Typecast

Photo by C D-X Living with a disability can be incredibly isolating, especially after the last year’s social distancing measures. You can feel lonely and as though you’re the only person you know who’s struggling. There are ways to manage this feeling of loneliness and ways to minimise its impact on your mental health. Sometimes talking to someone about the way you’re feeling can be too overwhelming. A podcast is a brilliant way to bridge this gap without needing to feel vulnerable and exposed to someone else. You can listen to people talking about their experiences with disability, and the chances are, you might just relate to what they say. Podcasts are hugely beneficial and can help you to feel less alone. Here are a few podcasts that focus on disability and the challenges disability can bring. Airing Pain The presenters of Airing Pain talk about chronic forms of pain with specialists and also share some fantastic resources available for those suffering. This podcast connects people...

Many of my peers - also known as " women of a certain age " - are going through the menopause at the moment and in a weird sort of way, I feel like I'm missing out on being able to join the movement to break down some stigma about it. During my menopause, I blogged about my experiences but I deleted that content (along with a whole load of other blog posts) when I rebooted my blog in 2009 and it's something I totally regret. I can't fully recapture the emotion behind how I felt at the time. It is being spoken about more freely thanks to people like  Davina McCall  who has used her social standing and fame to bring this issue to the forefront of the media and shatter taboos. I had my hysterectomy in 2003 when I was 30 due to a long history of gynaecological problems. It really was the only solution to combat a number of problems which included cysts, fibroids, a prolapsed womb, and endometriosis. It wasn't an ideal situation for someone so 'young' but ...

Our homes can get cluttered from time to time. Especially when we spend lots of time at home, as many of us have over the last year. Now we can have guests over to stay at our homes and host more social events  with lockdown being eased across the country , it is time to tidy up our pandemic messes and declutter our homes. Decluttering can feel like a monumental task.  All those miscellaneous household purchased made throughout the lockdowns have piled up , storage is at a premium and everything needs organising. Although we have all become accustomed to our own comfort, it is now time to sort out our homes and enjoy life again. In this article, we look at some top tips for getting your home decluttered quickly and with ease. Photo by Mikael Cho Tidy Up The first step in getting your home decluttered is to tidy up. Simply ironing and folding away your laundry; folding cost blankets off the couch; putting away clean dishes and tidying away your mess is a good start. Failure to ...

Interior design can sound daunting for those who haven’t tried it yet, but with these simple tips you’ll be able to make minor renovations to your home in a doddle. Image by Jason Briscoe Budgeting, planning, and finances Having a clear idea of what your budget is when designing your home and how this price point will help to achieve your DIY goals will allow you to make a plan and stick to it. Having a clear direction of where you want to go, how long it might take, and whether there could be any additional costs or setbacks along the way means you can take charge of your project and also prepares you for any outcome. Breaking it down By breaking your interior design projects down into more manageable chunks, you’ll be able to take your time and devise a method that suits you best. This way, if it becomes too difficult or you’re beginning to get pushed for time, you won’t have bitten off more than you can chew, and you should still be able to make some home amendments. Start by prior...

Imagine searching for something for twenty-odd years and never finding it. Imagine blogging about it twelve years ago and still no leads. Imagine randomly mentioning it on a Facebook group in 2021 and someone saying "I can help"... In the early 1990s I signed up to a book club. You would receive a selection of books each month and you could choose to keep them and pay for them, or send them back in a pre-paid envelope. One of the bundles I bought was three 'chick lit' style novels and the storylines gave me a bit of light relief when the kids were in bed. I always kept books. I love to dip in and out of old favourites and used some as starting points for my creative writing. Nowadays, my Kindle is always nearby and I never have to worry about storage or books getting lost or damaged. Which is where this story starts... One of the books disappeard in a house-move. It had become a bit battered and dog-eared but, to me, that is the sign of a much-loved tome. I d...

  (also known as my "TA-DA" list as opposed to a "to do" list) It was my 49th birthday a few days ago and this got me thinking. Any birthday that ends with a zero always feels a bit like milestone or a landmark and, when I hit the big "five-o" in 2022, I don't want huge parties or celebrations but I would like to have ticked a few things off my low-effort bucket list.   I see these things as a way to improve my mental and physical health, plus a few slightly off-the-wall experiences that would make for great memories.  Start running again and include the following: Lead a C25K group again  Participate in parkrun EVERY week where possible  < ongoing (now parkrun Run Director too) Visit local landmarks whilst running < ongoing Train for a long race - building up from 5k > 10k > 10 miles > half marathon, with a couple of longer trail races mixed in < trail race done  Lose a lot bit of weight Post more on Instagram or give the blog a bit...