"I'm me!"

This quote resonates with me during a week where I've been reminded I'm not quite the me that others wish I was (if you know what I mean). It's been getting me down a bit, hence the blog posts that are done last minute, as opposed to done in advance and posted in the morning. I feel a little like I'm losing myself. Finding this quote again, from a book I love (Wee Free Men), shouted by a character I love (Tiffany Aching) is a wonderful reminder that, no matter what others think, I am who I am. There cannot be a different me. I can be tweaked, I can improve aspects of myself, but fundamentally, deep down, I am who I am and this cannot be changed. 

Yes, I know, all very cryptic :P Right now, though, I feel as if I need to stick this on a piece of paper, attach it to some string and hang above my head so that I can read it wherever I go. 

I am me. I am who I am. There's nothing wrong with me. If I change it will because I want to change, not because someone else thinks I should (although, of course, constructive criticism is welcome and will be listened to. I reserve the right not to follow it. No, I don't know what I'm going on about tonight, either.)

There's another quote from the book that's resonated with me this evening. It's this: 

"If you trust in yourself...and believe in your dreams...and follow your star...you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy" 

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Since the start of the year, when I leapt into the new year with energy and enthusiasm, I've found myself drifting. I've become lazy and stopped working hard. When is the last time I told you about something I'd made? When is the last time I labled a post, or linked to it on the correct page? I'm all ideas and dreams and no action right now. So here I shall make a list. A list I hope to cross off, and add to as the year goes by.

Right, here we go:

1. Get regular exercise. This can be step ups or going out for a proper run. I don't care as long as I do half an hour of it every day.
2. Sort out this blog. It's a mess, woman! Link posts to the correct pages, lable the unlabled and when you're doing a blog challenge/swap, put the relevant button on the side. I mean, honestly.
3. Keep the flat relatively clean and tidy.
4. Sort out all (yes, I mean all) photo's on various hard drives and laptops. Delete the rubbish. Keep the good ones/memory inducing ones. Print some. Put them on the walls.
5. Oh, yeah...sort out your various hard drives. 
6. Basically, try and be more organised.
7. Complete two projects a month.
8. Cook/bake/make something different food wise twice a month. 
9. Go outside and photograph stuff twice a month. At least.
10. Get off the electronic gadgets once a week and start turning things off by a certain time every night. I'm thinking 8-9pm. I'll give myself that leeway, that way if I'm busy with something, I have time to finish it. Oh, I also realise I'm currently typing this up at 11.13 pm...
11. Read more. Lots more. Books are wonderful. They are your friends. You've been neglecting your friends for a while. Stop that.
12. Oh, ha, yeah...talk to your real life people friends more often. Make sure to Skype them at least once a fortnight (I'm talking to you here, Beth). Write actual letters to other people and post them using an actual post box.

That's all I can think of for now. I think it's time for some camomile tea and bed.

Night night!