Over the past couple weeks, I have been stressed to say the least.

Being unemployed means watching every penny very very carefully, and moving house makes it all that much more important.

I sold my wedding rings to go and see Hull City move into the Premier League, and it was worth every penny. The entire trip was amazing, and seeing so many people united throughout the city has been a truly spectacular thing.

Last week, I had my debit card stolen, and some chavvy fucker thought it would be cool to go on an internet shopping spree. He even had the cheek to tell the shops that he was my son, and was being sent to Iraq the following week with the military, and everything must be shipped quickly. The idiot had everything sent to his home address, and even ordered Sky Satellite tv and paid his phone and internet bill using my card. After a few phone calls, it’s pretty certain that not only were these things cut off, he won’t be able to get internet again because he used their lines to commit crimes, and seeing as we only have one internet company here, he’s screwed himself.

The good news is that I will get my money back and he will get criminally charged (made another statement at the police department today) but the bad news is that it will take at least 2 weeks to get my money back - money that I need to pay bills and buy food.

Luckily my new landlord has been very understanding, and my mates have tried to help as much as they can. My mom loaned me the money for the deposit on my new place. Louise is even helping me move to make sure that I am okay - what an angel. Paddy has been kind enough to send me some cash as a birthday preset, and I cannot thank him enough. The Mr’s brother is helping me move so I don’t have to pay for a van, and the Mr himself has been very supportive throughout all of this.

It’s hard times like these that make you really see how wonderful people can be, and how much emphasis we put on shit that just doesn’t matter. I tell ya, I have become a much more frugal shopper!

I have had a very hard time sleeping, and have resulted in taking diazepam (valium) at night, but it only seems to work for a few hours, and once its worn off, I am up and alert all over again (it is helping me with the anxiety, so I will discuss this with my doctor as well). Tonight I intend on trying wine instead.

I plan on seeing my doc next week to see what she can offer me because 2-3 hours of sleep, if I am lucky, a night is screwing up my life. I am weary about Ambien, especially after my mum’s sleep eating and hallucinations while taking it, but would love to hear any of your experiences with sleeping medications and aids.

On the plus side, I have a couple of interviews next week and some potential temporary work. I know it may not be ideal, but I have bills to pay, and am not above doing administrative or accounting or even bar work to get by.

I happen to have a very nasty headache at the moment, which seems to have been triggered by some cheap chocolate. I don’t know if it is because my body doesn’t do sugar too well since my gastric bypass, or if it is just the small amount of cheap chocolate, but I have no intention of repeating this.

The jury is still out on chocolate. Is it evil for migraine sufferers or not?

My ADHD symptoms are really bad at the moment, and I am trying to make sure I take my Concerta first thing in the morning - otherwise I spend the days on tangent after tangent, which isn’t healthy for me or those around me. I keep getting these stupid obsessive thoughts which just make me more stressed, and I need to just let some of this shit go.
I am not the easiest person to live with at the best of times, and I can imagine that the Mr is at his wit’s end.

I continue to lose weight, and hope to buy some more clothes that fit once I am working again - gonna hit the charity shops and will hopefully get some funky finds!

Oh yeah, I had a birthday this week - the big 33. How are you supposed to celebrate these things as you get older? Am I supposed to have a party, barbeque, dinner, drinks, or what?

I would settle for a good night’s sleep…

The last few weeks have been great, and although I have neglected this blog, I am determined to pull my finger out and write more.

Over the last few months, I have been more and more interested in different sporting events, and have been amazed and bewildered at some of the things I have witnessed.

I am actually surprised at how much I enjoy going to these events, because it is something that I never considered in the past.

I have attended a few football matches that have really gotten me interested in the sport.
It isn’t just the game that fascinates me, but everything that goes along with it, especially the atmosphere.

There is one instance in particular, where someone was giving running commentation, that I cannot fail to mention.

Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), I went to a Hull City game that I will never forget.

We played the Wolverhampton Wanderers, and one of their players happens to be a gypsy - apparently part of his contract states that he has to live in a house. Anyways, some of the guys in front of us were doing a great commentary, and one shouted out “I bet you had roast hedgehog for your Christmas dinner”. It still tickles me to hear this.

I have been happily surprised to also see that a majority of the negative connotations about football are untrue. I have seen very little racism, only a couple of small fights in the away stands, and generally a great love towards fellow team supporters. Sure there is swearing and some taunting, but all in all, I wouldn’t miss a thing. This is definetly a sport you want to encourage the whole family to get involved with - I cannot wait to take Ariel to a game.

A couple of weeks ago we went to see professional darts in Sheffield - what an eye-opening experience!

I expected to get there and see lots of old men smoking pipes and drinking ales, but that misconception couldn’t have been further from reality.

The crowd was a very young, and very chavvy (white trash) clientele. This made it all the more fun, as everyone was relaxed and there to have a good time.

We supported a darts player from Canada called Darth Maple, and took along light sabres to cheer him on with.

We had a great time with these, and the guys in the rows next to us were using them as microphones to sing into when the players made a good score.

And last, but not least, the hockey. We went to yet another game yesterday, and had an absolute laugh!

It was the Hull Stingrays vs the Manchester Phoenix, and man did we annihilate them!

We got to meet the mascot:

Cropper made ordering hotdogs look sexy (too bad they weren’t REAL dogs):

We got to meet some of the Player’s wives (I should go into a rant about the type of person minority sports attract - i.e. obese, socially retarded, LOUD, etc. but I will leave that for another time):

We then got to see a fight:

Went for a drink with the buddies, and then we walked back to my car in the snow:

(check out my new AMAZING bag - thank you honey)

All in all, a great time was had - and although in the past I have slated sport and never understood it, I am really into it now.

I read the following over at tipnut, and totally agree with this philosophy.
I intend on setting myself these goals.

11 Goals To Enhance Your Life This Year

1. Choose One New Thing To Learn: Take a class for something you’ve always wanted to know how to do…knitting, woodworking, embroidery, gourmet cooking, first aid, oil painting, wine making.
2. Eliminate One Negative Distraction: Media gossip capturing too much time from your day? Spending too much time complaining with others? World news haunting you hourly? Cut the negative noise, focus on weeding out one distracting habit at a time.
3. Embrace One Positive Influence: Focus on making room for more time for something positive in your life. Nurturing friendships, seeking uplifting discussion or information, spiritual reflection.
4. Honor Your Family: With your time, laughter, forgiveness, respect, generous acts, support and encouragement…then enjoy what blossoms from that.
5. Nurture Your Home: Determine areas that need improvement–cleaning, baking & cooking, organize. Make pretty the best you can with the resources you have. Appreciate.
6. Develop One Healthier Lifestyle Habit: Exercise, eat better, cut fatty foods and snacks, quit smoking, cut the soda pop, walk more.
7. Stretch Yourself–Do Something Terrifying: Public speaking, belly dance class, volunteer for your political party of choice, fundraise for a good cause.
8. Teach Something: Volunteer to teach a community class, start a blog and share your experience or knowledge, share family recipes, history and traditions with younger family members.
9. Reduce Something: Clutter, debt, overspending, household waste (recycle).
10. Focus On One Area For Increased Independence: Make more instead of buying ready-made (food, gifts), learn how to fix more instead of hiring or purchasing replacement, grow more of your own food–even if it’s just kitchen herbs, work on debt reduction.
11. Stretch Your Generosity: Regularly do something a bit painful that helps someone else–give a co-worker a ride home, offer a helping hand to an elderly neighbor, donate clothing and household items to a struggling family–all with no strings attached.

Some goals you may let go of over time, but some will flourish. The fun is appreciating the journey–and where it leads you to next :).

Alot of you have been asking what I have been up to, whats new with me, and when will I be telling you all about it.

Well, as some of you may know, I started a new job last month, one of which is very challenging, but I love it very much. I wouldn’t change a thing.

In regards to my personal life, I have started seeing someone, someone amazing, someone who appreciates me, and most of all, someone I love.

Sure I lust after him, he is gorgeous after all, but this is sooo much deeper, so much more intimate, and has much more longevity.

He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, he makes me want to be a better person.

He made me believe in love at first sight.

He is calm, patient, and keeps me on track.

He makes me feel safe.

I know he’ll never leave me.

He has a creative mind that is always bursting with ideas.

He doesn’t want to sit down and watch life go by.

They way he looks at me makes me melt.

I love this man like no other and he loves me too.

He is the yin to my yang, and I would be lost without him.

I wanted to say a quick thank you to Paddy for the donation of US$50 to my paypal account, it will really really help me!

Thanks Padster, you have always been a good mate!

Seeing as I am skint like flint, and the bills are piling up, I am flogging things on ebay.

Click here to view my items for sale!

(don’t forget that you can donate to me using the “buy me a beer” form as well).

My first media article is now punblished in the Yorkshire Post:

 http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/health/Delight-and-danger-of-a.3407260.jp

Comments please…

Work: Yesterday I was in London for a job interview. They are offering me crazzzy money. It includes alot of travel to the USA. It sounds like a great job. I will keep you posted.

Personal: I have started dating again.

Media: The OWLSS group is taking off, the Yorkshire Post are doing an article about me/OWLSS shortly, as well as the local paper here. There will be some media coverage for our first meeting next week - talk about pressure!

Channel4 are doing a health documentary that I wil be involved in regarding gastric bypass. Who knows where this will all lead!

Keep your eyes posted for Geneva sightings!

I have been approached by a media firm/agent who are in the process of securing contracts to put my story, as well as the support group/charity owlss.co.uk, in the media - television, newspapers and magazines.

I was also contacted again by channel 4 last night in regards to a health documentary that is being done about obesity surgery. I was initally contacted earlier this year, and it’s nice to see that it is coming to fruition.

It looks as if the coming weeks will be busy, and I will need to get a photo shoot booked as soon as possible.

If anyone would like to help proof-read my exclusivity contract, I would appreciate any advice.

It looks like I will have to start removing some of my personal details from the internet, my CV and the likes, as I don’t really want any nutters having my personal details.

In regards to work, I am in London for a meeting on Wednesday next week, so I may squeeze some networking in if I can. I will have some time to kill at lunchtime if anyone wants to grab a bite to eat!