12. Buying shares is boring so I’m swapping it…12 is now ‘Get in a magazine’

Buying shares was a really boring one to have on my list and just required me not to procrastinate and it was a rubbish one to have left at the end (I'll probably do this one anyway, it's just boring to blog about).

Instead, rewind 15 years (i.e. almost half the time I’ve been on this planet) to the late 1990s when boybands ruled the charts and Smash Hits was the UK teen magazine to subscribe to.  At that point in time, my goal in life was to be editor of Smash Hits (probably more because I wanted to meet said boybands rather than the writing side), this is not where I've got to, partly because Smash Hits went downhill as boybands and pop died a small death in the noughties.

I was close to being offered a job at D.C.Thomson on my gap year to write for their ‘Girl’ magazine, but as they were looking for a long term commitment which I wasn't able or willing to give, I instead went to Chile to volunteer and then to study management at university.  I never really went back to the idea of magazine writing…..until about 2 months ago when Time Out London put out a call for contributors to its reader takeover edition (for those not familiar with the publication, it is a weekly free publication that summarises the hot things to do across London whether it be events, museums, music, comedy, dance, drag, movies or theatre.) I thought why not, I love London and tend to use the magazine and website on a regular basis so let's see what I can offer.

I duly submitted an online application which involved me having to write about something I love about London (I genuinely can’t remember what I wrote).  Having totally forgotten about it I got a note to say I’d been shortlisted to write for the Things to Do section.  I was asked to write a short column for the section entitled The Perfect Weekend, with the instruction to theme the piece and ensure it featured museums, parks, places, events etc which are always on in London and can be enjoyed at any time.

The result you can see below – the Great Time Out Takeover was published on 24^th September so for those of you who saw it but didn’t see me, you didn’t look closely enough.  I got my photo published on page 3 (no jokes please, I was fully clothed throughout) as well as getting my section (and a teeny tiny photo) in the ‘Things To Do’ part of the mag.  

I’ve now got two left….I’m almost there with my countries and capitals…just working out how best to evidence it…but will the celebrity item upstage me…only time will tell!!