Down In The Park With A Friend Called 5

Spanner In The Works

2012-02-15T13:58:00.004-08:00

I'm trying to be really positive with my outlook on things, gym and life in general. Today at work we have been told that we are going on a 4 day week again starting next week. We've been here before and I'm not worried but it has started all the gyms off at work and that's where I start to feel the mood change. I'll do what I normally do and go to the gym except I'll have to change what I do so that it doesn't interfer with the training wih Steve. I could change the times for the training but I can't guarentee that I will get the Friday off and I won't know till I get home on a Thursday day time.

On a good note, I saw all my abs tonight at the gym for the first time ever and it looked amazing and I want to see them again soon!

Training Going Great

2012-02-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

Working out at the gym is going really well, Steve my PT tried me out on his football training workout called Insanity, well a mini version which was really tough and tiring but enjoyable at the same time. It also really pleases me as, 4 months ago I wouldn't have been able to even think about trying it. My shape is changing too and can see visible muscles at last! Here's a photo from today at the gym, well my legs anyhow in my Skins and Five Fingers!

Trying To Be Positive!

2012-01-30T13:19:00.000-08:00

There seems to be so much I want to set and achieve this year, my fitness is right up there at the top which I am so surprised about. This time last year I never even thought about being fit but it is amazing how you change. The trouble with me is, I have it all set in my mind, but soon as I get home I just want to stay in, where it is warm and sit in front of the PC all night surfing and playing music. I need to start and get to the gym more regularly although I did get there yesterday (Sunday) and tomorrow is my training night with Steve. He made my night last Friday as he remarked how toned I was looking, I'm getting there!

I need to make changes to my diet too, stop eating so much bread. It is whoelwheat bread I'm eating but lots of it, from sarnies to toast, I even had home made fish cakes and they had breadcrumbs in them too! Also I need to look at my breakfast too, maybe trying to eat eggs, well maybe but I might have to boil them the night before otherwise I just might not have time for them!

Otherwise, I'm really chuffed with how things are going health wise, at this moment I weigh 76.6kg or 12st 2lbs. My fitness is really good although there's always room for improvement. My body shape is slowly changing and yes, there are muscles there too! Roll on summer, vests, tops and shorts, me thinks I'm gonna be posing this summer and why not!

Winter Blues

2012-01-23T09:07:00.000-08:00

I can't wait for winter to go and spring to turn up. I tried to go for a ride out yesterday and I turned back home as the wind was so strong, it's bad enough whe you are riding into a head wind but when you are fighting with your bike too, that was enough for me so I turned around and dejectedly came home. I think that may be the only time I've done that!

My training is going well, Worked my chest on Friday and I'm there again tonight. Sometimes I don't feel like going but when I get there I do enjoy it and feel good afterwards. So when I feel like this I have put some photo's for inspiration on my ipod of guys working out and fit bodies, so that I can look and think about why I need to go to the gym, hope it works!

It seems the mouse invasion is over (I hope I'm not speaking too soon), I think I killed about 30 of them since November after the disgusting neighbours of mine moved out. The house was a real mess apparently and even the builder in there has told me of stories of the mice in the house eating through plaster. Vince has sealed the holes under the floor lading into the kitchen so hopefully that is sorted!

Another Update!

2012-01-11T13:56:00.000-08:00

My back is aching a little, been a dull ache for a couple of days now. Had my training session with Steve, he stretched my back and it was perfect, not a twinge, nothing! I'm confused to what caused it, he hasn't got much idea either, but I try to explain it to him how it is but I sound like I'm crazy hehehehe! Here is a photo of me and him taken at the gym in November!

I Promise To Update More Often

2012-01-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

Yet again, the months roll past and I forget to update this blog, so I'm going to make more of an effort! Happy New Year too!

I had a pretty good but quiet Christmas which was really nice, plenty of days doing nothing, not having to worry about not doing anything. Vince spent Christmas with me this year which was great, especially after last years disaster Xmas, it was nice spending it with someone! As usual, the holiday soon past and it was back to work on the 4th of January, but it was nice to get back to work and get back to normal I guess. Back on the diet, back to the gym and lose the weight I'd put on over the Xmas period (don't we all).

I hurt my back at the gym on Friday night, Steve (my PT) helped to stretch out my back but I guess my muscles just went into spasm and that was it for the weekend. No cycling or gym for me, but I managed to walk it out after 2 painful days, today it seems like it is getting back to normal. I'm at the gym in an hour for another PT session, so we'll see what he has to say about how we can get things back to normal and quickly too! I don't want to stop doing what we are doing as it is working, the old body is in the best shape it has been in for years and I feel good too!

Feeling Good

2011-09-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

Since I last put anything on here my life has just been plodding on. I've just been doing the same stuff as usual but been going to the gym more often than usual. I've toned up a fair old bit and look quite good, so I'm on a diet again and now have a personal trainer at the gym called Steve. It is really hard work doing a lot of stuff I've never done or been years since I've done it. My body is aching, had some really odd feelings like after the first session early Saturday morning I woke to go to the toilet and I felt really drunk and when I woke the next morning I felt hungover, so what the hell was that? I asked him but he reckons I interupted the body in recovery by going to toilet, typical me!

So, in the last 3 weeks I have lost 5 pounds in weight and am now 12stone 10 pounds. The lightest I've been for over 12 years, clothes are too big for me, jeans I can pull off without undoing them and I am really chuffed with it. My goal weight is 12 and a half stone, but if I get to 12 stones them I'll be happy but I'll stop there!

I Forgot You

2011-05-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

Blogger, I am so sorry, I was going to keep up to date on here but I forgot. Things have changed here, Me and Vince have split for good about 3 weeks ago. I need to get myself sorted and in a good place.

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Life's Been Good To Me So Far

2011-01-20T09:14:00.000-08:00

So far things have been ok, not done everything I've set out to do but slowly getting sorted. The windows are now being made and roughly 6 weeks time they should be getting fitted. I bought another pair of shoes, some Jasper Conrad brogues, £82 from Debenahms but opened up an account and got 10% off the price. They are fantastic shoes, really comfy and they look great too.
Got a letter from Vinny on Monday saying he wants us to get back together and I'm pleased he is sorting himself out, I really hope we can save our relationship and that it has not gone too far, too long, but I'm willing to give it a go.

It's the mystery weekend this weekend, I just hope it's ok and I'm not looking forward to it. It was bought for a Christmas present originally for me and Vinny but seeing he buggered off it is just me going. I don't know where it is, what hotel it is and as far as I know it isn't fancy dress. As far as I know there's an 80's party on the night so that should be ok and seeing I'm going with the rest of the gang from the hotel at least I'm in good company. I hope that Saturday afternoon we get a chance to have a wander around wherever we are and there's no way I'm going to be going from pub to pub like they do sometimes when they go to London. What do you wear, that is the question I got to sort lol

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So Far So Good

2011-01-14T08:35:00.001-08:00

It's the 14th of January and this month has been pretty great. I've spent a lot of money on myself, 3 pairs of jeans, a pair of toms shoes, new Assos cycling tights and odd bits oh and a hat!

I've got myself a new mobile phone too but it's taking a bit of getting used to, it's a Blackberry Curve and wanted one for ages. Originally it was going to be pay as you go but the guy at Virgin said it would work out to over £700 if I wanted to use all the features but £270 if I got it over 2 years and £12.00 a month. So I'm on a contract and I've bearly used it but this weekend it's gonna start to get used more.

On Monday I got a quote for the rest of the house windows getting double glazed and they quoted me £1556 which I thought was ok for the 4 windows I need. All I need now is a surveyor to come here and then we can get it all started

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Happy New Year

2010-12-31T08:53:00.000-08:00

Well, the year is ending and I need to start the new year with an open mind, hopes and resolutions. Me and Vince split up on the 6th of December after 11 and a half years together. Obviously I was and still am gutted but I'm slowly coming round to the fact that it's gonna be me from now on. Our friends say he has gone through a mid life crisis and left me for a 16 year old and God! He has destroyed all his friendships with everyone in Goole too, that's why I think he has had more of a breakdown of sorts than anything. There's nothing I can do, apart from swapping presents at Christmas I've not spoken to him and I don't think we will.

So as I type this I am full of hope that 2011 will be my year, all the great things I want to happen will happen and make it a special and fantastic year for me. I've resolutions such as going to the gym more often, going out on my bike and riding further than last year, I will grow spiritually too and develope my Reiki and resume where it all left off and push it further!

Happy New Year to all those who come across my page!

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It's Been So Long

2010-11-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

Wow, I cannot believe I have neglected my blog. I have thought about coming on but then just totally forgot so I've very sorry Blogger, please forgive me! Life has been going on, same old same old but I'm still here!

Christmas is happening right now and I'm in the middle of sorting out the presents and I'm fairly happy with the way things are going and dare I say I'm organised as well! We spend £70 on food and drink at Tesco's but some of it was paid with club card points so it was good!

I've not been out much on the bike recently, I'm missing it so but either I've been busy, away or working or even just plain "I need a sleep in" lazy, but I'm planning to ride this weekend, weather pending.

Running And Cycling

2010-04-09T13:30:00.001-07:00

This week whilst I have been off work on holiday I have managed to get out on my bike twice and had a couple of decent but not too far rides. Easter Monday was the hardest as I hit strong winds on the return journey home and it was strong too. I felt good for it even though a little knackered. Thursday and Friday I have been to the gym, I'm trying to start running and spent yesterday running for 6 minutes with a 3 minute gap inbetween for 30 minutes. Today I ran for 30 minutes doing the same running for 6 minutes but a 2 minute gap inbetween. I managed and felt great that I've done it, now over the next week or so I'll try to make the running time longer and the aim is for 30 minutes non stop!

Talking of cycling, I've shaved my legs tonight, the first time this year and it feels good to shave them although I do like my hairy legs, smooth is really good too. Now all I need is some good weather and the chance for me to aim towards a 50 mile ride!

Spend Spend Spend!

2010-04-02T13:19:00.001-07:00

Today is good Friday so me and Vinny went into town and we ended up buying a blu ray dvd player. We've been looking at one for ages and the one we picked does hell of a lot and allows stuff to be played off the computer too! Vinny bought the latest Harry Potter movie on blu ray to try out as well. So we got the player home and he rigged it up, it's pretty impressive too, it's a shame we have to watch it on the old tv though, the quality looks great but imagine what it could be like on a digital tv I said.

So off we trot to have a look at digital tv's and thr prices are not too bad so we end up buying a tv from comet and it is the same make as the blu ray so hopefully it will all work together and it is really impressive although we haven't tried all the features out yet. Tomorrw we need to buy a couple of leads and the comptuer can be rigged up so we can watch stuff from there too!

Time To Get Fit

2010-03-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

I'm quite healthy according to the test at work, my cholesterol level is really low but I'm over weight and my BMI is high so my weight is 13st 9lb which is lower than Christmas which I'm happy about. So now it is down to the hard work to lose a stone in weight. I am watching what I eat and I'm trying to get to the gym more so fingers crossed that will shift the flab.

I went running tonight, with a mixed success. I was only out for 15-20 minutes just running round the block. I was huffing and puffing a lot but I made some simple mistakes. So big notes for me, don't go running on a full stomach, cut down on the layers as lycra tights, top, jacket are enough. So although I didn't manage much I did get out and therefore it was a success. Now I must stretch the distance and time running!

Healthy Heart Testing

2010-03-15T15:00:00.001-07:00

I'm going for a heart test tomorrow at work, as part of the NHS there are units that go into the city centre and places of work to get people to adopt heathly lifestyles. I've wanted to do this for a while and finally got the chance, but it isn't quite what I thought. I imagined that you would be wired to a monitor for a few minutes to check the heartbeat but no. It's more a lifestyle check and they check your cholesterol levels and blood pressure so it should be interesting!

Another note, I managed to bike 40 miles this weekend, with head winds but sunny days. It felt great to get out and hopefully the weather will improve now!

Dentist Again

2010-02-25T13:16:00.000-08:00

Well, after going to the dentist in October last year to get my tooth refilled and it causing me a lot of problems with infections, I had it removed yesterday. It had flared up again a week or so ago and had to go back to the dentist to get some more antibiotics, he took one look and said it has to come out. I think I still had an infection as I could still feel some pain in the tooth, so he numbed the tooth so that I could feel nothing and waited for a few minutes for it to take hold. I went back to get it taken out and I could feel it and it hurt as he tugged it out and shoved the gause over the hole. I came home and left it for a while before I looked and cleaned it. To my surprise he had left part of the filling in my mouth and it must have come out of the tooth, I thought it was loose.

I didn't eat till late, a bowl of chicken soup and went to bed about 9.30pm and slept like a log till it was time to get up for work. My mouth seemed ok, the sweeing of my face had gone down and it was ok for work, just a little sore. I didn't want the tooth taking out but I had tried to keep it, it just wasn't to be I guess!

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Manchester Cold

2010-02-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

Me and Vince went to Manchester on Saturday and I caught a cold there. I thought it was something to do with the air con in the Arnedale shopping centre as I started sneezing when we went in but fine when we came out of the place. The cold started to get worse on Saturday night and I felt pretty crap. Sunday we went to York and Scarboough and I just felt awful. The cold has stayed in my head affecting my sinuses. Monday when I went to work I just felt so ill and Tuesday I went to work but came home about 9am as I didn't have much sleep the night before and was in a lot of pain. That pissed me off as it was the first day off I've had in 3 years. The cold today is still here and not changed that much apart from I feel a lot better than I did yesterday. I just want it to go for the weekend ao I can get out on my bike, but as I type this, it has started snowing again!

Bling Tooth And Changing Eyesight

2010-02-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

I went to the dentist on Thursday to finish my crown. I'm now the proud owner of a silver tooth and it is taking some getting used to, obviously it does feel different but at £200 I'll get used to it.
On Sunday I went to get my contact lense check up and to my amazement, my right eye is getting stronger. It has gone from 3.75 to 2.25 and my lense is going to be changed but not by that much as it will affect my balance. Now I have 3 boxes of unused contact lenses to get through before I get my new box. So every weekend and holidays I have got to wear my contacts!
The diet is sort of on, I've been reading some of the Paul mcKenna book and it does make sense and my eating habits are changing, I can tell already as I'm eating slower and not feeling as hungry as I used to.

Dieting And Reading

2010-01-25T14:36:00.000-08:00

This weekend I went back to the gym for the first time in Ages. I did enjoy it and had a sauna at the end but I really need to get back there more regularly to get back into shape. I went for a bike ride (the first one this year) and really enjoyed it too. I only went to Beverley but it was nice to get into the fresh air. I rode down Long Lane and managed so far riding no handed which was really good for me, as it means the old balance is still there! I bought 2 books this weekend too, the Hiary Bikers latest cook book and a dieting book by Paul McKenna. His book deals with reconditioning the brain not to eat when it wants or when you are bored. Hopefully it will help me control what I eat, fingers crossed!

Back To Normal

2010-01-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

I've gone back to work, I went back yesterday and it feels like I've never been from the place. You just don't realise that having a few days off work should rest, relax and recharge the old batteries and forget about work. But when you go back it is like jumpiong back into old habits, hitting the old routine and before you know it, the memories of a Christmas holiday are so distant. The weather hasn't been fantastic either, they are saying it is th worst winter in the UK for the last 25 years. I don't remember it being so icy for so long though. The roads are not too bad but the paths are really bad. I've not been out on my bike and I don't think I'll be going out this weekend as the bad weather is supposed to be here for another few days. Oh well, hopefully there'll be stuff to watch on the TV!

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T06:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New year to everyone out there, hope your year is going to be great! We stayed in last night, I don't really like New Years Eve so I'm happy to stay at home. I haven't made any resolutions for the last couple of years but this year I'm sort of thinking about some. The top one for me to to get fit this year, the fittest I have ever been. I'm really into cycling now and therefore I need to lose some weight and tone up. I'm just over 14st 3lbs right now and I would like to be 12.5st so that is my goal. I will be back to the gym, cycling and trying to start running again. The next one is to save money this year, I want a pair of Sidi cycling shoes which retail over £200 but they are the best. Also I want some Assos cycling clothes, which are really expensive too so I'm sorting stuff for Ebay and hopefully that will make me a little money towards the gear that I want. Also I need to get tattooed again as for the last 2 years I've not had the money to get my back finished and I want it done so I can start my leg. So watch this space!

Dentist Again

2009-12-30T06:10:00.000-08:00

I'm off to the dentist later today. I broke a tooth on Christmas day whilst tucking into my Christmas dinner and I reckon they will pull it as it has been filled before. I really do not like going to the dentist as I have had loads of work done to my teeth when I was younger. I've had a brace twice and had perfectly healthy teeth taken out to fit it. Some of the pain I've had afterwards having had them cleaned or a filling so I am not of fan of dentists!
I've just got back home after going there and he's put a temporary filling in but I need to either get it filled or a crown put on but I don't know which is best. It will cost £50 for the filling or £200 of the crown. I will think about it and decide but whatever, I want to save this tooth!

Christmas Has Been!

2009-12-29T08:57:00.000-08:00

Wow doesn't time fly past so quickly these days. I can't believe I've fogot about my blog too. So I'm going to make a proper effort to keep this more up to date. I've had a kind of blog going on my Flickr page but that finally finishes in a couple of days. I called it "A Day In My Life" and it was a photo set of 365 days in my life. Some times I got a lot of ideas for photo's and other times there wasn't anything going on or the weather was too bad for me to go out to get any photo's. So as I write this I have 3 days left to go so I should be able to complete it!

I had a good Christmas got some really good presents too, some useful ones which is always great and plenty of chocs and biscuits too. I got a waterproof video camera which should be great for when I'm out and about on my bike so I won't have to worry if it rains! Here is a photo of my from Christmas Day evening!

Birthday Week

2009-07-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

It was my birthday on Wedensday and had a pretty good birthday. We went to Machester for the day but the rain started just before we left. I got both tragus pierced whilst I was there and they are healing nicely. I got a USB turntable, a Northwave cycling kit, Queens singles box set and money off my parents. I had to take the cycling kit back to the shop in York today as it is Italian made and the medium for Italians is more like a small for us, so I changed them for large. We wandered around York today as we were goint to go to Leeds but the weather was really bad. We stopped for a coffee in Starbucks in Borders bookshop before we had to take the car back.

Catching Up

2009-03-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

Thought I ought to update on here as I seemed to have forgotten to put anything on here. Work has got fairly busy so we are back on 5 days which is good. Traditionally we should be quiet but we are busy enough so nobody is complaining. As quick as I get some money coming in, I'm spending it on cycling gear. Just bought a new helmet to go with the bike, a red and white Specialized helmet, 2 water bottle cages and a pump to fix onto the frame. I'm really getting into road cycling. The last time I was on the bike I reached 27 mph which was so amazing and I didn't mean to but it just was so easy to reach that speed, so I slowed down when I realised but wow!

I'm currently going through old video tapes and transfering them onto DVD but it does take a long time to do. I must have done about 30 tapes up to now and that means hours of video, but it is worth is as there is stuff in there I have not seen for over 10 years!

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Weird And Wonderful Four Days!

2009-02-02T03:32:00.000-08:00

I'm typing today as I have an unnofficial day off, well my lay off day has been moved from Friday to today. We had a machine that got flooded out by a valve blowing off the overhead heater last Sunday and pumped thousands of gallons of water over it. This meant we ran out of work and they have been trying to produce enough stuff so we can go back to work with something to do.

This weekend we went to Leeds for the day, it was cold but dry so we were ok going in and out of shops and having a coffee. Sunday I went for a ride on the road bike, only the second time I've managed to get out on it but feel a lot more confident riding it now. I rode to Beverley and once out of Hull away from the traffic lights, I could get used to the gears and riding with both feet clipped in. As I got to Beverley it began to snow and I decided I'd better turn back and ride home before things get worse, I got home fine but the snow was on and off all day yesterday. When I work this morning it had been snowing all through the night and had laid. Today it has been snowing quite a lot and some really heavy snow falls mixed with Thunder, how strange!

Out And About

2009-01-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

I managed to get out on my road bike a couple of weeks ago, what a weird experience that was. I am so used to my mountain bike that just handling the bike was a new thing, it is so light. The next thing was the pedals, I use SPD pedals on the mountain bike which are standard pedals and road bike use SPD SL pedals (there are others but I wanted these). The pedals are more stronger and only can be used one sided, SPD's can be turned either way to clip into. So a lot of the way I was riding with one shoe clipped in and clipped the other one in when I felt more confident. Next were the brakes, on a mountain bike they are in front of you, a road bike they are on the front of the curved handlebars, you have to ride in a different way and keep your hands near the brakes.

As I rode you could feel all the bumps in the road as I'm used to full suspension as I rode to Cottingham which I chose as it isn't that far away and I always seem to ride there with a new bike lol. As I rode up to the traffic lights in Cottingham I knew there was someone behind me and I was turning right as he was going straight on at the lights, they were on red and he said wow, that's a great bike and I explained about it. So we pulled over to one side and began to chat about bikes, his name was Dave and seemed pretty friendly. He shot off and I went to where I was going, had a drink and got some cyclist to take my photo with my bike. Another rider pulled up as I was setting off and began to chat to me about the Hull CTC which I am thinking of joining. She seemed nice and they other guy who pulled up said it would be good for me to join, let me get used to the bike first then I will, I replied. It was an amazing ride, but just need to get out more to seee how I go with the bike. Rain and high winds stopped me last weekend so I'm hoping this weekend will be ok.

Cleat Sorting

2009-01-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to sort out the cleats on my cycling shoes, I'm using SDP SL pedals on my road bike but they feel really different to my mountain bike. I think I'm gonna have to go out on the bike without my cycling shoes to get a feel of the bike first. It feels so different and I'm a little nervous as well as excited about going out on it. Once I'm riding it, I'm sure it will be great. I'm hoping to start the gym this week and start to lose the weight I have piled on again and have a fairly decent weight plus fitness level and I want to ride to Withernsea again and see how I feel. Last time I rode there it killed me and I've not attempted it again.

I've been put on a 4 day week again, we got told on Tuesday that it would start this week. I thought we might have got January out of the way first but no, it has surprised me how quick it has happened. Guess it will be the gym and riding for me on Fridays!

I'm A Roadie

2009-01-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

Finally a wish come true, I finally bought a road bike. I have been after one for ages and after a lot of thought on my part, plus I had some gift vouchers for the gift shop and it was in the sale I got it today. It is a Cannondale CAAD 5 bright red, the same colour as my MTB and got some SPD SL pedals, so I have to learn to master them.

I've not rode it yet, I walked it from the bike shop as I didn't have my helmet with me and had some bags with me too. Just walking it home you can feel it is different from a MTB, theres no suspension so I'm gonna feel every bump. The life of a cyclist!

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The End Of The Old Year

2008-12-31T15:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it is that time of the year, time to rid of the old and bring in the new. I really hope that 2009 will be a year of changes for the better and that we can come out of the problems of the credit crunch and things get back to normal. Happy new year everyone

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Slide Along The Road

2008-12-13T06:35:00.000-08:00

I came off my bike on Wednesday morning. I looked out of the window at 6.25am to see how bad the winter conditions were and it looked bad but not as bad as it had looked previously. The cars were frosty but the roads looked ok. I got on my bike to ride to work and went straight off it and hit the road hard. I hit my ribs on the road and it winded me and I laid there for a few seconds and got up again, I walked a little on the pavement and climbed on my bike again and came off again hitting the road. I can't remember the conditions being as bad as this ever, I have been cycling to work for 26 years and I cannot remember it being as bad as this. So I have got bruised ribs and a huge 6'' bruise on my left hip plus numerous other bruises on my body. The bike I'm glad to say is fine and I'll heal to ride another day!

Winter's Here!

2008-11-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

Well, today it started to snow, only slightly but it is cold and hopefully we will get some snow. I had to work this morning but today we went to York for the afternoon. Walking around it was so cold and windy but sometimes really sunny. When we got back into the car the tempreture guage in the car showed it was 1 degree outside and coming home from Goole there was no sign of snow until we got into Hull and there was snow everywhere. I was planning to go for a bike ride early Sunday morning, but let's see how much snow has fallen overnight!

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Dark Cold Days

2008-11-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

Well, Winter is in full swing, it is cold, wet, windy and dark and I'm just fed up of it raining. As quick as the sun is out, it suddenly goes cloudy and starts to rain. We were supposed to be going to Leeds on Saturday but we woke up to get the early train and it was pouring with rain so we decided to get the later train. The temptation of a cuppa in bed and a lovely warm bed meant we didn't go for the later train and never went to Leeds. We spent the rest of the day wandering around Hull city centre and midday the sun comes out and becomes a nice afternoon. After tea the weather changes and starts to rain about 7pm, that is typical of the weather here.

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The End Of The Week

2008-10-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday and my weekend off. I'm back on a 4 day week although I worked yesterday to try and pull us forward with our work. So I've been chilling out and was thinking of going for a ride but went into town for a wander and get some shopping in. I've booked my bike in for a service two months after I bought it, that's part of the deal at the cycle shop. It's going in for a service on Friday but will be taking it straight from work on Thursday. Also I have been looking for more winter cycling lycra as the weather is so unpredictable this time of year.

I got my nipple pierced today, I had it pierced originally 16 years ago but about 2 years ago it started to go a little bit manky so had to take the bar out and it closed up. The other nipple piercing is fine so finally I deced to get the other one done again. It bled a little and got a plaster over it but now I got to peel it off so there goes some chest hair lol. So now I'm gonna start to get my other piercings put back in that rejected and get some more too. I used to have my eyebrow, bridge and nape done so might get my eyebrow done next and bridge. The nape was great but I kept catching it and there was my bikers jacket collar that always rubbed on it and made it sore!

5

Fresh Air

2008-10-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

I went for a ride today across the Humber Bridge. First time I have ridden across and really enjoyed it although it was pretty cold, windy and wet. The idea behind the ride was to find how to get to the car park of the Humber Bridge as we don't have a car and I don't drive anyhow so I didn't know what route to take. Anyhow, back to the story, I'm thinking of joiining the local CTC cycling group and they meet at the car park for quite a lot of their rides, so I needed to know how to get there!

I really want to get out more on my bike, mainly for the exercise but also the fun part and getting to places I wouldn't normally go to. Also there's £1200 worth of bike there that's just getting used to go to work and back. I am also thinking of buying a road bike, I have seen one, another Cannondale and same colour as my MTB but that's another £800 and seeing I'm back on a 4 day week at work, I don't think I'll be buying it for the near future!

Here's a photo of my bear Five posing on the Handlebars

Happy Birthday

2008-07-30T03:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday and I had a pretty good day. I'm on holiday and me and Vince spent the day wandering around town after I got home from the gym. I also finally got my new bike so I got a new lock as a birthday gift and went to buy another lock for the bike so that's nearly £80 in locks for the bike!

I'm off to London next week so the money I got for my birthday will be going towards that trip as London isn't the most cheapest of places! Now I got to make sure that all my chips for the camera are clear, the batteries are charged and what to wear!

I Just Don't Know What To Do

2008-07-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

I went to look for a new bike today and basically the bikes that I'm looking at are more money than the claim settlement so looks like I'm gonna have to put more money too. The bike I want is the next model up from the one that got stolen and it looks like it is going to cost me about £300 more but they don't have my size frame in and might not be able to get one. They are going to try Cannondale on Monday to see if they have any more. It is brilliant red and looks great. The next bike up from that is a Cannondale Prophet and thats £400 more. The bike I had was a fantastic bike and I don't really want to get anything less, but I'm still on short time at work and there's no money in my account for savings right now so I might have to go for a lower model of bike. I guess it is like owning a fast car then having to desize and end up with a budget car. Oh well I'll get it sorted I hope!

5

Some Good News

2008-07-10T06:24:00.000-07:00

I have just heard that I'm getting the money for my bike from my insurers which is great news, now all I have to do is wait and they will transfer the money to the bike shop and I can go pick another bike. I'm just pleased now it has been sorted and I look forward to getting back onto two wheels

5

What Have I Done To Deserve This?

2008-07-06T04:22:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure if I wanted to put this in my blog or not. I've been thinking if I should want to be reminded or not of the last three weeks. Three weeks ago I had my bike stolen from outside of a shop, I had put 2 locks on it and they had gone through both locks around 10 minutes after I locked it up. I am still devastated as not only was it my maid mode of transport seeing I don't drive, I also went out for rides on it at the weekends. It cost me just short of £1000 and it was a fantastic bike to ride and I guess it has been sold by some scum of the earth crawling out of the gutter to sell it for drugs.

Trouble is now, I am waiting on the insurance company to see if they are going to pay for a new bike or not, they wanted the receipt or the packaging to the main lock I bought and to prove who I am (seeing I don't have a drivers licence or a passport). So I guess a big note to me and whoever should read this, make sure that you keep all receipts to everything you buy, you never know when you will need them. I also now know that I am being forced to get a passport just so I can prove who I am, how crazy is that?

Two weeks ago I fell at work and hit my face, wow did it hurt, but I smashed my glasses into my eyebrow and cut it, plus the pile at work I fell onto, the corners cut my face. Luckily for me it has healed really well and just a slight black eyelid is left but my face is still numb although I'm getting some feeling back slowly so I guess another week and I should be back to normal.

I've been on a three day week now for a while at work as the economy isn't very good and there's no sign of it getting any better. I'm doing 3 days next week, then the following 2 weeks up to my summer holidays we are on 4 days, which is to make sure that all the orders are taken care of for the shutdown of the factory. Money is tight and I'm working hard at clearing all my debts and taking care of the credit card, once this is sorted then hopefully I might be able to break into the black and save a little money. I have had to stop getting tattooed as the money is not there and until I get back into full time it might be next year before I get my back finished. It's all doom and gloom but I'm staying positive that things will change for the better!

I'm now back at the gym and finally it is beginning to show, I'm slowly getting some shape back and I'm feeling good despite of what's happened. I've been on a diet which is basically detoxing the body and eating as much vegetables and fruit as you can to give the body back all it's nutrients. They say that the body is starved of it's vital nutrients then it cannot do it's job of clearing out the body of all the toxins that are in it so it gets sluggish and they stay in. So I may end up with my dream of having a good healthy looking body!

5

I'm Still Here

2008-04-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that I haven't added to my blog for ages. So I'm going to change and try to keep it up to date more. A few things have happened over the last couple of months, the main thing is that I'm on short time at work, the Easter week I worked 3 days out of 4 and last week I worked 4 days. So right now I'm on a 4 day week which isn't fantastic but at least I still have a job.

So I'm going to try and use the time off to the best I can, so I'm going back to the gym to try and lose some weight, I'm going to try and go for a ride on my bike this week and try to do anything so that I'm not just sat at home thinking about things and sat on the computer. My photography hobby is slowly growing and want to try taking still life shots now, that should keep me out of mischief for a while. There's a photo!

Still Ill

2008-01-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

Well, this cold is still pretty bad and I have been to the doctor's who told me I have a bad chest infection. Pills to take and cough medicine so hopefully it might start to shift this cold. I Haven't been anywhere on my bike so I'm missing not going out as I can hardly breathe so hard cycling is really out of the question
5

Aarrgh!

2008-01-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

This cold I have is really hanging around and I've had to ring and cancel my tattoo appointment for Saturday. I'm in a lot of pain with my chest and there's no way I can sit for 3 hours without coughing and splutering. I was looking forward to this and now it has put it back further but at least next time I will be fit and ready for getting tattooed.

5

A Start Of Things To Come?

2008-01-06T14:05:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone and I hope that Christmas was good for everyone and that you all had a good time. I spent the new year with the flu and was laid up on the settee all new years eve daytime, good job nothing was planned for the evening. To be honest I hate New Years Eve, I don't like the emotions that come with it such as people wishing they had done such and such a thing and another year passed ect. I think it is just another excuse for everyone to get really drunk, I sound a proper misery but I much prefer the feeling of Christmas.
So far after the cold, I went back to mayhem at work and then on Friday night the fridge freezer caught fire so that now has to be replaced and £250 pounds later the fridge comes on Thursday and the freezer in another couple of weeks. I have a huge gas bill to pay and I have another tattoo session on my back this coming Saturday so that is a lot of cash I have to come up with. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come!

5

Another Tattoo Session

2007-11-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

Saturday was my latest tattoo session. I had another 2 and a half hours worth done which included colouring the dragon and a bit of shading and highlighting around my back. Wow, was it painful around the base of my back and I will be glad when it is all done. That was my last session of the year and my next session is in January 2008 and he told me that the next session should finish my back (until I decide on the rest of the design around my ribs) and my leg should be started after that. So the total so far is 11 hours of work and £600.

Foot Injury

2007-10-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

For several months now, I've been walking around with a foot injury, which I put down with the long hours at work where I am constantly on my feet and to the footwear I wear at work. I finally went to see my doctor who told me I had to see a physiotherapist as he couldn't do anything. I went to see the guy last night and it seems I have got a condition called Plantar Fascitis which is the tendon the heel of the foot is inflamed and sore. He said it is due to overuse, which means a lot of walking but can be healed (no pun intended). I had shockwave treatment on it which meant 20,000 volts into the heel right on the spot it hurts to stimulate healing and also I have to stretch my foot as also it means the tendon is trying to flatten the arch of my foot. So I have to have treatment on it for the next 2 weeks and hopefully it will work, plus now I know exactly what I am dealing with, I can use Reiki on it. I really hate being ill or carrying any injury, it's just not me.

5

Latest Reiki - Seichem Level

2007-10-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I took my latest Reiki level. This was Reiki - Seichem level 3 and the next level for me is Master level which won't be for a year or so. I have been doing this for almost 2 years to the date and the transformation of me and the way I think about things has been amazing and hopefully made me a better person. For me to explain everything that has happened to me would make me look like I've finally lost the plot but those who have done similar and had similar things happen to them will totally understand.

Today I rode to Withernsea which is a small seaside town about 20 miles East of Hull, I've not rode this far before or spent as long on the saddle as I did today and I can tell. It took me 2 hours to get there and a little longer getting home. When I got there it wasn't busy as the season has almost finished so most of it was shut and all I needed was a coffee but what cafe's were open were the ones where I couldn't take out a coffee and wasn't leaving my bike. So I spent just over 30 mins there and started riding home. so I did 40 miles and 4 hours cycling, wow just think of the calories burnt today. What makes me quite happy is how other road cyclists or mountain bikers always say Hi as they ride by, a mutual cycling acknowledgement I guess

5

Meditation

2007-09-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

As I have said before I'm a Reiki Healer but today I went to my Reiki Master's house and we had a meditation workshop. I got there for 10.00am and left just after 4.00pm and was about Angelic Meditation. It was really good, I got some answers in my Meditaion plus some messages which is always amazing. It delt with Archangels and Chakras and the Archangel that is associated with the colour of the Chakra. Very interesting and worth reading about, during the day we had to pick out a card from random and I chose this card, Self Trust. Say's it all really

Latest Tattoo Session

2007-09-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday the 8th of September was my third session on my back. Wow this one really hurt, more for the after shock as much as during the tattoo session. He tattooed all over my back and it was sore everywhere, but it was later that night that I started to feel really ill. I guess my body went into a kind of shock as I felt so tired, sick and ached everywhere so I was in bed at 10 and had a bit of a rough night as I seemed to keep rolling onto my back (I tried to sleep on my side). They say no pain no gain so I guess this one lived up to that quote! So up to now I've had eight and a half hours worth of tattooing and cost £480. Next session is in October

Back To Normal

2007-08-19T08:15:00.002-07:00

Well, I went back to work this week and everything just seems as normal as it did before I went on holiday. I did enjoy the break, I went to London for 4 days, and Brighton on one of those days. The second week saw me in York, Scarborough, Manchester and Leeds so I did get about a bit. Went back to work to begin learning to program a new machine we were getting, it was similar to the old machine but obviously does a lot more so as well as doing my programming I had to take care of my job as well as sort out other problems. Through all this I have had to work overtime, so been doing 11 hour days plus Saturday and Sunday. I'm tired and a little bit annoyed I didn't get out on my bike but having said that it is raining. I was lucky with the weather as the week before I broke up it rained and we had 2 glorious weeks of sunshine and now all back to normal like I said!

5

Holiday In The Sun

2007-08-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, it is nice to have my holiday in the sunshine. I am into my second week of my holiday and it feels great. I was in London last week for 4 days, this week I have been to York for a day and possibly going to Manchester one day this week. I got a camera for my birthday, a Canon EOS 400D and it is awesome. I used it in London and it has been going around with me. Got a users guide book to read and that is quite a read so will do bits a a time. Had quite a few good remarks about my red mohawk, I really like it and glad I have grown it back!

Time To Dye

2007-07-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had my mohawk bleached blonde, ready for dying red for my trip to London next week for my birthday. My hair is long enough now to put gel in and spike it and the bleach makes it look longer as well.

I'm going to Derby on Sunday as there is a tattoo convention on, Vince is going in this one so that should be good. He will be using his digital camera and taking photo's of the tattooed guys walking around there!

5

Meeting Old Friends

2007-07-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a nice day for me, I bumped into 3 old friends and was nice to catch up with them. One was an old friend from when I used to live at home with my parents, wow it was hard to believe that I am older than him but he looks a lot older than me! Another was my friend Brian who I first met at Fitness First. We had coffee in Costa Coffee shop in Waterstones and was nice to catch up. The next was my best friends ex wife. It was great to see Pam and after a few short seconds I could see that I missed her. She was just as funny and warm as ever, it was a shame that they split up but I guess if you are no longer happy in a relationship then it should end. She has become a Muslim and has taken on the muslim ways including the garb they wear, makes no difference to me but I must ask her next time I see her what her name is as she has changed her name too.

5

A Much Needed Update

2007-07-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

I seem to have forgotten to update here so now is the time. A week after the floods in Hull we still have got bad rain. Today and tonight it has rained so everyone is on guard incase it starts to flood again. I have never seen anything like it in my life and still can't believe I was up to my knees in places in water!

I got the second session completed on my back on Saturday. Bob (my tattooist) started to shade my warrior in and it looks awesome but my back is sore, it feels like I have been sunburnt. So far I have had 5 and a half hours of tattooing on my back and has cost £300 up to now. I just want to keep a record of the hours and the cost as so many people ask me how much I have spent on being tattooed that I forget. As I have posed that question I guess now that I am coming towards £2000 and a good 20 plus hours of work. I have got a long way to go yet towards my full bodysuit!

5

I Did It!

2007-06-24T07:10:00.000-07:00

I rode to Hornsea today, it doesn't sound a great deal but it means a lot to me. It took an hour and 30 mins to get there and back and I went along the Trans Pennine Trail. It was a great trail, easy to ride and great scenery. I have always wanted to do it and finally I have, pat's on the back to me! I just got home before it started to rain so I was pleased there too although we had such a down pour yesterday that there were still pools of water so me and my bike were covered in mud but that was all part of the enjoyment!

Wet Wet Wet

2007-06-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

For the last 2 days it has rained. I got soaking wet and had to work in my damp clothes. The whole of the country has suffered from floods and parts of Hull were deep in water. There is supposed to be more rain on the way and I have to work tomorrow, I just hope it isn't raining.

Humber Bridge Trek

2007-06-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

Today was really nice warm and sunny so I decided to go for the ride along the Trans Pennine Trail to the Humber Bridge. I took my leg and arm warmers just incase the weather suddenly changed and it was a good job I did. The trail led right through a good mile or so of over grown track which was full of nettles and it ran so close to the waters edge at one place it was the track and a drop to the water, not what I thought it would be. A guy stopped and asked where I was going as he told me I might not get through to where I was going.

I managed to get to the bridge and it was really nice to get there, it was warm, peacefull and relaxing along the waters edge. The size and scale of the Humber Bridge always takes my breath away and it looked as grand as ever against the afternoon sun. I hung around for a while and decided to head back home through the over grown track again. It was great going back home as my bike just amazingly sped through the track just as it was made to do and I hardly felt any of the uneven track as we sped along, well for a while anyhow lol

All Is Quiet

2007-06-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

Nothing much to report, things are quiet here. My back is healing well but now itching, I've not been out on my bike for a ride as the weather has been really lousy. Hopefully tomorrow I can get out for a ride, I am planning to ride to the Humber Bridge depending on the weather. I am getting back into the gym now and getting slowly back to where I was a few months ago. I went tonight and worked my legs and ran a little. It's time I went to bed as I am working tomorrow so will sign off and hopefully have something more to write soon.

5

Tattooed

2007-06-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

I had my back tattooed on Saturday, 3 and a half hours of pain, strange feelings and burning and my tattooist managed to get the outline and some shading done. The design looks awesome and I am really pleased with it. I still can't believe that I have got a tattoo on my back. Tonight I am at the itching stage, but I can't itch any of it as I will bring the scab off and pull some colour out of it. Next session is at the end of June for 2 hours but looking forward to it.

Riding Again

2007-05-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

Went along the Marina again tonight, I really must try and get out earlier so that I can go a little further. The weather was fine again tonight, just a little breezy but OK. So hopefully will get out somewhere tomorrow. Going to the gym tomorrow, legs to workout. Then going to get my eyes examined which I hate, tomorrow it's for my contacts and next week for my glasses. I should be free after that till around 4pm ish.

Tattoos And Holidays

2007-05-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well, Saturday went well and got ideas sorted for my back tattoo. The dragon is going to come down and wrap around my leg, sounds great but painfull! I am on holiday this week and the weather has been, so far awful. There has been 3 days of rain and tonight I managed to get out on my bike and go for a ride, it was cold though and typical me decide to go for a ride along the docks. It was great as I have never been around there before so it was interesting and new for me and will explore it more another day when it's warmer.

I decided to get a mohawk today. I used to have one a couple of years ago and I have been thinking about growing it back and today I went to a local hairdresser they had it done. I think they look great one they have grown a little longer to put gel in so a couple of months it will be long enough!

Computer Crash

2007-05-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

We have just had a serious PC crash and had to take off all the files we had stored on the computer. Vista was really playing up and it just went on an almighty go slow, cpu was fine but it was saying that there was huge usage on the memory. So there was no choice but to re-boot but finally back on line with no real problems as such.

I break up this Friday for a week's holiday and will be going to see my tattooist this Saturday to finalise plans for my back tattoo. I'm really looking forward to this as I have wanted this for years and in two weeks time I will start getting my back tattooed. They have booked me some sessions in for the coming months which I have to make sure fit in with my arrangements.

5

Nilsson - Without You

2007-05-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

This is my All Time Favourite Single, so I thought as an occasional thing I would feature a favourite song of mine, there are lot's as you can imagine.

I first heard this song as a youngster back in the early 70's when it came out and I always liked the song. As I got older, I had to find out who it was and I bought it as it is just an amazing piece of music.

Without You was first performed by Badfinger who at the time were signed to the Beatles record label Apple records. Nilsson, heard it and thought it was the Beatles (he befriended John Lennon later) he recorded his own version of it and it got to number 1 here in the UK charts in 1972. His heart wrenching vocals about a failed relationship, just make this song and the emotion is just so raw you can feel every 3 plus minutes of it as it plays. A classic song that has a sour ending to it. In the mid 70's there was a royalties row with the writers of the song and Nilsson, they claimed they wern't getting any royalties for the song. The stress of the court case was too much and Pete Ham hung himself, several years later on Tommy Evans hung himself as well. To make matters worse, in the 1990's Mariah Carey issued her version and completely murdered the track dead with her screeching awful vocals.

A Close Up

2007-05-13T05:38:00.000-07:00

A close up of the bike

The New Bike

2007-05-13T05:24:00.000-07:00

I finally decided to buy the bike, I went out yesterday (Saturday) and bought it and got some new cycling shoes too. I had to leave it a couple of hours so they could check it for me and put my new pedals on (SPD's) which wasn't a problem as I had stuff to do in town. I walked it home and it just looks amazing!

I woke early this morning (Sunday Morning) and decided to put my gear on and try my new bike out. I still have my cold and still finding it hard to breath and cough all at the same time, plus riding my bike was pushing it a little. I got out my lycra gear out of the wardrobe and put it on, I've not worn this stuff for several years and it was great to wear it again. I decided to have a ride around then went to Cottingham which is a small village just outside of Hull. Wow the bike is amazing, it's fast and it is just great to have a bike that works again. I took my camera with me to get a couple of shots of the village and asked a passing guy if he would take a couple of photo's of me with my bike which he did. The photo's came out great so i'm really pleased.

The Reason Behind The Last Post

2007-05-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

I decided to put the lyrics of Mama Cass Elliot's Make Your Own Kind Of Music as I was listening to it and it reminds me of a time around 1998 when I was going through a bad time and I heard this song on a film called Beautiful Thing. The song just summed up how I felt and what I needed to hear. Sometimes the lifestyle you choose, some people can't or won't understand it and no longer want to know you, so you have to follow your own path to get to where you need to be. I have been on that path and it has led me to where I am today.

Here's a saying I found and it sums up the way I feel about music
"One good thing about music, when it hit's you, you feel no pain"

5

Make Your Own Kind Of Music

2007-05-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

Nobody can tell ya
There's only one song worth singing
They may try and sell ya
Cause it hangs them up
To see someone like you

But you gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind music
Even if nobody else sings along

You’re gonna be nowhere
The loneliest kind of lonely
It may be rough going
Just to do your thing’s the hardest thing to do

But you gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind music
Even if nobody else sings along

So if you cannot take my hand
And if you must be going, I will understand

You gotta make your own kind of music
Sing your own special song
Make your own kind music
Even if nobody else sings along

Ill Again

2007-05-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it but I have been ill again. Similar thing as before but more like an allergic reaction and affected all my joints and even the soles of my feet. I guess I'm gonna have to seriously watch what I eat now as it affects me for days and leaves me feeling awful. It is either fish or cooking oil that is affecting me. I had eaten a cooked breakfast from a local department store on Monday and usually the meals are fine. I like runny eggs but they were really fried hard and I had fried bread which I don't normally get and that was fried solid too, when I cut into it and used my fork it shot off my plate. Oh well, I'll soon be over it and back to my usual jolly old self. Oh, I had my hearing tested at work and it's perfect which I am both surprised and pleased about as I have worked in the same noisy factory for the last 25 years!

Most Haunted Live

2007-05-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight starts the TV program that I enjoy watching. Most Haunted is a TV show that deals with the paranormal, ghosts, Spirits and anything else that haunts places. This show is a series that is on Satellite TV and every now and then they have a live 3 night special ghost hunting. Tonight they are in Bristol finding about places where Pirates still haunt and trying to get in touch with the pirate Blackbeard. Previous Most Haunted Live's have been amazing and my favourite is Pendle Hill where the spirits of the witches were taking the crew down one by one, and Edinburgh where two of the crew were slashed by an unknow presence live on TV.

I believe in the paranormal, afterlife, Spirits, ghosts or what ever you want to call it. I believe we do not die but our Spirits live on and that we can communicate with the dead as they can communicate with the living. I have spoken to Spirits several times and I have been told that I am a going to be a Spirit Medium. I know about my Spirit Guides and have spoken to him. His name is Kieropek and he is a Native American Indian, he is my main guide with Cara and Peter as my other guides. Cara is my guide for Psychic and Peter is my guide for Spirituallity especially Buddhism. Told you there is quite a lot about me!

Mountain Bike Update

2007-05-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

I have seen the bike I want!

I first saw it before Christmas 2006 but it is £999 and about £300 more than I wanted to pay, but I keep going back to it. Can I really justify spending a grand on a bike that I am mostly going to be using to go to work on, having said that I use it twice a day, work 6 days a week but it is just parked outside in a bike rack. I really need to think this one but I really like it, it's a Cannondale in army/olive green which is my kind of colour as I really like army/cammo colours. So what should I do?

5

Tattoo Time

2007-05-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

This month I need to really decide the design for my next tattoo, my back. I want a Japanese samurai warrior fighting a dragon on my back. It will be the full length of my back and full colour. I have been going through my designs but haven't seen anything to say "that is the design". My appointment is booked for June and I need some rough ideas and design so we can get started. I have a four hour tattoo session booked and I guess it will take and hour to decide the right design and placing. I must go over to my tattooist next week and look through his books and talk over any ideas he might have. I am really looking forward to this as this is a dream come true.

5

New Bike

2007-04-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for a new mountain bike. I have had this bike, an Orange c16 for nearly 13 years and paid around £600 for it then. It was an amazing bike, weighs around 23lb I think and can pick it up with one hand. We have been riding around since and I've been using it for work but over the years it has become worn and tired. I would like to go for another Orange but they only make bikes now for competition at £1000 plus, so that's way out of my price range and I can't justify paying that much on something that is going to be parked outside of work. I have been looking around for a new bike but nothing really has caught my eye but I keep looking. I really need one soon as this bike is on it's last legs, it needs so many repairs doing that it would cost a fair amount which now would be better put towards a new bike. I don't drive so my bike is my transport around, so just got to keep looking I guess!

5

The Impossible Dream

2007-04-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chased from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or cause
To be willing to march into hell for an Heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To fight the unbeatable foe
To reach the unreachable star

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What's In A Name?

2007-04-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

I decided to explain my choice of name on here. It came about after I was chatting to a dear friend in America. He asked about my name and it's meaning and suddenly realised that maybe it might be a bit obscure so here's the explaination.

A Friend Called 5 came from a song by Gary Numan under his then band name Tubeway Army. Going back to 1979 he released a single called "Are Friends Electric" which got to number 1 here in the UK in 1979. It was, and still is a classic single and the album it came off, "Replicas" is just as good. On that album there is a track called "Down In The Park" which was the single before "Are Friends Electric" and it contains the line "down in the park with a friend called 5". Being a kid of 14 I thought this was a great line about someone having a friend with a number instead of a name not realising that he was talking about robots taking over as humans!

Uuugghh

2007-04-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

I had food poisoning this weekend and have been really ill. I have put it down to the fish and chips from the local chip shop and although they tasted ok the effects didn't hit me until Saturday morning. Me and my partner decided to go to Manchester this weekend and was looking forward to it, but I started to feel ill during the car drive there and gradually got worse. The scary part was that I almost passed out as everything started going grey but luckily I got sat down before I went down.

So I got home and went straight to bed and stayed there till about 7pm ish and just came down and laid on the sofa. Today I feel a lot better but not perfect, hopefully I should be ok for work tomorrow. It kinda scared me as a few years back I had uticaria (I think it's spelt) which is an ellergic reaction and was ill for days. My doctor told me not to try and find what it was as it could kill me, the symptoms were very similar except I didn't get a body rash!

I bought a mobile phone while I was there which I didn't open till today which is not like me as something like that I can't wait to get my hands on it! I also bought some record boxes for my singles which are like rocking horse shit! My old single boxes are falling apart but HMV are selling metal cases but they are hard to get and so far only been able to get them in Leeds and Manchester. I really don't know how many I need but have started so hopefully this time next year I will have them all!

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Healing

2007-04-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

Time for a little more about me. I'm a Reiki healer. Reiki is hands on healing and the word means Universal Life Energy. It isn't attached to any belief system so anyone can recieve and learn Reiki, all you need is the desire to be healed. Reiki can help to heal all kinds of ailments being it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. It is amazing and so much has happened since I had my Reiki attunment it has changed my life and beliefs around for the good. I am currently level 3 Reiki and I plan to learn to become a master.

It has opened me up to understand about Spirit Guides, Angels, Spirits, it has got me interested in Buddishm and Spiritualism. I use crystals and a pendulum to communicate and use with Reiki and also to use with the chakra's in the body. All interesting stuff which I will tell more about!

Back To Work

2007-04-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Good Old Monday! Back to work after a good weekend and I found out that the prototyping I did at work last week has gone together well so that pleased me. It's my Partners birthday today so we went off to PC World to buy a lap top. It's amazing how much money you can get for a birthday lol!

A Day In The Life

2007-04-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

I went to York today, it was a really nice warm sunny day and I decided to wear my black kilt. It's the first time I have been outside in it (the other times were just parties) and I gotta say I felt really good in it. It isn't that often you see a guy in a kilt anywhere around here and it was funny to watch people trying not to look but they couldn't help but look and make eye contact. Guess I am becoming more of an exhibitionist than what I thought!

Turning Japanese

2007-04-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Yes I guess I Am!

As you can see from the picture, I am heavily tattooed. Since I was 13 years old, I decided I wanted to get tattooed. I always had ideas of what I wanted and just a few days after my 18th birthday, much to the moaning of my Parents I got my first tattoo. I got an eagle on my upper right arm and it looked great and felt really grown up, two years later I got my next tattoo, a swallow and a heart with a scroll and my name in it. I knew I just wanted loads and got two more on my legs but resisted any more on my arms. My next tattoo was a dragon on the top of my left arm going onto my chest. It was outlined and that was as far as I got, the tattooist who did it wasn't that brilliant so I left it. I bought an american tattoo magazine in 1992 and saw exactly what I wanted. A guy had a japanese half sleeve that looked amazing, then I began to see pictures of Japanese style tattoos from arms to full bodysuits and they just blew my mind. That is when I knew I wanted a full Japanese bodysuit!

I managed to find a guy down South in Clacton who specialized in Japanese tattoos and was amazing and he did my half sleeve, well three quarters of it. The distance, cost of travelling and the work was too much so left it for a few years till I found a closer tattooist. I found one in West Yorkshire but was a little bit of an ego guy. I then left it another year until 2003 and found my tattooist at a tattoo convention in Manchester and started going to him,. He re coloured and styled my left arm and sleeved it over a year. Then we started my right arm, went over my old eagle and finished it Feb 2007. I start my back in June 2007 and plan to get a warrior fighting a dragon on my back. I will go into details when the work starts but I'm really looking forward to it. It has been a dream of mine to get a full bodysuit which is from my neck to my ankles completely covering my body in ink, and I also plan to get a tattoo on my neck and hands as time goes on.

At Home

2007-04-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

I guess I have to get used to writing my blog a little more regular so I have decided to put a little more about me here. I am an avid record collector, been collecting those shiny 7 inches of pleasure for around 35 years now. The first single I was bought was The New Seekers, Beg Steal Or Borrow back in 1972. As I grew so did my record collection covering all delights of Glam Rock, Punk & New Wave, New Romantics and 70's & 80's charts but as I hit the mid 80's music seemed to become really stale and uninteresting.

Getting into the late 90's Dance music, of all things, especially Trance began to interest me again. The music today has really lost a lot of the diversity it used to have. I remember when I used to listen to the charts and on a Saturday afternoon on Radio 1 there used to be the American charts. Nowadays our charts are really the American charts, so does that mean on a Saturday afternoon on Radio 1 they will be doing the UK charts? To me, all this r&b, rap hip hop all sounds the same but the charts has become full of this stuff, so what has happened to all the British music. I've nothing against American music but it would be nice to have good old music from Blighty in the charts!

Easter

2007-04-07T04:01:00.000-07:00

Well it's Easter time, the weather here has been nice so far as usually this time of year in the UK it's raining or just cold and dull. I've got a few days off and still recovering from having the tooth out, just got dull pain all the time now. I should be decorating the hallway and landing but I'm away for today and tomorrow so it won't get started till Monday now maybe lol, got stuff to sort and move too which I can do.

I have a huge record and CD collection that is basically in a shelving unit on the landing and in the spare room. I have been sorting through my collection and had a few bits sold on Ebay and stuff has been taken to the charity shop as well. I have got loads of old cassettes that I have bought again on CD so they have gone, hope somebody can find a use for them. Just my old cassettes to go through now, of stuff I've recored over the years although I have bought most of them on CD too, isn't it amazing how much you can collect over the years and not throw away.

Time to get a photo up of me on here, me thinks. Here is a photo from my London trip outside Harrods in 2005

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Dentist

2007-04-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

I Went to see the dentist today. I've had a really sensetive tooth for about 2 weeks and thought beginning of my holiday I would get it sorted. I thought they would just clean it and re fill it but oh no, they had to pull it and I'm really gutted. Apparently I had described the last stages of a dying nerve before infection sets in and as I'd previously had it filled there wasn't much of my tooth left and it would have cost £700 to rebuild my tooth and root treatment. Even if I had said yes he didn't think it would have worked so out it came and cost £19.20. A great start to my holiday!

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Just Moving In

2007-04-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!
Just taking my time to look around and learn how to blog. This place looks a lot better than the others that are around so hopefully I will feel right at home

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