Dreams and Disappointments

I always loved school, I was one of those people, not a geek, I just enjoyed the learning and social environment that being at school provided. I think I loved it from the day I started in Reception (Kindergarten).

I had great friends, whom I am still in touch with now and some great teachers. Languages were my passion, both English and foreign, maths was my nemesis!

It was with heavy heart that I left high school to embark on life at university. The structure and security that high school offered was a far cry from the 'you're on your own' mentality I quickly encountered on campus.

In my final years at school, I had set my heart on studying Law. I researched the universities I wanted to study at and chose Liverpool as my first choice. I worked hard to try and achieve the high entry grades they required to be accepted and although I fell a little short on the day, I still gained a place and was thrilled, excited and terrified at what lay ahead.

Looking back, it is an impossible task for a 17 year old to know what they want to do in life, to choose a definitive career. I chose Law as I wanted to become a solicitor. Naively and superficially, I chose this career because I knew it would offer me a great income, job security and a standard of living I wanted for my future. I didn't choose it for the one reason I should have; to study the laws and legislation of our country. And for this reason, I hated it.

I didn't just hate the course, I hated being away from home, I was terribly homesick. Despite living in one of Britain's most vibrant cities with great friends I had made in my Halls, I just didn't want to be there and every Friday I would travel back home on the train to spend weekends there. It was doomed from the start!

So, after 10 weeks, I made the decision to quit. A decision which did not go down well with my parents, obviously. They could not understand why I would throw away such an incredible opportunity. But I was 18 and very determined, so home I went. Moving home set into motion a sequence of events that led my life down a very different path to the one I had envisioned when I left school and I never did get the 'career' bit sorted.

As I write now, nearly 11 years later, I still don't know what I would have done differently. I don't believe in regrets; everything you do consciously, you do for a reason. If I hadn't left, I would not have met my amazing husband, would not have my beautiful daughter and would maybe not be living in America.

Well, I think I have just answered my own question!

A completely gratuitous Imogen shot!

No regrets, never. Life; you've just got to roll with it!


Written for Mama Kat's Writers' Workshop

I'm baaaaack!

The Daily Walnut has been on a short hiatus the last couple of weeks,
more about which I will post up soon...but now, I AM BACK!

In the time that I haven't been updating all the goings on at Walnut Cove, I have been busy elsewhere and have enjoyed some creative 'downtime'. The downside to this downtime, however, has been that I am now out of practice with my writing and am suffering some writer's block!

My head is normally full of cotton wool as I have a 9 month old and a goldendoodle puppy who occupy the remaining lucid corners of my brain, so coupled with a dire lack of inspiration and creativity, it has been hard to click on the 'NEW POST' button here and commit to print...

So imagine my GLEE when I came across this site via another amazing blog Karma, (continued...)(which I love) and found Mama Kat's writing prompts.

Now, I only blog for fun, I am not a professional or even, amateur writer, so these prompts are fantastic to get the creative juices flowing; they remind me of my time at school when you would be given a short paragraph and would have to create a short story that followed on. It's great brain training for fatigued minds and has helped me start thinking about writing again.

So, here goes...

A List of 5 Celebrity DON'TS

(Ps, the original prompt called for 10 Don'ts, but as I'm easing myself back in...it's 5, don't judge me!)

Numero Uno:

DON'T go out on the beach wearing such a hideous cover-all, Nigella Lawson. Has she never heard of Melissa Odabash???

Number Two:

Donald Trump. The Don is an offender on two counts. The first is the totally over-the-top Barack-bashing he has been filling his time with over the last few weeks. Get over it, Mr T.

In reality, we should be asking him to provide a birth certificate for his hair. That thing is quite clearly a living, breathing organism and I'm pretty sure was not born on his head. Time to 'fess up, Trumpy. His second DON'T is to think about running for President. Pur-leeeasse, just DON'T, OK?

Numero Tres:

DON'T turn on your TV/radio, open a newspaper or browse the internet over the next several weeks if you DON'T want to hear about the upcoming Royal Wedding in England. Myself, I am a die-hard Monarchist and will be setting my alarm clock to 5am so I can watch it live from the US. My mother, on the other hand, is a bit of a Republican and wishes to avoid all nuptial nonsense. Pah! I bet she spends as much time as the rest of us poring over all the juicy post-pageantry details ad infinitum....

Quattro:

DON'T do as Lauren Bush has done and fall in love with Ralph Lauren's son David and become betrothed...Lauren Lauren??? There are so many men in the world and she is so beautiful, it just didn't need to happen ;-) If it had been me, no matter how much I liked a man, if his surname had been Clare, I would have screened his calls until he went away...

Finally:

Charlie Sheen. No Celebrity DON'T list would be complete without him. Just DON'T, just go away please and take your sleazy life with you.

I'm not even going to put up a picture of such a looooser.

So, if you want to get writing, go here.

Til next time!