Take THAT Demons

And I don't mean a possessed version of the 90s boy band.
I mean I bit the bullet and went to the gym after work/before grappling. I might have felt like a bag of warmed up death, but that didn't stop me!
Also, I just read a brilliant quote in a magazine. Obsessed is just a word lazy people use to describe the dedicated.
Boom.

It's These

Moments that I hate, when motivation escapes me. I should go to the gym, but tiredness and lethargy have me in some sort of vice grip. I will see if I can overcome them before the days out.

iRant

Wow, it has been a busy old day for me! A very, very thoughtful day. I'll start with the one that's currently stuck in my brain like an iddy biddy thorn. I'm currently awake and watching Half Ton Dad, about a 74 stone man. 74 stone? My god!
Watching it, there are so many moments which made me irate. He says stuff like it's a disease like they deserve our pity. Or that it's not easy to not eat fast food. Perleaseeeee, it isn't like it crept up on you. You didn't wake up one day 60 stone heavier and unable to get out of bed. And cutting fast food isn't an absolute chore. Don't consider a diet, it's easier viewing it as a lifestyle change. If you think stuff like "this diet will be hard", you'll get to your chosen weight, stop dieting, and back you go to Obese World, fatty. His daugter unwittingly summed it up. She was a big girl anyway, but she said if she didn't think about gettin to her dads size, it wouldn't happen anyway. Well, enjoy a terribly ill life followed by an early death, idiot.
Secondly, England, England, England, England. You're useless. I love the fact that I don't follow football. So this loss doesn't effect me or make me feel any of that "passion" bar folk get and scream at the tv. It angers me by the sheer tenacity of the england players. It might not apply to other teams, but it seems playing this game, you can hide behind the team. Unlike in my sport, where the game is all down to you, so there is no hiding. You either fail or you win. You don't have to rely on anyone else, it's just you.
And don't even get me started on diving. Football is such a weak sport. They fall over due to a small breeze over their bollocks, unlike MMA where you "falling" would result in a grade 11 ass whooping. I think they should spend this summer break in ass kicking camp!

A 10k Update

I've set up 2, that's right, 2, Just Giving Pages. The reason being, blahdey blahdey blah, you can't have 2 charities on the same page due to GiftAid reasons. Because I want both the Fire Fighters Charity and PAPYRUS UK to benefit, I've done both. So if you feel generous and want to ensure a naive 23yr old runs 6 miles in full fire gear, then visit
www.justgiving.com/Chris-Paines0 and
www.justgiving.com/Chris-Paines1

Runner - Daft

I've decided, possibly against common sense and better judgement, to enter another road race. The Lichfield 10k. I know it's shorter than the half marathon back in March, so this time I'm doing it in full Fire PPE. Expect pictures soon :P

It's Kicking!

I've just felt my baby kick for the first time XD

Feeling It

Just got back from Grappling and I've got that post fight glow. That numbing feeling. The one where for the next few hours I'll be finding painful little niggles, but feel set for the evening. Relaxed. I guess it's why some people have a drink, just to take the edge off after work, except I go get the shit kicked out of me.

Why We, Why I

I was just walking through Tesco, as you do, and the new issue of Fighters Only magazine had come out. What caught my eye on the front was a bit of bold text advertising an inner article on "Why We Fight".

Obviously, I bought it =] But it did get me thinking, why the hell do I climb onto the mat, and risk my health and well being against someone who's one mission is to do me harm. My watch manager, in describing me to a new member of the watch, joked "he hunts and kills people for sport". To me, I couldn't think of anything more natural than having a good grapple. But to a lot of people it seems utterly bizarre.

So, trying to explain it to someone who doesn't do this, I climb on the mat because it tests every aspect of me. When I was a kid, I couldn't play any "normal" sports like football, anything that required skills with a ball basically, although I was very athletic. Team sports, I was rather terrible at, but sprinting, and sports that I had to rely on myself, I was fine. Therefore it was a natural progression to become a fighter. Being part of a team gave a safety net against failure (I did still play football and rugby etc, even though I wasn't very good). Where you falter, the team moulded around that. There isn't that barrier in single sports.

A sport where complete athletic ability is key. The mix of endurance, flexibility, strength, cardio and agility is what is needed in this game. Add onto that what can only be described as a "chess" mentality, and being able to improvise and rise up to the challenge at a moments notice. It's the sport that caught my eye.

It also made me want to improve myself, which can only be a good thing. I don't drink, I've never smoked, and my diet is the healthiest it has ever been. I overcame my inability to swim or run long distances. My exercise regime became all consuming to improve my physical shape and health.

It might take hours of hard, physical labour, and unbelievable self control, but it's all worth it when your hand is raised at the end of a gruelling fight. When you stand triumphant on the podium with a medal around your neck. There are those who never push themselves from their sofas. Who enter a life of mundane tediousness, and watch those who did make something of themselves from afar. That was me at one point, but this literally changed my life.

Fighting is one of the oldest forms of human nature. It's as old as eating, and as natural as breathing. Every person, when cornered, and if you push the right buttons, will fight back. There is not a single person who wouldn't. I just didn't deny this, and embraced it. It might be considered savage and brutal by "normal" folk, but when we are currently fighting wars and actually killing people, my hobby pales into comparison. At least in what I do, I meet my foe face to face instead of behind a button, trigger, or a blade. I don't intend to kill or destroy them, just beat them in a display of will and athleticism.

"It's not the winning that's important, it's the taking part that counts" is tripe. In single sports, winning is everything, otherwise we wouldn't put the hours and hours of blood, sweat and toil into it. Fighting is the ultimate sport, because when any other sport fails, it also descends into fighting. Hockey, football, all peppered with incidents of martial confrontation. If a fighter loses, there is no come back, there is no "re"-challenge. Just defeat.

So to anyone wondering why I train like I train. Why I do what I do. And why I fight. That's why, in a round about way, but it probably needs more pictures. I fight because it makes me more human, in every way.

Daytipper: Peppermint oil is a natural stimulant

Daytipper: Peppermint oil is a natural stimulant

I'm currently suffering the effects of a sleeping aid (hay fever purposes) and someone mentioned this. It's actually pretty good. I imagine it's like smelling salts.

Is My Body Too Oatalicious For Ya Babe

I've tried my hand at cookery. I KNOOOOWWW!
I thought I'd make myself a little healthy snack. So I thought "I wonder if there is any way of mixing my old protein shake with some oats." Turns out, there is.
Here's the ingredients list:

3 cups of rolled oats
3 scoops of chocolate protein powder
1 cup of skimmed milk
2 egg whites
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp of peppermint

The result, peppermint chocolate oat bars. The verdict. Ermmmmm, there was a reason I'd left that protein shake and moved on to banana. They are edible at least eh? And very good for me. No Added Sugar and Low Fat etc. High in fibre and VERY high in protein (at least 100g of protein in the batch, or a 16oz rump steak)

I think for the next batch its going to be with some apple and cinnamon. I'll have to buy some flavourless protein powder and just try and work that into the recipe. Hey ho eh.

I'M BACK! I'm Back in the Side Mount Againnnnnn...

Lol I've come over all Aerosmith. Apparently, according to the grapevine, that's going to be one of the last times they play in this country. Final pay cheque and all that.
Anyway, I could not resist when I got home Monday. Despite doing no training for 5 days, living off some of the worst food I've had in a very long time, and feeling very sleep deprived, I still went for a grapple. And my god did I need it. I wish I could stick it in a vial and shoot up with it regularly :P

For Future Reference and Giggles

This is more for future me so I can read back and remember some of the in jokes and stuff that happened at Donny.
Wednesday - "GET TO THE CHOPPER". Bacon sandwiches at 1am with Emma and Tiff. Tiff awaking at the word bacon. Setting my sandwich on fire and throwing it.

Thursday - Burning my toast and juggling it around the site. 3 thong men skipping through Gold Camp.

Friday - Scrambling over the mud hills. Emma disappearing behind a mound. Dropping the guitar in coheed.

Saturday - Roly Polys down the hill. Poo smeared toilets. Rock Sugar "quarter to NI EE IIINE". Coming out the toilet with my water carrier, and going "...ahhhhhhh" when I came out. "DID YOU SEE THAT NINJA?" "What ninja?" "Exactly"!

Sunday - The mud baths. People sliding through it with an air bed and tent. Bin bag clothing range. Stripping in the car park.

For Those Who Were There...

"MY SANDWICH IS ON FIRE!"

Festival Hints

This might be a grower ;)
For anyone thinking of camping at places like Download Festival, V Festival, Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds etc etc. I'm going to try and compile whatever clever little ideas I have used/come across before in the attempt that one day, a festival newbie will find this and it might just add to their experience. So here goes.

1. Kleenex Packets. Instead of loading up on toilet roll and other large bulky bum wiping items, small packets of tissues pack easier, are a lot more discreet, and can be carried around the main arena rather easily. Bit simple, but worth knowing.

2. Hexamine. Apparently a lot of festivals are starting to ban any form of gas for cooking, and only allowing solid fuel or BBQs. In this case, Hexamine will be one of very few options. Firstly, the round tabs take a hell of a lot more to light than the square ones. You're looking at either 4 round or 2 square to heat a small kettle full of water, or a couple of tins. The gas given off though requires that you cover the food in some way shape or form. I personally took the lid off a tin, and placed a mess tin over the top.

2.5. BBQs. A good companion to the Hexamine cooker is a disposable BBQ. The metal base can be used to sit the Hex cooker to create a decent wind block. And the metal grill can be used on top to create a good base for balancing tins of food. You may also want to use firelighters in the Hex cooker if the tabs refuse to start. PS, it will leave one heck of a mess.

3. Tins. Tins tins tins are fab. They keep in the heat, come with ring pulls, and take no time at all to heat up. My favourite by a country mile is a tin of hot dogs. You can usually buy bread from the campsite shop. Toast the bread on the BBQ whilst you heat the tin, then you can have like 8 hot dogs wrapped in toasted bread. When you are cold and hungry, who wouldn't?

4. Cuppas. Since alcohol and soft drinks are damned expensive at festivals, and not everyone fancies being a drunkard, a cheap alternative is Tea/Coffee. Boiling a kettle at night takes no time at all, and it also gives you a way of keeping warm. That and in some supermarkets they now sell sachets of UHT milk, which you can keep in the tent for the whole weekend without worrying about it spoiling and stinking out the place.

5. Baby wipes. Simple really, keeps you relatively clean without having to head for the showers.

6. Tents. Always go at least 1 man bigger than how many people you intend to sleep in there. Don't just think "there are 2 of us, I'll get a 2 man tent". My personal favourite is also the pop up tent. Especially when the rain starts, or you need to get the hell out of dodge on the final night.

7. Chairs. Camping chairs are a god send. So take one, because sitting on the floor might sound fine before you go, but is a nightmare whilst you're there. If you intend on travelling light, a camping stool should be your weapon of choice.

8. Clothing. Plan for all weathers. Hoodies, rain coats, shorts/skirts, vests, hats, and everything in between. It might be sunny when you leave, but this is England, and since when has the weather been predictable?

9. Hayfever. Funnily enough, standing in a field all day can affect those who suffer from hayfever, who knew? So plan way ahead and take your pills/sprays in advance. Whilst your there, make sure you take them as often as the manufacturers allow. My hayfever is pretty terrible so I took Loratadine, Cetirizine, and Beconase Spray. One thing to consider, and please keep in mind I have no previous medical background, but Syndol tablets contain Doxylamine Succinate, one of the most powerful antihistamines there is. It is one of the original antihistamines, so it is one of those that can make you drowsy. But hey, you're at a festival, so you shouldn't be driving or operating heavy machinery anyway. Just be aware that Syndol is also paracetemol, so watch how much you take.

10. Jet lighters. Completely impervious to rain and wind, and WILL light that damn BBQ I tells ya.

11. Towels. You never know when you'll need a towel. Read the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

12. Radar Phone Apps. For some of the current wave of smartphones, there are apps that use GPS to "mark" where you are, and when you want to come back, they act like a Radar and point you back to where you were. The one I use is on Android and called CarDar. When you are parked at a festival, there can be another 100 000 patrons, so your car can easily be lost in the mist. Couple that with 5 days of partying, and people leaving, arriving, and general removal of landmarks, finding your car can be nigh on impossible. But using CarDar, I managed to return straight to my car, in the middle of the night, in a giant carpark. Brill :)

I'll add more as I think of them, but that's a good start isn't it? =]

What?

I think someones been throwing variety boxes of Oats and More at the house. There are 2 just lying there. I thought I had left the crazyness at Donington.

Helen Summed It Up Rather Well

With "do you feel more human yet?"
If you had seen me at 7:30 this morning, 3 hours after I'd returned home and gone to bed, I would have best been described as a warmed up bag of shit that showed some faint signs of life.
But now, after a little bit of sleep, some of my regular diet, a couple cups of coffee, and the best shower of my life, I actually do feel more me. But I think it's going to be a couple of days before I am, ME. Maybe a grapple tonight and stint in the gym tomorrow will fix me =]

That's All Folks

And that's it for another year. Massive thank yous to Rich, Tiff, Emma, Alfie, Ava, Tish and Nikki. This weekend would have sucked without you.
All that's left is to unpack the car, and wash my very ruined clothes. Got some serious work cut out for me to rectify the damage both to me and my property.
Now after the sun rise drive home I was wishing for, its time for sleep (for a couple hours at least).

The Final 3

Ok, maybe I wasn't the last man standing. Bit too premature on that one. Anyway, here are our final 3 contestants =]

Last... Man... Standing.

Fighting off terrible cold, flooding, quagmires, blistering heat, hunger, thirst, burns, I am the last man standing =]

It burnsss

Billy Idol

Is it me or is he a bit of a let down? I think I'll wonder over for Dillinger and Porcupine Tree. And hello rain.

Intensive Care

Is what's needed after a festival like this. I feel nothing like my regular self. I have painful, swollen eyes, and a nose that won't stop running. Just general groggyness. O well. Either way, Download.
First band we caught was Atreyu, which was a surprise cuz it seemed they'd swapped with Flyleaf, who we saw next. After that was a few minutes of Five Finger Death Punch, followed by a quick treck to see Cancer Bats. I then managed to persuade everyone to come to Rock Sugar, who were brillaint. Enter Sandman and Don't Stop Believing worked so well together.
Back to the main stage for Lamb of God and Megadeth. Deftones blew the crowd away after, and I crept away near the end to catch Breed 77. Finally Rage Against the Machine, who definitely live up to all the hype and more. Just, wow.
In other news, my FPOS came in handy on an unconscious girl, and some lunatic smeared faeces and on the roof of the portaloo just. This place is nuts.

Take THAT Mess Tin!

Or why you should always cover your tins while cooking them on a Hexi Burner w/ Fire Lighters.

Yeah, I'm Back in Black

And smelling rather funky. Day 1 is over and the bands have been great. 36 Crazyfists were astonishing, and I loved the duet with Howard on Elysium (like on the album). Killswitch were as brutal as always. Coheed were as talented as ever. Them crappy vultures, hmmm, they shouldn't have been anywhere near that good a slot. They were simply subheadliners on individual rep alone. But together, just bad. Finally, AC/DC acted like they'd never left. Time for at least some sleep before day 2. Eek

AC/DC? Donington?

Fuck yeah!

A Tale of Twin Stages

And Unearth have just opened the festival =]

Yup, Shoe String

Sorry for the lack of blogging. Yesterday was a tad, challenging. The overwhelming cold and wind, mixed with the difficulty of starting the fire meant yesterday was one of the harder moments of the festival. Today I find out how far £10 will get me. That's roughly one £4 burger, and two £2.20 drinks. Any spare change goes on tins, which are by the way, a life saver.
Bands for today. Unearth, 36 Crazyfists, Taylor Hawkins, Killswitch Engage, Coheed and Cambria, Them Crooked Vultures and AC/DC XD

1am Bacon

It started off with a campfire. A very warm campfire. Then after a simple mention of the word bacon, emma and tiff decide not to sleep, come out of there tents, and cook bacon on the campfire. Then toast. Then a brew. Hello Thursday, I've already had breakfast.

How to Hexi

How to and how not to cook at a festival. We found the bbq on its own wasn't that great. It worked originally, but not great. So we used the hexi, which too wasn't great. Finally, I put the hexi in the bbq and lined the inside with coal and tabs. It worked BRILLIANT. Mix of wind block and coal was fantastic.

Camped with a hint of rain

Everyone

We're heee reeeee

Download. Bust. And Something About ShoeStrings

It's become sort of an annual tradition. Second weekend in June, I disappear off to a field to live in squaller. I think it goes by the name of "Download Festival".
Either way, that time is now. Well....tomorrow.

Tomorrow, at roughly 8am, me and the convoy (ha, it's really just 2 cars) set off to East Midlands and Castle Donington. So right now I'm just starting to collect together everything I will/might need. This, of course, includes my TMobile G1. Can't exactly go sit in a field and not blog about it.

For those not in the know, Download Festival is the sort of reincarnation of Monsters of Rock, and this year the festival is more true to its roots than ever. Headliners, we have both AC/DC and Aerosmith! As well as a lot modern rock bands such as 30 Seconds to Mars.

Usually, Download is usually a way of getting a "med" tan without the flights or language barrier. But this year, ahhh this year, we have rain. Probably the first time in the 5 years I've been going, we actually have a forecast of complete dread. Time will tell of course, but I'm packing my Jack-In-A-Pack.

The biggest difference apart from the weather, is the extreme lack of funds. Normally I'll have enough cash to actually bring some home, but what with moving house and various car bills, this year looks a lot tighter than usual. Download, this year, will be on a shoe string.

As I go along I will probably post what works well, and what is a waste. Fresh from the fields.

Anyway, the next time you hear from me, I'll most likely be drenched and sitting in my tent. Toodles.

Goodness, I've Come Over All Jekyll and Hyde

So here I am, sleeping in the spare room =[ on the bright side though, I've finally moved out, and taken up residence with my Helen.
And it doesn't stop there. 2nd baby scan and our little baby is fine XD
All I need now is to cure this strange maladey