Belly Tide

Ok, so leaving four months between posts is probably not a good thing when it comes to "blogging" but sometimes these little frivolities have to take a back seat whilst we concentrate on those things that are slightly more of a priority! Now I'm not about to say that I've been slaving away at work to the point where I don't have time for this kind of thing- far from it, but I have been spending more of my time with friends and family and doing the things I enjoy.

So it's a new year and a whole hell of a lot has happened since my last update in October. At that time I was moaning about not getting what I want at work but I can safely say that work couldn't be better right now. I have the benefit of working with a fantastic group of people who all muck in and put the effort in, 100% of the time. I think it's a rare world when you can say there isn't anyone you're working with that doesn't do your head in at some point. The unit I'm on is working smoothly and I really can't think of anything that really bugs me about it.

On another work-related note, I'm chuffed to finally land a position on a unit where I can seek to develop my investigatory skills and take on work that will be very challenging indeed. I have two exams to take this year to further develop my career and I'm very much looking forward to the opportunity those exams may afford. One of them will have an immediate benefit for when I move to a new unit in June, whilst the other will be an exam to tuck under my (rapidly expanding) belt and keep by for when I want to make the final step forward and look for promotion. That won't happen anytime soon, because I don't want it to but it's important to get the groundwork done in the meantime.

I've got a few other things I want to achieve this year, not least of all dropping some serious poundage. Having gone through the utter humiliation of using a "Wii Fit" board and having my alleged BMI and weight shouted out by everyone present, I am more determined than ever to lose some weight, particularly as there will be at least two occasions this year when I will want to look my best. That first event is in June when Dave (The bloke I allowed to bully me into standing on that blasted Wii Fit thing) gets married to his lovely fiancee and mother of his baby son. I have been called upon to be an usher at the wedding and I don't want to be the guy who's waistcoat is straining to hold back the inexorable belly tide. So for now I must endure the jibes, the ridicule and the sheer mocking brays of those who think it's clever to poke fun at overweight people. I hope that one day I can make them laugh on the other side of their face when I can get down to a less obscene level. That won't happen unless I pull my finger out and start getting down that gym or at least taking some exercise.

On the relationship front, I have accepted the notion that I simply don't know what I want. Having gone over things from my previous relationships, I know now that I will not be so ready to rush in and put my heart on the line again. When it happens, it'll hopefully be something I'll wake up thanking God for every morning. At the moment, I can't forsee anything of that nature but then I am not exactly looking for it. There is just too much else for me to think about and concentrate on without having to think about and/or worry about the ways and whims of the fairer sex.

I'm lucky at the moment for many other reasons. It's a rare evening when I am not asked to meet up with someone or other and share a drink or three or simply shoot the breeze and it's nice to have the freedom to do that. I'm glad I've managed to establish a good group of friends round me who I can rely on and who I can see and speak to at least at very short notice. Of that network of friends, thankfully I still have one or two in there from my younger days who I've known for at least 10 years or more and who still live locally enough for me to see regularly.

A couple of days back, my best friend told me he'd been turfed out by his girlfriend and though being ditched is never a fun experience, it does at least give him the excuse to come down to Bournemouth from Cardiff and live it up this weekend without having to worry about what "her indoors" thinks of it. I love women, I really do, but I doubt I will ever understand them and their ways. I think that is probably why I'll settle for getting a cat instead, for now!