I hit all the 8's today!

I hit all the 8’s today, in a good way of course and it will be transitory to say the least. Yes, weighing 88.8kgs, down from nearly 120 is a good feeling. I still have a positive feeling and there are no negatives. Not being able to eat heaps of ice-cream is hardly something to moan about. Not having huge steaks can only benefit my ‘pocket,’ so on that front---I just spend the money saved on clothes. I can’t remember the last time I rose in the morning and actually thought about what I should wear. The only thing I have to extend is the range of colours. I know NZ prides itself on the mighty ‘All Blacks’ (our world champion rugby team) but black can be a bit boring. One thing it is good for is that you can put almost any colour with it. I can hear the incredulous reactions to my fashion statements, but who cares; it’s got to be way better than the ‘get up in the morning and see what fits me’ feeling.

Where to from here? I am told that the weight loss will slow down now. I set my new goal as being somewhere around 85Kgs in the next two months. Time and my efforts will tell. Next weekend a friend is running me through the basics of Pilates. That will be a hoot.

Charter Schools will be fantastic! Can't wait!

 I just threw up. I only wrote that to get your attention. Perdy, my Jack Russell will clean up the mess, don't worry. Hell, this blog is going south fast. OK, I am going to point out some very salient points about the efficacy of CS. They must have some good points because NZ has stood by and let the Government pass legalisation to let these schools come into our towns and  cities; probably most of them in disused, earthquake damaged or Government restructured schools. What a magnificent use of these 'community-centred once thriving  schools. The wackos will be -----damn, I meant 'spiritually dignified' sectors of society, hell-bent on promulgating their particular beliefs, whilst at the same time lining their pockets with the largess directed their way by a benevolent Government.
Many schools in New Zealand already run 'alternative' programmes (Teen parenting units for example) and they face cuts, I wonder where the money will come from to pay for the CHs. Don't worry; The salaries paid to the teachers to 'teach' in the CS will have that 'sinking lid policy applied soon after the kafuffle over their establishment has receded, along with any real knowledge of what they are actually doing. It's OK, don't worry; the CS are not subject to any rule that says the public has scrutiny over them.
CS will take those failing in the State system and 'turn them around.' CS will cow about their successes, for the first few years, before reality sets in. The kids who have been failed by State schools will quickly fall into the same trap. Unless the 'community' of the school, child and family, along with support from well funded Government and private agencies comes to the table, that is.
Look on the bright side. We can all benefit from the 'trickle down' effect of the Government's generous realigning of resources, all in the direction of the 'friends of National and ACT. Who are we, the people to object such lofty ideals. I continue my spewing! No doubt I shall attract comments from deeply informed readers like: 'We won you lost,' or 'get over it.' To that I say: Must we waste resources on the off-chance that a few kids will no doubt benefit> For goodness, let's fix and develop what we already have---A SYSTEM THAT WAS AND COULD STILL BE THE ENVY OF THE WORLD!

Turkey is at a 'make or break time' in its history.

Many of us watching the events unfolding on the streets of Turkey's cities are wondering just where this proud nation is heading. The choices are pretty stark. Does Turkey join the ranks of other Middle Eastern countries and head towards being a Islamist state, where individual freedom and lifestyle choice become a pipe dream? Apparently thousands are ready to make a stand to prevent this, but they are in danger from their government as they make their point on the streets. They need not look far to see the questionable results of the 'Arab Spring' to know that once in power, the 'clerics'  begin a process of locking out any opposition to their rule and the lives of the citizens take a very prescribed path. The mainly young demonstrators are far more than scurrilous anti-government groups, out to bring disorder to Turkey. They are making a stand 'for' Turkey to join the ranks of those countries where freedom of the press and the right to live lives that do not hold solely to the tenants of a particular faith. For many years Turkey managed to walk the tightrope between the 'clerics' and a more Western orientated outlook, but the incumbent popular Prime Minister seeks to step away from that stance. There is little doubt that he was elected with a great deal of goodwill from the people of Turkey, if for no reason other than the fact that his opposition  is weak and divided. His latest actions may galvanize opposition to his increasingly authoritarian rule, a movement he is clearly most uncomfortable with.
Turkey has aspired to have strong relationship within the EU and in NATO. That position would come under threat if he starts to align himself and his country with the less democratic Middle-Eastern countries. Perhaps he sees himself as a clone-like copy of the leaders in Iran. The next few months will throw some light on his aspirations to stand for yet another term as PM, something that is denied to him under present law. One only has to look to Russia to see how the rules can change.
In the meantime, huge numbers of brave Turkish people will make their feelings known. Hopefully, the police will not overreact and Turkey can come through this difficult time, as a nation state that values diversity and true democracy. Take care my Turkish friends.

Sarin used in Syria? Who to belive in this 'quagmire.'

I watched an item on RT (Russian TV) which clamed that the UN is in possession of evidence that the 'rebels' have been apprehended in Turkey with about 2KGs of the deadly material, Sarin. There have been accusations that the Syrian Government is also using this terrible weapon. Now add to this deadly cocktail the fact that the West is supplying weapons to the rebels and the Russians are sending missiles to the Syrian Government and we are left with the same old story that has been repeated in so many countries in the past. Neither the USA (and its allies) or the Russians, Chinese and any exporter of weapons is innocent of pouring fuel on to the 'fires' raging in numerous undeclared wars, world-wide. Nothing has changed.
What we are witnessing in Syria is the destruction of a nation, where no side will be the winner and the people suffer terribly. We will see millions of refugees, seeking safety---almost anywhere, complicating an already terrible world wide problem. There will be more 'boat-people' seeking to land in far off places, like Australia and the world will watch silently as recipient countries close their borders.
Syria represents the total failure of the UN and the nations on the Security Council to bring an end to this conflagration. Instead the likes of the USA, the EU, China and Russia play politics; trying to score points or win favour with various groups within Syria, for no other purpose than their own geo-political aspirations in this volatile region.
What makes me sad is that the disparate groups within Syria, fed by their outside supporters are destroying a nation. It has descended to a war of 'revenge' rather than any nation-forming process. Does history teach us nothing?

Maurice Williamson--let's end this media enhanced talk of him being a 'gay icon.'

So Maurice is the darling of the gay community because he made a funny, quite shallow speech in the New Zealand Parliament a few weeks ago. What a load of crap! That he said a few words that resonated with social media, world wide does not make him a functionary of social change or in any way a spokesperson for the gay community in NZ or anywhere else for that matter. He does not have a track record in NZ for being a champion for social change. If he is to be remembered for any one act it would probably be for jokes made about him driving a Skoda, back in the days when the rear-engine cars were seen as something to be avoided (unlike the modern up-market version). He also fell out of tune with the National Party he represents for a while and generally he has been an 'also ran' member of parliament.
So Maurice, next time you drive down the Pakuranga Highway under the 'big gay rainbow,' think about your wonderful work with the gay community, (yeah right!) take stock of your career and dream of your chance to almost have taken a tilt at the Auckland mayoralty, thinking that the large gay sector would have voted for you because of your words of wisdom and solidarity; think again and wake up. It was most definitely a dream verging on a nightmare---for Auckland! 

Two thirds of NZ's richest people are not paying the top tax rate---so why are we surprised?!

The New Zealand Herald headline claiming that two thirds of NZ's richest people are not paying the top rate of tax. They hide their earnings to make it look like they are receiving less than NZ$70,000 a year. Why would we be surprised? Hasn't it always been this way? Think about it. They employ clever taxation accountants and hide their income. They know how to do this. It is ingrained in their psyche. They have a belief that it is their right; that they have contributed to the NZ economy so why shouldn't they get a 'break, in this case, a tax break. They look down on the rest of us-----oops stop! I am sounding trite and in 'their view' ignorant. Well, guess what ----most of NZ thinks the same way. I applaud people who make it in the business world and who help to provide employment for ordinary New Zealanders, but I do not respect people who go out of their way to 'shift their earnings,' so as to make it appear that they are MR and Mrs 'average,' in order to cheat the rest of NZ out of paying their fair share.
 OH, I can hear their bleating; in a chant that is far more reminiscent of those they accuse of 'ripping off' the system to the tiny amount of a few thousand dollars at the other end of the economic spectrum. Let's face it----the rich fight far harder and more effectively to keep what they believe to be theirs, than the poor do to just hold their heads above water.
New Zealand used to be seen as a place where the huge majority of citizens had a reasonable living standard. The gap that exists between the rich and the much larger poorer sectors of society is steadily growing. Is this not a recipe for social disaster? How about we support the efforts of the IRD to garner the taxation that should be paid, from a perspective of a level playing field. If the 'upper-end bludgers' bleat about that and threaten to leave NZ for greener pastures, then let them do just that. All I am asking for is that most Kiwi of qualities, albeit it a retro-quality----is a fair go for all.

Goodbye 90's----hello 80's.

Yes, I am heading back to the 80’s and I did this without needing a time machine. The 90’s and beyond are gone for good, weight-wise. Gone too are the pills for diabetes. Gone are most of the pills for blood pressure and gone too is the CPAC breathing machine for sleep apnoea. I hope to stop using cholesterol drugs too soon.

Do I have any regrets about my bariatric surgery journey? No---I thought that I would really miss my food and that I would find it hard fitting the much reduced portions into my new life. It seems that I don’t crave particular foods; if anything there is a list of foods that I just don’t want anymore and among them, I include wine. The latter quite surprised me, but other than a very small sip of a good red, I don’t really appreciate it anymore, although strangely, I do enjoy reading about wine and its production. Thankfully, coffee is very much a beverage that I seek out--- only the best! (Eden Coffee).

I still watch the Food Channel on TV and I try out some of the recipes. I most definitely enjoy cooking for people and I still put recipes in some of my blogs. I find it quite easy to cook a nice meal for friends and family and then go on to eat only very small portions for myself.

I think that my weight loss will slow down now, but that too is not a concern. I may get away with having to face that haggard look that people often get when they lose a lot of weight quite quickly. Time will tell. I think that my weight will settle somewhere on the 80’s and that is when the increased physical activity may play a part to either continue a small amount of weight loss or mean a stabilization around there. That’s fine with me.

My food bill is very small now. I think I can easily keep it under $40NZ a week and that is a reduction from about $100. Of course I haven’t factored in my visits to cafes in that figure.

I am spending a lot of money at the moment on new clothing. I am about to have a huge ‘throw-out/give away session for the clothing that now hangs like a sack on me. It is great fun, going into a shop and being able to fit ‘normal-sized’ clothing. Hell, I even think about what I am going to wear each day. That feeling is super-retro for me. For the last 20 years, I actually didn’t give a stuff about what I wore.

But the cold! I feel it now, so it’s wrap up time and making sure that my next is well covered. Scarfs (OK, the one scarf I have at the moment) are a necessary part of my wardrobe now. Some days I feel like that Isadora Duncan. If you don’t know who she is, then I am showing my age and you are showing your youth, so –all good.

Energy levels are good for me. I don’t feel tired, but the surgeon did ask me to start taking ‘supplements.’ He’s correct of course. I cannot fit enough food in to be able to get everything I need. Vegetables come last when I eat (carbs are minimal too) and it’s all about protein with each meal. Sleeping is no longer interrupted by those ‘wakeful/can’t get back to sleep moments.’ Wow---that is indeed a return to times past.’ So, if you are thinking about embarking on your own journey, please have a long and hard discussion with your doctor and specialist and remember---bariatric surgery is a last resort and it does not work for everyone. Feel free to chat with my, via my email.

neilcolemanauthor@gmail.com

www.authorneilcoleman.com