Married to the Plinth

Going on the plinth is a little like getting married. Well for me it was certainly. For weeks I planned and dreamed about my big day. There was my costume to create, catering to be organised (ok haribo to be bought) and music to be chosen.

I found myself daydreaming about it, but never really believing it would happen. I knew no one who had been up, so none of my friends really got what I was talking about, but all feigned interest and excitement beautifully. I even got a notice in the local paper.

And the big day came! It took on a surreal quality, I kept thinking to myself, I can’t believe today is actually here, I am going to be up there in a few hours! The mixture of fear and excitement drive you forward through the night and onto the plinth.

I got up there, and it was everything I imagined, I danced my little heart out, made a bit of a tit of myself, ignored the people who were drunk and generally had a ball!

Then it was all over, how fast did that hour go? There were all those people I forgot to thank, all the things in hindsight that could have added to the experience and, well - can I not go again please?!

So how do you cope with the post plinth blues? You get married, you get to go on holiday afterwards, you have thank you cards to write and presents to play with which all keep the excitement of the day going for a while.

But for plinthians, that is pretty much it! You get your t-shirt and then home on the bus to real life again.

So here are my top 5 ways to keep the dream alive for a little longer

1. Obsessively watch the live feed while thinking to yourself, ‘I’ve been up there!’ while becoming top 3 #oneandother tweeter
2. Befriend unsuspecting future plinther and help them with their hour, giving them invaluable advice like if you are going to play music, get decent sized speakers
3. Watch the Sky arts programme in the vain hope some media type liked you enough to show a short clip of your hour
4. Create a replica plinth in your garden and relive your hour again and again to the neighbours cats
5. Come join the fun in Trafalgar Square on the 14th October to mourn the end of the project.

So really being on the plinth really is like getting married, only you don’t have to spend silly amounts of money, talk to relatives you have never met or change your name! I just hope my love affair with the plinth lasts longer than my marriage...

The joys of being a big kid

I am a big kid. As I write I am wearing a sponge bob square pants t-shirt, I love climbing trees and I sleep under an Ikea leaf bed canopy. There is no denying it, a large part of my personality is that of an hyperactive 10 year old.

For years I hid this behind a mask of proper adulthood. I had a serious job with a lot of responsibilities, I bought a house with my boyfriend and I always knew what the Bank of England’s interest rates were at. I never played, the closest I ever got to playing was going for a walk in the forest, and even then, I stuck to the path like a good girl.

But over the last few years I have turned my back on all of that and particularly in the last 5 months. And I have really noticed a difference. My eyes are bright and my coast is shiny… Sorry confusing myself with the dog next door who is currently chasing his own tail. Ah to have a tail!

I often spend my days helping kids make masks and badges and it never fails to amuse me how many parents when watching their kids colour in ask, do you want me to help with that. As a kid that used to drive me potty! Yes dad, I can colour in, I’m not a complete idiot. Now I realise it was just my dad wanting to have a bit of fun!

Kids are what keep people young, but what do we do now that people are leaving having children later, or not having them at all? To all fellow childless adults, I say go out and play! Buy a Frisbee, go to the park, climb a tree and buy a colouring in book.

You might feel like a prat if you haven’t done it for a while, but believe me, once you get over that and let go, you’ll have a blast.

The minibeast :) xx

PS just a note of caution though, 3 pints of cider + an adventure park = concussion. I know, I have had first hand experience!

Connections with random people

This blog post is inspired by Dan on the plinth early this morning. I’ve never thought of blogging or writing in general before and have no idea why I am doing it now! But even if it is just an output for my random ramblings that no one reads, that is enough for me!

So onto my thought for the day. (all very Sir Terry)

Dan is only one of many random strangers I have made a connections with in the last few months. In fact I have made more random connections in the last few months than I have in the last few years!

Most of these connections are through the One and Other project. From the wonderful Helen who helped bring minibeast girl to the plinth to the amusing and often surreal twecklers on twitter via the woman in Sainsbury's who nearly wet herself with excitement when I told her why I was buying a CD player.

Past plinthers and plinth fans will be meeting in Trafalgar Square on the last day of the project. I was originally not going to go because I couldn't really afford the flights over. Then suggestions of starting up a fund for people who live a distance away came in along with offers of a bed for a night. And how could I not go after that! (plus ryanair were doing a fab offer!) *post script - Ryanair are scum. Never fly with them ever. I ended up not being able to use the 'fab offer' in the end. Well I could have done, but it would have cost me an additional £70. Over twice what it cost in the first place.

I am so excited about coming over and meeting all these people I have a connection with. In person... Which reminds me, did my mother not once warn me about funny men on the internet...

One of my more bizarre connections is with a fellow smart car driver. Yes some smart car drivers are sad enough to wave to each other, and I am definitely one of those people! I pass the same person nearly everyday and always wave hello. It always puts a smile on my face on the way into work even though I have never met him, and quite frankly probably never will.

Now here is the rub, I find myself at the cusp of doing the unthinkable, selling my beloved minibeast (I know, it would be like the Steve Jobs using a Blackberry, but needs must...). Now if I do, i will have no reason to wave hello, but my life will be a little bit less sunny each morning. So should I keep waving even though we have nothing connecting us other than driving the opposite way to work each day?

Which brings me back to my plinth family (or plinthily if you like). I will miss the project of course, but probably more I would miss those connections I have made with people from all over the world.

Can these connections survive car sales and projects ending? It would be a darn pity if they didn’t!

:)

I am not a complete idiot

News flash!!!!

I am not a complete idiot, thankfully! I have just discovered why I couldn't log in before.

So you never know, I might just start to blog.

If you are very unlucky! ;)