The Same Same But Different - By Mike Smith

It's acceptable to wear yellow at a black tie event right?

[thesamesamebutdifferent]

#100DaysofHappiness - Day Four.

So day four is following on from day three but also links back to day two. After my mini-meltdown on Day two I decided that I would do something about it! I'm going to declare that I shall live off of rabbit food, go to the gym 14 times a week and power walk around my shop.. But I'm going to be more productive about it!

So before the previous evenings Eurovision party I decided that I was going to walk home from my friends to my house, which to be fair is only around 3 miles so it's nothing ridiculous. But it's a journey that I have always taken by bus, hey if I'm paying close to £100 for a bus pass I'm getting my monies worth!

So when it came time to leave I briefly considered scrapping the idea and taking the bus but forced myself to commit to the walk.. and I'm glad I did. It was lovely actually just walking along a really scenic route, the weather was dry but fresh so I proudly (semi-proudly) showed off my Bolton Wanderers shirt (Don't see many Bolton fans in Bath) and marched along. Don't quite see the necessity in saying hello to every dog walker, cyclist and jogger but that appears to be cycle path etiquette so we can roll with that!

Following the walk I have decided that me and my bright orange trainers are going to walk home from work every evening that it's dry and I don't have plans.. So pretty much every evening I shall walk home, weather permitting.

[thesamesamebutdifferent]

#100DaysofHappiness - Day Three.

For anyone who knows me, they could easily predict what my day of happiness was going to be for today (yesterday, yes I'm a day late) was going to be Eurovision!

Eurovision is crap... But my god is it brilliant crap! I love it. The fact it's so politically driven adds to the charm! No it doesn't matter how good our song is, and I was quite impressed with ours this year, we won't win it again! Yes it's clear that the former Soviet blocks vote for each other, and Scandinavia vote for each other and Azerbaijan won't vote for Armenia and vice-versa but look past that!

Look at the celebration! It's a party! Who cares who hosts it.. Enjoy yourself! And that's exactly what I did! I'd love to say that I attended a giant Eurovision party but I didn't.. It was me and one of my closest friends, sat round hers, with a few drinks and some terribly drawn flags on our cheeks! But I'll tell you what... I plan on doing the exact same thing next year!

P.S - Poland really should of won!!

[thesamesamebutdifferent]

#100DaysofHappiness - Day Two.

Glorious day today and for once it has happened to fall on my day off. With this in mind I decided to head into the even more glorious city of Bath and run a few errands. After picking up my mother's birthday presents (one day late) and some face paint and bunting (It's Eurovision tomorrow you know!) I decided to do a bit of shopping for myself!

 I don't enjoy shopping for myself. I will happily buy for others but unless its essential I begrudge browsing the shops.. seriously! Where is the pleasure?

I have been telling myself for a while to get some new trainers so I can actually start to jog again. This is my feeble attempt at starting a fitness regime to ditch the excess weight that has seemed to overtake my life.. but I soon talked myself out of that!

Then it hit me.. I'll buy a new suit. I spend my life in them and my current ones have become a bit.. tight.. too say the least! So onwards I marched through SouthGate on the hunt for some new threads.

I came across a suit that took my fancy, grey that looked slightly like tweed. Just what I after! After trying on my "regular" sized jacket I gave in and accepted I was no longer that size so filing through the rail trying to find a bigger size. So after I found a suitable size (Get it? Suit-able!!!) off to the changing room I marched, determined not to talk my self out of spending £129 they were after!

Then the mini breakdown occurred when I stood in front of the mirror looking like a 90 year old man whose body has taken it's course of nature! Like for real... How can the buttons burst at the bottom but give the appearance that I have no neck?

After a few stomps and silent huffs I handed the suit to the girl in the changing room telling her it wasn't "suitable" and left the store remembering why I don't shop.

But I wasn't going home empty handed.. I was going to find something that fit.. and this is where the funky socks come into it! At least my feet aren't getting bigger!

I actually think I prefer them over the suit in hindsight.

[bigbangtheory-fan-blog]

Jim Parsons by Peter Hapak [ Download HQ]

[thesamesamebutdifferent]

#100DaysofHappiness - Day One.

My alarm went of at 7 o'clock this morning. The Match of the Day theme tune awaking me from another restless nights sleep. Normally it indicates that I have another 20 minutes before I have to get up however this morning is different, this morning I was being summoned to head office for my appraisal. I hate appraisals! So this called for one thing.. My lucky tie!

I went into the meeting literally sweating with fear. Every possible outcome running through my head, all negative.

I exited the meeting feeling stupid... Because of the thoughts I was thinking before I entered. My appraisal went fantastically! Things may not be perfect but I can now officially back myself up knowing that my superiors are happy with and confident in my ability.

So, this was as good of a reason as any to celebrate. I get to enjoy a day off the following day so I may as well go wild! Wild as in a curry for the local takeaway and not one, but two bottles of Bulmers. Admittedly one bottle is in the fridge still but hey, don't want to celebrate too much!

Of course, this is all down to the lucky tie!  

[thesamesamebutdifferent]

It needs to be a suprise... That's the point!

So I've never really understood Tumblr, or blogging. I mean.. what's the point? I don't honestly believe that what I type will be of any interest to any one. Then it hit me! People blog for themselves! Right?

So despite coming to this conclusion I never really felt a need to blog. First of all, my staying power is minimal. Like my many many healthy living campaigns. It would be one month of jogs, tuna salads and press-ups and then boom.. The six pack of Pork Pies become a daily occurrence during my 20 minute lunch hour.

But then things changed, my perspective on certain aspects of my daily routine changed. The same thing happening over and over again took it's toll. Work is great, friends are amazing and family is strong.. but something was missing. Now when you look around and see what some people are facing I am the first to stand up and shout... "Well then what are you bitching about?"

I don't want pack-up sticks and go gallivanting around Asia to truly find myself. I just want the Same.... but different. (Hence the blog title).

So while thinking about it I came across the #100daysofhappiness trend on Twitter. Something that makes you look for the good in each day, which in essence is how everybody should live their lives. I was determined.. I was going to do it!

So this is how I came to the conclusion that I shall combine blogging and the happiness trend into one new adventure. But when to start? Maybe the last Sunday because I went to Thorpe Park? Maybe April 30th because that's payday? But that defies the point of the exercise. You need to start the day not knowing what will make you happy.. that's the point!

So today was the first day I started hunting for happiness.