A sort of autobiography
Today, I am six-foot-four (approx.), and weigh 15.5 stones, or if you prefer, just under 100kg.
I do fondly recall being 4 stone, and have felt relaxed as the weight shot up. The real killer with weight gain is not necessarily pigging out, as a regular routine of over-eating. When I was younger, there wasn't the opportunities to buy crisps and such, from shops. As I got older, and started getting pocket money, the food-buying chances grew, and with no cosmic hand on the shoulder saying "Hold up, Son", I just proceeded as I cared to.
I am still trying to lose weight. I hope to get down to around the 13 stone mark. Some say that since I have the frame to carry it, I needn't worry too much. However, that seems like a recipe for trouble.
Though I was around 19-20 stones for several years, I managed to lose 4 stones in the final 4 months of 2008, partly through more/better exercise, and partly through cutting about 90% of the junk food out of my diet. I cannot suggest any miracle foods to people, though one week I ate brown bread instead of white and lost 7lbs. However, it would have bored me to death to stick with brown bread.
I enjoy walking. In August 2001, I did a 9-10 mile walk for charity, taking around 4.5 hours. It was a lovely sunny day, and the ground was dry.
I have walked a total of 26 miles along the Lancaster Canal. I did this in stages, over several years. On only one occasion do I recall the weather being anything other than beautiful, and even that was okay, because the towpath wasn't grass.
I do like large expanses of water. The sea is okay, and the local river, the Wyre, is a joy to watch. But my heart and soul are taken by canals. The bridges are pretty cool, too, but I can't explain what attracts me so.
I'm a bit of an astrology nut. In fact, I have many superstitions, which escape me at the moment, but Astrology makes me happy. The difference between Astronomy and Astrology, by the way, is that Astromoners detest Astrology, and want it banned, whereas Astrologers can tolerate Astronomy, and are happy to let the astronomers be. So, who's the fools?
As my biog said, I have the Western Starsign of Cancer, and the Chinese Sign of the Snake. This is apparently a pretty nifty combination to have. I'm told. Must say I'm yet to see it translate into hard evidence, but there's still time (and flowing time. But that's a joke for another time).
I am a big fan of pop music, and have likings for a wide variety of groups. I did do some pages on music, but on reflection felt they were pretty rubbish (you may wonder about the pages that I haven't scrapped...)
My favourite song of all time is "The Model" by Kraftwerk. Why this particular song should mean more to me than thousands of others, I don't know. What I do know, is that it's the one for me. Everytime I hear it, I know I love it, and it makes me happy. So what more can you ask?
I'm profoundly moody. I admit that. I can go from smiles to frowns in seconds, and can shift from sadness to laughter in almost as long. It's my cross to bear, and I can cope with it.
I chose Wandering Star as my title, in reference to the song "Wand'rin' Star", from the film, 'Paint Your Wagon', a film I haven't seen. Wandrin Star is my parent's song (as The Model is mine), and when I finally heard it, I realised that so much of it is true for me. Going back to the Astrology for a second, I was actually born under a New Moon. No, really.
I should say something about Hell is in Hello. But I'd better not.
Another thing I want to mention is that I can spell. Yeah, I know, big deal, but you might be surprised at the number of people who seem to have a bit of a block. Anyway, I just want it to be known that if you have any problems with spelling (including such humdingers as diarrhoea, accommodation, portmanteau and more), then I'm your man. And if you see any words that are wrongly spelt, I have the ready-made defence that, as a 2-finger typist, I have a terrible tendency toward letter transposition. THTA instead of THAT being the most common example. Sometimes this is funny (ALBINO for ALBION), but mostly it's irritating, as I have to keep deleting and correcting to make something appear presentable.
I'm also still a whizz at basic mental arithmetic. Always was, always will be.
Remember, it's those simple things that make life a joy to live...
looking at some of the places to which I have been, then click here