When I was fifteen…

“Mummy, in ten years I will be FIFTEEN which is a grown up!”

That is quite possibly the scariest thing that has ever come out of my son’s mouth. Fifteen? I remember all too well who I was and what I was doing at fifteen.

At fifteen I smoked, I drank (like a fish – white lightning cider and 20/20 do not mix well), I fell in love (lust), lost my virginity, had my heart broken (crushed in fact, which I replayed repeatedly to Tom’s Late Night Love-In on the radio as I sobbed into my pillow), I wore ridiculously high mules and suitably short dresses and had a heavier hand with the eye liner than David Bowie ever did.

Don’t get me wrong, at 15 there were some amazing things that I miss to this day, probably most of all the ability to leave the house braless, without tripping over something. At fifteen I was invincible, I was sure, I was so naive.

What do you remember about being 15? For the most part I loved being 15, heart-break aside, and if I could reach back and grab my 15yr old self I think rather than tell her not to do things she did or make the mistakes she did I would just give her a big hug and let her get on with it. My teenage years went a long way towards defining what and who I would become later on.

Tell me about your 15yr old self.

And for those who were 15yr old girls, and now have grown up boys, tell me it’ll be easier!

 

photo by photoproject2004 via PhotoRee

Dear So and So – the working edition

Dear Self:

Friday to-do list:

  1. A whole bunch of articles (Need to get a new keyboard)
  2. A few more articles (no really, the old one is tired out)
  3. Email X, Y and Z (don’t get chatting gobby!)
  4. Chase invoices (Get pitchfork sharpened)
  5. See previous to-do list and complete anything not finished (what? It’s half term!)
  6. Stop wasting time writing pretty to do lists and start ticking things off (I like pretty lists, so shoot me)
  7. Finish early and submerge yourself in Lego, art and craft and fun.
    *Start at number 1 and work your way down. Do not start at 7 and work up!

Love her who knows you well x

Dear Self
Discocunt is NOT the same as discount and your client won’t find this as funny (you big child!) as you do.
Likewise, “Assess” and “Asses” are not two words to mix up.
Clearly when working hell for leather spell-check is your friend!

Dear Self
Please remember to curb the urge to end your important work emails with a kiss, even if you do love the client because they pay on time. You may find it sweet, they will think you are an odd-ball.
Love chuckling self x

Dear Self
Searching for “pretty noticeboards” on Google and Pinterest is not the same as “ordering essential office furniture”.
Just saying 🙂

Dear Self
Your official work title is “Freelance Writer and Editor”, not “Freelance Mistress of the Universe”, regardless of what the picture on your noticeboard says.
Love, your eye-rolling self x

Dear Self
When proclaiming that the person you have just spoken to on the phone is a “completely clueless twonk” please ensure that you have actually hung up.
Awkward!

Dear Self
Repeat after me…
“Chewing the end of pens is disgusting and you will end up with a mouthful of ink”
“Chewing the end of pens is disgusting and you will end up with a mouthful of ink”
“Chewing the end of pens is disgusting and you will end up with a mouthful of ink”
Got it?

Dear Self
Remember to pick up some more pens, you are nearly out.
Also, maybe some chewing gum?
Love your blue mouthed self

 Dear Self
Working for yourself really is brilliant isn’t it?
Love, contented self x

Have a great weekend all!

Dear So and So...