The first week of 2018 is over! Fifty-one more to go. Now, I must admit, of all my blog posts last year my favourite had to be the ‘things that rocked’ post. I want to do more posts like that.
So, I thought I’d give the past week a quick look-over and highlight some good moments.
Life, the Universe & Everything
Work was busy! Got a ton done and made some good strides on project work. I also got a little monetary award, which I used to pick up a new laptop bag which will eventually become my go-to-place for artsy patches and derby team patches.
In writing, I wrote about 6,000 words, and finished the synopsis and detailed outline of Divide the Sky which is something I’d been finding particularly challenging. I’ve also been keeping up blogging, woohoo! Blogging has actually been easier this week than writing: I like just dashing off posts about the moment, and the reflective nature of year-end makes revisiting the past months enjoyable, but it’s been harder to commit to a long-term writing project to go forward with.
I kept up my small New Years goal of drinking more water, keeping up my skincare regime and drinking 3 cups of spearmint tea a day. The tea is supposed to be good for your skin… it’s working, though I’m not sure if that’s the tea particularly or just the increased water intake.
Food Glorious Food
And in foodie adventures: I discovered that I really like poached eggs! If I already knew this, then I’d forgotten. They’re pretty banging. I’m also super enjoying homemade Oreo Milkshakes (look, we gotta defrost the fridge and I gotta use up that ice cream SOMEHOW), and in this week’s foodie disaster I mucked up a cook-from-frozen paella and gave myself food poisoning.
Over the festive period I realised my alcohol tastes have shifted from loving creamy drinks like Irish Cream and White Russians to preferring more bittersweet tastes like gin. It’s an odd change, but a nice one.
And in animal foodie adventures: Mac (my very-sensitive-stomached labrador) was having a pukey week, but I swapped out his nightly Dentastix biscuit for some dry kibble and so far, touch wood, he’s been feeling better.
Health & Fitness and Mostly Roller Derby ‘Cos I Really Love Roller Derby
Got my weight back into a downwards trend, and got back to roller derby (YESSSS!) with a really amazing first session. Picture me clinging onto our most advanced, fastest, badass as she races around the hall. Also, going full pelt and PUSHING me around the hall while I try very hard to stay upright.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE.
I did my first ‘paceline’, basically a skating conga line where everyone zooms around single file holding each others hips. The entire advanced group made a line, with me in the middle, and I didn’t fall over or cause havoc. I’m so pleased!
Basically Saturday was a lot of me holding on tight to people while looking terrified and moving very fast.
BUT WAIT STILL MORE.
I did my first bit of contact jostling with wheels on! I fell over a lot! SO MUCH. It was great.
The blocker me had to put up with me repeatedly falling down and grabbing her, flailing wildly, getting our wheels and legs tangled together. (All while yelling SORRY I’M SO SORRY OH NO SORRY.) She didn’t fall over ONCE despite this, it was pretty phenomenal.
Derby is still by far my most challenging hobby, but it’s immensely satisfying to look back and see how far I’ve come and how fast. I love how this sport is strictly enforcing it’s ‘STOP SAYING SORRY!’ rule. Every derby player signed up knowing there’d be lots of bumps and body contact, especially from newbies, and new skaters shouldn’t ever feel bad for falling over as they learn. That’s been really helping me get over my over-apologising habit.
They are all very kind to their off-balance, anxious, excitable-puppy newbie.
Staring at Screens for Fun and Profit
For my much-neglected favourite hobby, gaming, my plan was to finish Persona 3 on the PS2. I’ve been playing this same save file since 2009, and I’ve been hesitant to finish it. I’ve been enjoying it too much!
But I had further to go than expected, and setting myself a hard deadline to finish it just turned it into a stressful spreadsheet exercise. Lesson learned: don’t set deadlines and timed targets on relaxation, ye numpty.
In books, I read the latest volume in my favourite graphic novel series, Saga Vol 8. I also made good progress on The Hate U Give (heartbreaking, powerful, just the best) and A Short History of Nearly Everything. Watched the entire new Black Mirror season, and continued my The Office marathon with the first episode of season 4.
Listened to a few podcasts (Creative Penn’s 2018 resolution episode, Strange Animals podcast).
And hey, that’s it for this week! I’ll see you soon with more blog updates as I catch up on the post backlog.
