Anyone that has read this blog over the last few years will know that I’m basically a very optimistic person.
I believe that feeling hopeful is why I get out of bed in the morning.
And the last year and a half have provided a lot of interesting challenges and opportunities … most of which I have met with a measure of good cheer and creative thinking.
Yup – there have been duvet days and I love them.
And I’ve had fantastic support from family and friends … my love and thanks to you all.
I believe that nothing stays the same – good or bad – and part of thriving in this crazy chaos is to build your capacity for resilience and humour and patience and persistence.
Even in the worst moments I knew that it wouldn’t last.
Not being clairvoyent is a gift … I really, really, really … really … don’t want to know the future.
And many of my friends and family have faced their own big challenges this year – ill health, death of loved ones, financial woes … loss of some kind.
People’s capacity for courage and just damn good humour in the shittiest situation never ceases to encourage and amaze me.
Many of you have been my inspiration this year … thank you so much.
And now for the good news.
I heard a week ago that myself and a Dublin consultancy had won a nice contract.
It means that I will have more money guaranteed for the next 6 months.
The relief is wonderful … and the genteel poverty of the last 18 months wasn’t all bad either. It’ll just be nice to be able to pay bills and rent on time …and then buy some winter clothes.
I’ve also applied for an Entrepreneurial Internship grant with the National Digital Research Centre in Dublin. If I win one then I have to move to Dublin for 3 months and build a SKIL2 prototype.
Special thanks to my brother Marc for doing all the visual branding for SKIL2 and for agreeing to be my Brand Director.
More thanks to my good friend Margaret Lonergan who has agreed to be my Visual Interface Design Director [a bit of a coup as Margaret was Head of Visual Communications in the National College of Art and Design until feb this year when she went back to her visual communications consultancy] as we design the most beautiful + practical + affordable online learning space.
And even more thanks to Amy [one of my international SKIL2 Mentors] who read through the application form and gave me detailed and brilliant feedback that made it even better.
I gave everyone fab titles because currently they have been giving me their time and talents for free. When SKIL2 makes money they are sooooo getting a bonus.
Exciting and scary … as all adventures should be.
I’ll hear whether I am invited to pitch the idea to a panel by tomorrow.
Writing the grant application was really useful as I had to further refine and clarify what SKIL2 was all about.
And I got to do it twice!!! Lucky me.
I had to work online within their site …and when I went to save a pile of work I’d typed … it disappeared …never to be found again by the NDRC techies.
That was fun …rewriting everything. On the sunny side …I further refined my ideas.
When shit happens I tend to give myself a moment or two [or 20 … depending on the crisis] to feel angry, sad & scared.
Then I get on with it and find a solution and ask for help.
My fundamental power is to choose my attitude in any given situation.
Smiles in the sunshine are easy … smiles when crap hits the fan … well … that’s a tad more challenging.
To be honest, I really don’t like what happens when I get angry. Lots of chemicals flow thru my system and make my body hurt and I feel sick.
Calm tends to be my default state.
And things are happening in Ballinamore.
This Friday Mary from Cara Pharmacy is having a fundraiser for the Northwest Hospice at the Commercial Hotel.
It’s free entry and there will be:
- a make up demonstration
- Fashion parade
- wine tasting
- Flower arranging demonstration with Gail
- Goodie Bags
- Cannaboe Cake decorating demonstration from Sharon
- Finger Food
- Raffles
A great night out.
I’ll miss it as I’m starting work in Dublin on the new contract on Thursday and Friday and then I have 2 fully booked Blogsite Design workshops for Artists + Creative Entrepreneurs on Saturday and Sunday.
They are in Koh Restaurant and the owners have given me a private wified dining area for free – many thanks to them for sponsoring the workshops.
I love finding beautiful places to create learning events. All the participants will be able to order food and refreshments as they learn.
I hope there are fab things happening for you.
slan
Liz
p.s Coco dog is fab as usual. We’ve been getting straight up and out walking at 7.45am every morning. Coco loves it … and I yawn my way down the street.
I let her loose at the canal at the bottom of the street and she just runs and runs and runs. I stroll and enjoy the morning quiet.
For the last 3 days we’ve seen the rare and shy kingfisher bird … tiny and a dazzling blue. It skims along the canal and yesterday it stopped and sang. This morning it skimmed twice and then we saw 5 swans fly across the sky and a rainbow.
p.s.s I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been a time billionaire while I’ve been experiencing genteel poverty.
It’s given me space to develop SKIL2 and Life Dreaming as well as do a pile of probono work and fundraising.
Well, I’m at it again.
Aine Martin and I are running the Big Clothes Swap Party in Ballinamore on November 27th. As far as we know, it’s the first one in the Northwest of Ireland.
Marc has done his usual design genius job of creating a poster.
I’ve attached it here just in case you want to print it and share it around.