I am alive

Just to let you know.

This week has been good in that I have not sustained anymore stupid injuries, fallen over, bumped anything, snapped or smashed any part of my body.

But I am ridiculously tired and burnt out. I went to a fitness industry night tonight, where basically all the clubs beg you to work for them (yes, it works backwards to any other industry) and handed out a couple of resumes. One where I would love to work. The other with the place I'm already doing work experience. (Ian, FF lock you into a 12 month contract, but you can do work on the side as well, outside FF. Dunno if that's the case where you're at now?)

Anyway, I'm alive and around. Just too tired to type.

Hope you're all happy and well. I'll check in when I can.

This week

Ok, so it didn't start off peachy, with my shoulder still sore, but at least it's improving.

I ran 8km around the bigparknearthecity on Sunday. Actually, it's almost 8kms and it's twice around. I knocked 4 minutes off my previous time, which is cool, especially considering I didn't hurt as much and it was 10 degrees hotter.

On the way home, I decided to get a protein drink from stinkin 7-11. Jerk tried to charge me 25% more for it than the sign said it cost. Then he was a smart arse about it when I questioned him. I had other stuff I wanted to buy, but as soon as he said in his stupid smart arse tone, "well, that's the price, are ya gonna buy it?", I said no and left everything there on the counter. Unfortunately, as I stormed out the door, I hit my forearm, near my wrist, on the edge of the door. That was Sunday. Today I have a bruise that is about the size of an egg. Nice.

So that's a shoulder injury and a rather large bruise.

Last night, I had to go downstairs in the middle of the night. My housemate had his bedroom door open, so I decided not to turn the light on. I slipped down the stairs. My right knee is sore, but I'm pretending it's not. As I fell, I instinctively put my arm out to hold myself up. Yeah, the one that was already sore. Yeah, it hurt.

Now we have a shoulder injury, a bruise and a fall down the stairs. Can it get better?

How about having to proof a cause of death report on someone who is the same weight as me, but slightly taller and read them described as obese? Ian, thank you for your email. I wasn't having a good moment! If I could be bothered, I'd get my soapbox out in reference to those ridiculous BMI tests. Ggrrrrr!

But the universe wasn't done with me. I checked my bank balance to find a payment had come out that I hadn't expected, so I was in negative figures for the first time ever. And had no cash. Yes, things are that pitiful till this job starts paying me a regular income.

Suffice to say, it's not been a pleasant few days.

Till I got to class tonight. I'm still not entirely confident and I'm not so used to thinking on the spot and being able to coordinate everyone smoothly, but I'm getting better at it. My trainer threw me in the deep end tonight. I wasn't happy and my arm was hurting, so I asked not to take the parts I usually take. In the middle, he got me to take over. Sheeesh! Before and after that, I was just pushing people, correcting technique, encouraging, etc.

We were boxing (me with my one arm hehe) and it was stinking hot, so it was hard to motivate people. I felt like I pushed them more than they wanted. He said I did ok and was good at making sure I worked with everyone one on one. All I need is to be louder and more confident (in myself), but that'll come.

One girl said she didn't like me anymore and I said that's ok, because I know she doesn't mean it. At the end of the class two of the girls came up, thanked me for pushing them, and asked when I'd be back. That makes the rest of what's been a really shitty week worth it.

It has to get better from here.

Hey, folks...

If you want to test your partner, or are pissed off after a fight, don't try hanging yourself for attention and hope they find you before it works. They generally don't. Sigh...

Has it been that long?

Time flies!

Gonna try to keep this short, because it's almost midnight. I'm only awake coz I missed my sleep window and now I'm waiting for the next one. Otherwise, I'll be lying awake all night in the dark.

School is excellent, as usual. However, I have injured my rotator cuff muscles. How badly, I don't know. It's my left shoulder, which means it's no fun to write, put clothes on, do my hair, change gears in the car....anything that involves moving it all that much. I did this last Saturday. Boxing, of course. What else? It seems to be getting better, but it's a literal pain.

I have a new temp job. I can't say where on here. Think typing reports for CSI. Very cool and morbidly fascinating. The room in movies where they identify bodies behind the glass? I was there today. There was a body. Thankfully, it was covered. I'm really not into being that up close and personal to the deceased (ok, except the ghostly type). It's interesting that all the staff are upbeat, positive and make sure they have fun on their breaks. It's a happy environment and I hope I like it there for the next month or so as much as I did today.

Still doing work experience and loving it. I'm taking a good percentage of each class now and the trainer is putting me on the spot. Like tonight, for example, I thought I'd mostly be observing, but we basically took half the class each, even though I had a busted arm. I learnt it doesn't matter how many times you tell people that even though you're only using one arm, they have to use two, there will be one person who copies exactly what you do. Yes, one guy used one arm most of the night. I gave up trying to explain to him to use both. I'm pretty much guaranteed to have at least two classes a week of my own once I complete my course. Scary and exciting!

I don't have much else to report. 'The Trek' is pending, because there's a lot of unrest in that area at the moment and a tree has been laid across the track with threats of violence to tourists who try to go through. So...we wait and see. Meanwhile, I'll continue to train. I ran almost 8km on Sunday...with a busted arm. Not fun, but I need the exercise and release since I've got so much going on at the moment.

And...isn't it interesting that the moment you stop looking for something, it finds you, trips your feet out from underneath you and totally spins your mind? I should have learnt by now to expect the unexpected.

Would you trust this face?

Apparently, someone does. Have I mentioned the name of the group I'm doing work experience with? If yes, let me know, so I can delete it.

I have that 80s song "Ive got the power" running through my head. Unfortunately, I'm also picturing Jim Carey in Bruce Almighty while it plays. Such a waste of water in that fire hydrant scene!

I have, sitting beside me, a document. Practically a bible for the type work experience I'm doing. My life depends on me a) not losing it b) making sure I take it back to its owner on Thursday. I should not have it and technically, at this stage, I am not allowed to see it. So, I'm excited, because I get the importance of having it for the next 24 hours.

The flip side is the pressure will now be on in terms of my performance. It's definitely a challenge. Luckily, as much as my whole body hurts right now (full weight session, cardio work out & kick boxing work out in two days! Ack!), I'm enjoying it.

We're not allowed to use the lift at school. Walking up 5 flights of stairs to class tomorrow night is not going to be pleasant. Did I mention our gym is on the ground floor and class is on the top floor? Up, down, up, down, up, down....

But, I have the book and that is good.

How 'bout that!

I'm now a health professional. In six more weeks, I'll have the next qualification. Not sure if that means I'll be healthier, or more professional. Hopefully both, but will probably depend upon who you're asking.

Ghosts

Ghost #1 for today. Or whatever it was.

I did an 8km walk today. More details will eventually be on the other blog, but I won't go into detail here, coz that's not what this post is about.

There were a lot of people around, but not so many that I couldn't keep track of who was in front or behind me. About half way around the track, I saw some people ahead of me, walking in a group. In front of them, there was one guy, kneeling on the ground and looking in a backpack. On one side of the track was the road. On the other, a six foot steel fence with spikes at the top.

The kneeling guy was about 15 metres in front of me. I looked down at my feet and adjusted my hat, and looked up again. That took all of a couple of seconds. When I looked up, the guy was nowhere. Gone. It only took me a few more seconds to walk to where I saw him. I could see through the fence. He hadn't gone over it. He also had not crossed the street, because I stopped to look. He was just not there anymore. Vanished. Very weird! My housemate thinks the heat made me hallucinate, but I know the dude was there and then he was not. Just odd.

Ghost #2. Who remembers James? Huh, huh? I know some of you do.

Who knows what possessed me (maybe the guy on the track), but he was on line today and I contacted him to say hi. It turns out he looked for me on LDR a couple of times. I asked why and he said just to say hello, but I found it curious he'd do that.

I can't really describe how I feel chatting to him now, but it's good. He asked if I would mind if we kept in touch. I don't really chat on line anymore, but I'd be happy for that. He's a nice guy, even though he was doofus enough to miss his chance - twice - with an awesome Aussie chick.

Strange days, indeed.

Two more sleeps!

On Monday, I do my final practical assessment and I'll be certified. Or certifiable. Or both.

We did our outdoor circuit training and program writing assessments today and it went really well. The instructor said my group created the best circuits, planned the best, organised and coached the best. Seriously, we worked our collective butts off and we're going to hurt tomorrow - I hurt already - but we got excellent results and got noticed. That's what matters.

I can't believe I'll have another qualification in two days. My first for this course. It's exciting.

The job saga become a colossal stuff up yesterday afternoon. I had to turn down the temp role, because it was taking too long for the other companies to get back to me. The full time admin role was not given to me, because the lady said they didn't realise they had to pay agency fees for me and the agency wouldn't budge or negotiate on that. I rang the agency and they said nobody had talked to them and if it meant giving me the job, they'd bring the agency fee right down. So now I have to call that company on Monday and tell them I know it's not about the fee and to contact the agency.

I know it's really about how much money I want, but if the agency can make it hurt less, I still might have a chance. The agency with the temp role had only just given it to another person when I called to tell them what had gone on. They were pissed too, but have three people looking for work for me now, which I appreciate a lot.

I got a document from my gym/school today, requesting reference details in relation to the job I applied for there, so that's good news. I know the pay will probably not be something I can live on and the work won't be entirely stimulating, but lots of prominent industry people walk through those doors each week to coach and do workshops, so it would be a great environment to build contacts and be noticed. I'm not getting my hopes up though, coz I'm stressed enough as it is with no work without working myself up even more.

If my legs aren't too sore tomorrow, I'll be doing hill climbs at the Botanical Gardens. Joy. At least there's nice scenery.

Nothing and everything #2

On Wednesday, I called the local outdoor fitness franchise and said I was looking for work experience. We chatted for all of two or three minutes before he asked me to turn up at 6am Thursday morning and help him take his cardio class. WTF?! That was yesterday.

When I got there, he said I could just join the class for the session. Half way through, he said I could take the cool down/stretching. An easy thing to do, but scary all the same. The class gave me a collective "who do you think you are?" look, but I expected that. The trainer said I did well and asked me to go back next Tuesday morning and maybe take the initial ten minutes warm up part of the class. That's scarier than taking the last bit. I qualify on Monday night, so it will also be my first real session as someone who's actually supposed to know what they're doing. Ha!

Apparently, they have a set number of work experience sessions you're allowed to do, but he's already said if we get on, he'll bend the rules, because he's looking for another trainer, so if I'm good enough, I'll get paid work sooner rather than later. I liked his class, so I'm looking forward to going back. Not so excited about having to get up at 5am for the first time in a number of months, but thats' what I signed up for.

Immediately after that, I had an interview with a guy who owns a resistance training gym that's just about to open. It's the first of its kind in Australia and the equipment is different from anything anyone else has. However, it's still a circuit gym at the end of the day, so I don't think it would be very stimulating after a while. We'll see. He's going to call me on Saturday to see if he can offer me some hours. I'll make my mind up then.

Back to Wednesday night. I was talking to my class instructor, saying I needed to find balance between having a real job (read: one that pays enough for me to live on), getting work experience, going to school and training for 'The Trek'. To cut a long story short, he mentioned the main personal trainer at our school/gym is leaving and had made that decision that day. He suggested I call the office and ask for the job, since I'll be qualified to do gym instruction as of Monday night. I called, I emailed my resume. I have no idea the full hours or the pay rate, but if I can get it, I'll take it. I know I'll have to get extra work as well, but it's ideal in terms of location and experience.

Unfortunately (fortunately?) I also got a call from an agency about admin work yesterday. They have a 4 week contract, starting Monday. If I take it, I have to commit to the entire assignment. It's crap money, but better than none. If I take it, I may miss the gym one, or better paying contract work. If I wait to hear on the gym one, I will definitely miss the admin one. I still don't know what to do and I have to give the agency an answer in the next 30-60 minutes. That's my immediate dilemma.

Not much is going on, but it feels like so much is going on.

Nothing and everything #1

I feel like I've done a million things this week and somehow am not much further ahead than when I started.

On Wednesday, I found out when you need to go for an interview and it's a stinking hot day outside, it's probably best not to walk across the entire city to get to the interview, or you'll end up hot, sticky and pretty disheveled. There are better ways to achieve that look than hiking across the city in the heat. The interview went well, but I'm annoyed at the people. I emailed them the salary I am looking for (if I am going to work in an office), so they knew what I wanted. At the end of the interview, I wanted to confirm they understood what I was after and asked again. Sigh....of course not. Yes, we know what you specified. No, we're not really offering that, but we could work up to that over time. They know I need work and I don't want to settle. It's one thing to accept a totally crap wage to get an initial start in the fitness industry. It's another to settle in an industry in which I have excellent skills and experience. Oh well, I will cross that bridge when/if I get offered the position.

After that interview, I walked back to school, got changed into cooler clothes and went across the road to the supermarket to buy myself lunch and dinner items. Plastic bag in hand, full of groceries, fruits, cheese, drinks, I was walking up the escalators and who the heck knows how, but I tripped up the escalator and now have a shin that looks like I've been attacked by an industrial size cheese grater. There was a guy standing behind me, who caught my peach as it bounced down the 5 steps to where he was standing - grinning at me. The arse fell out of the bag, because it got caught on the edge of the stairs, so every time I put things back in, they'd fall out the bottom again. Meanwhile, I was conscious of having to get everything off the stairs, somehow into the bag and me standing up before my fingers and groceries were sucked into the top of the escalator.

I was very close to kicking the shin of the security guard who stood at the top and watched, not offering to help, or see if I was ok. Mind you, at that stage I hadn't looked to see what I'd done to myself and it didn't start to hurt like a bitch till I looked. I got back to school and asked for some antiseptic wipes from the first aid kit. Of course, they'd run out of those and only had alcohol wipes. Holy cow (I used more interesting expletives than that) those things sting on an open wound!! Thankfully, the first shot of pain made my leg practically numb, so cleaning up afterwards didn't hurt as much as you'd think. Funnily enough, I have no noticeable bruising, which is good. Just gashes. But they look kinda cool.

I'll do a part 2 or this post will get really long...