Blog 17 - Hands on Buzzers...

Ah the attempt to get 5 minutes of fame. Challenge 30 was to apply for a game show. The thinking behind this one was, that it seemed like it might be a laugh and you never know I might win a prize! Well little did I know how hard it is to get on a game show. The application forms alone take forever and you have to think up countless witty ways to explain why you would be a good contestant and why you are so fabulous, funny, daring and a bit special!!

Well needless to say, I haven't yet actually managed to be shortlisted for a show, but have made four applications in total. I really wanted to apply for the 'Wipeout' game show and try my hand at the Big Red Balls, I would have been useless, but I bet I would have looked funny. Anyhow the applications for that show had closed so I chose 'Deal or No Deal' mainly because there was no skill required just luck and a show called 'The Chase' although I had no idea what that show was, so quite glad I didn't get chosen.

After discussing this challenge in work lots, I also managed to persuade my colleague Paul to apply for a show with me, (to be honest it didn't take much persuasion as he is a major fan!), BARGAIN HUNT! Now once again I would have no idea when it comes to this show but Paul and I wrote a cracking application form and I was really expecting a call, but as yet nothing!

Whilst waiting for the call from Bargain Hunt, I also came across a plea for contestants to a new show called The Guess List which will be hosted by Rob Brydon. It sounded perfect, no general knowledge needed - tick, no skill required - tick, must have a sense of humour and willing to laugh at themselves - tick. So I got on to it, it was a much shorter application form too - result! Within a couple of hours of sending off my form I got a phone call interview and offered an audition. An audition??? I know, I can't believe they actually audition potential contestants. Anyway I was unable to make the audition so I declined and thought 'oh well' and carried on with my day. That night though they called back and said that as I couldn't make the audition could I do a video audition answering numerous questions that they gave me. So I agreed, much to my and Mr RP's dismay as the next day we were going on a family holiday and were up to our eyes in preparation so I made a very hasty, badly lit, horribly embarassing audition tape. And no you can't see it...... oh ok just because it proves the challenge attempt I guess. Get ready to hide behind your hands and cringe away...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH-x1DCl5N0

Sadly even though they sounded pretty desperate, I was not chosen so think I may not be able to fulfill this dream but the challenge of applying for game shows is well and truly completed and you never know they may come back in the future to request some mad Welsh girl who can hoola hoop!

Blog 16 - Get My Daps On...

Ok so I thought as I had run one 10k last year, it wouldn't be that much harder to run 4 of them back to back over 4 days! Hahaha! How wrong was I?! I laughed at preparation and thought that bananas and chocolate bars would see me through! It was only into my 3rd run that someone mentioned running socks!

Subsequently 4 days of running with only basic training (of runs about 3-6k once or twice a week) left me with painful shin splints, hip bursitis, bloodied toes, blisters, swollen ankle, bloody knee and a bit of a hobble!

But I should start at the beginning, after a half term break at Centre Parcs and a week of relaxation, pancakes, treats and copious amounts of wine, I was ready to conquer my 40k run attempt. The first 10k was with my usual running partners of Sue and Nia at the official St David's Day 10k run. This was a really flat and lovely run around Bute Park in Cardiff, it was hard on my shins as they were painful from shin splints, an injury I had picked up the week before, but we got through it in 1 hour and 14 minutes, which we were happy with.

The 2^nd run was with four other mums from my children’s school, I was really touched as I only thought that one friend was running with me and then 3 others turned up to support me. So Elaine, Siwan, Lisa, Catrin and I ran the 2^nd 10k from Rhiwbina up to Tongwynlais and down the Taff Trail. This run was the hardest of the four runs, as there was quite an incline which was tough on the shins and the other girls were much fitter than me and I was having a lot of self-doubt and mentally feeling a bit negative. To my surprise I did run it all and finished in the same time (1 hour and 14 minutes).

The 3^rd run was after a full days work and began with very shaky tired legs. I ran this 10k with my 27 year old colleague Paul around Newport. We had a comedy start as we got a bit lost trying to find the River Usk cycle trail but this distraction helped to ease me into my stride and this run ended up being my most physically comfortable. As most of my body was aching, I stopped focussing on my shins and it was ok and we completed it in 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

The 4^th run was again after a days work and apart from being tired and having a number of large blisters, I was feeling positive. Sue and Nia joined me again and we ran a 10k route from my house to Roath Park, Birchgrove and back. It was all going well until the 9k mark where I took a tumble down an uneven kerb, twisting over on my ankle, scraping my knee and landing in the road. I must admit the aches, pains and tiredness from the last 4 days finally overtook me and I had a little weep in the road! Luckily the girls hooked their arms around me and heaved my crumpled heap off the road and kept me moving. Within a couple of strides we started jogging again through my tears as I was determined to run it all and did not want to stop at 39k!!! To keep me going Sue shouted out ‘Think of your blog Michelle!’

We did complete it in our slowest time of 1 hour 18 minutes, but I was so proud I managed it at all. All 3 of us celebrated as it was a massive achievement for Sue and Nia too, for their 2^nd 10k within a couple of days. The girls surprised me with Cava and strawberries to celebrate and we sat, stiffening up and laughing at how ridiculous a challenge it was I had set myself and them!

 

 

So, the running challenge is complete! Due to my physical injuries, lack of preparation and rubbish running inability, a lot of people took pity on me and along with completing the running challenge, I also managed to complete the sponsorship challenge too and got 40 people to donate £10 each to my Just Giving page raising money for the RSPCA Cardiff. In fact to date, I have managed to get 42 people to donate, this page will remain open until the end of the 40 Challenges, so hopefully I might pick up a few more.

This challenge taught me a number of things; I should probably do more preparation; 40k is actually quite far and harder to run than I thought; there are some lovely scenic running routes around Newport and Cardiff; I have more determination than I thought; my friends and family are so supportive as I couldn’t have done it alone and I need to buy some running socks!

COMPLETED CHALLENGES (14 so far):

Challenge 2 – GET 40 PEOPLE TO PLEDGE £10 TO CHARITY – completed on 5 March 2014, the Just Giving Page that I set up to raise funds for the RSPCA in Cardiff will remain open for the rest of the year and continue to take more donations.

Challenge 3 – RUN 40K OVER 4 DAYS – I ran four separate 10k runs on 2, 3, 4 & 5 March 2014.

Challenge 4 – SWIM 40 LENGTHS – Swan 40 lengths of the 50m pool in Cardiff Bay with Lara Ramsay on 27.10.13. (Money spent £16 for goggles and entry to pool)

Challenge 8 – SCORE 40 ON A DART BOARD WITH ONE DART – Got a double top on my 9^th try on 12.1.14

Challenge 9 – 40 HOUR FAST – I completed 40 hours not eating any food and surviving on water and flavoured water only. (Sept, with Karen Daniel)

Challenge 12 – VOLUNTEER FOR 40 HOURS - Aside from my RSPCA volunteering, 40 hours of my free time were given volunteering for NSPCC Childline Schools Service, PTA events and other fundraising events.

Challenge 16 – 40 HOUR SILENCE – Completed between Midnight on Thursday 14.11.13 until 4pm on Saturday 16.11.13.

Challenge 18 – TURN MOBILE PHONE OFF FOR 40 HOURS – I turned my phone off and had no access to facebook, twitter or emails at all for 40 hours. (Oct)

Challenge 19 – 40 HOUR NO SWEARING OR £1 FINE – Completed between Tuesday 5 to Wednesday 6 November 2013.

Challenge 22 – ADOPTED A WILD ANIMAL – I adopted Jubilee an Asian Elephant through the Born Free Foundation. (Spent £30 for adoption fee)

Challenge 25 – GIVE BLOOD – Completed on 11.10.13 and also gave blood on 9.3.14.

Challenge 30 – APPLY FOR A GAME SHOW – I applied to two game shows ‘Deal or No Deal’ and ‘The Chase’ in August but have still not heard anything back. I also applied to Bargain Hunt this month for my colleague Paul who would love to go on this programme.

Challenge 36 – LISTEN TO ALL THE CDS I OWN FROM BEGINNING TO END – All 186 CDs were listened to by 17.2.14.

Challenge 38 – HULA HOOP FOR 40 REVOLUTIONS – Completed in Sept. (Spent £18 on buying hoola hoop)

Blog 15 - Music moods...

 

This challenge was one of the easiest but was very long! Challenge 36 was to LISTEN TO MY ENTIRE CD COLLECTION in its entirety i.e. listen to all songs on all the albums I own,  all the way through. Since having children and mostly giving up the remote control on the TV and never getting the time to listen to my own music, I thought of this challenge as it would give me an excuse to turn off the children’s CDs and put my own music needs first for a change. I began this challenge in August and finished listening to all 186 CDs from my and Nick’s collection this week, all in all taking almost 6 months!

Although not a hard challenge, as I managed to listen to my CDs when I was driving mostly, it really depended on which CD I was listening to as to what mood it put me in for the day. Some days it made me all fired up and sometimes it brought me right down, sleepy or low, the music choice really affected my mood. There were some low points, and some truly awful albums in my opinion (mostly Nick’s 80s albums it has to be said!), some amusing moments including Mr Blobby CD and a few albums that brought back some amazing memories.  

One memory that came flooding back was when listening to U2 and I recalled the live concert I attended in Budapest when I was travelling when I was 18. I never really liked U2 until we got offered very cheap tickets in Budapest and I was totally in love with the band after it. I also met two young guys from the then Yugoslavia who lived in the same village and had grown up together but were currently at war and after the concert they would be going back to their respective sides and carry on fighting even though they were the best of friends. It was really emotional towards the end of the concert and a moment in history I will never forget!

On a lighter note, I also remembered running around Glastonbury as a young 20 something watching Prodigy live and singing a long to one of their most famous tracks, but in my naivety thought the lyrics were ‘Take my Picture’, if any of you know the correct lyrics for this song you will know how wrong I was! What a tit!

Anyway memories aside it was an enjoyable challenge on the whole and has helped me narrow down my choices for me to sing in a future challenge, but that story is for another blog!

So my 12th challenge completed, 28 to go!!

COMPLETED CHALLENGES:

Challenge 4 – SWIM 40 LENGTHS – Swam 40 lengths of the 50m pool in Cardiff Bay with Lara Ramsay on 27.10.13. (Money spent £16 for goggles and entry to pool)

Challenge 8 – SCORE 40 ON A DART BOARD WITH ONE DART – Got a double top on my 9^th try on 12.1.14

Challenge 9 – 40 HOUR FAST – I completed 40 hours not eating any food and surviving on water and flavoured water only. (Sept, with Karen Daniel)

Challenge 12 – VOLUNTEER FOR 40 HOURS - Aside from my RSPCA volunteering, 40 hours of my free time were given volunteering for NSPCC Childline Schools Service, PTA events and other fundraising events.  

Challenge 16 – 40 HOUR NO SWEARING OR £1 FINE – Completed between Tuesday 5 to Wednesday 6 November 2013.

Challenge 18 – TURN MOBILE PHONE OFF FOR 40 HOURS – I turned my phone off and had no access to facebook, twitter or emails at all for 40 hours. (Oct)

Challenge 19 – 40 HOUR SILENCE – Completed between Midnight on Thursday 14.11.13 until 4pm on Saturday 16.11.13.

Challenge 22 – ADOPTED A WILD ANIMAL – I adopted Jubilee an Asian Elephant through the Born Free Foundation. (Spent £30 for adoption fee)

Challenge 25 – GIVE BLOOD – Completed on 11.10.13.

Challenge 30 – APPLY FOR A GAME SHOW – I applied to two game shows ‘Deal or No Deal’ and ‘The Chase’ in August but have still not heard anything back. I also applied to Bargain Hunt this month for my colleague Paul who would love to go on this programme.

Challenge 36 – LISTEN TO MY ENTIRE CD COLLECTION – All 186 CDs were listened to by 17.2.14

Challenge 38 – HULA HOOP FOR 40 REVOLUTIONS – Completed in Sept. (Spent £18 on buying hoola hoop)

blog 14 - Making the most of my time...

A really important part of this year of challenges was also to make a difference in some way. I wanted to raise money for charity but also wanted to give more of my spare time volunteering for a good cause. So aside from my normal volunteering work of fostering animals for the RSPCA, I also signed up to the NSPCC Childline Schools Service. This entails volunteers going into schools and presenting an assembly to Year 5 and 6 children, telling them all about Childline and raising awareness of the phone number and website. We also help to define different types of abuse and explain the importance of talking to trusted adults or Childline if they are unhappy, unsafe or worried about anything. We then go back into the classes and give them an hour workshop exploring these things in more depth.

 

This has been a really eye opening experience for me and rewarding as the feedback from children on the Childline website after we have been to the schools really makes you realise how worthwhile it is. I did initially struggle and worry how I was going to talk to children about such serious issues and if it was too soon to talk to them at their age (9/10/11) about these sorts of issues but this was quickly dispelled as I realised how much actually children know or think they know at that age! The biggest issues that do come out are about bullying and the amount of stress that is on our young people nowadays. There are times that I see and meet some kids that I think about and worry about after but ultimately I’m glad that I’m doing it. I’m glad that we are getting the message out to young people that there is always someone to talk to and hope that somehow in our small way we are helping some children, in the future as well as for now.

So for this challenge I wanted to donate 40 hours of my time volunteering, so aside from my RSPCA work I also have given 36 hours for Childline so far, 3 hours for helping out at School PTA fairs and events and 2 hours helping out at a fundraising fair for Arthritis UK. I will be carrying on volunteering for Childline for at least another year hopefully so my volunteer hours should continue to grow.

So this is my 11^th challenge completed and I am continuing to chip away at some of the others, Ive managed to book the Big Zipper, West End Play and the Mudrunner and my training is underway for the running 40k challenge...

Update on the other challenges:

· (Challenge 1 – Write 40 Blogs) this is blog number 14 written

· (Challenge 2 –Get 40 people to donate £10 to charity) Raised £150 so far, £250 to go!!

· (Challenge6 – 40 Sit ups every day) keeping up although some days are a bit half hearted!

· (Challenge 10 - Take 40 photos) – I’ve realised that the photos I have taken for the challenges would fit this brief so I have taken 10 so far.

· (Challenge 11 – Read 40 Books) I am on book number 20

· (Challenge 14 – Have 40 dates with my husband) – Had 17 dates so far.

· (Challenge 17 – Visit 40 pubs) I have visited 20 pubs so far.

· (Challenge 23 – See a Play on the West End) – Booked for Other Desert Cities at the Old Vic for Saturday 19 April 2014.

· (Challenge 24 – Have Afternoon Tea at The Ritz) This is booked for May 2014 to also celebrate my mum’s 70th Birthday.

· (Challenge 26 – lose 14 pounds in weight) struggling big time with this one and have the full 14 pounds to lose!!

· (Challenge 28 – Commit 12 acts of kindness to random strangers) I have completed 10 acts so far.

· (Challenge 31 – Complete the Big Zipper) – Booked for Sunday 25 May 2014.

· (Challenge 35 –Cook 12 new recipes) - 5 recipes made.

· (Challenge 36 – Listen to my entire CD collection) I am still trying to get through this one!

COMPLETED:

Challenge 4 – SWIM 40 LENGTHS – Swan 40 lengths of the 50m pool in Cardiff Bay with Lara Ramsay on 27.10.13. (Money spent £16 for goggles and entry to pool)

Challenge 8 – SCORE 40 ON A DART BOARD WITH ONE DART - Got a double top on my 9^th try on 1.2.14.

Challenge 9 – 40 HOUR FAST – I completed 40 hours not eating any food and surviving on water and flavoured water only. (Sept, with Karen Daniel)

Challenge 12 – Volunteer for 40 hours - Aside from my RSPCA volunteering, 40 hours of my free time was given volunteering for NSPCC Childline Schools Service, PTA events and other fundraising events. (I will be carrying on with the volunteering for Childline and RSPCA so am expecting to clock up over 80 hours by the end of the year)

Challenge 16 – 40 HOUR NO SWEARING OR £1 FINE – Completed between Tuesday 5 to Wednesday 6 November 2013. (cost me £21)

Challenge 18 – TURN MOBILE PHONE OFF FOR 40 HOURS – I turned my phone off and had no access to facebook, twitter or emails at all for 40 hours. (Oct)

Challenge 19 – 40 HOUR SILENCE – Completed between Midnight on Thursday 14.11.13 until 4pm on Saturday 16.11.13.

Challenge 22 – ADOPTED A WILD ANIMAL – I adopted Jubilee an Asian Elephant through the Born Free Foundation. (Spent £30 for adoption fee)

Challenge 25 – GIVE BLOOD – Completed on 11.10.13.

Challenge 30 – APPLY FOR A GAME SHOW – I applied to two game shows ‘Deal or No Deal’ and ‘The Chase’ in August but have still not heard anything back. I also applied to Bargain Hunt this month for my colleague Paul who would love to go on this programme.

Challenge 38 – HULA HOOP FOR 40 REVOLUTIONS – Completed in Sept. (Spent £18 on buying hoola hoop)

Blog 13 - Double top...

Ok so Challenge 8 was to score 40 on a dart board with a single dart, which meant that I had to get a double top. This was a tough challenge in that, I attempted to do it a number of times but was unable to actually get on a dart board in a pub as the board was always busy! I took to carrying around a pack of ‘Emergency darts’ in my bag which is not ideal as for some occasions this might be described as carrying an offense weapon!

These emergency darts however, came in very handy when popping into local pub The Birchgrove on our way home from the Wales v Italy rugby 6 Nations game and low and behold the dart board was free!!!! Slightly worse for wear as Nick and I had been drinking most of the afternoon, I thought this is it… so enlisting the help of a bunch of strangers and in particular a mentor called Steve, we explained what I needed to do and flushed with a Welsh win, they all starting cheering me on. With the first couple of darts I think it became clear that this might take a while and the spectators started moving out of the firing line as they realised their life might be in danger!

Nick and the group were all shouting various directions, ‘aim towards the top’ ‘aim at the 20’ ‘for the love of god aim at the board!’ and I was just getting worse. Then on my 9^th attempt, my mentor Steve said I was aiming too low so said ‘aim at the ceiling’, I adjusted my stance, I concentrated hard and focused on the ceiling, I let go of the dart and there was silence in the pub until it flew right in the middle of the double top!!! It felt like I had scored the winning try at the rugby as the corner of the pub erupted and everyone was cheering or in complete stunned silence that I actually managed it!!!

It obviously was a complete fluke as Nick and I played darts for the next hour with me still aiming for the double top the whole time and I didn’t manage to get it again. Don’t ask me why but I secretly thought that I might have some undiscovered talent as a darts player and this dream has now been squashed but I just might have lots more fun times having a go though! Although I will have to make sure I have a wide berth from the spectators!

You can tell I was a little worse for wear, as I couldn't even point at the 20 properly!

 

Update on the other challenges:

· (Challenge 1 – Write 40 Blogs) this is blog number 13 written

· (Challenge 2 –Get 40 people to donate £10 to charity) Raised £150 so far, £250 to go!!

· (Challenge6 – 40 Sit ups every day) keeping up although some days are a bit half hearted!

· (Challenge 10 - Take 40 photos) – None taken yet.

· (Challenge 11 – Read 40 Books) I am on book number 18

· (Challenge 12 – Volunteer for 40 hours) Aside from my RSPCA volunteering, 37 hours given volunteering for NSPCC, PTA events and other fundraising events.

· (Challenge 14 – Have 40 dates with my husband) – Had 17 dates so far.

· (Challenge 17 – Visit 40 pubs) I have visited 20 pubs so far.

· (Challenge 24 – Have Afternoon Tea at The Ritz) This is booked for May 2014 to also celebrate my mum’s 70th Birthday.

· (Challenge 26 – lose 14 pounds in weight) struggling big time with this one and have the full 14 pounds to lose!!

· (Challenge 28 – Commit 12 acts of kindness to random strangers) I have completed 10 acts so far.

· (Challenge 35 –Cook 12 new recipes) - 5 recipes made.

· (Challenge 36 – Listen to my entire CD collection) I am still trying to get through this one!

 

COMPLETED:

Challenge 4 – SWIM 40 LENGTHS – Swan 40 lengths of the 50m pool in Cardiff Bay with Lara Ramsay on 27.10.13. (Money spent £16 for goggles and entry to pool)

Challenge 8 – SCORE 40 ON A DART BOARD WITH ONE DART - Got a double top on my 9^th try on 1.2.14.

Challenge 9 – 40 HOUR FAST – I completed 40 hours not eating any food and surviving on water and flavoured water only. (Sept, with Karen Daniel)

Challenge 16 – 40 HOUR NO SWEARING OR £1 FINE – Completed between Tuesday 5 to Wednesday 6 November 2013. (cost me £21)

Challenge 18 – TURN MOBILE PHONE OFF FOR 40 HOURS – I turned my phone off and had no access to facebook, twitter or emails at all for 40 hours. (Oct)

Challenge 19 – 40 HOUR SILENCE – Completed between Midnight on Thursday 14.11.13 until 4pm on Saturday 16.11.13.

Challenge 22 – ADOPTED A WILD ANIMAL – I adopted Jubilee an Asian Elephant through the Born Free Foundation. (Spent £30 for adoption fee)

Challenge 25 – GIVE BLOOD – Completed on 11.10.13.

Challenge 30 – APPLY FOR A GAME SHOW – I applied to two game shows ‘Deal or No Deal’ and ‘The Chase’ in August but have still not heard anything back. I also applied to Bargain Hunt this month for my colleague Paul who would love to go on this programme.

Challenge 38 – HULA HOOP FOR 40 REVOLUTIONS – Completed in Sept. (Spent £18 on buying hoola hoop)

Blog 12 - New Year... New Start!

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas! I had a little too much celebration and not enough challenges! I’ve stuffed my face with lovely food and drink and now I have the full 14 pounds of weight to lose again… but it was worth it!

As December has been exceptionally busy I did not manage to complete any further challenges. I did manage to chalk up a new recipe, a few more dates, books, pubs and volunteer hours. I did also attempt to try the Dart Challenge however all the pubs with dart boards were so busy that I couldn’t get a go on the board, I now have a pack of emergency darts in my handbag so that if I come across a dart board in the coming months I will be prepared! I did book myself and two willing volunteers for the Mudrunner event in June and am almost there with my plans for the Big Zipper!

Christmas was also quite handy in providing me with a few helpful  things for the coming months, my husband bought me a cycle helmet for the bike challenge, my work secret santa bought me a journal for my 40 photos and the kids got a Wii for Christmas and the Just Dance game which should help me perfect my moves before the dance challenge but also help me shift this excess weight!!

So onwards and upwards I have to pull myself together and focus, as I only have 8 weeks before the running challenge (40k over 4 days) and I need to speed up on a number of other challenges too if I have any hope in achieving them! Anybody else desperate (and you would have to be desperate) to lose weight and join me on any training runs let me know as I need some motivation! So come on 2014….let’s be having you!!

Update on the other challenges:

·         (Challenge 1 – Write 40 Blogs) this is blog number 12 written

·         (Challenge 2 –Get 40 people to donate £10 to charity) Raised £60 so far, £340 to go!!

·         (Challenge6 – 40 Sit ups every day) keeping up although some days are a bit half hearted!

·         (Challenge 10 - Take 40 photos) – None taken yet.

·         (Challenge 11 – Read 40 Books) I am on book number 14

·         (Challenge 12 – Volunteer for 40 hours) Aside from my RSPCA volunteering, 30 hours given volunteering for NSPCC, PTA events and other fundraising events.

·         (Challenge 14 – Have 40 dates with my husband) – Had 13 dates so far.

·         (Challenge 17 – Visit 40 pubs) I have visited 15 pubs so far.

·          (Challenge 24 – Have Afternoon Tea at The Ritz) This is booked for May 2014 to also celebrate my mum’s 70th Birthday.

·         (Challenge 26 – lose 14 pounds in weight) up and down on the weight loss

·         (Challenge 28 – Commit 12 acts of kindness to random strangers) I have completed 9 acts so far.

·         (Challenge 35 –Cook 12 new recipes) -  4 recipes made.

·         (Challenge 36 – Listen to my entire CD collection) I am still trying to get through this one!

COMPLETED:

Challenge 4 – SWIM 40 LENGTHS – Swan 40 lengths of the 50m pool in Cardiff Bay with Lara Ramsay on 27.10.13. (Money spent £16 for goggles and entry to pool)

Challenge 9 – 40 HOUR FAST – I completed 40 hours not eating any food and surviving on water and flavoured water only. (Sept, with Karen Daniel)

Challenge 16 – 40 HOUR NO SWEARING OR £1 FINE – Completed between Tuesday 5 to Wednesday 6 November 2013.

Challenge 18 – TURN MOBILE PHONE OFF FOR 40 HOURS – I turned my phone off and had no access to facebook, twitter or emails at all for 40 hours. (Oct)

Challenge 19 – 40 HOUR SILENCE – Completed between Midnight on Thursday 14.11.13 until 4pm on Saturday 16.11.13.

Challenge 22 – ADOPTED A WILD ANIMAL – I adopted Jubilee an Asian Elephant through the Born Free Foundation. (Spent £30 for adoption fee)

Challenge 25 – GIVE BLOOD – Completed on 11.10.13.

Challenge 30 – APPLY FOR A GAME SHOW – I applied to two game shows ‘Deal or No Deal’ and ‘The Chase’ in August but have still not heard anything back. I also applied to Bargain Hunt for my colleague Paul who would love to go on this programme.

Challenge 38 – HULA HOOP FOR 40 REVOLUTIONS – Completed in Sept. (Spent £18 on buying hoola hoop)

Blog 11 - Silence is golden...

This fortnight I concentrated on my language skills or lack of them?! I attempted Challenge 19 - 40 hours without swearing and if I did manage to slip up then I was fined £1 for each swear word. I chose to attempt this challenge in my working days as to be honest that’s when my potty mouth gets worse as the stress builds! I was taking the challenge seriously and really trying hard, my colleagues were watching and listening to me closely and I did succumb! Especially when my mate Jamie kept helpfully unplugging my computer mouse without me realising! So in the end the 40 hours cost me £21! S**T! I know, but at least it was £21 more to the charity pot!

Next I attempted Challenge 16 – 40 hours of silence, 40 hours of no spoken word! To be honest this was the hardest challenge so far! Obviously I had to attempt this on non-working days and luckily had a quiet day planned on Friday so spent most of the day alone although even the pets found it strange that I wasn’t talking to them! The children coped remarkably well and loved the oddness of ‘Mummy not talking or more specifically nagging!’ In fact my son said to someone ‘it isn’t much different than when she talks’ which goes to show my kids obviously don’t listen to me much anyway!!  

I carried around a notebook and pen with me, which I used to explain why I was appearing rude, and when I had to order a McDonalds for the kids. I did find the whole thing incredibly frustrating and very isolating. It really gave me a small insight into how hearing impaired people must feel and I started feeling really down and miserable not being able to express myself fully. Friends' reactions were weird too as most people started to sign language back to me or felt they couldn't talk and generally looked quite uncomfortable around me.  I didn’t talk at all even on my own as I thought if I did I would then forget around people too.

The hardest parts of the challenge were when I couldn’t read bedtime stories to the kids and when I was trying not to break under the interrogation of a 5 year old at a children’s party who just couldn’t understand why I wasn’t speaking to them.  I also struggled to cope with my ever helpful friend Dafydd who kept introducing me to other parents at the party and not explaining why I wasn’t talking to them and just kept asking me questions or making up huge lies about me just to provoke a reaction!!

I was so relieved when the challenge was over! I can’t believe I didn’t break, this really was more of a mental challenge with a test of willpower. I have realised how much I love to talk! I talk to myself, sing or hum all the time, before talking to the pets, kids and all other humans! And it brought a tear to my eye when my son hugged me so tight and was so happy when I could talk again and said “I was getting used to having a Mummy who couldn’t talk, but I’m so glad my normal Mummy is back!”  Thankfully the communication challenges are over and I can move onto more entertainment based challenges, that is once I have finished chatting to anyone who will listen!!

Update on the other challenges:

·         (Challenge 1 – Write 40 Blogs) this is blog number 11 written

·         (Challenge 2 –Get 40 people to donate £10 to charity) Raised £60 so far, £340 to go!!

·         (Challenge6 – 40 Sit ups every day) keeping up although some days are a bit half hearted!

·         (Challenge 10 - Take 40 photos) – None taken yet.

·         (Challenge 11 – Read 40 Books) I am on book number 10

·         (Challenge 12 – Volunteer for 40 hours) Aside from my RSPCA volunteering, 22 hours given volunteering for NSPCC, PTA events and other fundraising events.

·         (Challenge 14 – Have 40 dates with my husband) – Had 10 dates so far.

·         (Challenge 17 – Visit 40 pubs) I have visited 11 pubs so far.

·          (Challenge 24 – Have Afternoon Tea at The Ritz) This is booked for May 2014 to also celebrate my mum’s 70th Birthday.

·         (Challenge 26 – lose 14 pounds in weight) up and down on the weight loss but still only 7 pounds loss

·         (Challenge 28 – Commit 12 acts of kindness to random strangers) I have completed 9 acts so far.

·         (Challenge 35 –Cook 12 new recipes) -  3 recipes made.

·         (Challenge 36 – Listen to my entire CD collection) I am still trying to get through this one!

COMPLETED:

Challenge 4 – SWIM 40 LENGTHS – Swan 40 lengths of the 50m pool in Cardiff Bay with Lara Ramsay on 27.10.13. (Money spent £16 for goggles and entry to pool)

Challenge 9 – 40 HOUR FAST – I completed 40 hours not eating any food and surviving on water and flavoured water only. (Sept, with Karen Daniel)

Challenge 16 – 40 HOUR NO SWEARING OR £1 FINE – Completed between Tuesday 5 to Wednesday 6 November 2013.

Challenge 18 – TURN MOBILE PHONE OFF FOR 40 HOURS – I turned my phone off and had no access to facebook, twitter or emails at all for 40 hours. (Oct)

Challenge 19 – 40 HOUR SILENCE – Completed between Midnight on Thursday 14.11.13 until 4pm on Saturday 16.11.13.

Challenge 22 – ADOPTED A WILD ANIMAL – I adopted Jubilee an Asian Elephant through the Born Free Foundation. (Spent £30 for adoption fee)

Challenge 25 – GIVE BLOOD – Completed on 11.10.13.

Challenge 30 – APPLY FOR A GAME SHOW – I applied to two game shows ‘Deal or No Deal’ and ‘The Chase’ in August but have still not heard anything back. I also applied to Bargain Hunt this month for my colleague Paul who would love to go on this programme.

Challenge 38 – HULA HOOP FOR 40 REVOLUTIONS – Completed in Sept. (Spent £18 on buying hoola hoop)