My 2011
2011. It was an eventful year.
I got surgeried for the first time ever in Febuary. I found a weird physical change, got it checked out, got referred, got scanned, got referred, got told it was cancerous and that I'd be getting a partial orchidectomy two weeks later. Operation was quick and easy (though a bit weird as they froze me from the waist down, but left me still awake), and I was out the next day. A week later I ended up back in hospital for another week after the wound got infected. To be honest, I found being stuck in a hospital bed quite relaxing. Until I ran out of things to watch and read. Then it got frustrating.
The cancer part doesn't bother me at all. It was found, dealt with, done and dusted. So far, 10 months on, the observation they're keeping me under has shown no recurrance. If it did, I'd be a lot more bothered...
I started working for Maelstrom Games at the start of Feb. Went in to interview for a warehouse job, got offered a coding position. Though, between them not having a desk for me, and recovery from surgery, it took until May before I started working out of the actual office. What I'm doing is working on upgrading the code behind the website and warehousing systems, as well as looking after the general IT function (there's only a handful of computers, so that bit is a long way from a full-time job). This is the first job I've had where I've had to commute by car, and aside from being knackered most of the time with the sleep apnoea, it's going well.
Got married in May to the already long suffering missus, Val. We'd been together for 4 years by that point (since just after I got back from working for Pipex down in Uxbridge). We did the thing at the West Bridgeford Register Office, and the reception at The Castle pub, next to the Arena. Was a great bash, and we did it for a nice low price, which suited both of us just fine. Honeymoon was for a long weekend in Whitby, which was lovely (and featured lots of fish and chips).
Val also finally moved in fully when her parents moved house at the start of May. She'd been maintaining a room at their place, and would stay there when I went wargaming. They moved, so all her remaining stuff came to my house.
We also went for a week in Cornwall in September, and visited Arthurian stuff, like the pool that Excalibur went in after Arthur's death, and Tintagel castle. We got a chalet cheap through an offer in one of the red-tops, and had a very good week away.
Gig wise, I've missed a few things thanks to exhaustion from the sleeping thing, but did see Melechesh support Nile in Derby, Flogging Molly in Notts, and earthtone9 in Birmingham and Manchester, which is a lot compared to recent years.
We also went to Sonisphere, which was a painful experience. Broken ground, long long long walks to get anywhere, rain, and a lineup that while decent (the big four, Slipknot, Bill Bailey), Val wasn't impressed with. Did get to see LisaKev (old mates from school days) for the first time in a while though, as they were in the same camp.
More fun was seeing Mick Foley (aka Mankind, Cactus Jack and Dude Love) doing standup at the Notts Glee Club. Comedy is the new rock n roll. Apparently.
Wargaming has been productive. I've played once a week most weeks, I painted two Hordes armies over the course of the year, and captained Team Susan again at the Warmachine/Hordes ETC. I've also got back on the Ebay horse and been trimming off the fat of the collection.
Health-wise, as well as the operation, I've been struggling with the sleep apnoea all year. Working in Mansfield and starting at 9am, instead of starting 10 minutes bike ride away at 10am, has made the sleep thing even more draining. I use the CPAP machine at nights, otherwise I'd have gone completely non-functional by now, but, it doesn't solve the problem. The only way to shift the problem is to lose weight.
So, we started Slimming World again in October, I've had no alcohol since mid-October now (xmas eve aside), and I've taken off the weight I'd put on over the year. I've set myself 3 targets for weight loss. When I get to the first, I book in for the next tattoos. When I get to the second, I should be able to start doing martial arts again. And the third is the long term goal, that *may* get me to the point of having the diabetes give up and go away.
Still got Phil lodging, still got the two dumbass cats.
So yeah. 2011. Stuff happened.
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