My Noughties

I thought that this being my last post of the year and the decade that I would write about my Noughties. As I was thinking of the last 10 years of my life (which is a scary thought) I realised that my Noughties fell into three categories, live music, men and my career.

Live Music

I have written in the past about my passion for music, especially live music and I’ve been really really fortunate that I’ve had the opportunity to see some great and some not so great bands/artists in the past 10 years. I’ve been to 9 festivals and countless gig, I did a rough count up and I’ve been to at least 5 gigs a year for the past 10 years which is 50! Which means with the main headlines plus support acts and not to mention the festivals that over 100 possibly 200 bands/artists I’ve seen, that’s amazing.

 I’ve had the chance the travel to the USA and Europe to see bands including being flown the Washington DC to see Bon Jovi for my 21st Birthday in 2001 and a very drunken weekend in Germany to see the Rolling stones and AC/DC for my 23rd Birthday in 2003. (Yeap you guessed it the Noughties was also my 20’s!). Even being pregnant didn’t stop me from gigging and I went to two festivals while very heavily pregnant, though having a baby now makes gigs that little bit harder and I have to really choose carefully who I want to see as I can’t afford to do too many, 2010 brings The Editors, Bon Jovi and V Festival!.

My favourite gig of the Noughties was seeing Pearl Jam at the Astoria in London, the Astoria is a small, dirty, dark venue but is (or was as it no longer exists) the best place to experience live music, I stood 4 rows from the front and stood in awe as they played all my favourite songs!

Men

 The 1st half of my Noughties brought some amazing and some damn right awful relationships for me. I really had terrible taste in men and had my heart broken more than a few times. There were some older men, a toy boy which my friends nicknamed the boy which actually turned out to an apt name for him, there was also a gut who dumped me by text (told you terrible taste in men) and then there was the on/off relationship I’m sure most of you have experienced at some point. This wasn’t a great relationship that went on for almost 5 years and drove to despair most of the time. It was passionate and volatile and I was forced by my best friend on New Years Eve 2005 to promise I would never go back to him again (after he had broken my heart yet again) and I never did.

2006 was the best year for me and it was the year I met and fell in love with OH, we moved in after 5 months and we have never had an argument.

Career
I have spent most of Noughties trying be “someone” and “have it all”, though I’m not that sure even now what that means. I started the Noughties as a barmaid (I was actually working when the clock struck twelve), it was the only job I could do as I didn’t really have any experience and I had quit college so I could work full time to pay the bills. I worked hard and became bar supervisor and promotions manager, which loosely translates as skivvy who puts up posters, but the money was pretty good. I thought for a while I was become a bar manager but the thought of working 60 hours a week really didn’t appeal to me so I went back to college and in my second year went to work at Sainsbury’s as the money and hours were better, though I still did a few shifts in the pub. I spent the next 4 years studying and working my way up in Sainsbury’s I started stacking shelf’s on the night shift, then moved to the checkouts and then store trainer. Two week after finishing my degree and I was promoted to Assistant Personnel and Training Manager at another store, this was to be my downfall and the best thing that was to ever happen to me. I know now that wasn’t ready for the role they gave me, nor was a ready when they made a standalone assistant manager, I was inexperienced but too excited and pig headed to see this. I thought this was my chance to be “someone” to prove myself and move up to HR manager, earn a really good wage and be super happy, I mean that’s how it work doesn’t it? You get qualifications, work hard, move up the career ladder and then find a man, have a family a live happily ever after, “have it all”, right? Er, no! I finally realised that I was struggling and I aske for help and I didn’t get it, so I made a really hard decision and after 5 years with them I left. However it was here i met OH and for that I will be forever grateful. I did some temping at a local manufacturing company and was fortunate to be given permanent contract as a Commercial assistant, this was my second chance to have a career, or so I thought. My mangers was quick to give me extra responsibilities and made promises of development and opportunities, however when I wanted to return part-time after the birth of BG, they couldn’t accommodate part time and I left. So my dreams of becoming “someone” and “having it all” where dashed again. . I don’t know what the next decade will bring most of the time I don’t know what the next week will bring but I’m more relaxed about then I have ever been before.

In 2010 I turn 30 which used to really scare, especially as my friends and family have been keeping a countdown for the last 4 years. I kept thinking I can’t be turning 30 I haven’t achieved what I was supposed to, I haven’t become “someone”, but then a few months ago I realised I hade become “someone” I had become a Mother and that’s the most important job I will ever have and you know what? I'm OK with that.

Have a fantastic New Year

NM X

Boxing Day

What I'm really looking forward to this year is Boxing Day, not because Chrsitmas will be over for another year but because it will just be me, OH and BG all by ourselves!

I am looking forward to Christmas day, I get to see my family, eat great food, drink s little wine and even better I'm not cooking. However there will be a lot of us, my family and OH family are spending the whole day together so they can all be with BG for Christmas. I know that me and OH won't get a look in Christmas day, so we have clamied Boxing Day as our own.

This is what we've got planned.......a whole day of Indiana Jones (still haven't seen the 4th one), maybe a little walk if there is noe snow/rain and for dinner burgers!!

Yes I said burgers, yummy fantastic burgers, with great cheese, fabulous bacon in ciabatta rolls with homemade wedges. Not traditional in any way and thats what I like about it!

Boxing Day will be our little family day and for that I am truly thankful

Merry Christmas

NM X

PS this is my 100th Post!!

The House Of Sick

Actually the House Of Poo would be more appropriate!

We have been really poorly in this house, very nasty tummy bugs. BG is still ill and very very grumpy. Hence the lack of post in the last week and to be honest this may be it for a while. Getting computer time at the moment is really hard with trying to look after a sick baby and organise Christmas (really glad I'm not cooking this year)

I am currently stood in my kitchen typing as BG's sleeps on the sofa (she will not go in her cot) and I cook some pasta before trying to wrap a few presents in the hope she doesn't wake up.

This may be my last post before Christmas, it all depends on BG. So just in case this is my last post I hope you all have a fab Christmas!

NM X

Blogger Love

I really should be writting BG's birthday weekend post but to be honest there is not a lot to say! We went to the Sealife Centre on her birthday, were she spent an enjoyable hour or so pointing at the fishes saying "whats that?" "whats that?" She loved the fishes but wasn't impressed by the Penguins or the Seals

We had a small tea party on the saturday and half the guests cancelled on me! and on the Sunday we had a family party at nana's. BG was suitably spoilt and a lovely time was had by all and that her birthday story.

So I thought I'd spread a little blogger love, which I like to do from time to time.

Firstly the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund Auction is up and live so please please please go and bid on some items. There are some fantastic lots and all the  money goes to help those affected by the floods.  A big huge thanks and well done goes out to Kat at Bambino Goodies for all her hard work on the auction.

Its competition time over at Soph4Soph so pop over there and enter, the prizes are fab!

I have a new blog for you by Hormonal Mummy so go and give her some love

Also new on the block is Mother Knows Best, which is a collection of posts by parents, all contributions are welcome.

So now I've spread a little love its time for some blatent self promotion!

My Linen At Home webshop Duvet Day is now live so please take a look, there are some great products for christmas on there

I'm running a competiton over at New Mummy's Tips to win 1 of 6 lullaby CD's, please enter its not doing so well :(

And last and not least I am very proud to announce that in the New Year I will be writting a weekly blog for the online parenting magazine Mumstop !!! I'm so excited!! Watch this space for more news.

Have a great weekend

NM X

Wordless Wednesday - BG's Birthday