Online versus real life?

On 8 out of 10 cats the question "Would you rather communicate with your friends online?" was asked. Good grief, is that really where we are at?

In the space of 30 years we have gone from being completely amazed at the magic that is Bungle on Rainbow walking backwards through a door because we could record it on VHS for the first time and there was a magic button on the VHS machine called Rewind.

We've gone from sitting on our bottom stair for hours talking to our mates on the phone, because the landline was in the hall, and the only place to sit was on the stairs.

We've moved on from vinyl LPs, a dodgy stylus and the magic that was the record button on your tape deck to enable you to record the top 40 every Sunday.

And to where have we got?

Blogging: labels and where do I fit?

I am a MOC blogger. It is a new label that I have created to describe my blogging. Fed up with your current label? Fancy joining my new blogging category? Read on and find out why I created it.

I have blogged for over 4 years. I love it, and I hope you lovely readers enjoy it, else frankly, what's the point? I started blogging to share some of the parenting lessons I was learning the hard way. If I could save a first time mum some time and effort by sharing my stories, then that's great.

I was also struggling with the concept of looking good. How anyone with a small child to look after had any time whatsoever to put on makeup was, and still is, completely beyond me, hence the blog name.

Over time obviously the posts have evolved from Breastfeeding tips, and Beauty Jargon busters, to Toddler Tantrum tips, reviews of hotels and holiday destinations, and my experiences with Electrolysis.

I have discovered that, as a blogger, I am expected to define myself and put myself in a specific blogging box. Humans delight in doing this. We categorise things to help us make sense of the world.

Blog Awards: why I haven't nominated myself (yet)

It's parenting blog award season again. The nominations are open for the annual Britmums Brilliance in Blogging (bibs) awards and I am going through the same emotional journey I went on last year when the award season kicked off.

The journey goes something like this:

1) Oh brilliant; look, they have announced this year's mummy blog awards. I should check my blog over and nominate myself – it could be my year to win! I am really optimistic this time as I have been thinking carefully about the posts I write and trying to ensure they are useful and relevant. I can just picture the glitzy award ceremonies full of fashionable yummy mummys providing me will loads of the external validation for my work.

Google reader is no more: What alternatives are there?

Why is this article useful? Should I read on?

If you don't use Google Reader then you can probably disregard this post. My apologies for bringing you here for this. If you are a parent and want to stick around the site for parenting and beauty tips, how-to guides and family holiday reviews, please do grab a cuppa, put your feet up and delve straight into the menus above and over on the right.

However, if you do use Google Reader either to follow websites and News feeds, or as a developer or blogger, then read on.   This post is definitely for you.

Google Reader is giving notice

On Wednesday, 13th March, Google announced that it's RSS feed reader, used by millions to follow news sites and blogs, would cease on 1st July 2013.

So where am I on the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and why is it relevant to this blog?

Great content?

This weekend the Times Magazine ran an article called The Asperger's Effect.  A glance at the layout in the magazine and you immediately noticed that there's a test: "Where are you on the spectrum?".  In 5 minutes, and 50 quick multi-choice questions later, you know whether you are, and I quote "socially smooth, empathetic to others and ambivalent about numbers" or not.

Interestingly I was more interested in how quickly I jumped at the chance to do a test.  What that says about me is possibly far more revealing that the results of the test.

My results were almost disappointingly boring.  No revelations here I'm afraid.  I came in with a score of 17; apparently average for a man, whereas 15 is the woman's average.  You can do the test on-line at TheTimes.co.uk/magazine.

Why am I mentioning this?  Because it struck me that the article was refreshingly different, on a topic I had read little about.  I was immediately drawn to great content.  That's what I aim for here on this website: great content.  I try and make it relevant, interesting, helpful, fun and a little tongue in cheek.  This website was started because I wanted to help other mums learn from my mistakes.  I provide tips on parenting that work for us and my solutions for maintaining your yummy mojo whilst also being a mum.

What makes great website content?

Whether I succeed or not is something of a mystery.  Whilst I can see how many people are clicking through to the site and how long they are staying, I can't tell if they are finding useful content.  I can't tell if I am making them smile, or laugh, or frown with disappointment.

That's where blog awards come in.  It's blog awards time, and it's now possible for you to nominate my blog for any of 16 different categories in the MAD Blog Awards 2013.  So do you think I qualify to be nominated for Best School Days blog, Most Entertaining Blog, Best Fashion and Beauty Blog or Best Mad Blog for Family Fun?  How about Best Family Life Blog, Best Family Travel Blog or Best Blog Writer?  Or do I qualify for the ultimate MAD Blog of the Year?

If you do think I deserve a mention, please pop over to nominate me on the Mad Blog Awards 2013 nomination form.  It'll only take a minute and I'll be amazed, flattered and thrilled that I might possibly be doing something right in this small, but perfectly formed, corner of the web. 

Nominations close at midnight on the 18th February 2013.

Of course, if you don't think I should be nominated, and you don't feel that I'm providing the content you are searching for, then absolutely please let me know!  Would you like more beauty, more fashion, more fitness; or maybe prefer the parenting tips and hints, the craft ideas, or the travel reviews? Please feel free to comment on the posts and let me know what you like.

Thanks everyone.

A service announcement and an invite to write for us

Regular readers will be aware that I started working full time this month, not just in my existing job, but in an entirely new organisation in a promoted post.  It's something of a challenge, and I am currently at the "whose stupid idea was this?" stage.
I have a zillion and one new work things flying around my head, along with a zillion and two different mum-related tasks like "take tombola prize to school for the Christmas fair", "drop off eldest at Christmas disco", "ensure Christmas colouring competition entries are handed into school on time", "write Christmas cards", "arrange trip to Santa's Grotto", "remember which day is mufti day at school", "listen to eldest read her reading books twice a week", "remember to do maths homework with eldest", "pay for gymnastics lessons", "take back library books"........I could go on and on and on, but you get the idea.

All that is on top of the daily food shopping, meal prepping, pot washing jobs. I've already opted to buy in 2 hours of cleaning and 2 hours of ironing each week: and still I don't stop until 10pm, at which point I try and find half an hour of TV, but inevitably fall asleep within 5 minutes.

Life throws these challenges at us. Life has decided to throw a surprise work challenge at my husband this month too, meaning he is working 12 hour days at the moment. Something we couldn't have planned for and which hopefully won't continue for too long.

The result of all this is that my blog is not getting the attention it deserves as I am obviously prioritising family time.   I will continue to post when I can, and want to say a huge thank you to all readers. Please please bear with me.

I will also consider guest posts from other bloggers at this time.  If you are a blogger and a parent and would like to write a piece on how you stay yummy, or not, please email it me for consideration.

Many thanks all. Stay yummy!

Beautiful Blogger Award

I have been the recipient of a couple of blogging awards now.  The ones that other bloggers nominate you for.  And everytime I have received one I am equally as amazed as the time before that anyone is still reading!  I just hope I continue to provide useful content!

The utterly gorgeous Luci at Mother.Wife.Me has presented me with the Beautiful Blogger Award.  It was a good few weeks ago that she kindly did this and I feel bad that it's only now that I am blogging about it.  I hope she'll forgive me.  Luci has recently started a new website; Ma Puce, a French for kids website.  If you are thinking of teaching your youngster a second language, look no further.  This website is a great place to start, full of resources, tools and ideas.

I am completely overwhelmed at receiving my fourth blogging award.  There are a great many blogs out there, so it's lovely that folk are visiting my little corner of the interent and having a good time.  I do supply plenty of virtual tea and chocolate cake, chocolate biscuits, hot chocolate and, well, chocolate, so it's a sweet tasting place to visit at the very least!

These awards come with rules (doesn't everything), so I am supposed to tell you a few things about me that you don't already know.  The difficulty now is considering how personal to get, and how far back into the murky depths of my past to wander to collect these gems of trivia.

Some of my more embarrassing revelations came curtesy of the Versatile Blogger Award, so what could possibly be left?  Err... plenty.

1.  At 17 years old I drove my dad's car down the road on the starter motor to get it to the garage after it 'wouldn't start normally'.  A small fixable problem unfortunately then became a rather larger problem.  An entirely new starter motor was required.  Dad wasn't best pleased.  This is a good reason why schools should include lesson's in practical things like mechanics in preference to, say, algorithms.

2.  I can knock up any item of IKEA furniture like a pro.  Just throw me an alan key and watch me work my magic!  See; I might be useless at car mechanics, but I am a star at furniture construction.

3.  I have a current and ongoing obsession with sleep.  I appear to need loads, but am never tired at 11pm and always exhausted at 10am.  I take at least half an hour to go from 'disturbed by alarmclock' to 'can possibly move legs and get out of bed if need is urgent enough'.  A current attempt at dragging myself out of bed at 6am 3 times a week to work out for half an hour appears to be improving my morning energy levels, but I'm struggling to keep it up. (er hem)

4.  I wore shorts to the last wedding I went to.  Yes; shorts.  Yes, this year.  There might be a post on that later.....

5.  I can play the introduction to Dire Strait's 'Money for Nothing' on electric guitar; I think.  Or at least I could last time I tried, only I haven't tried for a long while and I'm not sure my memory will stretch to sophisticated finger movements at speed. Let's just say I can, and we won't check.

6.  I can do a pretty good portrait of anyone using just black and white oil paints.  Or at least I used to be able to.  Not sure if the skill sticks after 10 years of not actually painting. Hmmmm...

7.  I like to think I can sing, but I can't.  And if I am in tune it's only when singing along with men like Justin Timberlake.  Not sure what that says about my range, or lack of it?

8.  I have an unhealthy interest in HTML at the moment.

9.  I love films and books and stories of all kinds.  I just don't get nearly enough time to watch any films, or read many books, so it's children's stories for me at bedtime!

10.  I write children's stories (cor, something I still do now!) and would love to get one of them published.  Watch this space.

I'd like to nominate for the beautiful blogger award the following brilliant bloggers.  Their sites are well worth a visit.

Sally at Recipe Junkie and the attack of the custard creams.  A woman that regularly inspires me with her recipes and gorgeous looking morsels of food.  This site is well worth a visit if you have an interest in food!

Maggie at Red Ted Art.  If I ever need inspiration for a craft project to entertain the girls for an hour or so, this is where I head.  Absolutely brilliant.  Though I will need to start budgetting for more stocks of glue and tape at the rate we got through it this summer!

And finally, the fabulous Mum of all trades, whose home interiors posts and ideas inspire me to tidy up and buy more cushions!  This Toy Storage post is genius!  If you are having any problems at all with toys taking over the house, check this out and bookmark her blog for future reference!

So there you are ladies!  I hereby pass on the blogging love.

The Olympic Meme

I think there's a fairly big event starting this Friday.  I can't be sure, but I'm almost certain I've seen the odd couple of adverts around.  A sporting event I think.  Could be wrong.

I'm not the sporting sort that will be glued to the television for the next two weeks taking in every heat of every event.  Not least because that would appear somewhat ironic.  I will enjoy watching some of it to enjoy the spectacle, to cheer on my country and because I won't have much choice in the matter if lovely husband has any say in the matter.  But I will spend most of the time doing what I usually do, living life, tackling the ironing pile, carving out two minutes to wash my hair and, of course, writing.

I have been tagged by Trouble Doubled to take part in the Olympic Meme.  My answers may or may not be similar to yours.  Either way; enjoy.  

1) If every day tasks were Olympic events what would you get a gold medal in?

Getting two wriggling girls up, dressed, fed, watered, teeth brushed, hair up, uniform on (and clean) to school, on time, with reading book read and dinner money cheque, permission slip for trip, spelling book, homework, show and tell submission, sunhat/raincoat, water bottle and PE kit all in appropriate bags, day after day after day after day.  That definitely deserves a medal.


2)   As a child (or now even) did you excel at a particular sport and if so which one?

Unlike Trouble Doubled I did not excel at sport at school.  I started dance classes at the age of 5 years old and was, and still am, a bit of a wimp when it comes to team sports that involve throwing and catching balls.

In fact I distinctly remember, in a tennis lesson on holiday in my twenties, being taught to actually watch the ball and realising with something of an epiphany, that I'd been closing my eyes at the crucial catch/hit moment for years.  Having children at school throw balls at my face that I couldn't catch didn't endear me to sport of any kind.  Of course, when I'd learnt to catch the ball and got over myself it was far far too late, and no one was going to throw the ball in my direction anyway, making it all fairly dull. 

I chose instead to became a very good daisy chain maker out on the Rounders field.

However, Trampolining was a 'sport' at my secondary school on the basis that you could choose it for PE options in the fifth year, and so I claim that it is indeed Trampolining that I excelled at.  I say excel; what I actually mean is 'didn't suck'.

 3)   Michael Phelps (swimmer) or Michael Johnson (runner) – which sport appeals to you more?



Probably running.  I've never been a strong swimmer and I have an unnatural urge to breathe in whilst under the water, making it difficult to swim properly without trying to drink the pool in the process.  Additionally it was swimming that aggravated a condition I had last year called Bornholms disease (Devils Grip) so I don't associate very well with it as a sport. 



I could run; but not for long.  I suspect 100m would have to be my sport simply because I couldn't keep going much longer than that. 

To get any kind of speed up I'd have to request they placed a double chocolate gateaux at the finish line!

4)   How fast can you get out of bed and ready to go out the door if miss the alarm and sleep in?

Depends if I need to get the girls ready too.  If we've all slept in, then I can do it in about 40 minutes including my shower, their teeth and a minimum fruit-based transportable eat-in-the-car breakfast, maybe less if I've prepped the night before.  In reality I need about 90 minutes from 6.45am until 8.15am, especially for impromptu turns of events.

5)   What fantasy sport would you like to see made into an Olympic event?

How about Smurf Vegetable Harvesting.  I am getting pretty good at that.  Along with catching a fish with a red box, hitting a post with a hammer precisely on cue, and mixing potions.  The IPad has a lot to answer for.

6)   Claim to fame time – Have you ever met an Olympian and who was it?

Errrr..... No.  Closest I've got was buying my car from the same dealership that Jessica Ennis bought hers (apparently)

7)   What event in past Olympics can you remember most vividly?

Is it really bad that I can't particularly remember any?  I remember the names; Seb Coe, Ben Johnson, Flo Jo, Eddie the Eagle....but couldn't tell you what year's they competed, nor exactly where they came.  I blame this on a severe lack of news watching as a child.  I used to go straight from school to dance class, probably 4 times a week, until 9pm, and any other time was taken up doing homework or watching Top of the Pops.  I wasn't particularly interested in it.  (shock horror!)

8) Tuning in at home? Not for me or tickets clamped ready in sweaty palms?

To be honest I'm still not a major fan of athletics or sport in general.  I enjoy it, but I don't stop my life to fit it in.  I'm a little uncomfortable with the cost of the Olympics bearing in mind the financial problems the country, finds itself in, but I'm hoping all the advantages will outweigh the costs.

I'm looking forward to the 100m men's final, purely because that it sporting prowess at it's most basic.  It's the one everyone can attempt from the moment you learn to run.  Who can run the fastest.  Pure and simple.

Other than that I will probably see whatever the rest of my family choose to watch on TV, and if they didn't, I probably wouldn't bother.  And before you all start mentioning patriotism, I'll ask this - did you watch the World Ballroom Championships, or the World Poker Championships?  Or the Ice Hockey? Or the Cricket?  Or the Rugby World Cup?  I support my country, absolutely.  I just have a lot of things to fill my time, and spending 2 weeks in front of the television won't form part of it.

9)   Who do you think most deserves a gold medal (any walk of life not just Olympians)

My husband.  He works so hard and is taken for granted by all his peers and employees and then he comes home and smiles and helps with the washing and the cooking, and reads bedtime stories for the children. 

I love him.  He's my gold medallist.


Feel free to take part in the Olympic discussion by adding your thoughts via the Comments option below, or answering the questions on your blog should you have one.  Since we are so close to the big event I won't tag anyone directly for fear of putting them under too much of a time pressure! 

The Reader Appreciation Award

Well I never!

When you're feeling down and having a tough week, it's lovely that the blogging world can cheer you up with not one, but two blogging awards.

Having been incredibly excited to receive the Versatile Blogger Award, I have also been presented with the Reader Appreciation Award by Mother Goutte.  I am incredibly touched that people have thought of my blog and considered it worthy.  Many many thanks!

Mother Goutte has a knack of making me look something like Homer Simpson.  Just the names of her meals makes me drool.  Her blog, tales of motherhood and breastfeeding in particular, is in it's infancy, but is beautifully authentic and well worth a moment of two of your time.

This award comes with questions too; so you are all learning loads about me this week!  Including the fact that I'm avoiding other boring chores like cleaning and ironing to write this post.  Oops, but you knew that already!

1. My favourite colour is, after great consideration, green.  It's the colour that was on the walls of a hotel room in Leeds last year when I was feeling under the weather and had gone on a weekend away with the hubby.  Just walking into that room made me feel calm.  I get the same calm feeling sitting on the grass looking at the trees; so green it is.

2.  My favourite animal is Winnie-the-pooh.  Innocent and simple.

3.  My favourite non-alcoholic drink is probably a mixture of fresh orange and grapefruit juice to wake me up.

4.  Facebook or Twitter?  I use them for different things, so it's a tricky one.  Probably Twitter at the moment; though I am having to ration it for fear of it eating up my days.

5.  Give or receive presents? I prefer giving presents if I know they are the right presents and they will love them.  If I have my doubts then I don't enjoy that look that people pull when they open something that is a little disappointing and that 'oohhh, thank you' that they do in an exaggerated tone.  Obviously I similarly prefer getting presents if it's something I am desperate for.

6.  My favourite day of the week at the moment is Wednesday.  It's my day.  I decide what to do in a 5 hour window, on my own, at my pace.  It's not that I don't love days with the children or with my husband, it's just that I get chance to take a breather on Wednesday.

7. Flowers?  I like white roses.  I think they are really pretty; and I love daffodils in the springtime.

8.  My passion is currently writing, but I still get really excited when I manage to get to a good dance class of any description.

And now  (I keep starting sentences with 'and'.  That can't be right can it?) I will pass on the award to some other blogs that I really enjoy reading:

Jules at Jule, Jam & Journalism
Catherine at Low Impact Mama
Laura at Chez Mummy
Trish at Mums Gone To
Nicky at I am Typecast.

And finally (pesky 'and'.  what are you doing there?) I'm off to Twitter to share more blogging love.  If you have any more slightly random questions you'd like me to answer, please feel free to get in touch. (wink)

The Versatile Blogger Award: Hurrah!

Dabbing my eyes with tissues.  Trying not to choke.  I'm standing here, about to make a speech, in this virtual world, on my virtual stage with my virtual podium, but it's no less scary!

The lovely RecipeJunkie at Recipe Junkie and the attack of the custard creams has awarded me the Versatile Blogger award.

I am proud and honoured to accept.  The rules of this award state that I am now allowed to display this beautiful button on my blog.  I must also, meet the conditions of acceptance, by telling you all 7 things about myself that you don't already know.  This is tricky, as there is, of course, so much to share of my life that is interesting, beyond the chocolate and cake loving.

1.  I was on Emu's Pink Windmill show in the 80s.  Grotbags' makeup was really greasy and sweating off!
2.  I love hard-boiled egg sandwiches.
3.  I can Tap dance.
4.  I make an amazing Pasta Bolognese.
5.  I've seen Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Steps, Kylie Minogue, Genesis, The Manic Street Preachers, Dream Theater, Keane, Status Quo and Shakin' Stevens, among others, live in concert.  Now that's an eclectic taste in music.
6.  I used to run my own contemporary dance company.  Professionally.  And no I didn't make any money out of it, and no it wasn't that sort of dance.  I did absolutely love it though.
7.  Two of my teenage boyfriends (yes two) later announced they were gay.  No it wasn't my fault!

How's that?

The even more tricky part is to nominate other bloggers for the award.  This is difficult because some of the best bloggers out there are now well established bloggers that will have received this before.  But the idea is to share the best of the blogs out there, so that's what I'll do.  If they get it twice, then so be it.

First up, fellow middle-aged (her words) street dancer; Sarah at Mumof3World.  A prolific tweeter and almost daily blogger, she regularly links up to my Out of the mouths of babes Linky with a selection of brilliant posts about the fantastic questions her children ask.  Blogging about life as a mum of 3 who works part-time, she has got into her stride very quickly and I love reading her updates.  From poor old Colin (RIP), to holidays on canal boats; you never know what you're going to get next!

Next, Luci at Mother.Wife.Me. I often follow an interesting sounding link and suddenly find myself on her blog.  She has a lovely tone of voice.  Her Education Round-Up over on the Britmums Blog is a great source of new information about everything education related, from starting school to funding university.

I also want to give a shout out to Mel at Her Melness Speaks.  She will probably have had this before, but if I'm sharing my favourite blogs, then hers has to be there.  Whether she's making me smile, or think, or giggle, or cry, I am never bored.

Angie, at CakesPhotosLife, has boundless energy and seems to get so much done I'm in constant awe.  The cakes she produces are nothing short of 'amazing' looking!  I just wish I could sample some!

I included Attempting The Ordinary mum in the list, until I realised that Recipe Junkie has nominated her already!  Guess that's definite positive feedback!

So, I'm now off to Twitter to share the blogging award around.  Catch up with me there!

Britmums Live 2012: A review

Apparently "mummy bloggers" have power and influence.  This is supported by the 2 million people that the #britmumlive hashtag reached on Twitter over the weekend.  The Britmums Live 2012 conference played host to 500 attendees, but it's reach was far, far wider.

When I started blogging three years ago, I didn't anticipate that I'd be sat in a conference venue in London, surrounded by people who are batting off PR requests, being quoted in the national newspapers and being provided with numerous freebies by companies keen to get bloggers to review their products favourably. 

I felt a little like a fish out of water... to say the least!

Britmums Live 2012

It's Katy Hill!

The 2 day Britmums Live conference was incredibly well organised and the Agenda comprehensive.  An eclectic group of speakers had been booked, including Ruby Wax, Sarah Brown, Katy Hill and Cherry Healy.  According to the paperwork, top bloggers and experts were going to provide expert opinion and tips and techniques to enable us all to improve our blogs.

The highlights for me, other than the fun of checking out if my mental images of folk I'd never met were accurate (Click here for more on First Impressions), were the Brilliance in Blogging Awards, and the  Bloggers' Keynote.  I hadn't expected the showcase of bloggers and posts respectively to be quite so emotional.  I laughed, snorted, giggled, wept and was moved by the content.  Note to self: take tissues next time.

Unfortunately I noticed very quickly that the advertised 'titles' of many of the other Agenda items were, once you got there, not as advertised on the tin.  

Not as advertised on the tin

Ruby's Prevailing through adversity: how I bear the tsunami of all depressions didn't technically tell you how she bears the tsunami of all depressions.  She talked a lot about her new website and about whether we needed anonymity to discuss mental illness.  It was an interesting discussion; just not quite what I'd expected.

Roundtable: British Blogging now - this was one of the best discussions I saw over the weekend.  Carla Busazi, editor-in-chief of Huffington Post UK, was elequent in her questioning and control of the discussion. The bloggers on the sofa; from Danial Elton, Managing Director of blog Left Foot Forward, to Steve Keenan, online travel editor for The Sunday Times, gave a varied and frank opinion, which they didn't always agree on (refreshing).  The consensus appeared to be that bloggers were breaking down the traditional journalistic boundaries and opening up discussions that may not otherwise be had.  There was also an indication that the panel felt that many newspapers would very quickly move to digital only formats.

Crossing the Chasm

I was a little disappointed in the Blogger's studio: Crossing the Chasm, how to bring your blog up to the next level.  I think because no-one knew what they meant by 'next level'.  For me, it would be improving content so that readers were ejoying it and sharing with friends.  For many of the bloggers there, it was something different and so the discussion was at best a little vague.

The most useful practical tips that I scribbled down furiously came from Melinda Fargo who blogs at HerMelness Speaks.  She helpfully listed a set of things to think about; a checklist (and I love lists!). She has helpfully reproduced it on her blog here, which is good because my scribbled notes only add up to 9 things; not 10.  Ooops.

Of the other workshops I attended among the many on offer I found that the social media ones didn't meet expectations; I didn't get the 'manageable plan' I was promised in Creating a social media plan that works, I was just told to make one.  I wanted more.  I wanted nitty gritty. 


But I did get a lot of useful information from SEO tips and Legal Essentials; 55 minutes could have been doubled; and from Perks and Pounds by Erica Douglas; clear, concise, and delivered what it promised.  It was unfortunately in the minority.

And so, overall, I was left with a distinct feeling of not quite having got what I expected.  What I did get was fun, informative and in some instances incredibly useful; but it hadn't been what was advertised on the tin.

Newbie and Professional? 

 

I was also struck by the way the speakers assumed we were all experts - even in Beginners Blogging sessions.

Even Erica Douglas amusingly asked for 'hands up' those that are batting off the PR requests at the moment, as apparently she's being inundated.  That's lovely, for her.  But for us newbie bloggers who dream of being approached by a PR department, it's a little patronising and depressing.  Er no; I felt like saying. Not so much. Can you bat some of yours my way?

On another occassion a speaker said "Even if you've only got a 1000 page views a day".  Again I say; er no.  Still dreaming of that very big number and you are making it sound like it's pitifully small.

I just think the bloggers that have been doing it a while need to remember that their audience includes people who do know the lingo and have been around the block; but ALSO includes those that know nothing other than how to write a few elequent words on a blog post and hopefully entertain their readers.

Practicalities

I was also starving at the end of the Friday, to the point of feeling slightly nauseous as no food, other than the odd cake that we were too busy to spot and grab, was provided between 2pm and 8pm.

In summary

It seems like I've been on a downer on the event there.  Maybe it's the adrenalin that's finally ran out.

Maybe it's the realisation that the goodies I came home with were all for my children, and 'my' loot consisted of a TKMax compact, some anti-bacterial hand-gel, a paperback novel I'm not sure I'll read and 6 various packets of baby wipes.  You just can't please some people eh?

Suggestions

My ideas for an improved event next year include the following:

Food
Feed the bloggers on the first day; between the workshops and the wine and awards.  Many of us have travelled down before the start of the conference, not necessarily having time to eat much before registration at 2pm.  We are also mums, and so many are used to eating at 5pm before starting the whole bath, story, teeth, bed routine.  Instead, we were given the smallest nibbles I've ever seen at 6pm alongside free flowing champagne.  It was a recipe for many sore heads.  In our case, we hotfooted it back to the hotel after the awards and finally tucked into a delicious steak and chips at around 9pm.

The Lab
Have some workshops that are more informal discussions, and other's that are very technical - maybe calling it 'The Lab', where tools like Facebook, Google+, PInterest, can be gone through in greater detail, maybe even trouble shooting user problems there and then.

Newbie / Professional
Include some absolute beginners 'newbie' sessions, where subjects like SEO can be gone through in greater detail and a more basic pace for the newbies.  Similarly, faster paced advanced sessions for the pro's.

Say what it says...
Be careful that the speakers know what question they are being asked to answer in their presentation.  


And that's it.  My review.  If you have any questions about the event, I am happy to delve into my scribbles to see if I can decipher my notes!  The official Britmums Live site for more information and advance notice of next year's event is here.

Feel free to drop me a line at yummymummyreally@aol.co.uk, visit my facebook page here, or follow me on Twitter here at @ymummyreally. 

Apologies.... It's BRITMUMS LIVE!

I'm sorry.  Really sorry.  But today it's all about Britmums Live 2012.  I am on the train, feeling very geeky with my mobile providing me with a lovely WI-FI hotspot listening to increasingly drunk men starting their London-bound hen party early and drinking coffee. I'm drinking coffee; they are drinking Tetleys.  How Northern are well?

The lovely Amanda Ashton is sitting with me, trying to keep up with the increasing speed of the #britmumslive tag on Twitter.

We are getting increasingly giddy, excited and nervous all at the same time.  I am about to come face to face with a whole batch of bloggers that I've never met before but have chatted with on-line.  I just hope I don't scare them off.

I've managed to get my hair re-coloured (no roots today - so it's not exactly a realistic picture they are getting!) and I've even had a manicure.  I am pulling out all the stops here!

Managed to forget the hair dryer though, so I just hope I don't look too scarecrow-like tomorrow morning.

Hi to everyone that is traveling down (or indeed up) the country (or indeed world) to  converge on London.  See you all there!

Achieving an ambition and working on the next one!

#100RPM

Today a piece of my fiction is officially published.  It was selected for inclusion in an ebook by author Caroline Smailes and the resulting collection of flash fiction inspired by music is now available on Amazon to download to Kindle or PC.

I am incredibly proud of this.  I've wanted to write ever since I can remember.  I have a cupboard full of poetry and articles, children's stories and part finished novels.  My 'things to do before I'm....' lists have always included "get published".

So I am proud, chuffed and grinning inanely, and not sure whether to leap about the place or simply sit quietly embracing the achievement.

It's an item I can tick off my list.

And what do I do next?  Move on to the next thing on the list of course; and from a writing perspective that's got to be to achieve publication in hard copy format.  A book you can hold.  That was the original ambition.  The Internet's not that old and didn't exist when my publication dream first came into being!

And so, I keep an eye on those emails to see if the publisher that currently has a copy of my brilliant children's story decides they like it; and I continue to work on the novel, and I start to think about approaching magazines or newspapers to sell articles.

Because, you see, despite the fact that I love my day job, writing is something that writers just do; and I can't stop.


Click here for more information about 100RPM and it's publication to raise money for the charity One in Four who supply support and resources to those who have suffered sexual abuse or violence.  Please download it today!

Doubting your own self-worth?

Those of you who follow me on twitter (@ymummyreally) and on facebook may have noticed that I've been feeling a little down in the dumps since Wednesday night, when the cold/virus/joint aching/sore throat/high temperature thing that my children both enjoyed over the bank holiday weekend was lovingly passed on to me.

I fell to sleep at 7.30pm on the sofa on Wednesday night.  That's right!  7.30!  Boy, am I a wuss!  And yes I expect lots of sympathetic comments and virtual biscuits sent over.  (pretty please - bottom lip comes out)

The advantage of feeling rubbish for the last 24 hours has been plenty of time to think.  Oh no! Think? That's not good is it?  My parents always tell me I over-think everything.  Over analyse it all.  Feel like I need to have mapped out all the possibilities, internally debated all the arguments, considered all the outcomes, before doing ANYTHING.

Tea always makes things better

They are right.  I've been thinking about my next blog post and I've been stuck.  This is partly because I found out today that I didn't make the finalist list in The Mad Blog Awards 2012.  As a result I went straight into 'over-analyse' mode.  I sat and spent far too much time, in an already weakened state, reading the 'finalists' blogs.  The idea being that I should be able to pick up some tips to help improve this humble blog and therefore provide you lovely readers with some really great stuff.

I'm sure you can see where this is going can't you?  On a normal, healthy day that plan would be fine.  I'd have a read, enjoy the fantastic blogs that they are (they really are, click on the Mad Blog link above and check them out - but please do come back... whimpers) and use the lessons to build the joy here.  What actually happened was that I got over-emotional, over-awed at these other writers, many of whom have been doing this for years, and felt completely not worthy.  There were even tears.

It was stupid, stupid, stupid.

And so I sat down to write.  Though this post doesn't particularly stick to the main theme of this blog (tips to help us be yummy, even when a mummy) it is to remind me that we are ALL yummy in our own ways.  We have our own skills, our own talents, and, maybe more importantly, our own joys.

I've been writing this blog for 3 years now (has it really been that long) and this will be my 165th published post.  I didn't write it to make money (though if offered that would obviously be nice).  I started it because I've always wanted to be a writer.  I wanted to write.  I wanted to hopefully create something that someone somewhere would find useful or mildly amusing, and I will keep doing that regardless of potential awards, because it is here, with you, that I find my moments of joy.

So thank you for stopping by.  Please stay for biscuits.  Comments and feedback are definitely welcome (I always reply). Above all, stay yummy - it's not just a looks thing; it's a state of mind.*

*good job really - failing at the looks thing!

***

 The "out of the mouths of babes" link up is still open, and new posts are being added to the list every day.  Feel free to pop on over for a giggle, or to add your own.  Click the button below!

 

99 Reasons Why. A controversial ebook with 11 endings!

#99RW on Twitter

I am honoured to be hosting one of the 11 endings to Caroline Smailes' new ebook, 99 Reasons Why.

It's a book with a difference.  It is only being published as an ebook and it comes with 9 different endings which readers can navigate using multiple choice questions on their Kindle (buy here), or via a spinning story wheel on their iPad or iPhone (buy here).

Another ending will be handwritten by Caroline and auctioned for charity.

But the eleventh ending will only be available on-line.  It will be shared by a selection of bloggers, of which I am very pleased to be one.
 
And so, without further ado, please find the eleventh ending.  Please note that it contains strong language.




99: the reason why I was only worth ninety-nine quid
It’s been six days since the little girl in the pink coat went missing and me Uncle Phil’s in me bedroom.
We’ve been watching the little girl in the pink coat’s mam on the news. She was appealing to the public for witnesses.
‘Didn’t realise she had a mam,’ I says, looking at me telly.
‘Everyone’s got a mam, pet,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
‘She sold her story to The Sun,’ I says, looking at me telly.
‘Got a few quid,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
I nod.
‘She wanted nowt to do with that bairn before all this,’ me Uncle Phil says, looking at me telly.
‘Do you know where she is?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.
‘Belle?’ me Uncle Phil asks me.
I nod.
‘She’s safe,’ me Uncle Phil says to me. ‘Your mam’s keeping an eye on her.’
‘Can I be her mam?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.
‘No, pet, you’re a filthy whore,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
I nod.
‘Can you make Andy Douglas come back, Uncle Phil?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.
Me Uncle Phil shakes his head.
‘I love him,’ I tell me Uncle Phil.
‘Andy Douglas is your brother, pet. You didn’t seriously think Princess Di was your mam, did you?’ me Uncle Phil asks me.
I nod.
‘You’re a cradle snatcher just like your mam,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
I nod.
‘Your mam miscarried when she found out I’d been banging Betty Douglas. Betty was expecting you,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
I don’t speak.
‘When you was born, your mam went mad and I ended up buying you from Betty Douglas for ninety-nine quid,’ me Uncle Phil says.
‘Ninety-nine quid?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.
‘I paid a hundred but got a quid change for some chips for your mam and dad’s tea,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
‘You bought me?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.
I’m a little bit sick in me mouth.
‘It was the right thing to do,’ me Uncle Phil says to me. ‘I got Betty Douglas pregnant straight away with Andy.’
‘I’m pregnant,’ I says to me Uncle Phil. ‘I’m pregnant with me brother’s baby,’ I says, and then I throws up on me purple carpet.
‘You’re a filthy whore,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
‘What am I going to do?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.
‘You’re going to have the baby,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
‘Have me brother’s baby?’ I asks me Uncle Phil.
‘Then I’m giving it to Betty Douglas to bring up,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
‘You what?’ I says to me Uncle Phil.
‘It’s the right thing to do,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
‘I can’t—’ I says to me Uncle Phil.
‘It’s either that or I’ll make you disappear,’ me Uncle Phil says to me.
I don’t speak.
I’m thinking, they’re all a bunch of nutters.

THE END

What's interesting about publishing one of eleven different endings, is how intrigued it made me about the rest of the book and what the journey towards this scene looked like.  To find out, buy it now!

You can find out more about 99 Reasons Why at #99RW on Twitter, or on Caroline Smailes' website here, along with more information on her other projects, news and events. 
 
I am fortunate enough to be involved in Caroline's other in-progress project; a collection of flash fiction, also for charity, and am very excited about that. Click here to read On the Ledge and for more information.
 

The Liebster Blog Award: Yippee! My first award!

This week I have been honoured to receive my first ever blog award!  I am, some might say, stupidly excited by this.  I say that it is quite normal to be excited when someone other than your husband expresses an appreciation of your work!  I accept it with thanks and whilst wearing my best frock, as is tradition in award giving spheres!

I have Catherine over at Low Impact Parenting to thank for the award.  Her blog is full of humour, despite the increasingly chaotic sounding household she inhabits and it sounds like she's doing a grand job de-cluttering and recycling to make way for her new addition to the family due in March.  I love the variety on her blog, from how to make Seville Marmalade, to breastfeeding and sewing, and the fact that she's doing it with one eye on the planet.  She succeeds in reminding me to savour the moments.  You can follow her @lowimpactmama.

This award is for blogs with 200 followers or less.  The idea is to share appreciation of blogs (Liebster meaning dearest, or favourite, in German), to link back to the kind soul who passed the award on to you, and to pass on the accolade to a further five deserving bloggers.

This is no easy task.  I have discovered many deserving blogs, some well established, some relative newbies like me and reducing that list to my five favourites has not been easy.  But, here it goes:

Firstly, check out the The Undercover Granny.  It's interesting for me to see things from a Granny point of view, and she has a fun take on life, recent posts including a look at dating for the over 50s and a look at the various types of mummy bloggers she's encountered (a favourite post of mine - I wonder which one I fall under?)

Another blog that always makes me giggle (and that's my pre-requisite for any blog I am reading!)  is Mymumdom.  Blogging with a definite sense of not taking life too seriously, she is a kiwi in the UK with a son and three daughters that look a 'lot' like her (I saw that gallery post from the graduation!)

Check out Me.He. And Them. Written by three best friends; the stories always seem to strike a cord with me, or elicit a giggle, or a strong emotional response.  This post in particular, on breaking the news to your child that you are going back to work, made me well up.  It's a reminder that, as mums, we are not alone in the challenges we face.

On a more serious note, Mrs Shorties Mind is written by a mum of three suffering from Post Natal Depression.  It charts her journey, her changing attitudes to mental health and is a refreshing, honest account of her experiences.  (And a big thumbs up to her husband who has stuck by her through the ups and downs.)
This post, Not Really Grooving made me really consider the fine line we walk in maintaining mental health, its relativity, and its transient nature.  I often feel like I am operating in a fuzzy ball, with no 'get up and go' as my mother would say.  But I just take it as naturally part of who I am and have never considered where on the line that state falls.  And then, when I have a day of focus and activity, a day full of energy, I wonder how on earth I could maintain that state.  It feels much more like living in the moment.

And finally; a blog for the Mulberry loving, cupcake eating, pretty interiors mummies.  Honey's Mummy is a lovely collection of gorgeousness, great tips, advise and musings on motherhood.  One to enjoy with a glass of wine.  I love it.  Though I am seriously jealous of the cake!

So there it is.  My five recommendations and to whom I pass on the Liebster Blog Award.  Enjoy!