Two months, no blogging...now what?

You know what?

I took a break. I needed a break. I was tired, mentally tired and oh.so.emotional.

I wont sit here and say to you all, "I'm so sorry, I haven't blogged in over two months, I'm a terrible person!" - 'cas sometimes...well actually, lets be honest here, alot of the time, life just gets in the way, throws you a few curve balls and generally gives you two fingers. You can suck it up, move on, and deal with it. Or you can wallow a little, feel sorry for your self, eat all the junk food you can get your grubby mits on and generally get into one of those shame-spirals Cher from Clueless talked about back in the 90's. (I do love me a bit of Clueless)

I probably did a bit of both and have pretty much spent the first have of the year questioning everything to point where I now hate questions. "What do you want for dinner, Rebecca?" - Go away, don't you know I hate questions these days and I gave them up for Lent a while back. (Ok, I haven't been that dramatic, but pretty close!).

The good news, looks like I'm not alone out there in the grand scheme of feeling overwhelmed, tired, emotional and upset all.of.the.time! I came across a multitude of part time and full time successful bloggers who needed to take time out and who also demonstrated via their blog enormous guilt for doing so. We are all human, we deserve a break now and again, to live life in the slow lane for once and not let that lovely brain of ours get so overwhelmed that we feel we can't cope. If you need a break from something, take it. Maybe its work, maybe its your second job, a hobby, something you volunteer your time with....just take it , for as long as you need and you'll feel all the better for it.

Why did I feel all of the above with a little crazy thrown in for good measure? Well, I guess I had more on my plate than I realized. I was coming to the end of supporting the other half through four years of college, I had just finished my MA, I was offered a position with a company I loved which I had to turn down, my full time job was busy, I was blogging, doing all the social media you're 'supposed' to do for a small business, making and crafting in the evenings, volunteering and generally being all things to all people. In hindsight, I was going to crash land with a big fat loud bang. That, I did. But, its okay. I'm better now.

So, now what I hear you say?

Well I get back on the blogging wagon guys and gals, that's what. Which, of course I've missed. I have spoken for so long now about adding new types of content to this blog space and this I want to embrace. Not in a "get so busy, that I crash and burn again" kind of way, but subtly and via baby steps. It may be useful to you, it may be not, but for me, its a new venture and something fun, exciting and positive. So, lets do it!

But, first up.....I turned 31 everyone! The only thing that bugs me about the age is that it's an odd number. Never been a big fan of odd numbers.

So drum roll for the '31 things before 32 list' (Disclaimer, it may include things from the '30 things before 31 list!)

1 - Ride a motorcycle
2 - Work / volunteer in an art gallery / museum
3 - Visit King John's Castle in my current city
4 - Get a manicure. (Never had one!)
5 - Submit a proposal for an exhibition
6 - Enroll in a Spanish for beginners course
7 - Try a spinning class (terrified, I'll fall off the bike from lack of fitness)
8 - Join a running club
9 - Try a new food (I'm thinking oysters)
10  Read a classic book
11  Have a TV free week
12  Make a vlog post
13  Make something for someone, just because you can.
14  Host a cocktail party
15  Learn a magic trick
16  Set up a stall at a flea market / car boot sale
17  Attempt to write a childrens story
18  Be a pen-pal for someone
19  Learn to drive. (This has been ongoing for years!)
20  Hot air balloon trip anyone?
21  Wear something I wouldn't normally wear.
22  Give a piece of my artwork to someone
23  Save some moo-la (any by that, I mean money)
24  Make my own candles
25  Learn to crochet
26  Send someone flowers
27  Try one of those "it looks yuky, but is good for you" green juices
28  Buy an old school board game and get playing
29  Play the boyfriends Xbox
30  Lipstick, everyday. Very Important
31  De-clutter my house

There you have it, some new fun things for me to try out and some interesting blog posts in the pipeline for you to read, and to those of you (new and old) who have continued to follow. Thank you. I'm looking forward to catching up on all your posts too!

Happy long weekend Sunday.

xox

How are those goals and resolutions going...eh??

We're 21 days into 2013 and the horrible, horrible, blue and cold month of January and I'm wondering....how are those goals and resolutions going...eh?

I'll be a little smug and say I've hit one mini goal in that I reopened my Etsy shop on January 20th, juuuuust like I said I would...but there's only a small amount of stock listed so it's no biggie really, but hey! it counts! Other crafty goals are well underway, but as for those personal goals...hmm, that's another story peeps.

I signed up for a half marathon in May. Yup, you read right. 13 miles or 20k depending on what part of the world you're reading this from. I was a good chica and downloaded a 14 week plan, 16 weeks before the big day and got going. All was going well until last weekend when I attempted to up my distance and er....well nearly died from trying. It's not that I can't physically breath anymore and pump those lungs of mine...its that I can bloody lift my legs anymore. They get heavy, I get mad and in the end, we both give up. It's a viscous exercise circle and one that becomes even more soul destroying when a Giselle of a woman glides past you in a "Oh look at me, I'm a great runner and look...look how fast I can go!" kinda way. If you're anything like me, you look up at her and whisper "skinny b**ch" under your breath and then gleefully wonder, "Ahhh, but is she happy?"

So, yes that half marathon goal is starting to get the better of me. I'm not quitting though, I'm just gona start the plan again and work harder at it. On the days when I have to work on my 'core, I'll work on my 'core'. And on the days I should be pounding some weird machine in a gym that I can't work, well then I'll....pound some weird machine on the gym that I can't work. Easy - peasy, lemon squeezy right?

The info graphic below (I love a nice info graphic!) on goals and resolutions struck a chord with me, especially that part about writing your goal down. (Oh and the fact the numero uno resolution is to lose weight.) Think I'll do that, write it down, stick it everywhere....on the fridge, the bathroom mirror, in the craft room....Hey, I might even make a wee badge for myself and if it works, I'll grace that half marathon finish line like a champ! Here's to trying and to May 5th. Go me!