On the treadly

OK, welcome back to life as a fat bastard.

Another first today. Today I got on the bike. I have a cheapo crap bike bought off the internet and is about as good to ride as a 1950's billy-cart. So for my first ride I decided to ride to a bike shop and investigate buying a new bike. Setting aside the fact that I really can't afford one, I figure I can pay it off by riding to Uni two days a week and avoiding car and parking costs.

The ride was amazingly hard work thanks to the incredible crapiness of my transportation and the fact that The Gap is the HILLYEST suburb in the world (I'm aware it's not a word but no other word would aptly describe these hills). Despite the obvious problems I felt pretty good after it and followed it up with a short session on the heavy bag this arvo, God damn, listen to me I sound like a bloody fitness fanatic (well almost).

I've decided to be pretty hard on myself this week with regards to the diet after being a bit slack last week. I'm seriously keen to drop a kilo or two by the end of the week. So far so good on that front.

As for the life front outside the obvious bulge battle, I had my most productive week so far in my drive to become a journo. The week just gone I managed to get five articles published in both the Courier and Sunday Mail which was very satisfying.

The most amazing thing of all happened on Saturday night while covering an A League match at the Gold Coast for the Sunday Mail. I was there early so I chatted to some of the other journo's while we waited for the match to start. I'm generally pretty up front with the other journos about the fact I'm doing the job as a student/freelance journo. But while speaking to the AAP journo he asked my name and said he recognized my name from the Courier Mail. I have to say it was a nice feeling at the time.

To give you an insight into how hard it is to get a job in this industry. I'm doing about 40 hours work a month at the moment, gratis. I was actually offered payment for the soccer gig on Saturday night but turned the minimal fee down to guarantee more work and build up credibility points. I'm hoping it might fast track me into sport sooner rather than later. Every Journo and Editor there says I'm going about the the right way so only time will tell.

Officially one month till I crack the big 4-0 so it feels good to be on a path back to health. I already feel like my energy levels are picking up so that's got to be a positive.

I'll do my best to avoid a blow-out on Australia Day, but it would be bloody un-Australian not to have a few beers and a snag or two, and I'm not going to be called un-Australian.

Alrighty then, that sounds like just about enough crapping on for now. Don't forget to tune in next time, same bat time, same bat channel for the next exciting episode of 'Who wants to be a skinny bastard'.

See ya,

P