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Thursday 1 March 2012

1. A New Beginning..



“Blogging”.  Up until now, I have had little exposure to this growing phenomenon and had never considered it as an activity I would try; casting it in the ‘too cool for school’ mental heap.  It was, I had decided, an activity for people with lots of time on their hands and lots of interesting things to say, AND with a whole adoring public waiting to inhale their every written word. 

What would I have to say that was interesting enough to keep my to-be-audience coming back for more?  I am not book-smart and world weary like my professor brother.  Not a walking encyclopedia like my witty husband.  Nor am I on radio or tv nor a professional-anything like so many of my clever girlfriends.  I am simply a 40-something year old who is looking.  Looking for what?   To be honest, I am not really sure.   An identity maybe.

Since we moved countries again(our third in 11 years), I seem to have lost my mojo and find myself in the wilderness of the “what should I do now” jungle.   When we moved to Hong Kong, I was in my permanent pregnant phase.  Popping out 3 babies in quick succession, I was wrapped up and consumed in a world that revolved around dirty nappies and sleepless nights.  In between that, I managed to finish a university degree, get involved in my first child’s school as a teacher’s assistant, make a brief cameo back into my previous life as a singer with starring roles in pantomimes and a singing role in an animated movie, AND  a foray into the jewellery business selling shiny sparkly simulated jewellery.   And we entertained like there was no tomorrow.  Hong Kong was a very social city for us.

5 years later, and we found ourselves put up in a stunning mews house in Knightsbridge, central London.  This phase saw a different sort of flurry with the girls now all old enough for school.  After a settling-in period which involved crying fits (mostly mine) and bouts of loneliness, life took on momentum with school runs, after school activities, play dates, sleepovers and entertaining.  We were going to show the Brits how to entertain, the Aussie-way.   I also got heavily involved in the girls’ school’s PTA (volunteering and chairing wherever possible), set-up a successful costume jewellery business (which I then sold), dipped my toe back into the world of PR (very briefly), set-up an iPhone cover import business.   I also made it my business to say a friendly hello to any new faces around the girls’ school because I remembered how hard I found it to be the ‘new kid on the block’.   I had purpose.  Oh.  And we bought, gutted and renovated a house.  And we traveled around Europe within the constraints of school holidays.  Although, come to think of it, the girls were CONSTANTLY on school holidays!

Now, here I sit, some 7 months since we arrived in Singapore, with no firm plan in sight as to what my next role will be.  In Hong Kong, I was the baby maker.  In London, I was the person who knew how to make things happen.  But in this city, where my girls are now at an age where they are stretching and testing the freedom of their young pre-teen lives, I suddenly feel my use extends no further than taxi driver, social secretary and chef.  And with the very efficient and safe transport system here, the girls’ growing independence to make their own social plans, and a live-in housekeeper, even those roles are under threat!

So, am I about to become a “blogger”?  I’m not sure yet.  For for now, I will start by simply writing and seeing where it takes me.



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2 comments:

  1. Welcome to the therapeutic world of blogging. There are no reasons needed to do so and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to write one. Keep up the great job of writing from the heart. That's why I love blogging. I get transported into a world I call my own, and everything's penned from the heart. Your world is full of fun and laughter with your beautiful family, that's always fodder for a great blog. Enjoy!

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  2. Thanks for the hearty welcome and all the advice. Sorry I took so long to respond but I wasn't sure what the correct etiquette was and whether this section (ie comments) was open to the likes of me!! x

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