Well I've finally been poked into action. When I say poked I mean provoked of course. Provoked into doing something I have been talking about for a very long time. In 2011 the Magdalena Project will celebrate 25 years of activity and I now occupy the hot seat that is the Chair of the Board. Of course we are planning a celebration with a festival of activity in August 2011 and a conference around the same time. Since 1986 Magdalena Projects have been developed across the globe and we are now represented in something like 64 countries. Ironically we have been less active in Wales of late as a result of changing arts funding agendas and priorities as well as key people having other more pressing demands on their time. Getting support for activity is bloody hard work these days and repackaging what you really want to do into a nice accessible box rather takes the edge off ones enthusiasm. But celebrate we will with or without support we are going to have a party - more on the celebrations will follow over the coming months.

But the reason for this blog is that I have agreed to take part in the festival element of the celebration. Finally I will write and perform something. The subject of interest to me is contemporary spinsterhood. What does it mean to be a single female today? I read a review in the Observer some years ago of a history of spinisterhood. I was intrigued to read that once you reach the age of 35 you are eligible to classify yourself as a spinster of the parish. So this got me thinking what does it mean to be a spinster today. If you have made a (positive) choice not to have children or to add a plus one (of either sex) into your life society still views you as 'special' in the sense that you are a curiosity often. The single female is a dangerous element at a dinner party or social gathering - as if you are constantly on the look out for some unsuspecting victim to home in on and hungrily devour! It made me wonder what is the single woman for today. And so I started writing a series of pieces around the people who have been significant in my life - the milestones that made me who I am today - the names of the innocent well I haven't decided yet whether to name and shame or simply leave clues dangling. Perhaps it could be a contemporary form of baiting, a new sport without rules!

Is anyone else interested in contemporary spinsterhood? Are you a contemporary spinster? Do you hate the term spinster or like me find it curiously attractive? If you are interested in this left field subject I'd love to hear from you and maybe we could start a conversation or a support group ha ha!