The Bookworm's Day Out.

Yesterday I made the decision to travel to Leeds to visit the Leeds Art Gallery, all by myself. This might not be a big issue to a lot of you but I get anxious when I have to do things by myself, even answering a phone call I find scary and don't get me started at answering the door. I would of gone with my friends but one is in Spain, the other in Portugal and another was at work and I really needed to go to the gallery in prep for Uni. I left the house early and made my way to the station which is 20 mins from where I live, the train journey was an hour long which meant I could do some reading, The Last by Hanna Jameson. As I was reading my phone burst into life, I thought it might be my mum only when I looked down it was a number I didn't recognise. I answered when usually I would decline but I was feeling brave. "Phoebe?" a males voice, one I didn't recognise blared out, turns out I had it on loud speaker, my cheeks immediately burned and people turned round to face me. I flicked it onto the right setting, trying not to swear and said "yes?" Now what I am about to tell you was the most surreal thing I have ever experienced. "My name is Tom, (at least I think it was) and I'm calling from school and my Mum would like to buy your painting." I froze, lost for words, what? Is this guy for serious or is this some kind of joke, I couldn't help but wonder. Anyway, long story short I have just sold my first ever painting! I haven't been able to stop smiling.

I made it to Leeds in one piece and managed to find my way to the gallery all by myself with the assistance of google maps. I also managed to get home without getting on the wrong train either, all the while I felt like I was walking on air. So not only did I face my fears of going somewhere I have never been on my own, but I also answered the phone to an unknown number.

I'll be sad to see the painting go as it was painted during a time where I was struggling with my self-esteem and other things, but I now know its time to let go and close that chapter of my life and move on to the next.

Fellow artists and creatives, if you have a passion that you think you might never make any money from don't give up, do what you love.

After all it was just another day in the life as the Yorkshire Bookworm,

Till next time,

Phoebe x