New Starts

Another day, another new start. Since the depression took hold I've usually come to the end of something and then had a bit of a low time, a week or so, whilst I try to recover some motivation. For some reason this morning I feel the opposite, can't wait to get cracking!

Last night was the final event of my two year MFA in Creative Writing at Kingston Uni. Yes I still have an assessment to hand in for the PGTLHE module, and some marking of the undergrads work, and a dissertation too of course, but there are no events lined up, no workshops to attend, seminars to lead. This landmark was celebrated with an MFA Reading. It was much better attended than I had expected, and, indeed, much more fun than I had thought. Eleven us ran down the front and read an excerpt from our work, mainly novels but some short story pieces, and a few poems. Which was where I opted to go, reading three in my series about Ivan Shrimpton, an old fellow from Suffolk with his accent and fondness for life. I'd hope to stick to the accent from the start but found myself introducing the character instead, never mind. Went okay, or so the family tell me, not too fast, pretty clear although a few anticipated chuckle moments didn't work out. Would read again anyway, hadn't thought i'd like it, always shied away, not through fear of presenting, but fear of not having something interesting to say. If I get a chance again I'd take it.

Anyway, I have a huge to do list, on my 'reminders' programme i think it is. I'm embracing all things apple at the moment having just taken receipt of an iPad mini and MacBook Air. i'm in love with both very much and really trying to learn to use the apple way and ditch microsoft, is that possible nowadays? We'll see. There are some huge differences but so far I'm not missing anything. Indeed, the iPad is wonderful. I read my poems from it yesterday instead of having sheets of paper floating around, worked well. And the opportunity to look as if you're making notes in seminars whilst browsing BoardGameGeek is wonderful. I'm glad I didn't have it earlier, I'd never have listened to anything at Uni!

I've been working on my weight this year. It's taken an awful long time to find the motivation but finally Ruth recommended the Beck Diet Solution and it's hooked me in with it's cognitive behavioural systems. NO CHOICE is the best mantra. On the whole I've found it easy to stick to consuming less, and eating mindfully, although the last fortnight have not been that good on the scales. I've had several days of cheating but am still swimming my mile a day during the week - am going to go after lunch today, see if the pool is any emptier than in the mornings - and have walked a fair distance this week too. So, in the last fortnight I have stayed about the same but at least I know that if I start writing down my calorie intake again, and sticking to no more than 1500 per day, I will lose more. So far I'm two stones down, but my target is another ten stones to lose, it was one hell of a mountain I set myself, about the same size as my stomach in fact.

Let's leave it there for today.