What impact has lockdown had on you?
The impact for me has definitely been the massive increase in the use of technology, to aid communication.
I spend multiple hours per week on ZOOM calls and meetings linked to being Vice President of my BNI business group , Junior Vice President at my Rotary club and doing guest speaker talks at Rotary clubs around Scotland about my life and work , my art and my fundraising campaign for End Polio Now (11 so far and counting !)
This week it was Crail and Stornoway ... they are all starting to roll in to one. It is a pleasure to meet likeminded people and it helps the charity card sales...I have sold more than £2000 worth so far.
I also had a successful meeting with the local hospice this week ... so I am hopeful that we will be collaborating on a charity card for them too in the near future.
However , zoom is taking its toll on my eyes . My varifocals are set for reading and distance vision. I suspect I may not be the only person who has required to invest in intermediate strength lenses, to sharpen up the smiling faces on screen! I collected my “ zoom specs “ this morning ... can’t wait to try them out .
Much of this week was spent re-editing my memoir ,to get it more polished before my next batch of submissions to literary agents. It is incredibly difficult and frustrating trying to get an agent ... it would be much easier if you could just send the whole manuscript and get an opinion, but apparently that is not how it works.
My personal assistant from NHS days (still friends) has kindly agreed to make the final tweaks to it, which means she will be the first person to read it. She was such a big part of my journey, that it feels apt.
The process of sharing this personal story has turned out to be a very vulnerable experience ,which I hadn’t really appreciated when I embarked on my writing journey ,but it is also incredibly exciting.
I did eventually get back in to the art studio, to finish a felt sheep family commission ,which needed embroidery and bead embellishments. Off to the gallery for framing and family names on the mount next. They are unique gifts for families, especially if there is a new baby.