Inspiration Invitations: Grace Dent

Having sunk a glass or two of the rather lovely dark variety of wine, this could be a very strange piece. I apologise in advance, but equally, this could be the best blog you've ever read. So keep your eyes peeled.

This is the third instalment of my series, known as 'Inspiration Invitiations'. As explained before, this is a set of posts that depict and display the people who inspire me, and it's me inviting you to be inspired by them too. Simple.

Today, it's the turn of the lovely Grace Dent. Now there's not a lot to say, to be quite honest with you, other than the fact she is the reason I want to be a journalist.

There's hundreds and thousands of journalists around the globe, all reporting on different things. But nobody can get away with the tone and the language Grace uses, and still make it funny, interesting, and make you looking forward to the next article.

Her TV OD series for the Guardian has me in stiches every week - because she says what she thinks, and what we all think. It's a remarkable gift to have, and she most certainly has it.

I have wanted to be a journalist since the age of 11, and at about 14 I found her works for the first time. And that's the reason I decided that was my life ambition, and that's what I want to do for a career. She made that decision for me by becoming my role model.

I want to be able to write what I want, when I want to, with the same tone she does. I want to be able to speak my mind, and have that accepted by the vast majority of my readers. I want to be as successful as she is, and become the most wonderful person she is.

I met her at Twight Night at the turn of the month, and was so unbelievably starstruck by her that I couldn't even say two words to her. The fact she was sat in a chair with Caitlin Moran made it all the better, and I had to ask isobel to keep me sane.

If it weren't for Grace, her wonderful writing, and her brilliant personality, I wouldn't want to be a journalist. I'd be a travel agent, or an assistant in Asda, or a cotton weaver in the 1860's. But it is thanks to her that my life has a plan and an ultimate goal, and I'm very very proud to say she has influenced that.

If you get a chance, go find her writing - you won't be disappointed. Likewise with her most recent book, 'How To Leave Twitter' - one of the best pieces of writing released this year.

Thankyou Grace - from the very very bottom of my heart. You have helped make my dreams become a reality.

Taken from General Musings of an Idiot: http://www.gmoai.com

Inspiration Invitations: Lewis Wiltshire

I'm slacking already, and for that I apologise profusely. But today brings about the second in my 'Inspiration Invitations' series.

To explain the concept of Inspiration Invitations is a pretty easy thing to do. These posts are the people that have inspired me, and therefore I'm inviting you to let them inspire you too. Hence the name.

And the penny drops....

There's one man that I feel is very deserved of a post with the Inspiration Invitations tag. He's been a big influence for me, yet hardly any of you will know who he is. But I bet you've used his website.

Lewis Wiltshire is the former Editor of the BBC Sport website, and is now the Digital Olympics Editor, alongside Social Media Editor, both still for BBC Sport. I've had the privilege of meeting Lewis, and getting to know him via social networks. And if I do say so, he's bloody brilliant.

As you all know, I wish to become a sports journalist, and my dream from about the age of 12 is to worth for the BBC Sport online team. Therefore, the person I needed to learn from, and to aspire to, was Lewis. A quick Google, a few clicks, and I was following him on Twitter. And that's where this story sort of begins and ends.

I won't bore you with Tweets and conversations, but Lewis has been a massive help. He's advised and helped, and in a way, become a role model for me to aspire to. But most of all, he's inspired me.

There was a point around Christmas last year that I has 'writer's block,' and I did consider giving up on my dream, and just looking for another. I've always enjoyed teaching, so I could do that. And I like advertising and marketing, too, so there's another avenue to explore. But it was one solitary email from Lewis that got everything back on track, and since then I've been more focused and determined than ever.

I hate rejection - it's the worst feeling in the world by a living mile. Nobody likes being told they're not good enough, or that what they've spent so long working towards isn't going to happen. And that's why I can't be beaten on this one. Lewis has been someone to look up to, not only in a professional capacity, but in a personal one too.

I have a few dreams in life. I'd like to open a patisserie in a suburb in the States. I'd like to visit China, and go to Beijing. I'd quite like to own a gastropub, and pick the menu. I'd like my kids to grow up and be whoever they want to be. I'd like to work for the BBC, and I'd love to work in TV Centre.

With the Sport department moving to the new MediaCity:UK complex in Salford, and TV Centre slated to close completely in 2017, that dream is seemingly just that - a dream. I would, one day, love to work for Lewis, in whatever role he currently has at that point in time. There's just something exciting and current about his thoughts, ideas, and his team - and it would be (literally) a dream come true to be part of that. Cue cheesy music, awkward glances, and a 'Happily Ever After' sign on the screen.

In all seriousness, Lewis has made me realise a dream, and made me crave it even more. If you're at all interested in writing, journalism, or sport-based media, you have to get in touch with him. I promise you, you won't regret it at all.

Taken from General Musings of an Idiot: http://www.gmoai.com

Inspiration Invitations: Poppy Dinsey

In the lead-up to Christmas, I always start some form of 'blog sets', as I call them - posts with a shared meaning. This year, or certainly to start off with, I want to write about the people who inspire me, and who have made me do something, achieve something, or aspire to something. It's called 'Inspiration Invitations' - cos I want them to inspire you, too.

Back at the start of 2010, I discovered a blog that I had been told about via the means of Twitter, and immediately followed it. It was so different to anything I'd seen before - new, interesting, a genius idea, a great back story, and a woman wonderfully outspoken, but with dignity, integrity, and with that bit of grit you really want to see from every blogger.

That was Poppy Dinsey, and the blog was What I Wore Today.

If you're an avid reader of GMOAI, you'll know I have a bit of an obsession with What I Wore Today, and I tell you all every so often quite how brilliant it is. This may be a tiny blog in a tiny part of the internet, but if I can just make one person have a look and enjoy it, then even better.

Poppy is a massive inspiration for me. The blog was originally a post a day from Poppy's wardrobe - a New Years' Resolution in order to wear more clothes accumulated over the years stashed in her wardrobe. The blog grew and grew, becoming more and more functional, with more and more people getting interested and having a look each and every day, and earlier this year, it became a social network for fashion lovers everywhere. A photo is uploaded, tagged with the items you are wearing, and starred by people if they like it. You can then be directed straight to the top, or pair of jeans, or shoes, or whatever, and buy it straight from the site. She even has a bloody iPhone app, for God's sake.

It wasn't what her blog became though - it was how she did it. She didn't let it all go to her head - she was still very true to herself, and the blog grew around her, rather than her growing around the blog. Obviously, there was an element of that, but you know what I mean.... No big-hitting ego, no monstrous claims, no selling-out to the big boys of the online world. It's still the same old Poppy that we know and love - the sweary, interesting, no qualms, brilliant Poppy.

So why has she inspired me?! For exactly that. Her vision for her blog has made it such a monumental hit, and that's what is so interesting about it all. There's no doubting who Poppy is, because she's the same across everything. It's really been quite brilliant watching the blog grow, seeing her gain the fame the blog deserves, and I'm really excited about where the future takes it all too.

If it weren't for Poppy, I'd certainly never have started My Food Revolution, and posted 365 different meals on a blog. And then the domino effect begins - other blogs wouldn't be where they are, I wouldn't have gained the work experience I got, I wouldn't have met the people I did and I wouldn't have been anywhere near the person and blogger I am now. So in some ways I have Poppy to thank for everything my blogs have led me to so far.

This coming Thursday, I'll finally meet Poppy at the 140 Characters exhibition, hopefully have a photo taken and be able to tag it and upload it to WIWT. Knowing me, mind you, and the way I get so bloody starstruck, I'll just cower in a corner and wave politely.

She will have gained better, more acclaimed praise elsewhere - through her numerous newspaper and magazine interviews, the comments people leave all over the net, and also through her Twitter feed. I dunno if she'll ever find this, but I hope eventually it appears on her Google Alerts and she'll smile that she actually helped change someone's life.

Poppy really has inspired me, What I Wore Today has inspired my blogs, and I hope that both will now inspire you. I really do.

To follow Poppy on Twitter, click here, or to find out what all the fuss about, click here to go to What I Wore Today.

Taken from General Musings of an Idiot: http://www.gmoai.com