Challenge Yourself

And relax...

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:09:59 GMT

I have just had the most brilliant weekend in a long time, there is no other word for it except spectacular !

Friday night started in London where I was met from the train by my friend Steve and we made our way back to Greenwich to meet Adam, lovely guy. Steve has my full approval. We headed out for food and ended up at a Sushi restaurant and the flavours were delicious. The wiatress was really working hard for her tip, a bit too hard and I had bite my tongue to stop myself telling her to ease off and find something else to do.
Then it was tea and TV and off to bed for a hard earnt rest.

Next morning started with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs-seriously yummy. You might be noticing a theme developing here, yes it was a serious food weekend. Then on the train to town to 'sample the delights of the season' and had a stroll around the shops and stopped for a bit of people watching by the Cambridge Theatre in a bar called 'Box'.

It was then time to head down to 'The Ivy', after wandering around a little lost for a while my friends soon got us on the right track and we arrived ready for our culinary adventure. I know I sound a bit poncy but my god what a meal !
The whole visit was a fabulous experience and as we walked in after checking in our coats it felt as though quite a few heads turned to check out who we were, they were obviously expecting someone famous. But of course we all looked so fabulous we didn't disappoint.

The funniest thing was written at the bottom of the menu;

'No mobile phones, cameras or guns'

Guns !!! Where the hell were we that we needed to be concerned about guns. I have never seen that written on a menu before in my life, but it didn't put us off, we just tucked into the delightful food.

We ate until we couldn't eat anymore and left London in a cab as we just couldn't be bothered to walk to the station. We couldn't drag our stomachs any longer quite frankly.

We all collapsed on the bed and sofa when we got back and rested before our trip to the theatre. The play was very funny and we were all glad we chose something that wasn't as main stream as many of the plays in town. It was called 'Dealer's Choice' by Patrick Marber and it was a great comedy. It was about a guy who ran a restaurant and the relationships he had with his staff and his son especially who was addicted to gambling. The play ended with the father realising he was in fact addicted and had just lost £4000.

It was only the second night of the run and the director, Sam West was in to watch, so he was our token famous person for the weekend.

Sunday saw us at Hampton Court as Steve's friend Davy was doing a run for race for life, a cancer charity event and once he's completed that, in very good time I hasten to add, we all toddled off to the pub for a roast dinner.

Now it's Monday and it's all over, like some fabulous dream. Although unlike a dream, I'll remeber this for a long time as we had so much fun, laughter and good food and was treated like a princess by my friends.

And if you are reading this Steve and Adam, thanks again for a fantastic weekend :o)

London, here I come !

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 08:00:53 GMT

Well here we are again, on the verge of another glorious weekend.

I can't wait to be honest as I'm going up to London to visit my friend and have a good old catch up as I havn't seen him in ages because of my studying. He's the guy who gave me my crazy 'booberjibbley' nickname, so I know I'm going to have a great weekend.

I'm taking the train tonight, not something I do very often as I don't need to use a train where I live. So it's quite exciting really, sad I know.

So I get to London tonight for dinner and drinks, probably in Greenwich as my friend lives there and then meet his new boyfriend. Fingers crossed he's a keeper, my friend has been single for a while now and I really hope his new man makes him happy as he is such a lovely guy and really deserves to be happy.

Saturday is all about the shopping I think, followed by lunch at 'The Ivy' it looks great and I had to book it back in July to get a table !!!!

Check out the link:

http://the-ivy.co.uk

You'll see what I mean when you have a look, chaeck out the menu-YUMMY!!!

Then it's off to the theatre, a theatre I have not been to or heard of before, 'The Menier Chocolate Factory'. It used to be a factory years ago and is now a theatre and gallery, have a look at this link too, it's looks good and the play we are going to see should be pretty good as it's been written by Patrick Marber.

http://menierchocolatefactory.com

So all in all a great weekend planned.

What's anyone else up to this weekend, doing anything different or new that you have'nt done before ?

Behold, the king is back...

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:10:56 GMT

After a few days of running around like a lunatic, I have finally found time to sit down and write for a few minutes.

Yesterday I went to an engineering exhibition in London which was a complete waste of time, it was very small, not many stands or people looking around and so it was a case of drive up, spend an hour looking and then drive back.

The highlight was trips to McDonalds and Burger King, I know I know,both in one day, but my boss made me do it !!!

Well, no he didn't but he encouraged me, honest. I wasn't too bad though, I had a toasted bagel in the morning and then a burger later for lunch. I did redeem myself by going to the gym, but then took my hubbie out for a curry to thank him for his handywork in the kitchen, he's been doing a few alterations.

But the reason I mention the King and of course I mean Elvis Presley, is because I ended up watching a tv programme last night that had me hooked.

I kept saying I was going to bed as it was on quite late, but it was all about Elvis impersonators across the globe. A new tv show started in the UK on saturday in a quest to find the best Elvis impersonator. I didn't watch it as the idea of a bunch of spandex clad nutter pretending to be Elvis sounded like hell.

However, last night show tracked how they found the people for the show and it was captivating. Japan has a big Elvis following, so of course they have a guy from there competing. Another 'Elvis' comes from Las Vegas where he sings in a wedding chapel, whilst others came from Germany and all over the place.

There were even women doing their best to get chosen ! I have to admit, they were rubbish but they tried !

But for some reason I was hooked by the fact that all of these people were still totally star struck by 'The King' aha baby, and loved him like he was a family member.

Now I know I'm a keen Alan Rickman fan but I can't ever imagine going as far as any of these people.

I have some other bits and bobs I'd like to chat about but I'll save those for next time.

In the mean time, hello to me_pirateship, quillfire,ardenr and ispellit, hope to chat to you soon.

The weekend starts here...

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 08:29:52 GMT

Well here we are, another week has passed and it seems that today I am in the bad book with the boss.

One of the guys in our IT dept is leaving today and he has been working here for four years- a good amount of time I'm sure you'll agree.

Well when I was doing the collection for him, a couple of the directors were not around to contribute and so a friend told me that they always get them to pay £5, so when I bought the gift last night I added an extra £10 for those two people.

I mentioned it to one of them who was fine, but the second was more than a little annoyed and said he would pay £10 for some people but not a bean for the is guy who's leaving. He also said he'd like to know who told me to contribute for him but I'm keeping quiet as it was one of the other managers.

But really, how tight can you get ?

Anyway, the weekend is nearly here-hurrah !

I need to start work on my hypnotherapy case studies this weekend, so it's a weekend of writing for me. I just need to get my head down and get on with it. It's just starting it that's difficult. So I might just concentrate on writing the scripts.

I might have to try out my new camera as well. I need to learn how to use it before my course starts. I feel an interesting weekend coming on.

So have a great weekend folks :o)

How odd is this ????

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 07:54:39 GMT

I have just driven in to work and chatting to my friend as we drove and we were stopped in our tracks by something the DJ said on the radio.

Apparently, today is national 'Talk like a pirate day ??

I have never heard anything like it before and it takes place in the states as well-who knew ?

Check out the website:

http://yarr.org.uk

All for a good cause me heartys ha har !

New friends

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:45:24 GMT

Just been thinking about this whole blogging thing and am pleased to report that so far, so good.

I've met some lovely people and meeting new ones all the time.

So I thought that while I am in a jolly mood I'd just say 'Hello and hope you have had a good day' to all of you lovely folks I've met so far.

I'm probably in a good mood as I'm off to the the theatre tonight, so I'll be in touch again tomorrow.

Have a great night folks :o)

Oh what a beautiful morning...

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 07:50:17 GMT

The sun is shining and the sky is blue- deep sigh of contentment.

It's Friday and I can smell the weekend from here.

I'm off to visit my family and have a relaxing weekend in the countryside and wander through the greenery.

It's quite good that the area I come from is quite a big 'foodie' area and certain towns are known for different foods. I should imagine we'll end up in Bakewell, well known for it's tarts and puddings and go and feed the ducks down by the river.

I am on a health kick at the moment but I don't think I'll be able to resisit a bakewell pudding. I remeber when I was small my dad would sometimes bring one home with him when he'd had a meeting near Bakewell and we would would just munch our way through it in seconds.

If are wondering what on earth I'm taling about, take a look at this site and it will explain all

www.bakewellpuddingshop.co.uk

So have a great weekend one and all and I'll be back on Monday :O)

Difficult situation

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:44:20 GMT

This year has been the most demanding for me in while concerning the amount of free time I have had.

When I have'nt been writing essays, reading text books or practising hypnotherapy, I've been spending time with my husband, family and close friends. It's been very difficult trying to balance the time I needed to take to study and time out and yesterday I wrote a list of all of the people I need to catch up with who knew that my course was taking over for a while, but I would be back with them soon.

The majority of my friends are not interlinked as I have met them all whilst in different jobs (and I've had a few, sales, radio, theatre, newspapers, restuarants) or through other friends, so I can't see them all during one big evening out. I have to spread it out over a few nights and we have lots of fun when we meet. I don't know about anyone else who is reading this, but I tend to have different friends for different occassions or interests.

So I have some friends who I go to the theatre with, others for the movies, different ones for going to dinner, but it works really well.

But I have one friend in particular who just makes me feel like I have been dreadful and let her down, when I really don't think I have.

She moved away last summer to a town which is a good 2-300 hundred miles away, she has a new life and mine has moved forward and changed also. The problem is, we speak when we can and text each other, but very occassionally we lose touch for a month or so. My excuse is my studies, but my other friends and I seem to have this unspoken agreement that we realise that life keeps moving along for us and we will get in touch whenever we can.
But she seems to think I have abandoned her, even though I have told her time and time again that just because I may not be in touch for a while does not mean I don't think about her. She has got engaged, bought a new house yet I still seem to be the thorn in her side.

To me friendhsip is a two way street, she blames me for not getting in touch with her, but she could always contact me instead of giving me a guilt trip. After a 'guilt text' this evening I have suggested we meet for a long lunch and have a goold old catch up, but she must be sulking as she has'nt text me back and usually she's very quick to return texts.

Don't think I can do much else really except wait.

I tend to be very philisophical about friendship as I was given some great advice years ago after a very painful breakup, my friend told me that people come and go in your life, some stay for the short while they are needed and others stay for the duration, but you have to accept the friendship for what it is and enjoy the time you have.

That does'nt mean I disown people when I'm bored with them as I'm still in touch with old friends from uni 10 years down the line.

Any thoughts folks ?

Some people just push their luck too far

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:38:28 GMT

I'm verging on a rant at the moment, not good I know but sometimes there is just one person who knows how to press the button that drives you crazy !

My office at work is full of interesting characters who are on the whole lovely people, except one.

This one person has the capacity to irritate everyone, me included, and just when you are having a great chat and feel you just might be connecting with them, they say completely the wrong thing and rub you up the wrong way.

Maybe it's an innate talent, but Mr X actually made people stop and gasp with his comments today. I think he may have an element of self awareness about him as he seemed to realise that me banging about and stomping up and down the office proved I was more than a little pissed off with him.

It just makes me wonder, what is it that makes people go that step too far ? I'm sure that most of us do this from time to time and regret it afterwards, but some just don't realise the implications of their actions.

I'm going to start to calm down as it's only me who is being bothered by this, he is probably going about his day and totally oblivious.
The only person anger damages is the person brooding on it, me.

So here endeth the rant, just had to get that off my chest-phew.

Odd when friends can see things you can't...

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:52:27 GMT

I've been out and about today in the New Forest, fabulous weather and country pub for a bite to eat for lunch.

Plenty of cows and horses wandering along, some friendlier than others !!!

My friend and I were just chatting about my hypnotherapy course and how lots of people we had met had really progressed in terms of self development since the beginning.

I could'nt really see any changes in myself, maybe a bit more philosophical than before, but my tutor did give me a stoic philosophy book to read which was very enlightening ( I know I sound a bit poncy but it was really interesting).

One person had been very fragile and had just come out of a really painful break up, only to be bright and bubbly and always smiling now. Another had issues with repressed memories and had worked through them, whilst others had conquered phobias.

Where as I on the other hand did'nt think I'd changed-wrong.

According to my friend, I have worked out what I want from life in terms of taking more time for me, to do the things I have always wanted to try and not rush around so much fitting everyone into my life and learning to say no-difficult one that.

So my point is, you think you know yourself and what you need and desire from life, but really it just takes a close friend to say 'Actually, I think you have changed and moved on in terms of X, Y, Z', but you don't recognise it in yourself.

Maybe if you did you would be a bit self obsessed perhaps, too introverted and too busy looking at yourself to live life.

Who knows...

It just struck me that sometimes you need a friend to point out the obvious, which then helps to re-evaluate what and who you are and maybe the path you are taking.

Everyone has to start somewhere...

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:40:31 GMT

So here we are, something new that I have'nt done before, my new challenge.

I decided that this year was going to be different, something spectacular, so far it has been.

I was told years ago that 2007 would be my year and was given a few predictions, some have come true and others have just been plain dissapointing, but not everything in life is perfect.

So far this year I have changed my job and my career, have retrained as a hypnotherapist, joined the gym, met lots of new and interesting people along the way , been to the theatre so many times I can't remember all of the productions I have seen and booked workshops in photography and creative writing for next year.

I'm sure there is still more I can find to do.

I feel that there is more to life than the pattern of getting up and going to work, I want to be creative and have experiences which make me think and from talking to friends I'm not the only one.

So, let's see what the future holds.