Hello! I decided to make a fresh start with my blog.
I’d given myself a theme and then felt pressure to post within my theme, so I decided a fresh start was in order.
New name, blank canvas, let’s go.
Hello! I decided to make a fresh start with my blog.
I’d given myself a theme and then felt pressure to post within my theme, so I decided a fresh start was in order.
New name, blank canvas, let’s go.
Everyone has an idea of the milestones they want to tick off by the time they reach certain ages. It’s been a strange year where creating your own entertainment, stimulation and activity are what you make of it.
With this in mind, I decided with 22 days to go until my birthday, I was going to tick of a list of 32 things. A bit a few years ago when I did a 28 things by 28. Except, instead of 6 weeks, I came up with the idea of doing it with 22 days to go!
The list varied from doing something new to wearing my spare glasses, but it passed the time. With one day to go, this blog is the last item on my list to be ticked off! Yay! 32 to in 22.
There are real milestones to be ticked off in life, but until the world is a bit more normal, I’ll be creating my own entertainment and magic!
Here’s my list and a few examples of my attempts:
32 in 22
We all knew when I posted a Blogmas post on December 1st that it would be highly unlikely I'd post daily. It's not laziness, I promise. I just don't like posting when even I don't find it interesting!
My December has been very different this year. On a 'normal' year I'd be out nearly every day playing Christmas music either in the street, in a church of some sort or in a care facility for the elderly.
This year, I've largely been sat on my posterior binge watching Riverdale.
I've cut down largely on actually reading social media but I have been watching people's stories and posting nonsense, I just find it healthier not to engage with everything I scroll past.
I think that might be what I take from this year, consume less - create more.
James christened me 'Little Miss Christmas' in the past and that's actually quite a fair description, for a grown woman I am absolutely nuts on Christmas.
It's fair to say I get high on the vibes of Christmas - to clarify those vibes are the thoughts of turkey and roast potatoes!
I've had the same Christmas Dinner at my Aunt and Uncle's home every year since I was born, I'm going to count the Christmas before I was born too as I'd have stolen some of that from my Mum's portion. This year, I'm having my first Christmas Dinner at home - not cooked by me! Don't be daft!
Potatoes are my vice so when it comes to Christmas I go to next level tattie fiend!
Not that you need to know that, dear reader, I just feel its helpful to paint a picture.
I'm not sure this was remotely interesting to read but I was in the mood to prattle about Christmas and potatoes.
This year, Christmas is going to be very different for all of us.
I hope whatever you do, you have the best time you can.
I'll prattle some nonsense again soon.
I always make some sort of blogmas plan and never stick to it because work and other commitments take over. This year, I’m unemployed and my commitments are limited so I thought I’d try again.
Today was all about the tree. I actually decorated it yesterday but the official switching on ceremony was today. The official ceremony consisted on me counting down from ten to one and then blasting I wish it could be Christmas everyday.
Normally I don’t bother with decorations til mid December because I have loads of commitments, this year with everything stripped back, I felt a bit of festive cheer was in order.
I doubt I’ll post something every day and can’t promise it will be interesting if I do but in the spirit of festive cheer, I’m giving it a go!
Today’s Christmas Film: Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square.
Today’s most repeated Christmas Song: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizard
For the majority of this year, every time I've come onto my laptop to write something, I've very swiftly given up and decided to do something else.
I don't know if it's a lack of creative spark or just a general sense of nothing mattering enough to be bothered.
I accepted this week that I'd hit a wall mentally. After being on furlough for the majority of the year, my role was made redundant, and I haven't been getting far with my job search. I took some time to process this, I've eaten plenty of comfort food, I've had some days where I've vegetated, and I've binged watched just about every series I possibly can on Netflix.
I know that I'm not alone in my circumstances and compared to others, I am reasonably lucky. Diversion - I actively try not to compare myself to others as I'm biased in favour of others so will always find a way to come off worse, but I do know that there are people who have it far worse than I at the moment. I do not entirely lack perspective.
Returning to my original train of thought...if I can remember what it was
I'm pretty lucky; I have a roof over my head, food in my belly and all the baking utensils I need to pass the time during this year.
That hasn't stopped me dwelling on what was, what isn't and how we get to what will be. My brain goes at a million miles per hour pondering possibilities
These are natural things for me to ponder in the current circumstances, but my issue is that I'm not processing anything my brain is considering. I'm storing it up, and like my i-cloud account, I'm full to the brim with too many files. I don't fancy paying to extend the storage space mentally or digitally, so I need to start tidying things up.
I've mentioned before that I love autumn as it's a chance to recharge before emerging refreshed, so that's what I'm planning to use this time to do.
Here are just a few things I've got planned for autumn that I think could help me to climb the wall I hit.
I am in no way qualified to advise on how anyone should process their emotions,, unemployment or navigate their mental health, these are just some ideas that I think will be good for me. I will signpost to some organisations in the UK. If you are reading my blog elsewhere (she said, optimistically) please feel free to comment with any similar organisations where you are and I will link to these too.
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/w/work-life-balance
So, here's the story from A – Z
The concept of Girl Power didn't quite resonate with me in the the way that it does now, at the age of seven as far as I was concerned Girl Power was all friendship and peace signs. I now know better. I learned many lessons from Scary, Baby, Ginger, Posh and Sporty during my formative years – some of them I grasped at the time, others came as light bulb moments much later in life.
Embrace Your Style
Admittedly, my wardrobe choices probably haven't progressed much beyond my mid 90s Spice inspired choices of big shoes and bold print or colours but I spent a lot of my teenage years censoring myself in case I was in a class with an idiot that day who would make fun of me. There were occasions where I will allow that my choices were questionable, playboy socks, and my bright orange padded anorak wasn't my most elegant. Now I'm older, I pick what makes me feel good that day, as long as it's appropriate for the environment I'm in, I give very few fluffy ducks.
Spice Up Your Life
It's okay to do a Geri.
Geri didn't just break my heart in 1998 when she left the band. She shook my world. I was a relatively carefree nine-year-old, had never really experienced or been aware of much in the way of change or loss that impacted me directly. It was my first experience of something out with my control rocking my understanding and failing to compute. What did anything mean anymore?
My nine-year-old identity crisis aside, Geri removed herself from a situation for reasons that resonated with her at that time. My 31-year-old self looks back at that now with admiration. There are occasions where I have stayed in jobs or conversations or friendships where my mind and body have been begging me to say 'Bye, Felicia'.
Who do you think you are?
Those are just my musings on this lukewarm Thursday. I started writing this post a while ago and revisited it today.