Hopefully useful thread time. Tomorrow is 100 days until January 1 2021. Last year for that period I started a 100-day plan and it made a huge different to my personal/work focus, productivity, what I achieved + general life/anxiety. And from tomorrow I’m starting it again cos 1/ well it’s obvious why right, the next 100 days could well be tough for so many of us. But it doesn’t mean the days until 2020 ends need to be wasted or worthless. We can all achieve something + recognise when we take steps forward after the inevitable steps back. I’ll show you 2/

August 8 has become an important day for me. On this day in 2014 I had my colon removed, replacing it with a stoma and bag on my stomach to poop in. It ended three decades of awful up and down health - health issues I’d always battled through and made the best of life despite 1/ I was first diagnosed with Crohn’s aged eight and from then all I knew was daily drugs, hospital tests, poor symptoms but thankfully only one major op. Some skilled surgery changed that massively six years back and I’ve - touch wood - been in the best health of my life since 2/

Curtain up! @HamiltonMusical #hamifilm A needed uplift today. Although there’s plenty in it that always brings me to tears. So much hope in its lyrics for a better life + world, for acceptance, being wanted, love, family. And of course, for writing like you’re running out of time I think the biggest thing about @HamiltonMusical and @Lin_Manuel’s lyrics is how they underlyingly speak to us as humans. “Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now!” Amidst everything so many are suffering at this moment, that’s beautiful to hold onto.

Is anyone live translating this @BorisJohnson speech? Thank you. “We will double down on levelling up”... anyone? No me neither. This is meant to be a speech to inspire confidence in rebuilding our nation. The PM can’t even build a coherent and inspiring phrase.

A quick thread about dads - not expecting Father’s Day to get to me today but it has. Mine wasn’t bad. But he was very flawed. And often angry. Deep down he loved me I know, even if he wasn’t much good at showing. He wasn’t a dad who played football or taught practical stuff 1/ I’ve very few memories of fun stuff together. Going to Royal Tournament. Watching Carry Ons. Eating sausage sarnies and driving around town. I learned most routes around London from him. But little else. Certainly not how to be a man. Or a dad. Just how to shout. Oh and bet 2/

Have tears in my eyes writing this. I didn’t realise verdict had come and the man involved had now died. I did not live in his shoes. All of us bowel patients have different stories + experiences. But this is so desperately sad. So really achingly sad 1/ bbc.com/news/uk-englan… When I had my stoma op in Aug 2014, it came having put it off for years and years. I lived with poor health from #Crohns for far longer than I should or could have. I was scared. I feared coping with it. I was worried what people and potential partners would think. I delayed 2/

This week marks the start of Wk13 of Lockdown for me. I started earlier than many. Aside from being out on very limited occasions, my life - like so many lives - has been a fraction of what it is normally for what has been nearly a quarter of a year. I am grateful for much...1/ I’m grateful my work seems to have held up, when I feared it may not and new opportunities have arisen. I’m grateful for my plans and ideas for a new business I am desperate to get to grips with but lacking motivation on right now. I’m grateful for the volunteering I do...2/

A ‘ban’ on @Channel4News by Gov isn’t acceptable. @cathynewman just said they’ve had no question at daily briefing all week and no Gov reps on there for three weeks. Media should collectively stand up to this and now refuse to engage and highlight why to each of their audiences. If you let this happen to one group of journalists then it’ll soon be two and then three. You just can’t allow it to happen. You have to collectively as a media call it out and raise it publicly. All media has to stand together. Or they’ll come for another next. Then another.

This week I held my fourth online Write Like A Journalist course of lockdown for groups of freelance PRs. It’s a spin-off from the one I usually deliver in person at PR agencies and for in-house teams. But it works for anyone who wants to write more effectively for comms 1/ It’s been so lovely connecting freelancers from across the country to have fun, unlearn bad habits, share knowledge + support and to see them come away feeling so confident and energised. If you’d like to find out more, do get in touch as I’ll be doing them again in June/July 2/

This is what the end of British democracy looks like and it’s happening tomorrow. From here, it’s a slippery slope as many in our nation become disenfranchised. If you think that can’t ever happen, read this thread. It is happening. Tomorrow. And you thought the EU was the enemy!

https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1267548951718305792

I am one of those voters who will be disenfranchised as my MP @halfon4harlowMP is one of those who won’t be able to vote. Think on that. A Conservative Government removing the ability to vote from one of its most loyal MPs. And there’s little any of us can do about it. Dangerous!

Well he’s attacked the media straight away and dismissed the public concerns. This is going to end well! “We need to focus on getting the message right.” Yes we do Prime Minister and you’ve spent the past six days undermining it.

Just found out Miss Saigon 25th anniversary performance is on @SkyArts right now. My favourite musical of all-time. Saw this 2014 version THREE times. Just checked and it’s repeated next weekend. Very much recommend setting your planner to record it. Loved this show for 30 years. It’s just fabulous. @alistairbrammer @EvaNoblezada @JonJonBriones absolutely phenomenal. Was so gutted not to get a ticket for this special performance and make it four visits. But I did the first preview, first night and last night so think it’s safe to say I am a fan!

Wrestled with this idea all eve since a fully socially-distanced forest walk with first friend I’ve seen in 2 mnths. There’s a psychological thing going on here for me with Gov comments around personal risk. A little bit of freedom is now taken and enjoyed. It feels so amazing 1/ Some push boundaries and are seen doing so. Others take an extra risk believing b/c if they are then why not ‘me’. Gov continue to repeat people to use common sense and take their personal risk. They’re adults. Soon all rules begin to blur. More non-official freedom is enjoyed 2/

My tweets today are devoted to rhymes.
Limericks with five short lines at a time.
To mark Edward Lear’s birth,
I’ll write tweets full of mirth.
It’s fun, so join in... if so inclined.

#NationalLimerickDay #amwriting #creativewriting I’ll be sad to lose followers from this.
If you go then please know you’ll be missed.
Create free like a child,
But just keep your words mild.
And change rhyme so you don’t take the... mickey.

#NationalLimerickDay #amwriting #creativewriting

2/

I know you’re meant to focus on what you have, not what you don’t but those who say that often have what many don’t. This pandemic just throws up what’s missing for me: Partner. Kids. Family. Purpose. Heck of a time for an existential crisis when you can’t do nowt to change it. I’ve always defined myself by my work. Always wanted to be a journalist since I was 10. Pushed through so many barriers to make it. And was at top of my game. But I’ve done so many other things since, I don’t even know what I am now. Besides knowing I’m bloody good at what I do.

For lots of mixed anxiety reasons, I’ve not left in the house in 5wks 2days. I’m in moderate risk category so meant to do a stricter social distancing but not full shielding. But today I listened to @mrjamesob and his words to callers cut through me more than anyone has so far 1/ So I’m now out for a walk in the sunshine. I’ve not even taken the dog for a walk, feeling like our regular long play in the garden has been enough for her. But I know until I break the cycle of my getting out, I can’t get out with her. And get some normality back into life 2/

Watching Pete’s Dragon on Disney+ to cheer myself up as it’s one of my fave Disney movies ever. In it there’s one song that offers such beautiful lyrics of hope. Candle on the Water performed by Helen Reddy. So for anyone a bit devoid of that now, this thread is for you... 1/ She sings it looking out to sea from the top of her lighthouse about her true love who has been lost in a storm. Everyone says he won’t ever return and there’s no hope, but naturally being Disney, you can guess what happens eventually. It’s one reason I really love lighthouses 2/

Doubt Gov will do it because occupied with present but maybe an opp for Labour/@Keir_Starmer. While this crisis happens, a parallel Shadow Cabinet should focus on deep research, planning and exploration with experts to define scenarios for what UK 2.0 will be/look like in 2030s. Like why not dedicate a Shadow Secretary for the (far longer-term) Future of UK; sole focus to ‘rip up’ every system we have and how we rebuild it all. Totally separate to those thinking of how we get thru this in next 5-8 years. Politics rarely plans or thinks far enough ahead.

Loving @Emmabarnett right now on @bbc5live. Taking absolutely no sht from whatever Gov representative is on right now. Please ask her why they are still letting single person Ltd companies face ruin rather than relooking at the help offered to bring parity with the self-employed. She’s totally wrong. Dividends are taxed twice. I find it so ironic that a Conservative Gov happy to bail out the rich and billionaires who evade/avoid tax on huge scales. But want to screw tiny one-person Ltd companies because apparently they are all “avoiding” tax via dividends

If you’re living alone through this like me & struggling, then reach out to someone, anyone, feel free to reach out to me. However, young or old you are, living alone can be tough - and even tougher right now. I’m thankful family and friends keep in touch and vice versa but... ...I won’t be the only one living alone worried about what happens if they get sick or should worse happen. When my dad died alone in his flat I really suffered fearing one day I may end up like that. But I’ve also had plenty of experience living alone with a chronic illness...

With this, it’s all very well @MattHancock appealing for 250k volunteers. I’m glad so many have signed up. But hope the infrastructure, comms, networks is set up fast because right now it’s just local people & local businesses rightly ignoring rules/red tape to get some help out

https://twitter.com/writesJW/status/1242849535770181632

We are rallying around getting food from our homes to people as well as donations from other locals + some businesses. Other local biz and vols are moving mountains to help the vulnerable with food drops. This is the country at its best. Too much bureaucracy though is not needed.