Oh dear...

First it was clubbing, then it was pubbing, then it was pubbing on a different night to what she'd originally planned... these are all the different things KfW2's friend pondered today at lunchtime for her birthday celebrations.

I was all for pubbing on the Friday night, cos I like pubs and JB would be there, increasing the number of people I would know (plus, JB perving is good).

Then it changed again. We're back to heading out as originally planned, to a club, on the original night... only now everyone is meeting at mine for a few warm up drinks.

Still, a week to go. It could all change again!

The golden goal.

Once again I am thinking about getting into shape, losing a bit of weight and regaining some fitness. I have two reasons for this - I am doing a 10K run with the boys next year and I have a foreign holiday to fgo on that I'd like to be able to fit into some nice summery clothes that I currently own, but are not the greatest fitting. Generally being fitter means better sleep at night and better concentration and mental faculties etc. during the day that would be enormously helpful in my line of work.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking to get ripped and run off and do the Insanity P90X routine. What I want is to lose some weight, especially around the midriff and tone up a bit - tighten the tum, get a bit of stength in the arms and become fitter. Importantly, though, I don't want to lose too much weight. I have my reasons for this that I don't want to share publicly at this time.

The amount of information out there is incredible and often contradictory though. About the only thing that everyone agrees on is that diet (note: not "going on a diet") is 80% of weight loss, and 20% exercise. But everything else is at odds with each other - carbs, no carbs? Proteins? Healthy fats? Calorie counting or not? Trying to find a decent eating plan is impossible and, sad to say, my own motivation to do exercise is really poor right now.

So, starting at the weekend, I'm going to try and research an eating plan. Right away I know that I will have to cut out the booze (if stuck, drinking gin and slimline tonic has been recommended in the past by GC) and I will have to cut out my much loved foods of cheese and crisps. The new eating plan will require me to be more stringent about what I buy at the supermarket, doing weekly shops instead of when I need them so that I have time at the weekend to cook my own lunches and always have things in the house so I don't resort to unhealthy snacking.

I've said this before, but I will have to work all this in gradually - stopping the boozing, radically overhauling my diet and rapidly increasing my exercise will not last long if I do them all at once. I need to gradually phase them all in. I'll knock the booze on the head in October for a few weeks as I'm already booked up for the pub for most of this month. The diet thing will probably be the second thing as I see that as taking a good few weeks to research properly, so that means that the first thing I need to to is up my exercise routine - find things I can do in the house without too much impact (i.e. pissing off the downstairs "neighbours") cand turning up to the gym again maybe once or twice a week - and ultimately aimn to be doing something perhaps four nightrs as week for an hour (or more) at a time.

I'm not looking forward to it, but it's something I need to do.

...

So, after a bit of pondering and a conversation with UHSW, I told KfW2 that I would go out with her to her friend's birthday. I'm still not 100% convinced about it - we're supposedly going to a club that plays music I tend not to like - but I guess that sometimes, it makes sense to go out and do something you wouldn't normally do.

Plus, KfW2 was really pleased that I'd changed my mind.

There's still plenty of time for things to change, so we'll see what happens.

*sigh*

The proposed night out with KfW2 is in danger of being cancelled. The night we were planning on heading out has kinda been hijacked by a friend of KfW2's whose birthday it is. Well, I don't know if it is her actual birthday on the day we had planned to go out, but that's the day she's taking for her celebration. KfW2 guiltily confessed to me earlier that this had happened at lunchtime (while I was out for lunch with GfW).

I kinda brought it on myself because I had said to KfW2 to invite her friend along to our night out, the friend (who I kinda know, having met her a few times as she work in our firm) had said that she was planning on going out the previous week for her birthday, but if we were heading out, could combine the two (or words to that effect - I'm paraphrasing here a little). So KfW2 assumed that I would tag along for her friends birthday. However, I don't think I will... firstly, I don't think it's KfW2's place to invite me to her friend's birthday, even thought it'll be held in a pub/club and isn't private (I'm funny that way - see this post) and secondly, the choice of pub/club is something I don't like - the music is far too dancey for my liking. So, I said that I probably wouldn't go.

KfW2 had started the conversation by suggesting I would be angry (at the choice of venue) but I think she was slightly taken aback when I said that I probably wouldn't go (as I don't know her friend very well) even before the venue bombshell was dropped. I think KfW2 is feeling a little guilty now... and I don't think she should - a birthday for one of her closest friends is a more than acceptable reason to change plans. It's not like she simply had a better offer at the last minute and took it, which really would grind my gears.

There are two weeks to go, so things could change. KfW2's friend could directly invite me out which would probably make me reconsider my position (yes, I really am funny about that) or the venue could change or KfW2's friend could change her mind about the date...

Red alert, red alert!

I know I have a problem opening up. Even the person that I trust most in the world, G, has trouble getting information out of me, though he has less problems than most. He was the first that I admitted the E3 conundrum to, for example, but I still have the same issues opening  up to him as I do with, for example, QC2. I've known G for pretty much my entire life - at least that part that I can remember. G and I have known each other since P1, when I was... *thinks* ... five? Probably five. Barring one brief period where a girl separated us (by him, I should add, though isn't that often the case?), we've been there for each other.

So when G's partner showed up tonight and mentioned that E3 is getting very broody, especially in the light of M and MM's recent arrival, both G and myself had a bit of a giggle over my actions a few months ago where I put her in a taxi because she was getting a little too friendly.

Don't get me wrong - as a no-strings shag or a bit of a snog and fumble, I'd be right in there, but if she has grander designs then I should probably stay clear, given the fallout from mutual friends.

The day after.

Yesterday was...eventful. Pretty much all my conversations were female orientated - weddings, breast feeding, clothes, unrequited attraction by a girl. Interesting, but very female-centric. We had our monthly work night which was OK, but we met up with a few ex-colleagues later on and CH arrived down after her own commitments were met.

As usual, CH and I had a good laugh and I think my friend GB might be a bit of a cock blocker in that she was getting very protective of CH last night. I think the chemistry that we share might be a concern to others. It's not to me and I don't think it is to CH, but GB was definitely trying to keep between us last night and was moving conversations away from anything I might try and join to something else (the breast feeding convo for example).

There were a few kisses between us - quick pecks on the lips, not full-on snogging (she is married with kids, so nothing's ever going to happen), I grabbed her boobs for a photo at some point (photo deleted the next morning for obvious reasons), a cheeky bum nip and plenty of hugs. One thing that did cause me to wonder was when she had her arm around me, she would slide it down over my ass rather than remove it normally. This happened more than once, so it's either something she does normally, or she wanted a cheeky feel of my arse. I'm all for that, obviously.

Regardless of that one moment of confusion, it was a great night out all round. Her friend came to pick her up around midnight which was interesting in itself as this was the friend that CH was supposedly going to try and set me up with. Sadly, I don't think she's my type, plus she's a full-time smoker. While I do smoke the odd cigarette and cigar, I'm not a full-time smoker and probably wouldn't want to date one. In fact, the last full-time smoker I dated was CAB and that was nigh on twenty years ago.

Still... a good night out. I met up with DSC this afternoon for a recovery lunch and some aimless wandering about the town, doing little bits and pieces of shopping. That was thoroughly enjoyable.The plan for tonight is to keep my head down, but G is home this weekend and we're definitely meant to be heading out at some point. Usually, this means a few quiet pints on Sunday night, but the odd time it's a Saturday instead (or as well as the Sunday). I don't feel as bad as I should given the booze I poured down my neck last night, but I would probably think that avoiding the pub tonight would be a good idea on my part.

Drink! Feck! Arse!

Despite my last post title, I've been meaning to take a break from drinking for a while. This summer has been quite busy, socially, and the next month or so is probably going to be the same. In a conversation today, KfW2 asked me about my plans for the next while and I rattled off a few days that I had planned. Once at the end of this week and another two at the end of September. Originally, KfW2 was meant to be out on Friday, but she's changed her mind. CH is going to turn up though and be extremely drunk. This is going to be tremendously funny. She's good fun and I can't remember the last time we were both drunk at the same time - possibly the first time I ever met her and kissed her (in full view of everyone and a kiss "kiss", not a snog). I think I've mentioned that there is a bit of chemistry between us and we've been described as a mirror image of each other in terms of cheekiness. Anyway, I'm digressing a little...

"That's not bad" I thought to myself. "Maybe I can actually use this to de-tox and formulate the fitness plan that I've been promising myself for months".

Then I remembered that M and MM recently had a little girl and that M is already suggesting pints to wet the baby's head. And a postponed night with KfW2 herself, that we promised ourselves sometimes in September. And FP was asking about a night out, too. And I haven't seen DSC in ages (texted and stuff, but not seen in the flesh). Oh, and QC2 suggested last week that she'd be in contact once she returned from her holidays. This is all socialising that, by and large, will involve alcohol. I can maybe avoid it with DSC by taking her out for lunch or something, but the others are very definitely pub and booze nights.

Even ignoring the health benefits of knocking the booze on the head, there's the cost as well. Laying off the booze for a month is easily worth a couple of hundred quid in my pocket that can be put to good use.

Alcohol is great. Not evil.

"Let's go for cocktails," she said.

It was a kind of running joke where we'd seen a bar advertise two-for-one cocktails on a Thursday night and decided that we'd head out some night and try them. That was ages ago. But her fiancé was working and her son was off on his holidays with his dad, leaving her free to do what she wanted.

So we went out for cocktails. We had one each in the first bar, then moved on. That's kinda where the night fell apart (from a cocktails perspective). We tried another bar, but their cocktail menu was poor and went across the road instead to my second favourite bar in the city.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, my second favourite bar does not serve cocktails. So we got stuck into gins instead. We do like our gins, KfW2 and me. And that was pretty much it for the next few hours - we talked, KfW2 asked some questions, and I gave answers. I did mean to talk to KfW2 about her comment from the gig a few days previously regarding not treating her like a female, but there was never a lull in the conversation to shoehorn it in, and I was enjoying the conversation anyway which flowed easily.

The highlight of the night (if you want to call it a highlight) was a thread of conversation we had about my living abroad, which took us on to the subject of FA2 and my relationship with her. KfW2 said that getting the story out of me was like pulling teeth. I think she was being a little unfair. I know that I can have trouble opening up, but my pauses were more to gather my thoughts and to try to not sound bitter and hateful rather than a reluctance to share any of the information. I can't remember what I've said about FA2 here, but I do know there's a draft post somewhere when I was sitting down and trying to get it all out in the open. It's a draft because it's unfinished and also because (like above), I'd rather people judge the entire story based on fact rather than me ranting about it (because I think it paints FA2 in a rather mental light so if I can report it factually, people will see that for themselves).

KfW2 did admit that she thought FA2 was out of line and just a little bit weird, but didn't dwell on it and continued asking questions about whether I really liked FA2 (I did) or if the breakup or the manner of the breakup had put me off relationships (it didn't).

KfW2's fiancée came down about 11PM to pick her up and that's where I should have gone home (i.e. the clever thing to do), but no, I went round to my favourite bar to meet a few friends where we managed to clap eyes on this D-list celebrity:

It's Orlaith McAllister: she's actually really pretty in real life... Anyway, I stayed on for another while, having another few drinks with friends. Let's just say that work wasn't fun in the morning, but it was probably worth it.

Addendum:
I'm aware that this blog could turn into a series of  "KfW2 is awesome" posts, and I hope it doesn't (even though she is great and we are spending a bit of time together) but do expect to see her mentioned a bit more over the next few months.

Rock on.

I don't know if this hangover is going to decide to kick in properly or just hang about all day on the periphery, threatening to take hold. But the gig I went to yesterday was brilliant, I met with KfW2 and FP and their respective partners mid-afternoon and just went from there.

KfW2 has met FP's wife before and they get on like a house on fire, so she had some girly company.

There's not a lot of detail to go into, really - it was a fun day without too many "incidents". It was a great gig, KfW2 really enjoyed herself - I don't know if she was talking about the gig or the day in general (I think it's the latter), it was great spending time with FP and his wife (who I don't see enough of). I swapped a few texts with AM who was also at the gig, but we didn't meet up, though we've made tentative plans to meet up sometime soon.

There was a funny moment where I'd taken myself off to use the facilities and had  triangulated where we were standing, so returned in super quick time, only to drunkenly wander past the guys. It's not like I wasn't seen - KfW2 smacked me in the head and I just looked at her, smiled and dandered on only for her to follow me and pull me back. Oh dear. *embarrassed face*

And a comment made by KfW2 that will require follow up is that she (I think) complained about the fact I didn't treat her as a girl. FP's wife said that I did that to her too. Hmmm. I'm out with KfW2 tomorrow after work. I might bring this up again.

Oh, and on the way out, we managed to meet up with QC2 and her partner. I knew they'd be at the gig, but I wasn't expecting to bump into them. I managed a quick round of introductions (cos KfW2 has recently complained that I don't share enough) before we all went on our separate ways.

Mischief

It's amazing what you can do with Facebook, access to a website and a Google Images plugin for Chrome.

News report.

Last night wasn't the entire disaster that I had anticipated given that my friend S's friends were calling the shots. I gambled a little and went into town half an hour early, to see if the brunette was at my favourite pub. She wasn't, but I kinda caught the eye of this blonde girl, who seemed to be waiting for someone. S text and told me where they were headed and with the brunette not being about, I left to meet him.

We had one drink in this other bar and left because it was dead and went to my second favourite bar. It's really tiny, so we had to queue. Who joined the queue a few people back, but the blonde girl... still on her own. We were in the upstairs bar and unsurprisingly, the blonde girl arrived a few moinutes later. She stood at the bar, nursing a pint of Guinness and making eye contact with me again. Beyond standing beside her at the bar, I never did anything. She did seem to strike up a conversation with another bloke who was standing beside me away from the bar and she sounded English, rather than local. After a while though, she moved away from these people, back to the bar, where the eye contact resumed. I didn't do anything about it, bantered with SD's friends and a few girls around me.

No doubt, when I regale others with this story, I will be slapped and told that she was gagging for it, but I think it's odd that someone would go out on their own. In hindsight, I probably should have made a token effort... something tells me that's all it would have taken.

Overall: pat on the back for being pro-active and seeing if the brunette was about. Kick in the arse for not at least opening a conversation with the blonde.