Blogging - who dreamt that one up?

Its a funny thing about computers and the internet and such - the knowledge kind of creeps up on you. You think that the tools you use today have been around for ages but they haven't.
The other night I was reading a book - just a run of the mill novel which was taking place in the mid to late 1990's. Not only did the characters not have mobile phones (!) but they mentioned floppy discs and "WordPerfect" when doing computer talk. WordPerfect - where did that go? Does it still exist? Well yes it does actually but I only know that because I just did a quick Google search. And I have hidden a link under the word "Wordperfect" so that you can go and have a look if you are curious. But to get back to the book I suppose mid 1990's is 15 years ago and a lot can happen in 15 years but I didn't think so much had happened in the Computer world. Yes I realise that daily things get easier and more "user-friendly" but I remember when we bought this house in 2006 - the then owner gave us his "blog" address so that we could look at photos of the house. I didn't have a clue what a "blog" was but I "googled" "blog" and this is what I got "A blog (a contraction of the term weblog) is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary ...".
Can you see where I am going with this? Computer-ease is part of our daily lives and THAT is what has happened over the last 10 or 15 years. In the days of "WordPerfect" we used computers as tools to get a job done. Nowadays we have difficulty in living without them. I have only had a laptop for just under 3 years and it goes everywhere with me - even overnight!! (Thats a bit sad isn't it - must stop that one!) but the point is that I run my business from it and its my telephone too!! Because we dont have a landline here in Spain we use skype for everything.
What would happen to us if suddenly (like that TV programme that I cant remember the name of but you can tell me in the comments section) where the main character was suddenly plunged from today back to the 1980's? Computers were massive giants back then and only had a "word processing" programme as a bad add-on. I do remember working in ADMA-OPCO (Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company) in the late 1980's and working on a Macintosh - oooooh boy that was bliss and spoilt me for going back to the cumbersome Wang computers that I used in many of the Oil Companies (I was temping at the time - 5 or 6 years of it). I suppose people of a certain age would cope because we could remember "life before ....." but what about the under 25's? They would be lost with what to do with one hand (the hand that constantly texts) and I am not even going to start on mobile phones!
The first computer - possibly - was the ENIAC in the 1940's.
"The ENIAC was invented by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly at the University of Pennsylvania and began construction in 1943 and was not completed until 1946. It occupied about 1,800 square feet and used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, weighing almost 50 tons. Although the Judge ruled that the ABC computer was the first digital computer many still consider the ENIAC to be the first digital computer." Why did something invented in the 1940's take so long to get into everyone's home? Hmmm - that is a discussion for a different group - one far more knowledgeable than me. Suffice to say - the last 10-15 years seem to have seen such a explosion of computer technology that you just wonder why the gap?
Finally as I have already mentioned Apple Macs I might just as well declare that I have fallen for the IPad - and finally, finally you will have noticed that I have learnt how to put links under words and am enjoying that far too much!
On that note folks its Adios from me.

More on Barcelona

Okay - for those of you who thought yesterday's post was a bit thin - I was just seeing if you were awake!!

Barcelona deserves two posts at least!

On the Sunday when we went site seeing we started off with the Sagrada Familia which is the fairytale structure that you saw on yesterday's blog. Its the most fantastic Gaudi Temple. There are turrets and niches and gargoyles and wotnot all over the place. In fact it needs a day to itself. It was a bit disappointing as its being cleaned and so part of it was covered in scaffolding and there were also piles of building materials around so it was not at its best. There were also queues of people waiting to get in so we walked all around the outside and then jumped in a cab which took us to Plaza Catalunya at one end of Las Ramblas.

This was the start of a marathon walk - but oh so enjoyable. We walked the length of Las Ramblas - stopping for liquid and solid refreshments along the way (luckily for Derek and unluckily for me it was Sunday so a lot of the shops were closed). However, had I wanted a retail fest there was plenty of that when we reached Port Vell - the recreational port that Las Ramblas ends at. All around the port were street stalls selling quite upmarket "must haves" interspersed with street musicians, most of which were great!

We wandered down to the shopping mall that you have to cross a bridge to reach but that was a modern shopping mall just like the ones we have here (but a good source of public conveniences).

From the Port we followed the path round the sailing boat marina and walked along a wide pedestrian way that had little bars and more street musicians - a pit stop for a G&T and a listen to the music before continuing on our way. we eventually made it to the sea front with beaches, that wonderful piece of modern art that is in yesterdays Blog which was all athletes, and bars upon bars. A slow walk along the front admiring sand scuptures (must be heartbreaking when they get washed away.

We kept walking (sunset now) sometimes the path was on the beach and sometimes we were looking down on the beach and there were bars and cafes set into the walls of the walkway. We trotted down onto the beach for dinner and then up again. walking through the touristy area with loads of smart restaurants and then around the olympic harbour.

After that it got quieter and less touristy until we were literally walking along a sandy track looking down on the beach. It was completely dark by this time and getting later so some of the chiringuitos on the beach were heaving. We stopped every now and again to watch the dancing and listen to the "music". It was one of the best days I have had anywhere. Just great to keeping walking and walking. We thought we could get back to our hotel the way we were going but we weren't certain that the path went the full distance but it did.

Fabulous Day!

Barcelona

Well - as we are on the theme of travel perhaps a couple of words about Barcelona wouldn't go amiss.

The network marketing company that we have the privilege and pleasure of being part of held a one day event in Barcelona in September last year. Well we were really excited because so many people had said to us we should go to Barcelona so it was a perfect venue.

Amazingly enough although we live in Malaga it probably cost us more to get there than those flying from the UK. But it was worth it. The event was on the Saturday but there was a cocktail party for those who had registered for the event early enough. So we went on Thursday and had a good look around before meeting up with various people from the Company and attending the cocktail party on the Friday night.

Actually the party was great because it was a pretty small group of people so we got to meet all the top income earners in the Company many of whom had come from Australia and the States to participate in the event. We also got to meet the Co-founder of the Company, Shane Krider so all in all it was a brilliant evening.

The training day on the Saturday was equally good but tiring as registration was between 7-8am I think and we didn't finish until early evening. Great day though.


Sunday was play day. We just took ourselves off to the Sagrada Familia and from there to La Rambla. We walked miles that day getting back to our hotel (AC Barcelona at the sea end of Diagonal Mar) or the bar down the road from it, at about 10pm walked out and worn out but had a lovely day.

We would definitely go back to Barcelona - bear in mind though, its not particularly cheap so pack plenty of pennies!!

Istanbul

Hello - no we are not moving to Istanbul but I dont think I told you about the holiday that Derek won.

We had just come back from a fabulous weekend in Barcelona with loads of people who are in this great business with us. Feeling a bit flat after all the excitement and then Derek gets a call to say he had won a holiday. Oh Yeah - we thought - sure!! So we went to the shop, the local plumbers merchants and sure enough holiday for two flights, four star hotel and transfers in Istanbul. Well............... you could have knocked us down with a feather!!

Within a week we had the tickets in our hands (disgusting flight connections but oh well) and it was all booked for 21st October for one week. Its just as well that we do work for ourselves because we had just had a long weekend in Barcelona and there was no option as to when we took this holiday it was that date or nothing. We took it!!

Istanbul was not a place we had ever thought of going but we certainly were not going to turn it down. The internet is such a fab place isn't it? In the past you would have had to go and get a guide book instead I printed out loads of stuff about sites and shopping and food and shopping and history and shopping and some about shopping or did I already mention that?

So although it was not a place on my list to visit I am so so so happy that we did go. We walked in buildings that had been there for hundreds and hundreds of year - looked at clothes and jewellery that had adorned the bodies of people who ruled a land totally alien to what it is today. It gave you goosebumps! We crossed the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn (all those places that you learn about in school).

As I said it wasn't somewhere we had yearned to go and I am not sure I would go back BUT it was a fabulous holiday (all the better for having it paid) and I am very grateful for it.

Go if you can!

When did I become an fitness freak?

At the end of February I will have been using the gym for a year. Well admittedly I did take October off as I wasn't around much and when I was I was too busy. However, apart from that come rain, shine, shine, shine and lately more rain I have been going to the gym at least four times and more often six times a week. Do we think that is a bit over zealous? Probably.

The thing is you get hooked on exercise. Its like a drug (apparently). I did it once before years ago. I worked for an oil company in Abu Dhabi. We started work at 7am and finished by 2pm - its was like having nearly a whole day more to play with. I used to leave work and do at least 3 forms of exercise a day - sometimes up till 10.00pm. I was hooked. Eventually I broke the cycle because we went on leave and November in the UK was not conducive to water skiing and the like!!

So back to Spain and the gym at La Trocha, Coin. Sometimes I think I should be on a commission because I do witter on about it a bit. But if you live here and I mean HERE as in the vicinity of Coin etc the Aqua Wellness centre is really good. A biggish gym with a very good selection of equipment. A spinning studio, two further studios upstairs where things like step aerobics, body pump etc take place. Downstairs there is a pilates studio and various treatment rooms for massage etc. There is also a swimming pool - not very big, jacuzzi and spa area and steam, sauna, ice room (!) and hammam.

Even the staff are really nice and the other clients. Everyone is friendly and helpful. (Do you think they pay commission per superlative or just a lump sum per article?)

I do pilates - all in Spanish but you catch on quite quickly even if you dont speak any Spanish. The pilates teacher can say "sloowwwly" and "ok" and "stop" - so she is fluent!!

The Body Pump instructor can say ................. your name in "English" ............ provided he can remember it and is quite cute.

The Spinning instructor that I go to doesn't speak a word of English but works you hard on the spinning. The overall boss is a nice man who doesn't look in the slightest bit like a fitness instructor.

So yes, it gets me out of bed in the morning and I am home by 11am - ish and ready to start the days work (or go back to bed - not sure which!)

Try it - its reasonably priced and worth the money! Fit body, fit mind!

"Finding" yourself

You hear a lot about people taking time out to "find" themselves or to have some "me" time but do they really mean that or are they just wanting to step off the treadmill for a while?

I have always considered myself to be reasonably well educated and well travelled. Having worked in Abu Dhabi and lived in that completely different culture for nearly 14 years I also considered myself to be "cosmopolitan". Who was I kidding?

Yes I had done a fair bit and had taken myself way out of my comfort zone a few times but you cant rest on your laurels. I cant sit there and say because I did this once or twice I am now a complete and fully developed person. Thats not reality is it. Reality is that we continue to develop until the day we die. Thank goodness!!

There is so much more to life and we all want something different so I am not here to give you my view as what you should be doing - thats up to you. My point of this blog is to urge you never to think that you "know enough" or that you have "been there, done that, got the "T" shirt" .................etc. There is always something new, something interesting, something fantastic that is out there just to make your day that bit better.

You can learn to be a better Mum, Dad, colleague, friend - it doesn't matter the relationship personal development, i.e. the development of YOU can make you enjoy life so much more and because you are enjoying things more others will enjoy you more. If you are looking for success then look no further than yourself for it is you who will make a success of your life.

A bit soap boxy? Possibly! Its something that I feel quite passionate about these days and I feel frustrated when I hear negative and downbeat comments around me and I just wish I could make people see that they can improve their life - but only they can do it.

If you are unsure where to start then no better place than watching "The Secret" - you can do quite a bit of PD on The Secret official website for Free! (See link on right hand side) And that will just lead you into further development where and when you want.

Anyway thats my thoughts for today.

Positive Media

Do you sometimes wonder what on earth the media are going to focus on next? How many times can you watch the news from start to finish and there is not ONE good news story to be told? Is that because there is no good news? Of course not - but the sad thing is that good news is not what the public tune in for.

For instance at the moment people are watching Tony Blair answer questions over the war in Iraq to ascertain if the war was "legal" or not. We are avidly following the news stories hoping that this man will fall flat on his face - yet this is the man that a majority vote chose as their Prime Minister for many years. What is my point here? Human nature likes drama - especially if its someone else's and if its bad that's fine, just so long as its some else's!! (Probably why Eastenders - UK soap - is so popular - no one is ever allowed to be happy in it. In order to make everyone unhappy - disaster upon disaster befall the occupants of Albert Square. It makes the real world look so much better!! Maybe its by design - now there's a thought!)

But back to the main point, this was one of the reasons that I joined Polaris Media Group. For once being involved with something that focuses on the positive is so uplifting. The documentaries that Polaris have released so far are "Kids with Cameras" following a group of autistic children achieving success participating in a unique film camp. The latest is "Unbeaten" which chronicles the exploits of 31 disabled athletes as they make their way over six days in wheelchairs and hand cycles in what is known as the toughest road race in the world, "Sadler’s Alaska Challenge".

The thing about these documentaries is the focus put on how people (who actually do have something to gripe about) cope with adversity and turn it into a positive.

There will always be bad news - its the way things go isn't it? But sometimes we let it take over. Life needs balance and so to balance out the bad Polaris is focusing on the good and very good it is too. Unbeaten is definitely my favourite - it leaves me in awe of such achievements and uplifted and upbeat and for someone who used to be very negative that is a real achievement for ME!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpPIQXsiyOg
Trailer for the incredible documentary "Unbeaten", hosted by Dan Aykroyd and featuring "A Better Life" by Clint Black. Presented by Polaris Media Group.