2023

Posted on by gizzajob

So far, so good. I’m remembering to write 2023, rather than 2022. 😀

Seriously, it’s another example of life getting lifey; under an era of corruption, and handouts. 😐

The 600 Squid, home heating payment, comes via the provider; first. Cunning plan, Baldwrick?

At least there’s the FA Cup Third Round, this weekend. Arsenal away to Oxford; Monday evening. We’ve exceeded expectations, this season, so far. But, we’ll always be one injury away from disaster.

Christmas went well. Dinner, on the big day, at an old neighbour’s house. Then a dinner, with my current neighbour, on Boxing Day afternoon. My current neighbour gave me leftover turkey; which I made a curry out of; that evening.

On New Year’s Day, I weighed exactly the same as 01 December. Braving the hornet’s nest was quite an achievement.

On 13 December, I was in Belfast; Christmas Shopping Trip with WAVE in Omagh. Driving to, and from, Tamnamore park-and-ride was quite an achievement. I’m not used to driving in such cold weather. But, in the end, I got there. In Belfast I went to Castle Court; for supplements at Holland and Barrett, as well as deicer at Poundland. The latter had a self-checkout with the worst Santa Voice EVER!

I was also able to see the surreal in mundane activities. There was an old woman who gave all her food to the pigeons; outside City Hall. I enjoyed it; even though I was worried about someone yapping about the possibility of their kid sliding on the food. I see a life beyond Hospitals. 🙂

I also bought a, Portuguese, copy of ‘Hypnotised’ by the Undertones, and a twelve-inch copy of ‘A Sheltered Life’ by Carter USM at Voodoo Soup Record Shop. Plus, I viewed the Christmas Exhibition at the Engine Room Gallery; at North Street. Always up for a little culture.

Tunes:

Growth Comfort

Posted on by gizzajob

I heard an expression on a Zoom conference on Tuesday, which resonated with me. “Comfort doesn’t exist in the growth zone! Growth doesn’t exist in the comfort zone!”

My Slimming World online subscription expired today. Then I went to a class – weigh-in only – to check the aftermath of Lockdown eating. I gained SIXTEEN pounds. From being 20 Stone 0.5 Pounds, I’m now 21 Stone 2.5 Pounds. However, I needed that kick up the Arse. Even though the drive to-and-from Brackaville was a nightmare.

Next week, I have a job interview in Belfast. I can ask the interviewers if there is a possibility of transferring to a more regional location if I do a good enough job there. It’s for Shopmobility. God willing, Lockdown in Northern Ireland will end tomorrow. The Executive decide tonight. A haircut and shave next Tuesday afternoon depends on it.

Sensory overloads are taking place quite regularly now. However, music is my best therapy. Plus, I’m on a Discord group for Adults with Autism.

Black Friday tomorrow. My brother and I have to run an errand together in Cookstown. Hopefully, my sleep will be good.

One piece of good news, I found my parcel box. I left it at the shop where the Post Office was. Everything’s fine now.

I feel better; after a day of panic.

Tunes:

Standing my Ground

Posted on by gizzajob

Yesterday, I ran errands in Cookstown and Magherafelt – I got masks and gloves in Cookstown; as well as A4-sized picture frames, and a downloadable photograph from a Chemist in Magherafelt to renew my driving licence online. Once I did apply online, I felt much better.

Then, in the evening, I attended a Zoom group for my Slimming World instructor- then was awarded my first ever ‘Slimmer of the Week’ award. When all and sundry were pigging out, I kept myself occupied with the internet, conversation and tea/coffee.

But, there is a delay in my mail arriving. There are a few things I’m waiting for which are in limbo. But, they’ll arrive in God’s time.

Holy Thursday today, whenever The Lord celebrated the Passover. I have the Lamb’s blood in my life. 🙂

Tunes:

New Decade – New Plan

Posted on by gizzajob

This evening, I weighed myself at Slimming World in Ballinderry. After getting down to below 20 Stone – 280 Pounds – eleven days ago, I put on eight pounds since then. There were a few boxes of biscuits and Chicken Chow Mein deliveries along the way. However, I manned up about the weigh-in, and got a recipe book and ordered stuff for delivery from Sainsbury’s – to make Veggie Chilli Con Carne. I’ll NEVER go Vegan but remain open-minded to Veggie options.

Christmas itself was great. I spent FOUR consecutive days with my neighbour for meals. Then, I bought her Jimmy Choo perfume and a bottle of Australian Sauvignon Blanc to show my appreciation. One of her brothers from Philadelphia flew back to Ireland on Boxing Day and he gave me a Philadelphia Eagles Toque as a gift. I also got, from my Skype buddy from Toronto, a Leafs t-shirt, a George sweatshirt, two pyjama bottoms and a Greatest Hits compilation by the Headstones – Canadian Punk Band from the Nineties. I was landed. 🙂

Twenty years ago, we faced the Millenium Bug. Now, it’s the Millenials who are bugging us. 😀 My Toque proved to be a good-luck charm, as the Eagles secured a playoff berth last night. 🙂

Tunes:

Losing Weight

Posted on by gizzajob

Three weeks ago, I was hospitalised after sensory overload. I have been on the hamster wheel quite a while, recently. However, what emerged from that is an awareness of my limitations. For the four Wednesday evenings of June, I will be attending Pilates classes in Holywood (North Down, in case you might be searching for me on IMDb) and hope to join the local sessions in Coagh once it resumes in September.

Also, a fortnight ago, my car got through the MOT. Having heard about the daughter of my ex-Landlady from Dublin spending over €1,000 on repairs for the Southern equivalent and still not getting the car passed, I can be thankful that I have good people in my local community who won’t rip me off. But, yesterday, the service light was on, and the car needs to be seen to, again, on Monday.

Last Sunday, I went to the Continental Market in Cookstown. Really glad to have gone. I had a Brautwrst hotdog there from the German stall and Grilled Chicken with Sweet-Potato Fries fries from the Spanish booth. My three weeks of Slimming World have gone well. Three-quarters of a stone – aka ten and a half pounds – lost, already. 🙂

Tonight, I’ll be seeing Superstars Café’s team do a stage production of ‘The Lion King’. Hopefully, on Tuesday evening – if the car will be fine – I will see the Elton John film in Cookstown Cinema. Things are better now. 🙂

 

Tunes:

 

Giving up the Ghost

Posted on by gizzajob

Having spoken with the Dietitian with the Condition Management Programme this morning, I am making the following commitments;

 

1. A food diary – beginning in earnest tomorrow.

2. Slimming World – Thursdays at Brackaville.

 

Nothing to lose, execpt the weight. 🙂

 

Tunes:

 

Keep coming back for more

Posted on by gizzajob

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Source of GIF Dee Kay Kwon

Christmas was quiet but enjoyable. I did get to see Home Alone at Dun Laoghaire Theatre’s Cinema Screen; reminiscing about the ‘Good Old Days’ prior to the Internet and 9/11. I even thought of a sonnet based on a joke I had created saying that if Kevin was a kid today he would eat the Tide that he bought. 🙂

New Year, same old me. 🙂 But I lost weight over the Christmas period. Now that I’m ‘Back to Porridge’, I am tempted to rationalise eating junk again to ‘celebrate’ my weight loss over the Christmas Period. My mind and I belong together. 🙂

This morning – Tuesday, January 08 – I had registered with another recruitment agency. Keep on plodding along. Plus, I applied for what seems like a role too good to be true in Cookstown. If it isn’t what it says on the tin, so be it.

My friend who painted my walls and ceilings did my guttering this morning while I was away in Portadown. That’s another load off my mind. I know that things will work out in 2019 if I ignore all the hullabaloo over ‘Armageddon’ following Brexit, lol.

Tunes: (and more)

 

 

Losing Weight (and Inhibitions)

Posted on by gizzajob

Today I had a weigh-in from the Dietitian; first appointment since the day before I flew to Paris back in October; and all my hard work giving up sugar paid off. I lost over 15 Pounds and am now under 300 Pounds for the first time in over a Year. Next goal is to get under 20 Stone; 280 Pounds.

 

Today I had my Health and Safety qualification exam. Yesterday’s induction to Health and Safety went well as both the guy taking it and the Inspector keeping a tab on him were both mighty impressed by me and my attitude; first impressions count. 🙂

 

Now I feel that, in spite of the gloomy weather and the issue around my car; things are starting to get better.

Tunes:

 

 

 

 

 

Getting Started

Posted on by gizzajob

I am a 36 Year-Old Single Guy living in Magherafelt in County Derry; originally from Ardboe in County Tyrone; and have been out of full time work since January 2007 for several reasons. During that time I passed the driving test; 23 July 2007; became Full-Time Carer for my elderly Grandmother; who is now Ninety Years-Old; and for the past Seven Months have lived on my own envisioning the next scheme I would create to improve my life.

 

I live in Praxis Accommodation and have featured on ‘Derry County Matters’ on IrishTV about the Garden in our Flats. The feature can be shown on http://tiny.cc/desmondontv (ours is the first feature on it)

 

I graduated in Computing Science in 2001 with a 2:2, but was unable to find work in that profession. Looking back, I was too full of entitlement to push myself back then. My Mum died of Parkinson’s Disease on 28 January 2008. My Father was killed in the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’ on 29 November 1989. However I have grown stronger out of that adversity and refuse to consider myself a Victim.

 

I also have Social Anxiety, Asperger’s Syndrome, Depression and Schizophrenia. Plus, I need to lose wight.

 

More about me later.