Before 44

Time to list out a few targets for the upcoming year. 

1) Second bodybuilding month I spent a month living like a bodybuilder a couple of years ago. Using Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding, I set out a structure for working out twice a day Monday to Fridays, Once on Saturdays and rested Sundays. 

I managed to beat quite a few PBs, and tried a few recipes, upping my meat and veg intake. There was a certain difference in physique evident by the end of it. 

Since then my gym has been refurbished – very recently in fact – and there’s much more access to different machines. Because of lack of access, there are some records – like bench press – that have been left standing for over a decade. With a few more of these machines in the gym room, now’s the time to build on that. 

Minimal cardio, minimal bodyweight movements. Just weight training. 

2) Get back into suit trousers 

I know to get into my 30” suit trousers I’ve got to be under 72.2kg. I’m about 80. I’ve done it twice in recent years (most recently in June). I can do it again. 

3) Veganuary 

I did this vegan challenge last January. Interesting experience. Didn’t quite lose the weight I wanted, but it would be interesting to do it again but also cut back on grains, oats and fruits. Veg veg veg. 

4) Reading month 

I have a humongous to-read pile. Some of these are non-fiction, others fiction. Some big books, some small. It would be good to whip through a few of the shortest in one month. It’d make an eclectic blog post. I’d have to finish the 2 I’m reading currently though. 

5) 50 wpm typing 

Along with the blogging, I type a lot in work. If I could get my speed up from my current PB of 47 words per minute to 50, I could do my job quicker and blog faster too. BBC Dance Mat is a free package, but it’s for primary school kids. It’s where I last brushed up, though, and it helped me improve. I’ll have a look for other free programs. 

6) Tweet for chaos 

For years now, I’ve been keeping lists of people on my phone. Anti-vaxxers, Zionists, Trumpster Republicans. Mentioning that certain people (usually celebrities of some kind) fit into these categories – particularly while they’re trending – usually gets a bit of attention. It isn’t long before people are following up and checking the blog link in my bio. They might not like my writing, but regardless, the hits go through the roof. I’m at 1,426,000 hits at the time of writing. 

7) See more of Scandinavia 

Went to Copenhagen in April last year. Incredible city. I really want to see more of that region of the world, but a lot of key Viking museums – the main interest I have in the area – are closed for refurbishment at the moment. Other areas are just a pain in the arse to get to, requiring multiple flights for a relatively short trip. So things are on hold for the moment. 

8) See more of the rest of the world 

Looking at cheap deals allows you to get to some random destinations across Europe if you time it right. It depends what you’re into, but Europe is chock full of culture. Skyscanner always have deals on, although they’re not as cheap as I remember them being pre pandemic. Easyjet has Paris, Majorca and Split (Croatia) for under £20 one way. 

So. 8 targets in 12 months. I just need to finish this current Viking project and I can start anew.