I don't know if I'm on my own on this one but recently I've been suffering from poor sleep. Unfortunately the reason for that poor sleep is that I keep waking up really early (about 2am) in a blind panic about whether or not I am able to maintain enough work for my company to keep me and my employees in jobs, mortgages, clothes, food etc. In the cold (and knackered) light of day, I know that I have no real reason to fear this. I have 2 major and a number of smaller clients, all of whom keep piling on the work and none of whom seem in any hurry to take their work elsewhere.
Fundraising isn't the most morale-boosting of professions to be in at the moment but at least I can say our area of work is currently in demand! However, like many others I guess, we are currently having to work twice as hard to attempt to maintain the levels of income we've been used to securing over the past few years. Feelings of not being able to do accomplish everything / anything have started to surface. So what do I do in reaction to this? Of course, put more hours into not accomplishing that which I want. That then leaves me reducing the amount of time I am spending with my family - cue more feelings of 'not-doing-a-good-job' at home as well as at work.
Does anyone out there have the magical nay nythical answer to this age-old problem?? Or is it just true that the more we accomplish, achieve and have for ourselves, the more we fear losing it all rather than enjoying it while it lasts???
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Mystery Man Hype
Yesterday was Valentines Day. Unusually for me, my own Valentines Day experience was filled with a Mystery Man, but not in the traditional Valentines Day sense. Last week we received a call at the office from a retired gentleman wanting to make a £3k donation to the Bury Hospice Capital Appeal. However, he wanted to use his donation to solicit further donations and so told us he wanted to challenge the people of Bury to match his donation and he would therefore only actually hand over the cash once we'd found 3 other people who would match his offer!
As a result, we placed an article in the Bury Times and I was interviewed on BBC Radio Manchester about the challenge as well as discussing it on my usual spot on Tower FM. To date, two further donors have come forward and we're looking for a third to realise the full £12k potential.
The Mystery Man did make me think though! What other immediate calls to action can we come up with over the coming months that could bring in the same results? There is obviously something about this man's story that has captured people's imaginations.
Meanwhile, Valentines Day in our house was spectacularly quiet. After Monday tea at Grandad's I managed to get S in bed before 8 o'clock and enjoyed a rare evening of sole control of the TV remote while OH was out in his Gritterman outfit!! I wonder what this evening will have in store??
As a result, we placed an article in the Bury Times and I was interviewed on BBC Radio Manchester about the challenge as well as discussing it on my usual spot on Tower FM. To date, two further donors have come forward and we're looking for a third to realise the full £12k potential.
The Mystery Man did make me think though! What other immediate calls to action can we come up with over the coming months that could bring in the same results? There is obviously something about this man's story that has captured people's imaginations.
Meanwhile, Valentines Day in our house was spectacularly quiet. After Monday tea at Grandad's I managed to get S in bed before 8 o'clock and enjoyed a rare evening of sole control of the TV remote while OH was out in his Gritterman outfit!! I wonder what this evening will have in store??
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
The Joys of Curly Whirleez
Tuesday is officially 'Daddy Day' but as 'Daddy' had to work today, I took a much-deserved lieu day and we had 'Mummy Day' instead. 'Mummy Day' is usually Friday, when we leg it between swimming, ballet and tap dancing lessons all before lunchtime. Today we stayed in our pyjamas, watched Monsters vs Aliens (better than I expected), had a bath, got a grant application signed (yes, on Mummy Day), took said grant application to the post office and then ventured to Curly Whirleez, our local soft play area.
I have to admit, Curly Whirleez is a lot more palatable a) on a Tuesday rather than a Friday - less then half the usual number of people there and b) since they invested in a proper coffee machine. However, it is the etiquette at such places which amazes me.
There is nowhere else in Bolton where I would leave my purse, phone and keys hidden under a coat while I went and threw myself down a 30ft plastic slide and yet, if you are taking a child on your own, you have little other choice. It's a bit like sunbathing on your own - what do you do with your valuables while you go for a swim? You are also not able to pretend you have done anything other than left your belongings behind (though there is less space to hide anything in a bikini than in a 3yr old's coat).
We have been going to Curly Whirleez and other soft play centres now for over 2 years and I have never been aware of any issues of people having things 'disappear' while they are accompanying their child around the activities. If this were ever to happen, it could signify the demise of such places.
Anyway, after leaving my purse, keys and phone at the mercy of anyone who could be bothered to look for two and a half hours, we came home, watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (again, better than I expected) and now, just for a change this evening, I'm going to do some work (and then I assume I'll also have to make the tea)
Catch ya later!
I have to admit, Curly Whirleez is a lot more palatable a) on a Tuesday rather than a Friday - less then half the usual number of people there and b) since they invested in a proper coffee machine. However, it is the etiquette at such places which amazes me.
There is nowhere else in Bolton where I would leave my purse, phone and keys hidden under a coat while I went and threw myself down a 30ft plastic slide and yet, if you are taking a child on your own, you have little other choice. It's a bit like sunbathing on your own - what do you do with your valuables while you go for a swim? You are also not able to pretend you have done anything other than left your belongings behind (though there is less space to hide anything in a bikini than in a 3yr old's coat).
We have been going to Curly Whirleez and other soft play centres now for over 2 years and I have never been aware of any issues of people having things 'disappear' while they are accompanying their child around the activities. If this were ever to happen, it could signify the demise of such places.
Anyway, after leaving my purse, keys and phone at the mercy of anyone who could be bothered to look for two and a half hours, we came home, watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (again, better than I expected) and now, just for a change this evening, I'm going to do some work (and then I assume I'll also have to make the tea)
Catch ya later!
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
Review of the Year
As I'm logged on I thought I'd do this now as it could be another 4 months before I'm back. 2010 has been an eventful year.
The year started with celebrations. Some very close friends of ours got married on NYE 2009 and so obviously as the clock ticked over midnight into 2010 we were all still partying. The wedding was in Northallerton, the weather was atrocious - Snow, Snow and more Snow, but the wedding was GREAT. A was best man for T (for the 3rd, and hopefully final time), S was in party mood and we were together.
Work has continued to be busy. I have taken on my first full-time employee, which scared me far more than I ever thought it would. Client list has remained virtually the same but work taken on on their behalf continues to expand. Leadership within one of the clients has been eventful but hopes are high that this can be resolved early in the New Year.
Home life has been filled with ups and downs. Saw beloved stepdaughter E in McDonalds (of all places) albeit only for a minute. Her reaction was to get up and leave but she did keep looking back in through the window at S, who she has never met. Filled with complete pride when she absolutely aced her GCSEs and almost as significantly, the cupcakes we sent in congratulations were not returned. Also of particular note, beloved stepdaughter A unblocked me on Facebook for a couple of months which must mean she is a little interested at least mustn't it? Devastatingly, my beautiful mother-in-law died, riddled with Cancer, in early November. Her fight of over a year was bravely borne and thankfully, the end came quite quickly. We have the utmost gratitude and thanks to Bolton Hospice for her care in the last 10 days of her life. She was the most wonderful, beautiful and surprising lady who is missed every single day.
The saga of the house continues. Unfortunately, it now appears as finished to the unknowing eye. This means that A is reluctant (at the best of times) to get on and actually finish it! This year we have made some significant steps forward. The gardens, patios, paths and drive have all been finished. However, the gates remain only partially complete, S's playroom still is untouched, there are still 2 ensuites to put in, the main bathroom needs changing and our ensuite leaks. The rewiring needs completing, the kitchen needs finishing off, the stairs ditto and the office could do with rediscovering its original purpose rather than just being used as a general dumping ground.
2010 has been a good year but tainted with unrelenting sadness. I have many hopes and aspirations for 2011, some serious and some light-hearted. Our sadness will not lift in 2011 but hopefully will become less difficult to live with. In our hearts and minds forever MMW 1934 - 2010 xxx
The year started with celebrations. Some very close friends of ours got married on NYE 2009 and so obviously as the clock ticked over midnight into 2010 we were all still partying. The wedding was in Northallerton, the weather was atrocious - Snow, Snow and more Snow, but the wedding was GREAT. A was best man for T (for the 3rd, and hopefully final time), S was in party mood and we were together.
Work has continued to be busy. I have taken on my first full-time employee, which scared me far more than I ever thought it would. Client list has remained virtually the same but work taken on on their behalf continues to expand. Leadership within one of the clients has been eventful but hopes are high that this can be resolved early in the New Year.
Home life has been filled with ups and downs. Saw beloved stepdaughter E in McDonalds (of all places) albeit only for a minute. Her reaction was to get up and leave but she did keep looking back in through the window at S, who she has never met. Filled with complete pride when she absolutely aced her GCSEs and almost as significantly, the cupcakes we sent in congratulations were not returned. Also of particular note, beloved stepdaughter A unblocked me on Facebook for a couple of months which must mean she is a little interested at least mustn't it? Devastatingly, my beautiful mother-in-law died, riddled with Cancer, in early November. Her fight of over a year was bravely borne and thankfully, the end came quite quickly. We have the utmost gratitude and thanks to Bolton Hospice for her care in the last 10 days of her life. She was the most wonderful, beautiful and surprising lady who is missed every single day.
The saga of the house continues. Unfortunately, it now appears as finished to the unknowing eye. This means that A is reluctant (at the best of times) to get on and actually finish it! This year we have made some significant steps forward. The gardens, patios, paths and drive have all been finished. However, the gates remain only partially complete, S's playroom still is untouched, there are still 2 ensuites to put in, the main bathroom needs changing and our ensuite leaks. The rewiring needs completing, the kitchen needs finishing off, the stairs ditto and the office could do with rediscovering its original purpose rather than just being used as a general dumping ground.
2010 has been a good year but tainted with unrelenting sadness. I have many hopes and aspirations for 2011, some serious and some light-hearted. Our sadness will not lift in 2011 but hopefully will become less difficult to live with. In our hearts and minds forever MMW 1934 - 2010 xxx
Blogging Failure
When I set up this blog I did so hoping that it would be a good place to 'dump' many of the issues taking up space in my head. I also thought that it would be something which I could easily keep up to date with. However, having just read the bloggings of a friend of mine, I was prompted to log in. Now that I've retrieved my password and been reminded of what my blog is actually called, I'm not sure that this blogging is really for me!! I struggle to operate both facebook and twitter accounts and refuse to degrade myself to the point of automatically sending my tweets to facebook. Why therefore do I also want to blog??? My last post was in August, a whole four months ago. Must try harder or acknowledge that I am never going to keep up with them all.
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Diary of an exhausted 35yr old
I'm finding that I'm looking 'whether it's bed time yet' earlier and earlier. Tonight I was ready for bed before I even got Sophie ready for bed!! Lots going on - most of it good. Client launch is looming ever nearer, applications for assistant post are coming in and I mustn't forget the other half's birthday next week!
To do list still getting longer, even thinking of putting 'complete some of your things to do' as a thing to do!
Just clicked over to 9pm now so I'm off to bed - think that's a fairly respectable time?!?
Night! x
To do list still getting longer, even thinking of putting 'complete some of your things to do' as a thing to do!
Just clicked over to 9pm now so I'm off to bed - think that's a fairly respectable time?!?
Night! x
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Failure
I made a promise today and I'm not going to be able to keep it. I promised someone working alongside me with a client that I'd deliver a large volume of information to them before I went to bed this evening. It's 10.40pm, I'm knackered and I'm off to bed - work not done! Sorry guys, if I don't go to bed now, I'll not be fit for any work tomorrow :-{
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