Trends

Over the last three months my commitment to blogging has appeared to wane somewhat - and in-evitably readership of teh blog has slipped. From the heady heights of hundreds of hits per week I am apparently down to 56. Seeing this made me question why my posting has gone from daily to twice monthly, and I have reached the following conclusions:

1) As I don't really go out and socialise much these days (living thousands of miles away from your friends of the last 7 years has that effect) and thus actually have less gossip and anecdotes

2) Since I got my hernia my exercise regime has stopped - so I have no tracking of progress against goals to report

3) Since leaving Amsterdam my major sources of work stress have gone - so I have less to bitch about

4) Getting up at 0530 to cycle to work means that by the time I get home of an evening (around 8pm) I am knackered and have little time to read, paint, draw, play warhammer, take photos or indeed do any of my relaxation hobbies. So - I have nothing to post on these either

Basically it seems pretty self evident to me that over the last 6 months my life has become somewhat insular and withdrawn from the wider world. A year or two ago this would have prompted hasty and rash calls for affirmative action - the purchase of a new army to paint, or start a new photo project. Possibly I would have added another few kilometres to my daily run, or set a target to reduce my body fat another percentage point or two. Now, a few years older I realise that it is the small changes that make the difference. Big plans inevitably lead to big failure and disappointment. Small incremental change is the ordre du jour.

So the small changes I am making are:

1) I am back to cycling to work. Maybe not everyday - but whenever I can (British weather permitting)
2) I will try to paint at least one figure per week from my Lizardmen army
3) I will start doing weights again at home - but not to excess
4) I will start running again two to three times a week - but no marathons or even half marathons until my hernia is completely repaired
5) I will try to enjoy some of the small things that most ppl take for granted - starting with the pub. As a non-drinker the pub is a place of angst for me as I would love to drink - but I know exactly where that road leads. Daily hangovers, zero savings, bar tabs, poor work performamce, beer belly, shakes, smoking. So - once a week I will try to get out to a pub, play a few frames of pool, have a few coffees, read a book and go.
6) I will try to slow down. In everything I do I seem to adopt a frenetic pace - drinking, eating, running, cycling, reading - everything. I am always in a hurry to finish what I am doing and do the next thing. The ONLY exception to this is cooking - which can never be good and rushed. So, I will try to take my time and enjoy all things as much as I do cooking

lastly - but not least - I will blog at least once per week. This should be easier as Christmas and all the related festivities of the season arrive - as well as kanga!

Ok - hopefully I will be more present in the blog-sphere and I also i hope to catch up more with all the SG chaps. So far T is on MSN - anyone else?