The time has arrived. I have been putting this off for a while, writing this post was not something I wanted to do. Well, not right now. The plan had been to get into DOIT09 and I was, but writing this post was just too time consuming to get started.

Then @djp72 called me out – here. So I’m sounding off.

The Story

I already had the epiphany a while ago. When we came back from Vanuatu I had been running quite a bit over there, and when I got back here, I was unsure what it was, but I got shin-spints when I was running. I was talking to my brother about it, and he said that it was because I was too fat. Of course I was.

He also suggested I should start riding. So I grabbed my wife’s bike and started riding. And I loved it. It was a mountain bike, and I started riding longer and longer on it. It was too small, and I carried a bag with a 4 litre water bottle in the back. But I loved it.

So before this gets into a big huge rant/rave on bikes and cycling. I was working in comics for 8 months (November 07 – July 08) which severly cut back on my riding time. Thus offsetting my big weight loss plans. But since then it has been my excuses for not riding.

First Ride – First Bike (still current bike, got some really wierd looks at Amy’s Ride this year)

DO IT 09

So why am I here? It is a new start. August 2007 I was 124kg. Since then I have lost 15.3kg in 5871.1km. But it is time for a fresh slate and a real start, with some real objectives. For eighteen months I have been thinking how well I have gone, and how well I am doing weight wise compared to what I was.

So I weighed in on Saturday at 108.7kg. I haven’t measured my waist, or my bust, or taken photos. But I have my weight and I think according to the BMI it put me borderline obese/overweight.

I am not sure how much I’ll update the blog, I will be updating mycyclinglog about once a week with updated cycling stuff, as I guess that is where most of the trackable hard work will be done.

The Goal

So I have a few goals. The Saturday of the 17th May is the first target – my sister is getting married. I’d like to be somewhere in the low 90′s then. Based on previous performance this may not be a serious target to make, but hey, aim for the moon.

The second is the end of the year. The target then, if following on from the May weight, would be low eighties. But that could change depending on how things are going till May. I do know that the BMI equals normal at 82kg and that is the goal or aim for the year. Be bold, James. Be bold.

The Plan

So on a few fronts there are different things to focus on. I think the first is food intake (interesting because my job involves my butt on a chair for sustained periods, and it is easy to snack). And then next is what I drink (increase water. less tea). And of course get some planned time on the bike (I am happier when I ride more). As I play with these things, and my weight changes I’ll get back to you – let you know what works and what doesn’t.

I guess that is it. I haven’t planned a lot out at this stage, the idea of DOIT09 is still fresh with me. I guess this post is me getting off the fence, and setting some serious goals. Hopefully next time I post, there will be less of me.

So I am sitting at my computer. It is an adverage day outside, eighteen degrees slightly windy and thick white clouds are drifting slowly past the window. Today’s choice of clothes is a pair of jeans and a jumper with the sleeves rolled up past my elbows. The only thing that can remind me of the terrible things happening right now is TweetDeck, which every 5 – 10 minutes flashes up with warnings, news updates or links from 774 ABC Melbourne.

This weekend was horrible. Read the rest of this entry »

So, it was a great day. The groom arrived on horseback. The bride arrived late. And everything went well. I am writing this entry to be a reminder to me and maybe to others (others, pah!) of what a great time it was. The sun was hidden by clouds during the photos so no-one squinted, the temperature wasn’t hot nor cold, and the food was supurb. Who could ask for more?

Josh and Jem were married at sometime after 1.30pm on Saturday the 4rd of January. It was a grand ceremony and no-one passed out, which I have heard is something to fear. It would also be funny – but it didn’t happen. They ended up leaving later than planned, but it was okay because we needed to hear people speak. But it seemed that fun was had by all.

I had a great time of hanging out with the boys for breakfast. Cooked up a storm. And then spent the rest of the cracking jokes, playing about and generally having fun. I did end up hosting the evenings speaches, which was unexpected but great fun, I enjoyed it so much I have a new niche – so if anyone needs and MC for a wedding, let me know.

Being the MC had some great upsides, namely that I could do the Best Man Speech with no paper, and thus when I have attached the speech below, it is not word for word because I flew by the seat of my pants. So this is more of a guideline that I followed, if I could remember what I had written down.

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. I am Joshua’s brother-in-law but I am fortunate enough to count myself as friend first. I am up here tonight for both of those reasons.

Before I go further I would like to thank the groomsmen. Their decorum, regal bearing, not to mention handsomeness could be said to have really made the day. Of course that would be a load of bull. Instead, on behalf of the three of us I’d like to thank Josh for choosing us from the sizable number of candidates. Seriously, we are extremely honoured.

And also, I’d like for you stand for the first time this eveing as we raise a toast to the bridesmaids. Their job has been to help keep the bride in line by standing beside her, helping her with things like shopping and decorating and just generally keeping the bride stressless. And I would say that Jane, Hannah and Naomi have been brilliant. So if you would. To the bridesmaids!

I guess you could say I really met Josh, like many of the people I have met, playing in a band. Well, we did go to the same church for a while before, but we both started in the church team about the same time. It was only once we were playing together that I really got to meet Josh. Before then, he was always the young guy, and thus had his ways to fit in – usually by lowering his voice to join the discussion of the older guys – “Yeah Yeah.” That all happened until he nailed the ‘My Redeemer Lives’ bass line, and I think at that point he grew older in everybodies eyes.

Since then I have played in many bands with Josh. Some were actual real bands that existed and some were verbal bands – the type where we agree for ages we’d start a band and it never happens. To be frank, I’m not sure if we’re in one of those bands at the moment. We did have a brief stint in an excellent band called Brown Jumper. This was by far the biggest success of any of our bands. We played one gig in Melbourne and retired. It was great fun, but I do have a great trust in any of the bands we join would be awesome – Josh is that type of musician (when he wants to be).

As I said at the start, I am Josh’s brother-in-law. But over time our relationship has changed, I mean who would have thought that a bachelor could live with our family, and his family in the same house? Josh has been great to live with, even though he has put up with boys yelling at 7am on a saturday morning. Kids throwing up while he is eating food. And crying babies at some stange hour no-one knew existed except my wife… I would like to think that Josh has been slightly more prepared for marriage.

The internet said I should tell a story about the groom here. I was at an ends as to what I should speak about: Should it be about the time we did right by his mum and went to see the worst movie ever? Maybe about his dish-washing abilities, each of which are marked out on the calendar at home? Or maybe about his discussion on how much he loves work and how he comes home talking about how great his day was. I could also relate a story about the time *he* says I almost killed him.

But I think I shall let you know about how he changed his life around… I asked some people around our house about what Josh was like before he met his beautiful bride. There were lots of words that pointed to a bored man – he’d shoot a lot, and even play cards with us. Bored. That is until we were taken to a fundraiser Alan had organised. That night had ‘set-up’ written all over it. I think it would be safe to say that the Holy Spirit was match making that night.

A few weeks later we were sitting up talking at home when everyone else was a sleep (this came to be a favoured past-time) and he said “I think I’m starting to like Jem”. He had spent those few weeks finding himself *convienently* in the same place as her. I think I said something silly like ‘ooooo’.

When they started dating Josh was hardly ever home. He would come in after work, and most nights disappear. It started as a few nights in a week, and that gradually increased to be nearly every night. Often time he would not come home. Resulting in a two minute stop over the next morning to grab his clothes as he flew off to work.

I think what I am driving at is that Josh’s life has been better since he met Jemima. Not only have they gained heaps more friends and family, which was shown here today by the crowd at the wedding. Jem has gained a tall, rugged and hansom man. He has gained a fun, caring and beautiful wife. But in turn, they have gained a marriage that will stand true to what God has placed in their hearts.

And with that, it is my honour to get you to rise to a tradition I do not understand. Charge your glasses to the bride and groom. To Joshua and Jemima.