You Got To Give a Little

If there is one plan (and I use the term loosely because I hate making long term plans that inevitably fall by the wayside) that I want to follow through on this year; it is to do two things.  Be more selfish, and give more.

Doesn't make sense right?  Being selfish and giving are at opposite ends of the scale.  But giving can entail many things and there is nothing wrong with scaling back on some aspects and escalating others.

When I say I want to be more selfish. I am not talking about holding on to the last Rolo or showing no consideration for others.  What I mean is that this year, I need to remember to take care of myself too.  To give a little less of myself in some areas, which will enable me to give more in others.

As I have said in my previous post I am guilty of falling into the habit of being different personalities around different people.  The "I'm fine" person, when I'm really not; the sociable person; when I want to be alone (although I need to bring that out more as it is tied to my anxiety); the shy person in a group of people, while with my friends I am never scared to put my voice forward.  Molding your personality to fit the situation is exhausting and this year I decided, I am just not doing it anymore.

I am also going to take more time out for myself.  Some me time, on my own.  I need space on my own sometimes, even if it is just shutting a door or going to spa on my own for the afternoon.  I need it; and I deserve it.  We all do.

But I also want to give more this year and that does not have to involve giving myself.  Giving can be giving some of your time, writing a blog post to promote a charity or even working charity into your everyday shopping.

So my first goal is to write something for a different charity each month.  I tried to start that last year, but I only managed a few posts.  This year I will do better.  This month I am going to write about the Marie Curie Daffodil appeal and next month I am featuring an amazing woman who is 10 years Cancer free, after having one lung removed after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Mesothelioma.  She now raises funds for research and that will be my February charity post.

Another way I intend to give is by giving money.  Although I donate some money to Women's Aid and Refuge every month, I cannot afford to give much.  So another way that you can give money is through your shopping.

After a little research, there are a number of ways that you can do this.

I am always one for finding a bargain online, any way to save money on a purchase.  I have some across a site called https://www.discountpromocodes.co.uk/ which not only finds you the discount codes for the shops that you want, it also donates 20% of it's profits every month to a different charity.  This month they raised over £200 for the Alzheimer's Society and since they began they have raised over £51,000.00.  That is just incredible. 

So this is my plan this year.  Take care of myself more, and give a little more.  We all need to look after ourselves and we all need to give a little back.  This is going to be my way of doing that.

There's a Party on the Hill, Will You Come

"There's a party on the hill, can you come?  Bring your own cup and saucer and your own cream bun"

Anyone remember that nursery rhyme or am I showing my age!!

I have been planning a corporate get together this week for some of the female members of staff at my company.  Team building they call it.  We call it cocktails and food in the city.  With more cocktails.

The thing is, when organizing a party, be it a children's party or a corporate event, it is essential to either hold it at an interesting place, have some sort of theme, or an interesting gimmick.  

When it comes to children's parties, I think of the parties that my mum used to have for me as a child. Pin the tail on the donkey, musical statutes and jelly and ice cream.  Very retro now.  These days, it has become essential to have some sort of theme.

My friend Wendy holds the most amazing parties for her son.  Running her her Etsy store WendysPrintableParty as a sideline and having a young son gives her endless inspiration to hold the most amazing parties.  Science parties, dinosaur parties, music hero parties and superheroes.  Each party is a must attend event for all the children. 

When it comes to organizing an adult birthday party or a hen night, it is still important to get the details right.  The right venue or theme can really make the night.  For the more active why not organise a paint ball party based around a weekend away, or a cocktail making experience for those that love a drink and a dance.

When arranging a corporate party event, if you are organising for more than 50 people, make use of the resources available to you and hire an event management company.  There are so many interesting places and spectacles that you can organise events that will be a real talking point and make the experience.  Hiring a professional in these cases when organising for 50 plus people is essential.

For Northern events for a more sporty kind of event, why nor organise an Office Olympiad event or or something more cultural in the capital, a tour of the London Dungeons with an interactive aspect. Or a free bar haha, whatever works for your company.

The point is to make whatever you are organising interesting, fun and a talking point.  With that, you are guaranteed an amazing time. 

Out With The New, In With The Old

After we emerge from the hangovers of New Years Eve, you always see one catchphrase.  New Year, New You.  I hate it.  The idea that on the first day of the year, every year, companies and society tells you that you are not good enough, you have to improve you.  I talked about my dislike for this in my New Year Post

What I prefer to do is add to my character, not change it.  This year, I want to revisit the classics.  Not Shakespeare, but books from Jules Verne like Journey to the Centre of the Earth, must reads like Little Women and To Kill a Mockingbird.  Books that stand the test of time.

Films are like that.  There are some films that will last forever.  Films that can not, and should not, ever be revisited.  I do not mind a "remake" if the original can be improved or the story can be added to, but there are some films that you should never, ever, touch.  Films that cannot be improved by CGI or a 21st century mindset. 

Films that are perfect, just the way they are.

Jaws for example.   Could the special effects be improved?  Of course.  But would I change one iota of that film for a more realistic shark?  Never.

I am currently running a competition on Twitter to win some classic films, see below for how to enter.

 These films should never be touched.  Can you imagine anyone else ever playing Celie from The Color Purple than Whoopi Goldberg?  Can you comprehend a remake of the Towering Inferno? Tom Cruise playing Steve McQueen's character, scaling down the building Mission Impossible style?  The Rock?  NO.  Just no.

To win the classic movies as pictured above, all you have to do is head over to Twitter and RT the competition tweet (here is the link) The competition ends at midnight on the 31st January and is UK only.

Should you wish to buy any of the films about, they can be found here

What is your favourite classic film?