Barbie take steps to a reformed life

I posted a while ago about leaving my job.  I took voluntary redundancy from a role that I initially loved but had grown to despise a little over the years. 

I've had a few months off, I've travelled, relaxed and enjoyed myself but now it's time to get back to a little bit of reality so I needed to find a job. 

During this time off I realised that the world of high power executive work, stuck in an office for 8+ (usually 10!) hours a day isn't right for me.  My physical and mental health was suffering and all in the name of bringing home decent money each month...money that I never really got to enjoy because I was too tired from work to do anything else. 

So, in my recent work search I applied for jobs that were a bit different from what I had been doing and the one that excited me the most was the complete opposite to my usual type of role... and that was the one that I got too!

So, next month I will be starting my new job, pounding the streets for up to 6 hours a day delivering mail.  I know that it sounds like hell to most people, but I've never felt better than when I'm getting large amounts of exercise on a regular basis.  No hassles about my personal style, no need to worry about how to fit in regular exercise and I get to come home every afternoon at a decent time and actually have time to myself.  I'm so excited that even writing this is bringing me close to tears!

I know that my first few weeks will be a challenge, my body will ache and I will have to get used to working outside in all weathers - especially the infamous Scottish sideways-falling rain - but I'm still really looking forward to it. 

I'll let you know how I get on! 

Barbies newest challenge

Whilst I practice martial arts, it's not the best way to keep fit - especially my art as it relies on being relaxed and soft, not using any strength.  So I'm not very food at keeping fit/working out.  I find gyms unbearably boring and the idea of going for a run makes me stick to the sofa even harder. Swimming is fun, but the problem with public pools is that they are public and have other people in! I will use the pool in the fancy hotels I get to stay in though.

So I thought I needed to try something different....and I did.  Polefit!  If you've not coma across it, it is basically pole dancing for fitness. It's not stripping or lap dancing - I have overheard someone in the lift on my way to class say "there's a lap dance class round here somewhere"

Whist it can look very beautiful and graceful, generally what happens in a pole class is that a group of people get very hot and sweaty whilst some of them manage to pull of elaborate moves whilst others struggle to hoist themselves onto the pole.  This all takes place to a background of loud music (not the 'banging techno' you get in gyms but a mix of random up-tempo songs), the occasional cheer of accomplishment, and a whole heap of giggles and laughter.  

What most people wouldn't realise is the strength that pole dancing requires, both physical and mental! My entire body is sore for days after a class but my strength has already improved massively (I was pretty strong before, but not in the right muscles!) many of the moves also rely on you gripping a metal pole with your skin...to say that it 'nips' it quite an understatement...I have a good pain threshold and I felt sick after hanging from the pole by the inside of my elbow! You also need a bit of mental strength to throw yourself upside down and hang from your legs/hands/limbs, trusting that you won't fall and land on the floor in a heap (although that can happen!).

I would love to post a photo of me looking graceful hanging from a pole but there's no way I'm letting anyone take pictures of me doing it yet! (at least without heavy use of photoshop!)

Most classes are open to men and women so if you fancy a real challenge I really would recommend giving it a try...just don't blame me when you can't walk the next day!

Negative...positive...negative?

I stumbled across this article online tonight.  Its titled: 10 jobs you can get with just your GCSEs.  I read it out of interest as I am one of the (seemingly unusual) people who has a brain but no degree - you may remember me talking about this is a previous post - I was hoping that someone was trying to show some positive news for those of us without this magic piece of paper...but alas, wrong again...the article basically reinforces the idea that in order to get a decent job you need a degree.  The jobs they list are:

Accounts Clerks
Receptionist
Medical Secretary
Customer Service Assistant
Waiting Staff
Engineering Maintenance Fitter
Fitness Instructor
Sales Representative
Care Assistants

Whilst this may dispel any concept that you must have a degree to even be considered for any job, these probably aren't the best selection to make someone really confident...they are only a step away from listing Binman and Street Sweeper (both of which probably pay equal or more than those they have listed!)


Yet again, MSN article authors must try harder!

Genius provokes more Genuis

A new programme started last week on BBC2 called Genius. I'm not a huge fan of most TV, but the ad looked funny and it is hosted by one of my all time favourite comedians, Dave Gorman. I'm not good at remembering when things are on so I relied on the trusty V+ box to record it and watched it today. If you haven't heard of it the idea is quite simple, people email in with ideas and Dave with another comedian (this episode had Frank Skinner) decide whether or not the ideas are Genius. (Its a new show so could go either way at this stage)

Three of the ideas people presented were actually pretty good though, one was to teach mathematical theories using dance, one was a new law of opposites based on an items function rather than its mass and shape, and one was to make criminals ride a certain number of miles on exercise bikes whilst in prison to provide renewable energy. All pretty crazy, funny, yet almost compelling ideas.

The Bike idea however did set my mind going, and within 2 minutes I had solved the western worlds problems in one fowl swoop...here's the plan....

Hook up all the exercise machines in every gym across the country to the power grid. This will provide free electricity whilst people get fit - Image the juice one spin class could generate!

Due to the reduction in running costs these gyms could then offer discounted membership rates, resulting in even more people joining. This has 2 effects, 1. More energy being created and 2. people who wouldn't normally visit the gym getting fitter

So there you go, in a few easy steps we have solved both the energy crisis and the obesity crisis :) Genius eh?

New training room and a protest

My martial arts class has moved and I'm gutted. The new place (Commonwealth Pool) is far better and bigger than Meadowbank, but ITS ON A SUNDAY! evil evil people making me get up and do stuff on a Sunday. That's a day for not getting dressed and suffering hangovers isn't it???

Oh well, Up I got on Sunday and trundled off to training, I always enjoy it once I'm there even though I bitched and moaned about getting out of bed and wasting my day. It was a good session, especially as I was referred to as "Truly Terrifying" (That's a massive compliment and I have told everyone since!) The only downside of the new location was the heat - We were under a swimming pool so it was almost unbearably humid, I even took my T shirt off from under my Gi to stop myself turning into a puddle of sweat (ewww...I know!)

2 hours and 10 pints of water later I found myself on my way home, On the way down south bridge I noticed some guys handing out leaflets (Not that unusual as its coming up on the festival and theres lots of weirdos!) then I spotted some more just a bit further on, with placards and I realised that they were protesting opposite the Scientology building (Hubbards Academy) The Placard amusingly read "BEWARE Scientology wants your mind (and your money)"

It struck me as funny simply because all of the protesters were wearing masks and dancing about. I wasn't fast enough to take a photo though as the bus moved on! If they re there again next Sunday I might have to get off the bus and get them to pose for one though! ...watch this space...

And now my thighs hate me...

As I mentioned, I joined a gym last week. I've been desperate to get going with it - after all I am paying for the privilege of making myself all hot and sweaty already - We managed a swim on Saturday and I was supposed to have my induction with a member of the "Fitness Team" on Sunday morning. This is not my idea of what Sunday mornings are for. (Note to self: googling "gym sweaty" with the safesearch off brings up some unexpected images) I managed to drag myself out of bed and get to the gym for 10:30...Only to find out that had I read my appointment card properly I should have been there at 10. ooooops. Oh well. On requesting to rebook I found out that I would have to wait another week until next Sunday unless I managed to change my plans during the week. BMan was booked in for his induction on the Monday so I opted to come back with him. - It meant I had to forgo training, but at least I could get started.

After work on Monday we went straight to the gym and met Terri-Ann, the tiniest personal trainer type lady I have ever seen who was - ass all the staff there seem to be - scarily friendly and nice. She showed us round the machines, and gave us a circuit. Thankfully she let me away with not having to go onto the bikes but I do have a 3-5 minute stint on the wave machine which I can only liken to medieval torture. My achievement for the day was for Terri-Ann to be astonished at my stretchiness when I showed her just how low I have to go to stretch out my hamstrings and she realised that she can't even get herself into that position! ( I knew the years of dancing and ballet when I was a kid would come in handy one day!)

Last night I went back for my first full circuit. It was actually much easier than I imagined, although thanks to the wave machine the walk to the bus stop was agonising! (Admittedly I had gone for a swim afterwards which may have been a bad idea in hindsight) I was a little stiff when I got home, but nothing bad. Today however my thighs simply hate me. The normally easy action of standing from my chair, or walking upstairs makes me wince and moan like an 80 year old! I'm just working hard on convincing myself that next week will be easier and I'll feel better for it.

I'm back again tomorrow night, I'll see how I get on then eh? :)