My firstie

Last Friday I had an adventure. To say that my life is usually quite boring will be the understatement of the year. I lead the stereotype of a suburbs-stay-at-home-mum life, and I don't even live in the suburbs. I live a short tube ride away from all the interesting places, but the truth is it usually turns out that I spend most of my days gazing outside the window thinking to myself (because I have no other person - adult or child to talk to) that London is as far away from me now as it was when I lived in Gib, or even in Israel. I have so many excuses to give for why that is - you see, I have two kids to look after, Yon goes to nursery until 12 so I don't have enough time, when I go into town I have a tendency to spend money I don't really have, I need to write, and of course how can we forget the best one - I have laundry to do. It doesn't matter the excuse I use, the end result is always the same - I stay at home for days or weeks on end. It's not that I mind it too much actually, I love my life (after all, I chose them and shaped them to suit me) and frankly trying to have non-football or animals related fun with an eight years old who's already started perfecting his teenage growling and bored/broody looks, and a four years old who doesn't like new places, doesn't like not touching things, and does like to annoy us to no end, isn't an easy task. When we just arrived to London, and I had the kids home with me, I tried taking everyone out for Friday Adventures, which Hidai hated because for him Friday is a regular work day, and the kids used as an excuse to behave badly because, well, because they are kids. We did get to see and do plenty of things, but I can't really say we enjoyed most of them. And after a few (unsuccessful) tries I let it go. It's too much money and effort to NOT have fun.
But if you have to know the truth, sometimes I miss going to the supermarket. Taking the risk of sounding extremely weird here, I love supermarkets, I used to love going to Morrisons when we lived in Gib. There is nothing like walking around aisle 8 where they put all the "interesting" things :). I do my shopping online these days. And not in Morrisons.
Not really the point of the post, just a tid bit to make you look funny at the screen and go Morrisons?! Did she really just say that?!
The point was, that adventures are few and far between.

And last Friday I got a chance at one. I was one of the (not so many) bloggers invited to attend Tesco's Christmas in July event, through BritMums blogging community.
Now, some of you are heading for the close button because, who wants to hear about Christmas in July? well, the truth is, no one. Why would I tell you about products, food or gifts you'll forget by next week, not to mention October? No. I will tell you about me. Much more interesting. For me at least.
You see, this was the first event I got invited to through the blog (okay, let's be honest here, it was the first "work" related event I have ever gotten invited to, if you are not counting Hidai's Christmas party, which I most certainly don't). It was also my first publicity event. Ever. I never thought I would be invited to join one. I mean why would I? Who cares what I think? (hint - not my kids).
The evite (I used evite in a sentence!) said - as I read it, this is a stressful-potentially-heart-attack-inducing few hours in a posh hotel that you've never heard of in the middle of London, and there will be a film crew so your humiliation will be recorded and broadcast to the world. I swear to you, it's word to word what was written there.
On the other hand, it's Christmas. There was no chance I will not go.
So obviously I needed to devise a game plan. First thing is first - I took Hidai with me. I usually try not to leave home without him. Second thing, I rummaged through my closet until I found clothes of the  non jeans kind, and put on my fancy make-up and jewellery. I even had on my "work" heels.
I was a nervous wreck. I forgot the name of my blog. I think the drinks guy (there was a drinks guy, with uniform) was laughing at me. I didn't know anyone. I wasn't sure what to do, who I was talking to, what's my name, and what is my blog about.
And if that isn't enough (why isn't it never enough I wonder), a very nice Australian girl named Claire approached me and wanted to know if I will be willing to answer some questions for the thing? commercial? three hour long film? she was doing for the Tesco YouTube channel.
Me.
I can't even talk to a regular person without hyperventilation. I tend to forget all the answers whenever I need to give them. I am pathologically shy. I have a funny accent. I am Jewish, what do I know of Christmas???
So naturally I said yes.
Because I also don't like to disappoint people. But deep down I was really hoping she will forget about me. And so, we wandered around the room? hall? ballroom? filled with Christmasy things and very nice people who absolutely terrified me, trying to find what I will write about come Christmas shopping time. Mine isn't a life-style / product reviews / foodie blog. And really, nobody even reads it.
Yes, the numbers do lie.
As it happened Claire didn't forget about me, and after she finished assuring me for three hundred times that it will be fine, shoved a microphone down my dress, and repositioned me for what felt like at least twenty minutes (about three in reality), I actually went for it and interviewed for the first time in my life. Did I mention I am camera shy? I don't even like it when I have to pose for stills...
I talked about Christmukah (Christmas & Hannuka), what you do in Hannuka, how we celebrate Christmas, and told the whole world (or the Tesco's YouTube channel subscribers) that we eat chocolate for breakfast on Christmas Day.
It was all over in a few short minutes (I needed three takes on the first question. At least nobody yelled "cut!"), and though I swear the whole room was looking at me funny, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. And now as a seasoned interviewee, I have some tips Claire told me, and I will tell you for whenever you next need to interview - look at the interviewer and not the camera, smile, and integrate the question within your answer.
And wear clothes where they can easily shove the microphone.

Claire said they won't cut out all my bits for some reason, so you'll be able to see me whenever the ads for Christmas start coming out. Don't worry, I'll probably put it here. Or they will cut me out.
Thank God Yon's schedule is a great excuse for everything, so after one more person I talked to without knowing who they were, a glass of lemonade and a last glance around, we made our retreat in a very dignified way.
As we were walking around Regent St. towards the tube, marvelling at London in the sun, at the turists, at life, it really struck home how much my life had changed in the last year, how much I've accomplished.
And also, I got a goody bag.

* Just so you know, this post was not sponsored by anyone other the one who sponsors all my posts - Hidai :)