Changes all around me

This post was inspired by one of my current work colleagues, well current until tomorrow when she becomes former colleague, but hopefully still in touch as a friend.  It kind of inspired me to write about change.

Heraclitus a Greek philosopher wrote that "The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change”.  And he is correct, otherwise we would all be standing still and nothing would improve in life.  For me at the moment I do feel a certain amount of standing still.  I've changed apartments in the last couple of months and it’s a better apartment, good location for social life and work, but apart from the losing weight which is a good change, I don't feel that I've made many changes lately.

At the moment I am feeling a like I am ready for a change, but perhaps its the time of year and the fact that people are moving on and I am in fact envious of the people who have recently moved on and are moving on from the office and going onto new things and new challenges.  There are other aspects in my life that are pretty stale and I'm working to change them, but everything with time and patience, hopefully with my birthday now come and gone everything will fall into place. 

It’s sad that they are moving on, as I would like to think they have become friends over the time we have been in the office and shared a few laughs. But like I said things do change and people move on and those left behind go on.

I also don't want to forget a couple of friends who are moving on not from work, but moving from Israel to the Netherlands and I wish them a lot of luck and I will visit them soon.

Well not much else to say, but to Nicole, Noa, Keren, Yodan, Daniella and Lee, all moving on to better and brighter things, we have shared a few laughs in the office, I wish you nothing but the best in your next challenge that life brings you and I will miss you guys, stay in touch and I'm sure I will see you soon.

So what can I take away from this one that change is bad, or is change good?  I think sometimes things staying the same is good, but without change we don't make progress, so change is inevitable... except from a vending machine LOL.

Until next time.

  

Losing Weight

Something I don't think I've mentioned in my blogs recently is that over the past 6 months I've lost just over 5kg in weight.

It all started in January after a blood test, the Doctor informed that the results while not dangerously high, certain things had come back over the top range that they should be. As a result of that the Doctor advised me to go to see a Dietitian.  So on a cool February morning I went along to the Dietitian expecting to be told, 'you can't eat this, don't eat that, don't do this' and so on.

However within a few minutes of our conversation, I had revised my opinion.  We spoke about what I have been eating and how I could change my diet slightly.  To that end she suggest that I cut down on carbohydrates, meaning less potatoes, bread, rice, pasta etc and more protein and more vegetables.

So taking her advice on board, I ditched the cereal and slices of bread for breakfast and replaced that with a piece of fruit and a yogurt.  I still occasionally have a few slices of bread, it does depend on how I'm feeling sometimes.  Lunch has also changed, instead of the constant sandwich everyday alongside a packet of crisps, I now have a salad, usually cheese, tomato, cucumber and tuna or egg if I remember to boil them the night before.  I again still have the occasional sandwich, but usually now they are relegated to a weekend.  Evenings have not changed much except for more vegetables and less potato, it used to be that I could have chips or a baked potato every night.  Now I've cut it down to maybe once a week and sometimes even not that.

I've also cut down on the snacking and tried to eat more fruit and exercise more.  At the moment I'm now walking to and from work and trying to do at least 10,000 steps per day and most days I achieve that and more.  I also do a bit of exercise around the apartment, so every little helps.

It hasn't been easy, after my first two weigh-ins I put back a kilo... might have had something to do with my parents and sister visiting but I'm not pointing fingers, I'm just guessing lol.  Anyway its taken time but my last visit two weeks I had dropped under 80kg and I hope when I visit the Dietitian again next week that I will have dropped more weight.

People have noticed that I've lost weight, they also say I look younger which I like to hear and it does feel good to know that people have noticed that a little change in your diet can have a productive effect.  It certainly was a wake up call my blood test and now I'm grateful for it, yes I still have junk food on occasion, but now I'm feel better about myself and my body.  No, I will never have a six pack or abs of steel, but I will be healthy and that is far more important than anything in the world.

So with that in mind, wish me a few more kilos lost in the next few months and for now I say farewell.

Birthday Blog

Well what a difference a week makes!

It’s a week since I was probably at my lowest place and state of mind since coming to Israel.  Now has anything changed in relation to my work situation and my dating life?  No, I'm still searching for both, but conversations with friends and co-workers has put me in a better frame of mind and the fact that I've celebrated my 39th Birthday as well.

Hard to believe I'm 39, actually a lot of people needed me to show id to prove I am on the basis that I look younger.  A lot of people have said my weight loss has certainly helped me look better and younger and while I can't see it myself, I'm not one to turn down compliments :-).

So Wednesday was my birthday and I'm not sure what I was expecting, I was in work because I want to save my days off for when my Mum and Dad come to Israel in September to visit.  I had a few WhatsApp and texts and a couple of cards wishing me happy birthday and the obvious greetings on Facebook.  I knew a few colleagues also knew it was my birthday as well.  So anyway mid-morning I decided to get cakes for the office in celebration of my birthday, sending an email around I wasn't surprised who was there first to get a cake LOL and there was various email responses to my email wishing me Mazal Tov on my birthday.

So after that, I thought, okay back to work until around 1pm when one of my colleagues pretty much kidnapped me to the cafeteria.  I'd been so wrapped up, dedicated to my work that I hadn't seen people disappear to the cafeteria, where they had gotten cakes and goodies and balloons to celebrate my birthday.  I honestly did not expect anything like this and actually kind of embarrassed by it all.  But I'm very grateful to the people who organised it and if they're reading this, they know they are and I thank you :-).

So that was the work festivities out of the way, I had invited a group of friends to mine to join for a pizza party, which was fun, just a few good people, chatting, eating snacks and pizza, a very chilled and relaxed affair.  Then onto last night, I had decided a while back I wanted to do a party, originally it was going to be another house party but then I decided I didn't want to clean up after myself LOL.  So I found a bar to book a table, invited friends, colleagues, and ex-colleagues and for nearly 5 hours, we sat around, drinking, laughing, and having fun.  

I'm very happy, grateful to everyone who came to both parties and as I said in a Facebook status, I'm not going to name you all, because you know who you are and how much I appreciate you guys for making this probably the best birthday I've had in Israel so far. I honestly think the Thursday night party, should be a regular thing, chance to get out with the co-workers and the like and just have a good evening away from the office.

Anyway apart from the whole birthday celebrations, it’s been a relatively quiet week. Although after the last few days I'm now really tired and looking forward to sleeping the rest of the weekend away LOL!

I hope you enjoyed reading, as always comments are appreciated.            

Fight to get where I want to be

I'm writing this mainly, because as a few people have noted, my Facebook statuses have been a little depressing lately and quite negative.

Let me start by saying I'm fine, I'm going through a bad patch, its not easy being in Israel and certainly its tough without being able to pop over to see my Mum and Dad and have a chat and a hug from my Mum (yes I'm 38, nearly 39, but a hug from my Mum is still needed sometimes).  Though 5 weeks I'll actually get that hug as my folks are coming to stay with me for 10 days, which I'm look forward too.

I think part of the slightly negative tone of my posts is the feeling of frustration that things are not going my way, even though I'm doing everything right, I'm not seeing the end result I want.  I know people say, what I want to succeed at will eventually happen, but every lack of response, every rejection, it wears on you and does get to you, even if you try not to let it do so.

I said it last night on Facebook, after a particular post I made in the morning, when something I had seen really upset me and I shouldn't have let it get to me, but it did.  I know their was no malice on intent, but the one thing that feels like a struggle is my social life and sometimes it feels like I'm forgotten by my friends, never intentionally, but they don't include me and it does get to get to you, especially when your trying to build a life in a new country.

But as I also said, I do appreciate my friends and I'm looking forward to hanging out with them at my pizza party on my actual birthday and birthday night out the following night.

As they say its always darkest before the dawn and hey it could be worse, I could be the Hull City team, as seen in there 2016/17 squad photo.

Seriously though if the Hull City players can poke fun at themselves over the stuff going on with the club at the moment, I can roll with the punches, and get past these roadblocks that seem to be in my way.  It might not happen overnight, but I will get to where I'm trying to go in life.  I just need to learn patience and let myself relax and enjoy and appreciate what I have.

Thanks for reading and next post, birthday blog :-).

Friends

I've been thinking about this one a lot, one thing I've noticed I don't have a lot of friends, the majority of the people in my life are acquaintances and the few friends I would say in some cases are like family as they have supported me and for that I'm grateful, even if I don't see them for a while, I know that they are there for me.

But what really got me thinking about this is, work friends, I am not sure if anyone will agree or disagree, but how many of your former colleagues from your previous job who you spent 8 hours a day and maybe your lunch hour hanging out with, are you still in touch with.  I suspect that the answer is maybe 1 or 2 or even none.  The truth is work friendships are fleeting, you can support each other in work and have a laugh, but when it comes time to move on, its no looking back.  I'm guilty of this, I think there is a handful of people I'm really in contact with.  Even outside of work friends I'm not sure how many are really there for me, I've plenty of friends on Facebook, but how many of them are really friends and not just there to make up the numbers.

I know we all have busy lives and people change and move on, things happens, but it seems to me we take friendship for granted. I've had friends, including one from my home town whom I've met here in Israel and we've hung out and become good friends and then suddenly, there is no contact, disappears and your left scratching your head as to why.  Or friends who have problems and use you as someone to talk to, but when it sorted, you don't hear from them.

Its tiring and upsetting to me.  I don't think I'm a bad person, but why cannot I create the level of friendship that I see some people have.  I'm not saying I want to be going out every day with people, but it would be nice if someone said. 'Adam we're going to this place for a bite to eat, come along'.

In some ways I feel more isolated in Israel than I did in England, I know when I moved to London it took a long time for me to build a life here, but after 5 years, I don't know how I feel, I feel like nothing has changed.  My life is work, home, bed and repeat with the occasional interruption of a social event. I've tried reaching out to people apart from those who I can count on, but it feels like banging on a brick wall.  How would you make yourself feel settled in this situation?