I've been finding it difficult to sleep. I can't work out if this is a result of having too much energy from all the exercise, being a little bit hungry, having got into a different sleep pattern because of Edinburgh, having a lot of work (and poker) to think about, not being drunk or a mixture of all of these things, but this morning (as with Sunday morning after the last time I played poker) I just lay in bed, hoping to sleep, but not being able to sleep. I finally nodded off around 5 or 6 am and got maybe four or five hours sleep, but then I had to get up as there's lots of work to be done on radio scripts and in sculpting my body into some kind of more attractive Adonis-figure.
I wasn't tired at all all day (and I'm writing this at just after 11pm and I'm still not) which suggests that this new healthy life-style means I can get by on much less sleeping. I didn't get too much done on the script, but hopefully have an idea that will draw show three together (was really hoping to have drafts of both shows by tomorrow night) and I did a good long swim and found I have lost another kilo. That's over four pounds in the first week, which is very encouraging progress, but of course the first week is easy. Something feels different about my resolve this time though and I see that as the first battle in a long, long war against myself. Well it's a war where six sevenths of myself is trying to eliminate the other seventh. So far only one fifty-fourth has gone and that's no cause for celebration. And if it was I couldn't celebrate in any fun kind of way in any case, as alcohol and deep fried chicken are off the menu now. I think my local Chicken Cottage has had to lay off a worker because of their loss of takings in the last week. I don't think I look much different yet, though if I can do as well next week I will have lost over half a stone, which would surely be more noticeable. I feel a lot better, both spritlier and mentally sharper, though unable to think of a decent sketch involving either the Duke of Wellington or Hadrian's Wall (and I really don't want your suggestions, so please don't send them). It feels like fun to have my own radio show again though (not that it's entirely mine, but I'm doing most of the writing) and unlike in the first series I am relishing the opportunity to put my stupid stuff out on the airwaves. So show three feels a bit skittish and silly, but also quite challenging in places. It has a slightly different feel. That may change by Monday. Especially if the 11/9 material is deemed inappropriate.
I got an email from the ex-producer of the Andrew Collings show who admitted that she had actually omitted to tell me about the week off. I was pleased about that as I was worried I might be losing my mind. I thought it was odd that I hadn't remembered that the first week back would not be happening. But dementia is still a few years away so I can be glad about that.
A man got into my lane when I was swimming my 42nd length and then ostentatiously passed me when I was doing back stroke and he was doing front crawl. So I switched to front crawl while he was doing breast stroke and overtook him back. He then switched to front crawl and positioned himself to overtake me, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction and even though it was my fiftieth length and only his sixth I managed to beat him by a good six metres. He was probably ten years older than me, but still. I showed him who was the Alpha Male in the medium speed lane.
Someone has stolen the VW emblem off the front of my car. I like the idea of them wearing it round their neck on a chain somewhere in West London, but surely no-one does that anymore. The car crime in my street seems only intended to irritate. But I don't mind not having a VW emblem. I still know what car I have without a little bit of metal to tell me.
Nothing else has been going on. I am going to bed now, to probably fail to sleep for another five hours. Hope all your diets are going well. Steve Berry has put on weight apparently (according to an email he sent me, he's too ashamed to put it on his site).
Not surprised with all the crisps and biscuits and cider he puts away. I don't like my eating habits being studied, but hell it's fun doing it to someone else. But buy his book about old games from the seventies and he won't mind the mocking. It's not out yet.
