So... It's been over a year since my last post

Well, that's terrible! So much for posting regularly.

Although, to be honest not all that much has happened except for Gemma and I promoting to Black Belt in November.

It was an amazing day! We drove ourselves up to Liverpool which was a daunting task for me, but it was absolutely fine. We competed during the day and done okay - I got a Silver in Forms and Techniques. Gemma got a Copper for Staff Spinning, a Bronze for Forms and a Gold for her Techniques which she was delighted with.

In the evening when my nerves had reached the limit and Gemma was still calm as can be, just before we were called up to collect our certificates from the Grand Master - Kuk Sa Nim, our feelings switched. I was fine and Gemma was so panicked that she galloped up to the head table leaving SBNs Jon & Helen Denny and myself in the dust. Hehehe.

Afterwards, we all met up at the Indian for the customary post Liverpool Exhibition curry.

Since then, we've been helping out even more. Gemma and I now run the kid's fun nights and are far more involved in the high grade children's class. We even help with the adult coloured belts.

JDKJN has also accepted us into his Instructor program which is very exciting!

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Work is still going wonderfully and I couldn't be happier. I finally met with the chaps from Betcom. Gemma and I travelled up and I spent a couple of days working in their office. They are awesome and we all got on really well.

Gemma is no longer at the Vets. She was treated terribly there and it showed no signs of getting any better. Finally, enough was enough and I just told her to leave before it made her ill again. She then went on to do some work with Stephen - helping to arrange things for a film he was making. That project has finished now and she is enjoying being a housewife. I love having her home with me while I work.

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Last year we also said goodbye to my other dear old Granddad. I think about him often and it always puts a smile on my face. He suffered for so long that it is comforting to know that he's finally at peace. Even if I do miss him terribly.

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Sadly, I've gotten a tiny little bit flabby again due to too much 'easy' food, so am back on the Herbalife hardcore. I'm also trying out a Jawbone Up24 which is buggy as all hell but quite good when it works correctly :p    The sleep monitor is quite interesting - turns out I sleep better than I thought I did.

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We also had a wonderful experience last year when we took Gemma's dad to fly some owls. One of the other guys there kindly shot some of it on video for me:

I absolutely love the Barn Owl (it would be my patronus ;p ) so this was a wonderful moment for me.

We also went a bit crazy with collecting Lego. Our sitting room is now full of it which is AWESOME!

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Whoops! It's been a while...

Apologies for not updating in AGES!

I suppose the biggest piece of news is that in November I decided to go freelance. I was offered an incredible opportunity to earn more money doing more varied work, while still keeping my hand in fruit machine design, and without having to find my own clients (which I find very daunting); I am still working with my former employer a couple of days a week and with an old friend for the rest of the time.

It was really stressful making the decision. Both wanted me working with them. Finding the best compromise I could was incredibly difficult and I found it exhausting and very upsetting.

But, it's done now and I am enjoying my new set up very much. I'm incredibly busy working six days a week, but it's worth it. Soon, I'll begin drawing a wage which will be great! Might even treat myself a little. Haha!

I've set up a simple website - www.stuartbuskell.com

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Kuk Sool is going great. We had our first National grading in October which was hard work and resulted in me receiving my first ever blood blister, which was pretty nasty and popped a few weeks later in class, all over the mats. Healed up nicely now though.

We didn't travel up to Liverpool for the UK tournament in the end although we did pay for it and booked a room. It was Gemma's best friend's 30th birthday party on the same day and we simply couldn't miss that. This year's European tournament will be held in Norwich so we will definitely be there!

The curriculum was also updated recently meaning that we are learning some sword now. I thought that the staff would be my favourite weapon, but I must admit that the sword seems a little more natural to me and I'm enjoying it a lot!

We've had a few awesome Black Belt Clubs. Especially the most recent one where I was very fortunate to get chucked about by SBN Dave!

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We are still very much into Herbalife and feeling absolutely awesome! I've lost around a stone and a half in total, which certainly wasn't my goal, but more importantly, my body is far more toned now. Even though I don't do any extra exercise. My thirty inch waist Levi's I bought last year are becoming a little 'gapey'!

Gemma is climbing up the promotion ladder steadily and we are both getting a great buzz from helping people to be healthy and happy.

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Gemma celebrated her 30th birthday in December with a 'Harry Potter Yule Ball' themed party which was lots of fun. She finally wore her Hermione dress and I surprised her by having a Viktor Krum costume made for the night. Everyone made a real effort to dress up and it was excellent (even if Gemma did have a bit too much to drink and felt very ill the following day! Haha!).

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Gemma had a tough few months with work. Working at the Florist ended up being incredibly stressful for her and in the end she had to give it in as it was beginning to make her ill. It was very difficult as she thought it was going to be her dream job and worked hard at college and part time in the florist, to make it happen.

She's currently working on reception at a vets. She loves seeing the animals and often comes home telling me stories of puppies and kittens she has cuddled throughout the day.




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2012 European Tournament Montage

Gem has done one of her 'famous' montages of some of the footage we got from the tournament:

I think she did a great job and really captured how much fun we have on the day with all the silly faces and smiles.





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Another Life

A good friend of mine asked Gem if she would be interested in acting in a short film he was putting together. After months of work and lots of practice, here is Gem's acting début - Another Life:

I am SO very proud of her. She done an absolutely incredible job and stood shoulder to shoulder with the other actors who have much more experience than her.

Please visit the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/AnotherLife.FanPage) 'like' it, show your friends, and generally support it in every way you can and hopefully we may be lucky enough to see it get some funding and maybe become it's own series. Here's hoping.





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Where to begin?

Now that I've decided to do this, I find it difficult to know where to begin.

The whole purpose of this blog is to record the ups and downs of my life so that I can look back and see where I have been and what I have done.

I guess these first few posts should just bring the blog up to speed. I turned 'the corner' at the beginning of this year, but it wouldn't have even presented itself if certain events hadn't transpired before then.

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A short while ago my wonderful wife was going through a bit of a hard time. I won't go in to any details, but she was struggling and needed to make some changes to her life.

She had always wanted to learn Ballet and there was a dance school just around the corner from where I work. She gave them a call, discovered that they did indeed do adult classes, and we went along. I sat in the canteen and watched; offering moral support but there was no way I was going to get involved.

There were only three students there (including Gemma) and the teacher. I watched through the window with a huge grin on my face as she learnt her first few simple steps. I was so very proud of her.

From there, she began other classes too. She signed up for Street Dancing, which eventually also lead to Zumba classes. Her modelling was also really starting to take off. She signed with an agency and everything was great! I watched, full of happiness and immensely proud of her as she took part in fashion catwalks, photo shoots, dance shows, and more. Her confidence was growing and growing...

Gemma Modelling
Photos courtesy of Life in Images

... as was my belly. I was happy enough, though my figure was always niggling at me from the back of my mind. It wasn't really even my figure, just my belly, and it wasn't really even that big! I had tried a few diets - they didn't work or I just couldn't stick to them. I tried exercising but I couldn't motivate myself to get to the gym. Gemma bought me a brand new bike, but it was always just quicker to take the car. Other than that, though, I was happy. My life was absolutely 'fine'.

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By January 2011, Gemma had become very good friends with a girl from dancing - Helen. I had met her once briefly after the dance show in the summer and she seemed very nice. Helen was trying to convince Gemma to go to this 'Kick start' fitness thing at the sports centre, and Gemma, in turn, was trying to convince me. Bleugh. Aerobics? No thanks!

She tried to hook me in by telling me it wasn't aerobics and that it was Martial Art-y, Kuk Sool. Never heard of it! Also, that I should meet Helen's husband (who would be there) as we "would really get on" and that we "have so much in common". I'm terrible at meeting new people. I'm friendly, but I get very shy and uncomfortable.

I wasn't going to go, but changed my mind literally at the last moment if I recall correctly.

That was 'the corner' and Gemma - my inspiration.




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