Stubbled-Up John Has Three Thoughts

Today was to be a great day. Really it was. But things haven't turned out how they should have done. Today is exactly two weeks since I got my exercise bike. I've been cycling 5-6km every morning before uni and then most evenings too (no idea whether that's a good distance or not... but it kills me all the same!) So today I weighed myself for the first time since my new lifestyle began - expecting to see the start of my new beautiful body. I have lost between 1 and 2 pounds. But closer to 1.

Not the great start I was hoping for, but I'm convinced I'm on the right track... I mean, I didn't gain any weight, did I? And maybe my lack of weight-loss is caused by my fat turning into Gladiator-stylee muscles. Did you think of that?!

The name for today's blog comes from today's train journey home from London. Sitting quite happily on the train just getting ready to leave the station and the two drunk guys came and sat next to me of course! We had a little chat and I was named Stubbled-Up John (I'm guessing due to the stubble I was sporting - otherwise I've no idea). The conversation was... shall we say... surreal, but one of them said to me: 'If I had to base my life on anyone's it would be yours'. So that was nice.

Recently I have had three thoughts. They are these:

1. I'm beginning to get old before my time.
2. I should have started blogging earlier.
3. I should have started wearing baseball caps when I was younger.

Allow me to develop these three thoughts:

1. I am only a young spritely lad of 23. Now that's not particularly old - there's life in the old dog yet. But I've noticed that I'm getting old before my time and these are my reasons:
a) My idea of a good night out is a good night in.
b) I have to take out my glasses to read a menu in a restaurant.
c) I am losing patience with the 'youth of today' - on the train I was sitting near a girl listening to what can only be described as The Chipmunks Do House. Not good.
d) I nearly cried while watching The Pursuit of Happiness. Although to be honest, I once cried in an episode of Home and Away, so that's nothing completely new.

2. I started blogging in June 2006. Had I started earlier, I could have written about:
a) losing my memory in 2004.
b) waking up on the train to find a guy stroking my face, wondering whether or not I was the Milky Bar Kid.
c) accidentally going to toilet in a cupboard in a McDonalds in France.

3. Now, if I had started wearing baseball caps when I was, say, 7, people would think nothing of me wearing a baseball cap now and again. If I start wearing a baseball cap now, people will think I'm an idiot. Do you see?

Those were my thoughts.

John, You Will Go On My First Whistle

First of all, Happy New Year! I realised I haven't blogged in a little while, but this is why:

Once when I was in the library, I found a book entitled How to be a Good Blogger (or something like that). I didn't take it out, as I felt that would be crossing a line I didn't want to cross, but I did flick through it. The first page said 'Only blog when you have something interesting to say'. I have taken this as my blogging mantra and have tried to blog accordingly. However, today I have to blog because an event happened this morning which is going to change my life forever.

My exercise bike arrived.

Realising that I may have piled on the pounds over recent months, I decided to get me an exercise bike. According to the box, I'm going to have a 'beautiful body' fairly soon, so you can see why I'm excited. I must admit that I was a little embarrassed when given the box this morning by the delivery man, knowing he was thinking 'Here's another idiot jumping on the fitness bandwagon in January. As if this is even going to be used by the time February comes around.' I know he was thinking this because his smile told me so.

But just you wait Mr Delivery Van Man. Soon, I'm going to be looking like one of these guys:

(One of the male ones, hopefully. If I start to look like one of the others, I'll be demanding my refund!) I know it's unusual for an exercise bike to turn someone into one of these, but I figure that if I pedal really, really hard...

Other than my new fitness regime, I don't have much else to report - other than I'm struggling to find a topic for my PhD... Any suggestions, let me know!

Now, once I've figured out how to put my bike together, I'll be on my way! (while still in my room. Ingenious.)

And, fear not, I have no plans to start wearing lycra anytime soon.