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 |   Originally efforts for the 30 Day Blogging Challenge in July... now just a blog |
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The 30 Day Blogging Challenge ..... lets see how far I get... Pretty far it seems! Winner (1st place) for the July 2013 "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS"  Second place for the September 2014 "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" |
| 30DBC - 10th September - Prompt: Complete the following sentence and discuss it: In order to get to _____, firth you have to _____. *shrug* Firth means: the word in the Lowland Scots language and in English used to denote various coastal waters in Scotland and England. In mainland Scotland it is used to describe a large sea bay, or even a strait. In the Northern Isles it more usually refers to a smaller inlet. On account of this, rightly or wrongly, I will be changing this word to 'first" in today's prompt. I have to say, I looked at the prompt when I first woke up and thought "huh, I don't get it. Maybe I will after coffee"... Nope. So as I say, I've taken it upon myself to change the prompt  Yesterday, I spoke about wanting to share my top secret secret, but couldn't share because I wasn't allowed. There was a bit of disappointment with this. In fact, Fivesixer  said I was impolite doing such a thing. Soooo.... To answer today's prompt:In order to get to my top secret secret, first you have to follow the yellow brick road. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. In Other News:  I'm hungry. I've not eaten since last night. Therefore, it must be breakfast time!   I'm waiting for a delivery from Amazon. I'm kinda excited, I bought three poetry books. I've got really into poetry recently, so I wanted some references. I also bought a book on Runes and one on Tarot - I've just had a spark of interest so wanted to have a read. They both come with mini sets, so I'll get to have a play, too. Don't worry, I'm not turning into Madame Tula the Psychic - I'm just interested. I live in a kind of U-shape of houses that has a small green in the middle. Its a really nice area. Since I've been on the sofa (right next to the front window) for weeks resting my foot, I've had quite a nice view of children playing and adults chatting. However, it has now turned into a building site. We have one house having a double story extension, and another house getting a new conservatory. Exciting for them, but my view is ruined!Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **  I am not pregnant (that was pointed out by me yesterday so I thought I'd add this in. It has absolutely nothing to do with bricks (that's today's clue!) |
| 30DBC - 9th September - Prompt: 'A balanced breakfast is a healthy way to start each day.' Scientific truth, or marketing propaganda? As I start to write this, its about 8:30am. I've been up hours, for some reason. I was going to get this post going earlier but I've been busy replying to emails and writing blog comments. WDC has well and truly pushed its way back int my life  I'm sitting here with my breakfast:  A banana - get the good bit out the way A can of coke - I've gone full fat today, no diet or 'life'! A Special K Biscuit Moments thing. Its chocolate flavour, but since the 2 biscuits are 98 calories together, we all know its not real chocolate - its a LIE! An empty (the first thing to disappear) carton of iced (fridged) coffee. Although, I might go get another one!*ahem* is that balanced enough?? two good(ish) things Vs two bad(ish) things. Obviously, coke for breakfast is BAAAD! But I have a broken foot, its allowed!To be honest, I genuinely cannot remember the last time I had proper breakfast food for breakfast.  That's a LIE as well - the last time was on my Honeymoon. But before that, who knows. I normally (if I'm working) leave the house stupidly early so I don't have time to sit down for a leisurely meal. So I just grab snacks and run. Grab and run, people! Grab and run!I ate breakfast when I swam for a living. But then that was only because if I didn't eat all day every day, I felt like I would die a painful death! In fact, prompts about nutrition remind be of being an athlete and sitting in lectures about nutrition for hours and hours on end!  dig a hole and put me in it so I don't need to listen to this drivel! I remember one of our nutritionalists, was a very very big lady. And after watching what she ate at meal times while we were away, made me shut off completely! "la la la la laaaaa".So, yeah, I don't really eat "breakfast foods" in the morning. However, I am going to answer this prompt in the simplest way possible. Watch, I'm about to blow your little cotton socks off: The word breakfast literally refers to breaking the fasting period of the prior night. Therefore, unless you starve yourself all day, you always eat breakfast. Whether its at 6am, 1pm or 7pm, technically you're eating breakfast! You always break the "fast" at some point during the day. With this in mind, I do conclude that breakfast is, indeed, the most important meal of the day. No amount of battling against propaganda will stop your need to eat at some point on each day. Even if its only one meal a day and you call it "dinner". Do not kid yourself!  BOOM! *takes a bow* In other news This post has actually taken me hours (I kept wandering off) and yet I still haven't eaten the food I listed earlier! For some reason today, I really want to share the top secret secret I alluded to the other day. I'm not allowed to announce it but that makes me want to share even more!!! hmmm... *think of a clue I can offer without giving it away*... gahhh  (its not WDC related!) I ought to do three reviews today I think that's enough of my nonsense today |
| 30DBC - 8th September - Prompt: "I used to say to my children that each of us has a disability, that no one is perfect. Some of the most compelling and enduring stories are often about those who rise above their limitations. Share with us how you work within the confines of your own disability or someone in your family each day and manage to thrive." Really? Is this the best prompt to give me? I have to start early, I think this blog will be an all-dayer for me! Those of you who know me, are laughing already, right? Firstly, don’t get me wrong; I think this prompt is great. I just don’t know where to start! *will not get into politically correct language* *no* *no* *no* Ok… all I’ve done so far, is laugh! Lets get down to it! I’m disabled you see, have been since birth (well, technically just after birth but hey what’s a few seconds of Oxygen between friends?... oh! That! ). I have Cerebral Palsy (CP). Did you know, unless you’re ambidextrous , you have elements of CP too… weaker on one side than the other? Yup CP! Cool huh! Some of my writing and a lot of my speeches are about living with an impairment. Getting on with life, dealing with stuff and not letting stuff getting in the way. Not because it a good way to make money (ha joke) but because its just what I do. I don’t always take disability seriously (unless I break my foot and realise I am actually disabled and can’t do anything). I am able to laugh at myself – in fact, I find myself hilarious! I fall over in the most spectacular ways and just get up and walk away. I laugh at the way that if people are not listening properly they wont understand me… yet if I swear they’ll understand instantly. I should just go around swearing; maybe I’ll get further in life. I laugh at the way people patronise me then look reeeeally guilty if they find out I have two degrees! I laugh at the way people patronise me when it is sadly very obvious they’re not very well educated… I’m not laughing at THEM, I’m laughing at the fact that really I could live my life pretending to be unintelligent and no one would argue. I laugh when people ask me where my carer is or if I’m okay by myself (I really am!) I laugh when people crap themselves when they see me get in my car and drive off! So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve got to where I am, done what I’ve done by being positive. By seeing the lighter side of life. Yes, sometimes I get down and want to scream at people. But there is very very little point! I’d get nothing done if I spent my time feeling sorry for myself. I’m not gonna lie – I know that if someone saw me out and about they’d probably think I lived at home with my parents, on benefits, watching TV, eating squashed food and reading kids books. Yup, I am *that* stereotype. And yup that could be me, it easily could. But I’ve worked my ass off in life to make sure that isn’t me! When parents of disabled kids say to me “they can’t, because of their impairment” or “they’ll hurt themselves” I just want to scream. When I was young, I climbed trees. Technically, it should have been physically impossible, but I did it! When I was young I rode a bike (trike) so fast that I flew off when I went round corners! It hurt but I got back up and carried on. My parents encouraged me to carry on. Without that encouragement, I wouldn’t have become so stubborn. Without my stubbornness I wouldn’t have endless positive memories that I treasure so dearly. When I broke my foot recently, the hospital banged on and on about me being a “risk”. How would I get upstairs they asked… “I’ll find a way”. What if so and so happens?... “I’ll find a way”. Do we need to call social services for you?... “you dare and I’ll kick your arses!” Risk! Pah! I had to assure them that the risk was on me, not them. Then I challenged them to find an obstacle I couldn’t find a way round! They didn’t take me up on it, sadly. This is not very well written, at all. I hope I don’t sound too big headed (probably do). I also hope I haven’t offended anyone. That wasn’t my intention… this is just me! Here are a few items I’ve written about impairment and being disabled:
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| 30 DBC - 7th September - Prompt: Review your peers. Tell us your favorite blog entry from your fellow challengers from the preceding week and, importantly, why. Share also with us which of your own blog posts you think stands out. Well, well, well, one week gone, three more to go. I don't feel like I've brought my blogging A game with me so far! I think I need to step it up a notch, crank it up, feel the burn, leave everything I have in the blog... and all that other competitive athlete talk! You know I'm competitive, right? Right? You'll see... whatever!Anyway, this week, my favourite entries were from Creative Saturday (how ironic). I loved looking through everyone's song lists and seeing what each song meant to that person. This has got to be one of the best ways to find out more about someone. I don't think anyone can argue that Elle - on hiatus  's entry for this was ludicrously detailed and incredibly well done. Soooo my favourite entry from this week has to be "Soundtrack of My Life (Part II)" For myself, I think the best post I've written this week is "Invalid Entry" - just because its a story but it rhymes and shiz! What more can you ask for? a lot really, lets be fair!In other news: Hang on, I keep stabbing myself with a broken nail and it's making me sad.... That's better, happiness may resume This morning I was proud of myself because I finally wrote a Sestina poem. Which means I completed the "Invalid Item" challenge. I honestly didn't think I would - 7 brand new poetry forms (to me) in 7 days - but I did and I'm so pleased! My mum dragged me out the house today! She took me to my friend's to have a shower (its easier there in this cast) then to the supermarket. I told her I couldn't go to the supermarket since I was in pajamas - apparently that was a poor excuse! It was still a poor excuse when I told her I had bought the pajamas at that shop! .The car park was pretty full and my blue disabled badge (for disabled parking) was still in my car so we couldn't park in a disabled bay. So, I jokingly said 'park in "parent and child"...I am your child after all!' Sooooo she did! My mum is nuts and I'm turning into her! |
30 DBC - 5th September - Prompt You know how I love  }  Create a list of five or more melodies that immediately evoke a specific memory of a person and a place. Share with us who and where along with your list. I am not looking for the utube links just the song titles. I want to see your creativity.Apparently, today is Creative Saturday, which is unfortunate. I do not feel in the least bit creative. To illustrate: This morning, after moping around on the sofa for a good few hours (watching Good Morning Vietnam), I did my WDC rounds. First I went to "Invalid Item" to check out today's prompt. My reaction was Then I went to 30DBC to check out today's prompt. My reaction was Then I remembered I still needed to write Sestina and Decuain Poems for "Invalid Item" . My reaction was Then I also remembered I need to update/give out prizes for "CLOSED!The Monthly Reading Challenge" . My reaction was Soooo, here we are! Facepalming all over the show! My brain has nothing, nada, zilch. But I'll try... However, my first question for this prompt is... Melodies! When it says melodies, does it mean songs or just melodies? Melodies are over my head. Songs I can do! So, if I do this wrong, I apologise - I have little control over my brain today! Can't you tell? Here we go... Sea of Love by Cat Power , Walk like an Egyptian by The Bangles , I can't dance by Genesis , and I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness You'll think I'm cheating by putting four songs together. I'm not, not really. You see, when Chris and I came to deciding our "First Dance" for the wedding, we were stuck! Neither of us can dance and the thought of us having to sway for four minutes filled us with dread. So, we had a genius idea - we did a mash up, with these four songs in this order. We had a nice romantic song to start, fooling everyone into thinking "awww". Then after 45 seconds or so it just got ridiculous and funny. The middle two songs were on for a short time each. Then the final song was played in full and we got all the bridesmaids and best men up dancing with us. I was great fun! Viva La Vida by Coldplay This was the last song I played on my iPod before I went out to win my silver medal at the Beijing Paralympics 2008. I've never been quite sure why. I think it might have been because I was the current world champion but knew I had no chance of winning gold. Not a very positive song when I think of it in that sense. Oopsy! See Who I am by Within Temptation I had this song on repeat before and during the 2010 World Championships. Again, I'm not entirely sure why... Due to injury and surgery I shouldn't really have been at those World Champs, I was told my career was over. I think I played this song to death to tell myself it wasn't over - not the end! I ended up winning gold!  Boom! Sexy Back - Justin Timberlake , I am the one and Only - Chesney Hawkes , Summer of '69 by Brian Adams I have to put some in here from my party days. Songs that my friend and I would go crazy over. Not because they were amazing songs. Just because we could be ridiculous and dance like loons Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen I remember, while going through a bad break-up, telling my best friend to get in my car at 11pm one night. I drove us to a massive, deserted car park, turning the volume up to full and playing this. We sung along, so loud our voices croaked. We did it again and again until I declared that I was done and drove home to bed. So there we go... I think that'll do |
| 30 DBC - 5th September - Prompt: You take a big bite of a juicy burger (veggie or meat) and as you're chewing, you feel a long strand of hair entwined in the patty. What happens next? I can’t tell you how desperate I was To get that juicy burger in my paws All that gooey, lovely cheese And meaty goodness – yes please! I drooled as I took my first bite But gasped in horror – what a sight! A long hair, direct from a redhead I am blonde! Oh, this I what I dread! Disaster! I shall fight – I’ll not sleep I shall work day and night, sweep Streets until the owner I do find The one who blew my tiny mind! How dare they poison my juicy burger? I wonder if I can issue a court order! In a rage I climb off my perch So determined to go in search Justice shall be served; it’ll be mine Come to me you hairy little swine! Up to the manager I feverishly charged He spoke in a way that only enlarged My anger, frustration and disgust He stared in my eyes with little trust I’m pretty sure I saw the ol’ man chuckle I told him what for, he was starting to buckle What’s so funny you weedy punk? Did you know you smell like a skunk? Ma’am it’s tricky, I wish no umbrage Do you look in mirrors in this day and age? I was quite confused, how terribly rude! The ol’ man offered a mirror he’d accrued Oh, wow! How frightfully awkward! I stood a second as my mind whirred! How does one forget dying their hair? I totally forgot, blonde to red, I swear! I turned on my heel and ran! That’s when my burger fear first began. In other news: Umm I don’t think I have other news. That was the third poem I’ve written today. I quite like how the above turned out, so I made it into a static too: "Invalid Item" |
| 30 DBC - 4th Sept - Prompt: Simply telling people that hard work is more important than genetics causes positive changes in the brain and may make them willing to try harder, a study shows. "Giving people messages that encourage learning and motivation may promote more efficient performance," said the lead investigator. "In contrast, telling people that intelligence is genetically fixed may inadvertently hamper learning." My question to you is: Do you believe it is that simple to improve the way a person approaches learning? I am interested in what you think about the study done by Michigan State University. Did anyone encourage you in the method they are suggesting? Well, I sure hope so otherwise my job is pointless. Granted, sometimes it feels pointless, but I hope its not *that* pointless! See, I'm a motivational speaker, working primarily with high-school students. So, obviously my job is to give positive messages and promote hard work, positive attitudes and dealing well when things go wrong or not quite to plan. I love my job (98% of the time). Sometimes when I work with the same group for a whole day, I can see definite changes in specific students by the time I leave. Other than that, however, I don't know whether what I do helps. Although, I do tend to get positive feedback from teachers. Then there's my brother. We have the same genetics, same upbringing, same positive motivation. Yet, he is totally different to my other brother. He is so negative and feels the world owes him 1000 favours. What went wrong there? I genuinely have no clue. I just think, positive messages do work IF the individual person is open to it! In other news: Yesterday I donated about 400,000GPs to good causes. Today I've posted a positive message in 14 people's notebooks. This made people smile... my work is done! Chris took his final tablet on Tuesday night. They were evil things trying to kill off the bug in his system. He was happy about this. But now he's sick again! Seems we are still cursed  *punches a pillow* I still need to write today's poems for "Invalid Item" and "Invalid Item" I'm now off to upload wedding photos for those that keep asking! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Come and join us at
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| 30 DBC - 3rd Sept - Prompt: "What are your thoughts on climate change? How concerned about it are you, and do you think its effects will be felt dramatically in your lifetime?" Oooh jeeeeeeeezzz Fivesixer - why? Just why? There I am looking forward to typing away about nonsense and you decide, in your wisdom, to hit us with this! Ohh I always try to avoid offering my thoughts on these things. Why? I'm not entirely sure. meh... Anyway, Global Warming is definitely real... Climates are changing... the weather is just plain weird... this is because the human race has been a bit dumb, a bit greedy and a bit ignorant for not listening to warnings - unfortunately it happens! ... any one who denies the reality of global warming, may well live in a alternative reality. Am I worried about it? I try not to be. If I worried about everything wrong in this world, I'd be more of a wreck than I (arguably) already am. I can be selfish at times. I think you need to be - sometimes (not always). We're already noticing the effects. I just hope I die before the Earth fries. And I'm pretty sure I will, because its going to take a while. THAT, my friends, is why I never comment! On a different note, I got a lovely review of this blog yesterday, from River  - thank you! You said you enjoyed "Invalid Entry" because I told the story in a humorous way! I try! However, I've just noticed I missed out the bit about a very deaf elderly lady joining the hospital ward I stayed in at 1:30am then asking to use the comode! I'll spare you the details now. But needless to say, I didn't sleep. Mostly due to noise, and partly due to fear! In other news: I'm currently trying to write a poem containing the words: Arcane, Prevail, and Irascible I think I have something in my cast, right under my heal. That's irritating! I've had a can of Coca-Cola Life today. It's alright actually. Not sure the packaging needs to be green though! I'm half way through watching the film 'Philomena' and I am now off to continue... |
| 30DBC - 2nd Sept - "This place is _____; it needs a little _____." (prompt) Well this is easy! This place is a mess: it needs a little (big) tidy up!! As you may know, my husband and I have had a nightmare 5 weeks - starting on our Honeymoon. He got pretty ill, he's still pretty ill. Two weeks later, I broke my foot. So, our house does not scream of "newly wedded bliss". I'm not sure what it screams of. But, it ain't that. I'm struggling a bit today. When I fell and broke my foot, I also hurt my elbow. But the pain in my foot took over, so I forgot about it. But, it's getting worse! Its not a bone thing, it feels muscular! Oww. On top of that, if I type lots (which I am because I have nothing else to do) I get pain in my wrist and shoulder (same arm). So, my whole arm is killing me. I'm on really strong painkillers for my foot, but they're not touching my arm. So this morning, I've added some Muggle painkillers (parcetamol + ibrophen) to the mix to see if that helps. If you've read "Invalid Entry" you'll know that I am not normal when it comes to medication!I am going to keep my typing to a limit. But I do have a lot to do. I really ought to start emailing schools. I have a list of 36 school visits to book in. I'm secretly proud and happy because I have the longest list of the whole team… this means I'm good and more money (for now) for me! On that note, I'm off… If I don’t email schools, I don’t book them in and I don’t make money! |
| Hey there, So it seems I've gone mad and signed up for a ton of writing challenges, including "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ... I've not done this since last July! Wish me luck. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a prompt so far today, and because I live on UK time I don't really want to wait it out for a prompt that may never come.... I do need to sleep, y'know. Even if it is on the sofa. So, I just thought I'd talk about my day today. "oh no, how dull!" I hear you cry. Yes, yes, it probably is! Not that dull though, since I got up at 4:30am! As you do! For no reason, none at all - other than the fact that I was awake! So, I had some coffee and a few white sticks that burn and smoke  . Then I watched two episodes of Six Feet Under and did a few crosswords. Again, as you do at 4:30am! I then...blah, blah, blah, boring, boring, boring...Oh actually, before I go on. At lunch I decided I fancied experimenting. So, I took the first bite of my sandwich in the middle (opposed to from the corner). It was wrong in every way and I'll never do it again! When I ventured onto WDC, I instantly realised it was birthday week and all hell broke loose in my little brain. Its that time again... the week(s) when the WDC birthday celebrations take over your life! You always say it wont. You always say you wont lose control, obsess and wont try to do everything at once. But, you DO!! So far, I have decided I want to do the following: "Invalid Item" , "a very Wodehouse challenge" , "Invalid Item" , and all poetry will go towards "Invalid Item" - I'll also be trying for that challenge too! Eeek! Too much, maybe? As you can see, I'm expanding the poetry obsession I have recently developed!! Today, I have written:
For this second one, I spent hours trying to teach myself about meter. I did an awful job of teaching myself, so *shrug* I dunno! I also did some planning for something VERY exciting that is happening next month. I can't tell you anything other than I'm excited and I have to give a speech and attend a posh dinner. I may consider exchanging my top secret secret for bribes!! Right, I think that'll do. But to end, I just want to copy the note I wrote earlier... "If I look at the date I joined WDC, I know this was a time when my life was an utter mess. This is echoed in one of the first items I added to my port – "Swimming to the End!" . Unfortunately, at that time, I had no idea how great this website and I didn’t stick around for long. Not long enough to comprehend the awesomeness. A year later, I got my “Account Anniversary” email and decided to come back. This time, my life was less of a mess and I was ready to explore. I gave WDC a chance and never looked back – never left! Sometimes life is great, sometimes its not. But either way, now I can come here. I can come here and moan, or I can come here and celebrate. Whatever I do, I can rely on the fact that I have a mass of friends who will support me. When I came here, I knew I could write but I didn’t have any written items. Now I have loads and I can’t stop! I am inspired each and every time I come here I owe so much to WDC. I am so grateful for this website. I am so grateful for this wonderful community. I am so grateful for all my wonderful friends. I am so grateful for Diane  and all the hard work she does behind the scenes. Most of all, I am so grateful for The The StoryMaster  and The StoryMistress  for having an idea, running with it, putting hours of work in, and creating a wonderful world that I never want to leave!" |
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