Women are Crazy

Incredibly, the end of January is already approaching. 

Which is good for many reasons; the bleakest month of the year gone again, the dark nights becoming one or two minutes less dark each day, being one month closer to the return of The Great British Bake Off... etc, etc. 

But it is also the first real milestone in Project 9626. 

How realistic were the targets I set? Is it motivating to almost be competing against myself to get things done? Does it make relatively good reading to be yammering on about it every week or so?

Let's see.

Firstly, I have bossed the reading this month. 

Last time I posted on 9626 I had just started Book #2 - Gone Girl. I have now finished Book #2 - Gone Girl, and it was good. I wish I hadn't seen the film first, I think that took away some of the suspense but it was still interesting enough for me to read it in a few weeks.

I did not like the end of the film at all (AT ALL!), and whilst I didn't really like the end of the book, it at least ended in a better, more rounded way than the film did. It made relative sense. This is, of course, once the author, Gillian Flynn, decided she was more or less bored with the story and took the nearest exit going. 

Don't get me wrong, it is good. But I was left with the feeling that it could have been awesome. 

In any case, it has reminded me that women are invariably crazy. So thanks for that Gillian. 

Next up was Book #3 - Lock In. This is a story set in about 15 years time where people who are paralysed and 'locked in' to their bodies are able to live life through 'threeps' - basically like the 'I, Robot' umm, robots.

The story is a classic whodunit (well, classic except for the fact that half the characters are living through robots...) and is enjoyable. It'll be interesting to see in 15/20 years time whether the technology does exist for people to live outside of their bodies... hopefully not causing the chaos they do in this mind, but it's interesting to think about all the same. I'm sure there will be some high-tech, mega-rich company somewhere looking at it even now. 

So yeh, get me. On to Book #4 of 25 already. Which is 'Red Rising' - supposedly like the Hunger Games but set on Mars. 

I am so excited today. My super special, and probably overpriced winter running tights/leggings have arrived. This is great news because, let me tell you, running at 6pm on January nights is COLD. 

I have hit the 50 mile target for the month with a couple of runs left this week, so I'm getting some good miles in the bank to cover lesser months later in the year.

With just over 50 days until the Reading Half, I upped it last week to three runs a week including my longest run since September at eight and a bit miles which was not bad at all.

The more I run, the more convinced I am that it is all in your head. If you can get to a state where you're not thinking 'I bloody hate this' every step of the way then life becomes a lot easier. It's the days when I can't shut down my brain that it's hell. Like last night. Five miles felt rubbish because all I could think was 'I bloody hate this.' But generally I succeed in letting my mind drift to job stuff, football or wonderment at the lyrical genius of Taylor Swift.

If you can run three miles, you can run six and beyond. It is all in your head.

So overall, it's all a-ok so far on the running front. 

I've sent eight or nine job applications out and I can categorically say that the application process at 25, with three years 'real' working experience, is a damn sight easier than it was at 21 and fresh out of Uni. 

Back then, the endless questions that required essay length answers in order to try and separate you from the other hundreds/thousands applying used to take hours and be the biggest pain going. Now, all I have to do is send my CV and a cover letter and boom, job applied for. 

Not that I've had any responses yet, so perhaps my cover letter skills are lacking.

I am focusing primarily on brand management related jobs at the moment - Assistant Brand Manager and Junior Brand Manager roles seem to be the most prominent. The idea being a few years in one of these positions will then set me up well for a Brand Manager role (... and Project 1452, or something). 

I've always said I wouldn't apply for a job in London.

I lied.

I've applied to a number of jobs in London. 

So many of these type of roles are in the Capital. So it might be a case of manning up and dealing with two or three years of London madness which will hopefully set me up well for the future and the next job. 

We shall see. I am determined to make the right move and not just take the first opportunity that presents itself. It has to add up. And it has to make me want to get up in the morning. That's the ambition anyway.

In terms of the end the year in Cape Town goal, I would love to be able to say I have booked flights, but because it is so far away I literally can't! So that's bubbling under in the background.

So January is pretty much done, and so far it is going well.

Now I can answer my questions from the start of this entry...

1. How realistic were the targets I set? Probably pretty realistic - there will be some months I don't run nigh on 50+ miles and read three books so it'll level out. We'll see.
2. Is it motivating to almost be competing against myself to get things done? God yes.
3. Does it make relatively good reading to be yammering on about it every week or so? It sounds good in my head.

Peace out.

Hooters Chicken Wings

So, I currently finding myself staring out the window at work.

It's definitely staying lighter longer. 

And that's always good news. Getting past the Shortest Day of the year is a good psychological, top-of-the-hill-breaks-off marker. 

(Despite what the BBC and my super science-y Dad say, the 21st December is when it all turns around and things get good again. YES!)

Whilst it's 4'c outside and still comprehensively dark by half four, it may still be a bit early to bring out the #summeriscoming chat on Twitter, but it definitely is.

So, P-9626 (I've given it a newly discovered planet sounding abbreviation for kicks) - what's happening?

I'm sorry.

Well, I finished Book #1 - Pep Confidential. 

I enjoyed it a lot.

But I would definitely only recommend it to you if the highlight of your week is watching Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher pore over the explicit tactical reason why one hapless club or another have fallen to yet another disappointing result on Monday Night Football.

It's heavy going at times but only because Guardiola is miles ahead of anyone in modern day football thinking. 

He's a genius and I am dreading the day he ends up at Manchester United. Because he will.

It is a fantastic insight in to the behind the scenes, day-to-day running of an elite football club, and not in the turbo charged cringe fest way that 'Being: Liverpool' was. 

So yes, early progress! Next on the conveyor belt is Book #2 - Gone Girl.

(This might take some time. Small type and loads of pages.)

I've ran three times so far this year. Invariably dressed like this clown. 

Three steady 5 milers and we're at a sobering 15/600 miles which is not even three per cent of the target. 

But it's the end of week one, so I'm happy. 

I got a new phone-strap-thing for Christmas which is an utter blessing. I've used my last one for well over a year and the zips rusted off about two months ago and I have since had to resort to masking tape to keep it all together. Not cool for the style-centric look I'm clearly going for on my runs.

It's a good time of year to go out running as there's LOADS of people who are still struggling on with their New Year fitness kicks. It's great, cause I'm dead fast compared to them. 

See ya.

It makes a nice change from being continually lapped by the ridiculously long legged girl who occasionally storms past me. She must be running 6 minute miles easily. 

Definitely less good for the ego, mind.

Today I entered the ballot for the Great North Run in September. I'm pretty sure it's the most prestigious half marathon going in the UK so that would be cool if I get in. Some good mid-400 mile motivation on the yellow brick road to the 600 mile promise land.

I should definitely do something special at 600. Like an all you can eat Chinese. Or all you can eat chicken wings at Hooters on a Monday night. 

I hope they still do that. 

(Motivation central).

Anyway, I find out on the 13th of February whether I get in to the GNR. Here's hoping. Would be a good one to tick off the list and probably opens the door up to the Boston/New York half next year.

Today was a big day.

Today, my super shiny, half decent CV of 2015 was finished. 

After great help from my own personal career adviser/hero, and signed off by the Prof (Dr Dave, super science-y Dad, you know the man), the CV is ready to GO.

CV's are dead weird. 

It's the only place in the world where the words 'comprehensive', 'advanced' and 'extensive' can be written without coming across as a complete knob. 

You've also got to big yourself, and your achievements up. But not so up that they become a bit of a lie which might put you in a sticky situation when your potential employers ask a question that you really should know if you really were an experienced user of digital marketing...

It's a fine line.

But with CV 2015 done I'm one step closer to getting that new job so hurray for me and Project 9626.

Now I have to go and help run a ghost work for my boss. On a Friday. In near gale force winds.

I'll be sure to add 'team player' to my CV in the morning.

Day 1

I dread to think how many New Year's Resolution's get made in the wee hours of the first day of the New Year. I don't really bother - today is pretty much the same as yesterday so if you wanted to make a change in your life then it doesn't take a New Year to do that.

This starts today because it is the first day of the year.

I have four things that I want to do this year.

Some will be a culmination of many small things, whilst others will act as the first domino.

But the idea is to chart this throughout the next 12 months in as interesting and readable a way as possible! 

So, the four things.

9000. 600. 25. 1.

9626.

1. End the Year in Cape Town

I've got to go back and make a better go of this St. George's flag flying lark first and foremost. 

The second reason is for the 2nd Test Match between South Africa and England at Newlands from the 2nd - 6th January 2016. 

But... but that's in 2016 you say? Correct! But there are some amazing people I'd love to see again and bringing in the New Year in such a place would be pretty special. 

So the aim is to fly out after Christmas, about the 27th, and come back maybe the 10th? We'll see, but the gist is it's 9000 miles away (give or take, poetic licence, etc.).

So I need to save up the money (on it already), sort the flights (April?), make sure people are happy to look after me and get to the airport. Sorted!

2. (Urgh) Run 600 Miles

Bloody hell, this seems much more daunting on this side of the New Year than the other.

In 2014 I ran 540 miles. 

Even though that is about the distance between Devon and pissing Dundee, I've decided to whack another 10% on it. 

Yay!

So, what's the plan?

On Sunday 22nd March I am running the Reading Half Marathon.

At the minute, I'm running two 5-milers a week. I will keep ticking over till maybe the 3rd week in January and then begin to crank up the distance. 

I'll worry about that then. 

On Sunday 19th April I am running the Derby 10k.

I could do it now so not too worried about that, it would be nice to beat my time from last year (49.53), but with having the Half a month earlier, it might be tough to up the pace to sub 8 min miles. We'll see.

After that there are no set plans, but I expect a second Half Marathon in the latter half of the year - maybe the Robin Hood again? 

There is absolutely no chance on earth I will run a full marathon. Those freaks are a different breed. Not for BQ, no way. 

Over the year I might do the odd post reviewing some of the jarg that I will no doubt buy to keep myself interested (bright red and yellow Nikes? OK!) as I continue trying to convince anyone I speak to that they can and should run.

But anyway, that's the 600.

3. Read 25 Books

Now this one could quite easily be the hardest of the four.

I'm not a quick reader so this is a big challenge. But reading is what all the cool kids do and it makes you dead intelligent and stuff.

Over the second half of 2014 I read more books than I had in the previous ten years (probably), so I caught the bug again.

I've got a huge stack of books to read from Christmas so the next five or six are probably ready and waiting. After that, I'll be relying on the good folk at Goodreads to find the next one.

Book 1 is... 'Pep Confidential'. A review on Bayern Munich's season last year under Guardiola which is interesting for any losers who like to read about false attacking midfielders and the like.

Out of the 25, very few will be about football so worry not. Book 2 is going to be 'Gone Girl' I think. 

As a quick note, I read a book called 'The Martian' before Christmas. 

It was BLOODY AMAZING. I'm sad that it wont be part of the 25. Buy it, read it, pick it up at 7 and take it for dinner.

It's that good.

4. Get a New Job

Finally, this is probably the most important of the lot. Get a new job. Just one though, I can't be bothered with two.

I have been working for a Leadership Development company called Awbery Management Centre now for three years - my first "real" job as it seems endless hours over six years at River Island was all a figment of my imagination in the world of CV's and LinkedIn.

I do all the marketing and communication-y stuff at Awbery and we've had a pretty successful three years in revamping and reshaping the business, but the time has come to move on and probably specialise in a more focused area of marketing rather than the full shebang that I'm tasked with currently. 

The plan is to be in place in a new job in the first six months of 2015. 

Odds are it'll also mean moving out and away from Derby which will be an interesting spell too (IKEA! Yay!).

That is Project 9626.