Sunday, April 15, 2007

Champion

I've been very lazy about writing in the blog recently. Please forgive me, there is a reason!

In January I promised myself to try as hard as I could to become healthier. In the last two months I've been going to the pool at least 2 times a week, mostly 3 times a week. And in those last two months I've increased from swimming 800 meters to 1.5km!

I'm so happy that in the past two weeks I can do 1.5km in less than 50 minutes. (I think my record last week was 48 minutes.) Now my new goal is to do 2km in 60 minutes. Actually, I can already do 1km in 30mins, but I get more and more tired as the laps increase .....

If you're wondering, I do 60 laps of a 25m pool to make up the distance. One goal is to reduce the time I rest between laps, though some of that time is stretching my legs. Oh, and just to make it more interesting, I don't really swim - I only use my legs! (I stretch my arms out above my head.) I swim 4 laps face-down, then 4 laps face up.

The reason I can swim so fast with no arms is that I use swim fins. Please don't think I am cheating because these specially designed fins are ONLY for swimming (not diving), are short and make your leg muscles work harder. By the end of 50 minutes my legs are like jelly!

The best fun is when no-one else is in the pool. It is very rare, but there were no other swimmers for about 30 minutes last Wednesday. I could be really selfish and swim dolphin kick (the kick for swimming butterfly) on my back. It makes tidal waves in the pool so not a good idea when there are other customers! I only did 125m before I was tired and then a man came and I really had to stop.

I am certainly getting healthier but often I am so tired I go to bed at 9pm!!! No time for using the computer outside of work.

A broken microphone

I'm really sorry there has been no podcast for a while. My computer microphone was broken - well, not really broken but not working!

I found out the problem was my digital camera software. Be careful when you install viewing software for a camera etc. Sometimes the software over-rides your normal computer settings and strange things start happening. The video section of my camera software 'broke' the sound and microphone settings that I had taken years to set up perfectly! :(

All fixed now, so as I get time I will start recording the old posts and put them in the podcast.

How is your 'new year'?

It is the new school and business year in Japan. How are you doing?

Actually I still like to think in terms of a calendar year, so my year begins in January. But it means the first business quarter just finished for me. April is the the start of my SECOND season!

All in all, January through to May is the busiest time of the year for most people. Thankfully this year I didn't have any moving to do. Sadly one of my good friends moved away, but luckily another is coming back this week! I can't wait to catch up with her and her family.

Whatever you are doing in this season, be sure to take care of yourself. Influenza still seems to be striking people - don't believe that the flu only appears in winter!