Back to back.

It's not often I swipe right on women on Tinder. It's even rarer that I do it twice in a row. But tonight was one of those nights. Back to back swipes on... Attractive Neighbour and Sister's University Friend!

Now, don't get me wrong, Attractive Neighbour is an extremely attractive woman, and the little interaction I had with her was very positive in that she was easy to talk to, but I feel she's too high maintenance for me. She's all posh frocks and cocktails. I'm a bit more basic than that. Plus, I really don't think I'm her type.

Sister's University Friend looks like she might be a better match. I think she's more attractive. I think she's picky in her own way, but we do at least seem to share some hobbies and taste in pubs.

Happy birthday!

 Happy birthday, blog favourite Jessica Alba.

A stunning looking woman.

Reminiscing.

Sometimes, when I'm bored, I trawl through old emails, reminiscing on conversations etc. with various people. I was bored tonight so, you know, off I went.

Deep in the darkest recesses of an old Gmail account, I found a transcript of a text conversation I had with Date No. 1 on the same evening after our one and only date back in... 2010!

Again, as I've stated previously, I'd forgotten the whole timeline of things. I was desperately unhappy, professionally speaking, and I met Date No. 1 only a month or so before meeting KfW2 properly, and around the time of Near Miss. But I'd never put the two of those things together, and even knowing how things panned out with Date No. 1. Even reading back now, the whole tone of the conversation still suggested the possibility of a second date, which didn't pan out sadly.

Giddy dance.

It's been a long time since I've been genuinely excited by something. It's not just over the past 12 months with the pandemic. I've often posted about the fact that I can barely remember being excited by a member of the opposite sex. Thinking about it, it was probably a couple of things that I did with FP on my last foreign holiday, but they were Bucket List items to be fair.

However, I was made aware of something today at work that has gotten me incredibly excited, even though nothing has happened, there are no guarantees and I need to put in some work to even stand a chance of anything coming to fruition.

Here we go.

I'm still some way from posting the actual numbers from my hopefully weekly weigh-ins, but the first is good news. I'm 2.6 lbs down on last week's initial weight-in. Bearing in mind that included a week with an awful lot of junk food and alcohol. My calorie counting was a bit haphazard as I'm still trying to get into that particular habit, but I'm pleased with the first week.

I need to maintain the calorie counting, increase my activity levels and just keeping progressing.

Just some stuff.

While not a six mile walk with Nerdy Girl, I spent a couple of hours in the garden doing some light gardening. Even though I didn't do a lot, it's still more than I've done since last summer. My garden looks slightly better than it did yesterday, but I still have another couple of hours to put into it to get it where I'd like it.

I feel really good for having done some exercise, gone outside for a few hours and had some sun.

Then buy some garden furniture.

Then invite people round for some al fresco socialising.

The clock's ticking.

I got drunk on Thursday night. It's the drunkest I've been in some time. I actually think that I was still drunk when I awoke on Friday. And so I logged on to work. My boss's boss wanted a chat as well. I knew what that was about, and it's not particularly good news.

Still, the news could have been a lot worse than it actually was. Our department is being closed down and we need to find new jobs. I kinda knew that part. My department manager was simply explaining the time line. I have until the end of the year to find something or risk being made redundant.

Finding a new job should be easy. The difficult thing is finding something that I like. The last time I had to find a new job, I had help from a manager and I found something that genuinely interested me. This time, though, I think I might have to find a job THEN find something else that I actually want to do. I hate being against the clock.

That's what I'll have to start working on when I get into work tomorrow.

Ouch.

Another walk with Nerdy Girl and once again, my feet are killing me. I think I have blisters too. I really need to sort this out. Is it my socks? My shoes? A lack of exercise? All? Surely I shouldn't be getting blisters after a 6 and a bit mile walk, surely?

Still the weather was nice, there was non-family company and I got out of the house for a few hours.

Just comments.

Great news from America with the breaking news that the police officer, Derek Chauvin, has been found guilty on all three counts: second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Sentencing doesn't happen for EIGHT WEEKS but I think (hope) there will be a lot of tension relieved over the coming days. Of course, this is not the end of anything, just the beginning. 

And there's also the seeming (as of my writing this) implosion of the European Super League by twelve greedy owners of football clubs. Let's hope it all come crashing down. Supporter power!

Out of the blue.

In the middle of a rather dreary Zoom talk on the commercial uses of 5G technology, I had a flashback to a night that CAB and I spent together. The night had started off with us in different bars. I was out with BW and a few other friends. CAB was out with her work colleagues. We had no plans to meet up and this was pre-mobile phones so apart from knowing where we were meeting out respective friends at the start of the evening, we'd no way of keeping track of each other.

I had a great evening with my crowd and we all parted ways at closing time. As I made my way through the town centre, trying to hail a cab, who should I bump into? Yup, CAB. It turns out that she was heading back to one of her workmates' apartments for more drinks. He invited me along after I was introduced and CAB was keen that I accompanied her.

We settled in and spent another few hours talking about all sorts. The host offered a fold out bed for CAB who asked me to stay over with her. When everyone had gone to bed, CAB and I got naked and had some fun. This was the closest we'd gotten to having sex, but I wasn't carrying and we were lying in the middle of the living room on a fold out bed, so it wasn't exactly conducive to what we both really wanted. Still... we did manage some decent oral and manual stimulation of each other.

We woke early the next morning after only a couple of hours' sleep, had another round of fun before dressing and leaving. It must have been about this time of the year, which might be why it suddenly popped into my head. 

We parted ways. I went home, grabbed a couple of hours sleep, then met BW in the pub in the middle of the afternoon to watch some football where we were joined by CAB and other friends for another evening of alcohol and fun. Good times.

Oh, come on!

According to this Blog's favourite meteorologist, Lucy Verasamy, we're on track for the coldest April in over 30 years. Come on, weather, sort this out! I want a good summer!

Oh dear.

I did a weigh-in just now. I forgot to do it this morning when I first woke up. I don't want to post the numbers here, but it's bad. Like the heaviest I've ever been by a good margin. Still, it gives me something to work with/towards. Though, even if I lose 2lbs per week, I'd still be overweight come the 1st July, but that's neither here nor there. I need to start this journey, tune the dietary details, build up the exercise levels and see some results.

Surprise! (cont'd)

Unsurprisingly, the girl from Bumble never messaged. It's disappointing, but what can you do? You need to be in it to win it, as they say, which is why I've never really deleted the apps.

Surprise!

For only the second or third time that I can remember (and I've had the app installed since mid-2015), I got a match on Tinder-like online dating app Bumble. Brunette, cute, a few years younger. As it's Bumble, the ball is now in the girl's court to make contact.

She has 24 hours from 4PM today to make contact otherwise, we each disappear off each other's contact list.

Will she say anything? Find out tomorrow!

Deja vu.

I guess with the announcement that pubs are to reopen that I need to knuckle down and start thinking about losing this Covid Coat so I can fit into my "going out" clothes. So, there'll be a weigh-in on Monday morning and I'll need to up my exercise levels dramatically.

I've got a walk tentatively booked in with Nerdy Girl next week, weather permitting. That's a good 5 miles usually and, according to this site, walking that distance in 2 hours (hardly pushing myself), that's approx. 550 calories.

I should maybe try to do my lunchtime walk thing. I did it last year,. around this time of year, and it was quite good - I had a route that was eventually about 3.5km (about 2.1 miles) that I would try to do in my lunchtime, if it was nice enough. It's still a bit chilly, but that's not really an issue if it's dry. That's an easy 200 calorie burn.

Plus, and I know I keep saying this, but I'd like to get back into my yoga. I've no idea what it's like for burning calories, but I do know that it's nice to not have any niggling pains etc. which is what I remember most about doing the yoga before.

And I might even take CC up on her many offers of going for a walk. At least until I get sick of being talked at.

And as for timescales... maybe aim for the 1st July and see what happens? That's 11 weeks to the day.

And. Here. We. Go.

It was announced today that beer gardens will re-open after lockdown on 30th April - two weeks from now, effectively. Pubs will re-open their indoor areas on 24th May.

Unsurprisingly, FP and FBS have already messaged me on Facebook to talk about arranging a night out. I'm sure it won't be too long before one of The Crowd starts the conversation as well.

I want to have a word with KFW2 about arranging something too.

However, I'm not rushing back, even though I could do with the company and I miss people watching in the pub. I reckon it'll easily be June before I go back.

Jabbering on.

I got my first dose of the vaccine yesterday, and the process was really smooth. Into a mass vaccination centre and out again in 45 minutes. Saying that, last night was not fun as the vaccine kicked my ass a bit and I developed some side-effects. Nothing unexpected, having spoken to other people who have received their jab - headaches and mild flu symptoms. Of course, I didn't sleep a wink and feel as if someone has given me a kicking.

However, I knew that going in for the jab and I wouldn't let it put people off. The price, in terms of discomfort, for getting a jab is small and the benefits are huge - getting to see people who aren't in my bubble. I've not physically seen KfW2 or FP since Xmas.

But this means I should be fully vaccinated by the end of June and if restrictions have been lifted, then BBQs, pubs etc. are all within reach.

Surprise!

And in a surprising move, JB has posted a picture on Facebook. She's married. I knew she was engaged, but I never knew that she had a date set. Or rather, I think she was due to get married last year but it was put on hold because of the pandemic and lockdowns. So, congrats to JB.

"Engage and commit"

I was alone, in a foreign city, a version of Dublin I think, trying to locate a train station to go to a music festival but I was hopelessly lost. Somehow, I bumped into QC2 who seemed to be in the middle of a project. She suggested she would help me out and we went exploring the city.

It turns out that the project that she was working on was me. As we explored the city, that started to merge into our hometown as the dream progressed, it became apparent that QC2 was encouraging me to come out of my shell, to combat my social anxiety and shyness. The phrase "engage and commit" seemed to reoccur through the dream - something QC2 was adamant that I should learn, remember and act upon, even though I have no idea what it actually means.

The dream ended after much lecturing from QC2 about meeting more people, as I was showing her around my house. I should point out that this felt like "good" lecturing, from someone who clearly cares about me, like I get from my sister or KfW2 rather than "bad" lecturing that I get from CC who appears to have no empathy and is simply interested in herself.

When I woke I had this really strong desire to reach out to QC2. But it has been probably about nine years since we last spoke in any proper way and I've no idea why she stopped being in contact.

Around and around we go.

I didn't want to sit in front of the PC all day playing video games. I was given a recommendation of a film and thought I'd maybe sit in front of the TV instead.

So a guy on a gaming forum that I'm a member of recommended Palm Springs as something that was a lot of fun. I like the male lead, Andy Samberg from Brooklyn 99, the female lead is a favourite of this blog: Cristin Milioti. Oh, and it has JK Simmons in it, who's always excellent.

And I loved it. A great, fun take on Groundhog Day. Certainly better than my own personal Groundhog Day since the first lockdown over a year ago.

Stuff

According to IMDB, it's Hayley Atwell's birthday today. In case it's not obvious by now, I love brunettes with brown eyes.

Binge.

I've kinda been bingeing "How I Met Your Mother" again over the past few weeks. Man, how I miss sitting in a bar chatting absolute rubbish with my friends.