Category Archives: Uncategorized

Website Revamp

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Today I’ve taken some time out from writing to work on updating this site, which I’ve been meaning to do for a while. And, if I do say so myself, it’s looking pretty dapper. So what’s changed? Firstly I’ve invested in a domain name so it’s a website in itself rather than just being A.N.Other Wordpress site. Secondly, I’ve updated the theme so it looks a touch smarter. Thirdly, and most importantly, I’ve added some additional tabs to the menu bar and posted links to my published writing and the top posts from this blog since its inception (saving new readers the hassle of trawling through past posts to find the best ones). It’s still a work in progress but it feels good having made a start on pulling everything together. A writer’s website is, after all, their shop front, and it doesn’t do to have a messy window.

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The Belle is Back (Ache Central)

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I’ve returned from my self-imposed social media exile, however there are currently more pressing matters at hand than catching up on a month of people’s Facebook news feeds. What could that possibly be? I hear you cry. I’ll tell you what: Pulling off a miraculous five day recovery from acute back pain in time to run this weekend’s Rome marathon.

That’s right, after 19 long weeks of preparation and training my body has finally succumbed to the strain and has, for the past week, been categorically refusing to do anything other than hurt. A lot. I’ll admit I didn’t help myself with a day of skiing in Sweden at the weekend but I honestly thought I was on the mend. How wrong I was. Since then things have gone downhill to the point of needing round the clock ibuprofen, paracetamol and codeine.

But I haven’t come this far to give up now, no siree. Last week there were tears and hysterics, this week it’s positive mental attitude all the way. There are still four full days to recover, and I’m determined to throw every last grenade of wellbeing at this situation: Massages, stretches, reiki, Epsom salt baths – anything at all. It feels awful not being able to run but even the professionals are telling me that rest is my only hope of being race fit come this Sunday, so who am I to argue? All I can do is hope and pray I’ve done enough to make it across that finish line. Positive vibes from my lovely followers would be very welcome and gratefully received (as would donations here). The race is, quite literally, on.

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Preparing to Log Off….

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This Sunday I will be embarking upon a 26.2 day sponsored social media silence*, as part of my Rome Marathon fundraising effort (for which you can sponsor me here, should you so desire). Those of you who know me will know that the social media element of this challenge is arguably going to be harder for me to endure than the marathon itself. It’s no secret (how could it be?) that I’m rather fond of Facebooking and prone to the occasional tweet and Instagram photo opportunity. Indeed it could reasonably be posited that I’m one of those annoying people who live out their lives in the public domain, as if my life offline would simply not be worth living. Well, I’m about to find out if that’s the case.

Whilst every passing second bringing me closer to the moment I go offline is raising my blood pressure and anxiety levels, I am also intrigued and even a tad excited to see how I fare without the crutch of online interaction upon which I have come to rely. Will I, for example, see a sharp increase in creative thinking and productivity that will lead to my writing my very own Magnum Opus? Or will I (more likely) end up rocking in the corner by the end of day one, repeating 140 character tweets to myself on a loop and driving myself mad because there is NOBODY TO SHARE THEM WITH? One thing I’m sure of is that I’ll quickly feel annoyed by everyone around me who is engrossed in their smartphone, just as when I gave up smoking I found being in the company of smokers intolerable. So that will be fun for my boyfriend, friends and colleagues (and will, quite frankly, serve the bastards right for forcing me to do this in the first place).

To surmise: There may be tears. There may be withdrawal. There may be shattered relationships. But by God will there be some good writing material**

*which means no engagement with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or this blog (waaaah)

**either that or (most likely) some dangerous new TV series addictions

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Bad Teacher

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I wrote this yesterday and then proceeded to go out and lose my phone. We are now happily reunited so I can finally upload it…

This afternoon I went to a free ‘master class’ in writing news features for charities. The content of the course was actually quite interesting. It was ruined, however, by the entirely lacklustre presentation. The woman who ran the course delivered it with all the enthusiasm of a convict waiting for their execution. At times she seemed to drift off into a world of her own, forgetting her audience (ironic considering one of her key pieces of advice was ‘know your audience’) and mumbling her points. Her decision to ask attendees to send examples of their own press releases in advance of the session and then publicly pick them apart in a group setting was one of the more interesting (read: awkward) techniques I’ve seen on such a course, and when the end was announced you could practically hear the sighs of relief as attendees fled like refugees in a war torn country towards the door.

It’s a good job the course was free or else I would have asked for my money back. It really does amaze me that people with all the charm and charisma of a sponge think teaching others is their vocation.

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The Jacket

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The jacket sits on the fence, listless and forgotten. Creepers stretch tendrils towards the imposter in their midst, testing its legitimacy, waging a war of attrition that it cannot hope to win. The snow is thick now, almost a foot deep in places. The jacket has its own jacket of snow, white on red like Santa’s suit. How many sunsets has it seen? How many frosts has it endured? So many questions left unanswered by the perpetrator of its demise. From time to time a passer by will stop, their eyes alighting on the arm that hangs limply from the fence post like a rag, or a fallen soldier on the edge of the battlefield. They will look around, frown and move on, it being quite apparent that the jacket’s owner has done the same.

What they don’t know is he hasn’t. He lies there too, beneath the foot of snow, his frozen hands clasped tightly as if in prayer. He was drunk, of course (at this time of year they always are), on his way home from the Christmas party. When they find him several days from now they’ll all be baffled as to why he removed his jacket when it was so very cold. In truth he would be just as baffled had he lived to tell the tale, for there was no logic to his whisky-addled thinking. And now there is no thinking at all.

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Christmas Swish

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It’s been a while since Susy’s last swishing party, so tonight was warmly received by all those who attended. As usual Susy was the perfect hostess, plying us with what have now become the customary sausage rolls to wash down our Prosecco and girlie banter. The turnout wasn’t huge (damn Christmas parties) – around ten of us in total, which gave the evening (and indeed the clothes selection) more of a boutique feel. That said there were still plenty of good quality clothes to go around, and I think most of us walked away with several quality items in our Christmas sacks as well as full bellies.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Swishing parties rock. What could possibly be better than getting together with a group of friends for some wine, party food and a natter, with the added bonus of taking home some lovely (and, more to the point, free) new outfits? Christmas swishes are the best as everyone is also feeling festive and up for a giggle-not to mention particularly keen to bag themselves a sexy number for the office Christmas party-which makes for an even better paper, scissors, stone-off at the end of each round…In short, it’s been another splendid swish. Thanks Suse! X

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Festive Fun

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Several weeks ago, channelling my self-elected role of Chief Planner, I decided it might be nice to organise a festive meal for a group of friends in a central(ish) London pub. I created an online poll thinking the total number who would be keen to join might make it into the twenties if we were lucky…..and here we are, on the day itself with forty people confirmed and paid up for a three course meal in our own private dining room in Primrose Hill.

The planning process has not been without its hitches – the pub calling to say they had messed up and the festive menu would not actually be available this early being the main one (along with other minor irritations such as people dropping out, failing to read the instructions and paying the wrong amount of money into my account). I have also made things unnecessarily complicated for myself by deciding to purchase decorations and gifts for all the guests, but I hope they will add to the ambience and make it a fun afternoon.

In truth I’m not sure I’ll have the energy to do something this ambitious again, so I intend to get the most out of today and enjoy the fruits of my labour. Happy early Christmas to one and all-Ho Ho Ho.

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Spinning Plates

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I’ve just been reading a magazine article about people who plan too far ahead and generally take on too much, and how it can be harmful to your health to set too many deadlines in life (apparently people who set lots of deadlines are four times more likely to have heart attacks…), and beneficial to sometimes be spontaneous and just go with the flow.

This weekend I’ve been back home with my mum and stepdad. Mum always worries that I’m doing too much and not getting enough rest (to be fair, given in the past two months alone I’ve organised two big parties with a third in the pipeline, planned a forthcoming trip to Hong Kong and the Philippines in the new year, signed up to a marathon in March next year and written 33,000 words of a new novel – in addition to the daily blogs I’ve been posting every day of this year so far – she might have a point), but I always argue that I like being busy.

And it’s true, I DO like being busy. It keeps my brain active and keeps me inspired. It also makes me a more interesting person, or at least I like to think so. Exercising keeps me healthy and happy, writing soothes my soul and, although planning social engagements can be stressful (the most recent one – a festive lunch for 40 people – particularly so), I love getting people together and knowing the occasion wouldn’t have happened had it not been for my tenacity and enthusiasm in organising it.

I feel so blessed to lead such a busy and fulfilling life, it’s just not in my nature to sit around and do nothing. That said, I’ve really pushed myself to the limit with today’s almost-eleven mile run. And, after getting home from a fabulous roast dinner with friends, my whole body aching, I have to say I’m glad ‘all’ I have to do tomorrow is catch up the 6,300 words I’m currently behind with my novel…

Restoration Time

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I’m not going to lie, it’s been a pretty exhausting two days, so I’ve more than welcomed the opportunity to vegetate all day today, watching back to back films (Pacific Rim, Stoner and The Hangover 3, should you be wondering-an eclectic selection to say the least) and eating Dominos pizza with my boyfriend and his brothers on his birthday. Tomorrow when the clan departs it will be nose back to the grind stone time, starting with a ninety minute run to kick start the metabolism after a weekend of booze and carbs and followed by a long writing session to begin to make up the eight thousand words I’m now behind in my NaNowrimo challenge. But that’s fine with me, because life is all about the yin and the yang, and after tipping the scales heavily in one direction with this weekend’s birthday celebrations it’s high time to reverse the trend and get back to sensible pursuits and healthy living. Move aside Dominos and partying, vegetables and sleep are back on the menu for the foreseeable future…

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London Life

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There can be few London sights more beautiful than the South Bank in the sunshine, against a backdrop of beautiful blue sky. Yesterday (yes, I’ll admit I didn’t get around to posting yesterday, but will make up for it with two posts today), we took the tube to Charing Cross and walked from Trafalgar Square to the Christmas market that’s just opened along the waterfront near Royal Festival Hall. We ambled through the market and walked down to Blackfriars where we had a drink on the river in Doggett’s Coat and Badge pub.

When you live in a city as amazing as this it’s surprisingly easy to forget the wonderful array of things on offer to see and do. Yesterday made me realise how important it is to make the most of it-because London won’t be my home forever.

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