All Systems Go......
The last week has been very busy both professionally and personally. A work we took another important step along our journey to be independent, and for me this felt like a red letter day. My colleagues went along to our cabinet meeting to see the proposal being discussed, I was I'll so couldn't be there, but they sat through a lot of items till it got to ours and then text me to say it had been agreed in principle. Those people who made they decision had a lot of people's hopes and dreams for the future in their hands for that discussion, and whilst there are still things to be doing to move to the next platform I personally feel elated that we are that bit closer. It a strange feeling to be this close to the realisation of something i feel so passionately about that I can almost touch it, but still having to have that patience until everything is completed. What I do know is this journey is going to make the finish line such a terrific sense of achievement, could this be my professional Maslow moment of self actualisation I have been searching for I wonder?
In my home life I saw my youngest reach her sixth birthday. I know it's not one of those milestones like 1, 10 or 16/18/21 but I remember at that age each year is truly amazing as you desperately want to be older, unlike me who would quite happily get younger now! So after a wonderful few days off with my family enjoying this special day, I truly feel blessed. At this time in my life I have a career which is so exciting and gives me mental sustinence, I have children who are becoming wonderful adults and Ruby who makes each day full of happiness. So life is good and I don't think we take enough of a step back to appreciate it.
On another note we helped make two lovely guys civil partnership special by driving them in the car to the service, so congratulations to Simon and guy and I hope you have a happy partnership, well done guys. Also as I write this a very lovely lady is in hospital giving birth to her first child, mel used to be my nanny and was there when I went into labour with the twins. So good luck mel and look forward to meeting your new addition.
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Why are humans designed to be cruel?
This weekend saw some terrible news. For me I was trying to organise a happy event, my youngest daughters birthday party. So after the initial shock of the shocking events in Norway I will admit I put this to the back of my mind while I concentrated on my family, after the party I came onto the Internet and then was given the news that Amy Winehouse was dead. I felt another wave of shock thinking how sad such talent was cut short and thinking of her lovely taxi driver Dad and imagining the pain he must feel. But what shocked me the most was the now normal human reaction which was hitting the twitter feed and Facebook of people making jokes about both situations. It seems that as a generation we have become immune to all tragedy and make jokes at life's cruel turns. Have we really lost that much empathy as mankind? I enjoy a good joke but don't like jokes which are as a result of others pain and hurt. Frankie Boyle defended his right to make fun of young Harvey, Katie Prices disabled son, saying mum made him fair game. I find this disgusting, yes I would agree Ms Price may put herself in the public spotlight which can mean she faces jibes but I have never seen her son court publicity, he is a child, surely in our modern world Mr Boyle should be prosecuted in some way for child abuse. Who is the person that thinks about those just warm corpses in Norway recently identified by a mother or father and thinks "now that is really funny". And for the amount of condemnation Ms Winehouse is receiving, she is dead your words won't change her but they will hurt her family. So I urge people to take a moment and think when they receive a joke, and ask you if you were burying your child how would you feel if the mourners started making jokes about your loved one?
This weekend saw some terrible news. For me I was trying to organise a happy event, my youngest daughters birthday party. So after the initial shock of the shocking events in Norway I will admit I put this to the back of my mind while I concentrated on my family, after the party I came onto the Internet and then was given the news that Amy Winehouse was dead. I felt another wave of shock thinking how sad such talent was cut short and thinking of her lovely taxi driver Dad and imagining the pain he must feel. But what shocked me the most was the now normal human reaction which was hitting the twitter feed and Facebook of people making jokes about both situations. It seems that as a generation we have become immune to all tragedy and make jokes at life's cruel turns. Have we really lost that much empathy as mankind? I enjoy a good joke but don't like jokes which are as a result of others pain and hurt. Frankie Boyle defended his right to make fun of young Harvey, Katie Prices disabled son, saying mum made him fair game. I find this disgusting, yes I would agree Ms Price may put herself in the public spotlight which can mean she faces jibes but I have never seen her son court publicity, he is a child, surely in our modern world Mr Boyle should be prosecuted in some way for child abuse. Who is the person that thinks about those just warm corpses in Norway recently identified by a mother or father and thinks "now that is really funny". And for the amount of condemnation Ms Winehouse is receiving, she is dead your words won't change her but they will hurt her family. So I urge people to take a moment and think when they receive a joke, and ask you if you were burying your child how would you feel if the mourners started making jokes about your loved one?
Sunday, 17 July 2011
Hide behind the keyboard
I was checking out the social networking sites today as I do when I noticed that there are some really toxic people on forums, belittling people and undertaking low level cyber bullying. As a well brought up village girl my parents always said if you have nothing nice or constructive to say then don't say it. Why do perfectly normal, kind people become so aggressive when put behind a screen? Well probably because they see it as a victimless act, they don't see the distress or pain caused by their vitriolic remarks, so pat themselves on their backs for their wit and humour. In my mind they are no different to the people making rude remarks to people's faces, bullying is bullying however you see it. Society makes a lot of catchy, cliched responses to bullying, famous people saying they are against it, but I see the same people being disrespectful, comedians mocking people who they consider fair game... Now I'm no killjoy but we all have to make a stand on what kind of society we want and that needs to be the virtual society as well as the real world. Read through the post before pressing ok, and if you make comments then you need to be open about it, don't hide behind pseudonyms let people challenge you, that way we all have our freedom of speech, but also have ownership of what we say.
On a lighter note I went to a wedding reception last night for one of my husbands friends,
whom he has not seen for a while. It was a great night and gave us the chance to meet up
with old dear friends. And that's the great thing about true friends, you may not see them
every day, be in each others pockets but when you see them it's as if no time has passed and
you have that same relaxed relationship. So I wish the new mr and mrs Barty a wonderful marriage and thank them for giving us the chance to be part of this event. And if you have an old friend you haven't seen for ages don't worry about how it will feel when you see them, it will be just like it always is so enjoy!
I was checking out the social networking sites today as I do when I noticed that there are some really toxic people on forums, belittling people and undertaking low level cyber bullying. As a well brought up village girl my parents always said if you have nothing nice or constructive to say then don't say it. Why do perfectly normal, kind people become so aggressive when put behind a screen? Well probably because they see it as a victimless act, they don't see the distress or pain caused by their vitriolic remarks, so pat themselves on their backs for their wit and humour. In my mind they are no different to the people making rude remarks to people's faces, bullying is bullying however you see it. Society makes a lot of catchy, cliched responses to bullying, famous people saying they are against it, but I see the same people being disrespectful, comedians mocking people who they consider fair game... Now I'm no killjoy but we all have to make a stand on what kind of society we want and that needs to be the virtual society as well as the real world. Read through the post before pressing ok, and if you make comments then you need to be open about it, don't hide behind pseudonyms let people challenge you, that way we all have our freedom of speech, but also have ownership of what we say.
On a lighter note I went to a wedding reception last night for one of my husbands friends,
whom he has not seen for a while. It was a great night and gave us the chance to meet up
with old dear friends. And that's the great thing about true friends, you may not see them
every day, be in each others pockets but when you see them it's as if no time has passed and
you have that same relaxed relationship. So I wish the new mr and mrs Barty a wonderful marriage and thank them for giving us the chance to be part of this event. And if you have an old friend you haven't seen for ages don't worry about how it will feel when you see them, it will be just like it always is so enjoy!
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Its a small world after all....
This week is proving to be one of those weeks where you realise how much the Internet and telecommunications have made our planet so much closer. First case in point relates to my pride and joy Lucille. For those of you who don't know I am a petrol head and a proud owner of a 6.2 v8 1958 Pontiac starchief. She is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen with of course the exception of my children. She has been in to see the gentle hands of the mechanic to give her the annual health check and she needs some prescription items or parts as most people call them. Now this you would think would pose a huge problem, getting parts for a rare American Car, but no I researched on the Internet, waited for the time delay and my hubby rang the lovely men in californina and the parts have been despatched. My baby will be good as new with items that have travelled thousands of miles.
The other example this week has been finding my first proper boyfriend on Facebook. This lad was not someone I grew up with but someone who I had a holiday romance with and then stayed pen relationship across the country, he has since moved across the country again, but through the wonders of the Internet we found each other and have been able to catch up and find out about what we have done in our lives. Before the joy of Facebook and social networking this would not have been possible. But this all comes with a health warning. Having friends on Facebook and followers on twitter is not a substitute for relationships. To keep friends and followers you must have a connection that you can sustain. Some of the most lonely people I know have hundreds of friends. So if you have people you want to maintain friendships with, pressing the like button is not enough, write them a comment, a message or speak to them. We need more human contact than just a thumbs up icon in our life. So today's thought is keep networking but fertilise the ground with water of common bonds and the weather of contact or you could be in danger of not living in a small world but a lonely one.
This week is proving to be one of those weeks where you realise how much the Internet and telecommunications have made our planet so much closer. First case in point relates to my pride and joy Lucille. For those of you who don't know I am a petrol head and a proud owner of a 6.2 v8 1958 Pontiac starchief. She is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen with of course the exception of my children. She has been in to see the gentle hands of the mechanic to give her the annual health check and she needs some prescription items or parts as most people call them. Now this you would think would pose a huge problem, getting parts for a rare American Car, but no I researched on the Internet, waited for the time delay and my hubby rang the lovely men in californina and the parts have been despatched. My baby will be good as new with items that have travelled thousands of miles.
The other example this week has been finding my first proper boyfriend on Facebook. This lad was not someone I grew up with but someone who I had a holiday romance with and then stayed pen relationship across the country, he has since moved across the country again, but through the wonders of the Internet we found each other and have been able to catch up and find out about what we have done in our lives. Before the joy of Facebook and social networking this would not have been possible. But this all comes with a health warning. Having friends on Facebook and followers on twitter is not a substitute for relationships. To keep friends and followers you must have a connection that you can sustain. Some of the most lonely people I know have hundreds of friends. So if you have people you want to maintain friendships with, pressing the like button is not enough, write them a comment, a message or speak to them. We need more human contact than just a thumbs up icon in our life. So today's thought is keep networking but fertilise the ground with water of common bonds and the weather of contact or you could be in danger of not living in a small world but a lonely one.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Who came up with that?
This morning as I battled with the frying pan and grill I thought we eat cereal everyday so why do we feel on a Sunday we have to have a full meal first thing in the morning? With every tradition somebody must have gone first. In every family you create your own traditions and then pass this on through the generations. If my sister reads this she will smile as she has refused to follow one of our family traditions around Christmas. On Christmas day My parents would not let us open anything except our stockings until after lunch was eaten, cleareed away and a walk happened. As a child this was tantamount to child abuse I often felt Esther ranzten would come and rescue us on Christmas day. Then one day I became a mum and then realised why this tradition is important in keeping the excitement and magic of the day going, and that my parents just wanted us to appreciate and enjoy the whole day, instead of the frenetic ripping open at six am that many children have, then spending the rest of the day bored and restless. My sister who sensibly has lovely labradors not children doesn't keep the tradition going, but I bet secretly she loves it when we make everyone wait when at my mums. To mean this is what tradition is all about a ritual that we enjoy and that holds us together. In the family I have created we have several traditions we have started which include Sunday breakfast, so although I moan about the cooking of it, it's a chance when we can all be brought together to eat and be a family. So my challenge for everyone today is think about your traditions or why not start a new one, it's a great feeling to think will your grandchildren be sharing it with their children and telling stories about you as I do with my children.
This morning as I battled with the frying pan and grill I thought we eat cereal everyday so why do we feel on a Sunday we have to have a full meal first thing in the morning? With every tradition somebody must have gone first. In every family you create your own traditions and then pass this on through the generations. If my sister reads this she will smile as she has refused to follow one of our family traditions around Christmas. On Christmas day My parents would not let us open anything except our stockings until after lunch was eaten, cleareed away and a walk happened. As a child this was tantamount to child abuse I often felt Esther ranzten would come and rescue us on Christmas day. Then one day I became a mum and then realised why this tradition is important in keeping the excitement and magic of the day going, and that my parents just wanted us to appreciate and enjoy the whole day, instead of the frenetic ripping open at six am that many children have, then spending the rest of the day bored and restless. My sister who sensibly has lovely labradors not children doesn't keep the tradition going, but I bet secretly she loves it when we make everyone wait when at my mums. To mean this is what tradition is all about a ritual that we enjoy and that holds us together. In the family I have created we have several traditions we have started which include Sunday breakfast, so although I moan about the cooking of it, it's a chance when we can all be brought together to eat and be a family. So my challenge for everyone today is think about your traditions or why not start a new one, it's a great feeling to think will your grandchildren be sharing it with their children and telling stories about you as I do with my children.
Saturday, 9 July 2011
What a relief!
For the past ten days my life has been taken over by a combination of work and completing college assignments not leaving me much time for relaxing, blogging or catching up with friends. And this is the sacrifice anyone studying has to make when juggling life, which makes the prize of the qualification so much sweeter as you know you get your life back again. As I have another year on this course I still have a way to go but I do have a little respite now for a week. So this leads me onto the subject of sacrifice. I think making sacrifices is something we thatchers children lost site of. Our generation was encouraged to think we can have it all, children, career, holidays, money, possessions most of which was supported by a mountain of debt. The recession has been a humbling experience financially but we still need to think of the human sacrifice. Im not talking about dead bodies served to gods on mountains but the emotional sacrifices we make. Many mums reading this will recognise the huge pressure of working and being a mum, but, still be expected to make cupcakes, take children to swimming classes and grow your own veg! Something has got to give if your trying to have it all and often the things that give are the simple things, the glue that holds our lives together. Being able to relax with our children and watch them play, being able to just cuddle without having to have the pressure of date nights. Society makes us feel like failures, in every magazine there is another article designed to highlight your inadequacies, are you having great sex, are you a great lover, do you exfoliate, are you looking ten years younger, how high is your child's iq, are you climbing the career ladder.. Well I fail at many of these things, I don't spend hours taking my children to stimulating classes, but surprise surprise they have all had nice reports which say they are good and kind and try their best. My husband and I are not swinging from chandeliers every day but we love each other and are as happy and comparable now as we were when we met, I am not on a massive six figure salary but I love my job, and I may not have a degree but I am working on it bit by bit. So remember we all sacrifice so much in life, don't sacrifice your soul, enjoy your life and celebrate your achievements. And to quote a Disney film, "no one can make you feel inadequate except yourself". And I promise I will blog more regularly but if I don't that doesn't mean I'm a failure, just that I'm knackered.
For the past ten days my life has been taken over by a combination of work and completing college assignments not leaving me much time for relaxing, blogging or catching up with friends. And this is the sacrifice anyone studying has to make when juggling life, which makes the prize of the qualification so much sweeter as you know you get your life back again. As I have another year on this course I still have a way to go but I do have a little respite now for a week. So this leads me onto the subject of sacrifice. I think making sacrifices is something we thatchers children lost site of. Our generation was encouraged to think we can have it all, children, career, holidays, money, possessions most of which was supported by a mountain of debt. The recession has been a humbling experience financially but we still need to think of the human sacrifice. Im not talking about dead bodies served to gods on mountains but the emotional sacrifices we make. Many mums reading this will recognise the huge pressure of working and being a mum, but, still be expected to make cupcakes, take children to swimming classes and grow your own veg! Something has got to give if your trying to have it all and often the things that give are the simple things, the glue that holds our lives together. Being able to relax with our children and watch them play, being able to just cuddle without having to have the pressure of date nights. Society makes us feel like failures, in every magazine there is another article designed to highlight your inadequacies, are you having great sex, are you a great lover, do you exfoliate, are you looking ten years younger, how high is your child's iq, are you climbing the career ladder.. Well I fail at many of these things, I don't spend hours taking my children to stimulating classes, but surprise surprise they have all had nice reports which say they are good and kind and try their best. My husband and I are not swinging from chandeliers every day but we love each other and are as happy and comparable now as we were when we met, I am not on a massive six figure salary but I love my job, and I may not have a degree but I am working on it bit by bit. So remember we all sacrifice so much in life, don't sacrifice your soul, enjoy your life and celebrate your achievements. And to quote a Disney film, "no one can make you feel inadequate except yourself". And I promise I will blog more regularly but if I don't that doesn't mean I'm a failure, just that I'm knackered.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
I haven't blogged for a few days as college work has taken over, you forget the stress three thousand little words can bring! And as I sit there cutting and editing my mind starts to wonder onto other things... So my blog today is about strength. Trying to juggle college, work, children and housework makes me feel very grateful to the thing that gives me my strength to keep going and do my best and that's my husband. I believe for everyone there is that special person, and thirteen years ago I met mine, although it was only eleven years ago we became a couple. Having someone you feel totally connected too, who can finish your sentences, who you sit in a room and say nothing but know everything makes me complete. So as I take a break from the books I wanted to take this moment to remind myself how lucky I am and I thank god everyday for having you. And whilst I'm thinking of love I want to wish all my friends the happiness I feel, especially brim and Sam who got married yesterday.
Back to the books now
Back to the books now
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