Things I Learnt In September
If you want a work/office/hangout space in Manchester then hunt out Ziferblat on Edge St. I had to attend a Really Important Meeting this month and it was held here. The concept is amazing; everything is free (refreshments, wifi, etc) apart from the time you spend inside and for this you are charged 6 pence per minute. There is also meeting room hire which follows the same principle. Oh and I shared a picture of the clock wallpaper in one of the meeting rooms there. My friends were divided. What do you think?
My addiction to London stays strong. This month I have ordered bunch of fridge magnets and three scarves that have London-esque prints on them from Amazon. The magnets sit on the radiator next to my armchair and they hold mini reminder notes for the morning or crochet instructions so that I can glance up and see them. Also, I've always wanted to wear a stylish or jaunty scarf and now I'm addicted to little 'how to' videos like this one and this one and especially this one.
I have lost an inch in height. I've not been to my diet group for an awfully long time so I wondered what type of impact my running had had on my body. I can see shape changes but wasn't too sure about the weight loss/gain. Anyway, I trundled along to the digital scale at the back of Boots and the little printout you receive from the machine displays a fair amount of information (most of which made me feel a bit shitty but hey, it's not about the numbers for me any more...). I was measured at 5' 6" when I was younger but now I am apparently 5' 4.9". I'm gutted. I want my inch back!!
Dooce is giving up blogging. I have mixed feelings about this and was going to write a big old post about it (let me know if you want me to expand on my thoughts) because Heather Armstrong was *the* one and only parent blogger who was paving the way when I reinvented this blog back in 2009. She currently bemoans her 'blogging fame' and the negative side of having shared much of your family life online but fully admits that blogging in her own unique and open way has brought many opportunities. Regardless of the whys and wherefores, there has only ever been one person in control of what words she has put out there on the internet - and that's herself.
[here's the running section...]
I'm reading the best book ever. I'm so grateful to my mate, Claire, for recommending Running Like A Girl. It's like Alexandra Heminsley has taken the words out of my head and put them in this book. Ok, I'm not running a marathon and have no intention of doing so but the way in which she talks about all aspects of learning to run is exactly what I've been going through. This is the book I would have written if I'd have got in there first.
I now know why people battle through injury. I'm taking a few days out at the moment because of Plantar Fasciitis (inflamation of the tissue around the heel bone). I've been putting a lot more effort into my running programme recently and have been pounding the streets and the park four times a week and have a core fitness dance class once a week too. I'm taking advice, doing some additional stretches and hoping for the best because...
I'm working my way up to a 10K race. Well, I say 'race' - it's not really going to be because there isn't a hope in hell that I'll win so I see this as a personal challenge. I'm already on week 4 in my progression programme and, after a chat with my running buddies, some of whom have already completed 10K runs, I realised I needed something really challenging to aim for, especially after completing Run Preston at the weekend (I'm smiling on the inside, I promise) and getting a Personal Best time. So, Lytham Windmill 10K in November - I'm coming to get you!
Volunteering at Parkrun is just as rewarding as running the race (in a different way). Because I was racing this weekend (again, very loose use of the word 'racing' there) I decided not to participate in our local weekly Parkrun but I wanted to volunteer just as others do when I'm running. I was given the job of scanning barcodes and totally crapped myself each time I bleeped someone in just in case I'd got it wrong (the results information is so important to the majority of runners) but I got the opportunity to meet almost every single runner on the day. Totally worth it.
[the running section is now over]
I'm very much enjoying participating in a 'crochet along'. What with all the running that's going on at the moment I haven't had much time to pick up any of my crafting projects however, I was invited to a CAL (crochet along) group where you receive weekly instructions to complete a section of a blanket. It means that you can complete each section in a reasonable amount of time, share photos with other group members, ask for advice and support and generally chat with a bunch of like-minded people whilst being creative. I'm loving the way my colours are sitting at the moment and I'm just about to start on the next section What do you think?
We'll finish on my Video Of The Month (H/T). Bohemian Rhapsody is probably one of the most well-known songs in the world but this video shows that it can be appreciated in more than it's original style...
WHAT DID YOU LEARN THIS MONTH?
LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!
Oh, and I almost forgot... Here is a text conversation between myself and my 16-year old son. I'm not sure who won the irony competition on this day