It seemed quite a few of you enjoyed my BT blog and as I was rather angry (understatement) about the whole situation, I am pleased to say we got there in the end and it has been resolved. However I dare say this is the power of social networking. For those of you that aren’t aware, BT has a Twitter account @BTcare and it was my Twitter rants that got their attention. It was the BT Care team that sorted everything out as a result of my letter of complaint. The letter of complaint that I was sending because BT customer service were unable to answer my questions or provide any solutions. Without Twitter I wonder how much longer I would have been waiting for a response and a resolution. I’m happy with the outcome, and the service we agreed I will receive. However given a wider choice in future I doubt I’ll stick with BT in the long run.

I would have blogged about this sooner but as that issue was resolved my BT landline died. I spent last weekend without the internet, making me realise to my shame that I rely on the internet far too much. Of course my iPhone kept me connected to the world wide web but I still missed the ease of getting information the moment I want it in the way I want it. I’m a communications junkie. I may need to start going to some kind of Internet Users Anonymous shortly.

Believe it or not there has been more to life than BT these past few weeks…

Those of you who have been reading my blog since last year know about the struggle I’ve had with depression, bullying and my general health. It seems six weeks into the year 2010 is working out well. I’ve started Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which has already led to one lightbulb moment of “Why did I never see that connection before?” It’s going to be an interesting and not always easy journey, but hopefully it will help me to prevent any future bouts of depression. It’s also helping me to understand why the bullying affected me so badly so quickly. I’m starting to really feel my confidence in myself returning for the first time in over a year.

Health wise I still seem to be catching everything going. The weekend after students came back I had a horrible cold, and yesterday I ended up leaving work early as the result of some kind of stomach bug. I blame students coming back from all corners of the UK and around the world with their nasty germs and depositing them in the library. My friend Phil thinks that perhaps Durham is just too clean, and like toddlers need to be exposed to germs to help their immune system, I need to spend more time visiting my friends in London. It is true though, I never got this ill in London. I’ve always been prone to catching bugs and viruses, but never to the extent or severity I have since living in Durham.

Think Geek seem to have the same germs as me!

However apart from the bugs, viruses and colds it seems my body’s reluctance to lose weight is over and it’s starting to drop off. I hope this continues and I can get back to a weight I’m happy with over the next few months. I’ll just keep up my side of the bargain with exercise and avoiding comfort eating and hopefully my body will respond in the way it has been the past few weeks.

If you happened to miss it on Facebook or Twitter (some would say that was impossible), I’m now a red head. I have never had so many comments or ‘likes’ on anything on Facebook so I think it suits me. I’m very flattered by all the positive comments. I’ve been thinking of going red for a long time. Should have done it a while ago!

Where it felt like 2009 was an uphill struggle it seems 2010 has got off to a much better start. That means that some other things, like writing, aren’t so prominent right now. Plans for my writing are progressing very slowly, and other plans for this year are barely out of the starting blocks. But investing time in myself in the short term will definitely pay off in other aspects of my life later on. I do find in CBT I use the word ‘balance’ a lot. Maybe I’ll eventually learn how to apply it to my life!

1. xkcd – Static
I discovered xkcd a few years ago and I have been known to spend hours hitting random and browsing through this wonderful land of geeky goodness. For me the xkcd strip of the year goes to… ‘Static‘.

2. Dilbert – 4th October 2009
When everything seems a little bit insane and off the wall at work you know there’s someone out there experiencing exactly the same thing. Dilbert. And of course this year Dilbert discovered Twitter, and this became one of my favourite strips of the year.

3. The Terminatrix
I just want it to be true…

4. The world according to Americans
A picture (or badly drawn map) paints a 1000 words

5. Why I’d rather be punched in the balls than call customer services
This showed up just before I experienced a years worth of bad customer service in a week. Bad customer service drives me insane. I felt this eloquently captured the experience many of us have had on multiple occasions. (I couldn’t post the whole thing on here so just mosey on over to The Oatmeal to check it out)

But then there are the times you get stuck. I get on a roll and see my word count soaring in a couple of hours, then I hit a turning point. I’m suddenly at a cliff edge and can see the other side, but there’s no way across. And this is where Twitter keeps me going. Within minutes of tweeting that I’m stuck I had people suggesting solutions and pushing me on. @rebeccablain tweeted “Even corrupt leaders make stupid decisions” and that set me off again. I’d be so caught up in my lead characters moving through the story I’d forgotten that the other characters were there to help the story along. Their stories and actions could be independent of the main characters, yet inadvertently create the situation that would get them across the void and onto the next bit of the story.

I’m up to 19000 words and just over half way through the month, but I’m determined to hit the 50k mark in the next two weeks. A few more days of 3000 words and I’ll make up the shortfall and before I know it (well probably the last couple of days of the month!!!) be sprinting to the finish line.

On the 1st October it will be a year since I decided to quit my job in London. One of the goals I set myself was to use more of my time to regularly write. Another thing I am proud to have achieved. My persistence in blogging has stopped me from being scared of putting words on a page, I’ll now happily write something I know is rubbish and come back and redraft it later. The difficulty used to be getting the thoughts from my head onto paper. Now the longest part of the task is usually uploading pictures, adding links and the final proofread.

I am also grateful for the existence of Twitter. Without that I’d still be writing to an audience of my closest friends and family. Twitter has allowed me to share my blog with so many, and I am so pleased that people enjoy reading it. And now it seems that people are starting to find my blog via other routes. A couple of weeks ago someone followed me on Twitter because they’d read my blog first!

It’s taken me over two and a half years to reach blog number 100. During that time my life has changed in many ways. Where will I be by blog 200? At the pace I’m writing now it’s likely to be in less than six months. The next few months will be lots of fun though. From October I’ll be a tutee for a few of the students at Trevelyan College. Once I get them settled in I’ll be challenging myself to write 50,000 words in a month thanks to NaNoWriMo. By December I’ll be ready to relax for Christmas and enjoy some time with friends and family. Before I know it, January will be here and I’ll be celebrating one year since my move to Durham. And I’d like to think that by the time I reach blog 200 I’ll have had something published somewhere other than here.

But I’m not wishing my time away. The past year has flown by and I want to enjoy as much of the here and now as possible. And share it with you.

The thing that needs to be said in my 100th blog is THANK YOU! Thanks to all of you who read my blog. If I hadn’t got Google Analytics letting me know that you are all out there I might have given up before now. The more you visited my website, the more I have written. You’ve stuck with me and been the life that my blog needed to survive and grow!

Anyway enough of the soppiness… time to write Blog 101!

I have rejected Bebo. I am a member of MySpace and Linked In, but they don’t get used much. I have my iGoogle, but I don’t tend to use the Google Chat function. I am a complete Apple geek but have never been interested in iChat at all. Skype I dabble with now and then.

Twitter is my social networking addiction of choice, with Facebook a close second. Now I have DSLR and a lovely 50mm lens I’m sharing my photos on Flickr.

But what bugs me is the whole RSS feed thing. As an active blogger who frequently uses social networking, and has a computing background, you’d think that I’d be well ahead on understanding and using RSS. But I’ve just never really got my head around setting up an RSS reader. The more I tweet the more I find interesting people, with interesting blogs, but unless I actually remember to visit them I find that I miss out on the latest entries. Even my favourites such as xkcd get visited once in a blue moon for an intensive catch up.

But now I have discovered FriendFeed. I saw an article via Twitter on Mashable about Facebook taking over FriendFeed and decided to investigate. I didn’t get off to the greatest start – I imported all the Tweeps I follow, which made it into another Twitter, not what I wanted (and a pain to undo as there’s no bulk unfollow yet.)

Ultimately I thought that FriendFeed might be a solution to my RSS problem. After a few days away I’ve gone back to investigate further and now set up my FriendFeed as a subscription to the RSS feeds of all the blogs I would like to follow.

Sometimes all these social networks and related applications just make my head want to explode. As someone who finds them useful and actually gets enjoyment from using them, I can understand why people who aren’t technically minded get fed up with them all.

I haven’t got a clue if this approach will actually work. It’s just another attempt to extract what I am actually interested in reading from the huge amount of information out there in this ever-expanding digital universe!

Writing.

If you were given £10 million tomorrow would you still want to do it?

Yes.

I started writing because it was a release. I have kept diaries on and off throughout the years. Until fairly recently, when I started seriously thinking of moving into a career in writing, the writing came easiest when I was anxious or depressed.

I think too much. I am well known for over thinking and anyone who’s made the mistake of asking me ‘why’ I did something knows that they will get an answer will a full and detailed thought process attached (kind of like the Eggheads on BBC2). My best friend was more than pleased to present me with a Gemini Agate keyring which showed that the Gemini keyword is “I think” (at least I can now blame it on the planets!)

I have also run my twitter feed through Tweetstats.com which told me that “think” was my most used word on Twitter.

As someone whose brain doesn’t understand slowing down, let alone stopping, there has to be some way to get all that stuff out of my head and make things a bit quieter for a while. Writing is my way to do that. When I write I get to empty all those thoughts on to paper. I can edit them and make some sense of them, or alternatively just stick them in a diary and forget about them.

As time has gone on my enjoyment of writing has increased. It has become more than just a way of dealing with negative thoughts and feelings. Writing also is a way of getting my more crazy, interesting, exciting and positive thoughts on paper. It lets me drag my vivid and quirky imagination out of my head and onto the page.

Now I just want to write all the time (I wrote four blogs in one weekend!) Ideally I’d have a column in a newspaper, be churning out magazine features and continuing to blog whilst working on my latest novel. I would do it all for nothing if I didn’t need somewhere to live and funds to buy food. It’s not just the lure of writing itself but also the flexibility, something that is very important to me. Give me a deadline and I will meet it. Tell me how and when to work to meet that deadline and I will get very frustrated (I really should be self-employed!)

I realised I haven’t updated you on novel news recently. I promised I will do so in my next blog, which should be written within the next 48 hours.

In the meantime if you dear readers do know of any column/opinion or feature writing opportunities that I might have a chance at then please do let me know!

p.s. BANANA UPDATE: There was further banana discussion today. This time regarding the smell and health benefits. What have I started?!

I am very adverse to spoilers. I caught the Harry Potter bug in between book four and five and so for the final three books had them delivered to my doorstep on the day of release and read them cover to cover within 24 hours whilst being cut off from the outside world so as not to expose myself to any spoilers. Even yesterday whilst discussing the latest Harry Potter movie and Harry Potter 7 in the staff room our discussions were in the guise of not saying too much until we’d established no one would be offended if we discussed what happened at the end of the series. If Twitter had been going when Harry Potter was about would it have been silent until people had read the book, or full of spoilers threatening to ruin the ending for everyone?

I take the view that it is my responsibility to avoid spoilers. Whilst The Apprentice was on I was unable to watch a couple of episodes on the night of airing. I didn’t want to know what happened so I avoided Twitter until I had caught up the next day. It’s fair enough that people want to chat about what’s going on. I did have pangs of guilt (mainly dampened by a bit too much wine) on the night of The Apprentice final as I tweeted away commentary the action as it happened, revealing the winner to all my followers in real time.

But despite my aversion to spoilers I don’t think you can blame people for tweeting them. If you want to remain in ignorance then the question is what do you want to do more? To tweet? or to have some Twitter free time and be surprised? It is just another method in a long line of media allowing people to comment and chat about what is happening on TV and in movies as they hit our screens.

What’s even more interesting is in this age of Sky+ and iPlayer (plus everything else that lets you watch what you want when you want it) will this increased threat of spoilers actually keep us watching TV when it’s on rather than when it suits us? Torchwood has been an amazing example of the UK returning to gather round their TVs at the same time to watch the TV event of the year.

On seeing this, my thoughts turned to Iran. I considered the impact that the Twitter and media coverage of Jackson’s death could have on the situation over there. As I sent out a couple of Tweets about Iran one person replied “we won’t forget #Iran. It will still be a story when Michael has gone from the front pages” whilst another said “lets not make them our sick patient that has to be cured. let them sort it out themselves”.

I am no expert on Iran. I have been trying to educate myself in the present and past situation in the country. Mostly I have just wanted to show support because I believe that the knowledge people are behind you can give you the energy and strength to continue fighting when you might have otherwise given up. Twitter has allowed the Iranians who want to speak out to see that the world is behind them, and that a majority want the injustice to end.

Using the analogy of “Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” I don’t believe that Twitter is giving anyone a fish. Twitter is enabling the closest thing Iranian’s have to anonymity in speech, allowing them to tell the rest of the world what is really happening. The people of Iran are doing this for themselves. Twitter and the people that use it are merely the fishing rod to allow them to speak out.

This information fed through Twitter has given the media more to talk about. It has no doubt kept it on the global radar and engaged people, including many that may have otherwise not noticed how serious the problems are. It has kept pressure on world leaders to act, and kept it something “worth” talking about (I say “worth” in the sense of media worth – will it sell papers? or get the web traffic? – not in the sense of judging how worthy the situation in Iran is of attention)

Whilst the world media focus is on Michael Jackson, Iran is almost off the radar. Flicking through the Metro this morning I noticed the first mention of Iran was on page 16. Even more worrying at 9am today all mention of Iran had fallen off the front of bbc.co.uk and the BBC News front page. With the limelight elsewhere it gives the officials and leaders of Iran the chance to further silence those who object without the intense media glare of recent weeks. It is vital for the people of Iran (that’s normal people like us who just want to live their lives without fear of persecution) to have the exposure.

I am not suggesting we wade in and tell Iranians how to do things. They are capable of sorting out their own country and their own issues. To suggest otherwise would be arrogant and I think a case of the pot calling the kettle black. But as we live in a society that does have freedom of speech we can help the Iranians who want change, to mobilise and effect that change. World leaders can work to create a situation to restore basic human rights and allow the majority of Iranians to get on with living their lives.

I have no doubt it will still be a story when Michael Jackson’s death ceases to be front page news, but in the meantime let us not forget. Let’s not allow the Iranian officials violation of human rights against those in Iran to go unnoticed.

From a personal point of view I don’t understand why people feel the need to tell me I’m wasting my time or telling people too much about my life. Why do people care so much about how I spend my time? They do not have to use Twitter. In fact very few people I connect with on Twitter are people I already know in real life. I have Facebook for that kind of connection. Even if they are on Twitter they don’t have to follow me or interact with me.

My Twittering began thanks to Chris Moyles (@CHRISDJMOYLES) of Radio 1 fame and Phillip Schofield (@Schofe) back in February. At first I didn’t get it. I really struggled to understand how to use this Twitter thing and why I should bother. But then I went and injured myself, followed shortly by a few weeks of being pretty ill, with all that time on my hands I finally tried to understand what it was all about.

And finally I got it. I found a way to use it that suits me. And I’ve gained so many benefits from it.

Firstly the Twitter Book Club (TBC) developed. Justine (@JuzzyB) and Collette (@Collette87) were getting to grip with Twitter at the same time as I was. We discovered a mutual love of wine and books and for the past few months have been reading books and discussing them online whilst drinking wine. We’re now planning a TBC meet up later in the year and despite our variance in age and geographic location have built a friendship that may not have happened otherwise.

There’s my love of Liverpool FC. Being new to Durham and having no one to go and watch matches with was pretty rubbish during our most exciting season in 19 years. But with Twitter I could listen on 5 Live whilst chattering away to fellow LFC supporters (@LiverpoolFan74 and many more!) I also had an interesting discussion with Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) about women’s management roles in Premiership football. Sadly (but understandably) he got frustrated with the abuse towards his account set up purely for the reason of discussing football, but I hope he gives it another go next season.

Not only has Twitter enhanced my virtual life, but also my real life. I write this blog and for the first time ever I actually have people heading to helenthornber.com to read it. And bugging me if my writing lapses. With the ambition and desire to eventually make a career out of writing an audience is essential, and is something I now have.

My photography has taken off thanks to Graeme Watson (@GraemeWatson) both on and offline. And I have discovered other local photographers such as Steve (@steveapple)
I have met real life people in this new city I live in. Charlie (@snowandsunshine) and James (@_elj) are just two of the people that I have met via Twitter.

In fact, since moving to Durham, you could say that Twitter has enabled me to do the things I’ve always wanted to do and I’ve let lapse. I moved to Durham to make the most of life outside of work and now I’m reading, writing, photographing and football supporting. I’m doing the things that I missed out on in London because I was too busy. Twitter hasn’t been a waste of time at all, but a way of connecting with people locally and world wide, finding information and developing interests I’ve been neglecting!

p.s. If you want to find me http://twitter.com/helenthornber

This is one of the ways Twitter comes in handy (another way is moaning about nPower, but more of that another time!) Rather than make the decision for myself I just narrow down the options and then ask the opinion of others. I did this for the first time a few weeks ago and thanks to that I finally watched ‘The Green Mile’. It has been on my must see movie list since it came out and it’s one of those movies that seems to provoke gasps if you admit to having not watched it. Especially when you add that the DVD has been sat on your shelf for a couple of years.

Last night I did it again, although admittedly slightly more high tech than just asking the question I set up a poll. This time the result was ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ which was as enjoyable as the reviews lead to believe, whilst being not what I expected at all!

Contrary to popular belief I quite enjoy letting other people make decisions (some of the time!). I think I might have a weekly poll and try to make it through my unwatched film collection by the end of the year!