The End of the First Month

Well it's July 31st so the last day of the first month to my challenge. I think it's been a pretty good start to the challenge.

I did a couple of things today to complete my monthly targets as I got paid today and I'd run out of money to do them earlier! I went for a swim and done another 20 lengths and I also took my car to the car wash and cleaned the inside also.

The one task that I haven't managed to do this month and I will have to rethink is the no spend week. I found that actually getting this in is more difficult than I thought it would be mainly due to things such as weddings and birthdays which require money being spent! I will probably still keep it as a no spend week task but not have it as often as once a month. Just having one no spend week full stop is probably going to be a challenge enough!

I've enjoyed this past month thinking about this challenge and doing the tasks. It has made me think a lot more about where I am in life and what I want to get out of it. The swims have definitely been beneficial especially today as I had to really push myself to get out and do it. This month has been a little unusual in that I've been off from work sick throughout it so have had more time to do more things. I go back to work towards the end of next month and it will be interesting to see if that affects it at all.

Anyway all in all I am pleased with the tasks I have chosen and I'm looking forward to the next month ahead of me!

Quest Seekers

One of my tasks is to work in a library. I want to do an MA in Information and Library Management which is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a librarian and then when I was doing my A-Levels I decided that in fact I would become a youthworker instead! I did my degree in youth work and spent a few years doing full time youthwork until I then came out of that and got the job I do now which is working in a university doing admin. I enjoyed being a youth worker but decided I wanted a more 9 to 5 job which is what I love about the job I do now. Anyway I now feel that it is time to start working towards my dream of being a librarian!

It is my aim to be well on the road to doing the MA by the time I am 30. I have never had any experience working in a library except for one day in the university one a few months ago (which i loved!). So I am planning on doing some voluntary work in libraries while looking out for a job in a library before then applying for the MA. There are a couple of ways of getting onto the MA. One is just having some work experience in libraries and another is to actually do a graduate job in a library which is applying for people wanting to do the MA. Either way I need the experience!

Today I did my first volunteering stint in Winchester library. They are currently doing a holiday reading quest where the aim is for children to read 6 books over their school holidays. As a volunteer it is my job to speak to the children as they bring back their books about what they enjoyed or didn't enjoy about the book and then give them a sticker for their Quest Seeker poster until they have got all six. I am going to be working just 2 hours every Wednesday morning which is perfect for me. I really enjoyed the 2 hours and they flew by.

The task of working in a library means to work more than just these two hours so I will NOT be ticking it off! Maybe in a years time when I have been doing regular hours and have a regular voluntary post if not a paid on I will be satisfied with having achieved that post but for now I will be enjoying my time in Winchester Library!

King of Comedy

Watched another film last night. I won't keep watching them as this pace because I'll have seen them in a couple of weeks at this rate! I went to a friend's last night and we watched King of Comedy which is an 80's Martin Scorcese film. It was quite slow but it got better as it went along. Me and my friend made the comment that older films often are slower than newer films. They don't necessarily as much action in and require more thinking. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. They are generally a lot shorter too. Both of the films I've seen now have been only an hour and a half long. I just went to see Harry Potter 6 which was nearly 3 hours long. I don't have a very long attention span so I like it when films are short. I don't know what the obsession is with film makers now wanting to make the longest film ever or something!

Badlands

I watched number 50 from Channel 4's 50 films to watch before you die list last night. It was called Badlands. A 25 yr old guy kills his girlfriend's father in front of her. She is only 15. The two of them then go on the run and in the meantime shoot and kill any people who see them. It is an eerie film yet enticingly good. There is not much more to the story than that but it manages to draw you in through the characters' personalities. Well worth watching.

Oceangram

A friend has just told me about a really cool website - www.oceangram.com

It's basically a site where you can send a cyber message in a bottle and read others! Ok so it's not really what I meant when putting send a message in a bottle on my list but it's still cool. I will still send a real one but thought I could do some practise cyber ones first!

20 lengths

Don't worry I haven't forgotten about my challenge! I know I haven't posted at all much but this month has been a bit crazy and I've been away for a couple of weeks. I have however made a start on one of my challenges today. I have just been for my first swim of the challenge. The swimming pool is opposite my house and it was really nice to be able to just pick up a towel and go out of my door for a swim and then saunter back home again for a shower. I did 20 lengths which isn't a great deal as the pool is only 20m but it's a start. I could have done more but it's the boredom factor with me! I'll aim to do 25 lengths for my second swim this month. Unfortunately the swimming pool is closing throughout the summer so I will have to find somewhere else to go during August then I will have moved house by September so I guess I'm not going to have the ease of living opposite the pool anymore!

I'm pleased that I've put this as one of my challenges. I'm not very good at exercise because I just can't make myself do it very easily. Once I get there and I've started I'm fine it's just the act of getting of my butt! Having swimming twice a month on my list will hopefully be enough incentive to get me there. Who knows by the time I'm 30 I could be doing 200 lengths!

Charity Donation

I have just donated my £10 for this month's charity donation. I have given to the Rose Road Charity via my housemate. The Rose Road Charity is based in Southampton and they work with children with disabilities. Take a look at their website by following this link http://www.roseroad.org.uk/

In September my housemate is doing a cycle ride from London to Paris and is raising money for the Rose Road Charity. So not only is it a worthy cause but a lot of sweat and pedal power is also going into it! If you'd like to contribute to his fundraising you can go to his Just Giving page: http://www.justgiving.com/ashbolton2/
He needs to raise £1250 and so far has £498.50 so he's not doing too badly at the moment!

Day 2 and nothing to tell!!

So my challenge started yesterday. I haven't yet done anything on the list so there is little to say. I have actually gone away to stay with my sister for a week or so which has meant I haven't thought too much about the challenge but I will make sure that I get the monthly tasks done! It was pay day two days ago so I will be making my charity donation in the next couple of days while I've still got some money! I will put a link to the charity that I decide to give to this month.