Friday 24 July 2015

Here Ends Dinosaur


On the 22nd of this month I turned 26. Not a notable age. Certainly not any kind of milestone, but recently I felt a change come over me. It is subtle, but it is there and I have welcomed it. Perhaps this small change has nothing at all to do with the passing of years but however it came about I am glad to have it. I feel a little braver...more sure of myself and for the first time ever I am experiencing the dizzying sensation of true confidence.

I think a lot of it comes down to having a young child. When Robin was born I knew immediately that I did not want him to pick up on and possibly adopt my insecurities - it just wouldn't be fair. But that tired old mantra of 'fake it until you make it' had never worked for me. How do you go about faking something you have absolutely no understanding or knowledge of whatsoever? Subtle social cues and body language always befuddled me and any attempts to mimic them always fell flat. I felt so disconnected.

Eventually, the fear of other people left me. It took time. The need to constantly please vanished. Eye contact no longer felt quite so jarring (although to this day it suggests a level of intimacy to me that I'm not always comfortable with). One day, I'll talk about it in detail - but that will be a separate post.

Now, I was originally talking about small changes and bravery. With bravery comes exploration!

Wednesday 15 July 2015

Hello. Here I am.


Something you should know about me: I do not like introductions. I certainly do not like having to do them more than once. I am about to demonstrate my dislike in full-force.

If you have already read my 'about' page, you do not need to read this blog entry.

First things first: I have an extreme aversion to writing content for 'about' pages.

I would liken the experience to being groped by a moist and sweaty stranger in the back of a pick-up truck*. Not enjoyable, and not something you would ever want to repeat. So, I better get this right the first time...and then swiftly forget this page exists.

*Purely hypothetical, I assure you.