Yearly Archives: 2012

Do NOT phone me at 10pm tonight!

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I must be the biggest fan of Opening Ceremonies. I love them! (I know, pretty nerdy right?)

The only opening ceremony I have been fortunate enough to attend was the 2010 FIFA World Cup at Soccer City. It’s a day I’ll never forget! When tickets sold out for it so quickly, I was devastated. But not giving up hope, I registered on a website which would send updates to my phone when tickets to games became available. I remember clearly waking up on a Saturday morning just after 7am and seeing the alert that opening ceremony tickets were available. I was shaking as I bought them! Unforgettable!

But wow, the Olympic Games opening ceremony is on a whole different level. Do you remember at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta when the great Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic flame, shaking from Parkinson’s? Oh wow…Legend.

Or at the 1992 games in Barcelona when that archer received the flame on the special tip of his arrow and shot it into the cauldron? Reports the next day were that it totally missed and technicians lit the flame themselves. People like me didn’t care.

Remember those giant footprints in the sky during the Beijing games? Awesomeness!

So I’ve given KK strict instructions not to make plans to go out with any friends tonight. If anyone knocks on my door, I’ll pretend we aren’t home. Nothing and nobody is going to stop me from watching it.

News reports have hinted that it is going to be spectacular! Spectacular! The music, the dancing, the celebrities, the crowds, the thousands of volunteers, the fireworks finished off with the walk of nations. Caster, you will make me cry, I just know it!

I have *goosies* already! I can’t wait!

Let the Games begin! *cheese alert*

Sick as a pig

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As I write this post, I feel like death warmed up. Never in my life have I felt so sick. It started on Sunday afternoon and instead of me resting, I simply thought a couple of medi-keels and throat spray would sort it out. I went to work on Monday because I had “so much to do” – sound familiar?

As I got home on Monday night, I jumped straight into bed, thinking I could ‘sleep’ the flu away. Tuesday was spent entirely in bed, no TV, no mags, no blogging. But when I woke up on Wednesday, it was worse. I realised I would need to get to the doctor. But as per usual, I thought I would get as much done before going to the doctor so I quickly scooted off to my dietitian appointment at 7am and into the office to sort out some emails.

When I finally got to the doctor, she was horrified. I have blisters all down the back of my throat and my muscles ache so bad, I groaned when she touched my legs and my ribs. I am sore, there’s no doubt about it. Very sore. It’s only when she said she needed to do a throat swab to rule out swine flu that I suddenly stopped and started to take notice. Swine flu? She reassured me that it was just the strain going around and I had the same symptoms but nothing to worry about. But it’s still not the words I wanted to hear.

I’m at home, in bed, feeling very sorry for myself. But I’ve learnt some hard lessons from it all:

  • Nothing else is as important as my health. When my body speaks to me and tells me there’s something wrong, I need to listen. AND obey.
  • Work can wait. In fact, the share price doesn’t drop if I am not there. Work carries on without me.
  • My colleagues are supportive. The power of the pig is strong. I mentioned the words swine flu and boy did they kick me out the building! I guess it’s not fair to go to work sick but how many of us do?
  • I usually take my chances and go running when I feel a cold coming on. I ran on Sunday morning and I wonder if it wasn’t all too much for my body to handle? Did I ignore the signs? In a way I am so desperate to get back into running. Wits and Old Ed’s is coming up soon and I want to run.
  • I need to look after myself all over. Sticking with the pig theme, even my dietitian told me I must stop eating like a pig (my interpretation).

The test results for my throat swab come out on Friday but I have been booked off from work regardless. Even if it’s not pig, it’s still flu. As frustrating as this is for someone like me who never takes sick leave, I have no choice.

On the topic of pigs, one of my Twitter BFFs @lucypeta has a pig as a pet. His name is Merlin. Here he is, giving me a smooch hello! *love him* Isn’t he just gorgeous!

A visit to the spa – by Annie & Emma

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BEFORE…

AFTER…

Did you notice our smiles? We love you Mommy & Daddy. X

Finding inspiration when and where I least expected it

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I had good intentions of going for a run yesterday. First, I left my running kit at home, so I landed up missing time trial. Then I got home early enough but blamed the chilliness of the afternoon and not knowing what to wear. Then my iPod was flat. I casually tweeted about it (as one does) and received this reply:So I went to gym and came home smiling. Not because I felt great having run 5kms like I wanted to. Not because I got home all sweaty and red in the face (which I love). Not because I scored an extra point with Vitality. But because of these reasons:

The thin woman with the prosthetic leg was on the stretching mat. At first glance you don’t notice it but look long enough and you see the metal linking the shoe to the shorts. She reminded me to be grateful that I have both my legs and can run. No excuses.

 

Crazy face (that’s what I call her) was on the bike as she is every evening. Dressed in an over-sized T-shirt with hair tied back and an alice band, she pushes herself on the bike for a full hour until she is dripping in sweat. Eyes closed, her body bobs to her own rhythm on the bike. 

John Coffey waved me hello. If you’ve seen ‘The Green Mile’ you will know that I am referring to a huge black man who is so big but has a heart of gold. My Coffey is usually on the treadmill walking on a level 5. It’s slow but it doesn’t matter. He’s still doing more than most.

 

It wasn’t the skinny chicks checking out their hair in the mirror or the muscled okes hoping you’d see them lifting weights. It was those three unlikely characters that left me quite inspired. It’s as if they were placed there on purpose for me last night to remind me that there are no excuses to skip gym.

I’m glad I went.