Life Changing

Okay I know the title suggests I'm gonna talk about something earth shattering so I'll admit straight up that I didn't win the lottery, discover the fountain of youth or become a superhero through some strange alien crystals I found on the beach. What I wanted to talk about was how I've changed so many things in my life over the past year and how many more are coming up over the next.

Over the last year:

• I've moved back into an office environment after a year and a half working in a pub
• I've quit smoking
• I'm loosing weight
• I'm learning to drive
• I've finally cleared the last of my student loans
• I'm learning SQL
• I'm making sure I've filled in any gaps in my self taught statistical knowledge

and coming up over the next year...

• I'll become debt free
• I'll pass my test and have my own car
• I'll maintain this blog
• I'll get laser eye surgery
• I'll finish one of the novels I've started

As odd as it sounds all these changes have largely been a matter of choice, simple choice. Not thinking 'Wouldn't it be great if...' or 'If only I could...' or 'I'd do x if I had...' but just making the decision that I would change my life. Oh and taking every bit of help I can find.

Some people reacted critically to the fact that I was taking advantage of the NHS's stop smoking service and telling me about people they had known who just went cold turkey which struck me as odd, why would I make it any harder than it has to be?

Now the new job has helped with my finances and learning to drive, but these are things I could have been doing anyway. I've downloaded apps to keep track of my money and dug out an old set of dumbbells to help me exercise, I'm talking to friends and family about what I'm doing so they're asking me how things are going and encouraging me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is if you want to change something, stop making excuses and start changing it, you'd be surprised how many problems you think are going to occur don't and how much easier it is to be the ones that do materialise are to handle once you've got some momentum.

Missing in Action - 2009 / 2010

Wow so time to get back to writing a blog (among other things).

So you've missed my time in a pub and then my joining RIAS (an insurance company), seeing the T20 cricket finals and walking the southwest coastal path.

I've also finally given up smoking for good - six months and not a one, that's the good news. Unfortunately I've put on some weight between not smoking and moving back to an office job.

So 2011 will be about getting back into shape. I also need to get my career back on track and I'm planning to visit Egypt.

RIAS is still a temporary position so on the job front things are a bit unsettled, but I'm still hoping to secure something permanent.

My home life is pretty messed up as I'm living with my parents at the moment. I know 34 and living at home - the lonely hearts add almost writes itself huh? It's the result of a combination of factors, first when I arrived back in the UK I had no job, no money and nowhere to live so home was really the only option.

Since then I've got myself back to a position where I can afford to live by myself but my parents have been put in a very awkward position where they can't afford to live in the house so I'm now taking care of all the bills. They should be back to square by mid 2012 when my Dad reaches official retirement age and some additional pensions mature. Till then I've committed to helping them out.

In the meantime however I'm determined not to just sit about doing nothing so this Easter I'm heading to Egypt to visit the pyramids!

That was a quick update on the last two years, I'm planning on weekly updates so hopefully you won't be in the dark for so long from here onwards.