Life Update: July 2022

This is the first time I've sat and wrote on my blog for quite some time; life's been busy. But during a long car journey I listened to Episode 93 of Not Overthinking where Ali and Taimur Abdaal discuss the ideal of building an online audience and the "best" ways to do this. I've listed to this episode before (at least once or twice) but having not created anything in the public sphere for some time it was interesting to listen again. So, here we are, creating again. For how long I don't know, but for now: this is my life update.

Work

Work has been incredibly busy recently. I still work as an Asset Manager for the technical production company Pearce Hire. We always become more busy in the Summer period, we work on festivals and outdoor events so this is not a new thing. But this year it has hit a new level. There are so many events happening in the UK this year that there simply isn't enough equipment or enough people (or enough time) for them to fit together nicely. My summer has been filled with overtime, stressful days and weeks without time off from work. It's been difficult for sure but I've enjoyed it too. I find that I "come into my own" during busy periods. I don't stand out very much in a day-to-day setting but when sh*t hits the fan and things have to get done to tight deadlines I feel that's my strong point. It takes a lot for me to get flustered and overstressed so I always find it interesting being around others or maybe don't have the same level of patience or the same ability to take on information from all angles and deal with it systematically so everyone is satisfied that their problem is being dealt with.

The biggest example of this recently has been the equipment shortages we have faced. With a lot of events happening, most on similar weekends with tight turn-arounds it has been a real struggle to work out how equipment will get from one site to another in sufficient time for the jobs to still happen (hopefully without the audience noticing). There's a lot of pressure to get this right. Project Managers want the equipment they booked on site from the moment they step on site, but often the equipment is still being used elsewhere where another Project Manager is working hard to make sure the event happens without a hitch and arranging for the load out to happen as efficiently as possible.  Being able to talk to both sets of people and work out a way to keep everyone happy can be challenging but when it works, it feels great to have been a part of it.

Scouts

Due to work commitments I have been less active in the Cub Scout group I lead than I would have liked to be. I think I attended one of 10 sessions this term which isn't great. Luckily we have a fantastic team of leaders that have been really supportive and have made it so I was hardly missed. That's one of the best things about the Cub section I'm part of; we have a large leadership team which allows each of us to take time off when work or family commitments dictate time away, or when we need a break.

On the Jamboree front, we are just short of being one year from the start of the 25th World Scout Jamboree 2023! We have a fantastic unit of young people ready to represent Cambridgeshire and the UK in front of Scouts from around the world. I've found it difficult to get excited about the journey so far. I know it will be amazing but with the added responsibility of the being the Unit Leader this time round I can't bring myself to look any further ahead than the next few months, the next camp, the next unit social and making sure each unit member gets the most from the experience as possible. I can admit that since the start of the journey I haven't been entirely focused on the project, letting other things take priority. But as we get closer to leaving the UK I know that this must change. I am already putting measures in place to make sure I am committing more time and energy on the project so when it ends I can be pleased with my efforts and be thankful for the work I put in rather than regretting what I didn't do.

Social life and sports

Since the beginning of the year I have been actively involved in two new hobbies; golf and football. My Dad has played golf for about as long as I've been alive (if not longer) and for Christmas 2021 he bought me a set of golf clubs. We've played about 10 times since then and I have really enjoyed exploring a brand new sport. I would say that I have above average hand-eye coordination as I've played lots of sports that require this such as cricket, football, tennis, table tennis and badminton in the past, but golf is completely different. Unlike the other sports I find I have to really focus on the way my whole body moves when I strike the ball as opposed to just my arms. This can make golf an incredibly frustrating game as the smallest movement in the wrong direction can turn a great shot into a shot you wouldn't want a replay of. But being someone who always wants to be the best they can be, this just drives me to play more and more. Each time I go to play I find something new that I'm better at (and something new I need to improve at). It's really rewarding looking back at my results round after round and seeing where I'm getting better. I use the app SwingU to track my rounds and shots. I'd recommend it to any new golfer as a way to make the game more interesting away from the course too as there are lessons and article to read. But then I guess not everyone is as geeky as I am.

I started playing 11-a-side football in December 2021 and have loved every minute of it. I haven't played competitive football (in a league) since under 12s and although 5-a-side football is fun, it isn't quite the same as getting on the pitch with 10 other members of a team and playing for 90 minutes. To start with, I found the fitness aspect of the game quite challenging. I could last for about 70-80 minutes before I started to cramp or become tired and get lazy. But as the season has continued this has improved. So much so, the other week we played in a pre-season friendly on one of the hottest days of a heatwave in UK and after the 90 minutes were over I felt like I could have continued to play another 30-40 minutes. Playing football has increased my cardiovascular fitness as well as my strength. I think I'm currently in the best shape and fitness of my life which is both great and disappointing as I thought I'd be a lot fitter than I currently am before I started to feel like this. I hope this is just the start and I continue getting fitter and stronger as we move into next season.
I currently play in the left back position but have started to play left midfield/left wing more often recently and have really enjoyed learning how to play both roles. My ability to run way into the later minutes of matches means I work well as a left midfielder as I can continue running up and down the pitch even when other players have started to slow down or struggle.
Another big benefit of playing 11-a-side football is the social aspect. With many sunday league teams playing out of a local pub it is a very social atmosphere with most games ending in the team going to a pub for a few drinks, a debrief and a laugh or two before going their separate ways. This has been great for me as it has introduced me to a completely new circle of people. Typically my friends are either from school or Scouts so it has been nice to socialise with a completely different set of people and gives me a broader view of the world.

I hope this isn't an update that goes unfollowed for the next 6 months. I want to become more consistent with this blog and find things I enjoy discussing and write about them on here so feel free to come back and see what I've been writing about again.