I'm sure I've lost something.

Before you get too worried, it's nothing important. It's only from my body, and no I haven't sold a kidney.

Yes, in the spirit of new year new me I have lost weight, meaning I'm now as supple as ever....
Well about a stone suppler (and that was just from out of my shoe). But genuinely, it is amazing how easy losing weight can be, who would have thought just cutting out frying with oil, butter, chocolate spread, and copious amounts of chicken nuggets would make you lose weight? Oh right, I've just read that list back.

Another thing that has happened recently is that I got a picture taken with a trophy! And not one in a museum or virtual reality or anything, a real trophy that I contributed to the winning of (well if you read the feedback, nearly hindered (bass trombones are supposed to be OTT)). Dunston silver has been at it again, but this time we went to Durham instead of butlins.
And this time we won, upsetting the odds, seven other bands, many websites, and a few twitter feeds. It may sound sad, but i feel genuinely proud of it. Although there is much work ahead, I have a 100% record to maintain now. My practice tirade of swearing shall begin shortly.

It has to be said that I don't have mainstream interests. After posting a picture of me with the trophy to facebook, a guy at work asked what it was for and looked shocked when he was told it was for a Brass band competition, his response was 'ahhh I thought it was a snooker competition with the waistcoat'. 

A single line couldn't sum me up better

New Year, same old me

A belated Happy New Year to you all!

To sound like an echo of the previous time I got round to doing this, it's been a while since I've got round to doing this. But even so, here we go. This year is the year where I do this more often, mind having to match 4 posts is such a great challenge!...

So it's a new year and a time of great target setting, and target failing. I have decided to not make a resolution for two reasons

1. I'm pretty much awesome now... (I can hear the laughter from here)

2. A resolution sounds like a great epiphany that will alter the course of the universe, and something about seems a little unrealistic. This year I have set myself a target, an achievable goal, a set bar, an objective, I'm out of words but the point still stands. I aim to be able to run a 10k in 50 mins. No seriously, that is achievable. 

Now all I have to do is run. Oh and keep my ankle muscles attached and in one piece. 

Oh, one thing that I have already done this year is go to a festival for a WHOLE weekend. This has never happened before. And the best thing was it was with the Dunston Dragons taking part in my first brass band competition. If anyone is making a band camp joke, I just want to let you know that you are massively original and I have never, ever heard that one before. 

What tops it all off is it was in Butlins Skegness. Now this weekend has changed the image of butlins in my mind, before today I remember it as a kids paradise with Noddy rides,  soft play, and dancing like an idiot. Now all I can think of is kids rides, alcohol, and dancing like an idiot. 

I suppose nothing really does change.  

Training, Training, Fundraising, and the pain of all the above

As the title may lead you to believe, I am currently doing this torture thing.... Training for long distance running. I say long distance... I'm not planning to run to the moon or anything, just from Newcastle to south shields. Which means only one thing! I'm bound to get injured very soon! Erm... I mean, I am running the Great North Run! (wooo!...)

With a target time of 3 weeks, the 13.1 mile course will have me running (walking, crying, and generally hating life) down it in a little over 50 days. Training so far has been mixed so far. Well mixed in the sense of training mixed with complaining about training, regretting the decision, being in pain, and the ignominy of not being the fastest in the office. This fact has definitely not been pointed out ( or at least not whilst writing this). 

This does mean that I may be trying to pull on heart strings and trying to encourage people to sponsor this act of self sacrifice (and self loathing) for the greater good.

ALERT - I am about to be serious for some amount of words.

I am running the Great North Run for a charity called Zoe's Place in Middlesbrough, England.

It is a wonderful charity that provides hospice care for infants and children with life limiting, or life threatening illnesses. It is a warm and fun place where ill kids can be just kids for once and have some fun. It also provides support, and a little bit of time off for the parents going through such a difficult time.

It really is an amazing charity that deserves greater recognition. My aim is to raise £250 for them, and any help that you can give is truly and deeply appreciated.

My justgiving page for the event is: https://www.justgiving.com/Matthew-Stebbings1

Thank you for any support you give.

An Evolution, First aid, and revving my engine

Firstly a bit of interesting stuff that has happened. I haven't been sacked! Good start. But also I have been given responsibility....

I am now trusted to attempt to not kill someone who is clinically dead. Yes, I have received a first aid certificate, which means if you cut yourself, I am trained to bandage origami on your face (even if you cut your toe). First aid is a useful skill to have, but more importantly, it means that my picture goes on some posters at work. Oh and monies (not the MAIN motivation).

Again, it has been a while since i have done this (yes due to the usual reasons of not thought about it, not been bothered, etc, etc, etc). But maybe as a one off, or a two off, I am ranting about my life once again. This has mainly been inspired by nothing in particular. 

Also, be careful on the roads now as I have a car, which is a great way to induce a panic attack for my girlfriend at a moment's notice. Apparently the racing line isn't supposed to be used on a roundabout (who knew?). But on the positive side, I am enjoying the car. One thing that has becoming annoying since owning such car is the Spotify playlist that is the radio. I mean, I have to say, I don't think I could do it but a little variation wouldn't go amiss. It is almost hypnotic the repetition of some songs at the moment, no wonder songs climb the chart. But the main problem with this is that some of the lyrics that get stuck in your head should have a NSFW tag, or at least require a censoring beep app to be downloaded. A particular favourite is the lyric 'if you dance on a pole, that don't make you a hoe'. I mean, there is no direct link between pole dancing and gardening  so it makes sense, however it's not the most appropriate line...  

The main problem with the car is that it is my first car, at the age of 24... Which means I am currently having the most sensible boy racer phase. I accelerate very hard, all the way to the speed limit. At this point, cruise control goes on, and I enjoy the modern toys that cars come with. It's a hard life really.

Into the real world, kicking and screa.... oooo paycheck

Well who would have thought this would happen.....

I'm a working man, a real adult (*ahem*) with a real job and a real job title... I'll have business cards next

Yes the major news of the moment is that I am officially employed (no i didn't have to pay someone off). What's more is I am now a real life scientist!!! Doing real life science things!!! Like dissolving stuff and mix stuff and generally entering data into excel about stuff. REAL SCIENCE.

But the harsh reality of this whole new world (a brand new place....) is a whole new set of alarms for the morning, and the plural of alarm is well and truly required...
Yes my student mindset (and sleep pattern) is trying to adjust to waking up at 6am or 6.05am or 6.10am... Depending on which alarm is effective

A reallllll scientist with a labcoat and everything, just need to grow my hair out (and outwards) and I will have the full look going on at such a young age. It is strange to think that throughout uni, in each class, everyone had 'their' seat which was their's and they always sat there. In reality it was a forced sense of familiarity whereas now, for the foreseeable future, i do have my desk (well Palintest's at which I sit) with my own computer (well Palintest's that I use) and my own swipe card (you know the drill) and my own mug (which is actually mine). It is a proper adult life. And I have to say, I LOVE IT!!!! 
Who would have thought that hard work (HARD WORK!?!?!!) would be so appealing.

Mind that could still be the money, making me a science whore...

Future steps, a recently graduated guide to graduating into a graduate world

I know it's been a while, and I'm sure all of you are not in the least bit gutted. But I'm back onto this ranting, raving (in a word form, not repetitive dancing...) at least for the next few hundred words

Quite a lot has happened since my last post, most importantly I now have FIFA 13 so my manager career in the previous iteration is now retired, basking greatly in the glory of it's achievements.

All important things out of the way, you might be interested to know that I am now a graduate!!! (oh thaaat classes as important news....) I can officially now say that I am a Master of Applied Chemistry Sandwich. Genuinely. I should point out that the sandwich doesn't mean I did a dissertation of the chemical factors as to why BLT is the optimal combination of ingredients over a BA (bacon, aubergine) or a BSC (bacon, spinach, cucumber). I know that is a terrible degree based joke. The sandwich section comes from the fact that I did a placement, in which I got paid to pretend to work and, when I got bored of that, play table tennis, and learn that I can't deal with early mornings.

But anyway that's all over and done with, my 2:1 sits nicely on my CV.

After that, an interesting thing happened after about 3 weeks. Those of a nervous or sensitive disposition may want to skip down a few lines.

I GOT BORED OF GAMING!!!

I know, I am ashamed. But it does get boring, well not boring but soul destroying especially when you cannot complete a section of a game when it is your sole goal and motivation for the day. I swear for that time, the hardest decision I had to make was whether or not I wanted to finish a game asking myself if I can be bothered to watch the list of credits...

What I learned from the experience is I like to have something to work towards, and a higher G score is not one of them.

This may turn at any moment into a motivational speech you are likely to find on the teleshopping channels at 5am. You have been warned

I learned that gaming is my guilty pleasure, that the game is an escape from being a grown up and sneaking off to a quiet place for a couple games of minion is my way of not falling asleep at my desk. The strange thing is, I didn't enjoy it once that guilt left. Honestly I have some respect for the people who can just sit ALL day and play the same game, I mean now I pay taxes (I have a job by the by) I have an entitlement to hate them for sponging, but the skills that the have 'developed' are quite remarkable. The ability to do the same thing in the same place for week after week is quite an achievement...

It's almost like having a job.

Dissertation and Revision (with inferred Procrastination)

Aye it is that time of year again, Exams (yayyyy!)

This year has been different however, with the supplementation of a dissertation to write too. Although this is fairly old news now, MY DISS IS DONE!!!! (genuine yayyyy!) and handed in. 

Although it was hard work, it was a surprising amount of fun to achieve the best part of nothing over the year. Yes I can reveal exclusively that my project proved to be nonviable on any scale as it didn't work, which in itself is a conclusion. Well the conclusion being that will was bloody ambitious to allow students to use reactants worth upto £100 for 5g... 

Having said that I now know a fair bit about the exotic sounding 'Iridium Complexes' (not as fun as it sounds) and cross coupling reactions (not sure where to go with that (you can make your own jokes for that one(disclaimer: if you offend yourself with your own joke, I did not lead you to it and therefore am not responsible, unless it was a funny joke, then I take full responsibility))) and other varying amounts of complicated words for things that are relatively simple. 

The obvious link to all this would be that magical work 'helping' association to revision and uni, procrastination. I have never known how interesting nutritional values and the ingredients to crisps are until I had NMR spectra to interpret, same with counting and sorting my random coppers lying about into date order and pattern. I joke, the dates would have been too much work, I would have started procrastinating in a vicious cycle.
Also the temptation to make the most of torrents to find new games and music and movies and pretty much whatever the hell else is incredible. It is amazing that I managed to resist all of this temptation and got on with my manager career of FIFA12, Oh errr I mean my 8,154 word report on my project (and FIFA) managing to be organised and not in a panic or writing on the day of submission. 


It's a first.... well hopefully