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Thread: Away from racing.

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    Away from racing.

    Away from racing I've been trying to sort myself out a bit. Not that I'm that bad but as I approach 40 I thought if I'm going to have a mid life crisis I might as well try and improve my life a bit instead of pressing the self destruct button. Amongst giving up smoking (about 8 months ago now ) I've started swimming, doing a little bits at the gym, eating a bit better (which I actually quite enjoy) I've also started reading a few things but also being fairly lazy I've found that there are quite a lot of interesting things on you tube. I like pretty much anything that challenges the way I've thought about things and I've gone across a whole range of subjects.

    I thought if its o.k with you guys I'd link some of the things I find worthwhile here. I watched this brilliant interview by Joe Rogan with Teddy atlas about Mike Tyson and I know he had history with him putting a gun to his head for whatever went down but I thought what he says is so true and I don't think it could be explained better.


    https://youtu.be/3wCZY_vW860


    I don't know if putting these sort of links up is o.k with you guys or even if you'd find them interesting but if it is o.k and it stimulates some discussion then I'll put some more up as I come across them or some of my old favourites. If anyone else comes across anything interesting and its o.k with the boss or the Mods then post them up
    Man who catch fly with chopstick .... accomplish anything.

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    Good to hear that you've kicked the smoking habit, Danny. I don't think many people realise how addictive smoking is and how incredibly hard it is to stop. The main thing that helped me was my first grandchild being born and not wanting to go near him after I'd had a cigarette. 12 years later and I still think about having a cigarette sometimes but now understand why my son used to tell me that the house stank of tobacco. I used to worry about what smoking was doing to my health and when worried I'd reach for another cigarette.

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    Quote Originally Posted by moehat View Post
    Good to hear that you've kicked the smoking habit, Danny. I don't think many people realise how addictive smoking is and how incredibly hard it is to stop. The main thing that helped me was my first grandchild being born and not wanting to go near him after I'd had a cigarette. 12 years later and I still think about having a cigarette sometimes but now understand why my son used to tell me that the house stank of tobacco. I used to worry about what smoking was doing to my health and when worried I'd reach for another cigarette.
    I stopped almost 4 years ago now, but do Vape instead, I had tried many times before that and never managed. Don't actually feel much different, although haven't had a cough since, and the car and house don't smell of smoke any more. Nor do the white ceilings have a yellow tinge to them meaning painting every 6 months! Best thing I've done. Now need to lose some weight after being diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes, that was only 2 weeks before Xmas though, and after looking at what foods to avoid, just though, screw that, wait till after Xmas lol.

    @Danny well done on your changes, you are welcome to post them in here

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    Try cycling Danny if on a lifestyle kick still. It's a beautiful way to get around and get some exercise in
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

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    I own a beautiful 9 month old Black Labrador pup (first ever dog) and he has changed our lives even after 3 kids.
    We go out to the country with him most days and love seeing different outdoor places which we would never have bothered with.

    Well done on the fags.....I gave up 5 years ago and now can't believe I ever smoked. Hope that I don't suffer in the long term.

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    At 60-something I've yet to have a mid-life crisis, unless giving up booze, baccy and entheogens almost simultaneously aged 58 counts, which it might well. I do still vape, pinch a bit o'snuff and have the odd glass of wine on high days and holidays

    If age brings anything it brings - me anyway - the realisation that it's the simple pleasures that supply lasting satisfaction: birdsong, a sunny day, a saunter in the countryside, cultivating my garden, reading, rumpy-pumpy

    The acquisition of 'stuff', apart from an exquisite wardrobe and collection of equally exquisite welted leather footwear, never really meant much to me; and means next-to-zilch now

    A roof over my head, adequate finances, fresh food and plenty of exposure to the natural world is all I've ever needed, and increasingly all I want

    Lucky man that I am, I've never been without my needs

    Link away Danny. I certainly wouldn't knock gym and swimming as methods to improve body and mind, but do try long solo no-particular-place-to-go slow-and-silent walks in the countryside: the ultimate high

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    Quote Originally Posted by harry View Post
    I own a beautiful 9 month old Black Labrador pup (first ever dog) and he has changed our lives even after 3 kids.
    We go out to the country with him most days and love seeing different outdoor places which we would never have bothered with.


    Well done on the fags.....I gave up 5 years ago and now can't believe I ever smoked. Hope that I don't suffer in the long term.

    I'm biased but a dog will change anyone's life for the better. Enjoy it harry
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

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    Agree about walking and dogs and getting the latter will ensure the former.

    My wee Heinz is four years gone come a couple of weeks' time and he's still left a huge hole in our lives. I'm not keeping the weight off the way I used to but can't yet bring myself to get another, partly due to the emotional damage his passing caused me (I'm not sure I could go through it again) and partly because our life plans are fluid due to the prospect of moving to Spain.

    Because of my age (over 60) I can get annual membership of the local authority gyms for £50-odd per annum and I like going down for a walk-jog-run-jog-walk on the treadmill for a good wee while, or a swim or a spell in the spa bath, sauna and steam room (where very occasionally you get some serious talent coming in ) or all of the above.

    On a dry morning where there's no threat of rain I'll happily take a long-route walk to morning mass which I find lifts me both physically and spiritually. It makes me wonder how totally shite my life would be if I weren't doing these things
    Illegitimi non carborundum


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    Quote Originally Posted by Drone View Post
    At 60-something I've yet to have a mid-life crisis, unless giving up booze, baccy and entheogens almost simultaneously aged 58 counts, which it might well. I do still vape, pinch a bit o'snuff and have the odd glass of wine on high days and holidays

    If age brings anything it brings - me anyway - the realisation that it's the simple pleasures that supply lasting satisfaction: birdsong, a sunny day, a saunter in the countryside, cultivating my garden, reading, rumpy-pumpy

    The acquisition of 'stuff', apart from an exquisite wardrobe and collection of equally exquisite welted leather footwear, never really meant much to me; and means next-to-zilch now

    A roof over my head, adequate finances, fresh food and plenty of exposure to the natural world is all I've ever needed, and increasingly all I want

    Lucky man that I am, I've never been without my needs

    Link away Danny. I certainly wouldn't knock gym and swimming as methods to improve body and mind, but do try long solo no-particular-place-to-go slow-and-silent walks in the countryside: the ultimate high
    Actually sounds like we'd have a lot in common drone. Even though the area I'm from (in the midlands) isn't the most desirable place to be walking around we still have a fair few spots that are nice for walking around fairly close by. Cannock Chase isn't far from me, the Wrekin in Telfordish/Shropshire, Clent Hills all nice spots.

    Granger. I did try cycling last summer but I think I was a little unprepared I jumped on my bike went for a ride over the local reservoir got about 4 mile a way from my house and got a puncture ended up pushing the bike the whole way back in the middle of summer sun beating down and knowing I'd a 12 hour shift to do that night haha wasn't pleasant. I'll certainly be having another go when it warms up a bit.

    That was the other big life changing thing that I'd forgot to mention and that's after 13 years of working nights which I basically only started so that I could fetch my daughter from school on an afternoon I've managed to get back onto a day shift job which is a blessing as for the last few years I've probably been living on around 3 hours sleep a day which has been rough to say the least. The Job is a lot easier physically as well as I've spent the last 15 years either pouring molten metal (1500C) or breaking iron with an hammer for 12 hours a night or when I'm really lucky shovelling tonnes of black sand. The new job I've got is an assistant in the lab at the same place and is a lot lighter work a lot better for my health but a huge drop in wages about 10k a year. I've hopefully negated that through my punting to some effect and using the dough to good effect so hopefully I can still keep the wolf from the door for the foreseeable.

    Start next Wednesday I'm bit nervous as its a huge lifestyle change but hopefully it'll all work out well.
    Last edited by Danny; 28th December 2018 at 8:00 PM.
    Man who catch fly with chopstick .... accomplish anything.

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    Get yourself some puncture proof tyres Danny. As long as you keep the pressure hard enough you'll be good to go
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

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    Quote Originally Posted by Danny View Post
    the Wrekin in Telfordish/Shropshire,

    The Job is a lot easier physically as well as I've spent the last 15 years either pouring molten metal (1500C) or breaking iron with an hammer for 12 hours a night or when I'm really lucky shovelling tonnes of black sand. The new job I've got is an assistant in the lab at the same place and is a lot lighter work a lot better for my health
    I love Shropshire and have spent several holidays there: the Wrekin, Longmynd and Stiperstones offer fine walks with fascinating geology. Ludlow and Shrewsbury are fine towns too. The urban ambling of the flaneur can be rewarding too

    I'm sure health 'n' safety for what I assume is essentially foundry work is strict these days, and rightly so; therefore I'm sure you're hard labour has kept you strong and fit, though it's not something to do all your working life. I grew up in Sheffield and saw first-hand the impact a lifetime working in the steelworks had on health: buggered lungs mainly, though differently buggered to those who worked down t'pit

    Good luck with the new job

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    Best of luck Danny, I know its an old cliche but money isnt everything, your health is much more important.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Drone View Post

    I'm sure health 'n' safety for what I assume is essentially foundry work is strict these days, and rightly so; therefore I'm sure you're hard labour has kept you strong and fit, though it's not something to do all your working life. I grew up in Sheffield and saw first-hand the impact a lifetime working in the steelworks had on health: buggered lungs mainly, though differently buggered to those who worked down t'pit
    You'd be surprised re-health and safety what they still get away with tbh. They have certainly improved though over the years and as the ex miner brigade explain to the young ones on a regular basis its nothing in comparison to t'pit. And there are enough ex-miners in these parts to warrant our very own tin man.

    https://binged.it/2rW0k7m

    An ex school mate of mine got a bit boozed up this time last year climbed up and attempted to put a Santa hat on him
    Last edited by Danny; 28th December 2018 at 9:41 PM.
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    I live in Shrewsbury great place to live for life

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    You come across here as a thoroughly good egg on here Danny and I am pleased to see your focus and achievements. I'm close to looking 60 (+retirement) square on and constantly reflecting on what I need to focus on for better lifestyle balance. My current regime is wine, golf, food, squash and Grandchildren. The latter is 89% of my happiness - 6.5 of them so far and couldn't have enough. Admittedly they are all incredibly talented, intelligent, good looking, kind and lovable. (Even the three that live close to DO in Glasgow.)

    Something that has surprised me recently. Bought a mobile home close to a beach and some remote nature spaces in Nth Wexford a couple of years back. Few places I'd rather be and amazingly positive for mood and mental health, because I have learned to think of nothing when I go there. + I have stopped going to Airports so much at weekends since - a beautiful development.
    "And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.

    And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."

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    The good egg thing is a work in progress. I've struggled for so long in life and been through a hell of a lot I used to be quite resentful I suppose of people who've had much nicer easier paths and lived more fuller lives than I had the chance to. I've learned to let that go and for the want of a better expression "get the **** on with it ". I didn't have much guidance in life really and I've just had to learn most things the hard way and as such I suppose just felt a bit sorry for myself. Things I've seen and things I've read have taught me whilst my life had been bloody tough and hard work and I'd lost a lot of loved ones and friends far too young, that well, a lot of people had it a lot worse. That's fairly obvious really and of course people would point to the fact there are people starving in the world ...but you never really take that sort of thing in do you ? I don't know at which point it really changed I suppose it was over time but I listened to the story some years ago of an old lady ( Kitty Hart Moxon ? ) an Auschwitz survivor and that was probably the first time I can recall being struck by something that I thought how the hell does somebody get through something that tough. I think at one point she described how her and her daughter who slept on concrete floors and were fed literally nothing but bread and water carried out their daily tasks of hauling dead bodies from the Gas chambers to the incinerators. I was struck by the fact that someone had lived through that, done those things and survived to get out and live for another 40-50 years and live a full life. I think from that point onwards I started to realise that life can be tough and it certainly has its hard moments for some more than others but I think it was from that point that I found a new appreciation for the life I had. Its then as I suppose Drone was alluding to if I had a roof over my head and a hot meal at the end of the day and the Girls we're healthy and well then, realistically, bugger all else matters and I think as time goes on you do learn to appreciate the simpler things in life.

    Through my toughest times I prayed for an easier life. So as I got myself in some sort of order, financially sorted, my daughter grown up sort of and into Uni for what that's worth, and problems got less and less …… well what the bloody hell does a bloke do then ? Nothing to worry about, no problems to fix and well that's it I'm lost. So recently I've discovered Jordan Peterson and his quest to get people to live a more meaningful life. Its a concept I've took to heart. His philosophy is life is bloody hard and there is a lot of suffering and then you die. Well that's pretty bleak, but true for the majority. His advice is what to do in the face of that and that is to be the best person that you can possibly be, get yourself together and then try to reduce some of that suffering in the world by helping others.


    That might all seem a bit deep for a horse racing forum but as of yet I can't really figure out a better way to see out the rest of my days than self improving and helping others who are struggling the same as I once did. At the very least I should be an expert on how things shouldn't be done
    Last edited by Danny; 28th December 2018 at 11:03 PM.
    Man who catch fly with chopstick .... accomplish anything.

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    A fruit loop of the highest order that Jordan peterson,coining in 80,000 a month from donations,supoerter of Tommy robinson etc,etc you can imagine the rest..

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    I have no idea who Tommy Robinson is Giggs but I've found most of what I've seen of JP's stuff to be very good advice in general its certainly helped me anyway.
    Man who catch fly with chopstick .... accomplish anything.

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    He believes universitys have a marxist ideology in teaching,men are being feminised, women are biologically not meant be doing what men do in terms of ambition role models etc,everything is biologiocal
    plus numerous other predictable things of the right,never trust someone who doesn't eat vegetables either...


    Doesn't believe in climate change either,no doubt another left wing thing that's been made up/...
    Last edited by gigilo; 29th December 2018 at 12:34 AM.

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    That's a very strange interpretation of his work giggs imo.

    Disappointed you didn't mention he sounds like Kermit the frog
    Last edited by Danny; 29th December 2018 at 12:52 AM.
    Man who catch fly with chopstick .... accomplish anything.

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