That's the weigh it is...

I THINK the man I was talking about yesterday who I pass in the street every day reads this blog. Because I didn’t see him today! I’ve been passing him every single day at the same time for months and months yet today, the day after I announce to the world that I’m going to say hello to him, he disappears.

I also think the ‘sweeper man’ might read this blog because he too has disappeared! Maybe they’re in cahoots together? It is now official – I repel men, even those men I’m not romantically interested in! Ah well, maybe they’ll be back on Monday.

I did, however, say hello to the flower shop man who’s usually out setting up his shop when I pass by in the mornings so at least that was something. He said hello back too, so at least he doesn’t think I’m a raving loon (are you listening guys?!)

On a heavier note (literally) I went back to Weight Watchers last night. The news was not good. Not only have I regained the weight I lost while I tried it out the first time a couple of months back, I’ve ALSO gained an extra five pounds, meaning I’m now 11lb heavier than I was.

It’s a lot to put on in a short space of time, so I really have to get rid of it and much much more, I’m deadly serious this time. I’m going to Canada in July and it’s hot over there and I refuse to spend my holiday sweating in long trousers and shirts because I’m too fat to uncover myself. It’s also getting to be a health worry too, so this is it. I’m going to follow the plan rigidly and when I lose weight I’m going to reward myself with something non-food like. Perhaps a new book, or CD or handbag. But the binge eating has to stop and it stops today.

I’ll be sending around an email to friends and colleagues later asking them to help me and not give me food and to slap my hands away if they see me with rubbish. So I’m asking you all to do the same. For the second time on this blog I’ll ask….Please Do Not Feed The Elephant!

Pic: www.thehindubusinessline.com

I say hello, and you say..........?

THERE is a man who sweeps my street and the surrounding streets every morning. He always says hello to me and we have a little chat when I’m on my way out to work, which I quite look forward to now (though when I’m late I sometimes worry that the ‘sweeper man’ will disapprove.)

I don’t know his name nor he mine but we’ve gotten into this little routine whereby he’ll check his watch when I come around the corner and shout out whether I’m late or early before adding “have a nice day now, good luck luv” and I’ll holler “same to you, mind yourself” which is nice.

There is another man whom I also pass every single morning on the way to work at the same time but we never speak, not even a nod in recognition. (He looks very like someone else I know you see, so the first time I saw him I gaped open mouthed for almost a full minute like a total lunatic as he walked past me, so maybe that’s what’s putting him off. But I digress!)

This man is an older man, about 45 I’d say, so there’s no romantic interest there, I just wonder if maybe it would be polite to say hello? Or if he thinks I’m weird or rude or on drugs or something which is why HE doesn’t say hello. Friends who are from the country think this situation is particularly weird as in their cities and towns, EVERYONE nods and waves and says hello to EVERYONE. People even salute other drivers even if they don’t know them, they just simply wave hello if they pass them on the road.

So maybe it’s just a Dublin or city thing? I remember reading in the newspaper after September 11th that people in New York, renowned as a phenomenally busy city, had taken to greeting each other on the street and saluting other drivers because of the atrocity that happened there, as they felt life was too short to be brusque or too busy to say hello to your neighbours. They really embraced the ‘small town’ way of life and I think it would be great if that happened here too.

I think I’ll say hello to the man in the street tomorrow, after all what’s the worst that can happen? He already looks at me like I’m mentally unstable, so it can’t get much worse than that!

I’ll keep you posted.

Pic: www.travelblog.org

Bonggggg.....bongggg....bongggggggg

SO hands up who did something nice for New Year? Come on, stick up your hand there if you went to a party, or met friends for champagne and fireworks, or snuggled up with your other half for a romantic evening?

Now hands up all of you who ate something rancid in a takeaway and then threw up in a bar, ruining everyone’s night with your bout of food poisoning?

Oh.

Only me then?

Yes, that’s right. Starting the year as I mean to go on, I spend most of New Year’s Eve feeling decidedly rotten after eating something (possibly gone off chicken/mayonnaise) in a fast food joint, which culminated in me retching in the pub, rushing to the loo to be sick and then going home early. (And before you smart arses out there say it, I wasn’t drunk, I’d only had three drinks.) Well Happy New Year to you too!

Apart from ruining the night for the people I was with, it was also a big disappointment for me because for once I had actually taken some time with my appearance and outfit and had gone out with the express intention of enjoying myself. Usually I hate New Year, so this was a new departure for me. I EVEN wore pointy red glamorous shoes, risking blisters and hobbling like an old woman for the rest of my days. But alas, it was not to be. I ended up in my night-dress, curled under the covers with a mug of tea by 12.15am. No midnight kiss for me!

On the upside I did have a very friendly taxi driver who, when I told him the reason I was going home early was because I was unwell, rolled down all the windows in the car for me and then didn’t stop at any red lights all the way home, not one! He also advised me to have some hot tea to settle my stomach and go to bed early AND he didn’t add any extra charges for New Year’s Eve like a lot of drivers do.

Aside from the bad start to the year though, I’m determined that 2006 is going to be better than last year. For various reasons I didn’t have a great 2005, one big factor being that I was seriously ill for most of it and had to undergo major surgery, which I’m in no hurry to repeat. Things appear to be improving healthwise (I’m down to eight pills a day from 16, woo!) and there are also positive changes happening at work and I feel older and wiser so I’m really determined to enjoy this year.

And so to New Year’s resolutions. Usually I break most of mine by January 3 at a push, so this year I decided to make resolutions I’m actually going to enjoy keeping! (I dropped the ‘run 10 miles a day’ one, shudder!)

I’m going to blog more often, probably once every two days, but definitely more than I have been doing up to now. Paul over at The Life and Times of an Irish Emigrant (the link’s there in my sidebar, lookit!) is also going to try to blog every second day so I’ll have to keep up with him!

I’m going to go to more museums, exhibitions and art galleries. It’s something I have a good interest in but up to now have just been too damn lazy to do it. Saturday mornings from now on will be for wandering around galleries NOT slouching in front of programmes for the deaf, moaning about my hangover.

I’m rejoining Weight Watchers (tomorrow night actually!) and I’m going to try 10 times harder to stick to it.

I’m going to re-instate my direct debits to charities. I had a couple set up, but then changed bank account details (long story) and never renewed my subscriptions. All it takes is filling out a couple of forms, a lot online, so that’ll be really easy.

I’m going to seriously look into doing some volunteering. For a while I’ve been thinking of giving up some of my time to help others, but haven’t been sure of how to go about it and have also been mindful of starting something and then quitting it (a big failure of mine). I want to be 100 per cent sure before I start so I’ll make an appointment with my local volunteer centre to see what advice they can give me. I’m thinking of maybe doing something with my writing skills with young people in my own area, if an opportunity like that is on the books. Watch this space for that one, it may take some time, but I’ll do something about it this year.

I think that’s enough to be going along with don’t you?! I’m off now to look up the opening times of the National Gallery. See? I’m doing it already! Mexican wave in celebration of me!

Pic: www.acustomdj.com