I can use the loo, too!

28 May 2020 • , ,

This is a sponsored post! How exciting, eh?! Thank you in advance for reading it.

You all know about my illnesses, right? I go on about them rather a lot. Well, that’s because they’re a huge part of my life, and most days I have a lot of things I have to consider, and compromise on if necessary, because of them. I am also faced with ignorance a fair bit, and even prejudice. I once tried to use a disabled loo in the Arrivals area of an airport, because my IBS had flared up badly during my journey, which then triggered my PTSD, and it was a whole load of YIKES. Anyway, when I made for the disabled toilet, a man stopped me and pointed to the ladies loo, which was across the big room with a queue of about 15 tired-looking women waiting impatiently. I tried to explain that I was eligible to use the disabled facilities, and even gave him a peek of my tummy scar in the hope it would convince him, but there was a language barrier and he seemed to have decided that because I was standing upright without assistance, and had no visible wounds, that I was a just a ‘regular person’. On the surface I was fuming, yes, but I also felt deeply hurt.


(Bra was a gift from Hara)


Just because you can’t see someone’s illness, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Not all disabilities are visible. Take someone’s word for it, trust them, and don’t make your own assumptions. Why would someone lie about a condition – especially when, in my case, it involves a lot of poop talk?

Luckily, we’re coming into a new time when it’s more widely accepted that not everyone is as able-bodied as they may appear. We still have a way to go, but I’m hopeful that someday, my fellow IBS sufferers won’t be turned away from the loo, and folks like me who are living with a bit of cancer won’t be told it ‘doesn’t count’ or automatically asked how long they have left to live. There’s so much more to chronic illnesses than you realise, my lovely reader, and the best way you can support those of us living with them, and ultimately become more understanding and helpful, is by letting us tell you the facts; listening to what we have to say, giving us support and asking any questions you have when we’re in a safe space.

Millercare are mobility specialists, helping those of us with disabilities and chronic illnesses get around and live our lives every day. They have mobility scooters, wheelchairs, powerchairs, stairlifts, and walking sticks for sale. If you know anyone who could do with some help moving and generally being more independent, then please check them out! 




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Social Anxiety & COVID. *

27 May 2020 •

This post was written by a contributor.

There’s a clear link between being stuck in the house all day for 10 weeks, and feeling anxious. The more time you have to mull over your feelings, the more cloudy your mind can get, and before you know it you’re climbing the walls and wishing you had a handy paper bag to breathe into!

Whether you’re worrying about your body, or what will happen in the future, there are plenty of stress triggers going round at the moment. And anybody who deals with anxiety knows it’s not as simple as clicking your fingers and the cacophony of emotions disappearing.

So, when you don’t have many other options (cheers, Coronavirus), what are you supposed to do when you feel the tension building? Hopefully, these tips will help!




Stop watching the news. Okay, for all we know, you may enjoy listening to the newsreader talk about everything that’s wrong with the world – no judgement here if so! Yes, it’s good to keep yourself informed about the situation, but hearing about individual political advisors breaking their own rules isn’t going to fill you with warmth and happiness… actually, you may want to throw something at the TV (we’ve been there). The truth is that there is a lot to fret over currently, so it may be worth taking a break from the endless cycle of bad news. Stay blissfully ignorant; don’t obsess over the stats, just find out what affects you directly and stick to that.

Indulge your sweet tooth. If you enjoy eating junk food – and who doesn’t? – you may not have enjoyed isolation, what with the limited takeaway options, and supermarkets restricting the amount of each product that you can buy. But, that’s about to change, thanks to the introduction of CBD gummies. Most sweets are packed with refined sugars, and may increase the risk of contracting diabetes. These gummies are different, as they are full of cannabinoids, which are nutrients that play a big role in keeping your body healthy. Not only do they help with liver and brain function, get this – they also boost your immune system! So, indulging your sweet tooth could help your chances of staying COVID-free and ease any anxiety you have.


image source


Get virtual help. When anxiety gets too much for you to control, you shouldn’t feel like you have nowhere to turn. If it’s hard to share the full extent of your upset with your loved ones, some professionals are still accepting appointments. They are held online via Skype, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams, and it’s an opportunity for you to speak to an expert and get things off your chest. Anybody who’s experienced anxiety before should consider reaching out to their GP or therapist.

Social isolation is horrible if you suffer from anxiety and feel tension more than others might. Hopefully, these tips will help you feel less isolated. Now, the restrictions are slowly easing. With that in mind, you can head to some safe public spots (e.g. parks and seafronts) where there will be more people around, and maybe that will make you feel more comfortable and socialised, from a distance. Sure, these strangers aren’t quite the support group you want, like your family and friends, but for some, that’s better than being in the house alone all day. Of course, you may run into a few people you know coincidentally… *wink*. But it’s so important to remember: only do what you feel comfortable doing, and really we should all still be staying indoors more than we are going out. Maybe allow yourself a couple of walks/trips to the local park per day? And you can always call your mum or sister when you’re doing that! Covid compromises, eh?

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WooWoo Lockdown Questions!

23 May 2020 • , ,

Oh hey, who wants to talk about sex? Only me, all the time…

The lovely gang at WooWoo sent me some questions via email recently, to be answered in a video, but in all honesty I’ve been doing a lot of videos for various platforms lately and I felt like doing a good old-fashioned written interview… with myself?! 

Before we get deep here (ooh err) please check out WooWoo’s brilliant range of not just condoms, lube etc. but also their gentle creams and cleansers for those of us with vaginas. 


Okay, here we go.

Starting with the lockdown Qs…


What’s your lockdown guilty pleasure? 

My daily live boogies to the ultimate cheese tunes on Instagram, and Tyrrell’s sweet chilli and red pepper crisps*. 

*I am NOT concerned about how much I’m eating, I’m just so addicted to these particular crisps I am ordering at least two ‘sharing’ bags every week.

What are you currently binge watching?

I have got through quite a few series since lockdown started (‘Friends’ brings me comfort while also being perfect for background noise, ‘Drag Race’ was a good Saturday night treat viewing via Houseparty with my pals, ‘Queer Eye’ is good for a lunch-time happy-cry) but my favourites are probably ‘Doctor Who’ (the best escapism, rewatching from Chris E’s era; I’d forgotten how much I fancied David Tennant in his Doctor days) and ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ (a cute pre-bedtime vibe; Dawn French is my queen). 

Top tips for surviving isolation?

Keep in touch with your friends, treat yourself to something every day if you need to (whether that’s adding another sharing bag of Tyrrell’s crisps to your weekly shop, or enrolling in a life coaching course, or finally buying that hunky crystal ring you’ve had your eye on for months, OR just going to sit on your doorstep in the sun with a coffee, and leaving your phone inside), and remember we are all in different boats, but going through the same storm. It will get better. All we can do now is stay home, and rest.

Are you online dating/quarantining with a partner/how are you handling it?

I’ve been with my boyfriend for over a year, but I didn’t let him isolate with me because originally I was advised by the NHS not to go out AT ALL, and I didn’t want him, a perfectly normal and healthy human, to have to adhere to those restrictive rules too. 

What’s the first restaurant you’ll go to on a date, post-lockdown?

Ever since they opened, I’ve wanted to try out Morelli’s, a new family-run pizza place in Hastings Old Town. I regret never popping in for lunch when I was working in the West Hill Arcade! So I’ll drag boyf there first, I think. 

Which celeb would you most like to isolate with?

Taylor Swift for the cute heart-to-hearts and cat cuddles, or Lizzo for the badass yet kind energy, and daily boogies (oh my god, imagine a live stream with her every day!?). 

How many times have you baked banana bread? 

Not at all, shockingly! Which is sad, because that is the one thing I can actually bake pretty well. 

WooWoo Sensitive Feel condoms


Any podcast recommendations?

The Scrubs re-watch show with JD and Turk, aka Zach Braff and Donald Faison, called ‘Fake Doctors, Real Friends’. Always makes me smile when I listen to it. Also, ‘Dear Hank and John’, which always helps me with any anxieties. And ‘How to Fail’ with Elizabeth Day. Arghh, I listen to so many, I could go on forever. 

Where’s the first place you'll fly after this? 

For the past few months I’ve been getting that intense hankering for my second home in Australia, so maybe there. Or more likely somewhere cheap in Europe. My pal Charlie and I were meant to go to Amsterdam in late March, so we’ll have to make up for lost time there. 

Would you rather self isolate with no sex toys or no wine? 

No wine, easy! I only drink spirits. 



And now… for the self care/sexual wellbeing Qs.



What personal quote / motto do you live by?

Don’t ask, don’t get. 

Which three beauty products can’t you live without (including a WooWoo one)

WooWoo lube changed the game for me and my partner! I also love LUSH’s Cup o’ Coffee, as everyone who follows me on Insta will know, and my Thursday Plantation acne gel. 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Your body is amazing. Look after it, appreciate it, and don’t compare it to anyone else’s. 

What does sexual wellness mean to you?

Getting what you want, as much as you want, and being open and honest with what you want. 

How many times have you masturbated today?

2. (this was at 12 noon, so that may change obvs)

Whats your favourite sex position?

The Lazy Bitch (named by the Come Curious ladies), or sideways with a leg up on his shoulder. Basically, anything that makes it deep. 

What’s been your go-to healthy meal to make? 

I have been really missing my ludicrously expensive Pret and M&S salads, so I’ve started throwing together some quinoa, shaved carrot, spinach/kale, sweet potato falafels/chopped cherry tomatoes, hummus and tahini with pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top. Wanky, I know.

Which Emoji best describes you? 

The full moon face.  


And now, for some Would You Rathers… 


Would you rather have finger sized nipples or nipple sized fingers?

This is a weird one… I guess bigger nipples wouldn’t be too bad!? 


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Would you rather not have sex for a year or have it every day of your life but not orgasm ever?

Would I still come when wanking? That’s the real question. I just like the sensation of sex sometimes and don’t always need to get mine there and then, because I can do that myself. But then, I’ll happily go a year without if it means I’ll come every time after that. Wow, I’m overthinking this. 

Would you rather have a bell go off every time you're horny or never get horny?

I’ll happily have a bell go off. Let the people know!!

Would you rather live without music or live without tv?

Arghhh, could I still have podcasts/radio at least? I’ll say TV, but honestly it could go either way. 

Would you rather have a rewind button or a pause button in your life?

Rewind, definitely. I’d love to have the option to correct mistakes. Unless pause means I can pause everyone around me and do whatever I please, whether that’s pranking someone, running away or putting my feet up at work. 

Would you rather be able to speak to animals or every language in the world?

Every language in the world. Because surely that would include animal languages, no? Hehehehe. But think how much good you could do if you could communicate with humans from every part of the world? I could be a proper peacekeeper! Ughh, but then speaking to animals would mean I could help them more, and I am a bloody passionate vegan... okay, it's gotta be the latter. 

Would you rather have the same phone forever or the same haircut forever?

Same haircut. I could be a baldie my whole life, easy. 

Would you rather have eyebrows that never stop growing or eyelashes that never stop growing?

Oooohhhh, I feel like eyebrows won’t affect my vision or irritate me as much. 

Would you rather be a great dancer or a great singer?

Great dancer. One of my life ambitions is to be on Strictly Come Dancing. 

Would you rather wake up next to your ex or next to a hungry baby tiger?

I have so many questions about the logistics of this, but I’ll just say baby tiger. 


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Thanks for sending me the Qs, WooWoo! This was fun. And to everyone who, like me, isn’t getting any during lockdown… I know the pain is real, but it’s worth staying safe, and just think of the amazing times we’ll have when we’re allowed out and about again!? *daydreams*
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