So This is Me, Come Along For the Ride.

How I came to Substack, who I am, what I will do - hopefully. Sort of an intro post.

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So, this is me, a person with a lot of curly hair. It’s my crowning glory don’t you know? I love my Terry Pratchett hat and the witchety vibe it gives me.

Who am I?

I am Tamsin, ex teacher, chronically ill with ME/CFS, autist, enby, mother, ex military RAF wife (still the wife ex the military). Oddly weird and weirdly odd. Quirky. Apparently these are things you shouldn’t say when asked to describe yourself in a job interview. Who know?! Not me, and I have said these things. Things like hard working, a team player, punctual are what they are looking for. Boring!

I live in Yorkshire now. In my 30th house. Lived in many varied places. I love it when the sun shines and the world glows. I love spinning at the top of the moors when all I can hear is the birds and the wind (preferably a gentle breeze not a gale). Errant thoughts often make me smile. I also have a very cynical side, often warranted. 

When I was asked by well meaning adults aged 6 what I wanted to do when I grew up, I often answered ‘a writer’, and occasionally a jockey, and sometimes a ballerina. The other two very quickly dropped by the wayside but writing was always there. Even though it wasn’t considered a ‘proper’ career back then. I was treated with smiles, and laughs, and ruffled hair.

And so here I am. Writing. A whole half a century, 30 house moves, and 7 countries later. There have been a couple of false starts along the way. A Wordpress blog I stopped writing on after a while. A book I wrote and sent off to publishers and got a few rejection letters and one more positive one that asked me to outline the next book. Somehow I lost that letter. Don’t ask how, because I really don’t know. And life was hectic and we were about to embark on an amazing family adventure to go live in the Falkland Islands for a year, so I let it go. (The Falklands was a-maze-ing. A fantastic experience. One of the best years ever, I’m sure I’ll write about it at some point.)

Me in Africa developing a love of hats

Why 3 Red Cabbage Heads?

Weeeeeeelllll. Wait for it.

The Boy and I were talking about passwords, mainly the ludicrousness of one uppercase, one lowercase, one number, one special character, more than 8 characters long and the way it’s impossible to remember them. He said actually the best and safest passwords are three random words stuck together a bit like the words generated on the What Three Words app. And to make it even better stick in a number. We were playing around and I came up with 3 red cabbage heads. (Don’t worry I don’t use it as a password for anything). My brain likes to make connections and I have three kids, and three of us are red heads, and we are all fairly brainy and cross sections of cabbages look like brains. Simples, eh?

What Will I Do?

Come on this weird and wacky journey as I find myself and venture further into the Substack and literary world. See my photos, hear my voice, listen to my frustration, revel in my achievements. Be there with me.

I will write on a variety of subjects including and not limited to chronic illness, neurodiversity, LGBTQAI+, poetry, prose, art, and things I notice in life. Which sort of covers a lot. I will also post my own photos at times. I will try to post regularly, but I’m not going to hold myself to it. It’s important to me to be honest with myself and you and not just post because it on a calendar. I tend to post in spurts though, and then have a rest.

Me in Saudi Arabia watching the patterns the sand on the dune made when I wiggled my feet. I spent ages doing this and remember it precisely and how happy it made me.

What Won’t I Do?

I won’t be doing any livestreams, workshops or events that I can ever envisage, I can not guarantee the energy I have from one day to then next, and I also I don’t really fancy them.

I won’t limit my blogging but I also won’t stick to a schedule if it’s not working for me.

I won’t stick to one subject.

I won’t guarantee to not be a bit political and I won’t tolerate hate speech etc. I’m basically a ‘woke snowflake socialist’, so let that guide you.

If you don’t fancy any of this crazy assortment then this may not be the stack for you. But, otherwise, I would love for you to join me on my journey.

Rock runs on the road to Stanley, Falklands Islands. I love patterns, wilderness, and nature.

So why am I here?

I’m learning to write again after a few difficult years, I’m re-finding my voice and want to share it with you. I found Substack after ignoring my Wordpress blog for a very long time. I came looking to follow authors and was inspired to start again. I hope you enjoy it too.

What to I want to achieve?

To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. I want to see where this ride takes me, and you if you come with me. I want to experiment, experience, and explore. I want to write poems that connect, prose that makes you want to read it, take photographs that let you see the world through my eyes, and also understand myself more through it all. I’m not in this for ‘success’, I’m here for connection. If success happens, all well and good, If I make some friends along the way even better.

Testimonials

Husband - She’s alright, she’ll do.

Adult child - Have we got any bread?

Margaret Ann Silver

- Tam Chennell makes me laugh until I feel like my head is going to fall off. (note from me, I am not a comedian I do not intend to write comedy, but apparently I occasionally do)

thisaintkansas - so oddly interesting

Lisa Andradez

all round wonderful human (note from me, I think she’s muddling me with someone else)

Friend - When one trims one vibrissa, one should do so in private! (That one is actually true)

Come join me.

An ‘doer upper’ in Ireland, and amazing scenery.