10 things I want to do

Otosclerosis is horrible. It is pants. It is debilitating. It gets you down. It can change your life.

You can read about the physical symptoms on my lens: Otosclerosis. There is also a blog on there but to be honest I don't write half of what I feel on the lens as I get a lot of visits via Google. Some of them have landed on the lens because they have the disease and I don't want people to end up even more worried.

For me the reality is that the disease was probably triggered because I was suffering from extreme stress. I am not going to go into the precise details about all the events that conspired to completely burn me out but suffice it to say, the first three months of 2008 was probably one of the most stressful periods of my life and that is a life that has included a divorce!

I already knew I had hearing loss in one ear but did not connect it to what was happening. I attributed my symptoms to stress - headaches, fatigue, insomnia, dizziness. But I kept going because we were doing a show and it was only during a performance when I was waiting to go on stage that I thought: "Hey, this is more than stress." The adrenaline kept me going but once the show was over, that was it and it was downhill all the way from then on.

Opportunity
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Where there's an open window there's limitless opportunity

I was finding it difficult to walk in a straight line. I could not concentrate. I would get dizzy if I bent over. I was crashing my trolley in the supermarket and instigated a couple of incidents of "trolley rage". I was clipping the kerb when turning left out of our road. I was losing confidence. I kept dropping things. I could not do my job and I had to take sick leave.

It was a very scary time. I had an MRI scan on my brain and then had to wait for the results. Fortunately it was clear but then I had to be referred to a neurologist. I elected to be seen at the best Neurology Hospital in the country. London is an easy journey for me and off we went in June 2008. Following lots of exhausting tests, including being spun around in a chair, I got the diagnosis the same day. What relief!

But since then I have had to face up to the fact that the physical problem was triggered by a mental one, so I started working with a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist - I wondered if I was the only Squidoo Angel who was in therapy?!!

The therapy was hard because I had to confront my demons, but the therapist assured me that because I wasable to understand and accept the concepts involved, I should make a recovery. I wont get my hearing restored to normal (not unless I have an operation) but at the moment wearing a hearing aid in one ear is the least of my worries.

I also wondered if I was the only Lensmaster on Squidoo to be under strict instructions from her Doctor to just keep Squidooing and not worry about any other work for now!

Update: October 25, 2011
My physical symptoms seem to have "plateaued". They have not worsened, they are manageable but they do worsen during times of stress

In 1992 I went to Portland, Oregon on a business trip. We flew to Seattle and then drove down through Washington State via Mount Hood, Mount Ranier and Mount St Helens. Awesome!

Wildflowers in Field, Mount Rainier National Park, WA
by Mark Windom
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However, I know I would have enjoyed the trip even more if I had been with my family rather than business colleagues, so it has always been my dream to do the trip with my hubby and "the girls".

Mount Hood and Trillium Lake
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The most awesome part of the visit was driving up Mount St Helen's which had erupted twelve years previously.

Mount Saint Helens Viewed from the South Side of the Mountain
by Michael Klesius
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We had to abandon our attempt to get very high as without warning we got caught in very thick fog. However, we still saw some amazing sights. I remember looking down onto Spirit Lake and thinking what a very grey, muddy shoreline it had. Then I realised I was looking at millions of trees that still littered the shoreline! Watching a film of the eruption on a huge screen at one of the visitor centres was absolutely breath-taking. I watched the eruption on the TV when it happened in 1980, but it is only when you actually visit Mount St Helens that you can truly understand what an incredible event the eruption was.

"Imagine"
by Teri Martin
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I wannabe a writer!

Around six years ago I had a dream. It woke me up and I could not get back to sleep. My mind was whirling with ideas and a new word kept coming into my head. This word had a specific meaning and by the end of the night I had the idea for a novel.

The action from the dream actually takes place half way through the story. However, I use it as the Prologue, then the story winds back a few decades, works forward until the dream sequence and then continues.

The novel is now in it's first draft, with the exception of one chapter. I now know what needs to happen in that chapter and I should write it. Then I have to go back and refine the story and develop the characters more.

I keep letting other things get in my way of getting on with the novel - Squidoo being one thing! Every so often I read a book about writing a book. Yes, I am procrastinating!

Then I get a "sign" that I should get going again. On my last birthday my parents gave me a very unusual necklace, which gave me goose bumps. I have never discussed the book with them, but the shape of the necklace is exactly like the title of the book.

What? Tell you the title? Oh no, not yet!

"Live Laugh Love"
by Teri Martin
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I am involved in Amateur Theatre and have actually produced and directed shows, as well as acting on stage. Pantomime is a big love of mine and although there is a saying that you should NEVER work with animals and children, I am never one to listen to good advice and I DO work with children and teenagers.

One of the highlights of my life was appearing on stage with two of my children in an amateur production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, which I also produced. I have never experienced a standing ovation like the one we had on our last night and I will never forget "Sparky" dancing past me on stage as she whispered "this audience is fab" with a huge grin on her face.

Following that triumph my Musical Director came to me with an idea for a brand new musical. She will write the music and a good friend of ours is writing the script and lyrics with me. The first Act is in draft form....

And the title? No, sorry, if I told you I would have to kill you!

So until I end up doing another show, I have to make do with infrequent visits to the theatre. A couple of years ago, my hubby 's birthday present to me was a trip to see Hairspray, in London.

My son and his partner spent 10 days in April 2009, snorkelling in The Maldives. They met Crush, Nemo and Dory. The nearest we have got to meeting Crush, Nemo and Dory is the London Aquarium!

Sunset Maldives by PhotoDigital

Silhouette of Underwater Sea Turtle from Beneath
by Erik Stein
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True Clownfish, Amphiprion Percula Photographic Print
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I can write
by Gemma Leys
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When I first became ill it became obvious that all my normal activities would have to stop, I was devastated. My last two summers had been spent working, playing tennis, gardening, raising my family and in pre-production for a musical. At some stage during all of that I would also be auditioning for a Pantomime!

I am not one to sit and watch TV and although I enjoy reading, making it a permanent past-time was not exactly appealing. So, I had to think about what I could do to stop myself from becoming depressed. I already had a novel on the go, but for some time I had wanted to do more writing. I also wanted to learn how to publish on the web.

Sitting at the PC did not make me giddy or ill so I set about researching and learning as much as I could about writing and earning an income on the web. I found Squidoo. A match made in heaven!

Three years on, I am still learning and Time Management is often a problem. Currently I am trying to focus on the tasks that will increase my learning AND my earning potential. It is very easy to get distracted by lots of the fun stuff going on around Squidoo, like the SquidU Forum and related blogs and websites.

So what I am trying to do now is learn how to monetise my pages and blogs WITHOUT losing the personal side of my writing and I want to continue developing my Anti-Bullying Website: Bullying Help. I also have an idea for a couple of e-books.

One idea came from Ener-G and as Gia is psychic and it was something I was already thinking about, then I should get on and do it.

Balanced Diet Art Print
Karen Tribett
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I explain the weight loss method that works for me in Losing weight with a wheat free diet. However, having become badly incapacitated by Otosclerosis, lack of exercise means I am having problems maintaining my preferred weight and losing any more weight has become almost impossible. Starvation diets don't work for me - particularly as I like to cook and family meals are a big part of my life.

As I recover from my illness, it will be easier for me to become more active. My body is adjusting to the co-ordination problems caused by the disease. I can do gardening but I have had to give up playing tennis. In the meantime, I need to do more walking!

Update: October 24, 2011
I have lost four pounds!

How did I do it? A combination of Wheat free dieting and an exercise bike!

My lack of co-ordination means that riding a bike out on the roads is something I can only do on "good days". But an exercise bike at home has made all the difference.

I have three daughters and a son and all the girls are very arty and creative in different ways.

My eldest daughter is a very imaginative and creative photographer andsome of her photos can be seen on my Valentine's Day lens. Both Sparky and Lizzy are good at drawing and have a great sense of humour. I have already managed to "persuade" both of them to draw some cartoons, which I have used on my wannabe a writer page.

My son is also a pretty good photographer and returned from a trip to The Maldives, with some amazing photos. We did tease him that out of the 750 he took, we reckoned about 600 were sunsets!

AJ and Family on Zazzle has some great pictures on it, but I need to really build up the store.

Currently, the performing rights to the stage show of Mamma Mia are not available so any Amateur production would be illegal. We will just have to wait!

But when the rights are released I would like to do the show. Some of the people I perform with definitely have the ability to do it. We have some great singers and dancers and a brilliant backstage team and musicians, although I would be prepared to consider using backing tracks.

And what part would I like to play?

I think it has to be the Julie Walters character Rosie. Although I have a very "Surrey" accent and am quite well spoken (so I am told), I have performed an entire show using a Lancashire (northern) accent and was actually complemented by a Lancashire lass about how accurate I was. It would also be a great comedy role and I do love sending myself up.

According to Go California the most commonly-seen Whales along the Pacific Coast of the USA include:

Grey Whale
The entire population of Grey Whales, which numbers over 20,000, swims up the west coast of the USA twice a year. They travel between their summer feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi Seas between Alaska and Russia and their nursery and breeding grounds in Baja California, which is the northernmost state of Mexico. The Grey Whale is up to 45 feet long. It has dark, slate grey skin, which is covered with white patches caused by barnacles and parasites. It has no dorsal or back fin.

Grey Whale, Diving, Vancouver Island, Canada Photographic Print
Gerard Soury
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Humpback Whale
Humpbacks are 50 to 55 feet long, dark in colour with distinctive bumps on their noses. Their pectoral flippers are long and nearly a third of their body length. Humpbacks are sometimes seen near California's Channel Islands.

A Breaching Humpback Whale Photographic Print
Ralph Hopkins
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Minke Whale
The Minke Whale has a pointed snout and is small compared to other whales, being only 25 to 30 feet long. The skin is dark gray above and lighter below. They sometimes have pale stripes behind their upper flippers and always have a white band on each flipper. Minkes are usually sighted around the Juan Islands near Seattle and are sometimes seen near California's Channel Islands.

Minke Whale, Photographic Print
Gerard Soury
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Orca
The black and white whale made famous by the movie "Free Willy", Orcas are usually sighted around the Juan Islands near Seattle.

Orca Whales Surfacing in the San Juan Islands, Washington, USA
Westmoreland
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Blue Whale
The Blue Whale is the largest animal on earth and there is a life sized model hanging from the ceiling in the Natural History Museum in London. The Blue Whale is 70 to 90 feet long, and its heart is the size of a small car. It is actually blue-grey in colour, with light grey mottling. It has a very small dorsal fin and long, thin pectoral flippers. Blue Whales can be seen in the Channel Islands of California.

Blue Whales, Surfacing, USA Photographic Print
David Fleetham
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According to the homepage RocketMoms is a gathering of the smartest women on the web, working together to make Squidoo lenses (and a whole lot more).

The group is specifically aimed at Mums publishing on Squidoo and the first cohort is working together for six weeks, starting on 20 April 2009.

In Week 1 our first task was to make an "About Me" lens. So here it is!