Task 18..All Will Be Revealed..

It is fair to say that second to the piercing the streak has gained the most curiosity. When I first mentioned the idea of a nice warm beach with just me and a mate I didn't think it would be too hard to do, but apparently that was a bit too easy for some people. It soon became clear there are 'rules' to a streak..

1. It had to be outside
2. It had to be a sporting event
3. There had to be more than 1 person there

It wasn't until one night in my local pub that my 2 friends Lucy and Tori came up with the idea of doing the streak at one of the local football teams games- Stonnall FC. I have worked on and off in The Old Swan in Stonnall since the age of 16 when I got my first job as a waitress. It is your typical village pub where everybody knows everyone but I wouldn't change it for the world. I would count most of the customers as friends and they have always been so supportive of all my charity tasks. Even atthe moment they have a CRY bucket on the bar collecting everyone change.

Even though the idea of doing a streak in front of people I know was daunting the more I thought about the more I came round to the idea. They would all know why I was doing it and it ticked all the right boxes for the 'rules of a streak'. I thought it was only fair that the 2 ladies who thought of the idea be in on it and it just happened that Lucy's dad is secretary so she was able to find out the dates of the games. Time was against us as there wasn't too many games left of the season so when a home game on Tuesday 17th April came up I knew it was now or never. Tori was kind enough to offer her house as the location and we had a very long facebook message going on making arrangements!

Contrary to what some may say I do see myself as a sophisticated and shy lady *ahem!* so I had to protect my modesty somehow. We had the idea of painting on a football kit so it kept with the theme of the event and kept whatever dignity I had left. After hours of Internet searching I finally found the perfect product to do the job 'liquid latex'. It does what it says on the tin and is literally a body paint that drys like a latex/rubber skin. I ordered a bottle of blue and black as I was reassured this would be the team's colour and all that was left to do was wait for the big day!

I awoke on the Tuesday morning in a particularly bad mood, it was cold and grey outside and the liquid latex still hadn't arrived!  I hated not knowing whether it was actually going to go ahead or not and the idea of streaking in torrential rain or even worst HAIL did not appeal in the slightest. It appeared the odds were against us as 5pm came and still no sign on the paint...and it was still raining! I reached my Mothers house (where the paint was due to be delivered) and felt a wave of relief. Even though I had to think of a new idea now least I didn't have to get naked that night or risk pneumonia...then I saw a brown package sitting on the doorstep. I knew straight away what it was and my heart sank. There was no going back now, I text the girls and it was all systems go. I rushed home grabbed an old dressing gown, towels, football socks, trainers and little else. When I reached Tori's house at 6pm there was no time to waste as kick off was 6:30pm. Anxiety began to take over but I knew I was in safe hands when the girls started drawing designs of the kit and how best to cover my nipples?! It was never going to be a comfortable position but I stripped off and the girls began painting away. They were taking it very seriously as they drew panels on my sides to slim my silhouette and even had hairdryers on me to dry the paint for touch-ups. Conversation soon turned to the route of the streak and a strategy was devised for how to get me to the alley way to hide behind a tree and Lucy would be waiting at the other side of the pitch with a dressing gown. It was as comical as it sounds! We made the finishing touches to my 'kit' and was on way to the playing fields, it wasn't till I actually got there and heard the shouting of the players that I started to actually consider what I was doing. It was going to be humiliating- what if I fell over? what if they saw my cellulite? and worst of all- what if someone rugby tackled me to the ground??

Tori and I hid behind the tree as Lucy got into place and gave us the nod. I wanted nervously but there was no way I was budging. My chest felt tight- most probably due to the latex that was drying faster by the second- and the pitch started to look bigger and bigger. The ball got kicked out towards us and I saw the goalie come running over. I knew this was my chance and I shouted at him to not kick the ball. He seemed a little startled that a girl in a pink dressing gown was hiding behind a tree and still puzzled answered 'What?!' I took a deep breath and replied 'Dont kick the ball back because I am about to streak!'..the goalie was still bemused but before he could answer back I threw my dressing gown to the floor and ran as fast as my legs would carry me (whilst holding my stomach in, pushing my boobs out and attempting to control my jiggly bum- of course). It seemed liked the longest thirty seconds of my life. I have never heard 23 blokes (including the ref) so quiet. At first I don't think anybody quite realised I had no clothes on until someone politely informed everyone it looked cold outside (cringe!). I finally reached Lucy at the other end and she threw the dressing gown over me. I was greeted with a cheer from the teams and spectators and could breathe a sigh of relief it was over. I felt guilty that I had potentially ruined there game but they were all good sports and I am pleased to announce Stonnall won the game too!

I know what you are all thinking- great story but where are the pictures? Before you look I apologise for any potential nightmares and to my family- I hope you can forgive me one day!

Reassuring??

Painted up

ok so maybe i did have knickers on!

Ready to go

And shes off....

He obviously wasn't too impressed!

Safely at the other end

Stonnall ended up playing in orange- doh!

BIG BIG BIG thank you to Lucy and Tori for being the best helpers/arrangers/painters/friends ever and making the experience as easy as possible! Also, thank you to both teams for allowing me to stop the game for a few minutes! I think I can easily say the hardest part of the task was getting the paint off- it took over an hour and I am still finding it on my body!

If you think what I did was worth of a few pennies then you can donate at www.justgiving.com/23b423 or alternatively spread the word of my blog on facebook and twitter. You can follow me @thegracecollins and I love your emails grace.collins@live.co.uk

Another task due to be completed in 2 weeks!! xx

Task 23: Dont look down..

Since my bungee jump was booked a few weeks ago, people have kindly been telling me horror stories of what could happen to me- most commonly my eyes popping out or more recently the bungee snapping and falling into crocodile infested water- so I think I could be forgiven for pushing this task to the back of mind? After weeks of ignorance the 7th April was upon me and I was on my way to the West Midlands water ski centre. Although I have been labelled as a bit of an adrenaline junkie in the past I am always struck with horrific nerves. Even before going on a date (perhaps since one of my first tasks- the blind date) or going somewhere I have never been before my tummy will be doing somersaults. As we made our way round the bends of the road I suddenly spotted the crane in the distance...oh ****! Excuse my language but seeing what you are about to throw yourself off is enough to make anybody swear. The location wasn't quite as glamorous as I had hoped and the field full of caravans did nothing to calm my nerves. However as I approached the site it all seemed very organised and professional and I started to feel at ease. As I stood at the bottom of the crane I thought about how 160ft couldn't be that high right? WRONG- just as I began to calm down a girl had jumped and made the biggest shriek I have ever heard.

As I signed in and got in the queue to be harnessed more of my family and friends began to arrive. It was lovely to have them there but it also made it impossible to back out now. The queue went down quickly and it wasn't until I had my feet strapped up that the nerves really kicked. I felt my knees shaking and drops of rain was hitting my face making my teeth chatter together. Not even the bloke in front of me who decided to do it in just his boxers could distract my thoughts away from what I was about to do. There was only one girl left between me and my jump and as we was a similar build she would be a good one to watch...that was until she did the most ungraceful jump I have ever seen. She seemed to fall like a rag doll and just like the earlier girl she screamed her heart out. As she slowly got brought back to the ground I saw all eyes turn to me. I cannot fault the team there as they did everything possible to reassure me, introducing themselves, trying to make me laugh..which all worked well until we started to go up in the air and got higher and higher and higher. Suddenly 160 ft was a LONG way up and the cheers from the spectators got quieter and quieter. Dan opened the gate and I shuffled to the ledge, I promised myself I would not look down so I stared across the eerily still lake in front of me. This was it, mind over matter... "1, 2, 3..bungee!!!!" Dan said....I didn't budge. My heart was racing and as he said it again "1,2,3 bungee!!" on that one I pushed out as far as possible and felt the rush of air on my face. The wind howled in my ears as I plummeted further down and then suddenly sprang back up. The relief was incredible and the only way I could describe the feeling is going on oblivion at alton towers- minus the roller coaster. It felt incredible and unlike the skydive I would happily do another one..perhaps even bigger? Ask me again in 6 months when the novelty has wore off!

Just so you don't all think I am lying below are a few of the pictures...Enjoy!

Nervously waiting

About to go up!

Moment of truth

Gone

 

Most amazing experience ever

..although it may not show by the face

Safely back down to earth

If you enjoyed reading my hell and think it is worth a few pennies then please feel free to donate at.. www.justgiving.com/23b423

Many Thanks xx

Task 11...6 Years On And Still Mountains To Climb

I have always believed the phrase 'time is a healer' is a cliche, but this weekend I actually understood the true meaning. The 23rd March marked the 6 year anniversary of my brother Oliver (the inspiration of my blog) passing away. Anniversaries are always difficult no matter how many years has gone by and no matter who has been lost. This year was different to the anniversaries before as I wasn't going to be spending it at home. This year I was going to Wales- my second home after (reluctantly) spending many weekends and summer holidays there from the age of 6. I am pleased to say I have grown to love Cymru and it is the only place I truly relax. However this weekend was going to be anything but relaxing as I had arranged to complete another task off the list.

Oliver, David, Me, Adam...enjoying an ice cream in Wales

I am lucky enough to have a truly amazing group of friends. The 10 of us have stuck together through tears, giggles, heartbreak and many many hangovers, since meeting at school and I wouldn't be where I am today without them. We couldn't be more different yet more similar at the same time and I am proud to introduce them to you-

Emily A- has been been my best friend for as long as I can remember and I dread to think how many phone bills we have rung up over the years. There will never be enough hours in the day for all our talking as there is no-one in the world that knows my better than 'our Em'.

Alison- is the best housemate anyone could ask for. Since I met her in Junior school as the girl with the bright blue fleece who stopped laughing our friendship has grown and she would do anything for anybody.

Alice- is one of a kind- partial to a cocktail (or six) and the ability to talk the ear off anybody..there is never a boring moment with Alice around.

Sophie- our very own style icon. My partner in crime when it comes to Saturdays nights in wearing pj's, eating curry and drinking wine discussing the highs (and many lows) of the male kind.

Laura- honoured to be her bridesmaid in October and one of my oldest friends. She takes laid back to a whole new level but we wouldn't want her any other way.

Emily B- my fellow gambler and one of the nicest people you could meet. In stark comparison to Laura, Emily is miss organised and the mother hen on our girlie weekends.

Eve- we will always share a special bond, and whilst we would both wish it was through different circumstances I know I can always turn to Eve for a cup of tea and a chat about life.

Amy- brings the glamour to the group. Never to be seen without heels and a designer bag she never fails to turn heads but we will always know her as the girl who can barely handle her bacardi breezer
;-)

Christina- there are no words to describe Christina, she is one of a kind but has a heart of gold- hence the reason she knows everybody..and I mean everybody...your neighbour's, Brother's, Son's, Auntie will probably be related to Christina somehow.

So there you have my friends and the lucky girls who were persuaded to complete a task with me. When I first suggested they all do the bungee jump with me I was met with a series of 'No's' (I cant repeat what some of them said back) so when the idea of Snowdon came up they were all happy to get involved...and relieved my second choice wasn't the streak!

I decided to choose my brothers anniversary as I felt the climb really did symbolise the last 6 years- uphill without an end in sight..a struggle..hurdles in the way..but helping you each step are the people that care for you most.

We woke at 6am- from the noise of Eve putting on the kettle (she really does love tea) and slowly all began to get ready. I would like to say that we were all dressing for sensibility and comfort but with 8 girls there was always going to be discussion on style. There are not many people that can pull off thermals, walking boots and an over sized pair of ear muffs but we did a pretty good job...

Laura, Em A, Alice, Alison, Me, Emily, Eve, Sophie

I think it is fair to say we had all underestimated the next 2 and a half hours. Even though we had 2 guides in the shape of Jerry (an old friend of the family) and his friend Ron, my description of 'its just a dirt track' couldn't of been further from the truth. As we began our trek at approx 8:20am we were met with an extremely challenging start. Not knowing where to put each foot next I genuinely began to get concerned that we weren't going to make it. As the suns rays got stronger and more layers came off the novelty of such an experience had positivity decreasing by the minute.

Still smiling at the first break...and a lot less clothes

The girls did little to reassure me they were enjoying the experience, when I asked them if they all hated me...no one replied. However, they remained in good spirits and after an hour and a half of climbing we all took on the most challenging part- pure uphill agony- and all took on our own pace. A new wave of motivation of took over and I really wanted to reach the top first and have a quiet moment at the place my Brother had enjoyed many years before. 2 hours and 10 minutes from when we started and I was at the top of Snowdon. It was a truly beautiful sight and worth every ounce of sweat and muscle pain. In the next 20 minutes the rest of the Snowdon 8 (unfortunately 2 of the girls couldn't make it) joined me at the top and I am so proud of each and every one of them. I am sure as much as it hurt they will all agree it was an experience we would never forget.

proudly ticking Task 11 off my list

The relief of reaching the top was soon replaced with fear as we realised that we had to get back down again- equally as challenging. There was a few slips along the way but we did get to see some amazing views. The weather could not have been perfect and the sun literally shone down on us all day...

I want to thank Jerry and Rob whom we could never of done this without them, my Parents and Shaun & Paul for supporting us at the beginning and end....and bringing along the champagne. But most of all I want to thank my friends who were willing to help me complete this and also raise some money for C-R-Y. They know I am not one for saying how I feel but I love you all. They made a weekend that could of been so difficult into one that celebrated Oliver's life- thank you, thank you, thank you xx

If you would like to sponsor us for what we achieved or if you have enjoyed any of my other tasks please visit- www.justgiving.com/23b423

Please keep reading to hear about me completing all my other tasks and remember you can come along and watch me complete my bungee jump on Saturday April 7th at the address provided on my previous blog task- taking the plunge.

Many thanks for your continuous support,

Grace xx

Task 10..Red or Black....or erm Zero?!

I definitely take after my Grandad John for enjoying a little gamble. Whether it be Irish lottery, horses, greyhounds, football, casino and most recently a spot of bingo- you can always count on me to put a bet on. However my bets have always been limited to the odd £10 here or there so the choice to put £100 was very exciting!

My friend Emily was adamant she was going to accompany me on this task as we always go to the casino together, so we arranged a Sunday evening as it was going to be nice and quiet. I was surprised quite how nervous I got seen as I was looking forward to this one so much and it was hardly challenging compared to the other tasks. I didn't realise how much money £100 was going to feel until I was getting it out the cashpoint and saw my faithful friend 'overdraft'. When we got to the Grosvenor casino in Walsall the staff were extremely helpful and once we explained the reason we were doing it they offered to open up our own table so we could take pictures as evidence.

Everyone has asked me which colour I was going to bet on and throughout I have always seen myself betting on black. Although red is the colour of the number 23 on the roulette wheel and the strip of my favourite football team- Walsall FC I couldn't help but always picture me winning on the other colour. I have tried to keep quite secretive on my decision and it wasn't until today that I actually started to change my mind. A couple of days ago I had a conversation with my housemate and she asked me which situation I would be more disappointed in- Picking black and it ended up being red- the colour everyone has suggest and had more meaning....or picking red and it ended up being black- the colour I had always stuck by?

still attempting to make a decision...

I was still changing my mind right up until the moment I was sitting in front of the table with my chips in front of me. My palms were sweaty as a small gathering of staff members surrounded us, I refused the option of a few test spins and moved my £100 of chips onto.....

...RED  

I held my breathe as the ball spin round and round praying for luck to be on my side. As the ball stopped I could never of guessed what it was going to fall on....

...ZERO

That's right- not red, not black but bloody zero! The odds to land on zero is 37-1 to just make you realise how unlikely this is! I couldn't hide my disappointment at the extraordinary bad luck...HOWEVER being a keen gambler my friend Emily and I had already prepared for such events and Emily had kindly put £5 on zero- phew! I was still in shock as Emily was handed over £175 and I was left with £25, I'm not sure if I would of preferred it to have been black?!

Being the amazing friend Emily is she kindly offered to help me make up my bet again and we took a second attempt on the bet. We decided to keep to the original choice of red and the ordeal started all over again as the ball span round and round. Surely it couldn't be zero again? It landed on..

...RED

Hurrah! Dignity restored and I could stop seeing the sight of £100 being ripped up in my face (that isn't what actually happens in casino's for those that haven't been but it might as well feel that way!!)

I cannot thank Emily enough for her kind gesture and it worked out for the best in the end as Emily still got to walk away with £175 (minus £50 she generously donated to C-R-Y) and I have £200 sitting very nicely in my purse.

Whilst I am not promoting everyone go out and bet a ridiculous amount of money hopefully you can all take a little gamble in life in some way or another remembering that sometimes the higher the risk the higher the reward ;-)

BIG thank you to everyone at Grosvenor Walsall for making me so welcome and to my amazing friend Emily for her enormous generosity.

Thank you for reading and your continued support as always. I would also like to take this opportunity to update you that my bungee jump will now be taking place at 11:30am on Saturday 7th April as my previous date has been cancelled. Wish me luck!

xx



Task 2: Miami Ink

I do not have fond memories of my first tattoo experience- I was 16, attempting to rebel and it resulted in my Mother not speaking to me for 3 days. I knew it wasn't going to take much to beat my first one but I was adamant in making sure it had a special meaning. I'm not sure how proud Oliver would be of this task- after my first tattoo he called me a 'tart' (typical brother!) however no matter how much tattoo's divide opinion I think you should always respect those who wish to have them.

Choosing my tattoo proved to be more difficult than anticipated, my original idea of the number '23' seemed a bit too predictable so I decided to wait for the perfect one. A few weeks ago I was browsing the Internet and had the idea for the tattoo I wanted. As soon as I saw a few designs I knew it was 'the one'.

Since my brother passed away there has always been special moments when I feel like he is around, and it has been the same for my family. On the day my brother passed away I picked up a white feather from our garden and kept it in my pocket. Since then they have always turned up in the most unusual moments and provided comfort in knowing my brother is around. Whenever they appear (trust me they really are the strangest and unexplainable places) we put them in a little box on our fireplace. I know it may seem daft to some but I genuinely think you cannot comment unless you ever experience something similar. I have spoken to many people who have their own special ways of knowing passed love ones are around.

So today my lovely friend Jazz took me along to Ultimate Art Tattoo in Sutton http://www.ultimatearttattoos.co.uk/index.htm and I was greeted by the lovely Adam. I was petrified to say the least- more so for the pain than the thought of having a tattoo I didn't like! I heard that the ribs is one of the most painful places to have so it was never going to be an enjoyable experience, even with The Simpson's Movie for me to watch (that's what you call customer service). The design was confirmed and before I knew it I was lying on the table and I heard that dreaded noise as the needle came towards me. I wish I could tell you it didn't hurt as much as I imagined but it was actually worse! The only thing to make it better was the hilarious conversation throughout the whole hour and a half torture. For that long you would think I had a dragon on my back but alas I will have to save that one for next time. I am really happy with the result and I am pleased that my Mother is still speaking to me!! The time has come for me unveil my work of art...

Me & the lovely Jazz

Before the needle

Enjoying the Simpson's!

Beginning to take shape..

Adam

PAIN!

Not my prettiest moment



The end result :-)


So another (more painful) task bites the dust. Please keep reading as more tasks are completed and I really appreciate each and every one of you who supports me in what I am doing. I really do hope that in some small way it will make you think more about doing something you have always wanted to do xx

Taking the plunge..

..One of the first ever charity challenges I completed was a skydive in November 2006. I would love to say it was amazing and I wish I could do it again...but that isn't quite how it panned out. It was a cold, grey day and I had to wake at the crack of dawn to get to the site in Nottingham. I hadn't thought much about what I was actually doing until we had a safety talk and got to meet our instructor. My instructor looked like a thin version of Santa and around the same age, but he had a great sense of humour and really did his best to put me at ease. Before I knew it I had got into the smallest, oldest plane imaginable and was slowly climbing to 15,000 ft. No matter how high you think that is..double it!! By some fluke of bad luck I was due to go first but unfortunately it took a little more reassurance for me even to contemplate moving from my spot. Someone else went first and then the finger pointed at me again. It wasn't until the poor lady (who had the job to persuade me to move) mentioned all the people who had donated money that I agreed to it. This seemed to be a signal to my instructor to move quickly as I hadn't even took a breath and I was being hung out the side of the plane. He shouted at me to put my legs under the side and hold my head back and before I knew it the most incredible force was making my cheeks wobble up to my ears. I remember feeling weightless, trying so hard to scream whilst also smiling for the cameraman in my face. After 30 seconds of free fall the parachute was up and I could finally relax taking in the beautiful view. We finally reached the ground and I was greeted by all my family applauding...thank god that was over!

Many moons ago!

....So you're probably thinking why would I now want to do a bungee jump? Honest answer- NO IDEA! It has always been something that has petrified me and I see a lot more danger involved that a skydive- even if it isn't as high. But the fact that I was so adamant NOT to do one was half the appeal of making sure it was on the list. That may not make sense but hopefully by now you will have realised that I love a challenge and I never do things the usual way.

I have very kindly been funded to do the bungee jump by an extremely lovely lady and will always be grateful for her generosity. I am pleased to announce that I will be facing my fear on-

Monday 9th April (Easter Monday) at approx 3pm

West Midlands Waterski Centre,

Tamworth Road,

Cliff,

Warwickshire,

B78 2DL

Spectators are more than welcome and it would be amazing for anybody to come and watch. I cant promise I wont get nervous but I can promise I will definitely do it!

Thank you for your continuous support throughout the tasks and the motivation to keep going and complete the rest. Please remember you can donate online at www.justgiving.com/23b423 if you think what I am doing is worth a few pennies.

Thank you for reading,

Grace x

Task 20: Live on air with Claire

It was Monday lunchtime and I managed to tear myself away from my exciting pasta salad to have a quick peek at my emails. I check my emails daily but mainly receive junk emails from clothes shops and somebody telling me Ive won $5 million dollars...but today was a little different. Top of my inbox was a new email from a lady name Natasha with the subject 'BBC Interview'! I nearly fell off my chair as I opened it and quickly scanned the sentances to find out what it was all about...

'Hi Grace,

Hope you’re ok.

I’m just contacting you from BBC Radio WM and the Adrian Goldberg Show.

We’ve come across your blog and would love to do a feature on it!

Ideally we’d look to do it this Wednesday 8^th, and it’d be great if you can come into the studio?

We’d also love it if we could help you cross something off your list on air if you can think of anything?

Can you get back to me asap.

Really looking forward to hearing from you.

Natasha.'

I sat in silence for a few moments trying to take it all in- it still surprises me how interested people are in the blog. I clicked back into gear and after a few frantic phone calls it was all confirmed for Thursday 9th at 11am. Over the next few days my excitement decreased and my fear grew and grew- what if I sound like the biggest brummie ever? what if I swear? what if I knock my glass of water over and destroy the whole studio with an electrical fire?? There wasn't much time for me to dwell as before I knew it Thursday was upon me and I was up bright and early to ensure I was on time. I listened to BBC WM as I got ready and the car journey to the mailbox and got little butterflies when I heard my story being mentioned on what was coming up on the Adrian Goldberg show. I went to the reception and signed in before having 10 minutes to 'relax' I could not believe I was sitting waiting to go on the radio to talk about such a fanatasic charity and more importantly my amazing brother. I felt my throat tighten,my  palms got sweaty and before I knew it I was being ushered into the studio and sat opposite the red microphone..5..4..3..2..1...

The moment it felt very real

It feels like such a blur when I look back, I was truly petrified and felt like my brain went empty but somehow I managed to string sentances together and even have a laugh with it too. I remember being called Claire alot (cheers Adrian!) and somehow being persuaded to attempt the splits on air (still a little way to go as it hurt alot!). I had such a great time I wish I could do it every week! It was such an amazing experience and hopefully will have inspired a few more people to live for the moment and not wait for tomorrow to do what they really want to do. 

The view of the studio from outside

I cannot thank Adrian, Natasha and Louisa for helping me complete another task and do something I never thought I would have the chance to do.  I decided to replace the dvd boxset in 24 hours with appearing on the radio as it was such a great experience and much more challenging than sitting in my pj's all day!

If you didnt get the chance to hear my interview you can listen online at-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00njvlf and got to 2 hours 15mins to hear in full.

If you have any problem with the link you can search for BBC WM and Adrian Goldberg 09/02/2012. The show is available online for 4 more days so dont miss out!

If you have any ideas for completing other tasks or just wish to drop me an email then please contact me on grace.collins@live.co.uk or you can follow me on twitter @thegracecollins

Thank you for all your support and if you wish to donate a few pennies you can do so www.justgiving.com/23b423

Grace x

7 down..16 to go..

I have been lucky enough to hear from really amazing people over the last few weeks who have stumbled across the blog through followers publicising the links too and I am extremely grateful for that. I thought that now was as good a time as any to give a little update on where I am with the list-

1. Go to New York
2. Get a tattoo
3. Appear on a TV programme
4. Run a charity race
5. Buy a pair of designer shoes
6. Start a blog
7. Learn Welsh
8. Hold a tarantula (or one seriously massive spider!)
9. Go to a music festival
10. Bet £100 on red or black at the casino
11. Climb Snowdon
12. Watch the sunrise on new years day
13. Get a piercing- not ears!!
14. Go on a blind date
15. Volunteer for a day
16. Write the first chapter of my book
17. Go to Paris
18. Streak
19. Ride a motorbike
20. Watch a whole TV box set in 24 hours
21. Go to Scotland
22. Learn to do the splits
23. Do a bungee jump


Even though I have only completed 7 tasks I can assure you the others are well on the way to being completed. The last few weeks have been very busy making arrangements for upcoming tasks- some I can tell you about and some I cant (wouldn't want to spoil the surprise would I?).


I am very pleased to inform you that I will be climbing Snowdon in March and even more excited to update that my best friends will be joining me along the way too! I really appreciate them all committing to what is going to be quite a challenge- the most we've ever climbed is the stairs to the second floor of a club!!! I have decided upon a weekend that is due to be a difficult one for my family so I am very honoured to have them with me to ensure it is a positive experience.


Whilst Snowdon is sure to test my endurance it will also be acting as training for what is install for task number 4. Half an hour ago I signed up for the Stratford 220 Triathlon- that's right..a TRIATHLON! Just in case you are thinking I have been drinking I can safely say I haven't. The people closest to me will agree I never do things by halves and enjoy a good challenge so it seemed a great idea. I looked into races coming up before June but I didn't quite think the local fun run was going to cut it- so on the 13th May I will be completing a 200m swim, 23km cycle and finally a 2.5km run. I am extremely nervous but hoping to see it as a way to get myself healthy and hopefully help with learning to do the splits to!

I have already started my training as I am currently completing a boot camp with http://www.freshairgym.co.uk/ and with the help of some great people will be fighting back cramp and stitch until the 13th May. Come rain or sun or SNOW I will do this....




Smiling through the agony of finishing my 3rd boot camp session



I hope you can all support me along the way and there will be another task completed before the end of the month too.

Remember you can donate to support the fantastic charity CRY at www.justgiving.com/23b423 if you would like more information on the charity I am raising money for please read the blog post 'Make a difference'.

Much love as always for reading.

Grace xx

Make A Difference...

January has certainly set the bar for the rest of 2012...

Back in October last year- when I first began my list- I wrote to the magazine Company (www.company.co.uk) explaining what I was doing. I was completely surprised when they quickly wrote back to me loving the idea and wanting to feature it somehow in the magazine. I expected it would perhaps feature in the letters section but was overwhelmed when they replied wanting to do an article in their February issue. After a few emails and a 2 hour long phone call the interview was complete and now the wait was on for the issue to come out. I didn't have too high expectations as any mention of my blog in the magazine was going to be an achievement but when the magazine hit the shelves on the 12th January I was in for a complete shock. I don't remember the drive to the shop very well as I was filled with a mixture of excitement/nerves/apprehension. I quickly scanned the shelves until I finally lay my eyes on the front cover. I opened the first page and a lump hit my throat when I saw '23 things to do before 23' in the contents page under 'features'. My fingers could not get to the page quick enough and when I reached page 88 and saw the illustration of my face I could not hide my joy. I had a few funny looks as I let out a little shriek and grinned like a cheshire cat as I read the whole article. I must of stood there for 10 minutes going over and over every word. I showed a lady next to me and she was equally as excited, promptly putting a copy in her trolley to take home too.

I can already see the amount of interest the magazine has generated with now closing in on 4000 views, more followers on twitter and blogger and facebook 'like's'. The most unexpected part has been the emails I have received from people who have came across the blog and enjoyed it that much they wanted to thank me. A lot of people have also mentioned being able to donate to the charity. I was hesitant at first in setting up the justgiving page so soon as I did not want to put pressure on people. The main reason for the blog has always been to promote people to think differently about life and raise the profile of the charity C-R-Y but I have no doubt that I will complete all the tasks on my list- even if it bankrupts me!

 I have taken the plunge and can proudly present to you my justgiving page at- www.justgiving.com/23b423

If you have enjoyed reading my tasks so far and would like to donate a pound or two it would be greatly appreciated. Every penny will go to the charity and they are always so thankful for the money they receive enabling them to buy equipment, fund heart screening days and continue their research. You really will be making a huge difference to people lives and even saving that of your own. C-R-Y work tirelessly to encourage EVERY person from 14-35 to have their heart tested for undiagnosed heart conditions.

The below Midlands campaign may help you understand-

More information on the work C-R-Y completes can be found at- http://www.c-r-y.org.uk

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and another task will be completed shortly.

Many thanks for your support as always, you can contact me at grace.collins@live.co.uk or follow me on twitter at @thegracecollins. I have also made it possible for you to add comments to posts without a google account so if there are any previous tasks you have enjoyed please leave a comment.

Grace xx

Task 12: Bring Me Sunshine..

New years day and my housemate knocks on my door to say my Mum is on her way. I look at my phone and as my eyes gain focus I see 7:30am and 4 missed calls *Urgh* Through the haze of last nights alcohol I remember its time to complete another task. When I chose to watch the sunrise on new years day I thought it would be one of the easier tasks to complete...I probably forgot how early I would have to get up with a severe hangover to boot.

I pulled on whatever clothes were around and made my way downstairs tip-toeing round the empty beer cans, party poppers and other remainders of last nights party. It looked cold, windy and grey outside but off I went to welcome the first sunrise of 2012- my commitment to this list had never been so tested. Luckily my Mum and Dad had been a little more sensible when it came to planning and had very kindly offered to come and pick me up to ensure I actually completed the task and could enjoy myself a little on new years eve. We had checked the times of the sunrise online a few times and I was quite shocked to learn that it was approximately 8:15am. It was starting to look quite bright outside already and I got nervous we were going to miss it. What people do not realise is that when it actually goes bright outside this is not sunrise, this is only dawn. To get a little scientific with you- dawn is the time that marks the beginning of the twilight before sunrise. It is recognised by the presence of weak sunlight, while the sun itself is still below the horizon. Dawn should not be confused with sunrise, which is the moment when the leading edge of the sun itself appears above the horizon.


So with my fake eyelashes still clinging on for dear life we made our way to out first spot which unfortunately ended up being hidden by tree's. With a little time we made our way to our second spot which was perfect..the same could not be said for the weather and it was too cloudy for the sunrise that day. As much as I was not happy with the early rise, hangover (and serious need for a bacon sandwich) I was really disappointed we had come all this way to not see it.


Cutting a lonely figure on new years day



Attempt 2:

The very next day we made our way to the same spot with a new person too- my Grandad. Whilst the early morning was still not appealing, being free of a hangover did ease getting up this time. We got there nice and early and whilst there was still some cloud we would definitely be able to see the sunrise this time- result! I must admit as we waited patiently with the wind howling round us I was not expecting anything spectacular. I only chose this task when I did my (brief) research into the list I read that at some point in your life you should watch the sunrise on new years day.

Really impressed with the second early morning

However, I was pleasantly surprised when at approximately 8:17am we saw the smallest slither of sun poke up above the east. It was amazing how quickly it rose from the horizon and within a minute we could see the whole sun. It truly was breathtaking and I was so pleased I had made the effort to see something I had never seen before and doubt will ever see again...

Ta-Dar!

Big thank you to my parents for coming with me..twice and my grandad for taking great pictures.

I would recommend you all watch the sunrise at some point in your life as it was truly breathtaking.

Happy New Year to you all xx

Fairwell 2011

Starting this blog has by far been my highlight of 2011. What started as a joke has become one of the best things I have ever done and it is thanks to you all who are taking the time to read and support me along the way. There is still a long way to go.....probably a lot of months in my overdraft and some occasions when I wonder why on earth I am putting myself through this?!?...(note read my post 'the reason behind it all' if I feel that way!)

2012 is shaping up to be an equally exciting year as I tick off the rest of the tasks. The blog is also continuing to gain media interest, after featuring in the Express & Star I am overwhelmed to have a piece in the next issue of Company magazine and also on their website.

New year is always a time for reflection, for some it will be a year they would rather forget, others their best year to date. No matter what 2011 has meant to you I hope 2012 is your year of happiness, remember only you hold the power to make it that way. I made the enormous decision to leave my job in November, meaning I have no idea (literally) what 2012 will bring February onwards. It is scary/exciting times- some may say insane but sometimes you need to put yourself in that position to let life take you in a different direction. This year I really found out the person I am and more importantly the person I want to become. I realised that I am too superstitious, never allowing myself to enjoy the moment in case it all goes horribly wrong- there's a resolution for the new year!

So perhaps when thinking of your resolutions have a read through the past post's and hopefully it will give you a little inspiration for something to achieve in 2012?

Please continue to support my list of things to do where possible. There is a facebook page under '23 things to do before 23' that you can join, follow me on twitter @thegracecollins and also email me at grace.collins@live.co.uk

Have a great New Year everybody whatever you have planned and see you in 2012! X

I cannot promise that your year is going to end like this but it is a pretty amazing photo of Oliver's favourite place!

Task 15: A very different Christmas

It is 4pm on Christmas day and I am just settling down to unwrap my presents. Normally by this time I have opened every gift, battling indigestion and preparing for an afternoon nap before attempting to play card games with the grandparents. This year however is slightly different, by 10am I was at a local nursing home volunteering and helping with their very special day. The care home deals with physical disabilities and I don't think I was prepared for the people I was going to meet. On what could of been such a difficult day I have never felt such a positive and welcoming atmosphere. All the carers were so enthusiastic in ensuring the residents had as festive a day just like anybody else and the home was decorated with your usual Christmas trees and also in birthday decorations for a lovely resident who turned 60 today.

I was honoured to meet every resident as they all got ready for their Christmas dinner, whilst each had a different disability they all shared the same cheeky personality and heart warming smile. Not all could speak well but that smile could speak a million words with how much it meant to be able to celebrate Christmas. Throughout the 4 hours there were highs and lows, one moment of laughter could be met with floods of tears and I am not going to lie and say I found it easy. I have a new found respect for any carer who have the patience and kindness to do this everyday and I think a lot of people do not appreciate the work they do. I truly appreciate being able to surround myself with family every Christmas but for some a carer is the only face they will see today.

There was one gentleman in particular that was very special, when having a discussion about the make-up I wore and presenting yourself he assured me 'beauty is only skin deep'. I havent forgotten this and found this so profound- I soon remembered that the way I dress or do my hair will not make me a better person. It is what is on the inside that counts and all the people I met today are truly beautiful inside and out.

I hope in the time I spent there I was able to make some difference to their Christmas- even with washing up not being my strong point!! All evening I have thought about what they are all up to, which is a refreshing change from wondering what my next facebook status should be or watching eastenders Christmas special. I was privileged to spend time at the home and will definitely be returning to visit them all again. I urge everybody to take one day out of 2012 to volunteer and perhaps give their lives a little perspective that so many of us need.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and thank you for reading X



My amazing family- a lovely personalised Chritmas decoration from our neighbours



Spare a thought..

Grief is unique to each and every person. Everybody deals with grief differently and at different times, there is no right or wrong way. Before my brother Oliver passed away I had never experience losing someone close to me, in fact I had never even been to a funeral. Personally I was extremely private with my grief, on my bad days I would want to be alone and rarely would want people to see me cry, to this day I do not like people to see me cry. Other members of my family would want to be surrounded by close friends and family, others would want to try to carry on as normal. It was definitely a testing time for my rock solid family- prior to losing Oliver we were invincible and probably took for granted how lucky we were to be so close and to enjoy such happy family memories. I am pleased to say we all stuck through every knock together and could never of survived those times without each other, we still continue to support each other every day. We will never be the same again and every family occasion is overshadowed by the people missing but we will always unite in their memory as they would of wanted us to.

Christmas is an extremely sensitive time of year. Not everybody is fortunate to have families they can turn to, and this is the point I want to make in this blog entry. Whilst my blog is intended to bring much laughter and inspiration, please also spare a thought for those who may be finding this time of year extremely difficult. For some it may be their first year without a loved one, for others it may be their fifth, tenth.. Just because someone is not vocal about their sadness does not mean it is not there. So if you know someone who will be missing someone at this time of year, or who may not have many people to talk to -send a card, pop in to see them, write a letter.. You have no idea how much the simplest gesture can mean to someone who thinks no-one remembers.

Throughout my blog I will be supporting different charities as well as my main charity CRY. I would like to bring your attention to the charity TCF- The Compassionate Friends.

TCF is a charitable organisation supporting bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents following the death of a child/children. They are passionate in supporting others through forums, meetings and sharing memories. TCF has been such great support to Oliver's Dad Shaun he is now a trustee and set up the Birmingham group.

Please take a moment to have a read of their website http://www.tcf.org.uk/ and any donations would be appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, I hope you all have a lovely Christmas as I intend to - raising a glass to my very special Brother Oliver and Grandad George. Both missed everyday and never forgotten.

I will be back soon with the next of my challenges xx



Oliver (left) and his best mate Steve 'Phippsy' before their Christmas day pint



Task 13: Unlucky for some..

After the traumatic spider holdings I thought that my next task would be a walk in the park. One of the tasks that has always caused much discussion was number 13- the piercing. Of course, the obvious is the ears however that was the only place it was not allowed to be. Everyone had their own opinion on where it would be or usually where it should not be! I have always been quite strong minded so there was one place that shone out for me. Lots of eyebrows were raised and questions..would it hurt? what about if it goes wrong?

Up until a week before I was pretty adamant on where it was going to be until there was a few disapproving comments. I then started to think about other places, it had to be somewhere that could be hidden and wouldn't compromise my job either- that was any face piercings out the picture. No matter how many options people gave no other place would compare.

There was a particular person who inspired me to go ahead with the piercing. At the time it had been touch and go whether I went ahead (nerves were getting the better of me) but then I had a message from an old school friend. Kelly Haley- who was happy to be named- sent me the nicest message I have received since starting my blog. Kelly and myself go way back to when we used to get the same bus to school everyday and share our love of Christmas. Anyone who knows Kelly is aware she is one of the nicest people you could meet with a heart of gold and the humour to cheer up anyone. Kelly lived up to her caring nature again and offered to help with one of my tasks, aware that I was going to have an expensive few months. When I told her about my next task it seemed quite fitting she would sponsor it- thank you Kelly!

I had a week off work and was going to visit my friend Erin* in Cambridge. We found the perfect place down a backstreet (it was clean honest Nan!) called Tattoo Crazy, and after a reassuring chat with them I was actually getting quite excited for it. They advised me to have something to eat first and have lots of sugar (not quite as reassuring). In typical sophisticated fashion we had a burger, bit hard to stomach when you know the incredible pain on its way. We headed back to the place and before I knew I was exposing myself to the unfortunate lady who had the task of piercing me. Due to health and safety we was not able to get any pictures of the piercing taking place, which I was very pleased to hear.

So if you haven't already guessed my piercing was.. (NO not down there!)...my nipple!!

For anyone who has had their nipple pierced the pain is horrific. I have to admit that the lady who did it could not of been any nicer and took her time in making sure it was in the right place. One deep breath the clamp was on and the needle through. Aside from the feeling of being stabbed it wasn't too bad and I was given a mirror to 'admire' the results. I am surethere will be mixed reactions to the place and questions as to why I didn't go for my bellybutton or nose etc but I am happy with it and its something different. The feeling after I had done it was great and even though it still aches a day later I do not regret it at all.

WARNING PICTURE BELOW....

Whilst I will not be posting a picture of my nipple to protect my dignity you can briefly see the bar below as proof!

Big thank you again to everyone at Tattoo Crazy in Cambridge, Kelly Haley for sponsoring the task and Erin* for coming with me!

If anybody has any comments or idea's for other the tasks please do not hesitate to contact me at grace.collins@live.co.uk

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