“…it’s hard enough, just passssssing the tiiiiime, when I cant seem to get you out… my miiiind…”
Just a little music turned blog related humour for you there.
In all honestly, 5 month is a ridiculously long time not to leave a blog post and as I keep promising myself, hopefully these will start to become more and more frequent now that O have more time on my hands and to myself.
So much has happened over the last 5 months that I can only put down brief descriptons as I remember them as what’s new news to you, has been old news to me for the last x amount of weeks/months so here we go…
After a few things happening which involved staying at my good friend John Joe’s and bouncing between my aunt’s and home – I finally made the gigantic leap and got my own place! Kinda. But a flatshare in Didsbury with 2 women is nothing to complain about. Even they are both in relationships, older and I work with one of them – but it’s the principle of the matter. And aside from the odd few jokes from friends, living with women is so far, less stressful than living with guys. And no. I haven’t taken the lock off the bathroom (a la Joey in Friends) and I haven’t accidentally on purpose walked in on them naked. And no. I wont be trying to that any time soon. (Ann’s just reminded me that I need to remember that I live with women and to stop walking around in my underwear… but I figure if Corinne is allowed, then so am I).
- I got promoted/seconded at work!
Which basically means, a department were hiring, I wanted a challenge away from the phones but they weren’t looking for anyone permanent – just temporary with an extension being reviewed every 3 months. I get a pay rise (always good), I get my own desk this time, I don’t speak to customer and I do a job where you’re appreciated and not just another wage number in a book (I say this now but when my secondment ends I’ll be right back to square one. I say WHEN it ends because as much as you try to sugar coat it – would you keep someone on who was looking to go away for 5 weeks over the Christmas/New Year period? Oh. plus the fact that I’m a pessimist).
I mentioned rebooking for for Thailand in a previous blog but I now feel the need in wanting to share with everyone (and rub your faces in it). I came back from Thailand in September last year and always knew that I’d go back but I missed the place so much that I decided to book again as soon as possible. I got in touch with Marc, Maryanne and Dustin to see what their plans were but booked without reading their replies anyway. There’s something about Thailand that makes the UK seem insignificant. I’m not a hugely materialistic person, I mean yeah I feel lost without my phone when I leave it at home and yes I occasionally Facebook… occasionally. But being surrounded by people who brag constantly about what car they drive, their city centre apartment and how they need holidays to escape stress really gets on my left ball. In Thailand, everyone is happy – they disregard the fact that they earn considerably less than westerners, they don’t care that they ride broken mopeds, they don’t need expensive clothes and jewelery… and this is what attracts me. Even if they do try and rip me off when I go to the markets.
- Back and knee injuries suck the most disgusting ass you can find
No lie. Picture this – you’re trying to take someone down against the fence, your leg is out behind you almost in a splits postion and 2 guys land on it. A scream and nauseau followed. Then several minutes of laying in a foetal position holding my precious knee. After being helped up, Russki taped me up and I limped away… in pain. 2 weeks no training except weights made me feel shit. 2 months on and it’s still not 100 percent. My back is another story. I say back. I mean coccyx. The shooting pain in the back is what’s killing me right now but I only have myself to blame. Conditioning on a Sunday, rolling and takedowns (with Inman) on Monday afternoon and MMA Stand Up in the evening didnt help. Prescription painkillers are the dogs.
- Living in Didsbury is overrated
Yes I said it. Living so close to my friends is brilliant, the prices and road surface however, isn’t. Everything is Didsbury is marked up and I’m sure they give you less! It’s not bad enough I pay more for my food, they give me less! They’re like a crap version of Robin Hood, rob the poor people and take their food. And road surface… Oh my fffffff….!!! Now, my motorbike isn’t big (wahey!), and my tyres aren’t that wide so obviously I’m going to feel bumps in the road more than the average motorcyclist but COME ON! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!! If I wanted to ride a 4 mile stretch of road with bumps, cracks and potholes in, I would have moved to a war torn country! For a place so rife wih young professionals and students who cycle to commute every morning, you’d think they’d fix the bumps that cause me to almost crash every morning. I you don’t know what I’m talking about or think I’m exaggerating – borrow a push bike and cycle down Palatine – Wilmslow and Oxford Road and when you finish picking the gravel out of your face, send me a text and tell me I’m right.
- Business Class has ruined air travel for me
Oh what? You didn’t know about this?! Let me fill you in. Things are going shit in my life when I get a text/phone call from John Joe asking me, basically, if I wanted to go Beijing with him on behalf of Fighters Onlyto report on an event… Errrrr yes. Cue frantic sending of scanned passport to the Art of War executives and begging the time off work and a mad morning dash to the embassy and we’re sat in the BUSINESS LOUNGE of Manchester Airport with a pint of Baileys in one hand and half pint of Smirnoff Vodka in the other.
We board a plane to Heathrow then onwards in BUSINESS CLASS to Beijing with British Airways and then we land in China. Wow. Rubbing shoulders with Bas Rutten, Tim Sylvia, the Gracies and some top level athletes really MADE MY YEAR. We made a quick trip to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City which was (and you’ll only ever hear me say this once), stunning. We spent something like 4 days in China but wow. WOW. But what made it all worthwhile was how we got there. Business Class. NEVER will I eat food cooked by a Michelin Star chef. NEVER will I board a plane greeted by the words of “Champagne before we take off Mr Li?”. NEVER will I sit in my own pod opposite a friend and just start laughing about the daftness of the whole scenario of how we got there. NEVER will a nobody from Manchester be in that position ever again.
- John Joe should have his own show
Truly. Normally when I’m faced with spending a prolonged period of time with anyone who isn’t family, I have to think about it but not with John Joe. He NEEDS his own show. He is freakin’ hilarious! Now I train with John and have done for the last couple of years (back when he used to do Gi competitions) and up until a few months ago, I never really spoke to him much. Then he asked me (I forget how the opportunity came around), if I wanted to write a report on Cage Gladiators in his absence which I did. From then on… a none-gay friendship bloomed. An Irish rooted former Drum & Bass promoter/DJ turned law graduate from the infamous Salford estates is something you never see but oh my days… this guy needs his own show. The stories about his girlfriend’s monkeys are the best.
Anyway, that’s as much as I can remember right now but here is some interesting stuff to keep you entertained;
My Art of War report/contribution can be found here.
The free alcohol in the Business Lounge
Champagne in one hand, phone in the other, feet up...
Some of the pictures can be viewed here.
My tattoo =o)
This is how we roll
My oh so tidy desk at work where I rest 8 hours a day
Last but not least – my favourite picture (of me of course) when in China…
