A promise and a plea from me… and a funny story
This year might be a tough one… let’s help each other
Kia ora koutou! How are you doing…?
I have taken January as an opportunity for a break, so I’m only a week or so back into the proper working year. I don’t typically take holidays during the year - as a freelance, self-employed person, taking too many non-working breaks makes me nervous - but January in this part of the world is that dead zone when very little business is done, so it’s a good time for me to do the same. I will not lie: getting back into work is a struggle! I like the languorous feeling of being on holiday. I feel I could definitely handle being independently wealthy.
But anyway: now is the time for commitment. It’s a new year, and we’re already more than a month in. I need some accountability to make me do things - that’s why I love a deadline - so here goes.
I promise…
I’ve been very random with this Substack in the past year or two, and I feel some guilt about that. I don’t like making commitments to things and not keeping up with them. So here is my renewed commitment: I promise you there will be something from me in your inbox every week. Even if it’s short. I want you to feel that subscribing here is worth your time and energy, so I’ll really try and make sure this email is full of useful, interesting and entertaining meno- and midlife-relevant content. Please let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to delve into/cover for you.
And what you can do…
This Substack - as with my Instagram content - is possible because I get paid to do other stuff. The other stuff that is the most important on that score is my menopause education - speaking in workplaces, webinars and at conferences about menopause, women’s health and midlife. This mahi - which I LOVE - also subsidises my journalism and definitely subsidises my book writing. I adore both of those things, too, but sadly there’s no way that doing either of them full time (or the two combined) is a realistic way to pay the bills.
So: here’s how you can help me, if you are able:
Share what I do with others. Below you’ll see a wee promo for my speaking work. If you know another person who might be interested in this - a colleague, a friend or a contact - please send it on. If they’re a decision maker in their organisation, even better. And if you are a decision maker, fabulous - please consider me when you’re planning health, wellbeing, DEI or general speakers or events for your organisation. My calendar is OPEN for this year, so let’s talk. March is International Women’s Day… how about a women’s health or menopause session to celebrate? Here’s a link to my website for more info. Or just email or message me.
Support local journalism and journalists. Some of my journalism is done for subscription publications, in particular the Listener. This is an institution; a publication that’s more than a century old and supports many local writers like me; editors; designers and others. If you are able, subscribing to this or other local media really helps us to keep being able to do this work. People are leaving the field of journalism every week, it feels like; that’s a lot of clever and passionate people fading away to other careers. It’s through people paying for content that those of us left in media can continue. (BTW my latest story on testosterone for women is in this week’s Listener mag - pick up a copy today!)
Support me here or by buying a book. To be clear: I make about $4.50 before tax from each book sale, but every sale does still count and it all helps people know about me (and about menopause!). And it supports local book retailers, which we all want to continue, I’m sure.
And by being a paid subscriber here on Substack, you are supporting me directly; I can’t promise you any extra goodies except the feel-good glow you get from helping your fellow woman to keep doing what she does… but again, a huge thank you if that’s something you feel able to do.
And here is the funny story
If you’ve got this far you deserve a laugh. This might do it. It’s something that happened to me in the holidays. You’re welcome.
Picture me, away with whanau over the Christmas break. Fun times. After a day or two though, I start to have diarrhoea. It goes on for a couple of days; I can’t figure it out. I have been eating more than usual - it’s the holidays - but nothing especially unusual that might provoke an upset tummy. Oh well, I think - I guess it’ll work its way through my system. In the meantime I make sure I’m close to a loo at all times.
Cut to me at home a few days later. I’m unpacking my bags. My gut is still grumbly. I pull out what I think is a blister pack of antihistamine pills, which I’ve been taking daily for the pollen/grass/hayfever situation.
Except as I glance down, I notice these pills are not antihistamines.
They are, you guessed it: LAXATIVES.
That’s right: I have been taking a daily laxative pill; laxative pills I happen to have from the prep for my colonoscopy a few months ago. They’ve been doing their job, causing mayhem in my guts. Ffs and facepalm emoji.
In my defence: the packs look almost EXACTLY the same.
But seriously. This is a PSA: if you are like me and can no longer read small text without your glasses: WEAR YOUR GLASSES WHEN YOU’RE TAKING MEDICATION. And also: maybe don’t leave those colonoscopy meds lying around in the kitchen drawer.
My guts are back to normal now.
See you soon, I promise!
NB