So I'm a thinkin' of makin' some changes around these parts. You know shake it up a little. My little ole blog has been the same for 4 years and I fancy a bit of a change. Nothing radical - and certainly not a change of direction or my writing or any of that stuff - nope, just a bit of jazzing the place up a bit.
I have a good friend who has offered to help - so I'm clicking all around me to see what colours I like and why I like some blogs rather than others. Deep down I wanna keep it simple. My writing, a subscribe button, and a twitter link and I'm done. But... I have one thing in mind. Laugh if you will - but I have always wanted to be an agony aunt. NOT that I think my advice is the be all and end all - but years ago, I mean years - when I was about 9 years old, I was obsessed with a magazine called Jackie, and it's Cathy and Claire problem page. Every week when I got the mag, before I even looked to see if my Adam and the Ants poster was the centrefold - I checked the problem page and the fabulous answers. I used to pretend that I was Cathy - or Claire - and I would make up all kind of problems and then helpfully solve them.
I could do this for hours. I think a whole winter passed and I was still advising myself on my made up problem of what to do 'when your best friend copies everything you wear.' I yearned to do it for real. I've volunteered as a Samaritan, where you definitely DON'T give advice, and I've trained as a Life Coach where you absolutely do - and somewhere in between is the place I am comfortable with. You are never in someone's shoes, so you can't judge or advise totally - but you can support and suggest.
So I'm thinking of adding a problem page - for anyone to write on if they need advice. Maybe open it open comment wise... more a community of advice really. I won't be making money on it - just to let you know. Is just something I want to do. Be there you know, if anyone needs to share/chat/vent/wallow/explore how they feel etc. Friends always suggested I went into counselling and the like - I know so many dark secrets and moments from folk who needed to share - and although I have an enormous capacity to chat and rarely stop talking - I have kept all those secrets to myself - as trust in friendship is paramount. I guess it is also in some way giving back - it's all anonymous - and there is a comfort in that. Easier maybe to share with someone who you won't bump into at the fruit counter in the local store - or who will gossip with glee about your troubles to the neighbourhood. There are times I wish I'd kept this blog entirely secret to all those who know me in the flesh - as it sometimes odd to picture folk I know reading this. Part of me has held back on occasion - thinking 'but they know my husband' or the like. I usually reason that I don't care what folk think - by writing it and publishing it I am 'owning' it (without coming across all Ricky Lake speak) and therefore there is nothing someone can say or do that will affect me - as I put it out there.
Anyway - hopefully my good buddy (who is a designer and a mighty fine one at that) will be adding some colour - maybe a new martini picture or the like. Just a freshen up. When he does I think I'll set up the CM problem page and see how it goes. I don't assume that I'll be able to solve your woes - but I'm an ear, I'm a shoulder and I'm certain that a problem shared is a a problem halved.
Apart from that - I'm gearing up spooky style for Halloween (fave holiday!) and Sproglet is beyond excited aboutmy his party on Wed. I'm excited about me and some fun Mothers drinking our way around the trick or treating, just getting in the spirit. Geddit? Nevermind. I've got a few new plans on the horizon after some meetings on Friday (hurrah - meetings in Soho - was like a part of my old pre marriage life... something I did every week and now do... er... never). So as the leaves fall and the heating is cranked up, as I give up pretending I will ever for a run again in this wintery weather and I settle into my cocoon on the sofa, I'll be tinkering and fiddling and making this here blog a prettier place. Stick around and see.
I have a good friend who has offered to help - so I'm clicking all around me to see what colours I like and why I like some blogs rather than others. Deep down I wanna keep it simple. My writing, a subscribe button, and a twitter link and I'm done. But... I have one thing in mind. Laugh if you will - but I have always wanted to be an agony aunt. NOT that I think my advice is the be all and end all - but years ago, I mean years - when I was about 9 years old, I was obsessed with a magazine called Jackie, and it's Cathy and Claire problem page. Every week when I got the mag, before I even looked to see if my Adam and the Ants poster was the centrefold - I checked the problem page and the fabulous answers. I used to pretend that I was Cathy - or Claire - and I would make up all kind of problems and then helpfully solve them.
I could do this for hours. I think a whole winter passed and I was still advising myself on my made up problem of what to do 'when your best friend copies everything you wear.' I yearned to do it for real. I've volunteered as a Samaritan, where you definitely DON'T give advice, and I've trained as a Life Coach where you absolutely do - and somewhere in between is the place I am comfortable with. You are never in someone's shoes, so you can't judge or advise totally - but you can support and suggest.
So I'm thinking of adding a problem page - for anyone to write on if they need advice. Maybe open it open comment wise... more a community of advice really. I won't be making money on it - just to let you know. Is just something I want to do. Be there you know, if anyone needs to share/chat/vent/wallow/explore how they feel etc. Friends always suggested I went into counselling and the like - I know so many dark secrets and moments from folk who needed to share - and although I have an enormous capacity to chat and rarely stop talking - I have kept all those secrets to myself - as trust in friendship is paramount. I guess it is also in some way giving back - it's all anonymous - and there is a comfort in that. Easier maybe to share with someone who you won't bump into at the fruit counter in the local store - or who will gossip with glee about your troubles to the neighbourhood. There are times I wish I'd kept this blog entirely secret to all those who know me in the flesh - as it sometimes odd to picture folk I know reading this. Part of me has held back on occasion - thinking 'but they know my husband' or the like. I usually reason that I don't care what folk think - by writing it and publishing it I am 'owning' it (without coming across all Ricky Lake speak) and therefore there is nothing someone can say or do that will affect me - as I put it out there.
Anyway - hopefully my good buddy (who is a designer and a mighty fine one at that) will be adding some colour - maybe a new martini picture or the like. Just a freshen up. When he does I think I'll set up the CM problem page and see how it goes. I don't assume that I'll be able to solve your woes - but I'm an ear, I'm a shoulder and I'm certain that a problem shared is a a problem halved.
Apart from that - I'm gearing up spooky style for Halloween (fave holiday!) and Sproglet is beyond excited about
1 comment:
Hello Crummy,
I wonder how I've never come across your blog - I love your writing. Just read your breastfeeding post. Pimms it is :-)
Deborah x
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