Today at writing we were doing list exercises from this book, writing list poems.
I love the idea of this book, a diary consisting of lists. We were told to chose one & it took me forever to make a decision. I poured over it. I need to buy this and try to find the time to fill it all in.
I opted for Famous People I've encountered & came up with the following.
1. Paul McCartney squeezed past me in a crowded Green room. As he passed me he winked at me. Not my sister standing next to me. It was at me.
2. Richard Herring paid for my chicken korma & boiled rice when a group of us went out to eat. He emptied his pockets of change when I refused the £20 for my cab home but gave me all the shrapnel from his pockets
3. Gordan Ramsey, Michael Rosen, several Tory MPs & Paul from Big Brother 2 signed release forms for me
4. I spoke to Davina McColl to check that a fax I'd sent her husband to be had arrived at their house.
5. I queued for hours with my sister at HMV to get Buck Fizz's autographs
6. I fetched Armando Iannucci Yop from the BBC tea bar
7. I showed Germaine Greer the way to the loo and then heard her pee as I waited for her
8. I said hello to Yvette Fielding, mistaking her for someone I knew & then giggled in the lift for 5 floors when I realised who she was
9. Saw Miranda Hart across the BBC bar. Was too embarrassed & afraid that I'd morph into her character if I tried to approach her.
10. The bloke from Brookie who I bored senseless droning on & on about how much I loved Barry Grant. Knowing he was wishing he hadn't mentioned he'd been in Brookside but not being able to help myself.
11. Edd the duck who was a girl
12. Gordan the Gopher who was a man so shy he couldn't look me in the eye when he spoke to me
13. Wilson the Butler who was gorgeous & funny & apparently gay.
14. Countless people I ignored in reception at work being too cool for school
15. Terry Hall who no one in my office had heard of & then I felt about 100.
16. The girl from Press Gang, Kelda something, on the tube reading her book.
17. Bloke that used to be in The Bill drinking tea in my sister's kitchen.
18. Peter Duncan ran past me in a green & white suite when we went to watch The London Marathon
19. Nigella Lawson signing in at security. Beautiful & tiny. Like a doll.
20. Media scrum in NYC which had Madonna on the other side. I didn't even see her.
I've just started to compile a 40 things to do before I'm 40 list. I'd better get a wriggle on as I've only got until September. Any suggestions would be gratefully received xx
I realised tonight that
this list is by no means exhaustive as just in my head I added Katie
Price, Peter Andre, Nicky Campbell, Alastair Stewart, Kerry Katona, Andy Crane, Andi Peters, Simon Parkin (remember him?), Mick Brown at Capital FM & my sister's friend Vicky who has been in Eastenders (twice) who's pony, Mr Tweedy, I had a ride on when I was about 10.
from outta...er Scotland. And life has been getting in the way of my blogging which is a bit annoying, but what with school holidays, work and husband at home hogging the laptop putting things on Ebay trying to get rid of a lot of tat we have in the house. I am not the tidiest person in the world but my word that man is such a horder! Keep thinking we'll end up in a documentary on Channel 5 having to squeeze through corridors made from boxes (in actually fact our 3rd bedroom is like that already). We're going to do a bootsale next week. Wish me luck.
So first things first I am happy to announce that the winner of my blogiversary giveaway is the lovely Lakota from Faith Hope & Charity Shopping.
Well done you, the parcel will be winging it's way to you as soon as I can get organised.
So how are you? I'm good, these holidays have gone quick haven't they? We spent 2 weeks away at my in laws including several nights camping - more on that another time) at the start and the rest of the time has flown by in a whirr. I have loads to write about but after a manic week at work my brain is fried and so will have to write later. But I will say I have had an interesting few weeks. I've met some amazing people who have inspired me in my writing and my life really. I've started writing my book. (eek) Which at the moment is more life writing than anything but I think it's going to do me some good.
So, here we all are in 2012 - as Mr DOMADQ pointed out only 3 years away from 'Back to the Future' (am still waiting for the hover boards & flying cars). This New Years Eve we spent with some very good friends of ours. A quiet night in which involved a bit of shouting at small people to go to bed, chicken fajitas, a board game (a bit of cheating from Mr D) and ALOT of alcohol.
Tamer than years gone by but still left me jaded yesterday morning - not from hangover (Champagne's amazing, not even the suggestion of a headache despite the quantity that I drank) but from going to bed post 1am. I really am getting too old for this. Gone are the days of being up all night, drinking and dancing - at one point we had to occupy ourselves with another game of 'Articulate' to prevent any of us from nodding off before 'the bells'. Yesterday afternoon post sugary tea & bacon sarnies I was only fit to watch Cinderella for the millionth time with my girlies and sew a sock monkey - Yes, sock monkey madness has begun again.
So, hello 2012, what are you going to bring for us? Bracing ourselves for the forecasted 'double dip' - although you would never have guessed we were teetering on the edge of economic abyss with those New Year fireworks along the Thames; which were amazingly beautiful but I could just see fivers being set fire to seeing as we're not supposed to have a pot to piss in.
So is this the year I actually crack on & start writing my book? Not sure if I want to make resolutions this year as they seemed destined to be broken but maybe I should make a 'TO DO' list instead:
1. A month of detox - think my liver would appreciate some time off after December's excesses.
2. So I guess if I'm not drinking I should probably make sure I am eating better too (not a diet as diets make me want to eat)
3. Exercise (naturally goes with 1 & 2...)
4. Less shouting more laughing with my children (I think this should probably come higher up the list but it's not in order of priority)
5. More time for me (this should assist with no 4)
6. Carry on writing / do my homework / blog more
7. Sell the stock of sock monkeys I have made / have started to make again. I don't know if it's just because January is a horrible month; anti climatic after Christmas, weather is rotten, too long to wait till payday so many many nights in in front of the TV (at least Sherlock's back) but I have been searching for a new 'crafting' project (might also be the gorgeous sewing box I got for Christmas from Mr D) and stumbled on several half made sock monkeys which I am now finishing.
(experimenting with sewn on eyes after consulting the gorgeous book I got from my Xmas blog swap)
'And who is that one for?' my mother enquired, 'Oh, you know, it's just another one I've made' (this is getting ridiculous!)
You think THAT's ridiculous I also started branching out & made a prototype bunny too!
Roll on February.
OK so last week was so extraordinary busy so I had an excuse for not doing my writing homework, hmmn this week I don't think it's going to wash.
This is ridiculous, this is was I want to do for gods sake but somehow I seem to find my 'free time' retyping notes & reading blogs. Thinking of Ben Elton's stand up about avoiding homework & watching Songs of Praise, have now spent 10 minutes looking for a clip of that to post on here (can't find it!)
Had better stop procrastinating & get on with it.
I joined a writing group yesterday and am so glad I did.
I'll let you in on a little secret, I want to write, you know, properly for a job and everything. But I find it hard to find the words (which if you know me will know how ironic that is being that I rarely stop talking). I doubt I have anything of worth to say.
So yesterday, in my favourite coffee shop I sat with my teacher/mentor/new friend? and began. It being a new group I was the only member (thus far) but that was good because I am still pretty shy about writing and reading my words aloud, along with critiquing others work.
I was really nervous before it started but there, sat sipping gingerbread lattes we began. And I wrote! I wrote several things on demand, for 10 minutes at a time. And although I am not entirely sure if what I did write was any good really I have a glimmer of hope that my pipe dream could in fact become a reality..
