If you believe social media (a big if) lockdown has been the perfect opportunity to learn a new language, write a novel, get fit and bake the perfect sourdough loaf. All of this while working from home, caring for family and preserving one's mental health. To those of us who are perfectionists everyday involves this [...]
Unfortunately recovery is not a question of waking up one morning to see a golden dawn knowing that you have won. There are no rainbows, no unicorns and there are days when you really don't want to continue to fight. You may relapse – that is part of recovery – sometimes you have to [...]
I am not good enough – whatever I do, whatever I achieve I am not good enough. This is the constant soundtrack to my life – the voice that I can never silence. As a child I thought that academic success was the answer – that if I passed enough exams, if I was top [...]
British politics at the moment is dominated by one issue – Brexit. A referendum supposedly fought to 'take back control' now sees the Prime Minister taking over negotiations as she can not rely on her Cabinet or her own Party. There is no majority in Parliament for any of the rumoured solutions – none of [...]
It has become a commonplace – every time a celebrity dies before their time I assume that the cause is suicide as the result of depression. Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain, Lucy Birley, Ellie Soutter – a roll call of people who seemed to have it all – money, success, rewarding work, friends and family, but [...]
We live in febrile political times – rational polite debate is a thing of the past and the voices we hear are strident and allow for no compromise. Donald Trump transformed a reputation as a loud contrarian into a political career and his base continue to repeat his words, with little thought or evidence. Boris [...]
Since Brexit I have often felt close to tears observing politics on both sides of the Atlantic – the alternative is hysterical laughter and stunned disbelief. But never more so then when watching Netflix's latest documentary – 'Bobby Kennedy for President', directed by Dawn Porter. In 1968 when Kennedy ran for president the US was [...]
It has been impossible to watch the media in the last few weeks without seeing yet another high profile (male) celebrity accused of sexual misconduct. Some of the accounts are unsurprising – men who had a 'reputation', who worked in industries where exploitation seemed to be the norm. But this is not only about Hollywood [...]
Almost six months into recovery – it is time to ask myself what is the point? Because to be honest recovery – even though I am still in the very early stages and it is so much better than the alternative – is not enough. There has to be a point to living a healthier [...]
When I first moved to Manchester with my family all I knew was that George Best lived here! In retrospect I think he had already moved on, but he cast a giant shadow. Later I realised that the city was not only the home of football, but of radicalism and of a multi-cultural population which [...]
