Where has that week gone

Doesn’t time fly when you are having fun. It was not a long time ago, 8 days, that the website went live and here I am already doing the second blog of this venture, and it has been a busy week.

I’ve had 3 meetings with Tony, all good and productive. We have 3 speaking engagements that are not confirmed but I hope will come to fruition. It’s a difficult one, to get on to the speaking circuit, have an agent etc, you sort of only get one shot at it. In addition to that, they take a huge commission on the work that they may or may not get you. They also prefer the “flavours” of the month and I’m in this for the long haul, not a quick buck! But its all taking shape. We had a good “shake down” of my core speech and there is no doubt it is coming to a really good point. I am learning it as best I can, as quickly as I can, and also humanising it so that I talk as naturally as I can. Within the next couple of weeks, it will all be spic and span! To get the leads I now have, has been a phenomenal start.

Both girls have been sick this week, not contagious, but sick, so daddy daycare has been in full swing. It hasn’t slowed progress but it does force you to be a little more efficient with your time. I am also doing a sports management course, so I must make sure I am giving myself enough time for that as well. Once the kids go back to school, I work abit more (I’m also a teaching assistant), then a routine should develop, and stability will return. The beauty of that job is its on a casual basis so really, the speaking engagement will have plenty of time to grow.

I’ve been in the gym a few times too. Working on my strength and my cardio. At the moment, I seem to be doing a lot of x-trainer. My cardio level is actually pretty good. Its as close to running as I can do without any impact going through my back. In reality, I’m not really in a bad place with my fitness. I must keep reminding myself that still less than a year since I had the full spinal fusion, so the face that I am pain free, moving freely and back to normal is a pretty good start. There is no doubt that sitting at my computer isn’t ideal, either the desk or chair height isn’t quite right, but I’m not here for all that long.

One great thing about this process, and I know I touched on it before, but its reading all the old emails, blogs, looking at photos and just the general “digital clutter” I have found. Some amazing nuggets of information, inspiration and funniness. I am going to finish this blog with an email I received just before the end of the row. I will keep the writer anonymous, but it really hit home that although I am the one doing this stuff and at times it has felt like a job, it does effect people and create thoughts and wonderings that perhaps they hadn’t thought about.

Have a great week guys, enjoy. Rx

Weds 17^th March, 2010 @ 9.07pm:

Hello Rich, how do?! I'm writing this whilst you have 8 miles to go, you've almost gone and bloody done it!!!So basically, up until about 5 minutes ago, I hadn't sponsored you yet.

Don't ask me why, any of a number of reasons: I simply hadn't taken much of an interest / I haven't seen you in like, forever / I'm ridiculously tight-fisted etc etc, but I hadn't. But when you set off, curiosity got the better of me and I started reading your Facebook messages and it made me realise just what an incredible and ENORMOUS task you boys have taken on and I have been so massively hooked on knowing how you were getting on and so massively impressed with what you are doing, that I just had to sponsor you.

I have been genuinely pulled over from 'not-honestly-all-that-interested', to 'rooting-for-you-from-my-sofa-like-it's-the-most-important-thing-in-the-world-ever'. I truly realise now how important this thing has been to you, and I think you've bloody well earnt it.

All those times you doubted yourself / regretted taking on the challenge / lost all H-O-P-E, should all have fizzled into insignificance now. You have done something very few people will ever do, have done it incredibly well, and done it for an amazing cause.

I think you have much to celebrate. If I ever get to do anything half as amazing as what you are at-this-minute completing, I should be very proud of myself and die a very happy woman.I should imagine you have inspired quite a few people over these last few months. Certainly the one sitting here.

Now go eat a burger.