Go go go GO! June 24, 2008
Posted by Jen in : Journal, Photos , trackback
I went to The London on Saturday to see the Queen. Sadly, she was out at her weekly darts match. Shame really, I’ve heard she has Rich Tea and everything.
Luckily, all was not lost. We had tickets to see Joseph and plans for a pre-theatre grub-up at a carefully selected but unbooked restaurant. I was a little bit excited. I absolutely love going into London; despite it only being an hour or so away on the choo-choo, it’s a million miles from this sleepy village and the workplace chickens and agricultural oddities which make up my life.
Now, I am not very organised. I was also sadly born without any sense of direction whatsoever. Luckily, lovely bf has grandiose ideas now and again of being a Proper Man and Looks at Things on Maps.
We marched about for an hour or so, him looking at The Map and me randomly stopping to exercise my camera and making people tut.
Love bf started to grumble. ‘It’ll be closed down by the time we get there,’ he growled.
Hmmm.
I know I’m a sap for those telly programmes that can turn you into a West End star, celebrity chef or brain surgeon in 10 weeks. But when Lee Mead floated majestically onto the stage, I couldn’t help but cry. Look at me, I’m living my dream, his smile beamed. Tears burst out of my eyes even now, just thinking about it.
Writing is my dream. In France, with just enough money for food, books and wine without worrying. It’s good to have something to strive for, no matter what it is or how impossible it seems. Any Dream Will Do, as Andrew Lloyd Wurlitzer would say. I guess it’s time to pull my finger out. Still miffed about the Queen’s biscuits though. Don’t worry, by the way. I’m not going to start boring you to death with photos (much).
So what’s your dream? Your real ‘if I had one wish’ dream? I’ve been Thinking Things and feel something fascinating happening. I’m intrigued to know what you think you would really change your life and make it perfect for you. You can leave a comment anonymously. I feel a project coming on…
Comments»
I don’t think I will allow myself to see Joseph. I’d want to sing along too much.
My advice (cos I’m in that kind of mood) do pull your finger out and do follow your dream … what you got to lose? (that was rhetorical!)
x
Now, I’m buggered. Can’t stop singing…”I wore my coat, with golden lining ah ah ah” and it’s all your fault! (as if ruining baked beans forever wasn’t enough!) My mother used to put us down for our ’siesta’ with a tape of Joseph. So, it makes me cry too. And sleepy!
Great post Jen. My short term goal is to write while I’m working - something I haven’t been able to do so far. I’ve always wanted to achieve that. Further in the future I’d like to own a farmhouse somewhere, live the Good Life and have a few published books on the bookshelf. It doesn’t seem such a radical change to me now, because a year ago I already changed my life drastically to achieve these goals.
Ooohhh I love going to the Theatre….there is something magical about watching people perform on the stage!!
I’m not sure what my real ‘if I had one wish’ dream would be….I think it would be to live a simpler life. I’m not sure how we would achieve that but Chris works such long hours and is often very stressed that I think it would be great to be able to earn a living doing something we both loved that gave us enough money to live comfortably (Wouldn’t need to be lots) and that enabled us to spend a bit more time together.
C x
To grow old with the person who I love. Everything else I can deal with.
Hi Jen
From the person who went with you to see Joseph many moons ago when the gorgeous (still is!!) Jason Donovan was on, musicals still make me go gibberish but the sight of Lee Mead in a loin cloth is helping my morning go quicker!
My dream is to do lots of things, live a good life, grow my own veg, have lots of wine, maybe even write a book, but I seem to be an expect on the ins and outs of baby poo at the moment. God knows what baby had yesterday but green, sticky and yuk! Speak soon, Hayley. P.S. I didn’t have any wine yesterday!!!!
That’s me singing away to myself. Health and happiness and the people I love is my dream.
I am working on my dream right now. It sometimes feels like slow progress, if progress is being made at all, but I know I’ll get there. (I will, I will!) Although once I get ‘there’ my dream may have expanded and changed slightly. I basically want to work as best I can so I can look back in later life and know I gave it my best shot. On and live in a lovely house, maybe in Derbyshire with views and everything, with healthy children and husband - who hopefully is also following his dream.
I love a good musical now and then…know what you mean about London too - on my rare visits I tend to wander around pathetically, in awe at the closeness of places and buildings I’ve seen on the telly!
Little villages and chickens sound good too tho’.
My dream would be to continue writing (successfully), but with a room of my own to work in and a library for the extra books I’ll be able to buy.
Love the phonebooth picture, though I’m wondering why there are five in a row.
Hope the show was grand, it sounds fun!
x
I love visiting London, so much to see. My brain is singing, “I close my eyes..” My daugter was in Joseph last year at school and I used to study (so boring) whilst they rehearsed (lovely).
My dream would be to earn my living by writing in my shed and not have to go to work in an office with so many other people and all the noise, dramas, etc. Can you tell I’ve had a crappy day at work. Nevermind it’s over now, until tomorrow of course.
Dx
Caroline - finger duly extracted. I was singing like mad and just count yourself lucky you can’t see me practicing my Egyptian moves.
Pacha - It was red and yellow and green and brown
And scarlet and black and ochre and peach
And ruby and olive and violet and fawn
And lilac and gold and chocolate and mauve
And cream and crimson and silver and rose
And azure and lemon and russet and grey
And purple and white and pink and orange
And red and yellow and green and brown and
Scarlet and black and ochre and peach
And ruby and olive and violet and fawn
And lilac and gold and chocolate and mauve
And cream and crimson and silver and rose
And azure and lemon and russet and grey
And purple and white and pink and orange
And blue
How does any normal person remember that lot? I would have to make them up… twig and compost and grot and stew…
Yvonne - I’m in awe of how much you’ve changed your life to help you achieve your writerly dreams. The God Life eh? That’s pretty cool…
Carol - A simpler life, hmmm… I wonder whether simplicity is the key? You old softie, you…
bedshaped - I think being with someone you’re madly in love with and vice versa is whoppingly important. It has to be equal though… imbalance doesn’t work…
Hayley - I had your wine for you, which means you still had some! I see you owning a vineyard in Florida or something one day. To do lots of things though yes, that’s a good one. I hope loads of people reply to this… I think it’s really fascinating… (and Jason Donovan - aaarrgh - how fab was he? 16 years at least - can you believe we’ve even known each other that long? We are so old!)
JJ - That’s cheating. Health and happiness are givens. Where would you be, what would you be doing? None of this namby pamby world peace stuff.
Helen - a house with a view, yes, that would be good. You’re doing great already in achieving your writingness, especially while growing another baby.
Honeysuckle - I love London and glitzy restaurants and all that jazz. But yes, I love the chickens and village and wellies too. A little bit of everything. Balance.
Angie - I thought of you and your love of London when I decided to put in the phone boxes! I liked the way they were lined up like guards outside Buckingham Palace too. Successfully writing, yes, rather than ‘just’ writing. A round library would be good, with French doors overlooking hills and lavender… mmmmm…
Debs - I last saw Joseph 16 years ago when my mate Hayley and me escaped Jersey for a weekend of shopping and real life. Earning (even a paltry) living from writing would be awesome, wouldn’t it? Sorry you’ve had a bad day… tomorrow will be better. Really.
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
from ‘The Wind Among the Reeds’ by
William Butler Yeats, 1888
Blinkin’ hell that’s a bit heavy TF
Joseph, great show loved the Elvis bit myself.
Living somewhere warm and near the sea (France would do nicely).
Writing and earning (more than enough) money from it.
Having loads of animals.
Doing some travelling.
Oh what a dream:-)
Glad you had a good trip to London. Was the food good??
Funny you should say that - I’m completely in awe of your ability to write and hold down a full time job and take care of your kids at the same time! I don’t know how you do it, and after I’ve read your blog I cannot make excuses anymore. I need to pick your brains when the time comes…
TF - Oh, not heavy… I can’t stop reading it… what truly heavenly writing. I’ve never read Yeats before. I will now. Thank you. X I’m all shook up.
Lane - Warm with a sea breeze sounds mellow. We had food! The waiters had French accents. Mmmmm.
Yvonne - ooh, ooh, is there something you need to share with us here????? No babies until I’ve made it to your neck of the woods for a knees-up, if you please. Maybe knees-up isn’t the phrase I was looking for, under the circumstances?
Firstly a confession - I went to see Joseph twice with Jason Donovan, and once with Philip Schofield. I feel better now I’ve shared that.
My dream would be to have enough money so that I could write what I want to write without ever having to worry about whether anyone will ever pay me for it.
LOL! My comment sounded so suspect didn’t it? Nah, am not a maternal person at all, by ‘the time comes’ I meant going back to work…but very excited by the mention of a knees-up, hopefully the drunken variety?
Helen - My, that’s quite a confession! You do so well selling your work… free rein to do whatever you like sounds like bliss though.
Yvonne - a drunken knees-up… is there any other sort?
Well I rather think you know what my dream is …
And it’s happening Friday-week!!!!!!
I shall get all pompous and sententious here and say there is only one group of people more unhappy than those who don’t get their heart’s desire, and that is those that do.
So here I am living in France with just enough money for food, books and wine, and…well in fact it’s not too bad. And not too unreachable. But you never do actually arrive, you know…
(You could also become a famous photographer, those are awfully good!)
Writing. Has been since I was 6 or 7. I wish I’d stuck to it, but better late than never, eh? Just keeping it up, and getting published. I don’t want JK Rowling fame. But I want my words to be read.
Also: being a rock star. And running a 45 min 10k. But I don’t see either of those happening. I don’t want then enough
Ah, I do love London. Did I mention that before?
They do look like they’re standing guard. How odd.
Oh yes, love the sound of that library…I’d add one of those wheely ladders to reach all those lovely books! (Can you tell I pined for the library in Beauty and the Beast?)
Great photo. We’ve still got one of those boxes at the end of our road, in full, old-fashioned working order.
My dream (apart from eternal health, obviously) is to be a published writer. Not famous, or rich (though both would be, ahem, rather nice) just published. Must write the damn thing first though. Doh!
Bobo, I smile for you every time I think of you moving up to your Hullabadreamy… it is really quite quite ace and I’m very chuffed in deed for the pair of you.
Lucy, I’ve never thought of it like that before. Having nothing to work towards and dream about must be like prison. You do seem to have a lovely life. And bless you for saying nice things; you always make me smile in the way you do that. I like the idea of never quite arriving… there may be a poem in that?
B - I do love that so many of us share the same dream. A rock star though - wow!
Angie - I shall find you a photo of an oast house library. A wheely ladder is really living the dream. I fear I shall never achieve a wheely ladder. I will have to visit London more often and send bits to you.
Karen - There’s something very marvelous about real red phone boxes. I suppose we’ll never become famous writers if we don’t actually write anything. Flaw in the plan really, innit?
I didn’t even think there were that many colours in the world!