Nearly Got Myself Killed

Nearly got myself knocked off my bike on Sunday. At first I thought it was the fault of the driver, who seemingly turned left into an off-road from the roundabout which I was trying to cycle across. Then I drove across that roundabout later that day, and realised that the furthest left (inside) lane is for turning left only, not going straight across, which I was trying to do, as I would normally go straight across a roundabout on the left hand side of the road.

So who was in the wrong? Me, probably, although I didn't signal left, and maybe the driver should have picked that up.

The moral of the story: always check how the lane is marked - or, alternatively, avoid big roundabouts like the plague.

So I Can See Things Like This

It occurs to me I have yet to blog about diving. So, here goes with an answer to a question I have been asked a few times: Why do you go diving?

Black-Tipped Reef Shark just off Meeru Island, seen in August this year.

Moron Drivers, 1

Dear moron drivers I encountered today on the A1 northbound: The outside lane is intended for overtaking. Therefore, if you are not actually overtaking anyone, you should not be in it. Otherwise we end up with a long line of traffic in one lane, whilst I sit IN THE CORRECT LANE trying to keep my speed below 60mph so as not to undertake you. MOVE INTO THE FUCKING CORRECT LANE. And thus, the empty space in the inside lane will be filled, because the space on the road is being used more efficientl,y the flow of traffic will be faster, and general peace and harmony shall reign.

I swear, just driving a car brings out my inner Jeremy Clarkson. Which scares me.

In other news, I did a practice ride tonight out along the Coast Road. I'm in training for a cycling holiday in three weeks' time. Did one and a half hours on the bike today. So far I feel fine, we'll see how I feel tomorrow!

Weddingpalooza (and Babypalooza)

Let's see... Right now, I'll be going to my cousin's wedding in November, my best friend is marrying in 2011, and a friend sitting opposite me at work just got engaged.

A friend of mine just had a baby (well, the baby's mother actually had the baby, science has yet to advance that far I fear) and my oldest friend is due in the next few weeks, plus another friend and his wife are expecting a baby next year.

It's just a wedding and baby palooza at the moment! I am due to be chief bridesmaid at Best Friend's wedding. Hitherto I thought this involved just standing there and looking more ugly than the bride, but it turns out there's more to it than that. Mainly involving trying on lots of dresses. (Wedding dresses are heavy. I swear today's session counted as weightlifting.)

In other, entirely unrelated news, Muse's new album, "The Resistance" is now out. Wahoo!

Cake Obsession

Recently someone I know who reads this blog suggested it was missing a mention of cake, baking being one of my other passions. So,

CAAAAKE!!

The problem is, there is not a lot one may say about cake which is not boring, at least not to non-bakers, whose eyes tend to glaze over if one talks at length about the benefits of muscovado over soft brown sugar. I know this because it once happened when I was having a conversation with my Dad, which was a tad inconvenient since he was driving the car at the time. Cake is one of those things which is best appreciated with the mouth and not the eyes, which is a problem, barring some as yet unforeseen improvement in blogging technology. Still, should I think of something interesting to say about it, I will post it here. My next cake will probably be a Plum and Almond Sponge, should anyone be interested.

In other news, James The Invisible Wine-Giving Housemate has moved in. We still haven't met, but no doubt it will happen tonight.

And a contender for Best Metaphor of the Year: The Big Issue's film reviewer on a film whose name I've forgotten: "About as refreshing as a cup of warm treacle".

Merlot For Me

Today I came home to find my housemates sitting round the table with two empty wine bottles before them, planning to start a "House Wine Club". Essentially we all pay £2 each and get a bottle of wine for the house each week.

I'm not sure if this is the best idea ever, or something likely to create work for the local Alcoholics Anonymous chapter, or both.

Wow, I made a blog!

Yup, on top of the technology curve, surfing along the crest of the wave of new innovations, and torturing metaphors unnecessarily, that's me.

Here is where I shall blog my innermost thoughts. Since my hobbies are cycling, diving, losing weight and drinking beer whilst talking crap about comics (yes, I'm aware those last two are somewhat in conflict), these will probably feature heavily, along with the odd wine-soaked rant on the crap state of what might laughably be called my love life.

Here's a starter.

Things you never expect when you lose weight:

1. Your feet shrink. I've gone from a size 7-8 to a size 6.5. I thought this was just me until a weight-losing friend confirmed this.

2. Your navel changes shape. Seriously. Look at a person with toned stomach muscles, and you'll see that, at the very top, there's an upside-down half-moon shape of skin and their navel is shallow and oval-shaped. Seriously. You just look. I mean it.

3. You lose your ability to drink. Which would be logical given that I have lost around 13% of my original bodyweight, thus having less blood volume to dilute the booze.

More gems / random crap as and when I have time. Enjoy.