The M Word

Hi, I'm Chris Morris, and I do not fear the Edinburgh Marathon, the Edinburgh Marathon fears me.

Why am I talking about the Edinburgh Marathon? Well, I kinda decided to run it next year. Yep, unfit, non-athletic 16 stone Chris Morris who can't even run a mile at the moment, is going to run 26.2 miles in a year's time.

I was helping Joeman and Nathan move house last Friday (Which is literally round the corner from me, it's awesome!), and Nathan suggested I should try to run the marathon, to which I thought "Ah yeah, that's a brilliant idea!"

Less than twenty four hours later, I genuinely thought I was going to have a heart attack and die.

I used to go jogging round the reservoir at Clatto Park, which I had heard was a perfect mile. Now, I used to struggle to do that length before, but when I went for a jog in the early hours of Saturday morning, I literally thought I was going to need medical attention. I was so determined that I wasn't going to stop at all, and run the whole way, that when I finished, I felt extremely sick, and nearly threw up. My heart was beating so fast, I thought I was going to collapse.

I found out later that the length across the reservoir isn't a mile at all.

Yeah, one reservoir length plus another quarter and a bit is a mile. I can't even run a mile!

I went again on Sunday, this time in the evening, and I took Heather with me. I decided to actually go for the mile, but to pace myself a little more this time. I ran about three quarters of the reservoir length, and had to walk for a bit, then ran again, and walked for another bit, then ran to the mile point.

Although I had to stop and walk for a bit, I actually felt a lot better about it than on Saturday's attempt. I mean, I didn't feel I was going to die. I even text Nathan telling him saying "Just went for a jog, I did a mile but it nearly killed me!", to which he replied "Woop woop! Nice one!"

I don't think he knows I was actually being serious.

So as if this time next year isn't terrifying enough with going to Rwanda, I have to worry about whether or not I'll even be alive so that I can go to Rwanda!

Yikes. Edinburgh Marathon, what am I thinking!?

By the way, here's a photo of the reservoir at Clatto if you've never seen it before:

So that's all I really have to talk about just now. Oh, except for Heather basically becomes a teacher tomorrow, which is mega exciting for both of us. My girlfriend is a primary school teacher! She goes to her school tomorrow, which is in Carnoustie (Can't remember the name of the school, she'll kill me for that later), and she'll begin in August.

So anyway, I'll post another entry soon, if my intense one mile training doesn't kill me.

If you don't hear from me in the next week, call emergency services.

Chris Morris - Musician, Author, Award Winning Dancer, and Soon to be King.

Hi, I’m Chris Morris, and my life of being a student is finally done, I got 99 problems but Perth College ain’t one.

That’s right, all the double standards, politics, egos, and lack of professionalism that was Perth College is finished. So here I am, stepping out into the big bad world of reality and ... I don’t really feel any different.

If I said I was terrified, it would be both an over and an understatement. It’s pretty scary thinking that I need to find a full time job, but at the same time it’s really, really exciting. I do have plans, I mean, cooking masterclass! Okay yeah, that’s not really a plan ...

Seriously though I am looking into getting a DipRsm from Rockschool which would mean I could be a peripatetic instrumental instructor. Fancy, eh? So basically I just need to work towards that, then I will either be living in a magical world where as soon as you are qualified you get a job, or I really will be stuck.

In the meantime though, I am loving life. I’ve got a lot of things to look forward to, and I’m doing a lot of things which make me happy. I’m still teaching at the music school, and getting a pay rise there (woo hoo!), I’m still involved with Pure Media, and we’re going to China which is epic, and I’m going to be volunteering in Rwanda next year as a drum tutor/percussion workshop ... person.

Someone said to me “won’t they all already be able to play African drums and that already?” which I kind of think is the same as saying...

In fact, I’m in a list mood, here’s a list of what that is the same as saying (Did that sentence make sense?)

1. Everyone in Scotland wears a kilt, plays the bagpipes, and chases haggises (which are live animals) for their tea.
2. Everyone who gets extra time in exams actually needs it (Okay, there are people who do need it, but trust me I know, I got extra time and a scribe for being borderline dyspraxic, I didn’t need it at all but I needed it more than certain other people...)
3. England are going to win the world cup.
4. All French people go around with garlic around their necks and an artist’s paint pad in their hands.
5. If a band/artist is in the charts, then they definitely know loads about music and are really talented musicians/songwriters.
6. Oh, and I was going to leave the list there, but here’s a good one: All the people going to see Sex and the City 2 and the cinema are all proper fans of the series and are all decent people. They are totally not complete idiots who come drunker than a pirate, dressed up more fancy than a peacock, simply going on a night out rather than a civilised trip to the cinema. They don’t sneak in their own alcohol, and they absolutely love the film, remembering even the tiniest detail the next day.

Okay so I wrote most of that about four days ago, and I’ll continue now!

Yesterday, the Bodman School of Music had an open day where we were giving free music lessons and selling a lot of kid’s toys, books, CDs, DVDs, and loads of other things. Not many people actually came, but hey, it was better than working at the Odeon for a day!

A couple of really exciting things came out of it though. Firstly, it looks as though Heather will now be working with us! I was telling Fiona about how she is going into her probation year as a teacher this year and this sparked some interest, so she asked Heather if she would be interested in running some kindermusic classes, which is awesome! She is meeting with her sometime this week I think.

Also, Fiona has asked me to take one some drumming classes for 3 – 8 year olds, and write a drum book for it. I’ve always wanted to have a go at writing a drum book, and now I have a chance! I have to write a couple of pages of it by next week so we can begin to kind of promote it. I’m not sure what kind of tone I should use in the book though, anyone have any ideas? I don’t know whether to write it as if a three year old is reading it, or as if their parents are reading it... hmm.

Anyway, so yeah that’s awesome. I’m gonna go now and do something else. Everyday I’ve been waking up in a panic thinking “What college work do I need to do today??” and then suddenly I remember, and I relax.

Just before I go, I want to tell you about a dream I had last night. One of those dreams where you wake up and for about two minutes you’re convinced it actually happened. I dreamed that I was going to China with everyone from Pure Media, and I had just realised that I had forgotten to tell all of my pupils at the music school.

Yikes. That would be pretty bad. Note to self...