It's the time of year to both reflect and look forward... here's my reflection, in awards format!
Book Of The Year
Can't believe I'd never read it before, but The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde was an amazing read. Almost everything that Lord Henry said resonated with me in some shape, fashion or form! A notable mention should go to Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Psychological drama at its best.
Film Of The Year
I don't do films. I rarely go to the cinema. I can't be bothered with DVDs at home either. However, I did see Argo this year and thought it was a terrific story.
Achievement Of The Year
I guess it has to be losing 43lbs in weight most of which was lost within a three month period from August to October. Getting in to jeans which are 4 sizes smaller than I used to have to buy feels terrific and there are shops I can now visit!
Event Of The Year
Finally getting to put on some fancy dress for Halloween was pretty cool. Pulling on my Ulster jersey and heading off to Twickenham for the Heineken Cup Final was cool too (despite the result). Seeing Ulster win in Dublin in the semi-final of the Heineken Cup was terrific! Watching United and Liverpool at Old Trafford was not as much fun as I'd hoped! But maybe my cycling weekend with Messrs Longridge and Keeler around the Ards Peninsula would be the highlight. Not sure why I enjoyed that so much - the sense of achievement maybe?
Album of The Year
Did I buy any albums? I'm not quite sure that I did. If I did, it was mostly "oldies" which should already form part of my collection. The only new album I bought was Lana Del Rey's Born To Die. It was OK, I guess. Given that it was the only album I bought during 2012, I guess it gets the accolade.
Theatre Event Of The Year
There were plenty of outings to the theatre in 2012. Hansel & Gretel at the Lyric was much better than I was expecting. Macbeth (also at the Lyric) was very good indeed. Grease and Horrible Histories were both good. But the best? The Mousetrap at the Opera House.
Traveling
The trips to Old Trafford, Lansdowne and Twickenham certainly count as travel but they don't make it to top spot in my travel list! The break to London to visit the Houses of Parliament, the Rib adventure on the Thames and the Michelin starred Indian cuisine was very good but not quite as good as the holiday to Lake Garda and Verona. But even that couldn't compete with the weekend in Hertfordshire and the visit to the Harry Potter Studios! Oh me, oh my. What a trip that was. Never have I wandered so long with my jaw in a dropped state! I want to go back!
Of course the year had some moments that weren't so great. My preceding generation have dwindled this year once again and too many family members have had too many health issues. Hospitals have been frequented on too many occasions this past year.
So for 2013, I'd like to see the inside of hospitals a lot less; I'd like to get out on the bike a bit more; I'd like to lose another 14lbs; I'd like to travel a bit more; and I'd like to finally get a new car after having had to put up with my current car for the past 11 years!
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Monday, 8 October 2012
The Twelve Labours
It's amazing what a short bike ride around the Ards peninsula will do for your mental well-being. Fresh from a weekend easing my way around the coast of the Ards peninsula, I found myself wanting to do more. Lough Neagh next time, maybe. Mizen Head to Malin Head?
Of course, once you mention this to someone, things can get out of hand really quite rapidly. My good friend, James, has just completed a half marathon after having shed a quarter of his body weight and is feeling similarly smug. And similarly, he wants to do more. Much more.
And thus, "The Twelve Labours" has been born. Twelve challenges, with the operative word being challenges as each "challenge" must, by definition, be challenging for the participants!
Cycling
A cycle trip around Lough Neagh is certainly a contender for inclusion in "The Twelve Labours" list. This 80 mile journey around one of Europe's largest fresh-water lakes has been mapped already on Endomondo.
But another cycle journey in Northern Ireland could be even more of a challenge! The "Giant Killer" covers 182 kilometres of Northern Ireland's must stunning scenery along the Causeway Coast. Details can be found on the Giant's Causeway Coast Sportive website.
And then, of course, there is the end-to-end. Either Land's End to John O Groats or Mizen Head to Malin Head. The former is certainly more of a challenge than the latter as far as distance is concerned but both will take at least a week to complete!
And what about crossing the Pennines? The Trans Pennine Cycle route could certainly provide a "Labour".
Climbing
We can rapidly think of four "Labours" by attempting to climb the 4 Peaks - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Snowdon and Slieve Donard are the highest peaks in each country of the UK!
Canoeing
10.5 miles of canoeing sounds like a challenge, right? Lake Windermere could be the location for another "Labour"!
And then there is the Lower Bann - an ideal waterway for canoeing, though over three times the distance of Windermere! Canoe NI have the details!
Running
And finally, no set of challenges would be complete without some form of running. Half marathon. Full marathon. 10K.
Next Steps
The two of us have egged each other on to the point where we would like to have a go at this. And, of course, raise some money for charity, reduce our waist sizes and have some fun too. It would be great to have company on our journey and ideally that would be for every "Labour".
If anyone is interested in either helping to plan the "Labours" or to complete the "Labours", then please do not hesitate to get in-touch!
Meanwhile, we will have to put together a website to record the event. And soon. This series of events should take place during the course of 2013 which gets underway pretty soon!
Of course, once you mention this to someone, things can get out of hand really quite rapidly. My good friend, James, has just completed a half marathon after having shed a quarter of his body weight and is feeling similarly smug. And similarly, he wants to do more. Much more.
And thus, "The Twelve Labours" has been born. Twelve challenges, with the operative word being challenges as each "challenge" must, by definition, be challenging for the participants!
Cycling
A cycle trip around Lough Neagh is certainly a contender for inclusion in "The Twelve Labours" list. This 80 mile journey around one of Europe's largest fresh-water lakes has been mapped already on Endomondo.
But another cycle journey in Northern Ireland could be even more of a challenge! The "Giant Killer" covers 182 kilometres of Northern Ireland's must stunning scenery along the Causeway Coast. Details can be found on the Giant's Causeway Coast Sportive website.
And then, of course, there is the end-to-end. Either Land's End to John O Groats or Mizen Head to Malin Head. The former is certainly more of a challenge than the latter as far as distance is concerned but both will take at least a week to complete!
And what about crossing the Pennines? The Trans Pennine Cycle route could certainly provide a "Labour".
Climbing
We can rapidly think of four "Labours" by attempting to climb the 4 Peaks - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Snowdon and Slieve Donard are the highest peaks in each country of the UK!
Canoeing
10.5 miles of canoeing sounds like a challenge, right? Lake Windermere could be the location for another "Labour"!
And then there is the Lower Bann - an ideal waterway for canoeing, though over three times the distance of Windermere! Canoe NI have the details!
Running
And finally, no set of challenges would be complete without some form of running. Half marathon. Full marathon. 10K.
Next Steps
The two of us have egged each other on to the point where we would like to have a go at this. And, of course, raise some money for charity, reduce our waist sizes and have some fun too. It would be great to have company on our journey and ideally that would be for every "Labour".
If anyone is interested in either helping to plan the "Labours" or to complete the "Labours", then please do not hesitate to get in-touch!
Meanwhile, we will have to put together a website to record the event. And soon. This series of events should take place during the course of 2013 which gets underway pretty soon!
Sunday, 30 September 2012
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Thursday, 27 September 2012
New Slimline Me
I lost 30lbs, dropped a couple of sizes in jeans which has hurt my wallet as I had to buy a whole new wardrobe and I also bought a bike.
Of course... I'm stupid when it comes to things like this. A bike needs lights, a pannier rack, pannier bags. I need an HRM, and cycling shorts and a helmet and gloves and sunglasses.
As of today - this is what I look like:
And pretty soon, I'll attempt an 80 mile round-trip of the Ards peninsula! Am I capable?
Of course... I'm stupid when it comes to things like this. A bike needs lights, a pannier rack, pannier bags. I need an HRM, and cycling shorts and a helmet and gloves and sunglasses.
As of today - this is what I look like:
And pretty soon, I'll attempt an 80 mile round-trip of the Ards peninsula! Am I capable?
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
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