Having a blog is probably like having a friendship (or family):- you feel guitly about not writing/calling; you find yourself apologising when you return to writing; you feel smugly self-satisfied when you make that move and break the cycle of silence, but also worried that no response will ever come (but that would be your own fault, because you did not write for so long); but ultimately, sitting down to do it is never as bad as you feared it would be. Once crucial difference - your blog will always welcome you back with the same indifference every time, whereas you might get an earful from family and friends if you are incommunicado for too long!
I have moved offices and from my window now, I can still see the same two dollar tram that imspired the name, but it is now $2.30. However, I now also have a fantastic harbour view strteching down past the Convention Centre towards the Eastern part of Victoria Harbour. Except today, it is very "hazy". And so, after almost two years in Hong Kong, I begin to notice the passing of the seasons. Summer is coming to an end - the clear skies of early-mid summer brought about by southerly winds are gone, replaced by the gloom of haze, smog and poolution from the north. The temperature has not dropped - the mercury hit 36 degrees the other day - although some nights it definitely feels cooler.
29 April 2012 - I discovered this unpublished post, written well over 6 or 8 months ago. Summer is now rolling around again. Although judging my the constant rainstorms, thunder and lightning and temperature bouncing from mid-20s to high 20s, it is hard to be certain.
After much neglect it is time to get my finger out on this writing malarkey or just not bother. Now, where to look for inspiration?
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Monday, 17 January 2011
Where does time go?
Last post was in Septemberr - sh1t and bollox! If I were in to self-loathing in a really BIG way then I could really beat myself up for not having posted for over 4 months. As it is, I am happily buzzing after a seriously strong Hing-Tze coffee just delivered to my desk (God bless that woman).
So, this must be the new Mark, a Millennium man, and one who does not have time for self-flagellation, doom and gloom. The glass is half full, cos I have already enjoyed half of it and even when it gets fully empty I will go and pour another one to make it fully full again (if you know what I mean). Every cloud has a silver lining, as well as a pile of rain and capacity to block out the sun inside it (let's not get too fecken optimistic!)..... Or else it is that coffee. I think I alluded to this little drug habit previously.
Actually having said that and trying to recall what all has happened since the last post on this blog, I actually found I was able to cut down, almost do completely without coffee when Eimhear and I went on a detox in October. So I cannot be that addicted..... I have never really done a detox before, having deluded myself that I will do one in January, April, September etc most years, or I will "eat healthily and cut down on the drinking", but that usually lasted until the second person said (I could resist and fend off the first New Year resolution wrecker, usually) "fancy a pint, go on you will" on around 2nd or 3rd (or more likely 1st) January..... But this was serious stuff and I have my amazing darling wife to thank for (a) putting us on it; (b) keeping us on it; (c) introducing me to a lot of foods I have never dreamed of eating; and (d) the 6kgs I lost.
Eimhear was amazing, and she stuck to it rigidly, whereas I was a little bit naughty and fell off the wagon a fair bit while in the comfortable space of work - think eating whole chocolate bars, whole bags of Marks & Spencer sweets all in one sitting. Eimhear was also amazing in that she completely cut out coffee for the whole month. I merely cut down to maybe one on some of the days (from three to four) and did without on quite a lot of the days, whereas Eimhear went cold turkey, head aches and all. Fair play. My wife is a stronger woman than I am. She also lost a fair bit of weight on the diet too and looked even more fabulous than usual.
So, coffee and I can be parted (well almost!) - I believe it can be done.
Anyway, back to the nazi regime of NO MEAT, NO ALCOHOL, NO DAIRY, NO WHEAT, NO CAFFEINE, NO F#"CKEN TASTE!!
I met and ate quinoa, gluten free products and many other vegan staples as well as bean sprouts, alfalfa, a lot of salads, hummus, guacamole and wheat free rye breads.
Whilst there were many meals that were pretty uninspiring, I jest, it was not that bad, but the weight fell off both of us and we felt much better for it. Now, if only we could motivate ourselves to go again..., which is proving tough this 2011! I think the fact that the weight did come off was a seriously motivating factor first time around. We may not see the same results next time but probably will feel them more. I have been in a serious junk food mood ever since coming off the diet, or at least since Christmas.
I blame swimming to an extent, as it makes you so hungry and because I am now training again regularly I think I have all this "calorie capacity". The reality is that I have crept up on the scales and I could still do with losing the Ned Kelly....
Hoping to get back on the detox soon, stay fit and healthy. Having watched 4 months disappear just like that, I know I ain't getting any younger.
Now I am starting to get depressed thinking about that. Must be time for another coffee to keep the buzz going....?
I AM JOKING!
So, this must be the new Mark, a Millennium man, and one who does not have time for self-flagellation, doom and gloom. The glass is half full, cos I have already enjoyed half of it and even when it gets fully empty I will go and pour another one to make it fully full again (if you know what I mean). Every cloud has a silver lining, as well as a pile of rain and capacity to block out the sun inside it (let's not get too fecken optimistic!)..... Or else it is that coffee. I think I alluded to this little drug habit previously.
Actually having said that and trying to recall what all has happened since the last post on this blog, I actually found I was able to cut down, almost do completely without coffee when Eimhear and I went on a detox in October. So I cannot be that addicted..... I have never really done a detox before, having deluded myself that I will do one in January, April, September etc most years, or I will "eat healthily and cut down on the drinking", but that usually lasted until the second person said (I could resist and fend off the first New Year resolution wrecker, usually) "fancy a pint, go on you will" on around 2nd or 3rd (or more likely 1st) January..... But this was serious stuff and I have my amazing darling wife to thank for (a) putting us on it; (b) keeping us on it; (c) introducing me to a lot of foods I have never dreamed of eating; and (d) the 6kgs I lost.
Eimhear was amazing, and she stuck to it rigidly, whereas I was a little bit naughty and fell off the wagon a fair bit while in the comfortable space of work - think eating whole chocolate bars, whole bags of Marks & Spencer sweets all in one sitting. Eimhear was also amazing in that she completely cut out coffee for the whole month. I merely cut down to maybe one on some of the days (from three to four) and did without on quite a lot of the days, whereas Eimhear went cold turkey, head aches and all. Fair play. My wife is a stronger woman than I am. She also lost a fair bit of weight on the diet too and looked even more fabulous than usual.
So, coffee and I can be parted (well almost!) - I believe it can be done.
Anyway, back to the nazi regime of NO MEAT, NO ALCOHOL, NO DAIRY, NO WHEAT, NO CAFFEINE, NO F#"CKEN TASTE!!
I met and ate quinoa, gluten free products and many other vegan staples as well as bean sprouts, alfalfa, a lot of salads, hummus, guacamole and wheat free rye breads.
Whilst there were many meals that were pretty uninspiring, I jest, it was not that bad, but the weight fell off both of us and we felt much better for it. Now, if only we could motivate ourselves to go again..., which is proving tough this 2011! I think the fact that the weight did come off was a seriously motivating factor first time around. We may not see the same results next time but probably will feel them more. I have been in a serious junk food mood ever since coming off the diet, or at least since Christmas.
I blame swimming to an extent, as it makes you so hungry and because I am now training again regularly I think I have all this "calorie capacity". The reality is that I have crept up on the scales and I could still do with losing the Ned Kelly....
Hoping to get back on the detox soon, stay fit and healthy. Having watched 4 months disappear just like that, I know I ain't getting any younger.
Now I am starting to get depressed thinking about that. Must be time for another coffee to keep the buzz going....?
I AM JOKING!
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Fitness
Selfish post coming up. More of a diary or training entry than anything really.
The long road back to fitness and no-fatness (or at least less fatness) has begun in the last few weeks. I have been exercising semi-regularly, with a few lunch time swims, a few gym sessions and a handful of stout, steep, sweaty walks up The Peak, either relatively fast on my own, or a slower power workout pushing a buggy with one or, even on one occasion, two kids in it! It is pretty steep in parts and pushing almost 50kgs of child and buggy plus dragging my own 88+ kilos of lard ass up a hill in 30+ degree heat and 90+% humidity is pretty tough! However the views are stupendous at times and the great feeling of escaping from Hong Kong's population crush is liberating. Once back on flatter land, with the heartbeat slowed down sufficiently, the endorphins kick in and a great feeling of smug satisfaction greets you. However, no matter than I might feel great, no one else wants to get too close to me to share the joy and love because by the time I have even gone half way, you could wring me out, put me on a line and then a wind tunnel before I might stop sweating and start to dry off! That's a funny thing about exercise, no one really cares that you have done it except yourself. Hearing about other people's workouts nauseates me and often promotes self-loathing.
The lunch time swims are in a 50m pool. And I am finding them tough, not least because I am hungry, tired and its in the midday sun. It does not sound like much to complain about, but believe me, without a coach, some other whippersnapper there that you want to beat, or the dread of performing badly in an upcoming event, it is pretty hard to motivate oneself. However, I think I have a more mature approach to exercise now, as I head towards late-30s - it is hard enough to get out and do your exercise often enough, so one might as well work hard when one does manage to do it, but within the limits of fitness, age and body! After tens of millions of metres in the pool in a lifetime I know my body well enough to know what is too much, but I also know when I am just going though the motions and it is time to give myself a kick up the backside.
I have been reasonably pleased with progress. I am starting to "feel" better in the water, I can go longer distances without seizing up or talking myself out of it. Whilst the distances are short in comparison to the long distance sessions of my teenage hey days, c. 2000m vs6000-8000m behemoths, they feel good and there is room for one or two decent sets, as well as a warm up and cool down. I was pleased two weeks ago to do some 100s turning on 1.50, touching in the 1.30-1.35 bracket. I think I did 6 that day. This week I did 8x100s on 1.40, touching all around 1.25. Today I decided to lay down a 1500m marker and then try and do one every 3-4 weeks and check on progress. Nothing amazing, but a 22.45. That is 1.31s per hundred, quite steady, without too much lactic acid build up. I would like to try and take 30-45 seconds out of that on the next timed swim in a few weeks as hopefully I get fitter stronger and lighter/slimmer!
So, a post-Millennium 1500m long course PB! The first of many I hope.
Here's to keeping it up over the coming weeks, months and years!
The Achilles still are daffied and I have accepted I will never be able to do long distances of running - i.e, more than about 4kms!!! But I can walk and still jump around with my kids and that is what matters, not the narcissistic/mid-life crisis/must challenge myself and recreate my youth that many blokes my age and older are going through.
Long may it continue.
The long road back to fitness and no-fatness (or at least less fatness) has begun in the last few weeks. I have been exercising semi-regularly, with a few lunch time swims, a few gym sessions and a handful of stout, steep, sweaty walks up The Peak, either relatively fast on my own, or a slower power workout pushing a buggy with one or, even on one occasion, two kids in it! It is pretty steep in parts and pushing almost 50kgs of child and buggy plus dragging my own 88+ kilos of lard ass up a hill in 30+ degree heat and 90+% humidity is pretty tough! However the views are stupendous at times and the great feeling of escaping from Hong Kong's population crush is liberating. Once back on flatter land, with the heartbeat slowed down sufficiently, the endorphins kick in and a great feeling of smug satisfaction greets you. However, no matter than I might feel great, no one else wants to get too close to me to share the joy and love because by the time I have even gone half way, you could wring me out, put me on a line and then a wind tunnel before I might stop sweating and start to dry off! That's a funny thing about exercise, no one really cares that you have done it except yourself. Hearing about other people's workouts nauseates me and often promotes self-loathing.
The lunch time swims are in a 50m pool. And I am finding them tough, not least because I am hungry, tired and its in the midday sun. It does not sound like much to complain about, but believe me, without a coach, some other whippersnapper there that you want to beat, or the dread of performing badly in an upcoming event, it is pretty hard to motivate oneself. However, I think I have a more mature approach to exercise now, as I head towards late-30s - it is hard enough to get out and do your exercise often enough, so one might as well work hard when one does manage to do it, but within the limits of fitness, age and body! After tens of millions of metres in the pool in a lifetime I know my body well enough to know what is too much, but I also know when I am just going though the motions and it is time to give myself a kick up the backside.
I have been reasonably pleased with progress. I am starting to "feel" better in the water, I can go longer distances without seizing up or talking myself out of it. Whilst the distances are short in comparison to the long distance sessions of my teenage hey days, c. 2000m vs6000-8000m behemoths, they feel good and there is room for one or two decent sets, as well as a warm up and cool down. I was pleased two weeks ago to do some 100s turning on 1.50, touching in the 1.30-1.35 bracket. I think I did 6 that day. This week I did 8x100s on 1.40, touching all around 1.25. Today I decided to lay down a 1500m marker and then try and do one every 3-4 weeks and check on progress. Nothing amazing, but a 22.45. That is 1.31s per hundred, quite steady, without too much lactic acid build up. I would like to try and take 30-45 seconds out of that on the next timed swim in a few weeks as hopefully I get fitter stronger and lighter/slimmer!
So, a post-Millennium 1500m long course PB! The first of many I hope.
Here's to keeping it up over the coming weeks, months and years!
The Achilles still are daffied and I have accepted I will never be able to do long distances of running - i.e, more than about 4kms!!! But I can walk and still jump around with my kids and that is what matters, not the narcissistic/mid-life crisis/must challenge myself and recreate my youth that many blokes my age and older are going through.
Long may it continue.
Monday, 12 July 2010
Soul coffee
I am a drug user. I take caffeine on a regular basis. An imperceptible but legal high and something that I take without thinking, quite possibly sub-consciously, as the withdrawal symptoms kick in, or it gets to that time of day when my habit-formed addiction rules over any other rational thought.
Like any drug, I am sure it can be kicked. Cold turkey, cutting down, go decaf instead of full shot of caffeinated fun. Take it away and its only then you notice it is gone and you want it back.
Coffee is my day to day drug, but right now I have major withdrawal symptoms for something else. Another drug that keeps me sane and is an inseparable part of me, is my family. They are gone away from me currently. My beautiful, funny, sexy wife upon who I depend for so much, for conversation, entertainment and companionship, is out of reach, even on the telephone for the last few days. She has been gone physically for two weeks. And I miss her so much. I crave her voice, her face and just to be in reach to touch her, hold her and all the things that can be so easily taken for granted. I need her, I crave her. This is what love feels like, this is longing. Please know my lover how much I feel for you.
I am also seriously crashing on withdrawal too for my boys. For the delight they can show me and their tender smallness which I am charged with looking after for many years to come. For their funny ways, things they say and the wonder of them.
Daddy misses you.
Like any drug, I am sure it can be kicked. Cold turkey, cutting down, go decaf instead of full shot of caffeinated fun. Take it away and its only then you notice it is gone and you want it back.
Coffee is my day to day drug, but right now I have major withdrawal symptoms for something else. Another drug that keeps me sane and is an inseparable part of me, is my family. They are gone away from me currently. My beautiful, funny, sexy wife upon who I depend for so much, for conversation, entertainment and companionship, is out of reach, even on the telephone for the last few days. She has been gone physically for two weeks. And I miss her so much. I crave her voice, her face and just to be in reach to touch her, hold her and all the things that can be so easily taken for granted. I need her, I crave her. This is what love feels like, this is longing. Please know my lover how much I feel for you.
I am also seriously crashing on withdrawal too for my boys. For the delight they can show me and their tender smallness which I am charged with looking after for many years to come. For their funny ways, things they say and the wonder of them.
Daddy misses you.
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Tree of Strife
What is it with Hong Kong people and the environment. It was with great disappointment that I read the lead front page article, "Tree of Strife" in Tuesday June 15th's The Standard, my disappointment being with the accusatory style of reporting by The Standard. I feel sorry for the unfortunate cyclist and his wife and family, but the barely concealed tenor of the report was to try and blame someone for this accident. Am I not alone in thinking that this was indeed just an accident, and that those seeking someone to blame could better just accept that accidents can happen, so long as people have taken steps to prevent them. However, prevention must draw the line somewhere, and from the report it appears that this tree was inspected less than four weeks previous to the accident. Provided the inspection was not negligently conducted (which is the suggestion of the writer and some of the persons interviewed), what more could be done? Would the solution be to tear down all the trees that dare to present a remote possibility of falling branches anywhere near the densely packed 7 million citizens of our concrete jungle of a city? Shall we concrete over the whole city, put rubber bouncy pavements everywhere and remove any form of danger or mishap from our citizens? Or should we encourage our cycling citizens to wear helmets when riding their bikes, as whether or not the unfortunate victim was wearing one is major fact that is glaringly missing from the report. Given the horrific head injuries suffered by the victim, it does not require a large leap of intuition to come to the conclusion that the severity of this accident could have been mitigated by the unfortunate victim himself, not by tearing all our trees down. Please can we have some sensible and balanced reporting and some acceptance by people that their lives are in their own hands and not there to have every single possible eventuality taken care off by the state? Shit happens, that is life and nature, this should not be front page news for anyone. Grrr!
Friday, 11 June 2010
Perfect Birthday
Sometimes, despite the doubts and fears and the cynicism, things come off brilliantly and you can get a real sense of glee out of something that you were involved in, no matter how little your own contribution was.
My hat goes off to my wife who did a brilliant job of organising a joint beach party for Kai's second birthday. Despite looking like a raggle taggle bunch with bin bags full of plastic beach toys, suitcases full of food, which then doubled as tables, the kids' toys' time out boxes full of beer and ice and ice cream cake on order for delivery to 28 degree heat, the party was brilliant.
It was well attended, the weather was great - not too hot, the food was excellent and in the right amounts, we had enough booze, juices and biscuits and everyone seemed to have a great time. I did not get to speak to anyone for any length of time as I was busy running around serving and topping up champagne, running to a restaurant for a knife to cut the cake, stopping Sean and Hunter from drowning and generally having a good time, slightly buzzed on the champagne! The ice cream cakes arrived, duly intact and very cold and hard and did not even melt all that quickly! As far as I am aware no one drowned! People were fed and watered, the pinata was ripped open to spill out toys and sweets and cookies, the dozens of cheap plastic beach toys were used and taken away (although we do have about 20 rakes in a cupboard now!) and we all were tucked up in bed for a well-deserved nap before 2pm!
I am so proud of Eimhear and her skills in reading this one just right - 2 year olds on the beach need very little entertaining - the sourcing of the toys, food, drink and ice cream cake! She worked really hard and I am so happy it was a success. I never need reminding that I am a lucky man to be married to my wife, but I was reminded on Saturday how brilliant she is. I am still beaming from it. Kai too! Poor Sean can't contain himself for his birthday!
My hat goes off to my wife who did a brilliant job of organising a joint beach party for Kai's second birthday. Despite looking like a raggle taggle bunch with bin bags full of plastic beach toys, suitcases full of food, which then doubled as tables, the kids' toys' time out boxes full of beer and ice and ice cream cake on order for delivery to 28 degree heat, the party was brilliant.
It was well attended, the weather was great - not too hot, the food was excellent and in the right amounts, we had enough booze, juices and biscuits and everyone seemed to have a great time. I did not get to speak to anyone for any length of time as I was busy running around serving and topping up champagne, running to a restaurant for a knife to cut the cake, stopping Sean and Hunter from drowning and generally having a good time, slightly buzzed on the champagne! The ice cream cakes arrived, duly intact and very cold and hard and did not even melt all that quickly! As far as I am aware no one drowned! People were fed and watered, the pinata was ripped open to spill out toys and sweets and cookies, the dozens of cheap plastic beach toys were used and taken away (although we do have about 20 rakes in a cupboard now!) and we all were tucked up in bed for a well-deserved nap before 2pm!
I am so proud of Eimhear and her skills in reading this one just right - 2 year olds on the beach need very little entertaining - the sourcing of the toys, food, drink and ice cream cake! She worked really hard and I am so happy it was a success. I never need reminding that I am a lucky man to be married to my wife, but I was reminded on Saturday how brilliant she is. I am still beaming from it. Kai too! Poor Sean can't contain himself for his birthday!
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Living in the Now
Sometimes it is very hard to live in the now. I have been trying to do that, because I am prone to being someone who has had a "grass is always greener" complex. No wonder my family and I have moved countries three times in three years. Therefore, I don't profess Buddhist qualities and an ability to defer pleasure, as I can get caught up in the hedonism that exists somewhere near to the bottom of a bottle of wine just like the next weak-willed Irishman, but lately I have found myself looking ahead, both in terms of weeks and years. It is probably inevitable as the three questions as an ex-pat gweillo you get here in Hong Kong are "How long have you been in Hong Kong" (past tense), "How are you enjoying it," (present tense) and "How long do you plan to stay?" You are usually left with that last question hanging in your head after you have given the stock answer and with a lingering sense of justifying your decisions, attempting to rationalise in your own ahead just why you actually came here in the first place, and where you are going. It can be an unsatisfactory state of affairs going on in your head when you are not someone who has the five-year plan mapped out in detail, rather just sketched, rubbed out and put on the long finger.
Anyway, I am not trying to get ahead of myself too much, as there is living in the now to be done, or pleasures to look forward to in the short term. I got the hairdresser question today from an old colleague in Dublin "Any holidays planned"? And my answer?
"Yes, holidays in 5 and a half weeks' time, heading to some little island, kind of an odd place, with lovely people, who can have a laugh despite their problems, who with their newfound success 10 years ago, a bit like when they get the drink in them, lost the run of themselves. A beautiful place, a depressing mood, a bleak future, but a land of smiles and chat and lovely scenery and golf courses. A place of expensive property and unemployment (eh?).
It has a land border with a part of its larger and richer neighbour, which also has a minority coalition government and its own financial woes and 50% top tier tax rate, and over that border mad men walk down streets that don't belong to them, playing flutes, drums and pipes and ridiculous uniforms by day and balaclavas by night.
I will be in the West of that country for a time, passing to its border area for a wedding and on to its northern lands, which some call "God's Own Wee Province". Inevitably it will rain a lot, be 15 degrees cooler than my country of residence and we will get sick of the very people we have come to see!"
When you put it all like that, you wonder why you are looking forward to it?!
Anyway, I am not trying to get ahead of myself too much, as there is living in the now to be done, or pleasures to look forward to in the short term. I got the hairdresser question today from an old colleague in Dublin "Any holidays planned"? And my answer?
"Yes, holidays in 5 and a half weeks' time, heading to some little island, kind of an odd place, with lovely people, who can have a laugh despite their problems, who with their newfound success 10 years ago, a bit like when they get the drink in them, lost the run of themselves. A beautiful place, a depressing mood, a bleak future, but a land of smiles and chat and lovely scenery and golf courses. A place of expensive property and unemployment (eh?).
It has a land border with a part of its larger and richer neighbour, which also has a minority coalition government and its own financial woes and 50% top tier tax rate, and over that border mad men walk down streets that don't belong to them, playing flutes, drums and pipes and ridiculous uniforms by day and balaclavas by night.
I will be in the West of that country for a time, passing to its border area for a wedding and on to its northern lands, which some call "God's Own Wee Province". Inevitably it will rain a lot, be 15 degrees cooler than my country of residence and we will get sick of the very people we have come to see!"
When you put it all like that, you wonder why you are looking forward to it?!
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