(blank)aholics

Addiction

Wow everything is addictive now. I am addicted to Jordans Tropical Fruit cereal and have to buy 3 bags so we don't end up on a dried fruit come down. Great in between work and dinner before swimming sessions (thank you Paolo). I was watching a programme on ITV about Technology addicts. Unfortunately it was only the tail end, but there are people who cannot tear themselves away from the many forms of technology available to make our lives easier. . . .or do they? The Crackberry for example which infringes on all leisure time with emails coming in at 3.00 am etc. Says me who ended up chained to her computer all day yesterday again until the swim session. I did not leave the house until then. Not good. So today I will be going out. I will be going to the studio and I will be doing some art work . . . just got to finish a little fiddly job then that is that.

One poor boy/man (well younger than me at 23) was an overweight, pasty, nervous and shy sort who spent 80 hours with his friends online and had never met them, but they all lived locally. I thought it was a bit sad, but then he seemed er well odd in a shy kind of way maybe that was his way of interacting with people that made him feel safe and in control. After all you dont have to be wearing the right kit to fit in online. He took a trip to see a specialist addiction counsellor who recognised all the symptoms and explained what these were and how and why people get addicted. Things to watch out for - isolation etc. He could not see himself in any of it. He thought it was totally normal to be shut up in his bedroom locked into his PCs . . . still running Windows Professional we noticed. Anyhow it's by a guy called Mark Pizzey. If I find out anymore I pop it on here.

So it was back to sport for me yesterday evening and the excellent 50m pool just over the road. I feel very privileged as the next nearest one is in France, apparently. . Bit worried about my 1500m coming my way all too soon. I don't mind the swim its the dark water that I have a problem with although I did do some work on that this year. This year anyone would have thought I have been at this for ages. Ha. On holiday in Ibiza I went to Ibiza Swim which I found on the Internet and Ruth Osborn got me swimming rather than panicking in the sea. I just hope it is a sunny day on 9th September - the water seems less scary Lake Placid then.

Well swim club went well, but there was only 4 of us. We did a 500m warm up and some drills and some swimming on 60secs or 15secs/10secs rest. I was not doing the 60secs as it still takes me between 65 and 70 secs to do a length. A couple of weeks back I did manage 55 secs Hurrah for me. Then I did it again. Double desert for me, but since then I became more and more tense thrashing about and the stroke went. I had a chat with the Fruitcake and he said I need to relaaaaaaaaaaaaax. So I have and last night I was really pootling nicely up and down. I tried to remember all Pablo's advice too about the high arms. . . I have to say it felt better than I expected. I thought hmm 1500m suddenly felt within my grasp or gasp rather. It's the breathing that sometimes goes and then I know I need to relaaaaaaaaaaaax again and just stop working to hard. After all when I get out there is the bike and run yet.

Results for today so far
So I guess yesterday the Web and the Tri went head to head and it was a draw, but no drawing for me so today I have to make up for that. Art Club tonight and hopefully I'll get a trip on Eduardo out as well.

Spooky

A bit of spookiness for you. After watching shopaholics I was talking to miPaolo about how I am terribly worried about money all the time and end up spending to make myself feel better…crazy, but no doubt there is something in the psychological background there. Anyhow Shannon in the programme cuts up all here credit cards and yesterday on a complete whim I cut mine up too as after leaving work last year there is not the income really to be splashing out. I also decide (again) to sell the car. Then I read my horoscope on Google's ig: “A financial decision that has weighed heavily on you might be resolved today in a single moment. You may have a sudden flash of inspiration that helps you to see what it is that you've been missing. When you realize that the issue is less about money and more about what you value, the logical choice will become clear. “