the first section of the day was spent doing a few personal administration tasks and errands around and about in the Walthamstow area. We went and found out about MOT's for my car (mine expired some 10 days ago now). This shot was taken just along the road from the MOT place where Barry found himself strangely allured by the tickle of the silver berch.
Then onto the Vet surgery where I had to buy some special low fat cat food for portly cats. I go to Goddard Vets. This obviously reminded Barry of the link to our well known Goddard, or Oddard as he is fondly known. Here is Barry next to the sign at the vets. Barry nearly did himself a mischief for the sake of this pic and it was a close run thing that he didn't end up face down in the near by wheelie bins.
By means of self congratulation at such an industrious first half of the day we took ourselves off out for a drink or three later on. We sat in the sun and had lovely long chats about this and that and realised we had a lot going for us Barry and I. See how happy we are together. Would a MacEvoy-Oglet union be such a terrible idea?
Thanks Barry for a lovely day out. I promised pictures, but most of what happened that day will remain Barry and I's special times, so I've gone easy on the detail.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)