Category: February 2013

the myth of the polished turd – first published 27 February 2013

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A walk to work at the end of February 2013 got me thinking about the importance we place on appearances. Multi million pound industries have sprung up around anything that makes us look better on the outside. Everywhere you look someone is trying to sell you something to make you look younger, thinner or prettier. We are so obsessed with what’s on the outside we’ve forgotten about what lies within. There’s an old saying, ‘you can’t polish a turd,’ but there are a lot of people out there trying to sell us stuff to do just that… Continue reading the myth of the polished turd – first published 27 February 2013

drizzle, coffee and the truth about DOMS – first published 26 February 2013

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DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness is the bane of the long distance runner or walker. Back in February 2013, when I was putting in the long miles of Moonwalk training, people were beginning to ask me if it troubled me and how I dealt with it. The answer to that question is way more complicated than you’d expect. Continue reading drizzle, coffee and the truth about DOMS – first published 26 February 2013

A little time travel, Southsea Sea front – first published 24 February 2013

Clarence Pier
Clarence Pier

One Sunday morning towards the end of February 2013, Commando said he was going for a run along Southsea seafront. Of course, I tagged along to have a little walk. Commando had borrowed a snazzy gadget from a friend that linked camera to iPad to download photos so, to test it out, I took my real camera rather than my iPhone. If it worked well I might even buy myself one. Continue reading A little time travel, Southsea Sea front – first published 24 February 2013

eighteen miles, snow and horses in pyjamas again – first published 22 February 2013

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February 2013 was coming to an end, leaving me just over two months before the Moonwalk. Now the long walks were getting tougher and the cold weather wasn’t helping. To avoid getting lost on a long cold walk I went back to basics and a route I knew inside out and back to front. Familiar doesn’t necessarily mean uneventful though… Continue reading eighteen miles, snow and horses in pyjamas again – first published 22 February 2013

Should I stay or should I go? The pessimistic optimist – first published 21 February 2013

Beautiful moth from Wikimedia Commons by Didier Descouens
Beautiful moth from Wikimedia Commons by Didier Descouens

The last week of February 2013 and the fallout from the shock redundancy announcement was swirling all around. It felt as if black clouds were gathering, a storm brewing and I wasn’t sure I could weather one more storm. There was only one way to deal with it…look for the little things.

Continue reading Should I stay or should I go? The pessimistic optimist – first published 21 February 2013

A deja vu kind of day – first published 19 February 2013

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Getting made redundant from Mad House was the best thing that ever happened to me. Even though I’d made some wonderful friends, I’d hated every minute of the job. It felt like three years of hell on earth. It’s possible I was the only person in the building inwardly cheering when they made the announcement. Then I got the job at Silver Helm and it seemed like everything had happened for a reason. Then, on 19 Fenruary 2013, something happened that made me question everything.

Continue reading A deja vu kind of day – first published 19 February 2013

eight miles, walls, ruins and parks – first published 16 february 2013

St Julien's Church
St Julien’s Church

Walking the medieval Southampton walls had been interesting but it had also been a bit of a distraction from the main objective, which was to complete my eight mile Moonwalk Training walk. Although I’d completed a circuit of the walls there was still a lot of mileage ahead… They would be interesting miles. Continue reading eight miles, walls, ruins and parks – first published 16 february 2013

Walking the walls – first published 16 February 2013

Gods House Tower
Gods House Tower

After my historical wanderings last weekend it was a touch ironic that the next post from my deceased blog’s archives should be a walk of the medieval Southampton walls. Back in mid February 2013 the history of this city was something I half took for granted. Yes I knew about it, I couldn’t help it as I walked past so much of it every day, but it had been many years since I took the wall walk… Continue reading Walking the walls – first published 16 February 2013

Blizzards, films and new season stirrings – first published 12 February 2013

Not a day to be working on the roof
Not a day to be working on the roof

Almost half way through February 2013 and, just as I was looking forward to spring, new leaves and flowers, the winter proved it had a few more surprises tucked up its sleeve yet. A blizzard came out of nowhere and caught me out. There was a blizzard of a different kind the next day at work… Continue reading Blizzards, films and new season stirrings – first published 12 February 2013

A body part obsession – first published 9 February 2013

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My original blog, the one that got hacked, was called Fat Girl Slim Blog. It began as a blog about me trying to lose weight and keep it off and somehow morphed into a blog about me walking and training for the Moonwalk with a bit about weight loss now and then. Since the blog was hacked and I started this new blog I’ve been going through posts from the old blog and posting the less boring ones here. Mainly the weight loss stuff doesn’t make the cut. This post, from early February 2013 though is mostly about weight loss and our odd obsessions about our bodies. Continue reading A body part obsession – first published 9 February 2013