It's been ages since I've done a blog piece, so now that Summer is gone and it's actually winter I need to stop referring to "this Summer" and maybe the way to do that is to reflect on it and then say goodbye.
TV
It's been a Summer of new experiences, the learning curve has been so steep and I can't remember even half of the cool stuff that's happened. I wish I had a memory, cos I reckon I'd have a bundle of stories to tell. I'm gonna start with the obvious one, that I suddenly became a TV presenter for ITV4's The Cycle Show. This was soooooooo cooooool, I got sent all over the place doing novelty bike stuff and working with really fun, friendly, hard-working and creative people. I can't remember much of it to be honest, it passed by in a whirlwind. Stand out moments were being above the clouds on the Alpe D'Huez at 5.30 am, and losing a camera man Dave inside the clouds for a couple of hours. He couldn't see anything and occasionally heard something and hoped it was us, he never found the race that he was supposed to be filming, he just headed "downwards" until he found a town.
I also remember this gorgeous couple at the Brompton World Champs. We were looking for interesting people to film and spotted this cute girl in purple boots so we got chatting to her, she was from Romania and had travelled over to take part in the BWC with her boyfriend. They had met at a Brompton convention in Romania and fell in love over the bikes, the weekend of the big race he proposed to her, so she was there with her shiney new ring and was totally glowing. So fuzzy.
I remember the phone call with producer Chris "Anna, whats cool and fun in cycling?" Me "well, there's this and this and this" Chris "hmm, you know the more fun it is the more we want you to do it." CAN YOU IMAGINE HAVING A CONVERSATION LIKE THAT?!?!?!?! Imagine being offered to be sent to do all the things you've ever dreamed of. Seriously. Imagine it. It's mind blowing.
I have had a disk made of all my features, I'm glad of that because it's like my album summerising all the fun things I did. It's not like features, it's like a reminder of the times I had on my bikes with my friends.
And it was on TV. That was weird. I didn't get to watch one until about 3 episodes in. I went to my parents house to get at a telly, we all sat down and then, just before my part I jumped up and bolted, but my mum grabbed my arm and forced me to watch it. It was actually quite cool, it was like, Oh Yeah, that's what happened, I remember that.
Oh, and I got spotted once. In a club, by someone who plays golf. I was stoked. He didn't ask for my autograph tho and I guess it's not cool to offer?!
I also got abuse online, I was warned that this would happen as it happens to everyone. But here's something I've got to say to that. It's shit. Nothing can prepare you for it. I'm lucky to have had the support of my friends and lucky to be pretty self confident, because reading shit about you and what people think about you and why they hate you and how ugly you are and blah, blah blah is pretty demoralising.
But I was only upset for less than a day TBH, but it's defo a stand out moment.
AnaNichoola
I also got investment for my clothing business this Summer. So inbetween trying to be a TV presenter, I was also learning how to be a business woman. I've been put up in a lovely office in the building with my investors, so there's always a door to knock on if I need some support. And man, do I need support!!! hahaha! I mean, it's one thing getting absorbed in my sketches, designs, samples and testing, it's another turning that into a functioning, slick business.
The major target on the calendar was Eurobike, which I miraculously got a stand at. Sleepless night after sleepless night took it's toll on me and I noticed my reactions were fucking up, so like, if I looked to the side my eyes would still see the thing I'd been looking at at the front for another second. I started freaking out about sleep, I've heard about people who get panic attacks always look for an escape route wherever they happen to be. Well, every new place I was in I started looking for sleeping places, I'd be like "OK, if they stop talking and go and make a tea, I can go into that corner over there and sleep for 3 mins" I never did it, but it was like an overwhelming, all consuming fantasy.
So with that in mind it made sense to bring Mummy G with me to Eurobike. She was so helpful in helping set up the stand and getting everything in place, but she also made sure we were well fed, and warm and hydrated. She was amazing. She didn't even moan about the fact I'd told her I'd book a hotel but actually we had to sleep in the back of the van for 5 days. She's not a back of a van sort of person.
Businesswise Eurobike was amazing. I was in the clothing hall of this place that's like a magical world of bike stuff. I set up my fake grass and pink bean bags, and felt totally out of place in this world of clean and red/white/black branding. But you know what? We aced it! Ours was by far the most friendly and welcoming stand, people loved looking at the products and then would chill out for ages, chatting about riding and their lives and stuff. I mean, that's what I want my brand to be about, adventures and stories and life and people and riding. And it worked. It's got the ball rolling for 2013 and I just hope we can get a stand again there next year.
Other notable things from this Summer was that I've got properly and sweetly hooked up with Mongoose Bikes. I'll write about that properly another time, as it deserves it's own piece.
I took my cousin to Ireland and discovered a whole load of family I didn't know I had. We drank tea, got on like a house on fire, went surfing, met Big Al Mennie, the big wave surfer (coolest, nicest person EVER by the way, like, ever!!!)
I did an onstage interview with Downhiller Danny Hart and the Buxton Adventure Festival. I was sooo nervous I pulled out about a week before, but the organisers wouldn't let me. Instead they welcomed me into their home, let me watch other presentations and fed me half a bottle of wine before I got on stage. I sat opposite Danny and prayed that he would talk, we had a whole hour to fill and everyone was looking at us!!! And...he was brilliant, so chatty and lovely, he had so much inspirational stuff to say and everyone wanted to hear it. I also asked him how big his balls were. Pretty glad of that wine :-)
It's been nice spending the last month or so with my feet kind of on the ground, I've been able to put time back into my friends and have started riding again. I now have time to cook dinners and try to eat my five a day. It's been a summer of new things that's for sure, new experiences, new designs, new places, new people, new hot-guys, it will be nice now if some of those new things can start becoming not-new, for the dust to settle, and to feel like things are becoming established. New is cool right, because it's the first step to something becoming not-new. And not-new is even cooler in my opinion.
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