Penned by Jen

I don't shy away from sharing that I have bipolar disorder, and actually it has more recently been triggered by PME - pre menstrual exacerbation and menopause. But I don't share it for sympathy, really I just want to spread awareness of these under-researched and under-funded conditions, for which treatment is still lacking and very little understood.  So I was really impressed by the documentary ' What's the matter with Tony Slattery? ' that I watched on the BBC recently. In it, the late Tony very bravely lets us into his world and we see a man who is a shadow of who he once was. I grew up watching 'Who's Line is it Anyway?' and this propelled his career in TV comedy, but I hadn't realised that, despite his career rapidly taking off, it ended just as quickly and he fell into alcoholism and substance misuse.  A familiar story for successful comedians -  in my TV production career whilst working at Endemol I worked behind the scenes on 'Kings of C...

Clevedon is no stranger to writer Ben Mears, who also earlier this year picked up an award for the fantastic, supportive network he has created, the #Coastal #Networkers. This is where I found myself this morning, being treated to a book launch as a special part of the meeting of kind, like-minded business people. And what a treat it was! I can’t wait to delve into The Jicker Man – a book which is standalone, or can be read as part of the collection of books Ben has successfully published alongside running a busy #graphic #design business, The Dream Loft. This morning we heard about the #dystopian, #fantasy world, akin to Victorian England, where the characters find themselves, and the challenge of writing from a perspective of someone who was uneducated. The world-building brings us to a war-torn place, with a society that has been “melted down” and the book weaves together #monsters, #magic and #myth. Ben Mears read some excerpts from his latest novel and the carefully-crafted langu...

I've been reflecting a lot about my career lately and all the twists and turns it's taken in the last few years, especially since having my daughter. I've experienced a toxic work environment, redundancy, a need to change jobs due to ill health and a huge reduction in hours for my husband due to his M.E., but despite the odds my freelance business has thrived, I've secured a great part-time job and we've managed to keep a roof over our heads.  Also my dad just came out of palliative care as he's doing so well. We are survivors us Mitchells (maiden name). Well, Jacksons too - my Mother-in-Law was just given an MBE for her charity she set up due to a really impossible situation when she was denied contact with her first grandchild. Life takes us through many ups and downs, particularly as someone with bipolar and menopause, but it's how you respond that counts.  Just thought I'd share my musings as I thought you might like to see my personal side. People w...

I've previously blogged about the month I went car free to see if I could live without it. Now I'm forced into adjusting as I have sold the car, in an effort to get something for it before it becomes worthless and now I'm getting used to buses and trains.  Sure, it's not as easy and takes some planning, but it's also quite liberating being able to get about without worrying about traffic, roadworks and parking. It reminds me of my youth too. There is a lot to be said for planning and managing a journey and I'm doing a lot more walking in between, plus it's great for my daughter to experience. Why is that kids love getting trains and buses so much?! When do we lose that joy? I really like how you often end up having a conversation with someone too - especially as someone who works from home but is an extrovert, I need that human connection to brighten my days. I do have plans to relearn a manual so I can drive the one car we have, but it didn't make sense...

Well, it would seem that I'm terrible at my own marketing; a common pitfall amongst us creatives! I still don't have a website ready to share and it's April! I need to take some time this Easter to finessing it and getting it out there, ready for the next term.   For a long time I pondered that I didn't need/couldn't afford a website. But I'm a marketer and I can edit websites no problem, so I'm setting one up myself in WordPress. If you are also procrastinating, let me take a look at your marketing pitfalls and see where I can help; whether it's honing copy, creating content, or having a plan I can help move you along the marketing treadmill.

 So, here we are mid February and I've not met any of my winter resolutions. Maybe it's too hard to resolve to do stuff, maybe I should just get on and live in the moment without planning and measuring? I've just been nominated for an award as a small business, which I'm really excited about! It's give me the boost to really go for it and promote my business further, so I'm setting up a website and also I've just started displaying my artwork in a lovely cafe in Weston - the Rowan Tree. Watch this space for a resolution-free, yet successful life!