Diary

Dear me, back to the grindstone.

I was caught taking Female Portuguese Housemate's clothes out of the washing machine on Monday. What did she worry I would do? Try them on?

The return to the office was as fun-packed as might be expected, especially with the news that the person who was supposed to be covering for me over Christmas was too busy to do anything of the kind. I have literally spent the last two days doing nothing else, while the accounts department hassles me to finish up the special spreadsheet for the end of the year. Not only is this a bit rich coming from people who've kept me waiting with worse excuses in the past, but it seems that even the real pen-pushers are trying to push me around. Apparently they got a bollocking for it, though. Serves them right, big meanies.

The other delightful aspect of leaving the cozy comfort of the Christmas holidays for the harsh psychological beating of January is getting back into a keep fit habit. In my case, I start this by having scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast. Only following orders.

My personal trainer - yes, I have a personal trainer - advised this for the combination of protein and carbs. It seems to be protein all round, since I managed to lose a fair bit of weight before Christmas while having steak and chops for dinner. I am also now capable of press-ups.

I know you want to eat me.

The routine I have to get back into is not too tough. After washing down the eggs with orange juice, I can have a yoghurt mid-morning, soup for lunch - with my own choice of flavours. Today, Chicken! - and some fruit mid-afternoon. A sensible dinner, lots of water and the occasional filter coffee without sweetener, and I'm well on the way to being a miserable sack of undefined flesh. Which is where the daily hour of exercise comes in. Running during lunch or after work, cycling around the place and press-ups and stomach crunches before getting in the shower all add up to making my grey bulbous body even more odd-looking. But apparently I'll live longer than you, so I get dibs on your stuff.

The other routine to back into is working on my scripts and attempting to interest people in them. I've started re-reading and redrafting I.T.D., the first of the magnum opi, but hit a slight snag last night when I dozed off after page 8. That I managed to bore myself is criticism that I shall ignore.

Now for a bit more, then tea, then off to see 127 Hours. I may report back.