Alive! It's been a long term, but I've made it to the end. Long time since I've blogged, though. Running has been a bit spasmodic, but I'll try to get out more now that I don't have much teaching to do. I've also been trying to gain weight instead of losing it, which may partially explain why I haven't done much running. (It's also because I'm a lazy sod.) I've always had this weight problem - can't seem to put it on and keep it there. I know some would be envious of that, but I'm not exactly thrilled with being both short (5' 5") and small (132 lbs). Despite eating more than usual and periods of inactivity, my weight has stayed like that, plus or minus 2 pounds, since 1997. It used to be worse. I used to be 120 for a long time.
 
Certainly a bit of vanity involved there.
 
We've been looking at different places in London for next year and intend to move over the summer. It would mean a longer commute by train to work, but I think it will be alright. At least it won't ever involve getting up at 5:15am on a winter morning again to catch the 6:30 train like I had to do when I was teaching at STM. I've been looking at things for winter training - like a turbo trainer for the bike, or warm running gear, because I hate working out in the cold.
 
It's been just over a year since I packed up and moved over to London. I'm happy I did it because it put an end (in a good way) to a six-year long-distance relationship, it gave me more independence, and it put me more in control of my own life. I think control is one of the most important things in life - I certainly would want to feel that the things going on around me are a result of my own actions and I have a way to deal with them, and not feel like I'm at the mercy of decisions made by other people higher up in the hierarchy. I decided to move, I found my own job(s), make my own decisions, and I control more or less what goes on in my life. Contrast that with a year ago - stuck in a job (8-year contract) because of a scholarship, living with my parents (that's what people have to do because Singapore is so small, and moving out is seen as unnecessary and "unfilial"), having my school holidays whittled down with school activities and projects (in essence, having my holidays planned by others). The "control" factor has definitely swung in my favour.
 
One thing I'll probably want to work on is my relationship with my parents. We've never really been that close anyway, but I didn't mention to them I'd bought myself out of my contract and quit my old job because I think there was something in them, both being teachers, that wanted me to keep on being a teacher in my own country, in the same system that they had gone through. It's hard to explain, but suffice to say when I left, they didn't know a thing. They eventually found out, of course, but readers of this blog knew more than they did, and probably still do.
 
So that needs working on.
 
Went for a run for the first time in ages on Tuesday morning, so I'll try to be consistent today and maybe drag Kate along as well. Hope everyone has a good weekend!