I Think I May Have Alzheimer’s..........

I went to Tescos today for the last minute bits for our NYC trip. Mr M wanted a miniature shower gel. I came back with two mini deodorants. It took me a while to realise why he looked so perplexed, when I gave them to him. Oh well, at least he will smell sweet on our trip!

Today I Grew Old

There comes a time in any girl's life, when she suddenly realises she's growing old and today was that moment. Recent temperatures in NYC of -7 degrees C to -11 degrees C, have called for desperate measures....Yes folks, I've had to finally buy my first pair of thermals, in preparation for my trip to New York! Husband didn't get off lightly either, he got his own pair. Thankfully they are not matching his and hers, that would be too freaky. In fact, I'm sure the image of me and Mr M in our thermals, is enough to freak most of my readers out, so apologies, but hey at least we will be warm!

New York, New York

Well, I've only gone and done it! The New York trip is well and truly booked. The hotel accommodation and flights have been booked for a while, but we have now booked the boring stuff of travel insurance, airport parking and sorted the transfers to and from JFK. I'm excited! In fact, I'm more than excited - I'm super, super excited!

Going to Times Square on New Years Eve is going to be a nightmare though. Viewing places start filling up from mid afternoon and by 10:30pm last year, everywhere was full. A million people are expected to attend this year, so it's going to be a tight squeeze there! Wonderful rules and regulations state no public toilets or food vendors are available within Times Square. Back packs and any bags are also not allowed, which is going to be fun - guess we will have to eat before we queue!

I've decided not to do the Trapeze School. I injured my back about ten years ago and damaged my disc. It repaired itself over time, but unfortunately I managed to injury it again this Summer and I don't want to risk doing any further damage to it, before it's had time to repair itself again. I'm not too bothered though, as we are only there for four days and we are already packing in quite alot.

I can't wait to do this, but most of all, I can't wait for next year and a whole host of new tasks to complete!

Christmas Hats And My Lost Mojo

Well both of my Christmas parties have come and gone, the latter being only Friday, when I decided to treat my co-workers to glow stick bracelets and comedy hats which included, Smurf, Sailor and Pirate! Didn't really feel in the mood for this one at all - I kind of lost my mojo as entertainment consultant that night, so I let the party carry on around me and I was more than happy when I got home at midnight.

Now that Christmas is nearly upon us, it gives me chance to reflect on what's happened this year, blog wise.

I'm more than happy with my profile at Radio Nottingham at the moment, so the fact that it's increased this year was pretty great.

Task wise, well I could have achieved more, it has to be said. I lost my mojo on this one, a little bit in the year, but I have promised myself that 2009 will be the year to complete a dazzling array of tasks (watch this space!)

Organisational skills - well it has to be said that most of my tasks this year have been organised last minute and I've gone into them at a hundred miles an hour, I've promised myself that next year I will a) put more thought into the whole task process and b) not get so stressed in doing them!

And finally, getting to meet some wonderful people this year, has been a definite bonus. I met Caroline, Trousers and B at Caroline's book signing and hopefully I will be meeting Heather - my 40 things American counterpart in New York over the New Year.

So I'd like to wish all my readers a very Happy Christmas and I promise I will comment more on your blogs next year!

Charity Begins At Home

A little while ago, when I first started this blog and Radio Nottingham wanted me to make my first appearance live on air, they asked me if I could choose one task out of my list, what would it be. I opted for the work in Africa task, fresh from watching Mission Africa, I naively thought volunteer work would be just that, you volunteer to work and someone happily accepts. Unbeknown to me, they had a couple of surprise guests on the show, one of which firmly put me in my place. Unless I had a 'skill' to take across to such a country, I wouldn't be much use and I would have to apply for the volunteer work, as I would for any normal job, which meant there was quite a risk in not getting the work that I had applied for. When I mentioned that I would happily take two weeks leave from work to volunteer, they told me of the people that had been working out there six months, to a couple of years and even those that had given up their lives to work out there.

Since then, I came to the conclusion, that in order to be of any help to anyone in Africa, I would have to take at least six to eight weeks to volunteer and unfortunately that would mean going either on a career break or having to quit my job, neither of which I can afford to do at the moment, which brings me to our friend A. A doesn't like Christmas and has just broken up with his partner, so thought he would put himself to some use and volunteer to work in a homeless shelter. So he made enquiries, only to find he needs a police search done, before he can work there. The searches can usually take anything from two to eight weeks, so chances are he won't get it back in time. So he offered to work away from the homeless people and clean the offices for them, bearing in mind he will volunteer to do this and won't get paid, but he was told he still needs a police search done to do this.

One of my friends, also told me about the time, she was at a previous employer and they decided one year, not to send out any Christmas cards, but instead donate the money to a nearby Children's home to help them have a better Christmas. Three hundred pounds was collected, but no Children's home would take the money, due to red tape. In the end, the money went to a Wish Upon A Star, a worthy charity indeed, but not the one, it was intended to be.

Which makes me think, after hearing all these things, you can understand where the phrase, Charity begins at home, comes from. Is it better to look after the ones, nearest and dearest to you, then to help those that aren't?

One day, I will work in Africa and give them any help that I can. 'A' will no doubt find a way round the red tape and charities will benefit from the fact that others will not take a gesture of goodwill.

It's a funny old world that we live in, isn't it?

Radio Nottingham And The Three Things That Went Wrong This Morning

Remember how I blogged about my superstitions over the number three, a little while back? Well this morning was a classic example of this. I had to be at the BBC studios for 7:30am ish, so I had to move faster than I usually do in a morning. Considering I usually move at a snails pace, then it wasn't too hard. So, I tripped up coming out of the shower, said a few choice words, went to get something from the bathroom cabinet, it promptly fell off the wall. Got ready, went to the car, threw some stuff in the boot and then banged my head on the boot. Not a great start to a Monday morning at all.

Thankfully the radio went okay. I had to sift through all this morning's newspapers and find three stories that I could talk about on air. I chose the X Factor one, with Diana going out etc, a deodorant that will slow down the growth of women's under arm hairs and the Irish pork story. I went into a few details about the stories, which I think made them more interesting and I liked the diversity of the ones that I chose. The presenter and producer seemed pleased with my contribution, so a happy bunch all round really!

Not sure when I will be on again, will probably be after I've come back from New York and they have mentioned possibly getting involved in some different programmes on the Radio, so I will keep you posted on that!

The One Where I Deleted A Blog Post

You may have noticed I got rid of the dancing elves post. For some strange reason since I'd put the blog post on, Blogger wouldn't allow me to gain access of my main blog unless I created a new post. So I decided to delete the post, thinking that was the problem. It wasn't! I'm still having problems with it, in fact I can never seem to get my blog posts right. The paragraphs never work and always join up together. If I find the time, I really must get round to emailing them to sort it out.....

On the task front I've only managed to complete two out of the six, I set myself for November. I still need to direct a video, I only managed around 6,000 words this month and I didn't get round to sending a proposal to a TV company or listening to the breakfast show. Not very good, I know, but I blame Christmas - I've been too busy getting everything organised. On the positive side, I did manage to knock another three books off the BBC Top 100 list, so I did manage to do something!

This month - I've set myself a target of completing 10,000 words, reading 4 x books for the BBC top 100 reads and sending a proposal to a magazine for a possible column.

And right now, I'm watching my boys on ITV, thinking where on earth did those people get the tickets from for that show? I could have been on it, and fulfilling my snogging task!

PS I'm on the Radio again tomorrow doing the paper review. If you listen to Radio Nottingham from approx. 8:15am onwards, I will be on the Breakfast show.

I'm scared

As part of my job, I occasionally have to travel. If I'm honest I don't really like to do this, I'd rather spend my days in the office, which in fairness is a chore in itself to get there in rush hour traffic. But I like to show willing and when the opportunity came, where branch visits had to be made, I pushed myself to book them in this week.

I wish I could adapt the same philosophy for my task list! I've sort of semi known for a couple of weeks, that we will be going to New York at New Year now, which is great, I'm really excited, but there is one task that I have lined up to do there, that I'm a little nervous of - the trapeze. The company in New York are now taking bookings for the time that I'm available, yet something has stopped me from booking it so far. I'm thinking of the heights, I'm thinking I hope I don't pull my back out. I'm way nervous of dropping onto the net (you have to do this - I've read the write up on their web site!)

Like the visits, I know I will have to book this at some point, but for now I'm hesitating.......

See A Shakespearean Play At The RSC In Stratford

It has been nearly twenty four hours since I completed this task, yet the mesmerizing performance I witnessed still lies fresh in my mind.

It was a cold winter's day that brought us on a return trip to Stratford Upon Avon. We visited two years previously, then just having time to do the usual tourist stops. Since the visit, I promised myself that I would come back some day, to see Shakespeare performed at the RSC and this weekend I managed to do it.

For some reason, I never covered Shakespeare at school, or if we did, we must have covered it so fleetingly that I don't remember. It wasn't until I did English A level at night class, some years later, that I came into contact with Hamlet and instantly fell in love with the plays.

The hotel, that we stayed at was within walking distance of the Courtyard Theatre, so after a little shopping and a bite to eat, we arrived at the theatre to watch Romeo and Juliet.

The main theatre in Stratford is undergoing major renovation and the Courtyard theatre, which is just down the road from this, looked very much like a work in progress as well. However, once inside, the theatre was reminiscent of Shakespearean times, with the semi circle, tiered effect seating encapsulating the stage.

Our seats were at the front of the theatre, next to the stage and from there we watched the performance, as a scene reminiscent of 1920's gangster New York unfolded before us.

Everyone I guess, knows the story of the two star crossed lovers and their ill fated deaths, but what I didn't count on was the passion and emotion you felt from the actors, being so close to the stage. It felt a little dangerous at times, as flick knifes and glasses came exceedingly close to our seats, but the professionalism of the actors in their perfect timing, meant we were never in any danger.

The whole play lasted just over three hours. As well as the rival families being depicted as gangsters, we saw the infamous balcony scene being played with Juliet on a wrought iron bed and a very passionate Romeo, brimming with emotion in almost every scene. The actress who played Juliet was in her first season with the RSC and certainly with the performance she gave, I doubt it would be her last.

The lighting and emotive acting throughout the play was so amazing, it left me breathless and wanting more. The RSC has definitely recruited one more fan on the back of this performance and as I walked out of the theatre, I was already planning to return!

One of my favourite tasks so far that I've completed!

The One That Deserves A Whole Blog Post To Itself

I could tell you how gigantic this novel was to read. Or how my hand ached just holding the book, to complete all 1444 pages. I could say I actually enjoyed reading this book and to finish it, felt like the equivalent of climbing Ben Nevis. I could tell you all of these things, but I doubt whether you would fully appreciate this book, until you actually read it yourself.

Forget Jane Austen, Tolstoy gives us an interpretation of society that far outweighs anything Austen can muster. His wonderful observations of aristocratic life leave you amused and entertained and his commentary on life in the trenches, portray the harrowing life soldiers endured.

It was by no means easy reading this book. The sheer volume of pages, I'm sure has put many people off trying and at two thirds through, the plot began to lose me. But it was the character of Pierre that drove me on, to find out if he survived and weathered society and then the conflict of war, of which thankfully he did.

If I could recommend one book to read, then this will be the one. It's by no means the best book I've read, but it would certainly rate in my top ten. Read this book, if only to drop into conversation that every book thereafter was a realtively simple read and believe me, I'm on The Shell Seekers now and it's like a walk in the woods!