...for Craig. A bit of poetic license with the XTC classic. Do people still call their children Nigel??
Evening all. Today, I'll attempt to stick to the brief and avoid the usual array of random ramblings (Even money says I fail to achieve this). Today I have been making plans - some challenge related, of which, more to follow, and some other life stuff; namely booking viewings for flats. As an aside (see, told you it wouldn't last long), why do Estate Agents feel the need to lie quite so much? Yes, I understand the need to stimulate demand, yes you need to talk the market up, but surely there are more subtle ways of doing this than blatant falsehoods. I spoke to three agents today with the aim of setting up viewings for Saturday i.e. in three days time. Two out of three declared (with what sounded like a straight-face) that unless I dropped everything and came to view the flat immediately, I would miss out as there were literally 7,000 people beating down their doors slavering to put an offer in there and then. When my response was 'in that case, best I leave it then, byeee' the rampant hoards seemed to disperse and appointments were arranged. I should add, that I'm not casting aspersions on all estate agents as I have friends who work in this field...however I'm beginning to think they are the exception.
In more relevant news, I've been trying to firm up details on some of my challenges. I've checked out flight prices for Lisbon (to see the G), Oslo (for biathlon) and Innsbruck (for t'other biathlon) and all are coming in quite reasonably, so now just need to arrange dates for the first, and see if anyone wants to join me for the biathlon weekends - any takers? I've contacted Katie to try to arrange suitable dates to stalk Sister Wendy and visit the House of Wax; ordered a balloon modelling kit (more on this later) and found a banjo for £52. However, I can't seem to find any details on t'interweb on Racing the Planet in Jordan - China, Nepal, Sahara and Chile, yes; Jordan, no. Am now beginning to wonder whether Iain's challenge to run unaided across the Jordanian desert for five days is a real event or just an excuse to be rid of me - maybe he's never forgiven me for making getting him so drunk one Sunday afternoon that he missed his flight to Singapore? I've also attempted to put all my commitments into my new smartphone in order to see which weekends I have free in which to slot the domestic events...which is all I've been able to with my phone today. As I've foolishly chosen to live in the small, rural hamlet called 'London', my phone providers, Virgin Mobile, are unable to provide me with a signal within the flat, unless I hang out of the bedroom window - good job I live on the ground floor. What happened to Virgin? Once upon a time they were see as innovative, trusted and well-liked, yet now every interaction I have with them, be it Virgin Mobile, Virgin Money or Virgin Money Giving is all a little bit shit. C'mon Dickie B, sort it out.
In exciting news, more challenges have been added:
24. Learn to juggle / do magic tricks / make balloon animals to amuse Florence on her birthday (Alex / Caroline) - that'll teach me for describing one of the challenges as 'not a challenge'.
25. Take part in the MacRide cycline challenge (Bernadette) - sadly I'm having to pass on this one...and before you say 'but you told us not to allow you to pass on any' the dates clash with two big work events I am already committed to, so short of quitting my job (don't you dare), this one is out for this year. Sorry Mrs H.
26. Learn to love dogs (Jo. D) - Jo is another of those very clever, very determined people I am full of admiration for. She couples this with an honesty and integrity which is so rarely seen nowadays. She's also jolly smart, so somewhere along the way she's picked up on my fear of all things canine. I used to tell people I'd been bitten as a child - well, I'm fessing up; this was a total lie. I can think of no reason for my irrational fear of man's best friend, it's jsut always been there (much like my other fear....and if you think I'm sharing that so you can set a related challenge, you can forget it!). Over the years, as I've been more exposed to dogs, I have got better (makes me sound like a dogger!) but only with certain dogs; the fear of random and strange dogs is still very much alive and well.
So all in all, I think progress has been made - now need to keep the momentum up. I am still open to more challenges / targets. If you haven't set me one yet, do it, do it, do it!
Finally, I had the pleasure of having an early doors meeting with an old friend and colleague who will remain nameless as I'm not sure they'd be comfortable with being named publically (and no, it's not Ryan Giggs or Gareth Barry). This person is an absolute delight and a total fox - in another world I sooo would..or at least I'd have a go...or I might treat myself to a flirt...or I'd probably just run away every time they spoke to me!! As well as being stunning, she has a great job, a great life and should be totally sorted - and maybe she is. Yet during our discussion I picked up on a load of insecurities that suggested that what she sees when she looks in the mirror is totally different to what everyone sees. Maybe I'm misjudgin her and she's every bit as sorted as she deserves to be, but either way it got me thinking - are we all subject to insecurities; things which to us stand out like a big flashing light bulb on our heads but which are oblivious to all but those closest to us, or are there people out there who genuinely have everything sussed and are comfortable with every aspect of themselves. Is the knowledge of our imperfections and the strive to perfection what keeps us all going and can that perfection ever be achieved? Maybe we should all stop thinking quite as much and just get on and do things...and this doin' the do is what this experience is all about. Who knew 90s popstrel, Betty Boo, could be so deep and philosophical. Now, where are you baby?
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