Penned by Jen

I've just been listening to this fascinating podcast that a good friend shared, in which Dr Rangan Chatterjee talks about intermittent fasting for women and the impact on our bodies.  It's no secret that I am facing a huge uphill struggle when it comes to menopause. It all began as early as 40 and we now understand that my bipolar has been triggered by it and I've had several years of mood swings, intense anxiety and weight gain.  So I've been searching for answers, falling through the gap between gynaecology and psychiatry but slowly but surely things are finally starting to ease.  I've tried surgery, medication, HRT and vitamins and now I'm also adding intermittent fasting to the mix. I first discovered this thanks to Pauline Cox and her fantastic books especially Hungry Woman . I've been fortunate enough to meet Pauline, who has a wonderful shop in Clevedon, Sow and Arrow , where you can buy all sorts of keto-friendly foods.  Keto helped me lose some wei...

     I recently came across this story on Facebook and it brought tears to my eyes. But then I looked into it and discovered that it's probably an AI-generated story and the story, and the image, may not be real. That hurt more as I had been so moved and had shared it in the hope that it would inspire others to see there is still good in this dark world we live in.  AI has revolutionised some parts of our lives, such as through it's use in healthcare, but I can't help feeling cheated by it - the internet is drowning in a sea of misinformation and in a world where fake news dominates, trust breaks down too.  So maybe this story isn't real, but it still makes a good story so I'm keeping my faith in humanity (rather than any AI bot). "My name’s Morris. I’m 78. Live alone since my Edna passed five years back. Every Tuesday, I catch the 10:15 bus to the library. Same seat. Same walk. For years, it was quiet. Just me, the pigeons, and that old green bench at Oak Stre...

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...