Spring has sprung

Is it just co-incidence that the banking crisis/credit crunch hit hard during the seeminly longest winter in modern memory? I think it probably is seeing as parts of america get great weather all year round (oh except when we're in florida in june expecting wall to wall sunshine and get days and days of rain - we're from ireland for goodness sake what's the craic with that nonsense) but today it feels like anything is possible - not just cos the sun's out but because - dare I say it - there's warmth sneaking out and about for the first time in what feels like a millenia. Can't give up the ugg boots just yet, but do feel the polo necks could give way to t shirt and my summer staple the cardi. Phew it must be hot!

I'm hoping that the clement weather will stifle the media obsession with doom and gloom and be replaced by berrating us about our lack of green credentials, our massive footprints and support this with photos of northerners on the beach in nothing more than thongs and flipflops (well it is in the mid teens you know).

There's nothing better than living in the uk during spring - really absolutely nothing (and that comes from someone for whom spring means having to listen to her mother max lyrical about wild flowers and bird species so I don't say it lightly). Now the all we have to do is trick our summer into thinking that this is really australia then we've cracked it.

Pimms anyone? Is that Cliff Richard I see over there?
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Self Employment Blues

I can hear a dog bark, see a porch light swing in the warm breeze, smell the cornbread cooling on the counter ... I've got the self-employment blues.

Thing is I know I'm fantastic, my cards are fantastic, my service is fantastic ... my inbox is full of magical emails telling me that I've been selected for a whole load of wedding directories, companies want to wholesale my cards ... I fill with expectation that one of these emails will lead to an unexpected but well-deserved break into the national consciousness.

Then I wake up, smell the coffee, click on the embedded link and see how much hard-earned cash these wonderful benefactors want to relieve me of.

Feeling lonely - no need. Register a new business broadband account, optimise the keywords in your url - instant bezzie mates with everyone except for customers. Marvellous.

When you set up a business you have dreams, expectations, ambitions that you feel, possibly for the first time, you are in control of and its intoxicating. Its also totally naïve and unrealistic but without those feelings you'd never get off the ground.

I'm just thoroughly sick of being bombarded with 'great opportunities' that mean nothing - I'm becoming more and more cynical which means that I'm worried I may actually miss the real deal if it ever passes my way.

I fight the negativity by baking, drinking too much coffee and spending money I'm not earning in seductive delicatessans. I will finish this year a couple more stone overweight, caffeine addicted and with the associated heart trouble! Denial is delicious and deadly.

The twang of a deep guitar echoes round the valley and I just stand up, spit out my cheroot and dander dolefully in through the shuttered door. I've got the self-employment blues ... Yeah man.
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