2024 Can F*cking F*ck Off!

Well the first six months certainly can!

Hello, remember me? I am the guy who used to write regular blogs... Oops. I'm back. And the reason I am here in fairness to me and you, the ever faithful {reader}, is I needed to do this. Ha ha, just had a moment where I nearly knocked my 'Malbec Flavoured Bravery Juice' over and it was shocking! A real heart stopping, adrenaline pump to the stomach moment. Let's go. 2024 Fuck you, so far.

I am not a fan of winter, I am sure I have mentioned this previously, I am not posting links on this post, do your own research (shrugged shoulder emoji). So when the 12 years of January finally passed (it really hangs on, huh?), I was a happy man, spring was coming, bikes, hikes and paddle boards were calling. Spring! Summer! Good Times! Or so I thought. I have fallen back in love with training, the gym and nutrition, properly as well, tracking calories and macros, hitting protein goals, resting and ensuring the exercises are done correctly. My waistline shrunk and my shoulders grew. Not to the point of totality or taking over my life, I still like a beer, pizza and vino, but enough to enjoy, see changes and to keep it up. One of my favourite posts on Social Media is the one that says: 'I have the body of someone who clearly likes the gym, but also cookies and muffins...' March, I had plans of grabbing some sun in Egypt, just a week, and then I got the Flu. I felt like shite, I didn't leave the sofa for seven days, horrific. I didn't go to Egypt. OK, so regroup and move on. April, The Lads meet up, boom, awesome evening, although two days beforehand I knocked my bad finger and then gout flares up. Just pain and annoyance for about two weeks. A disruption to full training, I can't grip anything with my right hand. May, I get a bout of Cellulitis in my right leg, I have a history, it's manageable, but I am not 100% well when it flares up. I am rarely ill, so three occurrences of sickness in a short space of time for me is as rare as hens teeth.

The Car, the fucking car!

In January 2023, I bought what was to be the first of, to date, three Jaguars. I am that age, I wanted The Big Cat. It was lovely. Then I crashed it (Paulypop and Jags is a Blog of it's own)! Jag number 2 June 2023, boom, nicer, tidy. Issues arose through May and June this year, mechanical, new gear selector, new intercooler, new tyres. One after the other. All manageable. £1200 in spends. No worries, you've still a great car. I broke a wheel. Honest. I bought four new wheels with the vision, 'I'll always need a spare'. Car sorted. A few days later my friend asked me to join her at a gig, actually back to back gigs (Girls Aloud were the bomb). I drove us to the first, to see a group I wasn't keen on but did enjoy, on the way back home after dropping them off, I struck an animal, totally out of my control. Car damaged. Another write off. Age and mileage related. My Insurers hate me. No they don't not really, this is what they do, but my premiums are now gross. My new car has 20" wheels.

I have three 18" Jaguar wheels with tyres in my hall. Three. Who the fuck needs three wheels? Del Boy..? Ha Ha.

OK. Doesn't so sound too bad does it? Niggles, minor shifts in the day to day. Except. I am single, no kids. I do not have the day to day 'minor shifts, struggles, issues, distractions' of those of you who have children and spouses have. So, when my routine, of which arguably is a selfless and equally selfish life, gets disrupted it becomes an issue, it becomes a thing.

The above stopped me training (flu, leg, finger), which pissed me off, massively. And it affected me. All of the above affected me, They all stacked up, one after another they took their toll. It affected my mindset and mental health, they were all drains on my day to day living, my work, my desires, my lifestyle. Aside from maintaining my gym and nutrition program, when not injured or ill, which was actually solid, I was so far off the boil. I'd lost interest in anything else. Hiking, biking, dating, being outdoors in general. Reading! I stopped reading. I haven't been to the cinema in months. OK, granted the spring and summer of 2024 in the UK has been far from good, but I am not weather shy, yet I spend more time dusting my bikes than I do cleaning mud from them this year. I have been on the SUP once (more to test the legs than desire). Interestingly though, through all of this I did not hit the bottle, as I have been known to do in my past, I still did the odd Saturday Social at the Oil (local bar in town) with some dear friends, and of course anytime the Army lot get together my liver takes a vacation, but that was it. The gym was more therapeutic and when I couldn't go because of illness and injury, my mood darkened. It hasn't been all doom and gloom, and I know I am fortunate in so many ways (single with no kids for a start, ha ha), this isn't a post to garner sympathy, it is my way of processing it.

To move on. There have been some superb times with my friends, meet ups, gigs, the theatre, Army v RAF rugby (sublime day), Isle of Man Squadron reunion, a stag do to Ibiza most recently (my wallet and liver hate me)!. I have a new car and it is a gorgeous Jaguar XF S with a private plate and all the toys. Third time is the charm, please let it be. Sam came over early June and we had a road trip to The Lakes. I am planning Egypt for September.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See that above? That's the line drawn. I have had a cry or two, mainly when watching some romantic film, like The Lake House (recently). I adore that film, it got panned by the critics, but I think it is perfect, all about the right one at the right time and when the stars align. I know I cannot guarantee the rest of the year running smooth, but I am not going to let the niggles get to me. I have my Mojo back (whatever the fuck that is) and I have my friends to thank for that in the main, they are always there, a constant that I am eternally grateful for.

I have charged my Kindle, bought some new proper books and the smile is back on my face. I am going to take one of the bikes for a spin later, I didn't finish this post last night, so it is now Sunday morning, I am not full of Malbec Flavoured Bravery Juice and about to cause another injury.

Back to the gym in the morning, cinema in the evening. I have dear friends coming to town on Saturday and I am going to be as geeky about this town as I can be, sorry, but not sorry. Life is pretty bloody good. Still not fussed about dating though...