Back in 2005, on Sunday August 7th (to be precise) I finally went to Cardiff and completed the trophy of all major cities across the United Kingdom. During the drive in the early hours of Sunday morning, on the M4, I drove passed a hotel. I did not note the name of the hotel but you could not miss it by junction twenty four (Newport). As I drove back home, dejected from the defeat, I thought to myself that one day I would like to go to that hotel. Then, two years later (almost to the day) as I drove in on the same stretch of motorway heading to Rhossili Bay, near Swansea I had the same thought. Well on Wednesday morning, that dream (if you can call it that) came true. I was going to a work conference at Celtic Manor. If it will be good enough for Tiger, next year, then I am sure it will do nicely for me. Even though this was just a day trip, I would not be spending an evening in one of the two presidential suites.
I seem to have started some crazy over on Facebook and both Pav and his colleague Barry Tuck have been excited to unveil my very on fan page on the social network. However, I find it very difficult to join because technically I cannot be seen to be a fan of myself. Particularly when the title is Terry “The Feather” T.E.G.A.L.A. (not exactly sure what the abbreviation of the letters of my surname means but I will let that go). To date, I have twenty eight fans, but most of those I are people I know and have at least met. While this perhaps should bother me, it does not. Facebook is a closed network and anyone of any significance in my life have been placed on a limited profile ever since the weekend. However, as much as I can control my privacy settings I just have to hope that Mr. Khural has strict policies in place. The more pressing issue is these videos landing on YouTube and opening me up to exposure on a world wide scale. Some people love the limelight and actively court the fame (and sometimes fortune). For others, like myself find it completely alien and actually detest being the centre of attention. I would much rather someone else took centre stage (Foxy) and I can then just melt into the background. The only thing on my side is that all fads come to an end. This is just a phase and people will eventually bore of it. Until then, they can do their worst but sticking a camera in my face at every social gathering will also very soon become tiring!
Watch the series finale of Fringe on Thursday night. It was very good but as left more questions than answers, particularly with the clever ending, which I hope will lead to series two being commissioned. Many US shows are ending (if they have not already) so I may find that I will be filling my evenings with piano practice rather than television shows from across the pond. Fringe for me was excellent because it was a mixture of The X-Files and CSI (in it’s many carnations) but the best aspect was the relationship between Peter and his dad, Dr. Walter Bishop. You did not know what was going to happen every week, even though there were common elements, the so called Pattern thread across the series. It is a typical JJ Abrams affair with the specter of a big corporation behind everything. Give the person that came up with the name Massive Dynamic a medal please! I must hand it to the Americans they do pull of a very professional looking site for their fictional organisations and better job then their counterparts at the BBC for shows such as Doctor Who and Torchwood!
Training for the Bayer 10k went up a level this week when I went out for a full run of the circuit with some colleagues on Tuesday evening. I had planned to leave work at 4.45pm but did not leave until 5.20pm as I had some reports to run so then had to rush out of the office back to my flat to get changed, leaving my colleagues waiting in the courtyard. Not a great start but when we did meet up, outside LA Fitness we headed onto the route. James had just purchased a Garmin GPS Running Watch, the Forerunner 405 and was keen to test it out. It was hard work and Caroline quickly built up an impressive lead with the rest of us struggling behind. At the halfway point (in town, some of my colleagues headed home) so it was down to the final three, Caroline, James and myself. The route goes back into town, then down the canal around a new(ish) housing estate and then back into town. This was a part of Newbury I had never been to before. Although the actually finish point is the Market Square, we carried on running to McDonalds. The total distance was 6.4 miles (which just for the record is exactly 10.2998016 kilometres) and the all important time was 1 hour and six minutes, so I can easily get into the sixty minute zone. Although it was a tough slog I know I am capable of clocking a better time. The real hard work starts here, there are only fifteen days to go until the big day.
As I had a long day on Wednesday, I was given some time off in lieu by my manager. I decided to leave early on Friday (now who would not?). The originally plan was to leave at 2pm but I eventually left thirty minutes later after speaking to my manager on the phone and confirming that everything that needed to be done had been. My afternoon was action packed (well, busy with tasks, that I would normally do on over the weekend). Firstly I went to the bank to pay in my first offline donation for the Bayer 10K run. Then it was a brisk walk back to the flat, grab my shopping list and Tesco Green bags and head to erm Halfords. Yes I had to get a brake bulb for my car but needed some help from the parts supervisor whom was busy dealing with another customer. So after a fifteen minute wait I got the item I was looking for. I am going to try and install it myself and should be okay. Much better than paying Audi stealers nearly £30 for the privilege.
What are my plans for the weekend? Well after the success of The Gym Xchange, we have the second leg at my gym on Sunday morning. Obviously now Pav will be away and visiting my home turf, the rules will be changed and in my favour. No protein shakes, no magic tablets. It will be very simple, some Jordan’s Porridge Oats, followed by a banana and if he is lucky a Powerade in the gym (even though I tend to stick with H2O). Following that I have a piano lesson in Thame in the afternoon. Even though I have done zero practice since my last practice and all but given up on the instrument this year. I expect some heavy words from my teacher but will he be able to inspire me to pick up the ebony and ivory keys again?
Tomorrow night is Eurovision and as I confessed to the world last year, I am a fan! Although there is no big fancy dress party like last year. It has come along a week early this year (it is usually over the second May Bank Holiday weekend). So watching at home will be good, I will have a scorecard and some good company to compare notes with.