In many ways it only feels like a few days since the last group of Called to Leads (or ' the special six') left - and yet here I am preparing for the next group to arrive and thinking about all the amazing things that we are going to see and achieve in the year ahead! As I look at their new pigeon holes (or magazine boxes with a sticky label to you and me!) and timetables it does not feel quite real that next week our office will descend into chaos, excitement and lots of cups of coffee!
Maybe they will be helpful in my 30 challenges - I even said to someone today 'how great would it be if one of my team speak Spanish then I can gain extra practice!' or maybe someone who is willing to share the challenge of 20 times up and down a glass lift in the Harlequin for all of Watford to see! (although this might be a damaging experience - let along plain embarrassing as we wave to the people on the help desk who are probably not sure whether to call security or get us a map as we ascend and descend the two floors of our local shopping centre...).
Well I am looking forward to the 'top ten' coming along anywhere - whether they are challenge assistants or not!
So I am in the challenge zone... well mainly in a research and preparation capacity.... I have found where to apply to be an audience for the BBC,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/tickets/date/10
found a couple of willing volunteers to climb a mountain with and accomplished a challenge which was not even on the list (do not worry this is becoming 31 not instead of the others! and I am not expecting a 32!)
My 31st if you will or 'wild card' was re-learning to ride a bike... apparently an unforgettable skill (there always has to be an exception to the rule... or maybe two as J had also forgotten!) A few weeks ago I heard in a sermon that you should 'do something everyday which scares you!' - well seize the day I thought! I will give this riding a bike thing a go. We were in Portugal, there was no one around who we knew and therefore no one who could profit from this ordeal via 'you've been framed'... and no cycle helmets (this was the 'do something which scares you' bit!) So after a slow and bumpy start across the grass (figured it could cushion the fall) we wobbled our way down the country lanes of Portugal, praying for no cars to come past or even worst lorries. Changing gear for me also meant a change in direction as I could not manage to move the gear leaver without slightly pushing the handlebars. It gradually became 'do something everyday which makes people laugh.'
Now ready for the week ahead to see if i can tick something off the list......
Last week I had my last birthday in my 20s! I decided to celebrate (?) in the best way - with good friends, great food and a glass of wine. What I did not realise at the time was we were about to start a new tradition (not that anyone until this point knows it will be a tradition... but traditions have to be started somewhere and I intend to take this down the ages). The tradition of '30 things to do before you are 30!' - or a fast track version of the bucket list... only this time you do not choose to do things in your wildest dreams, the things you have longed for or always secretly wanted to do, but instead someone else has the chance to play God over your 29th year and decide a few things to help you get to 30. So on the inside of a birthday card, one by one my friends decide on the fate of my 29th year...'climb a mountain'...'lobby your local mp'...'teach an old person something new'...'learn a language'... (and a few I wont mention as it might be against the blog code of conduct.. but lets just say before writing them the boys said to my husband 'do not worry J we will sort you out!') AND 'start/keep your own blog!' SO this is it!
Challenge 1 complete! Only 29 to go as I meander my way towards 30. I am excited by the challenge ahead and looking forward to all the new things I will learn along the way and the great sense of achievement this could bring!
