Day 197 - Putting yourself out there. xx

Tuesday 16th July

Another beautiful day on the island and Scottish island mum is feeling more like her old self.  That may not be a good thing though.  I could have too many different things going on and it might just all come apart on me.  My main priority is Harry has he has come back from the festival exhausted and has developed a chest infection.  So we back into the manuka honey, lemon and ginger with Echinacea and vitamin C top ups.  I would prefer him to fight it himself rather than have antibiotics but we shall take this one day at a time.  He is insisting on working so he will be carefully monitored by me.  Just back from a supermarket sweep experience to gather up as much good stuff as I can.  It is horrid when your children are ill though. 

My little strategy at the moment is to do a bit of everything that needs done every day so I continued my work towards the Highland Games and the Castle event this morning.  Today was heart day and so it was more stuffing and sewing.  Each day my pile increases so I think I will be fine.  I have flower orders and a cushion order to fit in this week as well. 

Then, late yesterday, someone sent me a link for a writers residency and that was my curve ball.  I shouldn't have opened the link because as soon as I started reading it I thought 'I want to do this.' 

If I am truly honest I am very unlikely to get it but that has never stopped me before so I now have until Friday to pull a proposal together.  If nothing else it will be good practice for writing a proposal like this.  I really do want writing to become more and more of a feature of my daily life so I have to be in the game to play it. 

Putting yourself out there is not always easy and I remember preparing myself for some grim feedback when the article in the Sunday Post was published.  But it never came and I was amazed.  I have had more emails than I could count and they still keep pouring in.  Some of them are requests for Scottish island mum to promote something or other.  As a general rule I decided many months ago that this was not a site for promotional reviews as so many blogs go off in that direction and then they all read the same.  Also, as a reader, you start to doubt the integrity of the review because you just know the blogger is getting something out of it. 

I had an email today that made me feel very differently on this one occasion.  Her name is Vicky Arlidge and she is a mum.

She is also a very clever woman who is about to put herself out there and I do so admire that.  She writes comedic songs and has put them up on youtube with enormous success.  She is now scheduled to do a one woman show in Edinburgh from the 2nd-10th August.  I am not sure it gets more scary than that!  Vicky does not stop there though as she has composed songs for young children that help encourage good behaviour and habits.  You can see some samples on her website.   I am really impressed with this strategy and the creativity Vicky brings to it.   I believe that if you teach children good behaviour and habits when they are young you lay them down for life.  I also believe in positive parenting where you teach children to take responsibility for self disciplining from a young age.  If I had young children would be putting Vicky's cd in my tool box. 

It is not easy being a mum but Vicky has  brought humour to the debate and I am grateful for that.  Her song 'Mum can you wipe my bum?' hits the mark and I hope to be sitting front row one day to hear Vicky sing it live.  I know I have a lot of readers of this blog who live in Scotland so if you fancy a good night book your tickets.  I am sure that Vicky's show will be hugely successful and I am very proud to be asked to help promote it.  No, I haven't received anything in return, not even a naughty child but I have asked Vicky to share her story with us.  We do love a good story on Scottish island mum. I am thrilled that she has agreed to watch this space.  Meantime, on behalf of all mums out there - GOOD LUCK VICKY.

I am also putting myself out there a little bit more despite not having an important looking camera.  I am doing a writing commission that makes a response to contemplative photographs that I have taken.  My new set on flickr entitled Brodick Castle is up and available for you all to see.  I just have to choose one photograph from the 24 listed.  If you have a view do share because I probably need all the help I can muster.  If you had to write a piece of creative writing based on one of the photographs which one would it be and why?  As always, hugely grateful for your help. 

For all of you out there that are prepared to take yourself out of your comfort zone I do admire you.  It is not always easy but the rewards can be huge.  I like a little flutter from time to time. 

Until tomorrow.  xx