Something funny happened to me…I was feeling a bit down and sorry for myself the other day. You know, the usual: sleep deprivation, ‘hormonies’ a bit all over the shop and above all, I’d kind of lost my confidence a little, in me, in my work, did I mention in me.
Celebrating my nom with some Greek dancing!
I mean, I love my job, I love directing but I’ve been going through a lot of change recently, moving home for the 2nd time since O was born-trying to get back to work, directing/lecturing whiles building new contacts in an industry going through change itself and all this in a different city, juggling motherhood, a husband who won’t eat the same meal twice in a row and a baby immune to sleep.
So the shit day continues and you know how those days roll, they just get shitter. Then the following day, like I said, something funny happened. I started reading another super mummy’s blog the Alexander Residence and she’d mentioned she’d been nominated for a blogging award so I hopped over to vote for her and what do you know, little old me, the newbie (4 weeks old so practically a newborn) had also been nominated.
Who knew? Not me.
The category was for a Brilliance in Blogging Award at the British Mummy Bloggers Social Network awards in the Fresh Voice category! WHAT? I actually wondered if there was another Honest Mum out there for a second as surely it wasn’t me, it couldn’t be me, could it? Yup, it was. I was a finalist.
Cue one Greek dancing, plate smashing, bouzouki playing, cheek pulling crescendo of Greekness. OK I lied about at least all of those activities…apart from the dancing, it wasn’t Greek dancing but boy did I shake my Greek booty! Whoop, whoop!
You know I started this blog to re start my brain, to help feel like me again. To share my thoughts, crazy family and feelings with the world- or at least the 3 people in my immediate family who read it on my first day. Make that 4, Billy the cat counts too right?
…I’d been the Editor of a pretty hip film magazine Film & Festivals for 2 years until 2008 overseeing 20 professional journalists, writing my own column as well as features and I’d interviewed famous producers, actors and directors. I also worked as a director myself pretty much full time until I had O last year. I couldn’t get back to things straight away nor did I want to. I had a baby to look after and an emergency C section to recover from.
My good friend and fellow filmmaker and blogger who doesn’t have children of her own yet, Amancay Tapia encouraged me to start writing about the stories I was telling her on my new experiences of motherhood. She convinced me people would be interested in what I was saying and would want to read it, mothers or not. I didn’t believe her. I remember her last call to me about a month ago with the didactic advice to ‘Just do it’. And I’m really glad I did. With other amazing support from my brilliant friends and bloggers:
Sharmin
and Jules/ super mummy/non blogger (who even advertised on Netmums for me) and all my new Twitter friends, I am very grateful for all their support and encouragement because it did start my brain working again and gave me something I love: writing, to focus on and enjoy.
If you like what I do then please send a vote my way and click below, ticking Honest Mum: Click on Vote here ( I know some of you are blog virgins-so was I 4 weeks ago!)
Vote Here
Ta very much. ‘The kebabs are on me!’
And lastly, talk about a bit of a roll but getting my confidence back with this nomination, I decided to email a bunch of work contacts from film companies to ad agencies for potential directing work as well as universities for lecturing opps and amazingly my diary is now getting very busy with meets with people interested in working with me in the New Year. And a very swanky magazine contacted me that very day asking for an interview. Just goes to show, one shitty day doesn’t necessarily lead to the next and starting this blog has really helped get things moving again. Now I just need a book and three movie deal and I’ll be all set!
I kid, in all honesty it’s just great to feel a little bit like the old me again…
I dedicate this post to all the Mums out there needing to feel a bit like their old selves again too.
Image © BritMums.
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