I’m originally from Bristol, but consider myself a Londoner as I’ve lived here for more than 15 years. I love being in a city where I’m one of millions. I much prefer being a small fish in a big sea.
I work in higher education as a careers adviser, but I also think of myself as a fledgling writer: I self-published my first book in May of this year. It started as a diary in 2015 as I was coping with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis – inflammatory bowel disease. It’s not a misery memoir, but an honest and funny account of coping with an incurable condition.
I’m 52 and a creative person. My background is in classical music and composing. I feel this has stood me in good stead, especially with the jobs I’ve had that have involved being meticulous and imaginative.
I’ve been reading the Guardian since I was a teenager – my sister used to buy it. I found it an easy read and I liked its conversational style and arts reviews. It was my main source when job-hunting after graduating, and I was successful with many applications.
I enjoy reading the letters from readers and though I’ve noticed changes in the editorial style since I was a teenager, it is still the one newspaper I read on a regular basis. Not bad for over 35 years, eh?
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