Author Archives: Piewigs

A hard day

So I made my CV and covering letter today with a side order of panic. The fear just sort of creeps up on me and assaults me at random times. I am reliving flashbacks, hearing and seeing past events as real as this is to me now. Am I suffering from PTSD? Is that even possible?

A new beginning

So…I finally did it. I left the safety of my teaching career and put me and my family first. Am I terrified? Yes. Am I regretting my actions. Yep. However change can be scary so I am trying not to over react and to focus on the positives.

My list of positives:

1. I will not have to sacrifice every weekend, go to work at 6 am and leave at 6. Well hopefully not!

2. I will be able to actually spend quality time with my family instead of resenting being with them as it meant I couldn’t get my work done.

3. I will not have to be exposed to so many people- especially teenagers but also adults who acted like large teenagers. Oh and their parents.

4. I will be held accountable for what I achieve not judged on the success of others.

5. I can do what I love best. Reading. I will actually be able to read a book which is not on the curriculum, centred on or around teaching or self help.

6. I have more time to practise my French.

7. I have a loving and supportive family who will support me no matter how panicked and afraid I become.

8. I can sit on a sofa typing my blog and realise the boy has peed on it. I would not have had the opportunity to experience something so gross before.

9. I will not have lots of board markers scattered around the house which the boy used as his medium to create art on the bedroom wall.

10. I can spend time doing what I love. Being creative, thoughtful and curious.

Please think of me as I set out on this journey and perhaps oblige me with the odd comment of support. I may just need it…

Not bad…

I had a better day today. It has been up and down over the last few weeks (mostly downs) but today I achieved quite a bit. I cooked a dinner and dessert from scratch, finally spoke to the doc, planned my yr 11 lessons for next week, organised a blood test for the bebe and heard from the solicitor. I also ran 10k! I will probably pay for this tomorrow but today has been ok. I enjoyed running tonight for the first time in a week or so. Maybe things are looking up…

1 mile timed run

So… this is what we did at club today. I was not too sure how to approach it but everyone flew off at full pelt so I did too… at first! I ended up with 7.35 time which is much faster than I thought I could go so yay!

Training thoughts

So I ran 10k today which is not bad but gosh it was hard. It was cold and the Chinese that I had eaten before I went out did not help. I have a 10 k race on Saturday and I am trying to beat the 55 minute mark but I keep sabotaging myself! It does not help that I am struggling with a big issue involving the ex and it makes me so angry. When I am angry and stressed out, I find it very hard to run as I lose my focus. I won’t go into it here but it is the kind of thing that leaves you with no faith at all in the systems that are meant to protect those who need it. I still have not heard my time from yesterday and I am very keen to learn how I did. Take care all and if you could throw me some kind thoughts it would be appreciated

Not so great lent!

I have many weaknesses: food, anxiety and fruit cider. I gave up alcohol for Lent. 40 days with no booze. I imagined how abstinence would boost my fitness and weight loss as well as being a great example of Christian discipline. I lasted about three days. Oh well. Easter on Sunday! I will do better next year. Honest…

April fools!

Today I managed to overcome my anxiety and attend the running club. I was scared and then horrified when they welcomed me by a group clap. However, with the promise of a creme egg when finishing, I set off. I tried to pace myself and not get too cocky – after all I did not know the route and we were not allowed phones so I had no idea of distance. I thought it would take me 42 minutes but I think I was faster than that. It was tiring but worth it! I am not sure what time I posted but I will update when I find out! Take care out there and don’t let that upset you.

Introduce Yourself (Example Post)

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

  • Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
  • Because it will help you focus your own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

  • Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
  • What topics do you think you’ll write about?
  • Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
  • If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.

Introduce Yourself (Example Post)

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

  • Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
  • Because it will help you focus your own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

  • Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
  • What topics do you think you’ll write about?
  • Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
  • If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.