So. If you subscribe to my blog, or if you just happen to wander by, then you'll notice that I have changed the look. I'm liking it a lot. It shows some of the digital art I've been playing with and is more me.
There are a great many projects all going on inside my head at the moment.
I'll try and make a list of things I want to do:
Write a new choreography - or at the very least find a piece of music that I love love love so that I am enthused to dance to it. At the moment music is eluding me.....but I'll keep you posted...... I'll probably need a new costume too (hopefully - I've not made myself a new costume for some time.....)
Start an art journal - this is the most frightening thing on my list. Why frightening? Because I am rubbish at art. Yeah I know......but I kind of feel that I am.....because I am feel constrained and stunted....I need to be able to let go sufficiently to feel freed up. This is why I aim to start a journal. I may or may not share it initially but I guess the purpose of the blog is to share so I guess I should be brave.... Today I was in Paperchase and they had loads of books on sale - I spent aaaages choosing one (in the end based on price) and I decided on a Home Journal book - it's got lined pages, squared pages, blank pages and clear pockets. I definitely need to cover the front and the back and then I need to start to let my inner artist speak on regular basis.
Decorate some boxes - I have some cigar boxes to decorate. I have one that's almost done and although i think it looks good I'm disappointed because it just looks like something I would expect myself to produce. I need to push my personal envelope.
Start to try more new things. Now, scarily this might mean opening up to new people and inviting them into my life. Or it might not. I'm not sure about this one. I kind of think I can do all of the above without inviting new people in but I kind of think that maybe I should expand my circle. Except I don't really go out. Hmmmm.....
I'l keep you posted.
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Friday, 22 June 2012
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Internet Dating
For almost a year now I've been single. Pretty happy with being single as I've got more than enough to do what with the kids and making stuff and getting it all up on Etsy and everything else.
But recently my mind has turned to the possibility of meeting someone new, someone who would add a little extra to my life.... However - the big catch is that I don't really go out much (I know, very sad). I get to go out with friends about once a month and other than that I'm at toddler groups, volunteering or at belly dance events and to be fair there are very few single, eligible men at any of those places!
So my option - Internet dating. Gulp. But surely (I told myself) there must be reasonable men who use those sites? Nice men who like myself don't get much opportunity to get out and who aren't complete saddoes, who would like to meet someone, chat a bit, meet up maybe, see what happens? After all, if you meet someone in a bar or at a party you effectively know nothing about them and you have to take a bit of time to see what develops. Surely finding a date via the wonders of the Interwebs is pretty much the same so long as you're careful?
After choosing a picture that wasn't provocative or taken too long ago I took a deep breath and joined a couple of sites. Added some profile information and then away we go.....
Oh yes. Away we go to the land of a million ice-breaker messages where it's obvious that the man sending it hasn't read my profile at all. Away to the land of, "Cor, you look lovely, fancy a flirt?" Er no, say hi first please. "Hi babe, fancy a chat?" Ok, so at least that one said hi first but...... Sigh....already I'm feeling jaded and as though this might be a mistake. But hey, can't fall at the first fence.
Five months down the line and it's all pretty much the same. Until I got a couple of messages from men who had actually read my profile, who lived not too far away but seemed to live far away enough for them to have to put some proper effort into being a stalker. Who actually engaged in a bit of email chit chat and banter before suggesting we meet up.
Tentatively I agreed (well, after all, they looked quite attractive and the picture might not be of them, the profile might be made up nonsense - just because I'm honest doesn't mean they are) and so made arrangements with friends that they would be at the venue (lurking in a corner) should we actually fix a date and a time.
But relax folks, after almost going on a date with a lunatic I managed to rescue myself at the last minute due to both men being unable to restrain themselves any longer and sending me emails detailing the size of their *equipment*. Really chaps, too much information. All possible dates cancelled, dating site profile removed, back to making pretty things for Etsy!
But recently my mind has turned to the possibility of meeting someone new, someone who would add a little extra to my life.... However - the big catch is that I don't really go out much (I know, very sad). I get to go out with friends about once a month and other than that I'm at toddler groups, volunteering or at belly dance events and to be fair there are very few single, eligible men at any of those places!
So my option - Internet dating. Gulp. But surely (I told myself) there must be reasonable men who use those sites? Nice men who like myself don't get much opportunity to get out and who aren't complete saddoes, who would like to meet someone, chat a bit, meet up maybe, see what happens? After all, if you meet someone in a bar or at a party you effectively know nothing about them and you have to take a bit of time to see what develops. Surely finding a date via the wonders of the Interwebs is pretty much the same so long as you're careful?
After choosing a picture that wasn't provocative or taken too long ago I took a deep breath and joined a couple of sites. Added some profile information and then away we go.....
Oh yes. Away we go to the land of a million ice-breaker messages where it's obvious that the man sending it hasn't read my profile at all. Away to the land of, "Cor, you look lovely, fancy a flirt?" Er no, say hi first please. "Hi babe, fancy a chat?" Ok, so at least that one said hi first but...... Sigh....already I'm feeling jaded and as though this might be a mistake. But hey, can't fall at the first fence.
Five months down the line and it's all pretty much the same. Until I got a couple of messages from men who had actually read my profile, who lived not too far away but seemed to live far away enough for them to have to put some proper effort into being a stalker. Who actually engaged in a bit of email chit chat and banter before suggesting we meet up.
Tentatively I agreed (well, after all, they looked quite attractive and the picture might not be of them, the profile might be made up nonsense - just because I'm honest doesn't mean they are) and so made arrangements with friends that they would be at the venue (lurking in a corner) should we actually fix a date and a time.
But relax folks, after almost going on a date with a lunatic I managed to rescue myself at the last minute due to both men being unable to restrain themselves any longer and sending me emails detailing the size of their *equipment*. Really chaps, too much information. All possible dates cancelled, dating site profile removed, back to making pretty things for Etsy!
Monday, 6 June 2011
Streamlining #2
So as part of my streamlining process I have finally decided to do away with my www.blackwillowtribal.co.uk website.
It's been a part of my life for some time now but as more and more of my sales and enquiries are coming via the Etsy shop I think I am wasting my money in keeping it going. So I am starting to shift everything over and then when that's done I shall shut the website down.
SO. If you have www.blackwillowtribal.co.uk bookmarked then you should hot-foot over to www.blackwillowbellydance.co.uk instead and go bookmark that one instead. And hopefully you all go take a look at the Etsy shop anyway? And if not why not?
It makes so much more sense to have everything in one place. And I shall have to think about transferring this Blog over to the one that's integrated into that website - again, it makes more sense to have everything in one place although I'm loving how easy this blog is to mess around with and configure. I'm really not that technical (I'm sure I must have mentioned this before?) and the other blog bamboozles me a bit but hey, just need to make my life a little easier.
I still have a pre-schooler with me until January next year and as I generally only have evenings to get things made, practice dance and prepare for classes as well as all the promotional stuff that goes with being a teacher and designer - well, I just need a couple of places to go each evening when I'm doing webwork rather than 5 or 6. Luckily the little man was out with his dad this morning and I've had a good couple of hours on here whilst he's been relaxing so I've been able to back lots of things up, do a bit of SEO work, tweak things here and there in readiness for all the switch-overs.
I'll keep you posted with everything that's happening so that you can pop over and subscribe to stuff as it's happening, and hopefully you'll all come and see me over on the other blog and the other wbsite and then I'll make sure that I go and subscribe to everyone I like to keep up with in blog-space so I don't miss out on anything.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Being Human
Not that I've watched it yet, possibly ever, but there's a US version of Being Human. Sorry US readers, your version will NOT be a patch on the original. It's something uniquely British, like Terry Pratchett (who has never yet translated well to the big screen, the delicacy of his wit does not seem to translate to movies well at all) and Douglas Adams (who did translate well).
Without giving things away I feel sure that the fourth series will delight and deliver. I refuse to believe that the writers and collaborators of this superb drama series will disappoint us in the face of such obvious distress.
The last series has had me hold my breath for almost the full hour on more than one occasion, bite my hand (I thought only people in bad dramas did that but I DID do it - one of the cage fighting scenes as I recall), cry, laugh - a bit - and admire actors/actresses I had no admiration for previous to their inclusion in Being Human.
Those that know wait with baited breath......
Without giving things away I feel sure that the fourth series will delight and deliver. I refuse to believe that the writers and collaborators of this superb drama series will disappoint us in the face of such obvious distress.
The last series has had me hold my breath for almost the full hour on more than one occasion, bite my hand (I thought only people in bad dramas did that but I DID do it - one of the cage fighting scenes as I recall), cry, laugh - a bit - and admire actors/actresses I had no admiration for previous to their inclusion in Being Human.
Those that know wait with baited breath......
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
Spice Must Flow
Ahhhh, small children and what they find amusing......
After the recent butter experiments (yes, although I only blogged about it once there were more days when butter and kitchen implements were my sons favourite toys...) I could only wonder what was to come next.
My spice rack is what came next.....
There was no vehicle involved, he managed to climb up onto the kitchen side via the integral wine rack at the end of the kitchen. I was unaware of this as I was downstairs putting some washing in and hanging further washing out. When I got upstairs I saw him standing on the kitchen work surface, kitchen cabinets open, him with a big smile...."I cooking mummy."
This is what he had achieved...
It may not look like much, but the pot contained sea salt, and from what I can see he had added:
cinnamon
ginger
rosemary
celery seeds
dried chilis
cumin
coriander
thyme
and had added a bit of bubble mixture for juiciness.......
I hope he puts these experiments to good use when he's older!
After the recent butter experiments (yes, although I only blogged about it once there were more days when butter and kitchen implements were my sons favourite toys...) I could only wonder what was to come next.
My spice rack is what came next.....
There was no vehicle involved, he managed to climb up onto the kitchen side via the integral wine rack at the end of the kitchen. I was unaware of this as I was downstairs putting some washing in and hanging further washing out. When I got upstairs I saw him standing on the kitchen work surface, kitchen cabinets open, him with a big smile...."I cooking mummy."
This is what he had achieved...
cinnamon
ginger
rosemary
celery seeds
dried chilis
cumin
coriander
thyme
and had added a bit of bubble mixture for juiciness.......
I hope he puts these experiments to good use when he's older!
Friday, 11 February 2011
Becoming a volunteer
Today was the day I went for an interview for a voluntary role with the Citizens Advice Bureau. They have a new project that trains and support Healthy Lifestyle Coaches, to assist people with myriad issues that are affecting their lives. The idea is that the coach assists the individual to identify, create an action plan for and reach particular goals. These might be to do with resolving issues about relationships, weight, substance use and abuse, work/life balance issues......
In my previous life, before motherhood, I worked with people in many roles; as a residential social worker with children in care, then with adults with disabilities in a care home, then as a volunteer project manager where the volunteers had disabilities, and in the job I had before maternity leave, a volunteer project manager where the volunteers were all under 25 and the recipients of their volunteering actions were children with disabilities.
I kind of feel that the post I went for today SHOULD be a paid role. I understand why it isn't. My feeling that way isn't going to change society, the way funding happens (it's all down to fashions folks, not just about there not being enough in the pot to go round. If your particular project is not "of the now" you'll have to fight harder and longer and probably eventually give up the ghost - I used to fund-raise as a part of my roles.)
The upshot is that the times I would need to be available over-run school times, so I would need to employ a childminder. And the organisation that is offering the post is unable to offer full expenses for this. I don't blame the organisation. It's always been a tough call trying to get parents of pre-school children involved with volunteering because of that very issue. If an organisation can't offer full expenses, or even two thirds of that because don't forget you need a childminder for not only the period where you won't be with the child, but for a period either side of that to cover your travel time, then you can pretty much forget someone like me being able to take up a post.
The Children's Centre where I hold my classes and attend toddler groups has offered me the opportunity to do something for them as a volunteer. So I've taken it up. I already attend one group a week, with my son, helping out at a Speech and Language group. And through them I shall have another opportunity soon where they will take my son at their creche for the twelve mornings training required, and where I can take my son with me to the sessions I will be volunteering at.
A completely different role than the one I was interviewed for today. But because it's child friendly I shall take it up. It's still a valuable role and one that I think will be good for me.
In my previous life, before motherhood, I worked with people in many roles; as a residential social worker with children in care, then with adults with disabilities in a care home, then as a volunteer project manager where the volunteers had disabilities, and in the job I had before maternity leave, a volunteer project manager where the volunteers were all under 25 and the recipients of their volunteering actions were children with disabilities.
I kind of feel that the post I went for today SHOULD be a paid role. I understand why it isn't. My feeling that way isn't going to change society, the way funding happens (it's all down to fashions folks, not just about there not being enough in the pot to go round. If your particular project is not "of the now" you'll have to fight harder and longer and probably eventually give up the ghost - I used to fund-raise as a part of my roles.)
The upshot is that the times I would need to be available over-run school times, so I would need to employ a childminder. And the organisation that is offering the post is unable to offer full expenses for this. I don't blame the organisation. It's always been a tough call trying to get parents of pre-school children involved with volunteering because of that very issue. If an organisation can't offer full expenses, or even two thirds of that because don't forget you need a childminder for not only the period where you won't be with the child, but for a period either side of that to cover your travel time, then you can pretty much forget someone like me being able to take up a post.
The Children's Centre where I hold my classes and attend toddler groups has offered me the opportunity to do something for them as a volunteer. So I've taken it up. I already attend one group a week, with my son, helping out at a Speech and Language group. And through them I shall have another opportunity soon where they will take my son at their creche for the twelve mornings training required, and where I can take my son with me to the sessions I will be volunteering at.
A completely different role than the one I was interviewed for today. But because it's child friendly I shall take it up. It's still a valuable role and one that I think will be good for me.
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