May has been a busy, fun, emotional rollercoaster of a month with endless work, two incredible gigs, football finals galore and a farewell to some awesome, yet crazy, fellow actors.
Disability Horizons
I’ve had another productive month at DH HQ. I published my interviews with rockstar Shaun Ryder and Touretteshero Jess Thom. I also published a couple of news stories and edited/updated a few other articles.
Plus, I published a shop article all about VAT exemption on products for customers with qualifying conditions. I’ve also helped edit product listings and write up shop newsletters.
All my Disability Horizons content is now available to view in one place on the Emma Purcell Author’s page. This link can also be accessed on the “Disability Horizons” button on the menu page on the left of this site.
My featured content, product articles and sponsored posts for Disability Horizons can be viewed in my Journo Portfolio.
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Blog re-brand update
As you’ve seen over the past six months, I’ve been restoring blog posts after going self-hosted. I’ve managed to restore three-quarters of it now and have just over 80 more to go.
With the long bank holiday weekend approaching and that I’m taking some time off from DH in mid-June, I’m hoping to have all my blog content restored over the next month. Then I can start publishing new content regularly again.
In the meantime, please continue to browse and share my content from 2019 to 2022 and support my future work by donating.
Drama
As many of you know, I’ve been attending the adult drama group at the West End Centre in Aldershot since 2018. Sadly, last week was my last session as I will be moving house soon (more on that next month).
The gang were really nice to me and let me choose one of the warm-up games and gave me some chocolates and a card with some lovely messages from all the members.
Fortunately, we’ve managed to find a way to give me a role in this summer’s production, in which I’ll record myself and be projected on a screen as if my character is on a Zoom call.
I’m still planning to come to watch the performance in July and come see their other productions in the future. Plus, I’ll come to visit the crazy bunch during the acting workshop terms in spring.
I have had the most amazing four years at Westy and I will treasure the memories forever.
Shagged Married Annoyed Live Tour 2023
Last week I purchased tickets to see Chris and Rosie Ramsey live on their Shagged Married Annoyed tour next year. It is basically a live tour of their award-winning podcast.
They did a sell-out tour last year but I wasn’t able to go. However, next year, I’m going to see it with Pluggy in Bournemouth in November 2023.
Live music
This month I was fortunate enough to go to two gigs in the space of nine days. Both shows were events I booked more than two years ago that were postponed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The first was My Chemical Romance at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes. I’ve published a full review, which you read in my blog roundup below. I’ll just say here the show was incredible and had everything I could wish for and more since I was a teenager.
The access at the venue was excellent but there was a minor incident that still baffles me. I went with my friends Pluggy and Steph and also Steph and I’s mutual friend Alex.
I told everyone to meet me outside gate three as I had all the tickets. Pluggy and Steph found me fine but there was no sign of Alex. We stood outside for ages waiting and he kept texting saying he was at gate three. Eventually, we found out he had got past the stewards without a ticket and waiting for us behind the barrier – jammy git!
We then went through – still having to show our tickets and have bag checks – and finally met with Alex.
The second gig was The Killers at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, which took place on 30th May 2022. This gig was incredible too and I’ll share a full review next week.
It was tinged with a bit of sadness as it was my late friend Lucy Hale who introduced me to them back at school and I always hoped we’d get to go see The Killers live together one day. She had a contact associated with the band and a few years ago, she secured us free tickets in Manchester, but annoyingly at the last minute, I couldn’t go because of care restrictions. Lucy was of course in my thoughts throughout the gig and with me in spirit.
And yes, to people who know me as a Pompey fan, I went to our rival’s football stadium for the gig. I know there were dates in London too but it was geographically and practically easier to travel to Southampton, especially on a Monday night. I didn’t go in my Pompey shirt but I heard a gang of people singing “blue army” as we left the stadium, which I joined in a bit on too – brave I know!
Football fever
Speaking of football, what a dramatic end to the season for so many clubs and leagues and cup competitions. The hope of Portsmouth reaching promotion to the Championship failed again. Unless our owner’s fund for decent, long-term players, I think we’re never getting out of League One.
I’ve also had a soft spot for Liverpool this season, especially when they had the opportunity to win the quadruple. Out of all the trophies I really hoped they’d get the Premier League title, just on the basis in 2020 when they won it – for the first time in 30 years – they couldn’t celebrate with the fans and they could’ve had double celebrations this year. Hey-ho roll on 2023.
Also, in the Champions League final, I think Liverpool put up an incredible fight but the Real Madrid goalkeeper was just too good, saving everything in sight.
In addition, I’ve loved watching the Women’s Super League this season and have a love for the Chelsea squad and their amazing manager Emma Hayes. I’d love to see Emma as England manager one day.
Talking of England’s Lionesses, I’m buzzing for the Women’s Euros this summer too and have all the hope in the world we can become European Champions on home soil.
I’m currently enjoying a podcast called Jill Scott’s Coffee Club, which is hosted by Man City and England player Jill Scott and she interviews other England and Northern Ireland players ahead of the Euros. It’s interesting to hear stories about how women players got into the sport, their experiences at club football and international training camps and their personal lives. It’s nice to put a voice to a name too.
Books
As I mentioned last month, I finally began re-reading the Harry Potter books after my 18-month hiatus. In the past 4-weeks, I’ve already reached book 5, the Order of the Phoenix and still love them as always.
TV
I finished the Netflix series Locke & Key which turned out loads better in the second series and I managed to binge-watch it all within a few days. I’m hoping there will be a third series coming soon.
I also watched a Disney Pixar series called Monsters at Work, which is a Monsters Inc story that takes place just after the end of the first film when scream power is replaced with laughter. We follow a young inspiring scarer who tries to prove he can become a joker instead. The series includes many of the main characters too such as Sulley and Mike
As well as the podcast and live tour, Chris and Rosie Ramsey have also launched their first TV show called The Chris and Rosie Ramsey Show, which takes elements from the podcast and re-creates it for TV with a studio audience. There have only been three episodes so far but it has been bloody brilliant and utterly hilarious.
Lastly, the fourth and final series of the best Netflix series ever has finally arrived – Stranger Things. For thepast two weeks, I re-watched series one to three and then part one of series four arrived last Friday. I’ll give you my thoughts on it next month, once I’ve finished watching it.
Audio Description petition
My campaign for audio description has continued throughout May 2022 and the petition has now gained a total of 3464 signatures, which is incredible!
But I’m eager to reach thousands. The more signatures we get, the more likely changes could be made within the TV & films industries. Please, please, PLEASE continue to sign & share my petition!
Guest Bloggers Wanted
I’m still eager to collaborate with even more bloggers in 2022. So, if you’re a lifestyle, disability and/or music blogger, send me your blog stories. Plus let me know if you’d like me to feature on your blog as a guest blogger.
I’m flexible with any type of blog post; life story, disability awareness, music event, musician promotion – basically anything to do with life, disability or music!
In addition, I have a guest blog series called “RFD Question Time with…” where I interview disabled people and/or bloggers. If you’d like to be interviewed in this series, please also contact me.
Blog post roundup
In case you missed any of my blog posts this month, here is a roundup of them:
5 favourite blog posts
Here are my 5 favourite blog posts I’ve read this month:
- Is Violence Truly Never the Answer? at Diary of a Disabled Person
- Could Running Your Own Business Work For You? at Despite Pain
- Emerging Writing Specialisms – Video Gaming at The Life of Sophie
- A Long Overdue Update at Brains on Wheels
- My Year In Books – 2022 (part 1) The Widdecombe Special at Wheelescapades
