The Journey so far......

I left college in the summer of 2001 and while I was wavig many of my friends off to university I chose to begin my working life. I had had part time shop jobs at the weekends for a few spends but I had decided I was now ready to enter the grown up world of working full time, and in an office to boot.

So off I trot for my interview, my first ever interview I hasten to add, and I land the job. I successfully passed the interview, I flashed my beaming smile at the the interviewer, which by default produce my 'cute' dimples ( I know some of you are fans) so he either felt nervous and wanted me out of the door pronto or he did indeed think I was the most suitable candidate for the roll. I am going to opt for the last statement simply because I am still in said job after nearly 10 years.

So there I am plodding on with my life not really going anywhere, career wise not literally obviously, and then in 2006 something happened to change my life forever. I met the most amazing group ladies who inspired me, encouraged me and just well gave me the boot up the backside I needed to get a grip of my life and get it going again, I mean I was 24 for goodness sake and I felt my life was over when in fact it was just about to begin.

Through their influence I started to read books and plays that I would never have dreamed of picking up and I was going to watch plays in London, plays! My theatre experiences up to that point had included the Christmas panto at Preston Guild Hall and the odd performance of Les Mis. My eyes were well and truly opened to the cultural delights that life had to offer me.

I decided enough was enough so I enrolled on a Literature degree with the Open University not really knowing what career path I wanted to go down but just knowing I couldn't stay in a boring office job all my life. Whilst it is a safe and comfortable job that is well within my comfort zone I know I must push myself on to greater things. I hate to say it, and if you worked where I did you would understand it when I say my talents are wasted there. I am not trying to be big-headed in saying that but there are occasions that I have to wonder how some of my colleagues function day to day.

So as I write this blog post I have just put aside my revision to complete year 3 with a sense of self satisfaction that I have practically self taught myself all about poetry, prose and plays from the Enlightenment to Romanticism. I can now hold my own in any conversation about the romantic poets, about the French Revolution and even about the way a play is staged. It has most definitely not been easy, there have been times when I just wanted to quit, to throw the towel in and skulk back to my desk for the next 10-20 years of my life. But I haven't been allowed to do that simply because the very special ladies mentioned above, and you know who you are, have encouraged me, urged me on & given me advice and support when I've needed it the most.

There have been many occasions when a topic being discussed goes so far over my head it's in orbit, (I just flash my dimples and pretend I understand), but I am gaining more confidence to join in said discussions and I love that bond we have. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping me going and keeping me sane (I don't think that can apply to all of you though!) and I am sorry to say that you have another 3 modules to get me through!!