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FootVolley - Rio Style

In the past I have played a lot of beach volleyball and loved it. Over the New Year in Rio though, I noticed the newer version of FootVolley taking over the beaches. It's basically the same as volleyball, only you can't use your hands or arms.  I guess with the popularity of football/soccer in Brazil it's not a surprise that this is taking off. The guys playing it have to be quite fit and in general they look incredibly toned and athletic, which makes watching a game not very difficult at all as you'll see in these photos. (sigh) I have enough trouble being able to use my arms, but these guys make it look easy, I imagine it would be as easy as playing tennis without a racket.

It was mostly men playing, but obviously not always.

They all seemed to be having a lot of fun, but I guess, they were on the Beach in Rio, it's hard not to. 

Click on images for larger versions.

Run Superchilled, Run.

I have blisters on my feet. Walking is somewhat difficult especially if it's at all uphill as my calf muscles are rather tight. But I'm feeling great. Today I did my first race involving more than a little bit of running, 7.2km in total after a 900m swim. 

Not known to be a runner I have managed to surprise everyone (myself included) and managed a formidable race time. My dad cried as I ran over the finishing line, expecting me to be somewhere in the middle of the pack I expect, The Frenchman was at the coffee shop having a machiato as he thought I'd be quite a bit longer getting to the finish line. I'm not sure what my final position was yet - waiting for the online posting of that, but it seems there might be some heightened expectations for my next race...

The Race Continues...

Long time readers of superchilled will recall the Race Around the World... Where your challenge is to identify the location of the photo shown, or to create an interesting story to go with it. Today we have a new pitstop and it is a segueway into my next post. I need specifics, it isn't too hard.  Whoever gets the most accurate and most creative answers wins, and I might even send them a larger version of the photo (you know you want a close up of the men). For a medium size image - click on the photo. First and best win. 

The race is on.

Can you get enough?

I've had a great break, and being away from web-publishing /posting for a while it has allowed me think about exposure & personal revelation on the web and indeed in everyday life.

 

During the break I read an article in the Sydney Morning Herald entitled Too Much Information (see the full article here), and it resonated strongly with me. It basically explores the concept of keeping things personal in an increasingly public world.

What do we think we can reasonably expect to know about other people, and they about us?

The gossip magazines know our appetite for celebrity news, their continued existence demonstrates that clearly. But these days it isn't just about celebrities. Reality TV shows take us into the hearts and minds of their literal guy-next-door stars, blogs tell-all about their authors as well as whatever information they divulge about others. It's not just what they're wearing or where they're holidaying, it's who they're having sex with and how they're doing it, what they're obsessing over, what's happening in their relationships & families, why they're having counselling; there really is no limit to the detail. Blogs and Facebook pages become forums on their owners' private lives, whether they like it or not, though usually triggered by self published information. The more we see it around us, the more we expect people to be forthcoming with all the details of their intimate lives. 

Personal information has become not a saleable commodity, but an expected part of routine social intercourse. Penile dimensions and sexual preferences often prioritised ahead of personality, occupation or, god forbid, political persuasion. Conversations that don't enter into the sordid are seen as bland, boring, conservative and oh-so-last-century. I was sitting chatting with The Frenchman and close female friend of ours in a public space last week when a woman sitting within earshot interrupted us to ask if we were a threesome. We were speechless. 

The future is looking to get even more invasive. Today's primary school kids email and text each other day and night discussing their latest crushes and all manner of topics, just a decade ago you'd rarely have seen a letter and even more rarely a phone call from these kids who are now texting 24/7.  How much information about their school mates will they know by the time they get to high school? 

I see relationships being shredded live on the net with all and sundry getting in on the action with intimate details let loose. People get hurt, and the world looks on and wants more. What's the juice? What's the Goss? Who's doing what to whom? It's okay, you can tell me, [I'll only divulge it if it feels right at the time.]

Have you ever been told that because you haven't shared your entire sexual history with someone, you're not really a friend?

When will we get enough? Will we ever be satiated with the information we draw in?

And do we really need it?

It seems what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas any more. The ability to compartmentalise various aspects of our lives is seen now as a bad thing, transparency is king. But laying our lives bare for analysis and criticism is not always productive and frequently boundaries are blurred and out of context we are misinterpreted. Do you want to have your manhunt or gaydar profile blended with your Facebook profile? Being able to share things deeply personal with a trusted few is something that enriches those relationships. Share them with the world and do people really appreciate it?

Are we happy to divulge our personal lives to everyone? Personally I'm increasingly not. There are elements that I'm happy to share where I feel my experiences may benefit others. There are bloggers who are extremely candid with their posts about their lives which can put them in the firing line from all and sundry. Certainly there are times when this can truly be beneficial, especially in the gay world where dealing with HIV, family and coming out can be significantly aided by following others' personal experiences. But where is the boundary between personal development and voyeuristic infotainment? 

I like a little mystery, uncertainty, the element of surprise. It's what makes the world an interesting place and people more intriguing. Having to make a little effort to explore all the hidden places in people's lives is a lot more interesting than having them served up on a platter. It is after all the journey that is half the fun, and I want 100% not just half of it.

Happy New Year from Rio

The New Year really did start off with a bang, in lots of ways. Wandering along the Copacabana beach promenade through a sea of people, stalls selling all manner of foods along the way, boiling oil on makeshift tables, cheese, prawns and various meats sizzling on grills, or waiting raw to be thrown on and garnished along the way. Other stalls selling flashing 2009 glasses or toxic cocktails, a sniff of one enough to send you into a spin. The background music live and energetically keeping people moving to the beat, smiles on their faces. There were kids of all ages runnign about playing, families, and groups of friends all side by side or mixed up together. Guys dancing together, then running into the surf and waving their speedos in the air, their butts (and more) as well. A collection of Englishmen in white (the prequisite dress code for New Year in Rio) and looking like they´d just navigated a yacht in, wandered towards us and planted themselves before us, all enjoying the abundant cute men on the beach as much as we were, themselves not so hard on the eye either. The midnight countdown ensued and the beach suddenly bathed in the light of endless fireworks, not completely coordinated but not really caring, lighting too the 8 or 9 ocean liners anchored off the beach to take part in the spectacle. The men out of their speedos hit the water again and noone remembers when the fireworks ended, but it was all good fun, a little champagne thrown in along the way. Some energetic kisses thrown in too welcoming in the new year, with new faces in new places.

It´s certainly the best New Year´s Eve I´ve ever celebrated. If the year that follows continues in this vein, then I´m in for one hell of a fantastic year.

Happy New Year everyone.

Regathering

It's my last day at work this year. I've been ready for this day every day for the past 2 weeks.
Each day I've woken up and felt that today would be a great day to be on holiday. Each day I have gone to work.
I love my work - and I'm almost always looking forward to being there - but in recent weeks I've been more keen to be anywhere but. I've had no drive, no abundance of energy, no buzz about the idea of being there - and in some cases quite the opposite.


It's a sign that I need to abort - get out and get out quickly. This past 2 weeks have been the slowest in the last 10 years. People keep saying how fast Christmas has come along - for me it's seemed an eternity.


As you may have noticed, I've not had a lot of drive here at Superchilled either. I've stared at blank 'create post' pages and they stare back at me saying 'yeah, I'll take you on, punk!' And they have, and they have won. And I haven't minded. I've moved along quietly and been quite happy to be absent. I've felt an increasing need to find my 15 minutes of anonymity.

Right now I'm in an anonymous airport in the middle of, well, nowhere really, or everywhere perhaps for some but I'm in transit off to somewhere else so it means nothing to me today but a chance to stretch out and finally finish this post I started in the wee hours of the morning back at home. Normally when that accelerating force on takeoff presses me into my seat I'll feel like I'm on holidays, but today I don't, not yet, perhaps it because I've worked today and have been on a mission to get to the airport and I still have a thousand things going through my head. Regardless I've seen a few movies including Wanted - which I'd never heard of before with Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman & others that is really quite stunning. Probably better still on a big screen, because it was already impressive on the small plane one. The Bose Noise cancelling headphones loaned me by my very good friends (as well as one for The Frenchman) are fantastic. I'll have them for the next few weeks of travel which is fantastic. After just one leg of testing I'm convinced I'll need my own for the next trip.

I'm going to be under the radar for a while now. My few weeks of radio silence, with perhaps occasional static if I feel so inclined, until mid January while I regather in various locations on this big planet. In the meantime have a fantastic Christmas with people close to you. Celebrate the New Year like it is really something fresh and new and exciting, and enjoy the time out to regather your own thoughts and ideas and plans for the year ahead. It's been a pleasure being a part of your lives for 2008 and I look forward to loads of exciting things in 2009.

Pass the ball?

Nick Youngquest is seen here on the cover of the latest release from the guys over at Gods of Football. These guys bare all, or almost all at least to raise money for women with breast cancer. I don't know about you but I know loads of women close to me, friends and family,  who have or have had breast cancer and any support for them is welcomed by me. Check out more at their website linked above, the photos are by Pedro Virgil who is increasingly making his name photographing such ugly brutes, poor thing. 

Good Old Fashioned Fun.

I'm very ready to not be working for a while. I've put enough into work for a while and weekdays are for preparing for the weekend after all. This past weekend was the perfect weekend to prepare for, in most respects, so I'm going to turn work off for a few weeks , very soon.

I woke this morning somewhere new. A few gusts of westerly wind rustling the towering gum trees above me. It was in Sydney's northern beaches region. A family beach house, family included. There followed a pleasant and slow start to the day with the Bilgola Ocean Swim the morning's focus.

It was a lot of fun. I even had energy to sprint to the finish, which is always good. Chatting with friends old and new followed and some surfing after that not too far away. It was like being on holiday already. Sunny, warm,  just lazing about by the beach & in the water grabbing food when desired and not too worried about anything in particular. 

I've been taking long walks with The Frenchman and The Hound regularly of late - power walks I guess, along the quite grand sea cliff bridge here, often in the late afternoon or early evening. It has been sensational in a lot of senses. The beauty of the location, the changing light & moods of the ocean, the varying breezes and air temperatures. Tonight it was just warm enough to not feel cold and to not get too hot with a fast walk. Perfect really. It's also a great time to talk about all manner of things, and talk we do as we absorb the surroundings and maintain our elevated heart rates. 

It's the simple pleasures that have been true pleasures of late. 

My old fashioned summer has started. 

photos from oceanswims.com click the link for more. 

Bondi to Bronte Ocean Swim

Sunday was my first ocean swim for the season. From Bondi Beach to Bronte Beach in Sydney. All up it was 2.3 km and there were around 1800 competitors. A fantastic swim, a great day and despite early cloud a very summery feel to the day. 

I'm loving the weather right now - very summery with the classic feel I knew as a kid. Southerly busters coming through after hot days cooling things down and starting the cycle all over. I'm ready to be on holidays already - but they will come soon enough, and after today I feel like I'm on holiday already. I've hiked, I've swum the ocean blue and the training pool. Driving around today it was all with the roof down, wind in my hair, even this evening in the balmy weather. It feels fantastic, I've felt like laughing out loud, maybe I have. It's the crazy time of the year, but I'm especially busy, planning to move house (yes we sold up) travel a few continents and get set for a host of life changes in 2009. But it's all looking like a lot of fun and a lot of excitement with the changes to happen. 

Next weekend, despite being crazy busy already we're likely to head to the Northern Beaches - on the other side of Sydney and compete in another swim there. it's a reasonably short swim at 1.5km, but I'm going less for the swim and more for the social stuff that's going to be happening with friends & newly acquired family. 

Despite the financial gloom and the international issue I'm feeling decidedly optimistic. People have complained in the past that everything is always just perfect for me, that I'm lucky with everything in my life blah blah blah, and I used to try to camouflage when things were going well as a result. I think I'm over that now, if people want to be negative - they can do it in their own time - there's too much good stuff out there to waste time on the negative. And while I'm contemplating putting Wild Wednesdays out to pasture, if you are a die hard WW fan, then optimism is today's theme. Be optimistic about everything - make it happen. 

photos are from the Bondi to Bronte swim website

Matt Mitcham Update

An update for Matt Mitcham fans: Here is a link to an article / interview with Matt in today's Sydney Morning Herald. Definitely worth a read.

Click here for the article.

antiwild wednesday

Today is a calming Wednesday.  A time to escape to your own space. 

In a world of constant movement, constant change and frequent contact with colleagues, family, friends and electronic bleeps updating you on the comings and going of everyone in your world, it can be refreshing to get away from it all and find your own space. A place you find quiet & peaceful, a calming place for the soul. 

Take 30 minutes out of your day and give it to you. Take yourself to a place that relaxes you - it might be the park, a museum, it might be a railway station or airport, or by a stream in a forest. My place is on the rocks by the surf just near home - a place that takes me away from it all and makes me feel invigorated no matter how much time I spend there. 

Forced Relaxation

Give me 30+ degrees air, 32+ degrees water, humidity feeling over 100% and it's a sure fire recipe for 'not much is going to happen' and as it turns out, not much did. 

We escaped for a long weekend in the tropical north and got a long weekend of tropical heat. When you get outside and plan to be active - your energy is rapidly depleted and you don't think in terms of how fast or how far you can run, but how you can slow down and yet get to somewhere cool quicker. Of course if you sit down in the shade with a fan blowing - you don't sweat quite as much - but you still sweat. 

It may sound unlike it, but I quite enjoyed it. It was good to just chill and watch the world go by, very slowly. To read a little, turn the music up loud, swim repeatedly, shower repeatedly, chat, go shopping, occasionally explore tropical and oceanic things, and eat out a bit. Oh and there were a few cute men to ponder over as well, which is never a bad thing. Though just a tad less energy to anything much more.

But there has been a lot happening to think about , to plan, and to ponder. And this weekend away was good for just that. 

Arriving back in the relative cool of Sydney was invigorating.

It's nice to go away, but it's oh so nice to come home. 

Far North Queensland

It's hot, very hot. It's also very humid. I heard someone say today "you can drink the air" as we climbed down the stairs from our Qantas 767 when it arrived at the terminal in Cairns. I feel wet and I haven't ventured anywhere near a pool.

It's strange to fly in the same longitude in your own country and have the time go back an hour - but such is Queensland - a daylight savings non-believer. And the day is still young. So it's 11.30am and we're climbing into our black Astra hatchback. Why on earth do they have so many black cars up here? The rental carparks are filled with them. Surely they know that black absorbs heat, not something one needs to conserve up here. Thank god for air conditioning I say.

We head to Pool , yes that's the name of the place we're staying at, in Port Douglas about an hour north, and it is just like in the photos. When we jump in the mammoth pool though it's not quite the refreshment we're looking for - at above 31 degrees the water feels like a bath, so laps are attempted but it's futile. We splash about though and in the end feel cooler and it is feeling like a holiday after all. I collapse on the lounge afterwards having slept about 3 hours last night at work, and then head out to Zinc for an alfresco dinner featuring barramundi as main. The food is sensational, and when we leave despite declining dessert we feel overstuffed, or is it just the humidity?

There were no storms that they predicted - and I'm wondering what's in store for us tomorrow.

Matt Mitcham Wins Again

Matthew Mitcham last night won Sports Performer of the Year award, beating a host of high profile athletes to the top position. The report on the event here in the Sydney Morning Herald suggests he still doesn't have any sponsorships, which seems rather surprising, and somewhat disappointing. The $50000 prize surely won't cause him any grief though. 

I think he looks as sexy in black tie as he does in speedos. 

A big superchilled congratulations to Matt.

Wild Hot Exercise Wednesday

It was the perfect day for a run in the park, and today that's just what I did. Headed to Boy Charlton Pool here I met a good friend and ran around Mrs Macquarie's point, along the Sydney Harbour shoreline through the botanic gardens, around the Opera House and back. The sun was out, a cool breeze to keep us from overheating, and a dip in the pool for some laps afterwards refreshed us for the evening's events. A perfect activity for a late spring afternoon. 

As you might tell, it's another superchilled wild exercise wednesday. Today is the day to take a friend and go get hot and sweaty for a half an hour or more. As with prior challenges any for of exercise will do, a walk, a run, a swim, or some very active sex, but be sure to make it last 30 minutes at least - you'll get hotter and leaner by the minute. And at the end you'll feel great... or your money back!

Ecstasy

In contrast to the week before it, the weekend was positively fantastic. I'm typically a gregarious person; there's nothing more that I love than catching up with friends and spending time. Some connections were by pure chance, some arranged well in advance and others much closer to the moment, but a collection of different people shared food, drinks, watched movies, walked swam or ran, discussed life the universe & braved the quite stormy elements with me this weekend. I've eaten some truly amazing food - highlights are the Tapas selection at diggies, the flourless chocolate cake at Fireworks cafe in Austinmer (honestly the best cake ever), the hot chocolate at Bourke Street Bakery, and the lamb strips at Onde. But the connection with all is they were meals and experiences shared. Perfect. 

I also managed to find a new pair of speedos that I like, and I managed to test them out in a brief moment of sunshine at Boy Charlton pool. They swim fast.

I'm very much looking forward to the week ahead. Who knows what will be thrown at me this week, but I'm recharged and ready for it!

localised showers

It was a day that started off badly. I was woken up at 5.20am to do work that should have been done a day before. I then slept one hour at a time (between work bits)  before ultimately throwing myself out of bed and into the pool. A boys' school group arrived and the first 5 minutes of bliss in a crystal pool became a spa pool of so many deodorant smells it was a sea of teenage angst. The guy who hit on me at the pool a few weeks back apologised at the scene of the crime - he had been about to abduct me back then - so it was kind of appropriate - we had a surprisingly reasonable conversation. 

Breakfast was at the usual suspect, diggies with a surprise friend. We chatted about all and sundry, including the medical dramas developing during the week, in the pleasant breeze of a perfect spring morning. I had a breakfast of bircher muesli mixed with with yoghurt, marinated strawberries & cranberries. I was surprised at how good the cranberries actually tasted. I'll order that again.

My breakfast buddy invited The Frenchman & myself to a tapas dinner back there in the evening with some of her friends after we'd mentally re-landscaped her garden. It was all over too soon and we were both off to work again. I arrived at the hospital, dropping my phone on getting out of my car to promptly step on it. Perfect.

With one patient I asked about how long she'd had the cancer affecting her liver to which her partner interjected (or should I say, lectured me) that she didn't know and until right now no-one had told her about it. He knew of course. There are so many things wrong with this scenario that I don't know where to begin. 

At gym after work I had an unexpected gym buddy. He was doing pretty much the same routine as me, running, then weights then abs then stretching. We'd chatted quite a few times there and at the pool - sexy man I might add, and it was great to actually spend some reasonable time chatting about life & loves in between the puffing and sweating. 

Dinner back at the regular was with my breakfast buddy, The Frenchman and 3 as yet unknown diners. We stayed until there was no-one else left at the restaurant, enjoying conversation that was sparking on all cylinders right to the end. I could easily do this regularly. I find out later that they in fact do do this every Friday - and we're welcome to join in the tradition. 

It wasn't such a bad day after all. 

Wild Wednesday

I've had my own Wild Wednesday - only on Tuesday this week.

It's not exactly something I want anyone else to have to go through so we're abandoning the communal aspect of the Superchilled Wild Wednesday today.

I'm not usually on the other side of the doctors desk, but Tuesday was the day - and I wish I could rewrite the whole of the day with more a tone of comedy than of drama, but alas, it is not to be. 

The rest of my day was spent reliving the consultation & investigations and the consequences of same. It's funny how your perspectives change so rapidly when you're faced with problems of significance.

I'm not going to go into detail, but if it gets a bit quiet here at superchilled - just bear with me. 

Something to wake up to

When I woke up today this music clip was in my inbox. Geoff & Terry sent it thinking I might like it. Oh how right they were!

Ultra Nate: Automatic 

3min 27sec