Mood Music, Spring, and New Awakenings...

The link between these three things is probably a bit tenuous, but hey-ho. Sometimes random is as good as patterns...

I blogged about mood/music last week - but today, I had a bit of a music-related epiphany.

Music whilst running. I don't know why I hadn't thought about this before (well, I suppose strictly speaking I have always listened to music in the gym, but I've never thought about running outside whilst ipod'd up. duhhh) - but hell, it made a cracking difference. Continuing my week long "Scissor Sisters" fixation, I'm pleased to report that the first album makes for a great pace-setter. I find it really hard to pace myself when running outside. So far, I've always found the treadmill easier because it sorts that bit out for me - but it's profoundly less fulfilling running on the spot - bugger all sense of achievement. But "take your mama" et al kept me on track and pumped up. I made 4K without a breaking into a walk. Which might not seem a lot, but this lady ain't exactly a natural athlete.

As well as being a personal best in terms of distance covered, running today was oddly magical. The weather wasn't that great (we got rained on) but all the signs of spring and new beginnings were there - the Gingko Biloba tree outside our house has got fresh green leaves; the street trees of Ealing are in blossom; the woods on the way down to the canal tow-path are peppered with the blue haze of bluebells. Simply glorious.

The plants aren't the only new things springing up though. Now the paper work is done, I'm really excited to announce that I'm off to a new job. I've had three and half great years at Notting Hill, it's been a ball, we've achieved loads, but time for a new challenge.

I'm off to be Chief Operating Officer at JGP. JGP is probably best known for http://www.jobsgopublic.com/ - the UK's biggest public-sector specialist jobsboard. But there's lots more besides (oh yes, I'll be blogging about it all very soon). I've been using JGP products for the last few years - and I think they're great (if I didn't, I wouldn't be taking the job!). So it feels like a bit of a Victor Kiam moment. All that lovely technology to get to grips with, and new people to meet.... it's fair put a spring in my step.

J