Mistersynth

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A personalised, hand-carved leather shopping bag I made for my wife’s grandmother (her initials bottom left) - probably some twenty five + years ago. I shudder to think what the raw materials would cost today, and a price including labour would be unthinkable!

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Mission Accomplished

I’m happy to report that I’ve reached the third and final goal in my quest to lose excess weight. There was a virtual fanfare in the bathroom this morning as the scales declared my new weight to be 11stone 7lbs. (161 pounds or 73kg).

Other than the weight, I didn’t take initial measurements, so I can’t very accurately compare what I was to what I am now, but roughly the difference is this: -

My clothes are too big. I’ve had to buy new ones and when I do wear the old ones, I use braces to hold my trousers up to avoid all the excess material bunching up under the belt. My waist is now under 36″ whereas 38″ trousers were too tight before.

Shirts with 17.5″ collars were too tight for comfort and when I wore them, I suffered with a sore neck and a red mark around it the following day. Today, I bought a slim-fit shirt with a 16″ collar and there’s spare room in it.

I also bought some MEDIUM sized casual shirts instead of the L or XL I’d been wearing before. My chest size is 38″ whereas before it had been around 40-42″

So where to from here? Well, the slimmings stopped, but the care and attention to my intake hasn’t. Neither has the treadmill exercise nor the hillwalking.

I’m going to aim to remain at or around 11 stone 7lbs with the normal fluctuations that everyone has.

So thanks to my wife for agreeing to me buying a treadmill - it didn’t end up as an expensive ornament, and it’s going to continue to be used for a long time.

Thanks to my Misfit Flash (which, in spite of some negative reviews, continues to work perfectly, and which gives me, as a gadget orientated guy, the necessary positive and helpful feedback to continue the slog. Similarly, my thanks go to MyFitnessPal for helping me keep track of my calorie intake and keeping me on track.

I’ve said it before in an earlier blog, but if I can do this, then absolutely anyone can. No excuses. BUT - if you try and fail, don’t give up. Keep on trying and one day, you’ll be the size you want to be.

Just a final word on that, I didn’t give anything up*, I just ate (and continue to eat) less, and moved more.

*Except bread - in the quantities I used to eat it. It’s easy to forget how calorific it is - but it’s definitely a sacrifice worth making.

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The joy of hitting a target

It’s taken a little while longer than I anticipated, but I’m really happy that target number 2 has now been hit. That second target was 12 stone (78kg or 168lbs) and I suspect it took longer than anticipated because subconsciously it wasn’t as important as the initial target (which was 79.4kg or 175lbs) from my Christmas 2015  all-time-high of 14stone 5lbs. (91.2kg or 201 lbs) I suppose I found it easier to justify breaking my rules a bit more and giving in to the odd unscheduled snack etc.

So 12 stone was the second target, and I hit that a few days ago - and promptly hovered between it and 12 stone 3 lbs for a while, though the general trend was down. My weight then stayed at 12 stone for three days on the trot and then this morning, my ‘secret’ goal was reached - which I can say was an absolute delight and special thrill.

I can’t remember exactly how long it’s been, but the ‘Stones’ column on the scale hasn’t seen the number 11 for many, many years - that is until this morning, when I was overjoyed to see that, in spite of a little indulgence last night, by way of an Americano (aperitif) helped along with olives, crisps and crackers before last night’s evening meal (Fajitas - 2.5 of them! & red wine)  the scales read 11 stone 13 lbs this morning. ( 75.74kg or 167lbs )

When I first embarked on this quest, my BMI (Body Mass Index) was just below 29 which, for my age and height pushed me well up the ‘Overweight’ scale, and perilously close to the ‘Obese’ range.

It’s particularly satisfying to look at the same NHS BMI Calculator with the new figures and to see that my BMI is now reported at 23.9 which apparently classes my weight as ‘Healthy’ I know that a single figure can’t really be relied on too much as an indicator, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s got to indicate that I’m healthier than I was last Christmas.

The other day, a gentleman I know, but that haven’t seen since before last Christmas, came to give us a price for some work on the house, and as I went out to chat with him, I was so happy to hear him say. “My god lad, you’ve lost some weight!” (It’s a while since I was referred to as ‘Lad’ too!)

I’m not going to go silly on this weight reduction path now, I have no intention of going on ad infinitum until I slip down the plughole - but the final target I’m setting, which I think is sensible, given that it will be closer to the centre of the Healthy BMI Range, is 11 stone 7lb. It’s also the weight that I reckon I was some 40 years ago at the age of 25! I’ll let report back when my wedding suits fits me comfortably again!

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Listen/purchase: Lazy Tango for Violin, Cello & Orchestra by johnsullivanmusic

A Sibelius 7 rendering of my Lazy Tango which I originally wrote back in 2005 for Violin, Cello & Piano. There are a few other pieces of mine over at Bandcamp too, including a couple for Brass Band.

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Mission Accomplished (for now)

There are 2 ‘last things’ I want to do in writing this little piece; 1, to appear to be showing off, and 2, to appear to make light of the difficulty of actually losing weight.

However, for those few that saw my original post, I’d like to provide an update to my ‘journey’ to a fitter, more responsible me.

According to my account on myfitness.com, today is the 75th day of my quest, and I’m delighted to report that I’ve gone a little bit beyond the initial goal (12st7lbs - 79.38kg or 175lbs)   I set myself - as I weighed in at 12st 61/2lbs this morning. (79.15kg or 174.5lbs).

75 days ago I weighed 14st 5lbs (91.2kg or 201lbs).

Now I wouldn’t presume to give slimming advice to anyone, as a bit of personal success doesn’t make me an expert, but if my experience, ‘technique’ or attitude can help anyone else, then I’d be delighted.

My ‘slimming success’ such as it is, I compare to my ‘quitting smoking success’ over twenty years ago now. Apart from external aid in the form of nicotine chewing gum, I ‘flicked a switch’ in my head, which completely realigned the way I thought about smoking.

I’ve done the same with my weight, and I really wish I could describe what I mean by flicking a switch - but it’s not easy to describe.

Here’s my best shot at describing it in relation to weight loss. Up to 76 days ago, I loved eating, and I loved eating quite large quantities.I loved drinking aperitifs - usually whisky with a splash of lemonade.

I still love my food, and I still love to drink whisky and lemonade (or dry ginger) and Champagne and Americanos and Cocktails in many forms.

But the realisation dawned that my weight had steadily risen over the years and was on a course to continue doing so and not being immortal, this would most definitely have an impact on a) my quality of life, and b) the longevity of that life.

Subconsciously, that gives you a choice of 3 things: ignore it and hope it goes away, behave like a spoiled child, stamp your feet and reduce your intake with the attitude of a martyr, or flick that switch and do the seemingly impossible - embrace the challenge.

That’s what I did. I met it head on. I’ve never been fond of physical exertion, but I have two legs and two arms just like Olympic athletes, and though I don’t aspire to greatness (or even average levels) in terms of physical prowess, I figured I could offload some of my excess weight by gently exercising, and so I began with the aid of a treadmill, and a twenty five quid misfit flash.

My love of food remains too. The only shift in attitude I have made has been in terms of quantity. But it is possible to change the way you view the quantity you’re taking in. I eat slower, savouring more what I’m eating rather than wolfing it down. I also use a smaller sized plate - which plays the simple but effective trick of making it look like you’ve a lot on your plate.

I have reduced my intake of bread significantly even though I’m the one in our house who makes it in the wonderful Panasonic breadmaker. Much of my pleasure in that regard is in seeing how my wife and son love it. I also cut down the quantity of other carbohydrates I take in.

I still have my beloved aperitifs - though I limit them to weekends, and I keep a careful note of the number of calories they contain, and take them off the food I eat.

I found that Ryvita Crackerbreads (19 calories each) taste lovely and surprisingly (to me) 6 of them with a slice or two of ham or corned beef or cheese are enough to fill me at lunchtime - rounded off with a weight watchers yoghurt. I never feel hungry after my lunch - and that’s someone who 76 days ago used to each several thick slices of bread, a packet of crisps of some kind and a fuller fat yoghurt or some other unnecessary pudding to finish with.

The key is to heed the advice of myfitness pal and stay within the daily calorie limits they suggest. (This is tailored for you when you sign up - which is free).

I can’t help but think this would work for anyone. It just takes that switch to be flicked - which amounts to an honest change of attitude and a conscientious adherence to limiting the calories.

Just before I began this ‘quest’ I did a measurement of my Body Mass Index, and the advice was that I should reduce my weight by 3 stone, taking me to roughly 11.5 stone. At the time, I thought I never ever be able to get there - it seemed a fantasy, so I set my target at what I thought was a difficult but achievable level. Now I’m sure I could reach that ‘ideal’ weight.

I’m not sure I really want to do that - I’ll have to completely refurbish my wardrobe if I do, but I now know I can if I want to.

For now, my new goal (without time limit) is 12 stone (76.2kg or 168lbs) and I’m absolutely confident of achieving it - as of this morning it’s only 6.5lbs away.

I’ll report back when I get there.

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An appointment with Shipman

As a fortunate, surviving former patient of the infamous Doctor Harold Shipman, I have memories of many encounters with him, most of which will remain locked away in memory as private and of no interest to anyone other than me. Given the personal devastation that he left in the lives of many of the townsfolk of Hyde, including a best friend of mine, and others that I know personally, I wouldn’t want to give him or his memory too much opportunity for further publicity.

However, I was reminiscing the other day, as we ageing folk tend to do with increasing regularity, and the following memory popped up, and I thought it may be of interest to anyone who has heard of our malevolent medic.

Some twenty years ago now I had an appointment with Shipman, for some now long forgotten ailment. I’d passed the age of forty, and he, during the appointment, quite properly I thought at the time, declared that,

“it’s about time we gave you an MOT” *

An amount of blood was taken and sent off for analysis, and in due course I was summoned back to his surgery to be given the result. Unfortunately for me the ‘bad’ cholesterol was rather too high.

A lecture then ensued during which I was taught about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol, and the various options I had for bringing it down to an acceptable level. During the lesson, Shipman made one statement, which seemed quite benign but interesting from a scientific point of view, and which didn’t really come into it’s own until several years later when the extent and nature of his evil activities had been revealed.

He said that,

“... on the other hand, women are protected [from the bad effects of cholesterol] until they reach the menopause...”, 

and finally the knockout punchline which only years later would reveal (to me) a grotesque link to his behaviour,

“...and then they’re dropping like flies!”

A somewhat chilling reference perhaps to the secret activities he was, even then, engaged in.

* MOT - for the benefit of anyone from distant lands, - is an annual test for motor vehicles once they pass a certain age - also used lightheartedly to refer to health checks and possibly various other age/wear & tear tests too.

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Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

Victor Hugo

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I just passed a barrier

Without wishing to tempt fate, I’m happy to have seen, for the first time in many years, the number 12 appear in the stones column on the scales. Granted, the pounds column read 13.25 - but I’m happy to have passed below the 13 stone barrier, though no doubt I’ll oscillate above and below it for a short while yet. Just another 6.25 pounds to go and the goal will be achieved.

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Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

Berthold Auerbach

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After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.

Aldous Huxley

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Unmanned vehicles on the loose.

I'm all for advances in technology; I love it.

I just hope though, that those who authorise the use of unmanned vehicles on public roads and motorways are held personally responsible, and are punished to the maximum extent possible under the law, for any deaths or injuries caused by such vehicles, if, or when in retrospect these vehicles or their safety systems are found to be flawed.

It seems to me too that manned lorries travelling in convoy,  often pose hazards to motorists already and if unmanned versions are under the supervision of a single brain in the leading lorry, I only hope that brain is vastly superior to any I've witnessed on my travels.

It would be nice too if the drivers’ salaries which are saved by unleashing these beasts are added to the sickness benefits and job-seekers’ pots.

I won’t hold my breath.

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What happened to Salome?

Or.....

IS THE BRASS BAND REPERTOIRE OF YESTERYEAR SAFE FROM THE RAVAGES OF TIME?

Putting together the playlist for my weekly radio programme, Mainly Brass, to be aired on Sunday 20th March 2016, on Tameside Radio, I remembered that I haven’t played William Rimmer’s Salome as the show’s opening march for quite some time. I have played it perhaps a little more than other marches over the years because I have a soft spot for it. I couldn’t explain why exactly, other than to say that it just resonates with me slightly more than others, even though I love all Rimmer’s marches - and many others too. It’s definitely nothing to do with any mental image of the biblical character and her Dance of the Seven Veils either, it’s only Rimmer’s march that I love. Salome’s request for John the Baptist’s head on a plate tends to deflect attention from her sexy dancing to her conniving nature, no matter whether she was stunningly seductive or not.

Out of curiosity, I did a quick internet search to see who is selling the parts, and I was saddened and disappointed to see that it doesn’t seem to be available anywhere today. Apologies if I’ve missed some obvious source, but the apparent unavailability of this march got me thinking about the plight of old or out-of-print brass band works.

More years ago than I care to remember, and when I was nobbut a lad, I was the Music Director of the old Lees & Glodwick band, a position filled some years later by the illustrious brass band composer, John Golland, and which, in more recent times has become the very successful Oldham Band (Lees). In those days, I spent many a magical hour in the band library, poring and enthusing over what seemed to be endless piles of old scores and parts, musty and dusty as they were; it was band heaven to me.

As I think back over the past forty-five years, I wonder what happened to that treasure trove, and the many similar historically precious hoards that must have been gathering dust in old band libraries around the UK and beyond. What a tragedy it would be if any of them become lost to the world, or depleted and unplayable, with no master copies to resurrect them. I do hope that bands or publishers in possession of any of these irreplaceable gems have taken all necessary steps to ensure that they are preserved - and played -  for the benefit of present and future audiences.

I know that the National Brass Band Archive has a large repository of such works, and that is reassuring to know. Even so, some inquietude remains as their website does indicate that some of their sets are incomplete and there is a request to bands to share whatever they have to help fill in the gaps. A simple search indicates that Salome is indeed included in their Archive and that it was published by R.Smith.

As an aside, I remember being in London way back in the sixties with our school bandmaster and he took a couple of us to Smith’s, in the Strand,  to pick up some music he’d previously ordered. I remember the excitement of actually setting foot in the address  I’d seen on the bottom margin of countless pieces we’d played, only to be slightly disappointed and bemused to find it was not much more than a stuffy upstairs office populated by one or two ladies, and little, if any, sign of scores and parts. (With apologies if there was more to it than we were privy to).

I recognise Smith’s current address as part of the Salvation Army’s vast brass band operation but a search through their catalogue of brass band marches seems to be devoid of Salome (and other Rimmer marches). Maybe it’s that copyright law is complex and the march is no longer in their charge, which if so, brings me back to the band world relying on existing copies or perhaps on the National Brass Band Archive, though I’m not sure whether they are in a position to distribute such things - it’s not immediately obvious to me. I’m more than prepared to admit that could be down to my lack of attention in not reading the site information adequately.

So, in terms of Mainly Brass, my radio programme, I have but one recording of the wonderful RImmer march, Salome. It’s from the album, ‘Rimmer’ [1999 Doyen label (DOY CD080)] and is very nicely executed by the Foden’s Courtois Band with Elgar Howarth at the helm.

But, as they say, variety is the spice of life, and if there’s another good recording of Salome in existence, and which is accessible, I’d love to hear about it. Whether there is or not, I’d like to think that one of our top recording bands will, sooner rather than later, add at least one more great performance, befitting of this banding treasure, to the broadcaster’s arsenal.

I’ll be (more or less) patiently waiting for a new recording, and I guarantee that, should it be recorded to the standard it deserves, it will be played regularly across Tameside’s and Greater Manchester’s airwaves and quite probably far beyond.....

This Blog in no way purports to be an authoritative take on the subject of it’s content. It is merely a few meandering thoughts and personal questions posed in light of those meandering thoughts.

John Golland’s musical legacy is administered by the John Golland Trust

To see the upcoming Mainly Brass playlist, visit ‘What’s on this Sunday?’

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Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes.

Sigmund Freud

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Downsizing

It isn’t really in my nature to share information about myself or about things I’ve done, or am up to. In spite of living a fairly large portion of my life in public, I’m essentially a  private person, and I question whether anyone, other than family, would be at all interested in what I’m doing.

So in the main, this Blog is for me, though it’s going public just in case anyone should wish to dip in and spend the odd minute here, or for when there are things I want people to see or hear.

So, downsizing. What’s that about? Well for many years, my tummy was relatively flat. Not muscular or anything like that, but just flattish. Then age kicks in, and in common with most other silverbacks, there’s a tendency to eat and drink rather more than is needed, In my case, a distinct dislike of physical exertion didn’t help. (A dislike brought about in Secondary school, unwittingly I suppose, by what I saw as our despotic, sadistic P.E. Führer, whose sole purpose in life - from my point of view as a small, 11 year old rotund creature) was to make little fat kids’ lives as miserable as possible - especially with incessant, cruel, cross-country runs, usually in the middle of blizzards. I said an early au revoir to a career in sport! (lol)

My weight, for years was solid at around 11st. 7lbs . Then it ramped up to 12 st. for another good few years. 12st 7lbs came next, and stayed pretty stable for a time before edging up to 13st 3lbs.

13st 3lbs became the norm for a relatively long time, untl I became the CIvic Mayor of a Greater Manchester Borough in 2009. Being the Mayor was one of the best things I’ve ever done, but it came at a cost, with a lot of joy and satisfaction too, I’ve got to say. I got to meet so many wonderful volunteers and visited so many of their events during that year that I was run ragged. I loved it though, especially as engagements often included tucking into a buffet - and I’m  a sucker for a buffet. In fact, ironically I could beat an Olympic Gold Medallist to a buffet.

By May 2010, the end of my Mayoral year, the scales were groaning and showing a steady 14st 3lbs. I was happy that at least I’d reached the final weight and it had apparently stabilised.

This Christmas blew a hole in the notion that I’d reached my final weight. 14st 5lbs was the reading that made me realise I needed to do something.

So I did. I bought a Treadmill, I bought a Misfit Flash and I opened an account at Myfitnesspal.

Up until then, I’d assumed that I was OK to eat around 2Kcals a day as an adult male, but after joining Myfitnesspal I learned that I should be limiting my intake to about 1.5Kcals. Someone of my stature uses about 2k just to exist, so eating less than that theoretically causes the body to use the stored blubber amassed over the ages!

I’m not sure how accurate that lot is, but the gist is correct, because that’s roughly what I’ve been sticking to since late January and I’ve lost a bit over a stone. Oh, and the treadmill is in use every day. Not too much; I stick to 30 minutes and by varying the speed and inclination I generally do 1.5-1.6 miles at around 3.5 mph. According to the built in screen, I use between 160 and 190 calories - which Myfitnesspal tells me I can add to my daily rations, but I don’t. When you’ve sweated to lose the equivalent of a couple of diet yoghurts, you think twice (except on those increasingly rare occasions when you know you’ll die if you don’t quaff a quick whisky and dry ginger) before stuffing something into your mouth that’s going to wreck your efforts.

The Misfit Flash is an activity tracker that you wear on your wrist and it does what it’s name suggests. When I upload my daily activities (automatically via bluetooth) I’m ever so proud when it shows the exact time of my exercise and proclaims it to be “Intensive exercise”. (The Flash has a lot of negative reviews mainly about it’s flimsy wrist strap. I’ve been very careful with mine - and I rarely take it off - it measures your sleep patterns too) and I’ve had no problems so far.

As well as my weight, I noticed that my blood pressure was gradually on the rise. Not enough for the doctor to prescribe something, but a bit worrying nevertheless. Since I’ve been exercising and eating/drinking less, the blood pressure has stabilised at much lower levels. A really welcome added bonus I hadn’t even thought about.

I weighed myself this morning and I’d reached my pre-Mayoral weight (Fanfares & Cheers). In spite of the self satisfied grin it induced across my face, I know that’s still too heavy for a sedentary 64 year-old, so the battle goes on. My ‘target’ weight is 12st 7lbs and I suppose I’ll always have to be fairly careful not to return to my hedonistic appetite, but with this new determination, helped along with some neat technological feedback, I know I’m going to get there.