If it ain't broke...says Aurora

Hello fans,

Laura phoned me just before Christmas. "Aurora," she said, "I'm asking each of you to blog your new year's resolutions. I want you to let my readers know what you'd like to change about yourself in 2011".

And there lies the problem. I don't want to brag, but there's nothing about me that needs altering. I mean...I'm in great shape, I watch what I eat, buy premium beauty products and would never leave the house without make up. I'm confident, sexy, successful and have a high profile career, not to mention a great pair of boobs.

The arts programme I host on BBC Radio Sherwood Forest brings me to the attention of a wider public and I'm in constant demand for public appearances and endorsements. Wherever I go, there's a fan there with an autograph book, grateful that I'm able to shine a bit of glamour into their otherwise dull lives.

So as you see, there's absolutely nothing about me that needs altering, which is why I'm so late blogging about my plans for self-improvement during 2011. Therefore, I'm going to keep on doing what I'm doing because, if it ain't broke...

Lots of love and kisses, Aurora Sheridan x x x

The Artist Formerly Known as...

Laura's asked me to blog my new year's resolutions so here goes. I've decided that this year is going to be a little bit special. I've decided to say goodbye to the old Paula Lawrence and make room for a new Paula.

After Mum died I hit an all time low and it made me ask myself whether I wanted to spend all my time doing things for other people. Until then, my life had been full of charity work and supporting my husband, Dennis, in his career. But I thought that wanting time to myself made me incredibly selfish. My daughter, Avril, soon put me straight! She told me it was about time I started "carving out my own space" and that I shouldn't feel guilty about pursuing my own interests, even if it does leave Dennis to fend for himself occasionally.

As Dennis has been less than supportive over Mum's death, I decided to take Avril at her word. I've therefore resolved to take up painting again. I did very well in my fine art degree and even won a scholarship to study in New York. But Dennis's career was just taking off and he didn't want us to jeopardise this, so I turned my place down. I won't say I've regretted it exactly, but I have often wondered what it would have been like to spend a year in New York, living and breathing painting every day.

So, I'm changing that in 2011. This is the year when the artist formerly known as Paula Lawrence picks up her brushes again. You can read all about the consequences of this in The Accidental Guru, hopefully coming soon.

Best wishes and good luck with your own resolutions, Paula

Judi's New Year Resolutions

I begin every new year with the determination to :-

1. lose two stone in weight
2. take up jogging (and stick to it)
3. read War and Peace
4. become fluent in Spanish
5. be more efficient over housework/ replying to school letters/ buying milk
6. redecorate the lounge

Sadly, none of these has worked over the past decade so I'm scaling down my ambitions and aiming simply to achieve on a smaller scale.

In my alter ego as motivational guru I'd be warning you against making unrealistic resolutions because you're setting yourself up to fail by the end of January. Instead, make smaller goals, aim lower, then build on your success to achieve more. Instead of War and Peace, go for an easy read but read every day. Rather than take up jogging, go for a brisk walk every Sunday morning holding hands with your husband/ partner/ significant other. If you want to redecorate, pick up some paint charts and home decorating magazines to inspire you

But in real life, things rarely work out that way. I can't tell you how many tester pots are on the wall behind the bookcase and how many home magazines clutter up my shelves. I've turned procrastination into an artform and, if time wasting were an olympic sport, I could captain England. Therefore, my resolutions for 2011 are:-

1. To seize every minute and enjoy it
2. To spend at least half an hour every day in self improvement
3. To stop checking my Twitter profile every two minutes and do some work
4. To take my lovely husband out to dinner once a week
5. And finally, to pay my daughters to paint the lounge.

Sorted!

Love Judi xxx