It’s Friday and it feels a good day to do one of my outstanding memes. And at the top of the pile? Josie at Sleep is for the Weak has tagged me with the “Proud to be Me” meme, where I have to think of five things to be proud of. Oh, and they’re supposed to be things I’ve actually done. Hmm.
First, I’m proud of my parenting. I know there are one or two teeny areas where there could be some improvement (cooking, housework, getting up on time) but I appear to be raising a fully-functioning member of society. Given that I was adopted when I was 10 and Flea's really the first blood relative I've ever known, I was never totally confident I had the right stuff to do the parenting thing. But I appear to have sort of worked it out, so yay me.
Second, I’m proud I’m making a living. In a recession, being a freelance journalist is a tough game. I’ve worked really hard these past three years to diversify my client base, keep my existing clients happy and break into new markets. I'm in one of those phases as the moment where I just keep having ideas upon ideas, and I'm having to find new clients just to use up the ideas! It's good, though I may need to start sleeping more and drinking less coffee sometime soon. But definitely still earning a decent living, so I think that merits a pat on the back.
Third, I am proud of the fact I never got my ‘fifth’ star when I worked at McDonalds as a 16-year-old. If you ever go into McDonalds (and really, I advise against it), you’ll notice the staff badges have little stars on. The more stars, the more you earn. You get stars for passing competency tests in five key areas: the fry station; the lobby and restaurant floor; the tills; the burger station and for showing appropriate cheerfulness and a positive attitude. Go on, guess which one I never got…
Fourth, I’m proud that when I was eight my Granny made me take an IQ test that scored me an invite to join Mensa – but even at eight, I was cool enough to realise that joining Mensa would be a social kiss of death. This should in no way be taken as a sign that I am actually smart – my brother Ross used to delight in telling boyfriends the story about the time he told me he was stuck in the microwave… and I looked. No, I don’t know why I looked, either…
Fifth, I’m proud that I finally worked out today – after living in my house for almost two years – where that damp patch in the hall is coming from. Ha! Take that, leaky radiator! Of course, might have been handy to work this out before having the hall, stairs and landing redecorated and then watching all the new paint slowly flake off the wall, but you can’t have everything.
Now I need to pass this on to some other people who I think will enjoy a bit of blog boasting and I choose....Lindy at Squidgyboo because she takes amazing photographs and should be proud of that (among lots of other things), Claire from Dandelion Lounge for Tweeting us through the birth of her new baby (this shows impressive multi-tasking), Dawn at Little Green Fingers because her comments on this blog frequently make me laugh out loud, and 40 Not Out just because I think she's one of those effortlessly good writers.
I haven't seen a McDonald's staff member with more than 3 stars in years, standards must have slipped ... not that I go there often ... ahem.
... and your brother being stuck in the mocrowave ... Oh dear.
Posted by: Laura | 16 October 2009 at 11:13 AM
Excellent meme! And you should be proud about being a freelancer. The more journalists I have met over the years, the more I come to admire them and the work they do (there are exceptions of course!!). I take Amy to McDonalds occasionally but to be honest, I have heard from a few people who have worked there previously that it is one place to avoid. Do you think it's improved over the years though?
CJ xx
Posted by: Crystal Jigsaw | 16 October 2009 at 11:43 AM
Totally agree with you on Mensa - Mr Muddling admitted he was once a member this week ... grounds for divorce ?
You should be very proud of yourself !
Posted by: Muddling Along Mummy | 16 October 2009 at 12:10 PM
The first few pas made me cry. Wasn't expecting that Sally. x
Posted by: Liz | 16 October 2009 at 01:25 PM
Thanks Laura and CJ. I can't say if McDonalds has improved - it's 20 years since I went into one, so I guess it's probably changed a lot!
@Muddling Along Mummy - did he go to a meeting? If so, sorry, it might be all over. It's for the best, dear.
@Liz - aw, thanks!
Posted by: Sally | 16 October 2009 at 02:44 PM
Yay to you! I have to say I am most impressed with the radiator discovery. I have a very strange and slightly obnoxious smell eminating from the cupboard under the stairs...and given my lack of motivation for delving into its dark depth to discover the origin it might take a good 2 years or more for the source to magically reveal itself...
Posted by: nicola | 16 October 2009 at 03:19 PM
ooh 5 really good reasons! I don't know if I can come up w/ five but will give it a try- thanks for the tag.
Posted by: Lindy | 16 October 2009 at 07:25 PM
I am still puzzling over the microwave moment. Did he project his voice whilst hiding in a cupboard, or was he actually right next to you. If it was the latter - you must never, ever admit to this again.
Thanks so much for the tag. I've never been tagged before. Well, you know, not since I was about five and Oliver Wakelin, who was enormously cute and had not one, but three sets of dimples, tagged me in the school playground.
But Christ, FIVE things! I've got as far as '#1 knowing all of Rolf Harris' lyrics'. That's it.
Posted by: Dawn/LittleGreenFingers | 16 October 2009 at 09:22 PM
@Nicola - wait until something breaks, falls down or catches fire, in my advice. Until that point, it doesn't qualify as "requiring urgent attention."
@Lindy - Excellent, look forward to it!
@Dawn - Okay (embarrassed shuffling) I was in the dining room, he was in the understairs cupboard, which was in the direction of the kitchen. Still it's inexcusable. We didn't even have a very big microwave. And my brother was six feet tall. The shame.
Also - how did I forget my pride in being able to name ALL of S Club 7.
Posted by: Sally | 17 October 2009 at 09:15 PM
Yay you indeed! You should be very proud of all that... and more I'm sure! Thanks for tagging me.. I will dig deep and get me some pride going on! You had me grinning from ear to ear this morning, both with your kind words on the tag but more so the mental image of you actually going to look in the microwave for your brother... priceless!! x
Posted by: ThatGirl39 | 19 October 2009 at 09:34 AM