It's 17:04hrs on 30th December 2011 and I've just done a review of the blog entries I've posted since I first came back from my charity cycle ride across Cuba and subsequently 'hinted' at the North Pole Trek; that first blog was on Tuesday 28th December 2010 and boy oh boy what a year it's been.
What you have below are some of my personal highlights of the blog entries as well as the occasional reference to some of you, my loyal and my sporadic readers from around the world. From the giddy heights of that first entry through over 92 previous entries and it all boils down to this summary (if you can't be bothered to read through all the others).
1. Just a few of the key points: January to December 2011
January - I announce to the world that the North Pole Trek is my next adventure. Even Andrew at work said he felt proud; that tone changed as, over the course of 2011 he, Pete and Stephen decided to discuss a sweepstake of how I would die. Nothing quite like team spirit in the workplace.
I announced also how chuffed I was to complete 3 miles in 90 minutes at Level 4 on the cross-trainer at Iveridge Health Club. Last month I did an hour on Level 16 followed by an hour working my way up from Level 0 to Level 25 (maximum) and back down again; oh how I would only have dreamt of doing that back in January 2011.
February - I opened a Twitter account and Capitol Radio Yorkshire said they wanted to talk about giving my challenge some airtime. Sadly all their apparent enthusiasm came to nothing.
It was also the first mention of a proposed fundraiser at Zinc in Manchester; it turned out to be a great night in June but more of that later. A key part of this was to display and hopefully sell some art by friends and colleagues including Ben 'Diego' Tynan, Alison who had only recently picked up charcoals for the first time ever (see below) and a young woman from Starbucks called Lucia who had been my regular barista (that's 'barista' Salford University, not 'barrister') and was soon to become a little more than that (I hoped).
March - Thanks to the lovely Denise at Heart Research UK I had my first e-mail conversation with the legendary Sir Ranulph Fiennes and, thanks to the just-as-lovely Sara Wilcox (nee Benson) from the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign I had an invitation to a Parliamentary Reception to launch some new research. More of that later.
Selling tickets for Zinc began and a second Manchester Starbucks branch offered to fundraise for a day for me after the Hanging Ditch branch did the first one.
This actually led to 4 Manchester branches in total doing some fundraising for me (Halle Mall being the most successful with £60); oddly the Leeds branches I use from time to time were not in the slightest bit interested. I mean it's not as if I'm FROM Leeds or anything like that is it?? It's not as if I've lived in Leeds my entire life is it?!?!?!
April - I complete my first tyre drag and have what I believe to be the funniest hour or so ever; tyres rolling down hills, dogs peeing on the car tyres and the first introduction to 'The Twitchers' who live across the road from the entrance to the park.
I emailed, tweeted & text the link out to my contacts. The best response was from 'Scottie the hottie' who wrote that she and her sister had tears rolling down their cheeks from laughing; that made me smile to think these two found it funny enough to want to text back and so did a few others who were also complimentary.
The blog entry (First tyre drag completed) is the second most popular one according to reader figures and it still makes me smile at just how wrong it all went. Loved it !!
May - Lucia and I attend the House of Commons. This was the most wonderful and yet the most humbling of days. The blog entry entitled 'A Dose Of Reality' currently stands at my 3rd most popular blog entry as read by you.
The excesses of our brief holiday in London and the House of Commons itself paled into ridiculous comparison when we sat and listened to some of life's realities for a number of the attendees. I think this was my third most emotional entry and well worth a read. The feelings evoked by my blog entry prompted two £100 donations within hours of it going 'live'.
Hold steady ladies, but yes a blog entry contained the first (and last) 'topless' photo; have to admit I'm getting sick and tired of Playgirl Magazine ringing to ask if I'd pose for their 'blooper' edition.
June - The first video clip was featured on my blog, although it wasn't me. My 'boss' brought his son to see me so (his words, not mine) "We can throw stones at you and generally laugh at your legs". Well they certainly did the latter although the 300 yards he dragged the tyres gave him an insight into the cardio value of the training and it earned the charities £10 as he promised he'd pay me £10 every time he laughed at my training regime.
Apologies for the 90-degree tilt of the video part way through.
His son Josh had a go but sadly couldn't move the tyres (although he is only 9 or 10 years old), but he seemed to enjoy throwing the stones at least. Stephen did bring a REALLY big bag and they looked professionally sharpened too.
I also reported on a hugely successful event at Zinc in Manchester; 68 people turned up and had a truly enjoyable evening (and yes, that's what they said). I loved writing this entry and looking back through the 300 photographs Tomas took in his role as official photographer for the evening; here's just a handful that still make me smile.
It was also in that posting I highlighted my routine with Paul (my 'strength' PT at Iveridge Hall) which had included me lifting 2 x 14kg weights in my 60 seconds of squats. Well how some things have improved; at last weeks PT session I lifted 50kg during my 90 seconds of squats.
July - A blog entry, entitled, 'A moment of reflection, another dose of reality' is the highest viewed blog entry ever and has remained so (and continually grown in popularity) since it was posted. MacMillan Cancer Support had invited me to the launch of an event known as em2ee (Emmerdale to Eastenders) where 5 members of the cast announced they were cycling from the Wool Pack to the Queen Vic in 24 hours.
The real story that evolved though was of James Golding and I can still feel the knot in my throat when I read and recall how he broke the news of the discovery of yet another tumour. It made me feel insignificant with the challenge of the Trek, it made me realise just how lucky I have been in life.
If you only read one blog entry you just might want to make it that one.
August - This was all about the excellent support I received from Smiles SMS. It's owner, Mark Evans, offered the services of Rosie to outbound call companies to see who would support me with PR and exposure for my Trek. It also featured Paul on video RUNNING round the block with tyre in tow.
He made it look so easy .... until at the end he said he felt sick. Ahh sweet revenge (sorry Paul).
There was also an eclectic posting featuring my fantastic birthday present from my girls (a day at the Trent Bridge test match between India and England; the best day's action with England crushing the Indian team), the sad news of the death of schoolboy Horatio Chapple as he tried to rescue a friend from a polar bear attack on the island of Svalbard, a photo of my eldest and a friend of hers at the LeedsFest in fancy dress (don't try this at home folks) and another video; this time it's Jon Gregg who has been fantastic in his support of my Trek and had his second go at dragging the tyres up the final slope in Rothwell Park.
It's the last 12 seconds that tell the tale .....
September - Recently returned from a holiday to remember; tranquil bliss, amazing company, great food, even better weather and free quadruple upgrade into the most fantastic villa simply because ours wasn't available and the rest of the complex was full ... although you wouldn't know it.
The blog again though drew the comparisons between this amazing holiday .....
..... and the harsh brutal yet sensitive content of a blog by a breast cancer sufferer called Ellie Jeffrey that really created such an evocative description of her daily emotions and challenges it brings guilt once again to the fact that I've had and hope to continue to have great health and happiness.
In the coming months I would get to know a little more about breast cancer as a friend of mine, the amazing fundraiser and bubbly personality known as Mandy Barwick smiled her way through (and continues to smile through) her treatment. Mandy and Ellie, you know I consider you both an inspiration !!
October - It started with a profound and emotional day for me as I realised I was nowhere near getting nor would I reach my £100 000 target. I make it no secret that I not only wanted to do for the good that it would do but also to ram it down someone 's patronising throat when they said it was "an awfully big number and just going in the newspaper won't get you a penny". No sh*t Sherlock !!!
The thing is a guy going to the Pole the week before me has raised over £95 000 but I noticed all his published donations were £1 000 or £1 500; I just don't 'move in those circles' I'm afraid.
Talking to the open and honest Karen Asemper and then meeting Mandy Barwick I finally let go of the aspiration and decided it was more important to focus on not having to give up my quest to get to the Pole due to lack of preparation. It was like taking a huge weight off my back as basically it had all been down to me.
My hopes that people would do fundraising for me or help achieve profile had all but faded (in fact my Mum became my biggest fundraiser after myself whereas 5 of the 7 others who had promised to help in some way simply faded back into the shadows, never to be heard of again.
October also saw the first public showing of this little thing .............. although I'll save the plaudits for later.
Towards the end of October saw my training weekend on Dartmoor and the meeting-up of the then 6 intrepid adventurers. I say 'the then' because 3 women have recently joined the team so we are now 9 plus two Trek professionals.
What an eye opener that weekend was and I look forward to the training week in Norway (March 2012) to see how much I've improved. Oh gawd please let me have improved but I am NOT to compare myself to the others; this is a personal challenge not some sort of race.
November - 'Margo and the 3rd Dose of Reality' started the month with a small insight into the world of an MS sufferer which, for me, re-ignited my passion to fundraise. With her blog entry and the suggestion from Douglas (one of my to-be polar colleagues) I launched the initiative #ontheflag on Twitter and found over 40 companies immediately interested in donating £50 or more to get their company logo on a flag I'll be taking to the North Pole. I now have 60 (although a couple are about to drop out I fear) and want to make it 120 logo's.
That month also saw me take a week off work and drag a 15kg tyre around the local park. I had measured a 2-mile circuit and built in some steep terrain and was chuffed to bits when I completed 63 miles in 8 days. It still isn't akin to the challenge but then what is??
And now we hit December which has two endearing memories for me; firstly a wonderful wonderful Christmas spent partly with my girls and partly with Lucia. They've not met ... yet. Without going into the detail of December let me move on to the next section.
2. So many people to thank
Where the heck do I start? My thanks to: -
a) My family for being so fantastic, particularly my girls for turning into the most wonderful young women who make me so proud to be their Dad ...... unless it comes to tidying their rooms of course : )
b) Lucia for hiding her fear for my safety for most of the year, but I know you worry. You are amazing and I promise I'll be fine xx
c) To Geoff Shepherd and Sat Mann of the Yorkshire Mafia Group on LinkedIn, as well as some of it's members who are so encouraging. I cannot WAIT to be part of the 2012 YM Conference at the Royal Armouries and thank you for your thoughtful and selfless generosity.
d) Su, Craig and the team at Zinc in Manchester as well as 'Risky' Fitzsimmons for trying so hard at Harrogate Restaurant Bar & Grill.
e) Howard and Kathryn Rushfirth for your creativity, support and endlessly surprising me with your warmth and selflessness. Absolutely LOVE the logo you created and the business cards you gave me to use.
f) Fitz' for paying out the £500 he promised to if I got him a photo of me inside a life-size snowglobe. I (and MacMillan Cancer Support, your chosen beneficiary) thank you. You thought I couldn't do it ha ha
g) Paul at Iveridge (my PT) and Richard (the MD) for your help in turning this fat old blob into something that's still fat and old but a bit less blobby
h) Margo, Daniel, Dr Jon Hastie, Aaron Pask, Sara Benson, Sarah White and Denise in particular for being an inspiration and reality check, plus Mandy Barwick and Paula for being addictively enthusiastic and helpful.
i) Stephen Vickers for being so supportive and flexible as the toll of training hours potentially impact work (and for actually hoping I do survive the North Pole, even though he acts well 'ard). Oh yes and it's your round at Starbucks on Tuesday !
j) All the companies who have so enthusiastically pledged to be #ontheflag (check Twitter for the trend folks) and to those that are still to do so, and to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Rothwell Record, BBC local radio and Beyond Magazine for your features on my Trek and of the charities involved.
k) Marc at Rocca Creative for being there at the beginning and JB for helping on the stand at the YM Conference 2010 and all your support beyond.
l ) All the people in Rothwell Park who DO say hello and ask questions, as well as everyone on Twitter and everyone else I've currently forgotten to thank !!!
3. Penultimate section - what next?
And so we approach 2012 with another event planned at Zinc, one to be planned at Create Restaurant in Leeds, a training week in Norway once I've followed up my first ski lesson last January with a week of them this January.
The Yorkshire Mafia Conference over 2 days in March which will also include the displaying of 'the flag' complete with logo's on.
I still want to learn to shoot and still have to get fitter and stronger (thanks to Paul and now Becky who is my cardio PT) and of course, I still have to make the time for my girls and for Lucia that they deserve, I still have to work and earn money to recoup the £31 000 I have spent to be able to go on the Trek and my best wishes to all of you who for a personal and professionally satisfying 2012.
It's going to be tough for so many reasons outside of our control but I hope we all get through it and see things getting better ... for those of us who have that luxury of outlook in life when so many have not.
4. And finally some stats: -
a) There's been 6353 page viewings of my Trek blog so far (excluding my own reviews and amends)
b) On the 31st January I reported I'd had 343 page views (with 300 coming from the UK). The figures in red below represent what they were back then versus the black text of today's cumulative top ten:-
UK 4388 versus 300
USA 754 versus 40
Russia 193 versus 0
Germany 149 versus 1
Australia 63 versus 2
Ukraine 58 versus 0
Latvia 58 versus 0
France 43 versus 0
Ireland 42 versus 0
Romania 39 versus 0
I've also had viewers from Estonia, India, Belgium, Slovakia, South Korea, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Mexico (more of that in a moment), New Zealand, Burkino Faso, The Maldives, Thailand, Singapore, China, Hungary and Vietnam that I recall.
Of course not all those viewers MEANT to view my blog. On the blog software it tells me that Twitter was the main link for most people but 61 page views were generated by Google searches; the most popular search was for 'a-reet-yorkshire-adventure.blogspot.com' (21 people) but other keywords that sent people to my blog were: -
- six people put in 'Costco putting'
- three people put in 'mexico beach bar' and
- two people put in 'big black special yorkshire'
I'll leave that last one to your imagination as I go remove the turkey from the freezer in readiness for tomorrows' belated Christmas meal with my girls and my Mum. I'm sure a silent prayer will be said for the man missing from the table. I know your spirit is still in our hearts and mind though Dad. xx
What you have below are some of my personal highlights of the blog entries as well as the occasional reference to some of you, my loyal and my sporadic readers from around the world. From the giddy heights of that first entry through over 92 previous entries and it all boils down to this summary (if you can't be bothered to read through all the others).
1. Just a few of the key points: January to December 2011
January - I announce to the world that the North Pole Trek is my next adventure. Even Andrew at work said he felt proud; that tone changed as, over the course of 2011 he, Pete and Stephen decided to discuss a sweepstake of how I would die. Nothing quite like team spirit in the workplace.
I announced also how chuffed I was to complete 3 miles in 90 minutes at Level 4 on the cross-trainer at Iveridge Health Club. Last month I did an hour on Level 16 followed by an hour working my way up from Level 0 to Level 25 (maximum) and back down again; oh how I would only have dreamt of doing that back in January 2011.
February - I opened a Twitter account and Capitol Radio Yorkshire said they wanted to talk about giving my challenge some airtime. Sadly all their apparent enthusiasm came to nothing.
It was also the first mention of a proposed fundraiser at Zinc in Manchester; it turned out to be a great night in June but more of that later. A key part of this was to display and hopefully sell some art by friends and colleagues including Ben 'Diego' Tynan, Alison who had only recently picked up charcoals for the first time ever (see below) and a young woman from Starbucks called Lucia who had been my regular barista (that's 'barista' Salford University, not 'barrister') and was soon to become a little more than that (I hoped).
 |
| The first charcoal Al (Alison) showed me, just 6 weeks after she picked up a charcoal for the first time. |
March - Thanks to the lovely Denise at Heart Research UK I had my first e-mail conversation with the legendary Sir Ranulph Fiennes and, thanks to the just-as-lovely Sara Wilcox (nee Benson) from the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign I had an invitation to a Parliamentary Reception to launch some new research. More of that later.
Selling tickets for Zinc began and a second Manchester Starbucks branch offered to fundraise for a day for me after the Hanging Ditch branch did the first one.
This actually led to 4 Manchester branches in total doing some fundraising for me (Halle Mall being the most successful with £60); oddly the Leeds branches I use from time to time were not in the slightest bit interested. I mean it's not as if I'm FROM Leeds or anything like that is it?? It's not as if I've lived in Leeds my entire life is it?!?!?!
 |
| The Halle Mall team under branch manager 'Shig' (don't ask) raised £60 with cake and coffee; buns baked by Claire. |
April - I complete my first tyre drag and have what I believe to be the funniest hour or so ever; tyres rolling down hills, dogs peeing on the car tyres and the first introduction to 'The Twitchers' who live across the road from the entrance to the park.
I emailed, tweeted & text the link out to my contacts. The best response was from 'Scottie the hottie' who wrote that she and her sister had tears rolling down their cheeks from laughing; that made me smile to think these two found it funny enough to want to text back and so did a few others who were also complimentary.
The blog entry (First tyre drag completed) is the second most popular one according to reader figures and it still makes me smile at just how wrong it all went. Loved it !!
May - Lucia and I attend the House of Commons. This was the most wonderful and yet the most humbling of days. The blog entry entitled 'A Dose Of Reality' currently stands at my 3rd most popular blog entry as read by you.
The excesses of our brief holiday in London and the House of Commons itself paled into ridiculous comparison when we sat and listened to some of life's realities for a number of the attendees. I think this was my third most emotional entry and well worth a read. The feelings evoked by my blog entry prompted two £100 donations within hours of it going 'live'.
Hold steady ladies, but yes a blog entry contained the first (and last) 'topless' photo; have to admit I'm getting sick and tired of Playgirl Magazine ringing to ask if I'd pose for their 'blooper' edition.
June - The first video clip was featured on my blog, although it wasn't me. My 'boss' brought his son to see me so (his words, not mine) "We can throw stones at you and generally laugh at your legs". Well they certainly did the latter although the 300 yards he dragged the tyres gave him an insight into the cardio value of the training and it earned the charities £10 as he promised he'd pay me £10 every time he laughed at my training regime.
Apologies for the 90-degree tilt of the video part way through.
His son Josh had a go but sadly couldn't move the tyres (although he is only 9 or 10 years old), but he seemed to enjoy throwing the stones at least. Stephen did bring a REALLY big bag and they looked professionally sharpened too.
I also reported on a hugely successful event at Zinc in Manchester; 68 people turned up and had a truly enjoyable evening (and yes, that's what they said). I loved writing this entry and looking back through the 300 photographs Tomas took in his role as official photographer for the evening; here's just a handful that still make me smile.
July - A blog entry, entitled, 'A moment of reflection, another dose of reality' is the highest viewed blog entry ever and has remained so (and continually grown in popularity) since it was posted. MacMillan Cancer Support had invited me to the launch of an event known as em2ee (Emmerdale to Eastenders) where 5 members of the cast announced they were cycling from the Wool Pack to the Queen Vic in 24 hours.
The real story that evolved though was of James Golding and I can still feel the knot in my throat when I read and recall how he broke the news of the discovery of yet another tumour. It made me feel insignificant with the challenge of the Trek, it made me realise just how lucky I have been in life.
If you only read one blog entry you just might want to make it that one.
August - This was all about the excellent support I received from Smiles SMS. It's owner, Mark Evans, offered the services of Rosie to outbound call companies to see who would support me with PR and exposure for my Trek. It also featured Paul on video RUNNING round the block with tyre in tow.
He made it look so easy .... until at the end he said he felt sick. Ahh sweet revenge (sorry Paul).
There was also an eclectic posting featuring my fantastic birthday present from my girls (a day at the Trent Bridge test match between India and England; the best day's action with England crushing the Indian team), the sad news of the death of schoolboy Horatio Chapple as he tried to rescue a friend from a polar bear attack on the island of Svalbard, a photo of my eldest and a friend of hers at the LeedsFest in fancy dress (don't try this at home folks) and another video; this time it's Jon Gregg who has been fantastic in his support of my Trek and had his second go at dragging the tyres up the final slope in Rothwell Park.
It's the last 12 seconds that tell the tale .....
September - Recently returned from a holiday to remember; tranquil bliss, amazing company, great food, even better weather and free quadruple upgrade into the most fantastic villa simply because ours wasn't available and the rest of the complex was full ... although you wouldn't know it.
The blog again though drew the comparisons between this amazing holiday .....
..... and the harsh brutal yet sensitive content of a blog by a breast cancer sufferer called Ellie Jeffrey that really created such an evocative description of her daily emotions and challenges it brings guilt once again to the fact that I've had and hope to continue to have great health and happiness.
In the coming months I would get to know a little more about breast cancer as a friend of mine, the amazing fundraiser and bubbly personality known as Mandy Barwick smiled her way through (and continues to smile through) her treatment. Mandy and Ellie, you know I consider you both an inspiration !!
October - It started with a profound and emotional day for me as I realised I was nowhere near getting nor would I reach my £100 000 target. I make it no secret that I not only wanted to do for the good that it would do but also to ram it down someone 's patronising throat when they said it was "an awfully big number and just going in the newspaper won't get you a penny". No sh*t Sherlock !!!
The thing is a guy going to the Pole the week before me has raised over £95 000 but I noticed all his published donations were £1 000 or £1 500; I just don't 'move in those circles' I'm afraid.
Talking to the open and honest Karen Asemper and then meeting Mandy Barwick I finally let go of the aspiration and decided it was more important to focus on not having to give up my quest to get to the Pole due to lack of preparation. It was like taking a huge weight off my back as basically it had all been down to me.
My hopes that people would do fundraising for me or help achieve profile had all but faded (in fact my Mum became my biggest fundraiser after myself whereas 5 of the 7 others who had promised to help in some way simply faded back into the shadows, never to be heard of again.
October also saw the first public showing of this little thing .............. although I'll save the plaudits for later.
Towards the end of October saw my training weekend on Dartmoor and the meeting-up of the then 6 intrepid adventurers. I say 'the then' because 3 women have recently joined the team so we are now 9 plus two Trek professionals.
What an eye opener that weekend was and I look forward to the training week in Norway (March 2012) to see how much I've improved. Oh gawd please let me have improved but I am NOT to compare myself to the others; this is a personal challenge not some sort of race.
November - 'Margo and the 3rd Dose of Reality' started the month with a small insight into the world of an MS sufferer which, for me, re-ignited my passion to fundraise. With her blog entry and the suggestion from Douglas (one of my to-be polar colleagues) I launched the initiative #ontheflag on Twitter and found over 40 companies immediately interested in donating £50 or more to get their company logo on a flag I'll be taking to the North Pole. I now have 60 (although a couple are about to drop out I fear) and want to make it 120 logo's.
That month also saw me take a week off work and drag a 15kg tyre around the local park. I had measured a 2-mile circuit and built in some steep terrain and was chuffed to bits when I completed 63 miles in 8 days. It still isn't akin to the challenge but then what is??
And now we hit December which has two endearing memories for me; firstly a wonderful wonderful Christmas spent partly with my girls and partly with Lucia. They've not met ... yet. Without going into the detail of December let me move on to the next section.
2. So many people to thank
Where the heck do I start? My thanks to: -
a) My family for being so fantastic, particularly my girls for turning into the most wonderful young women who make me so proud to be their Dad ...... unless it comes to tidying their rooms of course : )
b) Lucia for hiding her fear for my safety for most of the year, but I know you worry. You are amazing and I promise I'll be fine xx
c) To Geoff Shepherd and Sat Mann of the Yorkshire Mafia Group on LinkedIn, as well as some of it's members who are so encouraging. I cannot WAIT to be part of the 2012 YM Conference at the Royal Armouries and thank you for your thoughtful and selfless generosity.
d) Su, Craig and the team at Zinc in Manchester as well as 'Risky' Fitzsimmons for trying so hard at Harrogate Restaurant Bar & Grill.
e) Howard and Kathryn Rushfirth for your creativity, support and endlessly surprising me with your warmth and selflessness. Absolutely LOVE the logo you created and the business cards you gave me to use.
f) Fitz' for paying out the £500 he promised to if I got him a photo of me inside a life-size snowglobe. I (and MacMillan Cancer Support, your chosen beneficiary) thank you. You thought I couldn't do it ha ha
g) Paul at Iveridge (my PT) and Richard (the MD) for your help in turning this fat old blob into something that's still fat and old but a bit less blobby
h) Margo, Daniel, Dr Jon Hastie, Aaron Pask, Sara Benson, Sarah White and Denise in particular for being an inspiration and reality check, plus Mandy Barwick and Paula for being addictively enthusiastic and helpful.
i) Stephen Vickers for being so supportive and flexible as the toll of training hours potentially impact work (and for actually hoping I do survive the North Pole, even though he acts well 'ard). Oh yes and it's your round at Starbucks on Tuesday !
j) All the companies who have so enthusiastically pledged to be #ontheflag (check Twitter for the trend folks) and to those that are still to do so, and to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Rothwell Record, BBC local radio and Beyond Magazine for your features on my Trek and of the charities involved.
k) Marc at Rocca Creative for being there at the beginning and JB for helping on the stand at the YM Conference 2010 and all your support beyond.
l ) All the people in Rothwell Park who DO say hello and ask questions, as well as everyone on Twitter and everyone else I've currently forgotten to thank !!!
3. Penultimate section - what next?
And so we approach 2012 with another event planned at Zinc, one to be planned at Create Restaurant in Leeds, a training week in Norway once I've followed up my first ski lesson last January with a week of them this January.
The Yorkshire Mafia Conference over 2 days in March which will also include the displaying of 'the flag' complete with logo's on.
I still want to learn to shoot and still have to get fitter and stronger (thanks to Paul and now Becky who is my cardio PT) and of course, I still have to make the time for my girls and for Lucia that they deserve, I still have to work and earn money to recoup the £31 000 I have spent to be able to go on the Trek and my best wishes to all of you who for a personal and professionally satisfying 2012.
It's going to be tough for so many reasons outside of our control but I hope we all get through it and see things getting better ... for those of us who have that luxury of outlook in life when so many have not.
4. And finally some stats: -
a) There's been 6353 page viewings of my Trek blog so far (excluding my own reviews and amends)
b) On the 31st January I reported I'd had 343 page views (with 300 coming from the UK). The figures in red below represent what they were back then versus the black text of today's cumulative top ten:-
UK 4388 versus 300
USA 754 versus 40
Russia 193 versus 0
Germany 149 versus 1
Australia 63 versus 2
Ukraine 58 versus 0
Latvia 58 versus 0
France 43 versus 0
Ireland 42 versus 0
Romania 39 versus 0
I've also had viewers from Estonia, India, Belgium, Slovakia, South Korea, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Mexico (more of that in a moment), New Zealand, Burkino Faso, The Maldives, Thailand, Singapore, China, Hungary and Vietnam that I recall.
Of course not all those viewers MEANT to view my blog. On the blog software it tells me that Twitter was the main link for most people but 61 page views were generated by Google searches; the most popular search was for 'a-reet-yorkshire-adventure.blogspot.com' (21 people) but other keywords that sent people to my blog were: -
- six people put in 'Costco putting'
- three people put in 'mexico beach bar' and
- two people put in 'big black special yorkshire'
I'll leave that last one to your imagination as I go remove the turkey from the freezer in readiness for tomorrows' belated Christmas meal with my girls and my Mum. I'm sure a silent prayer will be said for the man missing from the table. I know your spirit is still in our hearts and mind though Dad. xx
