Pizza, Gym, Iron & Wine

So I was feeling a bit bummed out on Friday. Comfort food was in order, so I had a nice pizza and garlic bread whilst watching a movie. I watched ‘The Breakfast Club’. Nice movie, where not much goes on. I think the highlight for me is when they are all high, and Emilio Estevez goes for a dance around the library, jumping around and carrying on. Its not something I could watch over and over, but for a once in a while viewing, it’s not so bad.

Saturday morning I headed off to the gym, to pound out the pizza, and for general exercise. My personal best on the cross trainer is 10Km in 40 minutes, which is obvioulsy a pace of a KM every four minutes, at a pace of 15KM/hr. I was determined to make this again on Saturday, and I’m pleased to say that I made it. It was tough, with the biggest challenge keeping the pulse rate under control whilst you maintain the pace. I think I’m still feeling the affects of the effort today! But a good work out sure makes me feel better. I was feeling so energised, I went out for a long walk round my favourite part of Amsterdam yesterday morning. It was a beautiful day for it, listening to ‘Iron & Wine on the ipod.

I went off to see the band last night, and I have to say that it was beautiful. I think that this word best describes the evening. Sam Beam and his seven band members, playing a variety of instruments, it was truly amazing. The music made by all these instruments was just perfect. The vocals were superb, and it just created an amazing atmosphere. A drunk(stoned?) girl staggering all over my area threatened the tranquility somewhat, but I think some girls ‘talked’ to her, and she disappeared. Coming in a close second to the absolute magical qualities of the music is the magical quality of Sam’s beard. A true work of art! Hopefully, I will have some pictures to follow

Sam Beam

Iron & Wine

Ups & Downs

Something that has long held me curious is mood swings. And in particular downward mood swings. At least twice a week, for no apparent reason at all, I find myself having really bad days, where I feel angry at the world, with everything getting me down. There is no trigger that I am aware of that makes me feel this way, and in almost all instances I wake up the next day and I am back to ‘normal’ and don’t feel quite so down. I’d really love to get a handle on the logic that makes me feel this way. On days like today when this happens, I just want the day to be over. It brings with is a real sense of lethargy, laziness, and a general lack of interest in everything. On days like these I become a little bit of an actor, trying my best to act ‘normal’ to those around me so that I don’t let anyone see how I feel, or bring anyone else around me down.

Ideally, I’d figure out what causes these ups & downs so I could do something about them, but thus far, it seems to be completely random. I’ve thought long and hard about it and I can’t put my finger on anything specific that seems to cause it. Recently, I’ve just started to accept that this happens, deal with it as best as I can, and hope that the next day the feeling has gone again and I am back to ‘normal’. This time, it started last night, I was watching a DVD, a Kevin Smith movie, and I just became uninterested in it. An early night followed, which resulted in me wakening up this morning in a bit of a funk. It’s all very weird!

It’s Friday

Almost home time on Friday, sitting here listening to some Neil Young. It seems to fit the Friday feeling quite, well, nice and laid back and chilled. The record is Chrome Dreams II, and it’s really enjoyable. I love the song on there called ‘Ordinary People’. It’s some 18 minutes long, but its superb.

I’ve been suffering from the cold all week, it’s a ‘nosey’ cold this one. Just means my nose is blocked, and i can feel my sinuses choked up as well. And I sneeze a gazillion times a day, which means I am getting a good work out on my back and chest muscles. Hopefully a nice hot curry for dinner tonight should give me a wee bit of respite!

Thank Crunchie it’s Friday

G

Be Great In 08…

As I near the end of my first day back at work in 2008, I am struggling to keep my eyes open.  I had a great festive period, back first in Scotland for Christmas, and then Oslo for New Year.  I arrived back at 11pm last night, and up at 7am for work.  I think I may have killed off some brain cells with alcohol, as I am struggling to get back into the zone at work.  One of my colleagues suggested that meant I had enjoyed a good break, as my mind had completely forgotten about work.  I think honestly it will take until next Monday for me to get myself back to normal. 

Everythings new here today, I have a new desk location in a re-shuffle that was done whilst I was away.  So I have new furniture, and a different view of the office, and I am sitting beside different colleagues.  Its given 2008 a fresh start here in the office, which will take a bit of getting used to.  I think we all easily get into our routines in life, and it’s difficult to shake ourselves out of that routine when things change

 Must learn to be more fleixble this year