2016: Who'd have thunk it!?

2016.

Who would've thought we'd ever make it this far without Skynet blowing us all up, right?

So, looking back at this old blog, it's been something like 3 years since I published anything. I was talking about how excited I was to have found a drummer for my band, then called The Savages. Fast forward 3 years, we have a drummer and bass player, and in the time that's passed since that last blog post, we've changed our name to Agent 37, released a full length album, a "proper" music video, and have played shows with, and become mates with some amazing bands. The absolute highlight for myself has been supporting Frenzal Rhomb, one of the bands that, without them, I may not be into Punk Rock at all. So, being lucky enough to play a show with them, in our hometown no less, and to meet these guys that were myself and Curt's heroes when we were 15-16 years old, was quite definitely a dream come true.

What's more, they're a fine, upstanding bunch of gentlemen.

But, as we in Agent 37 grow older, family life begins to take shape, and two of our members are now either new fathers, or soon to be a new father. This has meant that we're on somewhat of a break at the moment, unless something major pops up that we can't say no to.

Every cloud has a silver lining however. This break gives me the opportunity to focus on my solo music this year, something that I've wanted to do for a long time, but have never really followed through on. That changes this year.

My solo music has been a bit of a challenge. In the past 5 years my songwriting style has varied hugely, but I'm at the point now where I feel like I'm the most honest version of myself in my songs that I've ever been. I struggle with putting a wall up to not let people in too deep, and that also comes through in my lyrics at times. I listen to my friends songs and to me it sounds like they're taking their heart out of their chest, slapping you in the face with it and saying "THESE ARE MY FEELINGS", and I can't do that. I'm working on it though.
My goal this year is to put as much effort into my own music as I have with the band for the last couple of years, and see what comes of it. I would rather be someone who tried, and didn't get anywhere, than a jaded asshole sitting somewhere complaining that he could have made it if he'd just gotten a chance. Make chances in life people, they don't always come to you.

3 years. What else has changed in 3 years. Well, I was in a relationship for about a year, up until December 2015. It was great, but in the end, it wasn't right for either of us. We're still friends, and I think both happier that way. It was a good experience. If you've followed my blog since the beginning, I probably talked a hell of a lot about a certain previous relationship that didn't end so well. This was my first experience of a positive, healthy, serious relationship. And I'm glad I have that to remember.

This year, just recently in fact, I started DDP yoga. I may have acquired some of the workouts from someone, but my reasoning is this: As you all (should) know, I have a muscle disorder. I didn't want to lay out a hefty sum of cash (once you factor in currency conversion), if the DDP yoga program wasn't something I would be able to physically do.  But.... turns out, I CAN do it. I will talk more in-depth about that in another post. But just know, DDP, if SOMEHOW you read this, I'm buying your stuff, just as soon as I get the money together. I'm into it.

Oh yeah, I MOVED.
I'd lived in the same place for 12 years. 12 years. Can you imagine that? I certainly never could. I moved over a dozen times before I finished high school. I moved state when I was 10. But, since the age of 18, I had lived in the same place, up until November 2015.
Now, I'll admit, I'm not good with change. But this was on a completely different level. Not to mention my new place was aptly dubbed "Spider Manor" by my ex-girlfriend. Little did I know I was moving in to a share-house, already occupied by a family of Huntsman spiders. If you're from anywhere but Australia, those are the ones that are as big as your hand. YES THAT BIG.

But, jump ahead a few months, after evicting the spider family.. well.. I say evicting.. I mean exorcising and cleansing the house of them really, I feel pretty good here. It's still different, but I'm comfortable, it's newer, the roof isn't mouldy (something that began to cause me some pretty bad health issues), and myself, and my awesome 9 year old Garfield-esque tabby Rupert both love it here. Now if I could just find the time to sort out my spare room, that would be great.

I also, in september 2015, was about 4 metres away from Kevin Smith, listening to him talk for over 3 hours about life and taking chances and using your experiences to create something unique. It was amazing. That man. I could listen to him speak forever.

So, 3 years. I'm sure I'm forgetting some important events, which I will try and cover if and when I remember, but, dear reader, I feel like I'm back! I've got some more ideas I want to start to write about, and I feel like, if I can keep my motivation up, this, plus my youtube channel, could become a creative outlet of a different kind, so please tell me what you think, what you'd like to read/hear/see, and leave comments and share and all the things everybody tells you to do when they want you to pimp their shit. Do it for me!

Oh yes, my youtube channel is http://www.youtube.com/c/davidgrimsonmusic Please, go check it out and subscribe if you haven't already!

Smell you later,
Dave

The second weigh in!

Hey folks,

I'm back with another blog! This time it's just a short update on how my diet is going.. or "meat-tox". I'm sure some of you have seen the videos I've put up and therefore know that it is in fact going well. And some of you would also have seen the last post I wrote with some of those videos in it as well.

Today is day 11. As of today, Day 11, I have lost approximately 3.5 kilos. So it's fair to say, it's working.

My diet has mainly been the same each day, at least the lunch portion:
1 Roll, with Ham (or other sandwich meat), and then some other protein-rich foods on the side, like kabana, or cheese, or salami sticks (or "twiggy sticks"), and a small amount of 70% cocoa dark chocolate.

No snacks.

Dinner has been one of two things; either something that I have in my freezer, mainly chicken, mainly about 400g in total weight, with no sides, which means no chips, no hash browns, wedges, or vegetables, or anything like that.

The other option for dinner has been take-away. Being either McDonalds, or KFC. My choices from McDonalds have been the Triple Cheeseburger, The Double Quarter Pounder and a McDouble.
And from KFC, 10 "wicked wings", or (on tuesdays because they have a deal at the moment) 9 pieces of original recipe chicken.

To drink I have had water. And occasionally, some soft drink, but not much. And one or two small chocolate milk cartons. Oh and regular milk too.

So I've cut out snacking on things like regular chocolates, or maltesers, or pretzels, or anything at all really. I've cut out buying meals from take away places, so that I don't get chips, or potato and gravy, or drinks. And while you may look at what I buy from McDonalds and say "that's too much" ... just remember that while it's too much for you, and it's bad for you, I've lost 3.5 kilos in 11 days while eating that. It's about the protein, and to a lesser extent, the fat. Yes, there are carbs in the rolls, and the buns, but that is basically the only carbs I'm eating, or .. at least the only "high carb" foods.

Remember, my condition is such that my body can't process carbs into energy, and therefore has to use other energy sources, like protein and fat. When I do eat carbs, they are turned into fats and stored that way (hence the struggle to lose weight), or at least the part that would normally be used for energy is, as I can't "make" it, or store it.

So my body finds alternate ways of fuelling itself. This is where the protein and fat comes into it. Fat is used as energy when exercising slowly (i can't remember where i heard that, but it was somewhere that I trust), and as I only walk on my treadmill at an average of about 2.4 km/h, I'm pretty sure that counts as slow. And Protein is basically instant energy. It can't be stored up for later use though. And if fats are stored.. well.. you get fat obviously.

So, while you may think I'm eating unhealthily, or I'm not getting enough nutrients, or vitamins, or any of that stuff, before you start telling me (because believe me, people tell me how to eat a lot), just remember I'm not like you. And more importantly, this diet is working for me. So don't try to fix something that isn't broken.

Oh, and last time my cholesterol was checked, it was 3.5. The LOW end of normal.

Facts.

Also remember one can take vitamin supplements.

Thanks for reading folks, stay tuned for more updates, both here, and on my youtube channel.

www.youtube.com/davidgrimsonmusic

P.s I do NOT recommend anyone who does not have my condition to try this diet. You will get fat. And you will blame me, and I don't need that!

P.P.s I'm not gloating about being able to eat Take-away. It's simply an easy way for me to get what I need for my body to work.