GETTNG MY TEETH INTO BLOGGING AGAIN

Dear Reader
Sorry I've not been blogging. The problem lies in the fact I've had no camera since it went down the pan (literally) and quite frankly blogging is just not the same without it. The whole raison d'etre of the blog was to post my craft projects and obviously can't do that without a camera. Here's hoping Santa reads my blog and brings a new one. If not, it's top of my 'What to buy in the January sales' list.
Which brings me quite neatly to what I can blog about, which is to follow the Reverb 10 challenge. This gives a word prompt every day in December.. A million thanks to Tracy to alerting me to this great challenge for which I don't need a camera. I'm playing catch- up (as normal) so I'll post three days worth tonight and try and stay on track for the rest of the month...

December 1 Encapsulate the year in one word. Explain why you're choosing that word. Now, imagine it's one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

My word is TEETH. And no, before I hear you groan, I'm not re-blogging the saga of the teeth problems from the beginning of the year - traumatic as it all was lol. It's just that the whole teeth episode brought home to me how much we take stuff for granted in life. Like your teeth! It's that whole getting older thing, the general feeling that you're falling to bits and the taking it on the shoulder when you're told there's a 99% chance of saving your tooth and you turn out to be the 1% and lose it. Like winning the lottery the wrong way round. Of course, there's far far far worse stuff healthwise than a lost tooth and I appreciate that, it's just that it's emblematic of my year, which quite frankly has not been the best. I've lost my smile at times in more ways than one this year.....

I've also spent much of the year at work trying to keep up with national and regional politics and the perplexing problem of how this area is going to fare, in short what projects will have 'teeth' and what we need to be involved in. A year of change and uncertainty for us all.

I'm also reminded of the teeth of my comb. Combs are so old fashioned now but I still have one. My grandmother always used a comb and every day after lunch and the morning's housework she'd religiously make time for us to have a wash and she'd comb my hair and 'dress' it. She always kept her comb pristine and washed it regularly and I can still 'see it' - a big pink thing with teeth that graduated from thick to thin, sitting in the drawer she kept it. Anyway, my personal time for grooming - hair appointments and the like - have been sadly neglected in 2010. Now that's a sign I think of an unbalanced life when you're too busy to get your hair sorted, to generally take a little 'me' time. Shame on me!

There's also been times this year I've had to 'grit my teeth' and carry on despite what's happening to me and around me... as I say it's not been the best of years. But it has made me appreciate what good times I've had, a particularly lovely birthday celebration with my family, a very happy year's crafting, a new business venture and some good and valued friends.

And as for the word I'd like to encapsulate 2011 it is SNOWLESS !!! lol

Seriously, my word would be SMILE

Heavens! Gone on a bit there. Hope it's not like pulling teeth! Next two will be shorter.

Day 2 - WRITING
What do you do each day that doesn't contribute to your writing - and can you eliminate it?
Actually writing is integral to every day of my life and my working day. To me living and writing are always bound up together. I'm always writing something - emails (must answer between 20 and 40 emails every day) articles, scripts, Minutes, reports, my blog (just not lately!). I love all sorts of writing and at the moment I'm writing a piece on what 2011 will hold in store for Grimsby in terms of economic development and business prospects for a Lincolnshire Life magazine article. Love that kind of writing. Hmmmm what doesn't contribute something to my writing. Very little really. Surely all experiences inform your writing. Perhaps junk emails - yes sometimes junk emails. They say you decide in 2 seconds whether to read an email or not but I seem to have a penchant for junk - always think I might miss out on something by consigning it to the 'bin;. Although I do like watching the little icon of a bin 'swallowing up' the junk lol. Wish we could do that in real life with crappy stuff.... So yes, I suppose I could eliminate the 'junk' in my inbox if not my life but I don't really want to!


December 3 - MOMENT Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid details (texture, smells, voices, noises, colours).

My moment surprises me. It is Enrique Inglesias singing 'Hero' - you know that 'I can be your hero baby' song at the Help the Heroes Concert at Twickenham. Can't say I've ever been a fan of Enrique or indeed the song and that's what makes it so surprising. The concert - and cause - was just great and being there with my partner Maurice, who had a long army career and lost a lot of friends over his 24 years of service, was very special. I was so looking forward to seeing the Robbie and Gary re-union song moment but in the event it was Enrique who gave me one of those unforgettable life moments. He climbed into the audience and sang swaying from a 'fence', propped up by fans.

I guess it was the sight of this one small man perched precariously and singing his heart out to an electrifed 60,000 fans and servicemen and women who all joined in singing, swaying and and lighting up the arena with their lighters that had me completely overawed. Priceless! I've attached the video but I guess you'll all think 'what's she on about!" .. As my daughter Alice would say "One of those have to be there moments mum" ! But I was and for me it was a highlight for 2010.