Illegitimi non carborundum

In English you say??

"Don't let the bastards get you down"

So I have been thinking about writing this for a little while, I had decided "who on earth do I think I am, I'm not famous, what gives me the right to write "an open letter" to anyone?!"

The answer was, I might not be famous but damn straight do I have the same right to say what I'm thinking!!  

So here it is, welcome to my open letter to Shemar Moore!!

Dear Shemar,

You want to know why I started following you on twitter, Facebook and Instagram?? Why I have spent HUNDREDS of dollars on BabyGirl clothing??? And not to mention the mere thousands for The Bounce Back???

Because I respect YOU! Not just for your looks!! 

Of course I would be completely mad & questioning my own sexuality if I didn't find you absolutely stunning to look at.... But I have supported you now (*cough cough* FYI Our anniversary is Feb 14th) solidly for the past 12 months. Prior to that I was obviously a fan but I simply didn't harass your fine self on social media!

My aim today is to tell you, ask nicely or BEG if I have too, PLEASE STOP RESPONDING TO HATERS!!!

I understand your reasoning and that is admirable, however when you respond it just gives them exactly what they are after, ATTENTION! This includes those that threaten to hurt themselves if they don't get a reply from you!

These people have issues, issues that are unfair to put on you! 

The majority of babygirl nation support you and follow you for the exact reasons that I do, RESPECT!

I will continue to support you because it is rare to come across someone of your stature and status that gives back like you do to your fans... The tweeting, the Instagram, Facebook etc.

Not to mention the incredible things you are doing to help find a cure for MS.

I have a lot of friends and family that ask me daily when I will get my phone calls from winning the two bounce back competitions.... Whilst I cannot answer them with a time or date, I believe in the confidence of my answer, I know it will happen & even though I missed out on getting it at the time of the campaign, BabyBoy won't let me down! (My number hasn't changed either, I've given it to your team like 100 times 😉)

So today, please start your day following this motto...

And today say F*%k THE HATERS!!

You're never ever gonna keep everyone happy so instead, keep doing what you're doing & play with those that give you love and positivity back!

Love 

Your Ultimate Aussie BabyGirl

Mrs J-Rad

My thoughts

So I have been thinking more about 2014 and what it holds for me & primarily what I want from it...

That's made me reflect on many things and parts of my life I would change if I could.

The first being that some days I am far from the mother, wife and friend that I want to be. I am constantly tired and in turn this makes my cranky pants fit firmly. I am going to make this a focus for myself... I might not be able to fix the constantly tired part, but definitely the "don't talk to her or she will snap" part!! I need to work on a better "work/life" balance for two reasons, my sanity and my kids!! I spend 13 hours a week with my daughter on my current shift, let me tell you with a pre-teen girl, that's not good for ANYONE!! 

To take the perfect words from ABBA 

"Money, money, money

Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world"

I'm never going to be rich, at least not until I either beat all the odds and win lotto or find myself a super rich relative that I never knew about!

So what I CAN do about the money situation is start to make smarter choices... I work for a bank for goodness sake, helping people with their finances is what I do all day!! Time to save myself!!

In 2014 I want to date my husband again, I miss having us time and think that this year I want to make more of an effort to ask our friends and family to help and watch the kids so we can take time out for us, even if it's for a coffee or dinner or walk! I also want to talk to our friends and family with kids about taking it in turns so that they get couple time too!! 

I am going to make more time for writing! I have been given the incredible opportunity to be part of the ENM network (enmnetwork.com) and I'm not going to let my lack of confidence in myself and my writing hold me back!!

Well that's all I have in me for tonight, on that tiredness piece, it's after 10pm and my washing has finished so time for some sleep!

Thanks for listening,

Mrs J-Rad

You asked, I answer

I keep being asked “Who is this Tizthetime, Keith Tisdell guy you keep talking about?”

So I am here to answer that for you.

Keith Tisdell is an actor/producer I came to know through watching Criminal Minds and then Shemar Moore’s Bounce Back project in 2013.

Whilst Keith has a vast acting career, He portrayed Rodney in two Criminal Minds episodes, “Profiler Profiled” and “Restoration” and this is where I came to know him.
His character portrayed deep emotions, anger and violence but there is a scene in Restoration that when he confronts Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore) your heart breaks along with his.

See a short clip here - http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QG4eBuH_H-U 

Now to answer the question of WHY am I supporting him?

Well, I may not have physically met the man (BUT I WILL) I have gotten to know him via twitter, facebook and email recently, helping promote him on his Indiegogo campaign. ***I will put it out there now, this is not a paid post and I am getting nothing in return for my ramblings*** he is just one of the most down to earth, kind hearted guys that LA has living in it & I am grateful to have been able to be an active part of his first campaign. To put it simply, he is just like you or me, someone daring to dream.

He overcame a gang life to make something of himself and I think that alone should be applauded.
On top of all of that, Keith is a father to 4 great kids and what an incredible role model for them.

His Indiegogo crowd funding campaign, part 2 has started today.
Check it out here - http://igg.me/at/thetime2/x/3612949

The blog that I have been writing on for the campaign - tizthetimeblog.blogspot.com

So why should YOU give him money, I mean he is a stranger after all…

He has a story to tell and to be honest, I WANT TO HEAR IT!
I have dreams and If any of those involved people helping me monetarily, I would like to beliebe there are enough kind hearted people in this world who would help, it’s just all about REACHING them.

If just 14500 people from all over the world gave $10, it would bring a dream to life.

The best part?  You don’t just have to have to hand over cash and get nothing in return, there are a huge range of perks you can chose from so that you can have a momento to mark your contribution.
Ranging from a Twitter/FB Thank you, a Signed photo, An Advanced screening of the documentary, to being able to be a NAMED Executive Producer of the documentary... see the full list at igg.me/at/thetime2/x/3612949

 
So I hope that answers the questions my dear friends and family have had so pretty pretty please consider helping a complete stranger reach his dreams, who knows you might love being able to be a part of something like I have. If you can’t financially help, consider sharing this post or Keith’s link for me, help me stretch the reach and prove that social media CAN make a difference… all I need is 14500 people remember… let’s go VIRAL!

Mrs J-Rad xxx

 

They say 13 is an unlucky number

2013 has been one of the greatest years of my life to date.
Dreams came true that I didn’t even realise that I had until they happened.

We saw the start of our new year in at one of my happiest places, in Derby with my Father in law and Step Mother in law, it saw the Engagement Party of one of my oldest friends Kimberley (FINALLY Josh hehe) getting engaged, the start of a new role at work which bought along new challenges and new friends.

February was a huge month, it bought a visit from my biggest sister and her adorable family, a wedding which bought all of our family together, poppy and nanny P getting to meet Ira man for the first time. The celebration of surviving our first year with Ira followed by the next day a sad goodbye to “my first born” our beautiful Roksi dog. One of my best and dearest friends Evan marrying his princess which was also marked our first night away child free. One of my closest friends, Kirstie turned 30 and we celebrated with her.  This was the month that I was introduced to Shemar Moore live chats for the first one when he launched the long awaited shemarmoore.com website!

March saw us find our perfect first home and the madness that comes along with packing. We celebrated the 30^th birthday of a beautiful friend Mel, and our first two consecutive nights away from our little guy so we could pack like mad men and finishing with Easter and a whole lotta chocolate!

In April, we settled on the place we now call home, two hard weeks of cleaning up at the old house and we handed the keys back to our last rental ever and we had our first sleep over with Eva Bear (and her mummy and daddy).

May saw my KK turn 30 and we had a lot of cocktails to celebrate, a wonderful night of fun that we don’t get very often and from the heads the next morning, we were reminded why! I celebrated my 2^nd mother’s day with 2 babies and went to the first dress up party in a long time, A Mad Hatters Tea Party for BB. May marked the start of the Shemar Moore Cray Cray. With The Bounce Back came a whole new Family of ladies across the world “BabyGirlNation” some of whom I am sure are destined to be forever friends.

June first… Shemar Moore talked to ME via a live chat, my Bounce Back cray cray got even bigger when I won a competition to a one on one phone call with the main man himself.

July rolled in to another huge Bounce Back month, I met Erica, a woman who has inspired me more than ever to chase my dreams in social media combined with writing, to put it simply, Erica is all that I want to be "when I grow up". Then with all of my friends and families help, I won the title of Shemar Moore’s “Ultimate Fan” and I got to talk to him on a video chat (and yes before some of you ask, I'm still waiting on the phone call though). Along with the title came the excitement that we would get to head to LA in 2014 and attend the red carpet premiere and after party of the movie!!

August came a Melbourne trip with the Kaines, my first footy game at the MCG watching our beloved Hawks, sadly they lost and we got caught in a torrential downpour on the way back to the hotel but all was cured with access to the lounge with free drinks for a few hours… Then we celebrated our gorgeous Eva Bear’s first birthday & I proudly became a godmother for the first time. The Hawks won the minor premiership and started the finals journey.

September bought a secondment in what to date is the best role I have worked in at the bank, incredibly challenging but incredibly rewarding at the same time. Lily went on not one but TWO holidays, the first to Cairns with Aunty Liss, Uncle Jimmy and Puff, the Second to Poppy and Nanny P’s with Aunty Kate, Jack and Abbie. As for Football, September is the best month to watch, this year saw the Hawks broke the Kennett Curse and went on to take out the 2013 Afl premiership.

October was the #RideForMS where two men (and many many more) rode 100 miles to raise money in search of a cure for MS. #TizTheTime was coming and I had no idea what that had in store for me.

I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to help a man who I now consider a friend. Keith Tisdell. I was able to use my love of writing to assist him with some things and he allowed me to run his blog for him for the campaign. I will eternally be grateful, his kind words about my writing and his message for #TizTheTime, have moved me, I am truly blessed to have been allowed to be a part of it all (P.S #TizTheTime – Second Campaign, Launching 15^th January).

November saw one of the craziest but fun months of our year. It started with getting dressed up and beautiful for our Logies awards night where I proudly watched my beautiful Roger win the Secondee of the Year award for the 2^nd year running. My best friend, my oldest friend, my soul mate turned 30 and we had an incredible child free night out, full of dancing, giggles and cake (with maybe a little alcohol). Then the long awaited surprise weekend arrived, we took Lily away for not only her first trip to Sydney for her birthday but to her first concert ever, Justin Bieber!! She was absolutely thrilled and it was worth every moment of stress executing it and the hour late JB was to the stage.

Alas, it was then December! A month that saw me get to go back to what I call “My Happy Place” at work in our complaints team, Miss Lily turned 10, marking my decade of motherhood and we celebrated Christmas with our little family and got to see the joy and excitement through both of our babies eyes.

So there you have it, 2014 you have an incredibly big job to live up to 2013.
Don’t get me wrong there have been lows throughout our year but focussing on the positives is what has gotten us through.

So to put it out there this is what I hope 2014 holds for me.

- To develop my career to the area/departent that I want to work in so badly
- To enrol in the Bachelor of Communication degree that I have set my heart on
- I want to make more time for my writing and increase the exposure of my own blog
- To get healthy… this means a number of thing, I want to lose weight, I want to gain fitness, I want to feel better in my own skin and I want to change our eating habits.
- I want to remarry my husband in Vegas when we go on our trip in October
and lastly, I simply want to stay as happy as I am today with my incredibly family.
- To finally meet Shemar Moore, Keith Tisdell and Erica Pena-Vest in LA at The Bounce Back premiere, along with this I will get to meet face to face some of the most amazing ladies I now consider my #BabyGirl and #Tizmanian Family.

So show me what you’ve got 2014, I am ready for you!

Mrs J Rad xxxx