Trinny in Dubai

Managed to make the six o´clock yoga class this evening, which I much prefer to the eight o´clock one, as gives me more time to faff around at home before going to bed.

Had a new instructor – he´s filling in for someone on leave. I thought Brian´s classes were tough, but this dude is on another level. Sounds like he´s commentating on a horse race the way he puts us through our paces! 

Yoga phrase of the day: Learn to feel comfortable in an uncomfortable position.
Song of the day: Why does it always rain on me? Yip, the weather still hasn´t let up yet! 
Reminder of the day: Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 31) is the last day you can vote in the SA Blog Awards 2009. Make sure your voice is counted before it´s too late…

Courtesy of my friend Early bird:

I don’t know about you but I absolutely can’t stand how “amount” gets used for everything these days: amount of time, amount of spoons, amount of women called Mrs Zuma, amount of Zim dollars down the drain, amount of tiredness one can feel, amount of energy lost fighting men who urinate in the street (Do they chop off their willies there? In that case, I’m on my way); amount of people who think watching a DVD in the dark is the thing to do during Earth Hour; amount of people upset about SA not letting the Dalai Lama in; the amount of times I have to go and shut the dog up.

Is there a large amount of phrases you dislike intensely?

Weekend was so-so healthy living wise. Went to bikram yoga (Friday) and swimming (Saturday). Did drink a couple of beers at the Coldplay concert but managed to refrain from smoking, even though it was *really* tempting.

Now that my flat has emptied out from being a hippie commune* I am very grateful to have my bed back. Even though I have been sleeping a lot better since I started yoga and stopped smoking, the couch in my lounge is far from comfortable.

Yoga today again, where Brian suggested I participate in the 30 day challenge, which starts April 1. The crazy thing is, instead of thinking that Brian is crazy, I am seriously considering the idea, although Cyprus does get in the way somewhat. 

*A sad goodbye to Shennie Pie and Mister Moose, but a happy hello to their “replacements”, who will be named when I think up suitably cool monikers for them. 

Yoga phrase of the day: Namaste. 
Yoga inspiration of the day: Matt´s endless bender.  
Weather of the day: Rain, again. I didn´t sign up for this!

So, finally bought a dodgy DVD from the DVD lady yesterday. I´ve decided I´m only allowed to purchase DVDs off of her if the descriptions on their back covers are blogworthy. Frost/Nixon was borderline – believe me they get better (or worse, depending on your view!) – but I really wanted to see the movie. And it improves the further down you read. 

AFTER THE OUTBREAK OF THE WATERGATE SCANDAL, PRESIDENT NIXON WAS
FORCED TO STEP DOWN, SINCE THEN, A NUMBER OF YEARS, HE HAS BEEN TO
REMAIN SILENT UNTIL THE SUMMER OF 1977, HIS FIRST WITH THE BRITISH
TALK SHOW HOST DAVID FROST IN AN INTERVIEW ABOUT THE WATERGATE
INCIDENT AND ONE OF HIS ROLE. FROST WAS ON NIXON´S INTERVIEW CAN BE
REGARDED AS A CAT AND MOUSE ZHIDOU, AND THE INTERVIEW WILL APPEAR
IN THE CLIMAX OF THE NIXON ADMITTED THAT “I AM SO DISAPPOINTED THAT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE” AND THAT “ONCE THE PRESIDENT ON WIRETAPPING
DO NOT MEAN EAVESDROPPING ANOTHER IS ILLEGAL “. SINCE THEN, THE
EVENT HAS BEEN ADAPTED INTO A DRAMA, HAS EVOKED ENORMOUS REPER-
CUSSIONS, AND WON A SERIES OF AWARDS. THE FILM IS BASED ON THE AD-
APTATION FROM THE DRAMA.

1. I am a finalist in the SA Blog Awards Best Overseas Blog category. Don´t foget: voting closes on March 31. 

2. I am going on a press junket to Cyprus next month. Cross fingers my schengen visa comes through in time. 

3. I am going to see Coldplay in Abu Dhabi tomorrow with NH (thanks!). Given Kim´s comment on my chakra,
I´m anticipating that listening to ´Yellow´ will boost my will power re. not smoking.

Didn´t have the healthiest day. I did drink one g&t at the Irish Village after work. But only one. And one g&t upstairs while watching Frost/Nixon with TC. But only one. So that makes one g&t. And it was with slimline tonic, which makes it only half a g&t, right?

In my defence, I did seriously think about going for a swim. But considering Thursday is the weekend in this part of the world, and that I have exercised for the last five days in a row, I think a little slackitude is allowed… Back to yoga tomorrow though!

Achievement of the day: Not smoking at the Irish Village. 
Inspiration of the day: My Ollible cousin, who is on day 4 of quitting smoking himself.
Match of the day: g&t 2, Trinny 0

Had my first group pilates class, which went okay. I think one of the reasons I prefer yoga though is that you can look in the mirror to focus (and check that you´re doing the posture correctly).

When I walked out of the pilates studio, the ground was all wet, which left be a little bewildered. At first I wondered if they were washing the car park? (“Classic Mallinson”, as TC would say.) But then I felt the gentle rain on my face, and was grateful for this unseasonal gift. Nothing beats Jozi thunder storms, but it was still pretty good. Pity I missed the hail though, I was busy scooping my stomach in or whatever at pilates.

Weather of the day: Hail in Dubai.
Pilates phrase of the day: Scoop your stomach in.  
Achievement of the day: Still did not smoke, although was final, final deadline.

Oh ja, before I forget, shukran for your nominations. Yes, thanks to all of you, I am a finalist the South Afrian Blog Awards 2009. Category: Best South African Overseas Blog. I should get extra credit for pointing out that´s an oxymoron, but grammar doesn´t seem to count much in the blogosphere!

One last favour (for this year, at least): please vote for me by clicking here or on that blinging widget on the right-hand side of the screen. I´d really love to better last year´s third place but, you know, only if you think I deserve it Although, considering almost 4 000 blogs were nominated this year, I´d say I haven´t done too badly just to make the finals…

Didn´t have any exercise scheduled for today, but went for a brief swim when I got home from work. Actually, I was *almost* tempted to put in a surprise appearance at yoga after a hectic day, but decided I´d rather have some time to myself in the evening for a change. Not doing too well on the healthy eating at the moment (chicken tikka masala for lunch), but hey, it ´s crunch time at the office and I have to keep going somehow on my first non-smoking deadline!

Encouragement of the day: Kim´s comments re. my yellow chakra. 
Exercise of the day: Swimming.  
Temptation of the day:  Saying no to that deadline cigarette.

Another day, another yoga class. On our way home this evening, NH was having an extended deliberation about whether to go to a bar opening or not. Pros: free booze,  nothing else to do. Cons: deadline tomorrow, little chance of an early night. One thing I enjoy about my healthy regime is the freedom of not having to choose, but knowing that going to yoga is the default option. Had my first class with Brian, the main dude at Club Stretch, which was a little hectic, because he is much more pacey than the other instructors. But hey, I´m stil alive and typing…

Encouragement of the day: A colleague enumerating a long list of reasons why it´s good I´ve quit smoking. For example: I don´t have to waste any more time going to the shop to buy cigarettes.
Yoga phrase of the day: Move your brain to the back of your skull.  
Physical ailment of the day: The “yawning subject”. According to Kim, this is when you want to yawn, but
it´s difficult. Does anyone else ever experience this phenomenon, or is it just my family?