Today marks my first birthday on SnapChat and oh has it been educational. Therefore I suggest that you now get yourself  prepared, as I will in this blog share my 12 months as a snap chatter and in particular talk about the many characters that I have met on my journey!!

You ready to hear it??!!! Then let’s go!! I’ll break in gently and finish with the reality that made me look at the world in a whole new light!!!

WHERE IT BEGAN……

On the 15^thOctober last year I went to Tubridy’s Bar, our local, to enjoy a few drinks and as always, that I did, until the lights were out. On the same night two local fellows, no names mentioned, (you know who you are), were emphasising / promoting the fabulousness of Snapchat and showing and demonstrating all its perks.

Wakening up on the 16^th October with a slight hangover I decided to get my kids to educate me some further and thought I would give it a 24 hour trial…..

This trial changed my life and most certainly my perception and views about many, many, many things and many many people!!!

So here are some of the stories from my first year on SnapChat!!

GETTING SET UP

The set-up of your accounts is nearly a bigger step than signing up to use the app in the first place. First you have to pick your SnapChat name then you have the impossible task (one they seem to be making harder) of creating your Bitmoji.

This Bitmoji creation is a little like I envisage it to be like for those that draw the faces of criminals (well at a minimum suspects) based on other people’s descriptions. When you have finally settled on one that resembles someone totally different you best remember to keep it updated, there is always someone who will note that you have not washed your hair or changed your clothes for the past six months.

Oh and then when sending a Snap you have to select the right filter or if not at least # the no filter….

Then there is this whole thing of STREAKS…… comparing it to my eldest daughter is laughable but I did go over 100 days once…. Then lost it without taking notice….

Then when finally set up you have to of course figure out how people will find you…. and harder again how will you find them?

Seriously…… talk about social media pressure and someone needing to write a manuscript for the rules and most importantly non-rules for SnapChat!!! Phew…. I’m certainly not as young and savvy as I feel 🙈

INDECENT PROPOSALS & UNSOLICITED D**K PICS

There are quite a few categories of characters on snapchat including what I would have thought based on my normal social media usage are “normal” relationships. These would have included friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues and some celebrities.

My very first friend on SnapChat was actually a work colleague!!!! (Think you know who you are too)!

However then some of those (not including celebrities on my account, turn out to be;

• Stalkers– those whom you know are always watching your stories but never comments or snaps directly. I believe in modern terminology that this may be called ghosting.
• Spending their time in a love / hate relationship with you. One day you’re their friend, the next day you’re not, then you are fully blocked (this whole thing being yet another education for me) and then guess what your friends again……
• Restrictors– this one mainly apply to my family members (teenage children) whom are willing to snap with me but god forbid I can see their story…….
• Crazy, brave, boundary pushing…….This category has led to the title above so will expand a bit more here but before I do People in this category; have you no shame!!!???

So during my year on SnapChat the last listed category above is the one that has educated me fully to the reality behind this app and its possibilities, adventures and total lack of limitations.

I have heard things I would never have thought I wanted to hear and, as you can probably guess based on the very functionality of SnapChat see things that I would never have thought I wanted to see…… some things I most definitely didn’t want to see.

The of course I have on the contrary been asked to say things I would never say and show things I would never show…. (this being a worry when you’re a parent to teenage kids)!!!! If adults can ask, they most certainly will and can.

There have been indecent proposals, from both neighbours, friends (?) and work colleagues. One thing is for sure an certain Christian Grey, ain’t got a patch on this category of Snap Chatters as for some weird and wonderful reason we trust that nothing will be saved and nothing will be shared, as is the rules of SnapChat….. ?? So why set limitations on our requests and displays, when we feel we don’t have to.

To finish my categories; I will certainly never, ever, forget the day I received my first unsolicited d**k pick…… and there has been more since. I remember sharing this trauma with those two buggers that thought I should be on it in the first place…… Their response –  a SnapChat video singing about those unsolicited d**k pics. Not a mention of support for my trauma.

So to all my SnapChat friends… and especially some. Thank you for the education, the journey, the laughs, the blushing and for many shared moments. You will certainly feature in my book about MyMe because some of you have had dramatic impact in shaping the me I am becoming and working on maintaining.

To summarise I have had a great year on SnapChat…… but not yet fully convinced I will remain on it for a second year…..

Would you?

Trying out the filters for two!!

My younger daughter wondering what I am doing in the middle of a field. Festival day!!!

I love Sunday’s…… the one day in the week that is chill out, family time and me time!

Today I am mending what I believe might be day 2 of a hangover of some sort….. and what better way to mend it but writing a new blog post from the comfort of the couch. So here we go!

DOING THINGS WITH ME, FOR ME, TO KEEP MY SMILE

I know I have mentioned it before but I think it worth mentioning again! When I am not feeling like myself, for whatever reason, there is one main thing that I work on to ensure that I can re-build my confidence and my own inner strength.

I work on being a loner, a comfortable loner.

The past two weekends brought this to light again as I had last Sunday all to myself followed by a 4 hour stint in Killarney yesterday as my daughter and friends was attending a Chasing Abbey concert in the INEC.

Starting with last weekend I woke up my normal early time (god be with the days when one would have decent sleep ins) and I got some of the early morning chores out of the way. Sitting at the kitchen table doing some work I realised, with a serious dose of frustration, that working on a Sunday was the last thing I needed, especially when home alone and with the autumn sun splitting the rocks outside the window.

So I packed a bag, got the hiking boots on an headed for the 12 O’Clock Hills in Crag outside Kilkishen. Starting out I still felt frustrated within but after the first 15 minutes of the hike I started to take in my surroundings and by the time I got to the top you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face! What a view and a warm recommendation to anyone who hasn’t completed this trail!! After the 360 degree view at the top, blood (tore my lip) (don’t ask), sweat (it is 900 metres up) and tears from that wind I reached the bottom with my hair smelling of autumn and I was once more ready to take on the world.

Then yesterday afternoon I took my near 17 year old daughter and her two friends to Killarney!! This one a bit tougher to face into alone….  But proud to say I did it and that not only because I couldn’t get out of bed until about 2pm after losing count of the whiskeys the night before. Proud because on a Saturday night I walked into Killarney town (taking in some more stunning scenery) and sat into a restaurant for a three course meal followed by another walk around the hustling and bustling Kerry town.

It may have looked odd that I was on my own but what must have really completed the slightly sympathetic looks I was getting was my inability to stop giggling to myself as I took on the first few chapters of Emer McLysaght’s and Sarah Breen’s book Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling.

Not being Irish but having succumbed to the Irish ways this book captures Irishness in way that would make you cry of laughter. Already on page 18 my first “laugh out loud” moment occurred. Just listen to this;

“And no sooner is she back from the honeymoon than she’s off planning a hen party for her cousin Suzanne. I heard her on the phone the other day organising a cocktail class and describing the Fifty Shades theme to the poor craythur on the other end. I mean, a hen isn’t a hen without willy straws and L-plates but I’ve read all three books out of interest and I wouldn’t want Donna draping anal beads around my neck.”

Absolutely weak at so many components of those few sentences…..

Read it!!!

PRAYING FOR A RAPID UPDATE TO THE FASHION SCENE

So although I managed to survive my own company in Killarney I just about survived the fashion sense of three girls I brought with me.

It is not often that I pray but here it is an official prayer to the fashion gods and the celebs that makes these clothes fashionable to change the pattern (no pun intended) as soon as possible.

There is nothing, absolutely nothing, left to the imagination in the little bits of material they wear….. and trying to be a cool sophisticated mum in all of it is not doable….. It is either let them wear it and know it, or tell them no way and they hide it! For Killarney I put the sunglasses on until darkness fell and sat low in the seat of the car anytime they decided to be in my close proximity!!!!

Let’s just say that myself and my daughter won’t be swopping tops anytime soon….

AUTUMN VIBES & 28 MORE DAYS

Finishing this post with a small hello to autumn which has officially arrived! So far so good as it has proven itself to bring many golden moments between sunshine, rain, wind and gorgeous scenery! So many beautiful moments  I stopped the car a few times this week to capture its magnificence.

There are now just 28 days to go until the Dublin City Marathon is on and the one I had earmarked to be my first…. Although back chewing road and still living in hope I am beginning to own up to the reality that it will have to be another one that becomes my first…. But I will still keep it up for 28 more days to see where it brings me.

Leaving you with this quote and all well wishes for a fantalastic October!!!!

“When nothing goes right….. take a left”

It really is as simple as that.

Thought it was time to scribble again!! Just a short one this time. 😁

I am already prepared for my mid October blog post which I myself believe will be quite revealing as it will focus in on my first year as a snap chatter whereas at the same time raising the predicament of whether to remain one or not!!!!

This post however will talk a little bit about my work! Don’t bore people with it too often and also some more of those funny conversations that happened over the last few days.

LET’S START WITH BIRMINGHAM

On Sunday evening I went to Shannon Airport to fly with Aer Lingus (on the smallest plane I have ever been on) to Birmingham where I was going, for the first time, attending a two day IOSH (health, safety and wellbeing) conference, all by myself!!

What an amazing two days! Sure moments of – I CANT TAKE NO MORE INFORMATION – but so many excellent speakers, fabulous participants and of course a Heineken or two to mingle with.

It is hard to single out one speaker, or one topic which was better than the others but one of my favourites (that I hadn’t seen or heard before) was the Health, Safety and Security Manager from Merlin Entertainments whom spoke about the Smiler crash (roller coaster ride in Alton Towers) in a very clear and open manner…… One thing he said that stuck with me and which I believe may be applied to life as well as work is that when in a crisis “run to manage it or someone else will manage it for you”.

Outside of lots of ideas and want to do’s within my career I also had some good me time and give myself a little pat on the back for going it alone!! Had some great food in some very nice restaurants, I toured the city and the Bullsring of course and had some CIDER which I would gladly go back for too!!!

AND THEN THE HAIR…….

A few times over the last few weeks I have got comments about (not my words) “the dramatic change in my looks” over the last few years. As late as today at work, when wearing a badge with my photo, someone said you might need to request a new one of those badges because you can’t be wearing someone else’s!!

It has also been brought home to me what one of those main changes are….. my hair!! I have this un-tamable mess that loves weather but does not love me!! But I have learned to appreciate its bushiness, frizziness, curls, kinks and temperament. However, I have never, ever had anyone come up to me and want to feel my hair….. until yesterday!!!

After facing straight into the winds of Ali my morning sleekness had turned to – how will I word this – a mess!! However, walking through Birmingham International, this young Italian man (totally stereotyping because of his accent) came up to me and said! Can I tell you about our skincare product. I very politely declined and he followed up with “Madam (oh there is that age thing again), would you mind if I asked you a question? I said of course not, ask away. Quoting the Italian

“I love your hair – can I feel it”…… WHAT????? I just laughed that one off nervously and politely answered, as reared by my mother, maybe another time…….

Then I thought this whole hair thing was over until a feedback form was filled out today after training delivery and one of the guys in the room wanted to answer (thankfully didn’t) to the question “What did you most like about the trainer”.  The answer….. “Her Hair”.

Is it time to go short again…….?????????

Have a great weekend 😄

PS. Got a new book solely because of the title and the chapter names!!!

This blogging is coming easy these days! Life is currently full of rollercoaster adventures and conversations through which is see the opportunity to write.

For this one it started with a conversation I had with my mother during a recent few days of ill-health… when she was trying to cheer me up (really debatable) like only a mother can!!

Part of the conversation was about the sound effects of bowel movements when unwell but I won’t go into that conversation here, nor anywhere else….. although it did make me laugh!

WHAT IS A RIPE WOMAN IN A GAME OF SCRABBLE?

So the other night, lying on the couch at home reading a book I got a very welcome phone call from my mum. The one person that you always want to talk to when sick, the one you know will make you feel better by just her voice and words.

Well….. Hmmm

This one call was a bit different as I think she seemed to struggle (it must have been a struggle??) with what words of encouragement to give. So as I told her about feeling like I was dying (possibly slight exaggeration) she said something like this;

“Don’t worry, you will be back to yourself soon! (So far so good) Because you are a very ripe woman……”

Now what is that supposed to mean I had to ask? Ripe…. Ripe… No matter how many times I say it I can’t figure out what encouragement that would give me. Ripe….

So she of course went on to try her best to tell me I was a very attractive, ripe woman, which as you can imagine made me jump off the couch. I didn’t jump because I suddenly felt better, I jumped to run to the bathroom to count the wrinkles.

So later that evening I was sharing this story with my near 17 year old!! She started to giggle as she explained the modern terminology for what my mother had just called me.

If we were playing a game of scrabble you would be given the following letters;

I might have had to Google the meaning of this word (FYI not proving anything about my ripeness) and Google told me this;

A sexually attractive older woman, typically one that has children…..

They are lucky I have a sense of humour!!!

#TEARS TO WONDER

Last night I took some time out to movie watching, which rarely happens, as I cannot sit still!!! The pick of the night was the movie Wonder with Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic and the very talented Jacob Tremblay.

I think I cried from start to finish…. What a truly beautiful story about the struggles to fit in just because we look different than others and equally portraying the difficulties for those that love us unconditionally.

In the movie there was a scene between Auggie (the lead character) and his mum (Julia) where Auggie was really sad and angry because he saw himself as ugly, or more because others sees him as ugly. The rescue words, true to a movie, where that our faces holds the map to the journeys we travelled. Wrinkles each occur because of what we go through on that journey (good and bad) as well as scars because of battles we have had (good or bad). This to me was a wonderful sentiment to why our faces are the way they are. They represent our journey – so far  – and no matter what, that is beauty.

There was however one line at the very end of the movie stuck with me;

“We all deserve a standing ovation, at least once in our lives”.

Hear, hear!

NATURISTIC

I can’t believe that is a word!!! Just said I would chance typing it in and no red lines appeared. Learning is never ending.

To finish this blog I want to re-mention the impact that nature has on managing my me.

When the world starts spinning to fast my favourite go to place is nature….. it has an amazing amount to offer and when it comes to Ireland, possibly more than many other places. Especially when you live in a rural, a very rural, part of the country.

When not feeling well during the week I made my way out into the fields and hills near my home. The sun was shining in my face, the wind blowing through my hair and my feet were getting uncomfortably wet in the long grass. But the sound of my feet walking to the grass made up for it.

I was able to pick and eat a few blackberry’s whilst watching the clouds float by. I got to spend some quality time with me….. in a real rescue environment.

This is where ripe makes a bit more sense….. When you can stop and smile at the sea, the grass in a field and just lie on the grass and look straight up at an amazingly star filled sky. (sober).

By the way that word (naturistic) would give you a scrabble score of 12!!!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!!

Since the last blog I have had no option but to continue on the streak of #tears18 as the response has been, to say the least, overwhelming.

Thank you to all those of you who have read it, sent your messages, invited me for tea, shared your own sadness and for all the very kind words of encouragement. They mean a lot.

If I have learnt one thing about blogging and sharing thoughts is that two main items get read about quite promptly!! Misery and talk about bodily parts!! Who would have thought??!! 💁

CONTINUING ON THE BUCKET LIST

The bucket list adventures continues…. and I am still not admitting to them being any part of a midlife crisis. Not quite there yet.

There are four main things on the go at the moment;

1. Marathon Training – although I have been out injured for over two months (one of
   the reasons behind #tears18) I am now slowly returning to my running. Not yet fully convinced that I can or will make the Dublin Marathon but keeping it as a target so that I don’t lose focus fully. Have over the last few weeks built it from 10 minute runs, to 45 minute runs and only this last Sunday I mustered a 8 mile run, so will keep slowly increasing time and distance hopeful of a decent return…….. If not I will totally aim for the Beer Marathon in Germany or the Wine Marathon in France. Training must be so much for fun for this too!!
2. Motorbike Rides – part of my bucket list methodology is to face things that I am afraid of but yet have a burning passion for….. I think Harley Davidson’s are awesome…. But I am terrified of the speed on two wheels and in particularly in curves. Therefore I have signed up to MC Lessons. I want to see if I can break that fear and get myself a license to ride a HD! Wish me luck.

3. I am now working on the design of my third last tattoo. I want to get one this year, one for my 40^th(agh next year) and then none until my 80^th Would be delighted to hear your opinion on my tattoo plans for this year! Below is an image of the starting point. It’s my starsign and constellation. What do you think? I also need to select where to put it….. have been considering neck hairline, centre of neck (just under the collar) or in the total opposite direction, my foot.

4. The writing of my book! Have my typing fingers back again so have over the last few weeks got some good writing done…. Not sure if it will ever be fully ready or readable but I’ll keep trying. Besides that I have got the notion that I want to write something more fictional (me and my vivid imagination) so need to keep moving the first one forward!!

I have my bucket list book in which I write about these adventures! One that will be great to hand over to the grandkids someday. Or maybe that will be book 3!!

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS?

In August I finally got the opportunity to go home to Sweden. It was my first visit this year and my first mini break since I was away on my cruise in January…. Which leads me to tell you about my knickers being back to front for a full day….

When educating others around the importance of stress management I often say that we need to realise that the body, mind and soul requires holidays for us to remain focused, motivated and passionate about what we do. Self-love is something that is required to stay strong, energetic and confident. Good to tell others when you forget to practice what you preach…. So I think one can say that I am slightly tired…. Won’t push for exhaustion just yet (hello #tears18). However, when it takes you a full day to realise that you have been wearing your underwear, not inside out, but back to front…. Did I say a full day…. You may realise that you need a break!! So November and NY with my family can’t come soon enough.

So back to where my heart will always be! This week I celebrate 18 years in Ireland. 18 amazing years, which as you know was meant to be 6 months. However when I went back home in August I got some really amazing quality time with my family, friends, the Swedish lifestyle, ABBA and Mamma Mia (don’t tell anyone) so for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel ready to come back to my other home and it didn’t help that my amazing little 12 year old was crying to see me leave as the two of us also got some exceptional quality time together laughing at silly Swedish words (infart, utfart), eating Swedish sweets followed by gyming it off!!!

Once a Swede always a Swede, no matter how Irish I may seem by now!!

BLUE WHALE TESTICLES

This last month has been full of celebrations. My birthday, 7 years of self-employment, 5 years as the Director of Modig and 18 years in Ireland!!!

Being a director, self-employed, is like being on a continuous roller coaster!! Which means if you like adrenaline and risk taking…. You will love it, at least when you’re on top and not queing waiting for the next ride!

For me I try my best to remain up there!!! How?? Through learning more, talking to more people and to make it fun for me and those around me. Health & Safety was never what I intended to do when I grew up… still not sure…. But there are many days that I come home knowing that this is my passion. Because health and safety doesn’t have to be met with an “aghh noo not again” or “here they come to wreck the day” or “more paperwork”.

So when I updated my Manual Handling Training presentation lately and in an aim to (don’t get bored just yet) showcase what incorrect handling can do with regards to transmission of weight we spoke about over a tonne being transmitted across the spine…..

What weighs a tonne?? Most will guess a car or even a small car. But very few will know that it is also two grand pianos or one blue whales testicle!!! What you learn when googling what weighs a tonne…. 🙈😄

The last 6 weeks have been absolutely crazy and a sure sign is that I cannot seem to find the time to write…. but this week I am taking the time!! Looking forward to writing about some of the adventures which have taken place…..

Let’s start with some of the fun stuff!!!

THREE WEEKENDS OF MUSIC!!!

It will be hard to summarise the events in a reasonably long blog post so I may have to tell you about it all over a few of them. However let’s start with talking about the three weekends which nearly made my kids wonder who I was!!! (Kidding)

Starting out on the 20^thJuly! The Coronas in the 3Arena!! All I can say about this concert is wow…. Road trip started from West Clare early in the day where we as a reunited foursome headed towards the Big Smoke!! Made it as far as Annacotty where we of course had to stop for some cold beverages and food.

This was followed by a sit down in the Gibson for a few pre-concert drinks and then we hit the venue. Unfortunately we lost a team member to an upset tummy but with all her bravery and goodness (I would rather have died) she let us enjoy the concert before holding herself together to drive us back down the road. The Coronas was the best I have ever seen them and the crowd was electric. Came home lyrical and singing for the rest of the week….. also between you and me secretly planning my marriage to one very handsome vocally capable man!!!!

BO**OCK HOLES & HANDSTANDS

Weekend 2 we upped the game to a 2 night ordeal!! This time not too far from home we took to a weekend in Kilkee and Marquee by the Sea.

Friday night was Keywest a band with quite an amount of sad songs… Heartbreak, Mistakes and Hurt! What a night….. after the concert, we hit the (not so age appropriate) night club and danced until they threw us out! Finished the late night with cheese, tapas and pear vodka….. Oh to be (not so) young and clever J

So Saturday morning saw some tender heads which required a drive to the cliffs in Kilkee for a blustery recovery walk. Here I certainly showed my not so clear head when I went to express to my friends that I had never in fact swam in the Bollock Holes in Kilkee and would love to try sometime…… I really did mean Pollock Holes….. One of the memories that comes with the weekend.

We also spoke, yet again, about how quickly we set up barriers and limitations on ourselves. Such as only a few months ago I was doing handstands in the office, now…. Ohhhh my stomach gets butterflies with the thought of it.

Saturday nights we got to see the amazing Riptide Movement. What a privilege to get to see them in such an intimate venue and what handsome lead singer…. The voice certainly aids too…..

The scariest part of the night was the bouncers ability to recognise and DEMONSTRATE what our behaviour had been like on the Friday night…. We went home early…..

Came back to real life on the Monday for four days of training delivery with no voice, tired eyes and a smile on my face!!!

THUMBS UP FOR TENTS!!!

The last music weekend…. Weekend 3. This one the scariest of them all!!! First ever time at a music festival, first time in a tent and certainly the first time in a long time (possibly ever) that I did the no sleep, lots of drink, lots of I’m not sure what to call it moves!!! Still not sure if it was a pleasant experience or a strange nightmare.

Myself and two ladies (well we were ladies leaving not so sure about when coming back) hit the road for Mitchelstown and the Indiependence Festival 2018 on Friday the 3^rdAugust!!

We arrived nice and early to the campsite where we were, thankfully, staying in the VIP area (Thank You). We successfully carried our slabs of beer (shouldered) in together with the tent, clothes and lots of other essentials (???) and pitched our tent. Nearly had an argument at this early part of the day due to the stress of tent erecting…..

From there on it all went to drink….. We are not sure whether to be proud or to be ashamed of our ability to cope with the weekend!! After no sleep the first night (for me, whilst others were snoring) and I mean NO SLEEP, NONE we all got up around 8am. Parked ourselves in our chairs at our camping table. Had an orange for breakfast, a mug of tea and a shower. Then at 11.14am we opened the days first can of beer!! Dinner was rice (the curry was too hot) and cider and from there on out you can only guess how it went!!

Saturday night my ability to risk assess camp sites in combination with no sleep, no drink and not sure what else, I managed to come away with an erect thumb!!! That thumb has still another 3 weeks of healing to do before the ligament damage is repaired. In my defence I was off duty……. Safety can’t always be first.

Travelling through the airport last week I saw a quote which I though very appropriate; I didn’t fall, the floor (ground) looked like it needed a hug!!!!

There was a favourite moment as part of hurting my hand…. As I was (at my tender age) talking to my mum about what happened and slightly upset one of our neighbouring campers walked past and offered to make me a sandwich to make me feel better….. and when I turned that down I got a lovely hug instead!!! The spirit of strangers!!!

Before leaving the topic of Indie18 I have to say that we had the most amazing neighbours!!! Steve and Lisa and your spicy balls and hoover, great to have met you!!!

On the Sunday we simply had to admit to enough being enough!! We did again, we didn’t go too far past 11 when we made the attempt to finish the cans of beer, watched the hurling game, walked the festival site and got our caricature painted before heading back home!! I’m still recovering and still eternally grateful for magic friends who coped with me when I barely did myself!!

Not to be forgotten the music was magical in between!!!!

AGAPE…….

Trying to keep this short isn’t really working!!! But here goes the last part of the blog….. Not going to go too serious on this occasion. I will save that for the next one (which is already written by the way!!) For now I want to continue talking about music.

Music is in many instances my rescue! Sometimes it acts as my hide away from reality, sometimes as my awakening to reality…. It can make me laugh, it can make me dance, it can bring back some amazing memories (the list here is endless), it can bring me strength and it can connect me with others as words has the ability to reach out……

It can also make others laugh either at you (when you are in the full swing of car pool karaoke with yourself and the radio) or with you when doing, one of my favourites, car sing song when on journeys with the kids and their friends. We all pick one song each and then all roar it out at the top of our lungs!!!

I love music, new, old, rock, pop, indie, opera, musicals…. All of it, with some genres more than others!

In this blog I want to share a song, that someone shared with me. Oh and this is a song you should listen to. https://youtu.be/q1MmYVcDyMs

There are a couple of reasons why I love this song;

• The total change of use and pronunciation of the word agape. (for me anyway). Who would have thought (without the help of google) that what it would associate with the highest form of love.
• What the lead singer says about the song, that it is looking at that continuous insecurity in a relationship….. and how to much many of those insecurities can lead to its demise….
• It is beautiful.

To finish, here are some of my favourite lyrics from the song;

Agape
Please don’t dissipate
I know that I’ve got it all wrong
I’m reaching out
To touch your voice
But baby I’m clutching at straws

Even though your words hurt the most
I still want to hear them
Every day

I don’t want to know who I am without you.

Would love to hear what special songs you have on your playlist! And of course, you will have to say why!

This week I spent an evening and night in the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh. Hopeful of a relaxing evening, after at long day at work, I headed down to the bar, took a corner table and ordered some smoked salmon on sourdough br

ead and a glass of Pinot… with my iBook opened for some proper girly reading I exhaled at the pure thought of the tranquility and then….. 

A knife (not to sharp) came flying at me. It was the English “gentleman” next to me who had accidentally dropped his knife approximately 2 metres! I was reassured by one of the three sirs not to worry, that were they come from what is thrown is normally way worse!!

From there the night took a turn and didn’t end up anywhere near the way it was intended to. 

When the waiter came over and asked if everything was ok I couldn’t help myself but to say that yes except that my neighbouring table was throwing knifes at me!! His face…. I requested spoons, plastic, for their pending dessert. 

That was not the end of it!! Next a bus tour (assumption) came out from a larger room and took to the piano and of course someone had a flute…. how could they not. Very musically talented but one major defect, they did not know the words to one single song so restored to na, na, na’s and la, la, la’s. 

I couldn’t help but laugh and this of course reignited the conversation with the “gentlemen” next to me!! 

Oi, you laughing at me? 

Eh, noooo 

You shouldn’t be i didn’t throw the knife at ya.

Ok…. good to know! 

I had to retire to the tranquility of the lobby to finish that Pinot!!! 

Life is full of surprises and unexpected events!!! They truly bring a smile to my face.  

Is it time to stop for a minute??? 

As you know I love living life in the fast lane but there are times when I know that even I’m pushing on to hard…… 

Thursday was one of those days. I went for a sandwich at lunchtime and as I was standing there in the cue tears came to my eyes….. the pot was simply boiling over and I hadn’t even stopped to think that I might be sad, overwhelmed or whatever that was…. 

That was followed by taking the wrong exit off a roundabout leaving me on the scenic route home! I did laugh (not cry) at this one but I certainly believe this means that I need to stop for a minute. 

When thinking about it a conversation I had with a friend sprung to mind and his two very wise sentiments; 

1. You can’t run from yourself for ever…. at some stage Malin will catch up with Malin…. 
2. We work in the area of educating others to wellbeing at work…. It’s time to put into practice our own advices. 

All I can say is that I’m like a bold child so I say yeah, yeah you grown up. What do you know? 

But although, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m generally quite good at recognising the warning signs, that my situations are going south, I might have failed in being 100% honest. I haven’t really admitted to you or to myself that I don’t always listen….. I don’t always stay on the straight and narrow to finding My Me… 

That is something that for me needs to become an essential part of my working progress…. it is too late when you are crying in the sandwich cue.

Mistakes 

In the spirit of the weekend just gone and listening to Keywest’s song All My Mistakes on Friday night I am going g to finish this blog post by talking about mistakes. Lucky for you not about all of them!!! 

Like with many other things in life I believe we should turn to look at things from a positive angle. The same goes for mistakes. 

I’m not referring to the concept of “learn from your mistakes” that’s not what this is about, albeit a valuable tool. This is about using the word mistake as a positive. 

Like the lyrics says;

“Of all my mistakes, your still my favourite one”. 

So have you ever made a mistake that has ended up turning into something really great?? I have, (not shy to admit it) made them lots of times!! 

There are of course some mistakes that are my favourites ones. They have made me who I am, brought people around me I wouldn’t have met without them, taught me more about who I am and when I think of some of them I smile, actually I even laugh out loud from time to time!!! 

Have you a favourite mistake you would share?? I would love to hear all about it!

Now as Sunday afternoon is here, it is time to do some of the work preparations for the week ahead and of course cuddle with my amazing three amigos!! Have a great week!!

It is all about the B’s this week and I’ll explain why in just a minute. One of the positive aspects in my life is the truly great friends that I have and as part of my, My Me, journey I decided to bring some of them together to share a prize I had won as part of the #blueway promotion around Lough Derg.

So on Thursday last week 6 of us set off on a girlie weekend that turned out to be one of those absolutely fabulous ones! One we still, a week later, have not stopped talking about. Instead we are planning the next one!!

Here is a short story of what we got up to that lead to this excellent blog title!!

Half of us travelled together on Thursday morning to commence picking up the shopping an route as well as of course getting some much needed refreshments on the way!

Arriving to the cottage we were staying in I had arranged for massage therapy for all of us which thanks to the great weather we were able to have outdoors. What a way to start a girls weekend. Wind blowing through the trees, birds singing and the sun heating the skin.

So on full relax we dug into the wine, pear vodka and giggles around the garden table.

Around midnight we thought it wise to go for a stroll to see if we could find the view of the lake…… in the dark. After a short distance we came across this strange noise….. which we determined must be some kind of bird. Whereas I thought it might be the Banshee…. It was a seriously scary sound but the Banshee comment was met with a solid right hook into the back so that left that conversation to the side and we went about to YouTube the sound to realise it was (we think) owls!! PS we couldn’t see the lake…..

The Midnight Stroll

We then went back around the table where the birds where still causing havoc by flying around us. Here the first “friendly argument” of the journey began as some, maybe with more alcohol than others, thought that they were bats. Well if they were bats…. I believe it to have been batman and his sons, the size of them!! Got this one proven the following night.

So in true girly spirit the main topic of conversation around the table was, for some unknown reason, boobs…… Like a true feminist party (well maybe just in the spirit of a girlie night) we discussed shapes, sizes, lifts, reductions, breastfeeding, rights and wrongs and, whether we wanted them to be mentioned or not, all 6 pairs received feedback!! This is so brilliant, especially to the 6 of us that were there, that I couldn’t help but share.

So by now you may, or may not be, wondering how ballsacks came into the conversation? Well firstly I have to say it’s quite impressive that this was the only mention men got over the weekend………. Well there was one more piece, one that educated me greatly, but that I certainly can’t share in any public domain. We simply just wondered would it be possible that a gang of men would be sitting somewhere, around a garden table, discussing their ballsacks like we were discussing our boobs!!

In the morning we were all slightly tired and some of us so because of the birds, doves to be precise, that had not stopped cooing outside our windows. Talk about being one with nature, involuntarily.

On the Friday we started with breakfast in the garden, followed by an amazing 2 hour kayak trip with Becky and Jacob of Lough Derg Water Sports. What an adventure and so much fun.

Great to see friends with a ferocious fear of water take part in this, albeit like Miss Daisies!!!

From here we went for some good food in Terryglass and of course liquid top up before heading for one last swim. That evening back at the house we lit up the barbecue, played pie face and twister, laughed until it hurt, got to use self-timer on my camera and of course finished off the conversation about birds, bats, Banshees, boobs and ballsacks!!

So this blog post is certainly dedicated to this great gang and I send a massive thank you to all of you for making the weekend one to remember for evermore!! “Girl Power”.

ELIMINATING MY FEAR

On a more serious note, in my last blog post I spoke about being able to remove items from our life that creates negative emotion for us. I have been thinking about that since I wrote it and continued to filter through my list of positives and negatives. What I noticed was that not only do we have to remove (metaphorically and physically J) the negatives but we might also have to reintroduce or physically push back in the positives.

This can be easier said than done because one single word may be the one thing that holds us back. The word I am referring to is FEAR….. The fear of asking for what we want and being rejected, the fear of failure, the fear of the one thing that stands before what we want….fear, fear and more fear.

I recently listened to a TED talk delivered by Andrew Sharman on how we can really face our fears for the greater love of something else. He talks about his love of sharks yet immense fear of water. It is worth a listen. https://youtu.be/B7-DQFvD5ck

One of my greatest fears, outside of spiders, snakes and heights, is to not have control. To call it for what it is….. I am a control freak. Therefore I don’t do very well with the unknown, and I don’t mean how earth was created or anything like that, but the more general day to day things. This fear leads me to over analyse and to harass my friends and family with my anxieties (and I mean harass – over and over again) and it was, partly if not wholly, this fear of the unknown that caused my “crash” last year.

However, I recently realised that I can control this fear in one very simple measure. By stepping up to asking the question that will give me clarity and eliminate the fear. Because even if the answer may not be the one I hope for, at least I am in the know and in the know I have control. So I think it is worth to take with you this quote “Clarity of the unknown is only a question away”.

Last week when I consulted (harassed) my mother on being brave and letting go of my fear she wisely shared the following message, “Do what your heart tells you to do. We only live once, so let go of your fears”. She is quite impressive that mother of mine.

So as we don’t have nine lives like cats…. Then let’s use the one we do have as best we can! Push, force, demand those positives into yours.

Where has the time gone to?? High time for another blog as well as getting back to writing that book of mine!!

As we are nearing the half way line of 2018 I have started to ponder on how this year has been so far and what journey’s it has brought me on. To summarise I think this year has been pretty cool so far. So many new experiences, learnings and developments. So much more finding of ME!!

This blog will talk a bit about weeding but as I am all for a positive spin I will talk about weeding through two of my favourite things (to quote Sound of Music) Daisy’s and Cheese. Now these two objects may not be in my top ten, just to clarify. Oh wait, cheese might just make it!!

WILL I, WONT I?

One of my favourite flowers is the daisy – the big daisy! Firstly they remind me of summer in Sweden, daisies, poppies and blåklint all together in one big summery field.

Secondly they remind me of midsummers eve and the tradition to pick a bouquet of 7 different types of flowers and put them under my pillow to dream about my prince charming. There is something about climbing stone walls in this tradition too, but I removed that element.

But most importantly they remind me of the fact that there is always hope and most certainly where there is a will there is a way!

When younger I used the daisies to figure out if I was going to win over the boy I thought was cute – loves me, loves me not, loves me…..

These days when I pick one up I use it in a slightly different manner. I use it to guide me in some decisions that are important to me by using each individual leaf for will I, wont I, will I won’t I…. the beauty of this game is that if you are not too superstitious then you can just pick another to get your desired result!!!

SWIZZ CHEESE THEORY ON LIFE

Last week I attended a training course on Behaviour Based Safety for Leaders, one which I had completed the online version of earlier this year.

One of the components of the course was a look into the Swizz Cheese Theory. In summary this theory looks at how a perfect storm can be created if enough of human errors occur to align all the holes in the cheese slices or blocks. If they do….then we have an accident.

So one of the big questions here is how we can prevent that accident or incident and in the swiss cheese theory it encourages us to continuous identify the holes and to when we find them fill them in. Working our way towards a block of cheddar cheese in other words.

When listening to this theory I thought how I had kind of, in a way, applied this theory when trying to find My Me and how I am still trying to apply it to prevent the perfect storm from occurring in my life. To prevent me from falling apart, from breaking, from being partially broken…..

Here is how I have applied it. Over the last 12 months I have identified some of the holes in my cheese. Not using them as human errors but instead as the elements in my life that have negative impact on me, whether instantly or long term.

So when I identify those things that causes negative emotions in me, let it be a person, a situation or a habit, I now know that I am faced with a choice. A choice over which I have full control. I can fill the hole, remove that negative emotion and prevent that perfect storm from occurring.

What is the result?? More time spent on creating My Me. Happy, content, wild and full of giggles once more.

So go out there and clear those cobwebs…. (i.e. fill those holes in the cheese)!!