"Talent!"

It says it all really.

JJ Burnel, bass player with The Stranglers, while being interviewed on BBC Breakfast just before nine this morning, was asked the question: "How do you account for the band's longevity?"

A pause and the only response possible: "Talent!"

Ex-students and colleagues

This morning, I caught a glimpse (and a wave) from an ex-colleague with whom I worked at Hitchin Girls' School. It was so good to see him and reminded me of some happy times.

Last night, I bumped into an ex-year 9 student from Fearnhill, who was over-joyed to see me. He spent several minutes telling me what he was up to and how he was getting on. It was quite emotional to see him so enthusiastic and so pleased to see me.

I then spent a happy hour at the 18th Birthday celebration of another ex-student, this one from Hitchin Girls'. I was so touched to be invited and to see what a charming young lady she is turning into.

What all of this has done is to help me see that I have taken so much from the experience of teaching for six years (and hopefully given a little back). It was certainly not a waste of time and effort and has helped to make me the person I am today.

Games Makers, jeans, kitchen wares and chocolate

An interesting day, interviewing a wide selection of Royal Mail employees and customers. Life is never boring.

Approaching six months in my rejuvenated career

The beginning of March sees the end of my first six months as a writer - again.

Although I took the decision a year ago to leave teaching and use that whole experience as a spur for a restart and an improvement in my writing career, it only officially began on 1 September 2011.

Now seems like an appropriate time for an assessment of where I am, what I have learned and whether I would choose to be anywhere different.

The simple, quick answer is that I am exactly where I would choose to be and have learned SO much. I have been incredibly fortunate in the work I have been given to do and the people I have met and - especially - those with whom I have rekindled business relationships.

The assessment itself is not a quick process and will take several days. However. I have retrieved the notebook I began in January 2011 and it is interesting to read some of the entries I made at a time when I was desperately unhappy.

Perhaps that notebook also forms part of this assessment - not just where I am now compared to six months ago, but also compared to a year ago. Taking stock.

Finding typos in your own blogs

Sad, but true - I've just re-read a couple of my blogs and found hideous typos in them. Hopefully, all corrected now.

Loving the first big tidy-up of spring

Today was a good day. Although completely exhausted now, I managed to tidy the whole back garden and the little bit of front garden. Also bought five bags of gravel, which hardly made a difference to the front, but it's a start.

It was such a lovely warm day, although I suspect we have not yet seen the last of winter.

Result! I finally make contact with my stalkee

You may remember, dear reader, that I was set a task back in November and completely failed.

I was set to look for James Berry who, aged six in 1966, designed one of the first Christmas stamps produced by the Post Office.

I tweeted and googled, rang the BBC and Bromley Times to no avail.

However, just a few days ago James' son saw my tweet and sent the link on myroyalmail.com to his Dad,. I'm now set to interview James on Thursday afternoon, at which point my stalking can cease.

Eight hours' sleep - who needs it?

Just read a really interesting article on BBC News about the misconception that eight hours sleep is the ideal.

I've often had broken nights' sleep and listen to the radio at 2 or 3am. Never had any trouble waking up to children and then going straight back to sleep. Maybe it's not a problem.

What is the difference between a blog and a feature?

Good question.

This is an article I wrote recently on one element of the modernisation in Royal Mail. Some quite nice quotes and an enjoyable piece to write.

Then there's this blog I wrote on the proposed expansion of Luton Airport, near my home.

I guess the latter is a blog because the only research was done online and at the exhibition, without anyone else's voice.

Are the two forms mutually exclusive?

Why do some sportsmen fight and some race to win?

The shocking displays from professional boxers in the last few days have been balanced by the GB team's outstanding cycling performance.

If only we knew what makes a good winner, we could bottle it and be in great shape for London 2012.

A new week beckons, with lots to do

I cannot believe how blessed I have been in this first six months back as a freelance writer. To have a week ahead with lots to do, on different projects for different clients, is amazing. Very grateful.

To date or not to date?

More specifically, to give online dating another try or not?

Part of me would quite like to be in a relationship. At the same time, I am not sure whether to appalled or inspired by a (married) acquaintance who seems to be drawing moths to her flame on a site designed for people looking for one thing and one thing only.

Cards on the table - I have been on some dates gleaned from online sites in the past. Clearly, my single status would indicate their lack of success. For me, that 'chemistry' between two people can't be measured in words and can't be predicted from an online questionnaire. Also, some people clearly do what my friend has done and deduct more than a few years from their age.

Also, I have enough to do at the moment, without spending hours trawling through the frogs in the hope that one will turn into my Prince.

So, I think not, at the moment. In the last 72 hours, three men have shown a vague interest in me. Each one, I've looked at and thought "If you asked me out, I would go". They didn't. None of them. My 'repel' look obviously works oh so well.

So, as I approach the magic Five-Oh in a little under 11 months, it's likely that my singledom will continue. Unless I practice being a little more alluring when men start to show an interest, but I think it's too late to know where to start on that one.

I am officially qualified as a Community First Responder

After 18 hours of training, a written exam and practical assessment, I am now officially one of the East of England Ambulance Service's Community First Responders.

It was actually quite hard work and I put in some serious revision last night (I know, I always told students not to leave it until the last minute!).

Once I got there and settled into it, I was happy with how I did, although I know that I can only improve once I'm actually doing the role.

Next on the list is a day out with an ambulance crew. Can't wait!

World Book Night beckons - I'm a giver!

The official givers for World Book Night 2012 have now been emailed and I was pleased to be told that I can give out copies of 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens on 23 April.

I loved last year, where I gave out 48 copies of 'The World's Wife' by Carol Ann Duffy. Several people said they hadn't read poetry since school and really enjoyed the experience.

Excited.

Like father, like daughter

I am shortly to lose both daughter and ex-husband on tour with The Stranglers.

He's worked with them for years and now she's going to be part of the road crew. In her own right, I think she'll do well. She knows more stuff about how to produce great sounds than either her Dad or I do. Could not be more proud of her, although it feels a little weird.

With two of them on the crew, I hope that we'll have no trouble getting on the guest list.

Mistakes, I've made a few.

I've made a couple of silly mistakes in the last few days and I am definitely learning from them.

Now it's time to make some changes. I've just realised that it's six months since I left teaching and being a writer is presenting some great opportunities. Trying to embrace them is difficult for me, as I never think I'm good enough.

One thing I have learned in the last couple of days is to be choosy about the jobs I go for. I am refining my specialisms and will stay away from the things I am neither very good at nor have the heart for. Somethings just seem pointless to me, so I just won't write them.

This is something of a six-month business review and, overall, the picture is good. More focus in the next six months might give me a good year.

Who to interview next?

Feeling confident in my writing again and it's time for another BIG interview. I so enjoyed working with Paul Archer on his Burning Codes project for Moment Magazine and I want to do more like this.

I do have a number of friends that I could interview, although who knows where it might be published? Might be making a few calls.

An artist at work - in glasses

Today saw the reality of Freddie's new glasses, created by Tom Davies. He's an incredible designer and the specs he's created for Freddie are perfect for his face and suit his personality.

Since he was nearly five, Fred has had to wear glasses every waking minute and he's never really been happy with what's on offer. Now he has the right frames and good lenses thanks to Tom. Even with his arm in a sling, he looks cool.

Final day of CFR training ... and more writing

The end of a productive weekend. Thankfully, temperatures are beginning to rise above freezing and the snow just might disappear tomorrow.

Exhausted

CFR training and more writing.

Breaking the back of more stories

A day of writing. Loads done and two inches of snow on the ground.

My first CFR training session

I spent an enjoyable and stimulating evening with the East of England Ambulance Service, beginning my training as a Community First Responder.

The trainers achieved a good balance between delivering information, answering questions and being entertaining. Although it's always hard work to learn new things, it was a pleasant evening, despite the low temperatures and falling snow.

Flexible working - O2 doing it in style

As I drove down the A4 between Maidenhead and Slough this morning, I passed the headquarters of several major organisations. One of them, I noticed, was O2. What I did not notice, but found out later by listening to Radio 4, was that the offices were empty today for a dummy run of enforced home-working.

You can find out more by reading here.

As someone who always works flexibly (when clients permit), I find the 'presenteeism' culture immensely debilitating. Why must I attend an office and use their technology and expensive desk space to be working? In fact, for most of my clients, it's not an issue, but I know other freelancers who find it is so.

It'll take more than one day for O2 to get the systems and the mind-set right so it's not a free day off, but it's a start and a move in the right (virtual) direction. After all, if one of the world's technology giants can't do it, then who can?

Today has been spent in my car (Radio 4 on a 123 miles round-trip to Maidenhead), a branch of Starbucks (checking emails with the ubiquitous green tea) and Cafe Rouge (researching in a magazine for a forthcoming project). Now I'm back at my desk and I can definitely achieve more, differently here, but I've already been productive. At least part of it provided - at my cost - by O2.

Swing with style

What a lovely evening, spent in rehearsal with the Five Star Swing band. They're not about to offer me the bari sax chair, but I enjoyed the evening with Chris and Simone Smith, plus the rest of the band.

A surprise sit-in from bass player Phil Cranham made the evening perfect. Tough sight-reading, preferable to easy run-throughs. Nice!

Now I remember why I always drink green tea

I read something similar to this article ten years ago. Then, I was a hardened black tea drinker, getting through eight or ten cups a day. Then I read something that said green tea was better for you - especially if you want to look a little younger - and switched straight away.

I dread to think how old I would look now if I'd continued on 'normal' tea! I drink gallons of green tea now and it's become a bit of a habit. I don't think I'm addicted chemically, but it has certainly become part of my lifestyle and it's good to have confirmation that it's a good thing.

So, I can work all day (and most of the night)if the kettle is close to the tap and there's green tea bags in the box.

Snow in Hitchin

Awoke this morning to a beautiful snowy landscape and the sound of Michael from Waitrose spreading grit on the road.

There's so much inconvenience that comes with three inches of snow, but the brightness of the light is amazing. My first proper snow in the new house.

Topical blog for The Best of Hitchin

As temperatures dropped towards this weekend's predicted snow, I wrote this blog for The Best of Hitchin.

Thriving businesses are fascinating

I could talk for hours to someone like Pendra - owner of Escapade in Camden. He works a great deal with Royal Mail (hence my visit to him today) and he has built the online side of his business up amazingly. It was a real eye-opener to see how he changed a retail operation into one that sells fancy dress costumes around the UK and across Europe.

I am looking forward to seeing his warehouse operation in action on Monday morning.

More networking - this time in Bedford

This lunchtime, I was a guest at BNI Priory in Bedford. The lunch itself was all right, but the networking was very helpful. I managed to chat with many new businesses and spread my net a little further.

I find Business Networking International - BNI - a little repetitive. I have now been to three meetings of two different 'chapters' and they have all followed exactly the same format. Pretty much word for word. That really would get tortuous for me after even a couple more. Networking is absolutely the best way to get business, but I have still not found the most effective way of doing it.

Every individual is different and every business works differently with its peers, so no one format will hit the spot for everyone.

Quiet but productive networking

You can't beat £2 for a productive networking session. Cuppa Connect at The Victoria pub in Hitchin was a little quiet while I was there, but I met up with a few new faces and gave out several business cards. I'd still like to get more local business and it feels like I'm chipping away, gradually.