The Yes Girl

The prompt for this week's Wishcasting (What do you wish to say "yes" to?) had to make me smile. Earlier this year I read the hilarious Danny Wallace account of his one year of saying Yes to everything - and I mean everything - you can read all about it in this earlier post. There's a Jim Carey film of the same name which I think must be loosely based on it.

Boy did this guy get himself in some scrapes, but he also experienced some things beyond his wildest imaginings - some not entirely legal! I finished the book resolving to follow his lead (a little). As I grow older it seems far too easy to say No. No is usually the safer alternative, requiring less energy and effort. No means you stay at home and watch TV with your feet up. No doesn't see you completing the Army assault course at Sandhurst, water-skiing none too gracefully and swallowing pints of sea water or clinging precariously half way up a rock face wondering if you are about to plummet to your death (yes, these I have in the past said "yes" to!).

It's been a while since I did anything requiring the wearing of safety equipment. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit that I recently got a bit scared on a big slide at a park (one that my five-year-old son happily went on about 50 times without batting an eyelid). It has also been a few months since I read that book and resolved to be a bit more of a yes girl. I'm not too bad at it though. Tonight, for example, I have been organising a craft evening at my son's school where I shall be selling my wares (no hard hat required).

I've said yes to the NaNoWriMo challenge next month. A little thing - we have to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days... I've also said no to a job opportunity in Dubai and a slot on the X-Factor (let someone younger have their chance of singing super-stardom I say). Well, one of those might be true... I'm doing OK, but in true school report fashion - I could do better. So, this week, I stand proud and say "Actually, I would like to say Yes more to things I too easily say No to". Take me out of my comfort zone and dangle me in the face of opportunity!

Oh yes, and if any Hollywood producer phones me up with the offer of turning my (yet to be written, let alone published) novel into a film starring George Clooney and Hugh Jackman, with a cameo role for yours truly, then the answer would most definitely be a big resounding YES PLEASE!!

Yes Yes Yes

I am reading a book called the Yes Man by Danny Wallace. You may have heard of it, in fact I think there's a film based on it starring Jim Carey - I guess the Americanised version! Anyway, for the uninitiated, Danny is man in in a rut. In his mid-twenties, he has turned into a boring 'middle-aged' singleton whose social life revolves around the sofa. He finds it very easy to say "no" to opportunities until one day he meets a man on a bus (who at this stage in the book, may or not may not be some kind of prophet) who tells him to "Say yes more". And so he does (no doubt the movie adds the by-line 'with hilarious consequences'). I'm about half way through, it's very funny. Go read it. Anyway, the point of this rambling is of course that I have been inspired by the 'grasping at opportunity' philosophy as it coincidentally follows parallels in my own life. I have seen this time of redundancy as a chance to focus on my own dreams of becoming a writer, the additional free time means I can once again explore old hobbies (see painting of cat below). I've even had time to tidy up! It's very much a period of 'dusting off' for me and I am quite enjoying it so far. Naturally at the back of my mind is the obvious concern of paying the bills, but that problem may be solved soon as I have a job interview this week for a 6 month internal communications contract. Just as well I've been keeping my hand in - this morning I presented to 30 over-excited five-year-olds. I took the 'opportunity' to do something different and told my son's class all about my trip to see the Queen - complete with powerpoint presentation! My son was almost bursting with pride, it was great fun!