YOLO

I never thought I'd use that for a title, I was a late bloomer on the YOLO front - for the longest time I wasn't aware, nor did I really care what the acronym was all about - but that my friends, along with many other things in my life has changed. 

And YOLO represents me... and where I'm headed, in my life. Right now.

Explanation? 

So a lot of things have been going on in this neck of the woods... Pay It Forward is opening it's new store - I'll share lots of photos of the opening - and eek, maybe my speech after the event on Friday. Hazed in the Square is flourishing with a fabulous community of designers working towards the common goal of a successful inner city marketplace - again I can't wait to tell you more. 

And on a personal level, after twelve years - I've started dating again. Yes that's right - I one, Hazel Schreiner am now a 'single lady'. 

I'm not quite ready to share the story of what went down. It's kind of major. It's kind of emotional. And it's kind of not what you'd expect. 

We'd be kind of heading this way for the last six to twelve months, but it became solid and official just recently. It's kind of weird you know - you enter into any relationship with your best foot forward. You enter into a marriage with the understanding that this is the 'forever' you. You enter into the realm of parenthood with the understanding of a lifetime. 

But things change. Things happen. We grow. Life evolves.

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So this where the YOLO comes in - I can do a lot of things - I can start a magazine and take it to print - I have been known to run successful craft markets - and I can take on a weekly market and scrub it and scrub it until it is shiny and bright - I can bank and lend my way to a successful finance career - and I'm a damn good Mum too - but when it comes to dating. Yip, I'm clueless. With out a clue. Not even a single clue. 

It's not like riding a bicycle ladies. You forget, you gosh darn go fall in love and forget. Last time I dated, I was 19, I was young, I was fabulous. I wasn't a workaholic single Mum. I guess I was in a 'YOLO' moment in my life and nothing was going to stop me and get in my way. It was easy then. 

I caught up with an old friend last weekend and she has challenged me to do three things this year - one of which is to go on at least one date by the end of the year. Challenge taken. 

I can do this, I can return to my 'YOLO' self! 

I set myself up for Tinder the other day - what was I thinking? People don't actually legitimately do Tinder do they? - I've had multiple 'matches' on the damn thing - admittedly most have been moron like - but I actually kind of 'dig' a guy. But even though that may be the case - I don't know to ask said guy out - I don't know how to get beyond 'small talk' and into the whole 'let's go out for coffee' thing... I just need to YOLO and ask the question. 

So whilst the tan line on my fingers is only slowly dissolving and the hurt is only slowly dissipating I'm getting on this YOLO bandwagon and I'm taking up that challenge - I've only got the next nine and a half months to make it happen!

How does this post relate back to 'craft' and 'made in New Zealand' - yeah, it doesn't really. But I'd like to challenge YOU to look at one thing that you are holding back on, one thing that you're not giving your full heart into and YOLO it. Take up this challenge and see how it changes for you! I'll keep you posted on my YOLO. 

SIDE NOTE: I'm not desperate and dateless. Just dateless. I am actually really, truly enjoying being me and just me. But I'd like to know that I can still 'do it', that it's not beyond me. Perhaps one day I will be ready to fall in love. Maybe, not just yet.