Keep on moving - don't stop like the hands of time....

                                  


                                   

Crazy, crazy fool that I am, I have signed up for the Cardiff half marathon in October and the Cycletta 40k bike ride . Given that I'm still stumbling on a bike (had another unsuccessful lesson on Saturday, being ogled at by the Bruce Grove park drunks, so much that I asked for the lesson to stop - soooo mortifying)

Stumbling across Waterlow Park

                    
Went to get my visa for Ghana yesterday and got to the embassy way tooooo early so I saw the opening to a park and given my penchant for all things park-like thought I'd take a little wander, along the beautiful  Waterlow Park, nestled along Highgate Hill. Soooo pretty and felt instantly relaxed, and reckon it should count towards one of my 30 places of interest. The rest of my day not so idyllic, stuck in a stifling hot waiting room and dealing with Ghanaian bureaucracy

Get some blinking perspective people.......

                                    

So Amy Wino is dead!! Boo-hoo!! I know that makes me sound like the biggest heartless byacth in the world and whilst the loss of life is terribly sad and sad for any parent to lose a child, anyone to lose a loved one, the reason why I'm irate is that everyone thought how terribly important it was to text me/call me to let me know that she had died and not ONE single person has done that about the dreadful deaths of those poor young people in Norway, nor the hundreds of thousands of people dying from hunger in East Africa due to food insecurity and not blinkling drought/famine. Food INSECURITY because agri-businesses are too busy ensuring that we still get our food from all over the world and when they have too much of a surplus, dumping it on 'developing' countries, driving their markets down!!

The most amazing music night EVER.......

As I'm not going to any festivals this year, have been going to lots of concerts instead and last night was one of the most UH-MAZ-ING ones I've been to for a long time (yeah I know I say that about each one!) but honestly, Aurelio Martinez is just phenomenal!! I first saw him at the UN in New York (yeah I know how pretentious that sounds) in March where he performed alongside Morgan Heritage and afterwards I went to a hip Manhattan club to see Mos Def (this is why blogging is important, makes me reflect on how blessed I am) and I literally fell in love. The music is just Africa coursing through one's veins and the history and culture of the Garifuna people is just amazing. Actually Aurelio is one of the inspirations behind the goal of perfecting my music collection as I realised how much I was missing out on. So went to the Barbican on my jones last night

Apologies to myself and imaginary readers (well two readers that I know of - thanks Teenie and Rach :) )

                                     

Argh!!!!! Sooooooo annoyed that I have not been updating my blog, but been soooooooo busy and seriously at times felt I'm losing it as I'm so overwhelmed but amidst it all, I have been taking some action towards my goals and it's really annoying that I haven't been updating the blog with all the things I've been doing, so will try to recap as much as possible but of course won't and can't remember everything, but what I can remember is:

I survived the 10k.....(in 67 mins)

                                
So I ran the British 10k race yesterday and it was so much fun - 25000 people all running for good causes. Pretty happy with my time as well given my exercise phobia and the fact that my training consisted of one 10mile walk home last week and nothing else. Must get my butt into gear though to start training for Paris and ensure I run it in under five hours.

If music be the food of love - Play on Thandiswa....

Have found a new artist to compete with my affections for the neo-soul high priestesses, Jilly from Philly and Ms. Badu. Went to see the phenomenal Hugh Masakela tribute to Miriam Makeba concert at the Hackney Empire last night and was in for a super treat as he was supported by Lira, Vusi Mahlasela and the phenomenal Thandiswa, who Joanna and I have decided is our girl crush du jour. Stunning and my god, goose pimples as she sings and hella sexy. Totally in love and have bought two albums already. Move over Beyonce. Long reign the South African chanteuse Thandiswa.

The case against private/public school education

                                  

I've always believed in egalitarianism and of course public school education does not breed egalitarianism, but paradoxically I believe in freedom of choice and the agency of parents to make the best decisions for their child's education. I had also erroneously made a correlation between the intelligence of the smartest person I know and his education at Dulwich College. However, increasingly as I visit more public schools, I've realised that most public school students are really intellectually challenged with no knowledge of history, geography, NOTHING!! The only thing that they have is a sense of entitlement and self-belief that they are smarter than state school kids. This and their familial wealth and connections are the only reason why they end up ruling the country and keeping in place the system that enabled them, not as most of them believe, because they are inherently smarter than the state school kids. The only way forward is to reform the state school education system for all students. I know that's not the most astute analysis I have ever made, but sometimes the simplest truths are the truest truths.

On tomatoes

I. LOOOOOVVVEEEEE tomatoes!!! I dream of tomatoes. I dream of being in a market, picking  a tomato, holding it up to my nose and breathing in its deliciously fragrant vine-ripened scent. Unfortunately it remains a dream as I don't live in a country that has markets which cater for people other than middle class foodies who can afford to pay extortionate amounts for local and organically grown tomatoes. That said, I did make a quick dash to Whole Foods High Street Ken

June review and July goals

                                 


One month into the challenge... Eeeeekkkk!!! It's gone ok, not fantastically, but ok and given that I'm so good at berating myself hopefully a bit of objective looking back might help put things in perspective. So in June, I did the following towards meeting some of my 30before30 challenges:

Health overhaul

                                                 

Funny thing about me is that people have this perception that I'm really healthy. PAH!! NOTHING could be further from the truth. I am soooooo unhealthy it's not even funny, and all the perceived health consciousness is damage limitation. In the last three weeks, my breakfast has consisted of alternating between croissants and pain au chocolat, or plantain chips and chocolate bars. Disgusting!! Lunch today was a cherry and almond tart, a cheese filled verdura panini, a super large packet of mature cheddar crisps, oh yeah and an apple just to be healthy.:). During office tea and cake events, I will without fail have three slices of cake. No self-control whatsoever. Luckily my OCDness means that I'm always on the move and so it doesn't really show weight wise, but I cannot continue to abuse my body.

I need new trainers

                                                                                                                                                                  


Currently soaking my feet in my Bath and Body Works Spearmint and Eucalyptus (best thing to come out of America) as they're aching from my 10 mile walk from Stockwell to home in training for my 10k on Sunday. I definitely need new trainers as I could feel my left second toe poking through and my podiatrist said I must wear bigger sized shoes to compensate so need to new trainers before Sunday. All recommendations welcome.
Really pleased with having done my walk, with Common, Marvin, Beenie and Blackilicious keeping me company and walked through the City, encountering Essex boy city workers (I know this as I asked for directions- a lot!) through trendy East London Shoreditch Park with extras from the 'All my friends are dickheads' video, through Green Lanes. Took me way too long, because true to my ditzy form, I veered off  my walkit course for about 40 minutes at least.