Sunday, February 4, 2024
Another summary of the week that was. Work It was a really productive week on the work front. I kicked off two new client projects, both super-interesting and with nice clients. This really makes all the difference! I recorded another couple of podcast episodes, so I don’t run out of content while I’m in Japan later this month. I also recorded a few more videos for the YouTube channel, which I’m going to slowly edit over the coming couple of weeks.Heading into the office shortly, to take advantage of an empty building and record some podcast and YouTube content.
It’s always so much easier at the weekend! Should only take a couple of hours, then I can relax for the rest of the weekend.
I’m starting my Friday morning with an appointment with a gastroenterologist.
I’ve been both dreading and counting down the days to this appointment. Fingers crossed for some clarity and a plan of action.
See you on the other side!
Went for a lovely walk at lunchtime.
When I noticed the blue skies, I downed tools and headed outside. At this time of year, I’ll take sunshine whenever I can find it.
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Another booze-free month in the bag. Today marks the (official) end of Dry January for 2024. A thirty-one day alcohol-free challenge that was really no challenge at all. In all honesty, I only missed booze on one evening - a friend’s 40th birthday party, where the prosecco was flowing and the AF beer I’d brought along really sucked. It was just awful and I kind of resented it. But within minutes, the birthday boy produced a bottle of AF Prosecco (Nosecco!Packing up in the office, to head home and go to the gym.
I slacked off yesterday as I had to meet a deadline once I got back from Japanese class. But no excuses this evening!
Plus, I have a metric ton of Apple Vision Pro review videos to watch as I pump away on the elliptical.
Sunday, January 28, 2024
Another summary of the week that was Wellbeing I’ve continued a real focus on my wellbeing, with several visits to the gym, my first 5km run of the year (and my second!), some long walks and - shocking to me - managing to stick to my healthier diet. Dry January continues to be a breeze, and the easiest way to decrease my weekly calories. So I’ve decided to continue it into February.Saturday, January 27, 2024
I started my Saturday morning with a 5km run in the sunshine, cutting a decent time off yesterday’s run. After that, a walk to the mall to run some errands, and have coffee with a friend. Immediately after that, I walked along the Thames to Wapping, to have lunch at a local market. One delicious freshly-cooked burrito later, accompanied by a delicious German alcohol-free beer, and I was walking back to Canary Wharf.Friday, January 26, 2024
Yes, it’s Friday - but let’s hope the day improves as it progresses. I woke up with a zit - a teenage style zit! - in the middle of my nose. It’s bizarre on a man my age. And it just appeared overnight - there was no sign of it after I showered last night. I’m just grateful I haven’t got any YouTube filming planned for today. I then stepped on the scales, which revealed some weight gain.Sitting back with a cold beer.
Don’t worry, it’s zero alcohol, but with all the taste. Dry January remains intact!
Asahi have done a great job making a tasty alcohol-free alternative. The only other AF beer that beats it (IMHO) is Guinness Zero, which I can’t distinguish from the ‘real thing’.
Sunday, January 21, 2024
Another summary of the week that was… The Japanese continues The week started on a positive note, with a return to my Japanese lessons. I’m in a new class - as it’s scheduled during the afternoon - and it’s taking some getting used to. But I have the same wonderful teacher, who brought us all back some delicious Japanese KitKat bars from her visit home over Christmas. Work Work was a mixed bag, with some great coaching sessions and some progress made on a big podcasting project, mixed with a last-minute client workshop cancellation (they paid!Monday, January 15, 2024
Yes, this is a day late, but it’s been quite the week so I hope you’ll understand. Work I had a really, really good week at work. I tore through my task list and made great progress on some important podcast and YouTube work. Plus some lovely client projects and interest from potential new clients. I’m super excited about an upcoming collaboration with another psychologist. We’re going to co-host a podcast series all about psychological flexibility and how to develop it.A quick update
Following yesterday’s less than stellar medical update, I’ve since had a consultation with my doctor. And yes, I need an urgent referral to a specialist, followed by hospital time to get some quite unpleasant tests done.
Luckily, this should all be sorted in the next two weeks, so I won’t have too long to wait. I’m trying to focus on the positives and acknowledging that it could be a lot worse.
Friday, January 12, 2024
Well, today was definitely a game of two halves. My other half had to catch an early flight to Spain, so I’ve been awake since 5am. Rather than go back to sleep, I headed into work early and got SO much done. I managed to wrap up everything on my todo list before lunchtime and then headed home. Just as I was patting myself on the back for a job well done, I got an email from my doctor with some less than welcome news about some test results.Sunday, January 7, 2024
Welcome to the first in a (hopefully) ongoing series of posts reviewing the week that was. Two big themes spring to mind as I write this: Wellbeing One week into the new year and I’m attempting to undo some of the damage of a very lazy and overindulgent last few months of 2023. I’m really happy with the amount of exercise I was able to do this week, whether it was running, walking or using our much-neglected gym downstairs.Saturday, January 6, 2024
And boy, was that hard work! It’s only…shamefully…when I look at my Strava app that I realise this was my first run since October last year. Honestly, if you’d asked me, I would have sworn I went for at least a couple of runs in November and December. But, no. I was quite…sedentary. The fallibility of the human memory laid bare. Which explains a large part of my ‘impressive’ weight gain in the last quarter of 2023.Friday, January 5, 2024
It seems like an age since New Year’s Day, which was, if I’m honest, spent on the sofa watching repeats on TV and bemoaning just how much beer I’d had at the party the night before. Since then, I’ve gone back to work, moved my office to a new building, started a new fitness regimen, commenced Dry January and… it’s only Friday evening. I had a very, very lazy last quarter of 2023.Friday, December 22, 2023
I gingerly rolled out the yoga mat this morning and did a light routine. My first in… quite some time. It felt great to do it again, but I could also tell it’s going to take me a while to get back to my former levels of flexibility and strength. But we all have to (re)start somewhere. Right?This made me smile this morning:
Plato, pilates and pubs: has an Irish town found the secret to the good life?
I’m not sure how it’s possible, but I feel even worse this morning than I did yesterday.
I have some non-negotiable deadlines this week, so I’m working from bed this morning to avoid a car crash later in the week. Light admin for now.
Today will be brought to you by caffeine and Sudafed tablets.
Awake with a coffee after a pretty rough night.
Lots of coughing and sneezing. My heat feels like it’s throbbing and twice its usual size. And yet… I still feel much better than the last (and first) time I had Covid. So I’m grateful for that.
Obviously, I’m going to stay indoors again today and rest. No need to leave the apartment tomorrow either - though I wish I could go to my Japanese class. More importantly, I need to be able to fly to Dublin on Wednesday night for work, so my main focus is on getting better by then.
In more positive news, my partner returned from dinner at a friend’s last night with a care package for me. Tupperware full of turkey, mashed potato and other treats. And as Covid hasn’t put a dent in my appetite this time, I’ll be tucking into that later today.
Saturday, November 25, 2023
So I’ve had an annoying head cold since I arrived back from Tokyo on Monday. Despite my best efforts, symptoms were getting worse. So this morning, having had a rough night of coughing, my other half suggested I take a Covid test. You can tell what happened next. So now I’m in bed, with a positive test result, coughing and sneezing and cursing my bad luck. I actually had my Covid booster a couple of weeks back, so this is particularly galling.I wrote about ‘dark side’ of holidays - dropping all my healthy habits!
https://richardmackinnon.blog/2023/11/23/the-dark-side-of-holidays
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
I made it to Exeter, after nearly coughing up a lung on the train here. Given all the weather warnings and the predicted travel disruptions, I swapped to a train leaving London two hours earlier. I’m glad I did! Now that I’m here, I have been given what must be the smallest hotel room in Western Europe, but just don’t care. It has a bed and that’s all that matters. With my bed so close to the door, I’m glad I packed ear plugs.I spent the whole night coughing, so will be taking it very easy at home again today.
I have contractors calling over any minute to investigate a leak (aaargh) from upstairs. The only reason I’m out of bed and dressed is to deal with them.
Hot drinks, flu tablets and rest. It’s all I can do.
Monday, October 30, 2023
After going to bed last night feeling a lot better and pretty much free of my post-COVID booster symptoms, I’ve woken up this morning with a thumping headache and a cough. A proper chesty, deep cough. I just hope it’s a hangover from the immunisation. I’m going to work from home today, to keep warm, and knock this (whatever it is) on the head. I have a business trip later this week, and don’t want to be ill for that.Sunday, October 29, 2023
I was lucky enough to get my COVID booster yesterday morning. One of the very few advantages of living with epilepsy is that I get prioritised when it comes to immunisations. And while I was incredibly grateful to get it, last night’s side-effects weren’t so welcome. The painful shoulder started within an hour, but that comes with most jabs. As I headed to bed about 11pm, I was aching all over and started to feel like I had a headache coming on.I also got an appointment for my COVID booster today, so that’s also going in the gratitude journal.
Sunday, October 1, 2023
Gah! Yet another GP screw-up with my meds. Despite getting my repeat prescription signed off on Monday, the pharmacy never received it. And so I couldn’t get my meds. Thankfully, the pharmacist was happy to give me a week’s supply while the GP practice gets their act together. Every interaction with my local practice is so stressful and hard work. And it’s not like I’m taking my epilepsy meds for laughs.I’m not sure YouTube video editing is best done after a night of incredible brain-shrinking insomnia, but here we are.
I wonder if anyone will notice…