Time for an update.

So it's been a while since I've posted and I've have writing up posts in the background but they weren't complete. Ergo, not published.

I wonder how far back I should go or just mention bits and pieces... well by the end of this post, we'll both know!

The car firstly has been running well, not getting rid of my 'Ute' yet. Although I did have a weird sound in it for a while, like an empty soda can rolling across asphalt, stripped the car looking for this can to no avail, but a friend looked and found a marble under the drivers seat carpet. I still don't know how it got there but the sound has gone.

I made an amazing friend one of my nights out about 2 months ago now, Melissa. It was totally unexpected but she's been just what I needed. Through her I've become more social and she's helped me think about things a different way.

The dating situation has been a bit rough, there's a lot of mud out there and it's hard to find those Diamonds. I thought I had one but he turned out to be a Zirconia, the potential was there but... I don't know, he's a bit weird and not in a good way.

What else...

Oh my training is going well, but with Winter and finances setting in, I've stopped the personal training sessions at the park and have signed up for a 24/7 gym. So those nights I can't sleep, I can really tire myself out.

I've been a bit sick this week, it was most likely just a bug as I haven't really been looking after myself well. It's just taking a while to get over.

Mum is doing really well with her stent, I'd say she's fully recovered and is even better than before. She's also quit smoking, but still on patches but she's getting there.

I did one session of my writing course and let that slip, just like high school, socialising always gets my attention more.

Not sure what else to mention so will leave it there for now.

ANZAC morning at the Shrine

Debated back and forth all day Wednesday, whether to go to the ANZAC Day Dawn service at the Shrine yesterday morning. I knew it wasn't going to rain but I had a date Wednesday night, I needed to sleep but had a PT session later in the morning anyway, ...long story short, after my date ended at 1am, I decided to head in. I stopped by home to change clothes and waste a bit of time, ended up on POF for a while which was entertaining.

Years past, I'd headed to the service but not stayed because it either started raining on the way in, I couldn't get a carpark or the mass of people was just too much. This time I changed strategy, I'd get in early, get some photos and get myself a good spot to watch from. Well in theory it worked. I got in there at 3am, no-one else was there! I got the best park, as close to the Shrine as I could legally get (they'd closed off so many parking areas) and after a disagreement with an over eager parking marshal thinking he knew best, started the walk up to the Shrine. From my car it took 10 minutes to walk up, that was with a few stops for photos (mentioning now as it will come up later). It was so dark on the forecourt, the only light was the one highlighting the Shrine itself and a slight glow from the Eternal Flame between bodies huddled together. 

So after a bit of wandering around and more photos, I found a good spot to watch from, right up the front. So this was the hard bit, I didn't bring a chair, it became too crowded to consider sitting on the ground, so I stood there, in the same damn spot from 3:30amish till 6:30amish. My feet were so so sore, there was a couple of times I thought about leaving but I'd already stuck it out this long. And I couldn't really try and work my way out through the massive crowd with the service was on. So the host I guess you'd call him, delved a little into the history of the ANZAC's, a schoolgirl spoke, as did a returning Afghanistan soldier. Tears of course welled in my eyes at the sound of The Last Post, it's the soulfulness of the bugle I think. Guns were fired and 30 minutes later the service was over. I was expecting more, not sure what, just more.

So now I can cross that one off my bucket list. I've done it, doubt I'll do it again.

Back to the 10 minute walk from my car thing for a sec, I mentioned it because, believe this! With the amount of people attending the service, all leaving at once, it took me well over 30minutes to get back to my car. How nuts is that!?!

My guy crush at training!!

Training was rough this week. I was 30mins early on Tuesday, so I walked until my session started and by the end I was wrecked. Today's session was worse. My alarm didn't work so I was asleep when Caz texted about training, I saw 4am and woke up on the couch, so not sure how much I slept. Dashed around (I hate being rushed) and out the door, not until stepping on the wet grass did I realise I wasn't wearing shoes, it really wasn't my morning.

So I get to training late, half asleep and only feeling 50%, this is so not a good look but I'm ready (I hope I'm not getting sick again). Training goes ok and Caz records my weight and measurements, I told her I didn't want to know the numbers, so will be interesting to see what changes in 6 weeks.

Anyway, we get to talking about something and she shows me a great photo of her family and there's a familiar face in the photo. Not Caz's, her Brother Chris! I met Chris at Tafe, it would be over 10 years ago now and had a huge crush on him, one of only 2 guys I've ever had crushes on. I used to think of Chris occassionaly and wonder how things turned out for him, now I know. Still single but interested in someone, living in Templestowe and almost a qualified personal trainer. I don't know if Caz was joking or not when she said he could use some experience with clients and was I up for it, Hell no Sista!. Writing this I still can't believe it. I was so freaked out and knowing he was upstairs (we trained at Caz's family home) I just wanted to hide, yet I also wanted to see him, weird hey! Anyway, as we were chatting, small world it being, it's come to be I also knew Caz's ex and she is still in contact with one of the Staff members I was really close too back then. Will be interesting what we chat about at the next session.

I've also got to start eating breakfast regularly as per Caz's advice and she wants proof. So ignore the upcoming food photos.

They may say laughing is the best medicine but too much and it aches!

Couldn't sleep last night, too much on my mind, sometimes I think I should keep some Chloroform handy to knock myself out. Ended up folding and hanging laundry, and watching re-runs of The Walking Dead.
Mum's still in Hospital, more tests and possibly an angiogram (know nothing about them so Google is my next stop). Playing it by ear as to how much longer she'll be in.

I considered cancelling my PT session with Caz from Pick Yourself Up Personal Training but there's nothing I can do at the Hospital, so working on my health was the next best option. I'm really glad I kept the booking, it was good to get my mind onto something I didn't have to think about (ok I know that last line is a bit of an oxymoron :P). I didn't have to wait long for Caz, she was really bubbly and it certainly brightened my mood. Being a portable service she keeps all her equipment in her car, so after a bit of unpacking it was time to get the body in gear. Now I can't remember the order exercises came in (I still haven't slept) but there was boxing, walking, weights, stepping, leg lifts, more boxing, more walking, kicking, horizontal cycling, boxing again and a bit of twisting thrown in. Oh and it was a modelling day also which she didn't give me warning for, front, side and booty views of the way I look now (I best be careful, she now has blackmail material) and that vain bird was there at my car mirrors again, but I have a plan! Oven Mitts to cover my side mirrors, if that doesn't work, I might give the council a call as it's quite annoying. Looks like she may have picked up a new client during our session also (I had a peek at her planner, she is one mega busy chick!)
No wonder Caz is so popular, she's so much fun, I swear I'm not calling what we do workouts anymore, they're laughouts now and she has good taste in music too. All in all a great session and I'm now confirmed for every Tuesday and Thursday for a while. She's also recommended a Doc for me in the area, so will have to get onto a health check before long.


So that's it, it's now 7pm and I'm starting to get hungry, the smell of chicken and vegies in the slowcooker are wafting through the room.

Damnwidth and Personal Trainer #3, Chatting with Caz

Woke up to a lovely surprise this morning, no bandwidth! Seriously? So annoying when I have so much to do online at the moment, so I'm blogging today at not even full dial-up speed. I was 200% sure I'd settled on a plan with the enough damnwidth (yep it's my word of the day) to get access to what I needed, what I wanted and a bit more for. But no, so I'll need to look at upgrading and the issue with that is I have no damnwidth to research other suppliers. Damn you Optus (shaking fist) damn you!

Rant over.

Although I'd cancelled my appointment with PT#2 due to my quads, I was determined not to cancel with Personal Trainer #3. I found a fix that worked but didn't feel very good. I sleep on my stomach (or else my boobs try to strangle me) so I decided to turn my electric blanket up to full heat, setting it for 75mins and snoozing my way to relief. Now, trust me here it wasn't nice, it was uncomfortable being so warm, laying in sweat was gross and I woke up feeling like an unbathed hippie but it really worked, no quad pain! 

Moving on, I met up with PT#3 at the same place I was at with PT#1, found out this is there regular spot, all good except for the bird that likes to stare at himself in car mirrors, seriously this bird is so vain! Will try a towel over it next time, he can stare into anothers mirror. And there was some Cross Training school thing on so there was a constant stream of kids. 

Anyway PT#3 is Caroline, sorry Caz, and I gotta say, what an incredible lady. Firstly what I found different from PT#1 was that I felt instantly at ease, not sure if it was a woman thing or having already met one, the next was easier but it was great. Secondly it was like chatting with friend more than anything else, we have so many little things in common, I'm surprised we haven't crossed paths before. We went to Primary School next to each other and would have been in the same grade, we have a similar work change story although different industries, a main relationship has been similar, family mix and story is quite similar, we've both tried online dating and nickname our cars. But then there's the interesting opposites too, Caz is a traveller and I haven't found my airfeathers yet, she's moved out whereas I've moved in, what we find attractive in guys is a total opposite and there's more, but I'm not sharing.

I swear if her favourite colour is Aqua, I'll be speechless.

But it wasn't all sitting and chatting, we talked while we walked and it was fun, I also have no heel pain! That's what I want, I want this Personal Training to be fun or I'll stop. I can't believe we chatted for over 2 hours, I felt guilty as I'm sure she had other things do to. So I think I've found my PT in Caz, if she'll have me. The 2 year commitment didn't seem to phase her.

PT#1 isn't out of the woods though, give me a few months and I think I'll be ready for a bit of Leigh's style. But now what to do with PT#2, I've decided to call and thank him but let him know I've found what I'm after. I'm not going to settle for second best anymore.

Dang it! I forgot to get Caz's number.

So after that meeting today, I missed out on getting done what I wanted but do I care? Hell no! I'm one step closer to being the best I can be.

His comment made my day!

Was out walking Chase yesterday morning and got chatting with a guy who had been on run, I commented on how sweaty he was and he said the funniest thing (not as funny now, but I was in stitches when he said it.)

It can't be said I'm not eager

Had to cancel on my night out last night and meeting Personal Trainer #2 today due to quad pain. After researching online, I've found rest and heat to be the most recommended treatments, so 3 hot showers today and maybe a movie night tonight, cuddling a heatpack.

Fingers crossed I'll be able to get Chase out for a walk tomorrow and  be moving enough for meeting with Personal Trainer #3 on Tuesday.

I discovered during the week my local Contours gym is running a free 7 day trial at the moment as opposed to the usual 5 day, so after emailing them, that's tentatively planned for next month.
And I've also found a local walking group on MeetUp, so that's penned in for April 13. Maybe I'm pushing myself too much, maybe not enough.

During the week, I also signed up for an online 'Writing for the Web' course starting late April through Open2Study.com, as it only goes for 2 months, I thought why not.

Anyway, back to tonight, tossing up between Taken 2 and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, nope going with a classic, The Green Mile. Someone wanna toss my heatpack in the nuker?

I now detest black folders.

I've started checking out different Personal Trainers in the area as walking is a no brainer, I'm wanting to get more out of my exercise routine. So Wednesday morning, I met up with Personal Trainer #1 Leigh from Pick Yourself Up Personal Training at a local cafe. Chatting for a while, I explained why I'd made contact, what I was hoping to gain, mentioned my injuries and then he opened this dreaded black folder (will explain why dreaded shortly) which I hadn't noticed him holding before. Opening the folder, he explains a bit about this paperwork he has and it's homework for me! The last thing I expected was homework, having had no sleep for 2 days at this stage, drinking the previous night, thinking of the paperwork I already have to sort through later that day from my move, and a date that night I've already postponed once, I had an image of myself slapping him in the face with the damn folder (sorry Leigh!) I didn't though, wouldn't be too good to make a scene at what I guess would be my new local shoppo. So wanting to get this out of the way, we organize a trial session the next morning. As he's leaving he reminds me to be as honest and open on the forms I can be, this will only work if I'm honest to myself. As I have an appointment close by soonish, I decided to stay and get this 'homework' out of the way.

Working through the forms starts off simple... name, address, 'the usuals', etc and then it gets to what I want to achieve and I'm stumped. What is it exactly that I want? Why do I want it? How would my current injuries keep me from doing physical activities? The thoughts start flowing and they don't stop. I get to my meeting and those questions keep racing through my mind. 3 hour meeting and I don't think much was achieved. Getting home, I stash the folder away and refuse to look at it while I relax watching a bit of wrestling. I see the folder again as I leave for my date, I debate ringing Leigh and canceling the whole thing but refrain, as I really do want to do this. So date goes well and I get home after 4am (we spent the night talking, that's it! Get your mind out of the gutter) Quick change and I get started on the paperwork from the move, knock it out in 2 hours, old life gone when these hit the post office later in the morning. 

Sitting down for a break, I spy the folder. I'd put the it and the questions out of my mind till then and now I've ran out of time, it has to be completed. So after questioning my motivation, second guessing the answers in my head, I forced myself to write it all down and I'm finished. Check the clock and it's 9am, yep another night with no sleep. Not complaining, it's my own fault but it helps explain what happens next. I change again, grab the stuff I need and head off, get halfway down my street and realise I've left the dreaded black folder on the counter. Head back, get the folder and go to reverse out of the driveway. I get the shock of my life when I this horrible bashing noise vibrates though my car, there's a woman bashing on the boot! I get out and she starts with the screaming 'You almost hit me', 'YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME', I look and see I haven't even reached the sidewalk yet, she's come into the property line and I can't help but watch her with a sly smile on my face. I ask her to settle down and then the biggest shock of all comes, she's slapped me across my face. I'm dumbfounded, she then looks at me horrified and starts walking away. Seriously woman, did I really need this now? Nothing I can do, I head off to meet Leigh knowing I'll now be late. Get there, out of the car, say good morning to Leigh and he asks how I'm doing. Still a bit shocked, all I can mutter is 'been better'.